Meet Michelle, a style expert and editor of Cool Mama Style, a site dedicated to keeping budget-conscious mamas stylin’. With spot-on trend reports and savvy deal finds, Michelle and her lovely partner, Kristen, together aim to avenge momjeansitous. Not only do these ladies have keen fashion senses, but they relay their wisdom with an admirable quality of writing and manage to sprinkle in some hilarity. We got the chance to pick Michelle’s handbag-loving brain. Check out what we learned.

Q: Tell us a little about current handbag trends.

A: In one word, COLOR! We no longer have to live with just black and brown. Plum, Red, Yellow, Teal, and Orange are all fantastic colors for any time of the year. I have recently been carrying a purple hobo bag that I carry every day and its goes with anything I wear. It’s a special pop of color added to my outfit and I get a number of compliments on the color.

Q: What is your personal purse style?

A: As a mom, I need to have a fairly sizable bag to carry snacks and a million other little kid things that end up in my bag. That being said, any bag I choose has to have built in organization so that I can find my keys and my cell phone. I recently moved away from a bucket bag that I really loved, but often found myself frustrated that I could not find anything in the bag.

Q: What’s in your purse, always?

A: Aside from the normal wallet and checkbook, I always carry my camera with me in my bag because you just never know when you need to capture that special moment. I also have a number of different lip glosses, my blackberry and MINTS! Oh, and coupons for various stores like Bed Bath and Beyond, Ann Taylor, etc.

Q: What advice would you give someone struggling with which handbag to choose?

A: It’s really easy to get caught up into a color or a particular style from an appearance stand point, but you have to remember, that a handbag is supposed to be functional. If you are someone that commutes by train or light rail to work, you probably need a bag that offers a lot of storage for your water bottle, snacks, a book and maybe even a pair of shoes. I personally like a bag that offers the following elements to make my life a little easier; One, a built in clip for your keys. It can be irritating to search the bottom of your bag for 10 minutes when its 10 degrees outside and you need to get in your car or house. Two, I look for multiple built in pockets to store smaller items like my blackberry and lip gloss. Lastly, I find it useful when a bag has a few separating compartments to organize items you use frequently and items that you don’t.

Q: Tell us about your blog. What do you hope to accomplish with it?

A: CoolMamaStyle.com was developed out of our love for fashionable clothing and accessories. We hope to offer advice and tips to bring fashion back into the lives of many moms without spending a fortune. We have a reoccurring feature on our site, Binge or Bargain in which we featured an expensive “inspiration” piece for your closet and follow it up with a more affordable option. It’s been a great feature for many of our readers.

Q: Is there anything else you’re dying to share?

A: Being fashionable and developing your own style doesn’t have to be a chore, it should be fun! Don’t be afraid to try something new like buying a yellow handbag when you normally would choose black.

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