Handbags 101: Is Ombre the New Slang for Umbrella?

Welcome to a new edition of Handbags 101. Today we discuss the meaning of the word "ombre," a term that seems to be thrown around more and more in the land of bag.

First off, no, ombre is not shorthand for umbrella, conjured up by people hoping in retaliation for Rihanna adding six extra syllables to an already multi-syllabic word.

Ombre, in fact, is french for shaded, and it's used to describe a bag (and other items, of course) that evolves gradually from one shade to another. This is best illustrated by looking at some pictures of ombre bags, below:

Stella McCartney Ombre Chiffon Clutch

$395 at net-a-porter

Mulberry Ombre Bayswater Bag

(No longer available in stores)
[Image courtesy of The Purse Blog]

Lodis Ombre Romano Leather Starlet Clutch

$229 at Zappos