A little history
The English version of the name for a shoulder bag is cross-body, which literally means “crossing the body.” The first mentions of such bags were found in the 50s of the 20th century. They were designed for telephone line installers and mail carriers, allowing them to carry tools and letters while keeping their hands free. In 1955, Coco Chanel embodied this idea in the design of small women's handbags. Chanel's idea turned out to be incredibly popular, and cross-body bags found a strong niche in girls' collections.
What should every girl have in her bag?
It’s not for nothing that girls are famous for their talent of carrying everything they need with them. But what if the handbag is small, but you want to fit everything in it at once?
- Wallet. It must be neat and of high quality. For a small bag you will need a small wallet. Otherwise, the wallet may take up the entire volume and no more things will fit.
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- Paper handkerchief. If the whole pack doesn’t fit, you can put a couple of pieces in your pocket.
- Mirror. Surely every girl has had moments when something got into her eye or mascara ran. In such cases, a mirror is simply necessary. Fortunately, many designs for pocket mirrors have now been invented.
- Pomade. After a light snack or a romantic dinner, the lipstick will lose its rich shade or unsightly peel off along the inner edges. To avoid this, just throw your favorite lipstick in your bag.
- Scrunchy. Sometimes unpredictable situations happen. It started raining, plans changed, and how often do you need a hair tie on hand? It will not take up much space and will help in unpredictable situations.
- Chewing gum. To avoid any doubts about bad breath when you need to talk to a person, just throw a couple of records into your bag.
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Advantages of a shoulder bag
The undying fashion for this model can be easily explained, because the cross-body has a number of advantages:
- Versatility. The widest selection of sizes, colors, and materials makes the crossbody bag a suitable addition to a business, casual, or evening look.
- Practicality. The thoughtful design of the bag holds all the necessary things, and a belt or chain helps free your hands and make carrying the bag comfortable.
- Taking care of the spine. Even distribution of weight on the shoulder and back makes the load safer.
- Reliability. The bag is perfectly fixed on the shoulder and is in front, in the owner’s field of vision.
Belt bag: how to wear and what to combine with
The belt bag is another very popular model that women love for its convenience and original appearance. If you thought that such a handbag should only be worn on a belt, then we can bet. Carrying it on a belt is just one of the possible options. A belt bag placed in such a place can visually add volume to the hips, so take into account the characteristics of your figure.
The second, no less interesting way is to carry a bag at waist level. This option is ideal for those with a wasp waist who want to emphasize their dignity. In this case, the handbag even plays the role of a belt that you can wear over a dress, jacket or blouse.
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If the bag is “belt”, this does not mean at all that it can only be worn on the belt. Brave fashionistas began to wear it over their shoulders, and this method also strengthened and gained popularity. In this option, you just need to increase the length of the strap so that it is enough to throw over your shoulder.
The photo selection that you can see here will help you more clearly understand how to best carry a woman’s handbag. Such a wonderful accessory, which performs several functions at once, can radically change the overall perception of the image. So don’t forget about it and implement it into your wardrobe!
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Clutch
The peculiarity of this handbag is its small dimensions and a long, removable strap, without which the clutch can be carried in your hand. It can be made of any materials: natural or artificial leather, suede, beads, textiles. The shapes of clutches and their decor are also varied. The round clutch bag is gaining popularity. A special chic is a bag on a chain over the shoulder with gold fittings.
A clutch is not only an evening accessory; there are other types:
- everyday
- business
- envelope
- clutch box
- transformable clutch
Color
Bright shades
Now they are in trend. Hot pink, for example, can make a boring gray suit look interesting with a snap of your fingers.
A burgundy hat, matched to the bag, will make even just a dress stylish.
Blue and green noble shades look great as independent accessories. It is not necessary to have a similar color in clothes. Contrasting colors or gray and black are allowed in the outfit.
Pastel shades
They will complement an outfit made of soft pastel colors. For example, a soft pink outfit can be combined with a soft blue handbag.
These shades look great with full skirts and dresses. An airy marshmallow image is created that attracts the eye and surrounds with a halo of femininity.
Basic shades
These are white, black, brown and beige colors. In most cases, they will go well with casual outfits. Having just a couple of handbags in basic colors in your arsenal, you can decorate each of your outfits.
How to Wear a Crossbody Bag: A Style Guide
Knowing the basic laws of fashion will help you match your bag with your wardrobe. Casual style requires a bright accent in the form of a colored clutch, and a small black shoulder bag will neatly complement a business or evening look. Round bags need to be combined with other rounded clothing items. For tall ladies, voluminous models are suitable, and for petite ladies, small leather bags with a narrow handle. But the question of what to wear with a shoulder bag remains open and is decided depending on the situation and taste of the owner of this accessory.
