Though I’m usually into spacious oversized bags, minimalist-inspired cross body bags have been on my radar for the past few months. Cross body bags are great for those times when you don’t need or want to carry a ton of stuff with you–think simple shopping trips, nights out, or house parties. And since you have to fit all of your things into that tiny space, you’ll make sure to pack only the essentials, right?
Why It’s a Favorite…
- Security. Not only can you swing a cross body bag over your shoulder and walk with confidence knowing it won’t get in your way, but when you wear one across your body, it makes it difficult for anyone to swipe your stuff. That’s a plus any way you look at it!
- Convenience. Let’s be honest: carrying around a cute clutch gets obnoxious sometimes! (Case in point? One of my good friends once brought a big silver clutch to a club and got so sick of carrying it that she threw it away!) And while we love wristlets, they can be annoying when you’re attempting to dance or grab a drink. With a cross body bag, though, you’re covered. Grab your things, slip it on, and forget about it until you need to touch up your lip gloss.
- Cost-effective. Small purse, (usually) small price tag! Need I say more?!
- Cute! I love the look of a cross body bag with just about any outfit. They’re a little bit sporty, totally chic, and work well whether you’re in an oversized sweater and leggings or a flirty bandage skirt. The hands-free style is catching on and some of our favorite celebrities seem to agree— so make sure to be on the lookout for cross body bags this season!
Tips for Purchasing a Bag of Your Own…
- Pick a length that’s right for you.As with any other bag, when choosing a cross body purse, you should consider the length of the strap. Finding a length you like and that flatters you is fairly easy (and intuitive–short girl, shorter strap, tall girl, longer strap!) and many of today’s bags feature a strap that’s adjustable. Bonus points if you want to carry your cross body on one shoulder like a traditional purse!
- Consider your shape. Cross body bags generally hit around the waist or hip. If you want to play down either of these areas, a larger bag in a solid color is a good bet. Want to show off your shape? Try a small, brightly-colored bag! The width of the strap of your bag will also highlight your shape, so choose accordingly.
- Show your style! Consider yourself a boho babe? Try a distressed leather4 or ethnic-inspired bag! Classic? Go for a vintage leather satchel! Preppy? Go for a swing pack. Edgy? Look for studs, fringe, or bright colors! No matter what look you rock, you’ll be able to find a cute cross body bag to accent your outfit.
Cross Body Bags at Any Price Point!
$25 and Under
Product Information: F & F Cross Body Bag, Tesco. Australia Weave Panel Bag, Portmans. Braided Strap Cross Body Bag, Tilly’s. Cross Body Studded Bag, Jane Norman. Cooperative Mini Nylon Cross-Body, Urban Outfitters.
$50 and Under
Product Information: Geometric Gypset Bag, Monsoon. Kimichi Blue Mini Woven Cross-Body Bag, Urban Outfitters. freeBird by The Sak Mini Bucket Bag, Endless. Leather Woven Chain Cross Body, Topshop. Tianni Sandy Cross Body, Endless.
$100 and Up
Product Information: Rebecca Minkoff Three-Zip Rocker Cross-Body, Endless. West/Feren Berkshire Cross-Body, Endless. Modalu Heart Cross Body, Pret-A-Beaute. Poppy Sequins Disco Bag, Coach. Marc by Marc Jacobs Petal To The Metal Flap Pouchette, Zappos.
What do you think?
Are you into cross body bags? Do you own one? Plan to get one? Let us know with you’re thinking with a comment!
my favourite cross-body bag is a little leather one with a gold buckle i got from thrifting, and it’s lasting forever, with no damage at all. the price…? 20p.
Thank you for posting this. I’ve been looking for the perfect cross-body bag and haven’t been able to find the right one for a few months now.
Crossbody bags are so helpful, I’m a big fan of them. I have tiny ones that hold a credit card/phone etc. and larger ones for days when I want to take my camera and maybe a water bottle. These are fantastic for shopping or day trips!
