A few guidelines have been stipulated by several writers on how to use messenger bag. But the focal point rests on the user.
This is because the user has a major role to play when it comes to his messenger bags and usage.
The user can decide to throw all caution to the wind and go with what works best for him, not because the guidelines already stipulated by the above-mentioned writers are not good enough but because his comfort comes first before any other thing.
Let’s dive in to learn more about the usage of messenger bags.
Table of Contents
HOW TO USE MESSENGER BAG
There are 3 major ways you can decide to use your messenger bags. You can decide to use your messenger bag as a briefcase if you are going on a business trip, a crossbody bag if you are a vendor or a scholar, and you can also decide to use it as any other regular handbag used for day-to-day activities.
WHAT SHOULD I PACK IN MY MESSENGER BAG?
Before we proceed to see what we can pack in our messenger bags, I will like to reiterate that messenger bags are often large leather bags with long straps that can easily be worn as crossbody bags and are used for a variety of things ranging from work, school and another day to day activities.
They are often used by vendors to pass items from one person to the other. Because of messenger bag sizes, it’s often easier to put all the necessary items you will be giving a client or your clients if you are a vendor who will be meeting many clients in a day.
This said, here are a few items we can put inside our messenger bags;
- Gadgets like laptops, tablets, cellphones, etc.
- Books
- Sellable stuff like bottled perfumes, soaps, body sprays, hair shampoo, makeup kits
- Letters, invoices, tellers, receipts, files
- Baby stuff for nursing moms or nannies
The list is in fact unending. Everyone has her peculiar daily routine and this will to a larger extent affect what you decide to put in your messenger bag.
Let’s say you are a delivery guy, and you do doorstep delivery of things like flowers, pizzas, and the like, your messenger bag will have no business harboring items that are only found in the hair salon unless you were asked to deliver a hand dryer or a hair dye to a salon.
CAN I USE A MESSENGER BAG AS A PURSE?
Well, what we regard as purses are relative from one person to another. This is because while Nancy may see purses as the same as bags or handbags, Clara might have very strong reasons to say no.
For Clara, once a purse becomes big enough to contain a book or a laptop, it can no longer be regarded as a purse.
According to her point of view, the size of the bag in question plays a major role in determining if it can pass for a purse or a handbag.
There is still the open-minded Lisa, who will say a big no, no to both Clara and Nancy. According to Lisa, any bag can be called a purse or a handbag.
The most important thing should be the purpose it serves. If carrying a small-sized handless pouch and calling it a purse will not serve the purpose she wants it to serve, she might as well get a messenger bag that she can use on a daily basis and call her purse.
With the above illustrations, it is easier to see from different angles. Hence, messenger bags can or cannot be used as purses. It all depends on what the user wants to achieve and her point of view.
HOW DO YOU WEAR A CROSSBODY MESSENGER BAG?
Follow the steps below on how to wear a crossbody messenger bag;
- Raise the bags high up by the straps, put in your head first
- Allow the center of the strap to rest on the nape of your neck
- Slide in your right arm first and adjust the bag till it rests on your side, just around your waist or upper thighs depending on the strap length.
This way, there is balance and the pressure from the weight of the bag does not rest on one arm. It also gives you a hands-free effect and it’s easier to occasionally take and put items in your bag.
The crossbody messenger bag as the name implies should be worn as a crossbody bag if the wearer intends to stay comfortable.
This is because, messenger bags are already large bags that have a weight of their own due to their size and the nature of items we normally put in them and as crossbody bags, they are already defined by long straps.
Hence, deciding to fold the straps and hold them by the hands or strap them around your waist as in waist bags may not be the ideal thing to do.
The only reasonable thing will be to wear messenger bags the way, the designers intended for you to wear them, as crossbody bags.
HOW TO WEAR A SATCHEL PURSE?
There are 3 standard ways to wear a satchel purse, they are the handheld method, you can wear a satchel purse like a shoulder bag, and a crossbody bag.
Hand held:
Most people will prefer to hold their satchel purses by their top handles instead of slinging them on their shoulders as some others will prefer.
Well, dressing up can be a little tricky at times, there are days when holding your satchel purses by their top handles like briefcases will be a very ideal way to accentuate your outfit, especially if you’ve dressed to kill!
Shoulder bags:
Casual outfits can be accompanied by wearing your satchel purses as shoulder bags. There are satchel purses designed to have both straps and top handles.
The 1955 horse-bit leather satchel designed by the Gucci fashion brand falls gracefully in the category of satchel purses that can be worn as shoulder bags.
Crossbody bags:
There are fancy satchel purses that won’t look quite good as handheld purses but would fly as crossbody bags especially when they are worn by guys.
Whichever way you decide to wear your satchel purses, go for what makes you comfortable.
In addition, most satchel purses have one thing in common, they have top handles.
These top handles have given them a unique allure that has made these types of bags stand the test of time.
Most satchel bags that were in vogue in the late 90s and early 20s have made a graceful comeback into the world of fashion.
ARE MESSENGER BAGS COOL?
Messenger bags are more service-oriented than fashion oriented. Most people who carry messenger bags carry them because of the purposes they serve and not because of how they look.
90% of messenger bags are designed with extra-large flaps and too many pockets.
However, designers are beginning to see the need to make messenger bags less boring, there are messenger bags designed to look like fashionable briefcases with multiple attachments for gadgets and extra stuff.
These messenger bags are used for or designed to serve multiple functions and can easily be switched to look a different way which invariably means a different function.
HOW TO WEAR A MESSENGER BAG ON A BIKE
The best way to wear a messenger bag on a bike is to wear the messenger bag like a crossbody bag and push the bag to your front, in between your two hands as you are controlling the bike or you wear it as a backpack, allowing the bag to rest freely on your back away from your view if, for some reasons, you are scared of obstructing your view.
However, do not let the bag drop to one side as most crossbody bags tend to do.
This is because of balance. If the messenger bag is dropping to either your left side or right side, the weight of the bag might tilt towards the left or to the right which can cause you to lose balance if you are not a professional rider.
HOW TO WEAR A MESSENGER BAG LIKE A BACKPACK
How can you wear your messenger bag as a backpack?
Step 1: Hang the bag on your neck and allow the bag to drop down in front of you.
Step 2: Make sure your two hands are free
Step 3: Slide in your hands one after the other, your right hand first and your left-hand second.
The effect will be the bag sliding down and almost dropping to the floor. Relax, this is normal.
Step 4: Hold the bag around your upper back and flip it forcefully backward.
There you go!
HOW TO MAKE A MESSENGER BAG MORE COMFORTABLE?
Wear your messenger bag as a crossbody bag. The hands-free effect makes it more comfortable to do your daily to-do while carrying your bag.
Wear it as a backpack if you are becoming too stressed and you need a break. Probably you are taking a long walk from your office back to your apartment and the journey for reasons pertaining to fatigue is becoming farther than normal.
Lastly, attach wheels to your messenger bags and drag them along like mini briefcases for special cases where they are getting heavier and less comfortable to carry. Please note, this last method is not a necessity.