Hi everyone! Apologies if there is already a thread on this, because I feel like I can't be the only one wondering this--I searched and didn't see one.
I'm planning some international trips for this spring and summer, and since it's been a hot minute since I left the country (nearly 6 years!!
), I've been trying to refresh myself on basic travel tips. Of course, being a purse fiend, at the top of my mind is what bag to carry for my adventures.
Pretty much every time I've gone abroad, I've carried a Longchamp Le Pliage like the one shown below. In addition to being durable, versatile, and not too flashy, with a decent capacity for everything you'll need in a day of sightseeing, I also feel like it's very secure in touristy areas because 1) it zips, 2) it's got the top flap that can be fastened too, and 3) it tucks right up under your shoulder. It's this last point I want to talk about, because for me, this feels like the most secure type of bag--you've got your arm holding it close to your body, blocking people's ability to get into it, and with the Le Pliage in particular, you can keep the closed end of the zipper towards the front so you can keep an eye on it. I usually carry mine like it's shown in the picture, with the zipper fully zipped:
However, it seems like in general, crossbodies are recommended in touristy places because they are harder to snatch off your body, plus you can wear them while sitting at a café or other places instead of having to take them off. This is definitely an advantage, but when I think about wearing a crossbody, it seems like unless you've got your hand covering the zipper a lot of the time, it would be easy for someone to just pop their hand in and grab things when you're taking a photo or are otherwise occupied. Also, if it's a bag with a leather strap and someone slashes it, it seems like it would fall right off unless you've got your hand on it, whereas with a shoulder bag that fits right up under your arm, they can cut the strap but your arm would still be holding the bag close to you.
Is there anyone else out there who's like me and prefers shoulder bags to crossbodies when traveling in pickpocket-prone areas? Or are there other advantages of crossbodies for traveling (besides the fact that they're generally smaller and more convenient for other reasons) that I'm missing? This is assuming, of course, that any bag we're talking about would have a zipper, although I also kind of wonder if flap bags can work too.
Disclaimer: this is is not to say one style or the other is wrong--I'm just curious about others' preferences and why it works for you! Honestly, even though I'm getting kind of bored of Le Pliages, I'll probably end up carrying one most if not all the time anyway because I know it works for me lol.
I'm planning some international trips for this spring and summer, and since it's been a hot minute since I left the country (nearly 6 years!!
), I've been trying to refresh myself on basic travel tips. Of course, being a purse fiend, at the top of my mind is what bag to carry for my adventures.Pretty much every time I've gone abroad, I've carried a Longchamp Le Pliage like the one shown below. In addition to being durable, versatile, and not too flashy, with a decent capacity for everything you'll need in a day of sightseeing, I also feel like it's very secure in touristy areas because 1) it zips, 2) it's got the top flap that can be fastened too, and 3) it tucks right up under your shoulder. It's this last point I want to talk about, because for me, this feels like the most secure type of bag--you've got your arm holding it close to your body, blocking people's ability to get into it, and with the Le Pliage in particular, you can keep the closed end of the zipper towards the front so you can keep an eye on it. I usually carry mine like it's shown in the picture, with the zipper fully zipped:
However, it seems like in general, crossbodies are recommended in touristy places because they are harder to snatch off your body, plus you can wear them while sitting at a café or other places instead of having to take them off. This is definitely an advantage, but when I think about wearing a crossbody, it seems like unless you've got your hand covering the zipper a lot of the time, it would be easy for someone to just pop their hand in and grab things when you're taking a photo or are otherwise occupied. Also, if it's a bag with a leather strap and someone slashes it, it seems like it would fall right off unless you've got your hand on it, whereas with a shoulder bag that fits right up under your arm, they can cut the strap but your arm would still be holding the bag close to you.
Is there anyone else out there who's like me and prefers shoulder bags to crossbodies when traveling in pickpocket-prone areas? Or are there other advantages of crossbodies for traveling (besides the fact that they're generally smaller and more convenient for other reasons) that I'm missing? This is assuming, of course, that any bag we're talking about would have a zipper, although I also kind of wonder if flap bags can work too.
Disclaimer: this is is not to say one style or the other is wrong--I'm just curious about others' preferences and why it works for you! Honestly, even though I'm getting kind of bored of Le Pliages, I'll probably end up carrying one most if not all the time anyway because I know it works for me lol.
