What does your handbag say about you?

How do other people try to understand the kind of person you are? If you think your choice of outfit, your car or your star sign are the only clues, think again says Julia Neel

Your handbag is one of the most powerful accessory statements that you can make. So just as clothes maketh the man, the handbag maketh the woman. See what your handbag says about you...

  Edie tote, AccessorizeMinimal classic
You lead a busy life, so you need a bag that fits seamlessly into any situation: work meeting, lazy lunch with friends, shopping... This bag, like you, feels at home in any setting and, like your personal style, your handbag is refined and unobtrusive, but certainly not passive. You appreciate classic good looks and prefer to invest your hard-earned cash in a high-quality handbag that will look as right in the boardroom as it does at a bar - most likely a streamlined black bag that tucks neatly under your shoulder for a sophisticated look.

You hate clutter and can't stand digging through old receipts and sweet wrappers, so your bag has compartments for your purse, BlackBerry, sunglasses and essential make-up kit. You are all about quality, not quantity, in every aspect of your life - your closest friends will attest to this, and you want a bag that will see you through the years, not be on eBay within three months.

  Grab bag, TopshopHigh-street hero
We don't want to say 'short attention-span', but you definitely like to have a few options when it comes to choosing your daily arm-candy. Multiple choice is the name of the game and you would feel stifled by only one bag! You have a different handbag for every possible social occasion. Off to work? You'll need your Oasis hobo bag - big enough for a change of shoes, your diary and your current read. Shopping with friends? That'll be your cornflower blue (the colour of the season) grab bag from TopShop. Out to dinner? No question - the snakeskin Dorothy Perkins clutch.

Your constantly changing handbags signify a fast-paced lifestyle and a mercurial attitude. Do you have different friends for different situations? Just like you know your sparkly clutch would be all wrong at the office, do you have some friends who you can only do lunch with, or who you know you could never introduce to your work colleagues?

Whatever the situation and whatever the bag, you know that the high street will never let you down.

  Yves Saint Laurent Muse bagDesigner must-have
As far as you're concerned, a bag is not a bag until it has been on the arm of Kate or Sienna. And it's certainly not worth having if you don't have to get on a waiting list to get your hands on it. Last year you splurged on the Fendi Spy bag (in chocolate, naturally) and you were the envy of all your in-the-know friends. This year it's the Yves Saint Laurent Muse bag or bust. If you're carrying the latest designer 'It' bag, then you live an exclusive, high-maintenance lifestyle and your handbag is a reflection of your expensive tastes and appreciation for very, very fine things.

Size matters in this instance, since your arm-candy needs to flit from Cipriani's to Claridges then on to M*vida's VIP room, so you need enough space for quintessential make-up supplies, your Smythson diary (wouldn't want to miss lunch with the Goldsmiths), your new iPhone and, possibly, a tea-cup terrier - this season's other must-have accessory.

  Oversized bag, Miss SelfridgeOld faithful
Your handbag is the equivalent of a one-size-fits-all t-shirt. Admit it: bags aren't your thing. Don't be ashamed - some of us are just shoe people. You're a practical person and, quite frankly, you don't see the sense in spending a month's salary on one accessory.

You rarely swap bags, so old faithful's philosophy is 'be prepared' and with preparedness comes reliability: you can always be relied upon for a supply of plasters, paracetamol, deodorant, safety pins, pens, paper, hand wipes, phone charger and foreign currency (you never know!).