Is it possible to carry someone else's worn bag according to signs?
If you received a bag as a gift, then why not wear it. If a person gives you a present with all his heart, then nothing bad will happen. But if you got the bag illegally, then it’s better to get rid of it. An accessory will not bring you anything good, just like loving an item obtained illegally.
So, we hope you now feel like an expert when it comes to bags.
We hope that our article helped you broaden your horizons and now you can find a handbag to suit any look and outfit. Share:
Selection by style
How to choose a bag to match your clothes? Choose models that match the style of your wardrobe.
Saddle shape
Business style involves wearing structured leather bags; a casual wardrobe will be complemented by bowling bags or messenger bags to be worn over the shoulder.
Bohemian and hippie-chic styles suggest a hobo, and a bright backpack is indispensable for a sporty-style wardrobe. Although many fashion bloggers masterfully break these rules, combining vintage Prada purses with sneakers and backpacks with pumps, you should not follow their example unless you are confident in your talent for combining incongruous things and looking stylish, not ridiculous.
On the road and around the city Barrel
Leather women's bags and clutches with a long strap (with photo)
Such models perfectly support images in a variety of styles. From refined everyday to frankly romantic. It is only important to decide on the material, color and style.
The ideal material for a small women's bag with a long strap has been and remains genuine leather. Well-made, high-quality and expensive - it will perfectly highlight all the advantages of the model and add status to it.
Designers suggest not limiting yourself in choosing colors and carefully selecting shades for shoes or the main item of the outfit - for example, a coat or jacket, and even more so for a dress. It's unfashionable.
It is enough that your handbag creates and emphasizes beautiful color combinations in the image. So even for classic options, leathers in bright fruity and floral shades are great. This model will perfectly complement both business and any casual style, so a true fashionista must have at least one such handbag. The only thing women's leather bags with a long strap absolutely do not go with are outfits designed in a sporty style.
Laconic volume looks most impressive in a bright and expressive design. The choice of material and decor depends only on what style you adhere to in general. But it is precisely these models that allow you to safely experiment with your own image, adding fresh notes to it.
One of the most popular and sought-after styles for elegant looks is a clutch bag with a long strap.
These models are presented in a wide variety of styles - from classic “envelopes” to original models reminiscent of candy boxes, powder compacts and even books. But specifically for clutches, the characters are quite rigid, geometric shapes and the use of a variety of materials, from traditional leather to plastic. To decorate such accessories, designers often use not only traditional techniques, but also hand painting. Look how original the clutch bags with a long strap are in these photos:
Origin story
This fashion accessory was invented by the famous fashion designer Coco Chanel. It was she who first got tired of carrying a bag in her hands. Coco simply attached a long chain to the wallet, thereby creating a very comfortable clutch that could be worn over the shoulder.
This idea appealed to many women. And now small bags are in great demand.
Which men's bag to choose: type of wearing and shape of accessory clasps
According to the method of wearing the product, accessories can be classified as follows: on a short and long belt (worn under the armpit or over the shoulder), on medium-length handles or adjustable straps (for wearing around the elbow), on shoulder straps (load distribution behind the back, on one shoulder) , belt clip or short handle (carry-on baggage).
Among the modern variety of models, you can choose elements with the following types of locks:
- zipper, one or more fasteners;
- top flap equipped with a magnet clasp or strap;
- frame lock;
- top tie (relevant for sports models).
Models of bags on a long strap with decor
Classic – noble and laconic – models are, of course, impeccable. But in more democratic trends for bags with a long strap, designers do not limit themselves to the use of spectacular decor. The more alternative it is, the more interesting and original the model.
There are no strict stylistic rules for such models - finishing with beautiful fittings, for example miniature “skulls” or spikes, associated with the styles “punk” or “rock” is in fashion. Moreover, it is recommended to wear such models with romantic and feminine outfits or fashionable denim. These accessories allow you to mix styles and create your own unique looks.
The models are decorated in a completely different way, with an overtly feminine, glam-chic style. Large rhinestones, sequin embroidery, voluminous flowers made of textile or leather - thanks to this decor, the accessory turns into a real decoration that can be used in any look that requires a bright and effective, but delicate accent.
The only type of decor that is not used today for a bag with a long shoulder strap is large-sized branded logos in the form of fittings. Even such fashion luminaries as the brands Chanel or Dior abandoned this. Their models are perfectly recognizable thanks to their signature, well-recognized design. And the sinners of using logos are, as a rule, those who counterfeit models of well-known brands.
These models are undoubtedly one of the best daytime accessories. And although the minimum sizes allow you to take with you only the essentials, such bags are very popular among fashionistas of all ages.
By the way, they go well with accessories of large sizes and free shapes, such as a tote or a hobo. The combination of two accessories in one in one look looks stylish and fashionable.
