Bags seem to be going in two directions these days, depending on the user. For the practical woman, there seems to be no end of hyper-functional totes, complete with phone compartments, fabulous hardware, and perfect extras like compact mirrors and key chains. These bags are perfect for airplane rides and lugging work materials. But as you all have probably experienced, a full tote is a bit of a burden on the shoulders and arms, and while they are practical in many occasions, schlepping your massive tote around town all day and night isn't the best solution. And so, in order to solve our problem, designers have hatched up the mini shoulder bag.
The mini shoulder bag: what happens when a cross-body satchel takes the shrinking potion Alice drinks in Alice in Wonderland. Unlike the everything-but-the-kitchen-sink-carrying tote bags, use of the mini shoulder bag requires extreme editing expertise. Only the essentials are allowed. At best, you can squeeze in an iPhone, a few credit cards, and a vile of lip gloss. Maybe you can get some keys in there. But not a whole lot.
While the mini shoulder bag doesn't leave a lot of room for extras, the concept is brilliant. When you hit the town or even just walk around a bit, you don't want to be burdened by a whole bunch of crap jammed into your big bag. While walking my dog this week up to a coffee cart for a tasty drink, I found myself realizing the beauty of the mini shoulder bag, which I have begun using whenever I walk my dog, go on a hike, see a concert, etc. In these situations, you really just need your phone, some money, an ID, etc. The mini shoulder bag makes it so convenient because it is so light on your shoulders -trust me, you will never want to go back to a normal purse- and you don't have to do the painstaking digging around a cluttered bag to find car keys, phone, whatever.
I wouldn't toss out the old Celine Shopper just yet, because in many cases the mini shoulder bag just isn't big enough. But when you need the essentials only, there's nothing better than the mini shoulder bag.
Will you be using a mini shoulder bag any time soon?
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| Mulberry $435 at net-a-porter.com |
While the mini shoulder bag doesn't leave a lot of room for extras, the concept is brilliant. When you hit the town or even just walk around a bit, you don't want to be burdened by a whole bunch of crap jammed into your big bag. While walking my dog this week up to a coffee cart for a tasty drink, I found myself realizing the beauty of the mini shoulder bag, which I have begun using whenever I walk my dog, go on a hike, see a concert, etc. In these situations, you really just need your phone, some money, an ID, etc. The mini shoulder bag makes it so convenient because it is so light on your shoulders -trust me, you will never want to go back to a normal purse- and you don't have to do the painstaking digging around a cluttered bag to find car keys, phone, whatever.
I wouldn't toss out the old Celine Shopper just yet, because in many cases the mini shoulder bag just isn't big enough. But when you need the essentials only, there's nothing better than the mini shoulder bag.
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| Deena & Ozzy $29 at urbanoutfitters.com |
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| Kate Spade $178 at katespade.com |
Will you be using a mini shoulder bag any time soon?
