For many women, choosing the right purse is no simple task

It's a relationship that few women can adequately explain, but all women seem to know that purses have an amazing power and appeal for them.

Women carry a purse every day -- and these bags range in scale from backpack-sized to clutches suitable for carrying little more than a few cents and a lipstick on a night out.

Women have a variety of reasons for choosing the purse they carry. Some choose their bags based on convenience, size or its fashion statement.

Choosing a purse is sentimental, said Allison Besher, formerly of Cape Girardeau. Besher, who works in the university relations department at Webster University in St. Louis, has a collection of purses that are both functional and personal.

"Purses aren't just an accessory or add a splash of color" to an outfit. They can show a woman's personality, she said.

Regardless of why they choose it, a purse means a lot to a woman.

So much, in fact, that there's a Dutch museum showcasing the history of the handbag from the Middle Ages to present day.

The 2,000-piece collection of purses and handbag accessories shows the variety of materials and shapes used in making the objects.

Whether it's a leather pouch from the 17th century or the latest design by Donna Karan, purses seem to say a lot about the women who carry them.

Lucky Johnson, who used to sell handbags at a department store in Cape Girardeau, said there are really only three things women care about when it comes to purses: brand and quality, durability and fashion style.

She classifies herself as one who cares most about quality. Johnson said she only buys bags made by Coach or Dooney and Bourke, which can cost as much as $350.

"I don't have to have many bags," she said. "You save money in the end."

The durability of the leather bags and the quality make them popular, she said. She's been carrying her current bag for at least four years.

And the bags are generously sized so "everything you take with you fits in there," she said.

For some women, it's the size of the bag and how many compartments and pockets that are available for stashing their lipstick, keys, cell phones and grocery lists that matters most.

Besher said her everyday purse is practical, and "you can fit all your stuff in there." She chooses her bags for "functionality and all the pockets."

Myra Jones tends to choose her handbags based on their feel under her arms. She tends to choose bags that have a small strap and can fit nicely against her side.

"I don't want the strap as short as they have them now," she said.

And she almost always chooses a black bag when she makes her semiannual shopping trip for a new purse.

Purses aren't what they used to be, Besher said. "You can have an everyday purse and a fun, glitzy one."

ljohnston@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 126

On the Net

ww.museumofbagsandpurses.com