So you're heading off on yet another weekend getaway, but this time the occasion calls for packing only a carry-on for the entire 48-72 hour escape. What's the stylish traveler to do? Since you don't have the freedom to overpack the suitcase, you'll need a versatile tote with plenty of organizational compartments for your trek. Here are some important tips for choosing a bag for your weekend travels:

First, look for a bag with a soft fabric construction. This type of bag is expandable which means you can stuff more than just a few pairs of shoes and a few sets of clothing into it. A roomy weekender bag shaped like an oversized tote or maternity bag is just the ticket for your weekend travel plans.

Second, make sure the bag has double or quadruple straps. Most high-quality weekender bags are designed with thicker straps than the standard tote, but your bag will probably last longer if it has reinforced straps and extra-wide handles. These are not only more comfortable to carry around on those long flights and at the airport, but will also help the bag keep their shape better.

Third, choose a bag made with waterproof materials. Whether you're jetting off to the Caribbean or traveling across the country on a road trip, your bag may be exposed to inclement weather. Avoid having to deal with a bag of soaked clothing by selecting a bag made with thick nylon and weather-proof materials. An oversized duffel bag or tote covered in a PVC coating will keep rain, sleet and snow at bay.

Another important thing to consider when choosing your weekender bag is the number of compartments and zippers it has. You need as many space-saving strategies as possible when packing for the entire weekend, and small compartments and dividers within the bag will make it very easy to keep things in order, and pack more in very little space. Look for extra pockets and compartments on the exterior of the bag to hold your accessories in, and smaller sections within the bag to hold your beauty products, electronics and other fragile items.

With just over a month left of beach season, now is a great time to pack up a beach bag or travel tote and head out for some fun in the sun! Having the right gear for the beach is an important part of travel planning because you need to pack more than the usual goods for weekend getaways or a day of traveling.

When you plan to spend more time in the sun and on the sand, you need to tote along bottles of sunscreen, a large sun hat, healthy snack foods, bottled water and some reading materials. All of those necessary accessories aren't going to fit in your shoulder bag or a tote, so a flexible beach bag made with lightweight materials is your best bet.

Pick up a plaid beach bag to add a stylish twist to an otherwise simple design. Plaid is a hot trend for the summer season, and adds a casual but chic touch to your beach-bound ensemble.

If you want a sassy but chic look, go for a bold printed travel tote. These roomy totes often have extra compartments and zipper pockets which can help you keep everything organized.

Planning to camp or picnic on the beach? Stick with a sturdy weekender tote with extra-large pockets and durable straps. These beach totes are great for packing up Tupperware containers of snacks and hauling heavy water bottles.

If you're planning to shop on the Boardwalk and browse local boutiques during your trip to the beach, consider taking along an eco-chic straw tote or bag made with earth-friendly materials. These are still a top trend for the summer season, and you can show off your inner fashionista with a bold statement bag or hand-painted canvas tote.

Whether you plan to lounge by the ocean or hit the town for the day, you need to carry a bag that will handle your haul for the day with ease. If you want to stay stylish as well, take your pick from these top beach bag trends. From bold printed designs to a simple canvas bag, you have several options for handbags as you enjoy those last few weeks at the beach!

Chain handles are one of the leading trends for Spring and Summer 2009 and can give your otherwise classic ensemble an edgy, modern look. Leading handbag designers including Marc Jacobs, Chanel, Prada and Moschino have added gleaming chain handles to their accessories lineups, and many other shoulder bag designers are following suit. But how do you wear this style with your summer outfit? Here are the different types of chains that work with different types of looks this season:

The oversized chain with buckle embellishments is a great addition to your oversized hobo or a large weekender bag. It's a fresh, funky and casual look for your everyday bag, and works well for day and night.

The gleaming gold and silver chain is the perfect addition to a miniature shoulder bag for your night out on the town. It's also appearing on stylish clutches and miniature pochettes to add some shine to your look. Look for thinner, necklace-style chain handles to complete your look for an elegant affair.

A leather and metal interlocking chain handle is a great way to dress up a casual outfit for summer, and this type of handle is appearing on both shoulder bags and bucket bags this season. The interlocking chain handle also provides some extra support and is highly durable for this season and beyond.

