Once upon a time a well dressed woman would always have worn matching shoes and handbag. Well, that fashion edict has long been disregarded and that’s a good thing because shoes wear out while a handbag can last forever. So, in the past this meant women ended up with a wardrobe of orphaned bags, their matching shoes long gone to shoe heaven. The idea of matching bags and shoes came from the need to create connection within an outfit. Random items that relate to no other garment or accessory are exactly that…random! An item such as a handbag or a scarf that has no connection to any other element,  may look odd and out of place. Colour is one of the easiest ways to create connection but it does not have to be identical.  Connection can also come from items being similar in texture, pattern or motif. When the items we are wearing connect to one, preferably two other items then the eye of the onlooker moves easily between each of them. Visual harmony and balance will be created. And note that our make-up, particularly our lipstick can be one of the connecting elements. Check out Princess Mary of Denmark in this image and notice how your eye travels effortlessly from her shoes to her bag to her gloves without settling on any of them. In this case colour is the connecting element.