The Oversized Shoulder Bags – Fashionably Utilitarian

It’s official. The modern woman can carry everything but the kitchens sink in her shoulder bag, and get away with it in the name of fashion. In fact, celebrities toting gigantic shoulder bags actually manage to look delicate and fashionable. According to The Daily Mail, the average woman is lugging around more than 5 kilos of weight, the same as five bags of sugar! So, now you know why shoulder bags are getting bigger and bigger in the last few years.

Department stores are also experiencing this surge in demand for bigger shoulder bags, with customers choosing them for their morning sojourns to the shopping mall or supermarket. “This is not a surprising trend really, because the modern woman has to shoulder her laptop, cell phone and other gadgetry along with must-have items like jewelry and cosmetics. I mean, how else can you accommodate all that?” explains Sue Barlett, an assistant saleswoman at a departmental store in Britain.

As more and more bags are finding a place over the shoulder, huge ‘compartment-style’ bags are becoming a necessity for modern women. These shoulder bags come with a variety of pockets, zips and carriers. This helps women arrange the clutter and compartmentalize objects, so everything is in its right place. For high achievers, these spaces are just the right places to house their modern in-house toys! For fashionistas on the prowl for the latest and the best, all this means only one thing: the bigger, the better! So, women can expect to see more tote bags, satchel style bags and long strapped shoulder bags slung across the arm or worn across the body.

According to fashion experts, the craze for oversized shoulder bags is a mirror of the men’s trend for voluminous bags that have pockets for everything starting with the Blueberry to car keys and even a water bottle! Since the trend for large shoulder bags is in, this season will see many women clutching their delicate purses only in the evenings.

And as more and more women opt for heavier shoulder bags, men are beginning to express their concern. As Bob Peterson, a fashion analyst puts it, “it’s time to show some respect if you don’t want to be clobbered by a bag that is almost a quarter of your body weight”.

So, if you are wondering what kind of shoulder bag to buy this season, take our word for it. Go big! In fact, big bags are all set to get bigger, with experts suggesting that bags may see a further increase in size of about 20%. So, anyone who can carry it can combine these big beauties with the proper outfit and achieve the look of their dreams. Don’t believe us? Just flip through a fashion magazine; the evidence is all in there.