Double or triple chain handle bags are great for a dressy, rocker-chic inspired look and are a good match for wrap dresses, halter dresses and miniskirts you're sporting this summer. These multi-chain bags double as an accessory that will become the focal point of your outfit, so avoid wearing too much jewelry with your ensemble to make the most of your look.

The half-chain handle bag is the latest sophisticated office-wear accessory. These bags are designed with a leather covering at the top of the chain, and give you the added benefit of extra comfort with the soft padded leather handle. Give your office ensemble a fresh, modern twist with one of these bags by your side. The half-chain handle bag made with patent leather, quilted leather or soft buttery-leather finish is a versatile and chic look for your office collection.

Summer season means it's time to do away with heavy leather totes and metal-embellished hobos in favor or light, colorful and playful bucket bags and canvas clutches. Since this is the season where you'll be out and about more often than not, choosing the right handbag or tote to complement your casual style is a top priority.

Ready to rock in this summer's hottest handbags? Make sure you're adding some of these hot picks to your summer arm candy lineup:

The Everyday Bag
Pick up an everyday shopping bag to carry all of your daily essentials, but just make sure it's in an eye-popping color like pink, bright blue, or yellow if you really want to heat things up this summer. Everyone needs at least one of these everyday bags for weekend errand-running, or even for the farmer's market route.

The Lightweight Pouchette
Heading to the car wash? Need to drop off a few library books? Pick up a classy, simple canvas pouchette to carry your wallet, sunglasses and cell phone, and add a pop of color to the outfit by choosing a bright and bold hue. These simple bags rest easily on your shoulder and are a cute, compact addition to your summer wardrobe.

The Black and White Tote
If you tend to see things in black and white and want to avoid the rainbow of colors this season, stick with the a classic oversized tote in zebra-like colors. A striped tote is great for those long days at the beach, running errands on weekends, or just for hauling your essentials on that weekend getaway. Invest in a high-quality bag with dual shoulder straps so you can use it year after year.

The Big Shopper
If you tend to hit the shopping circuit on a weekly -or daily - basis, consider taking along a big shopping tote. This eliminates the need to carry all sorts of plastic and paper bags from every store, and you will have everything close to you as you go from store to store in the shopping plaza.

From an everyday bag to the classic black and white tote, you have plenty of options for picking an eye-catching, versatile tote this summer. Make sure you're sporting at least one of these hot styles for the season!

Summer is finally here, which means it's time to spice up your look with some bold, fresh and funky accessories. One of the easiest ways to freshen up your look for this season is with an oversized summer tote. Tote bags are an absolute must-have for those weekend getaways and long, relaxing days by the pool. They're the ultimate carryall for all your essentials, and you can flaunt the latest trends and your unique style with the right match. Here are some tips for picking the right tote bag for the season:

1. Don't be afraid of the bold and bright. This season's hottest colors in summer totes are hot pink, orange, yellow, fuchsia, cherry red and turquoise. You don't have to stick with the neutrals for your summer bag, even if you're wearing a bold, eye-catching outfit. These totes are sure to boost your mood and get you ready for the beach in no time!

2. Do the weave. Basket-inspired totes are one of the hottest trends of the season, so take your trip to Havana and tote along a khaki-colored or light brown straw bag if you can. Straw tote bags are fun and functional, and this summer classic can be used year after year.

3. Say yes to the supersize. Oversized totes are the way to go for the season, and they're especially versatile for those days you need to pack a picnic, beach blankets, magazines and your beauty bag for the day. Look for wide straps and sturdy materials that will carry your haul for the long haul.

4. Count those pockets. The bigger the bag, the more compartments you'll need to stay organized. Make sure your tote has plenty of pockets inside and out, so you're not rifling through dozens of items just to find your sunglasses. The compartments don't have to be very large, but just big enough to keep your accessories separate.

5. Accessorize with a scarf. If you plan to wear a scarf or wrap around your head for extra sun protection, tie it around your tote as an accessory. This will add another burst of color to your look, and makes your tote look oh-so-chic!

Dropping hundreds or thousands of dollars on the season's hottest fashions is normal for many fashionistas, but in the current financial environment, it may not be the most fiscally responsible choice. However, there is a bright side to the bleak financial picture. Now is the perfect time to focus and streamline your wardrobe to create a unique look that is completely your own.