I have a question. Since some of these bags are from international stores, do they ship to the U.S.??
perfect post! i’ve been really into this trend lately. just bought a big one for school, in fact =]
Love them… So cute and casual!
these are my favorite! i just got a great new one this summer, and it makes carrying everything so easy. you can put it on and forget you’re holding it, and look really cute at the same time.
definitely been there with clubs and parties, clutches and big purses get in the way constantly and these solve that problem!
Cute choices. I live in Europe, and here Cross-body bags are very popular. Actually ALL my bags are cross-body (except 1 black-tie clutch). But i have them also in bigger sizes. One, my mom made from an old chesnut suede jacket, actually fits an A4 clipboard, so i use it often for school:)
Love me my cross body bag. So perfect for school. I throw mine in my huge school bag so I have it with me for when I want to ditch my purse in my locker but still want to carry my essentials. It’s sooo handy.
Not to alarm any of you girls or deter you from buying these really great bags but I heard that there was an issue with ‘muggers’ actually taking scissors to the strap of cross body bags and taking off with them. While they do seem like they’re grab-and-go proof you’re not entirely safe.
I have THREE and a few that are bigger but cross over the shoulder as well. I love them for when I’m on the go.
Katie I havent heard anything. I mean it’s totally plausible, but sounds like another urban myth to me, like the “flashing your car lights at a gangster” type of thing lol.
I got a Fossil one for four dollars at Salvation Army 🙂
I LOVE crossbody bags!!! I esp. love using Vera Bradley’s Hipster! Def. my favorite crossbody style.
Can one of you guys write up something on bags, oversized purses and over trendy options and such for school? I think you might have done one a little while back, but I was hoping for an updated one now that I’m in college and currently looking for that perfect bag to carry everything in for school.
I bought a cross-body bag at Mango while studying abroad and I can’t recommend it enough if you’re going to be studying abroad at all. Theft is unbelievable there, and a cross-body bag is a great way to keep your stuff pretty securely on your body. Try to get one with an inside zipper pocket if you can, that’ll make your important things (cash, passport, other id) even more secure.
These are the best! I’m planning on getting a smaller one for nights out/running errands soon. Thanks for doing a feature on this!
I LOVE cross-body bags because I’m always afraid of forgetting clutches in stores. (Which I did one day but I remembered it by the time I got to the next store.) Plus I always have my hands free which is so helpful when you’re shopping by yourself and there aren’t any shopping baskets.
I’m really into bags with two sets of handles too. I got a great one at Forever 21 on sale for $10. They have some really great options right now like a gorgeous orange double strap bag.
I love my cross body bag! It is perfect because you never need to search through tons of stuff- you just have the essentials with you :] Great post!
i LOVE this. i’ve always had a knack for these bags but never seem to find the right one. but one day i went travelling to another state and went shopping, i found the perfect one from Pull & Bear OMG i love it so much. the next day of shopping, i transferred all my essentials into my cross body bag and i’ve never felt so free! no hassle of carrying an oversized bag, no fear of people snatching my bag away cuz u can pull it to the front when walking in a crowd. highly recommended in every girls must-have list!!
this is so funny because I just decided on and purchased a cross body bag earlier today! I love the style, it seems great for using on campus with all the walking/busing around.
I just want to point out that if you are buying online, to check the bag demensions before ordering. They look bigger in pictures sometimes, I made that mistake and had to exchange mine =(
Could someone please post something about what the essentials are in a purse? I always end up stuffing mine way too much or I end up missing things. Thanks!
Yes! Every girl needs a crossbody bag! Love mine!
Ow, i love your Website, it’s gorgeous!
I’ve always eyed and drooled over cross body bags! They’re sooo cute and more flexible than a clutch. After reading this article I’m surely going to buy one soon! 😀 Thanks for showing such great bags to narrow my search.
Just remember that when you wear a crossbody bag, you don’t let it swing to be behind you so it lays flat on your butt, rather than on the front part of your torso – extremely easy target for thefts and pickpocketing!
