I had my SO cut that big piece off the strap of my medium black leather Carly this morning. It kept falling off my shoulder and I couldn't carry the bag by the strap because that piece was so wide. So, I bit the bullet and had him chop it off. It's perfect now! Stays up and is the perfect width for carrying in my hand! It doesn't take away from the overall look of the bag either. I'll try to post pics tonight when I get home.