Fashion

[Tinkrbl44]

I think bags with both a pair of short handles and a long strap look ridiculous.

Even worse is the SECURITY problem .... years ago when I first moved to Los Angeles, our employer had a couple officers from the local police dept come and give a talk on personal safety for women.

As it turns out, a woman carrying a satchel in the crook of her arm with the long strap dangling is called a PURSE SNATCHER'S INVITATION .... all they have to do is come up behind you and shove you to the ground while sliding the bag forward over your wrist and run like crazy!

By the time a woman gets up off the ground, her purse snatcher is a block away!

[handygal2]

On 3/29/2015 HomeShoppingLover87 said:

Sounds like you and I have pretty similar bag tastes, Handygal. I love the roominess and comfort of totes, but tend to gravitate toward hobos, I think because I subconsciously find them to look a little dressier and less, "Heading to the farmer's market" (despite the name, ironically).

Agreed!

[HomeShoppingLover87]

On 3/29/2015 Tinkrbl44 said:

I think bags with both a pair of short handles and a long strap look ridiculous.

Even worse is the SECURITY problem .... years ago when I first moved to Los Angeles, our employer had a couple officers from the local police dept come and give a talk on personal safety for women.

As it turns out, a woman carrying a satchel in the crook of her arm with the long strap dangling is called a PURSE SNATCHER'S INVITATION .... all they have to do is come up behind you and shove you to the ground while sliding the bag forward over your wrist and run like crazy!

By the time a woman gets up off the ground, her purse snatcher is a block away!

Scary! I actually never thought of the security aspect.

[handygal2]

On 3/29/2015 Tinkrbl44 said:

I think bags with both a pair of short handles and a long strap look ridiculous.

Even worse is the SECURITY problem .... years ago when I first moved to Los Angeles, our employer had a couple officers from the local police dept come and give a talk on personal safety for women.

As it turns out, a woman carrying a satchel in the crook of her arm with the long strap dangling is called a PURSE SNATCHER'S INVITATION .... all they have to do is come up behind you and shove you to the ground while sliding the bag forward over your wrist and run like crazy!

By the time a woman gets up off the ground, her purse snatcher is a block away!

Sorry my last post came out blank. I wanted to say that, speaking of security, I noticed the GILI tsv convertible bag the other night. I would never wear it in the backpack mode, because you can't see what's going on behind you.

[Hellodemocrat]

I hate the short handles. They hurt ur arm and very uncomfortable. I like the straps and elbow clearance!

[Snicks1]

I won't buy a bag that has both a long cross body strap and a set of double handles for elbow or hand held use. I want a hobo with long enough sturdy enough strap that isn't in my armpit when I am carrying it. I've just about given up finding what I want, but I look in every store I go in, just in case. I also want leather with a zip closure. If I ever find what I want, I will buy at least 2 so when one wears out, I will still have another. lol

[HomeShoppingLover87]

Speaking of backpacks, I got brainwashed into the "Backpacks are the hot new silhouette" cult for a while (probably in large part because of the Oryany and GILI ones at QVC), but the other day, I somehow just had this epiphany of, "Wait a minute - I don't really like the way backpacks look..."

I get the hands-free appeal (though, as you said, there's also a potentially dangerous flip-side to that), but I just don't think backpacks look chic, the way the hosts try to tell us. Every time I try one on and see those straps over my shoulders in the mirror (or even just slung over one shoulder), I think of myself as an awkward 12-year-old with a backpack on at school, no matter how modern and sophisticated the design is.

[m2p]

On 3/29/2015 snickster said:

I won't buy a bag that has both a long cross body strap and a set of double handles for elbow or hand held use. I want a hobo with long enough sturdy enough strap that isn't in my armpit when I am carrying it. I've just about given up finding what I want, but I look in every store I go in, just in case. I also want leather with a zip closure. If I ever find what I want, I will buy at least 2 so when one wears out, I will still have another. lol

Snicksted, I'm with you, a zipper top is a must. I found a company in Berkeley, California that makes leather bags that are wonderful. Probably can't say the name but it starts with an L and ends with an e. Goggle leather purses in California and it should show up. Also made in USA.

[!FitChick!]

I have narrow, droopy shoulders- I just can't hold a bag on my shoulders. I buy satchel styles, and have never used the shoulder strap- I think satchels look bulky and awkward when they go crossbody. A satchel is supposed to be held in the crook of your elbow or your hands- I don't like when purse manufactures try to make a bag something it isn't- a backpack is not dressy, a satchel is not practical for people who need to be hands free, and a hobo is not structured. I'd wear a crossbody more often than for traveling, but I don't like how it cuts your chest in half.