Great post!! Ever since I lost my clutch – containing my wallet and passport – in Berlin 6 months ago, I’ve made a personal pact to only wear purses that attach to my body. Since fanny packs are absolutely not an option, I now have a great collection of cross-body bags! They are seriously the best – so easy and convenient, near-impossible to lose, and a cute fashion statement. Thanks for the great suggestions, Liza!
Like someone else, most of my bags are cross body; I mean, why would you carry a purse? You might just carry your stuff as well!
However, a piece of advice from a girl who’s been living with scoliosis since she was 12: don’t carry a lot of weight! As with any assymetric type of bag (like a totebag), you’ll be holding the weight with just the right or left side of your body: this ovestrains your muscles and might in the long run result in a bad posture and back pains. Use a backpack if you’re carrying too many books.
Really Great Post .. I love cross body bags , it helps me in every way .
I have a lot of cross body bags that I use now and then, especially when I want my hands. More than trendy, they’re convenient. Most of mine are bigger ones but I have a few small ones that I have been using lately too.
I must be in the minority because I DO NOT like cross-body bags at all. Like someone mentioned up in the comments, these bags can be unflattering when you have a large chest. I have never found one that I didn’t think looked awkward across my boobs.
I know it’s a bit pricey, but I got a bigger version of the Marc by Marc Jacobs one featured. It’s the best for security because the zipper that goes around the flap is actually a compartment that extends the length of the bag and is closest to the body. I store my student ID/passport/debit card, anything that I want to make sure no one touches. Great for shopping because it frees up your arms!
I love them! I have too many.I recently bought a bag from for Urban Outfitters, and I’m completely in love with it! I can use it for work and school.
I use a crossbody every time I go to Disneyland and absolutely love them for their hands-free convenience so much I started carrying them for school and shopping, too. Finally, a purse I actually don’t mind carrying!
I would totally love to see some super cute outfit ideas here!
I was searching for the perfect small cross body bag since I am going to NYC for a few days and don’t want to be bothered with carrying a purse but I also am not interested in wearing a backpack everywhere. I found the PERFECT little black crossbody bag PacSun. They also have a really nice one in brown. $20.00!
WOW I THINK THAT THESE BAG ARE SO NICE
I was just at St. Vincent DePaul’s and they have so many cute cross body bags for so cheap! I procured an adorable vintage one for only four dollars. Seriously, thrift stores are the way to go on this trend.
You popped up on google when I did a search for a subject. Glad I found your blog. I’ll subscribe to your RSS feed.. btw.. I am looking for the facebook like icon to add this piece to my feed.. do you have one?
I carry my funtote bag to school, not a big fan of crossbody bags.
definitely not secure!!!! i got my $300 phone and money stolen from my cross-the-body bag at the Gay Pride Festival in SF.
I’m curious how this style would work (or not work) for someone with a large chest. Do you all think the cross-body bag would just accentuate a large chest – something bustier women usually don’t want.
hah, i feel almost trendy! i’d been loyally using the same cross body bag for the past few years to carry my make-up and purse in to school. it broke so i bought another kind of bag – to find out these are stylish again! just my luck!
I bought a cross body bag in Mexico and it’s my favorite bag. It’s so convenient !
love it do one about shoes please 😀
Thank you so much for writing. I’ve been looking for a good cross-body bag. Now you guys have narrowed my search:)
I love cross-body bags! Those are great ones, but they’re so easy to find at your local charity shop as well. I recently picked up a brown leather Espirit cross-body bag for $2! It’s definitely my go-to bag. 😀
I LOVE cross body bags! There’s a nice simplicity in having something small that only carries the essentials and doesn’t need to be carried on one shoulder, nook of the arm, or in my hand. I own at least four crossbody bags of different sizes and occasions.
My cross body bag is so much more casual than any of these, but I absolutely love it.
I really love them, they are my favorite 🙂