An Ultimate Guide to Crossbody Bags

What is a crossbody bag?

A self defining term, the crossbody is worn diagonally across the body, with the bag resting right by your hip. It is one of the most versatile items of the casual chic couture and is now a must-have. But can it be elevated to the status of being the piece that holds the key to defining your style? Here's all you need to know about the one shoulder wonder.

What makes The Crossbody a timeless accessory? 

The modern crossbody bag owes its design to a vast timeline of history, through the Romans and the Greeks to the Industrial Revolution. But to trace it closer to home, crossbody bags were initially popularized by the advent of railways. Mail carriers began using an item which can fairly be called the ancestor of the crossbody: the utility bag. With long railway travels now on the cards, the ladies also dug the easy access and compact accessory. 

The design of the shoulder strap that firmly goes across the body with the bag section resting by the waist has also been inspired by Military document pouches and map case bags. Well, here’s to a curious ancestry.

The crossbody bag's venturing into haute couture and designer luxury also strangely crosses wires with the 1950s fashion venture into messenger style bags and shoulder straps. But what is it about this simple piece of fashion history that makes it an indispensable item of any wardrobe? It is an accessory to be slung across for a casual coffee date and worn the same evening for cocktails with the girls. This versatility allows it to go with a pair of sneakers and a pair of stilettos and it is owed to the simple utilitarian design. Ease of use and simplicity with a dash of design is what makes The Crossbody a timeless accessory.

What to look for in the perfect Crossbody bag? 

The perfect Crossbody bag should be stylish and functional. It should have enough room to hold all of your essentials, but not be so big that it's cumbersome to carry. The strap should be adjustable so that you can wear it at the perfect length for your body. And finally, it should have a secure closure to keep your belongings safe.

The select parameters that you should look at before picking the right crossbody are – size, make & material and strap.

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• Make & Material: In terms of make and material, the crossbody comes in leather, suede, waxed canvas, faux leather, fabric, and even woven straw among other select options. Each of these can be adapted into personal wardrobes and fashion mood boards. When picking your preferred material it is essential to keep in mind the climate of your resident city especially for preferences like suede.

• Size: You really can't go wrong with medium crossbody purses that toe the line between the compact minimalist chic and functionality. With designated compartments for your phone, sunglasses, lipstick, wallet and other essentials you also have the added luxury of a compact book or a tablet. A large crossbody is the preferred hands free compliment to a basic wardrobe aesthetic and a favorite among students.

• Strap: Adjustable straps, metal links, the many colors, and a detachable functionality will dictate your choice of strap. Depending on your length of use and occasion, you are free to select a strap that fits your requirement. Wider and reliable straps are recommended for  longer and daily use.

Can the Designer Crossbody Bag be gender fluid?

The man bag, or the 'murse' broke into the pop culture scene in 2016-2017. It redefined the relationship between genders and purses. Now, the men fashioning tote bags are the new 'it' factor. Harry Styles and his gender fluid outfits are regular headliners. We live in a fast changing world where definitions are no longer defined. And for this, the curious ancestry of the crossbody bag with lumberjacks and military men makes it a primetime candidate for breaking the mold of what defines handbags, and who defines it. 

The One Shoulder Problem - Straps, Handbags & More

The crossbody bag gets a bad rep for being hard on the wearer's neck and shoulders. Worn across the body, the uneven weight distribution on one shoulder is known to cause imbalance. How to wear a crossbody bag correctly is a one man theater show, and your chiropractor is in the front seats. And just to let you in on the secret for not making said chiropractor barf - it is the strap.

A long and adjustable strap that is thick enough to distribute weight evenly should go a long way in maintaining balance. The strap should be adjusted to an ideal length for your height, with the bag section resting right by your hips. However, as we owe our life to the gods of fashion, you do not want the strap to make your fit look too cluttered and bulky. For this, a breakeven point can be found depending on the length of your use. For day to night users, practicality is paramount and some sacrifices to style inevitable.

A word to the wise, chain straps are a no-no if you are an all-day user. Even if you are convinced that sparkle will be a fine embellishment on the graveyard of your spine.

Where to find your ideal Crossbody Bag Style?

Crossbody bags have become synonymous with a versatility that fit your look for a night out or even just walking around the supermarket. The effortless design with the fashionable long strap and ease of access puts this item somewhere between the backpack and the fanny pack. More playful and certainly much more classy. At this point, we'd go as far as to say – they are a necessity for the modern, cosmopolitan woman.

But the ideal crossbody is at the intersection of the right price, the right bag and with much attention to your personalized style. And girls, whatever they may tell you, size does matter - your ideal crossbody should fall somewhere between minimalist and sporty, and still big enough to hold your everyday miscellaneous items. Take a look at our collection of different styles of crossbody bags - designed to be worn and engineered for your style.