Despite the fact that roomy totes, slouchy hobos and chic clutches are the bag trend at the moment, a carefully chosen retro or fashion forward “messenger bag” or “postman” is always going to be stylish and ultra hip. A messenger bag has a strap that is long enough to go over your head so that the “bag – part” lies somewhere on your side between your waist and hip. Ladies and gents - consider this alternative form of bag fashion because:

• It leaves your hands free! This is especially good for Mums and Dads who need both hands all the time
• It allows you to stride with your arms when you walk
• It’s safe – little chance of being pick-pocketed with a messenger!
• It’s practical for people who commute to work or school by foot or public transport. You’ll see more messengers during the day than any other type of bag in cities like Hong Kong, New York, London and Amsterdam
• It’s perfect for traveling precisely because of the above reasons
• It’s a lot trendier than a run of the mill black canvas laptop bag, or back pack
• It looks best over heavy semi casual winter coats
• The diagonal line of the strap cutting across your body is slimming and flattering somehow
• It seems to make a statement with any outfit

Word of warning though – it’s easy to overfill a messenger bag because it can hold the kitchen sink. Refrain from doing so! I am speaking from experience when I say that your back will hurt and your side will bruise if gets too heavy and the strap is too narrow. Whether it’s a red retro plastic 1980’s Duran Duran messenger, a dainty metallic version or a good old weathered leather postman – there is a messenger bag out there for you and you will never look back!

This entry was posted on Friday, April 7th, 2006 at 12:00 pm and is filed under European Style, Accessories. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.