Let's be honest; how many of you have bought clothing in the past simply because it was the hottest trend, not because it was really your style or looked great on you? Probably all of us have done that at one time or another - but now, when we need to watch our pennies, we can't make such poor fashion decisions. Now is the time to carefully assess each item we buy and ask, "Do I need it? Will I wear it (more than once)? Do I LOVE it? Is it ME?"

As you ask yourself these questions, keep your current wardrobe in mind. What are your favorite colors, clothing styles and accessories in your closet? Do your wardrobe pieces add up to a coherent "look" or are they hopelessly eclectic? If you can figure out the way you want to look and the image you want to project, it will be much easier for you to figure out what your wardrobe basics should be and build from there.

Once you've discovered your own style, there will be no need for you to spend thousands on new trendy clothing for each season. As new styles come along, decide if they fit into your overall style and lifestyle, and if not, pass them by. For instance, an outdoorsy girl who prefers to dress casually probably doesn't NEED red patent leather boots, fabulous though they may seem. A better choice for her would be a pair of hiking boots in a fun, flirty color - that way she can show her trendy side in a way that complements her lifestyle and existing wardrobe. Ladies who prefer pants to skirts can simply ignore the upward or downward trend of skirt and dress hemlines and stick to trousers entirely.

The same principle applies to color. If this season's hottest color is yellow, but you hate yellow, look terrible in yellow or have nothing in your existing wardrobe that goes with yellow - skip it! If it's not YOU, there's no point in wasting money on it. If you're dying to try the trendy color, choose an inexpensive, utilitarian item like a handbag or belt - that way you haven't spent a ton of money, and you can always trade with a friend who really does love yellow!

In short, building a wardrobe of clothing that looks good on you, fits your lifestyle and reflects the image you want to project will always make you look a hundred times more fashionable than simply wearing the latest trends. Never buy anything you don't love - your look AND your wallet will thank you for it!

If a casual girls’ night out is on your list of things to do, then toss on a black O’Neill tank with your favorite pair of 7 For All Mankind jeans. You can ward off the spring chill with a Gabriella Rocha trenchand show off your personality with a pair of sassy Charles David wedges! Don’t forget to throw your favorite Stila lip gloss in a ruched Francesco Biasia handbag before you run out the door!

See another outfit featuring this Gabriella Rocha trench!

See another outfit featuring these 7 for All Mankind jeans!

See another outfit featuring these Charles David wedges!

See another outfit featuring this O'Neill Tank Top

Drape yourself in this stop-them-in-their-tracks red Calvin Klein dress and core item Gabriella Rocha trench. Accessories are key to take this look from fun to fab! A bow-adorned Betsey Johnson clutch, statement necklace by Marc by Marc Jacobs, and the pièce de résistance, strappy Stuart Weitzman stilettos!

See another outfit featuring all the core items!

If you think about haute couture (high fashion), you're likely to think of Paris, France. Paris has always been at the forefront of world fashion. Clothing designed in France makes it all around the world in a matter of weeks, with similar designs soon showing up from London to Hong Kong. French accessories aren't any different. Accessories designed in Paris are big business and often affect accessories fashion for the rest of the world. In 2009, the must-have French accessories are handbags, or purses, as the Americans call them. French handbags are known all over the world. From Louis Vuitton and Chanel to Etienne Aigner and Yves Saint Laurent, to lower priced but still beautiful bags from the likes of Jerome Gruet.

Started in 1893, Chanel is one of the most loved handbag designers in the world. This year's Chanel handbags are gorgeous, many of them with the typical Chanel chain handle, and all of them with the very familiar Chanel logo. En vogue colors are gray, red and black with some beiges and pinks thrown in for a little splash of color.

Louis Vuitton designs luxury leather luggage and purses. The Stephen Sprouse collection is popular this year, with bags having either the traditional brown and cream Louis Vuitton design base then overlaid with enormous red and pink flowers or with brightly colored graffiti on the same Louis Vuitton background.

