I’ve noticed a disturbing trend in women’s handbag fashions lately. They don’t make the handles shoulder length anymore!
Maybe it’s to save money on a little extra material, but go to the store and study on the styles. The handles are short, around 13″ long at the most. Now, I don’t know about you, but I’d like to see these designers try to sling that bag over the shoulder of a bulky winter coat.
I know they’re cute, but they aren’t very functional. First of all, any bag worth it’s purchase needs to be able to carry a two pound wallet full of store discount cards, the cell phone, the iPod, coupons for holiday shopping, sixteen pens, four tubes of assorted lipstick and/or chapstick, a crumbled candy bar, twenty-eight pennies, a paperback book in case you’re stuck somewhere and have time to read, sunglasses, headset/earphones for previously mentioned cell phone and iPod, a notepad for writing down story ideas when they strike at the red light, and a roll of open breath mints from which one is always escaping.
Frankly, carrying this much with a purse that refuses to hang on your shoulder is annoying. I have a purse I’m ca
rrying right now, it’s red and cute and stuff, but the straps are of a really slippery material so it never stays on my shoulder unless I use my other hand to hold it there.
I’ve tried looking for shoulder bags that actually hang from a 23″ strap, they they’ve almost gone the way of the dinosaur. What’s worse is that their business companion, the ladies tote and/or briefcases are following the trend of using shorter straps. Men’s briefcases have long straps so the bag hangs down to their hips, but we women are saddled with gorgeous bags designed to make us look frumpy. I mean, you try carrying a laptop, speakers, projector, and assorted other peripherals in a bag that wrinkles the shoulder of your suit, pulls your collar askew, and generally makes you look like you’ve just run a marathon with it.
Then, of course, the pics make it look so easy. Sigh. Maybe it’s just me. Do you miss longer straps on your purses and bags?
