India, Sept. 6 -- A handbag is not just where you put your phone, wallet and the emergency lip balm you have somehow carried around for three years. It can completely change how an outfit looks and, more importantly, how functional it is.

The right handbag can take you from a morning commute to a coffee date, from a work meeting to dinner, and from a weekend of errands to an evening event without making you wonder where you are supposed to put your sunglasses.

But you do not need a wardrobe-sized handbag collection to cover every occasion. A well-rounded rotation of a few versatile silhouettes can do most of the work. The trick is knowing which styles serve different purposes.

From the roomy tote that survives your workday to the tiny ...