Yves Saint Laurent , another of the high-end bag designers, has some sweet clutch purses for 2009 that are designed to look like the front of an envelope, complete with stamp and postmark. Adorable. They come in black or ivory patent leather. In tote bags, Yves Saint Laurent has a similar design that they call the Y-Mail Patent Tote Bag. Priced at around $500, it's actually not a bad price for something so unique and so exquisitely made.

Jerome Gruet has a little shop in Paris that specializes in beautiful quality canvas bags with contrasting trims. Jerome Gruet bags are great for a woman who likes a larger bag, because she carries everything with her including the kitchen sink.

Finally, check out Catherine Zarzecki who specializes in small handbags and clutches. What makes Catherine Zarzecki stand out is all of the accents on her bags are made with semi-precious stones. In 2009, she's gone with red, black, blues and greens with some very special limited edition silver clutch bags.

Whatever your bag style though, you'll find anything you're looking for in Paris.

Follow the latest celebrity fashion trend by carrying about a handbag that makes a statement. This can mean a large tote handbag or even a smaller handbag that is a bold color, has beads or has a bold print. This season celebrities are letting their handbags speak for themselves. Choose a large, red, striped handbag like Blake Lively was seen carrying. Or you can go with a beautiful clutch that is covered in metallic sequins like the one by Be & D. This is actually one of the more doable celebrity fashion trends to follow because there are plenty of statement handbags that you can buy. Also, you don't have to be worried about it drawing as much attention to you as a statement top would. It's a more subtle statement.

Every woman knows that you can't go wrong with the little black dress. Well, celebrities are no exception on this one. You can find a little black dress popping up on every red carpet in Hollywood. Such celebrities as Charlize Theron, Kelly Ripa, Jennifer Aniston, Heidi Klum and Reese Witherspoon have all worn the little black dress and done it with style. When looking for your little black dress, look towards the celebrity style and find one that stands out a little bit. Maybe it's belted at the waist with a gold belt or has pleating in the front. Making your little black dress a little more interesting is a great way to stand out and still fit in at every event. This is a great time of year, with Christmas parties and events coming up, to invest in your little black dress.

One celebrity fashion trend that may take some more guts to pull off is the liquid latex leggings. These leggings appear as if they have been basically glued on to your legs. They appear to be leather but are actually latex. Celebrities such as Rihanna, Kate Moss, Lauren Conrad and Alicia Keys have all been rocking these leggings. But beware; these leggings are not for the ordinary, everyday person. They are for the person who wants to be noticed and get attention!

What's hot with celebrities and their handbags right now? Color, color, and more color. For summer all the celebrities are carrying around brightly colored handbags. They are ditching the plain white, black or brown handbags and getting some color into their handbags. Colors such as pink, purple, green, red and yellow are all the rage this summer. Both Nicky Hilton and Jessica Simpson were seen carrying around green handbags while shopping. Other celebrities, such as Jada Pinkett Smith, Cameron Diaz, Rachel Bilson and Rihanna also have gotten into the brightly colored handbag trend. To get this celebrity trend, try handbag designers such as Marc Jacobs and Kate Spade to achieve the celebrity trend. They make brightly colored handbags that the celebrities love. When following this celebrity trend, you need to make sure that your handbag is not going to clash with your outfit. Try a brightly colored handbag with a traditional outfit such as jeans and a t-shirt or a plain colored summer dress.

Not only are celebrities going crazy for brightly colored handbags, they are also sporting brightly colored jeans. Yes, I said brightly colored jeans. Jeans that are pink, purple and green are a hit among trendy celebrities. Rihanna was seen sporting neon pink jeans with a black top and she is not alone. Victoria Beckham, Fergie, Cameron Diaz and Hilary Duff also like to wear brightly colored jeans. Now, this is not a trend for all. To wear brightly colored jeans you have to be a size 2 or smaller, and you have to know how to pull it off so that you do not look like you just came in a time machine from the '80s. Not everyone can pull off neon pink, skinny jeans and still look trendy. In fact, this celebrity trend may be one to just keep to the celebrities.

While we are on the topic of bright colors, we might as well mention nail polish. Celebrities are trading in the pastel and neutral colors for neon and brightly colored nail polish. Now, this is a trend that all can follow. Try pink, purple, blue or yellow nail polish the next time you want to give your outfit a little pop.