A zippered tote bag is a stylish purse and generally a far more secure option in comparison to the type that have flip-over fastenings or gator mouth openings. Often the hardware used for the zippers becomes an embellishment in itself, and the hardware is reflected throughout the design of the tote.

The bigger brand names, designer handbag creators such as Louis Vuitton and Coach, have long been on the zipper tote bags’ band wagon and of course the big designers tend to pave the way for the cheaper brand names.

In short this means that there are plenty of gorgeous tote bags with zippers on offer on the current market, and we’re not talking about boring old zippered shoppers either. We’re talking about handbags and purses that have been elegantly designed; the type that looks good in a multitude of settings.

You can choose from among a variety of the following styles:

• Oversized handbags
• Work totes
• Evening/going out purses
• Fashion totes
• Shoulder bags
• Crossbody bags
• And more

Added to the above is the diversity of gorgeous fabrics and materials used in the purses, as well as the colors and the accessorizing that many of them include as a standard element of their original design.

Again, going back to the start of this article, the security of your belongings is of paramount importance. Of course we want to walk down the high street looking good but we’ve also (now) got to factor in the contents of our purses.

Today’s modern woman will likely have any combination of the following high-tech gadgets tucked away inside her purse:

• Cell phone
• PDA
• iPhone
• iPad
• Kindle
• Notebook
• Digital camera

Other valuables (credit cards, money etc) notwithstanding, the above represents a fairly attractive prospect to a thief should they see you depositing your new iPhone or PDA into your purse whilst you’re walking around shopping.

A zippered tote bag is an annoyance to them, and a great security measure for you. Any purse or tote with a zipper is harder to manipulate than a simple snap-fastener, and whilst it’s not impossible for an accomplished thief to maneuver their way into a purse (if they’re desperate enough!), let’s at least make it more likely that they will either:

1. Not bother
2. Get caught in the act

Of the above, the first option is the better, as catching someone with their hand in the ‘cookie jar’ isn’t a favorable scenario. Still, if using a zippered tote bag keeps you and your belongings safe and secure, they’re worth considering as a chic and trendy alternative to a bag that screams ‘hey!… I’m easy!’ – even if it is de rigueur and ohhhh so now!