I am the designated cameraperson in the family. I own a digital SLR, but because of its size and weight, shooting spontaneous and fun moments proved to be quite a laborious task. There are times when I don’t want to lug all my DSLR equipment around. To solve this, I’ve decided to get a compact point-and-shoot camera that’s slim and lightweight to stash in my purse.

Once I had received my new camera, I wanted to get an accompanying camera pouch to go with it. Being a woman, I always feel the need to accessorize even down to my personal digital gadgets. So, with the hope of finding something that looks stylish, I looked at the current product offerings at the nearby camera stores. Well, needless to say, I came home empty-handed and sorely disappointed.

Most camera pouches in the market are plain-looking and utilitarian with common box-like shapes. My main gripe is that these ‘no-nonsense’ pouches look so serious. And why do they always come in black? The camera industry still comes out with designs targeted with men in mind, whom are stereotypically regarded as more inclined towards digital photography. However, in these modern times, there are women, such as myself, who love to take pictures. And darn it, we want a fashionable and elegant looking pouch for our cameras!

Fortunately, there are camera accessory manufacturers that make camera pouches with women in mind, albeit only a handful of them.

This is a lovely pouch made from premium leather with contrasting vertical stitching on the front flap. It comes with a matching lanyard, making it suitable to function as a wristlet as well. There are inner slots to store memory and credit cards. This is an understated yet luxurious pouch for consumers who want a touch of elegance.

This pouch is super-slim, and will not add too much bulk to the digital camera. It is made from soft ultra-suede fabric and comes in several colors. The Tamrac Express Case 3 will suit anyone who wants a minimalist, yet classic pouch.

This product from Knomo is actually a multi-device pouch that can accommodate a digital camera or an mp3 player. It is made from a combination of soft lambskin and nylon, with compartments for credit cards and cash. There is a ring attached to the pouch that can be used as a key-chain. With such built-in functionality, this pouch can be used as a one-all carrying solution for the trendy and fashionable consumer.

Jill-e is a company that manufactures camera bags especially for women. This particular polka dot pouch is fun and whimsical. It has a detachable chain wrist strap with the signature Jill-e charm.

This is another excellent product from Jill-e. It can function as both a wristlet and small shoulder pochette, while keeping the digital camera safe and protected. There are interior slots for memory cards. This can be used on its own, or to complement a handbag. It is indeed a very practical and stylish pouch.

So there you have it, ladies, the best-looking and fashionable camera pouches in the market today! There is no excuse to slip that digital camera into one those boring, generic pouches anymore.

For the men out there, these gorgeous camera pouches would make excellent gifts for that special lady friend who loves carrying her digital camera around.