How to Wear a Cross-body Handbag

We recently featured cross-body and messenger purses on The Bags Blog, so now is a perfect time to chat about how to wear them! Despite their dirty reputation as utilitarian bags, cross-body and messenger styles can look casual chic and even trendy—if you know how to rock them!  If you’re looking for guidance, read on for a crash course on putting these versatile styles to work for you.

Work Wear

Above all, work bag needs to look sophisticated. A cross-body won’t mesh with every occupation, but it might make catching a cab, getting the kids in the car, or riding the subway easier. Wearing a cross-body style also gives you instant access to your essentials, like cash and your metro card, without rummaging through your huge work tote. You want the bag to be balanced—especially if you’re carrying another bag for your laptop or work necessities—so stick with a small or medium. Look for bags in rich colors like red, navy blue, or green, which will play off the neutrals most of us wear to work. Leather is optimal, but tweed or houndstooth cross-body bags are also great office-appropriate options during the cold weather months. 

On the Weekend

What shouts “weekend” like a cross-body bag? It’s a simple way to take what you need without feeling weighed down. If you’re the active woman who jets out the door on Saturday morning to hit spin class, the grocery store, the bank, and then everywhere else your errands take you, a cross-body bag would be a stylish way to make life easier. If you’re all about the casual look, choose a slightly more upscale bag. This means a leather or leather-like bag with eye-catching hardware. These touches of elegance will elevate your outfit from passé to polished. Throw on a T-shirt, jeans, and ballet flats, then add your sleek cross-body bag to instantly breathe new life into a basic outfit.

If you go for a casual chic look on the weekend, your cross-body bag can be a touch more subdued. Pebbled leather, twill, or even a tweed messenger bag fits the bill when you’re wearing a pulled-together weekend outfit. Think a pea-coat, skinny jeans, and knee-high boots.