I received an email the other day with the subject “How Much Should Your Handbag Weigh?” The email, from Sharp Hill Designs, designer of stylish (and light) handbags, went on to answer the question. A handbag should weigh no more than 2.2 pounds, it said citing a study, but the average woman carries around 5.2 pounds of handbag weight each day. I guarantee that my handbag weighs closer to 10 pounds. I’ll go even further and say that most of my handbags, even when empty, weigh more than five pounds. I love jewelry and anything shiny. I love jewelry on my fingers, around my neck and on my handbags and shoes. Chains, buckles, bold zippers and other attractive hardware – yes, yes. Give me more, more, more! While handbag bling makes for a very good looking purse, it wreaks havoc on my shoulders, back and arms. At the end of a weekend day, I am usually exhausted from carrying around my handbag. (My darling husband often gallantly comes to the rescue and takes my bag from me. Did I say gallantly? Let me amend that. He’ll take my bag after about half an hour of my complaining that my back hurts, my arms are sore, my shoulders ache. Gallant? Nah. It’s usually more like, “Mel, give me the damn bag.” And I do, happily. And, yes, guilt sets in the second I see my husband carrying my bag – not so much because the thing is so heavy but more for the fact that I think he looks kinda silly carrying even a fabulous quilted flap bag.) Back to the email which went on to list five tips for lightening your load. Here they are:
1. Carry a bag with multiple compartments to keep you organized and your weight evenly distributed.
2. Carry a bag with a wide shoulder strap and wear the strap over the shoulder opposite the bag (a la messenger bag or a crossbody bag). This helps weight distribution.
3. Make a list of essentials and stick to carrying those.
4. De-clutter your bag on a regular basis and take out unnecessary items.
5. Switch the shoulder on which you carry your bag from time to time.
Good advice, all, but I’d like to add my own handy handbag tips that, although they may not make your bag lighter, they will keep you more organized. And that’s good too.
1. If you’re like me and need to carry cosmetics, make them all-in-one compacts. Estee Lauder and Clinique sometimes offer ones complete with eyeshadows, lipstick and blush in their gift with purchase promotions.
2. Invest in a good cosmetics case. This will keep your handbag organized and while not necessarily easing your burden, it will reduce frustration when it comes time to refresh your lipstick. (I cannot stand digging in the bottom of my bag for a lipstick. Makes me crazy.) I like Vemayca’s cosmetics bag that has a replaceable liner.
3. When I was a little girl, my grandmother told me that a lady never leaves the house without a handkerchief or tissues. Allergic me heeds this advice to this day. I buy mini-tissue packs several dozen at a time and put one in each of my handbags. It’s much neater than carrying loose tissues.
4. Get rid of your bulky wallet in favor of a thinner one. I don’t carry coins anymore. They’re heavy and add too much bulk to my wallet. And while I love jewelry on my handbags, my wallets are rather Spartan in design which makes them lighter too.
5. Carry your credit cards in a separate case and take only the ones you’ll need for your outing.
6. I carry two pairs of glasses with me everyday. One pair is my regular prescription; the other is a pair of prescription sunglasses. The cases they came in are huge and bulky but I bought two fabric cases and carry those for a significantly lighter load.
7. Start your own fashion statement by bringing back fanny packs. I know, I know. But Rihanna rocked one in 2009 and Diane Von Furstenberg showed them on the runway last year. Of course, they’re not called fanny packs anymore – but whether they’re called belt bags, hip bags or hands-free bags, the idea is the same and puts the burden on your hips as opposed to your shoulders.
8. If all else fails and your handbag is still too heavy, enlist your significant other to carry it for you for a few moments. That’s what I do.
Thanks EverBeautiful for spreading the word about handbag weight and shoulder and back pain. And thanks for featuring our beautiful Sharp Hill Designs Medallion bag!
Thank you, Kate! The Medallion bag is only one of the very beautiful handbags from Sharp Hill. It was my pleasure to feature it on EverBeautiful.com. Best, Melody
Excellent article! Every woman should be aware of the problems a heavy handbag can cause. Thanks for keeping us informed Melody.
You’re welcome! Thank you for your comment! If you have any other tips to offer, please share. I love the feedback.
Really????…”a wide shoulder strap and wear the strap over the shoulder opposite the bag (a la messenger bag or a crossbody bag).” I think not. And as for fanny packs; while I can’t do much about the comfortable footwear my feet require, I draw the ashion-defyin line at fanny packs!! And, BTW, I carry built in fanny packs!
Diane, I’m laughing out loud from your comment r: built in fanny packs. But yes, it’s a little easier, for me at least, to carry a crossbody bag than one that rests on one shoulder. (Of course, my crossbody bag has a mongo huge metal buckle which sort of defeats the entire purpose of comfort. It looks great, but does get heavy.) I also carry my Chanel jumbo flap as a crossbody bag sometimes. I love being hands free so, yes again. if I could score a DVF fanny pack, I’d rock it. (It would never be large enough to carry all the things I feel I need, however.) I also have a snakeskin backpack that dates back about 15 years. It’s so comfortable, hands free. I’m def pulling that one out of the closet this season.