It seems that as I add to my bag collection the size of the bag keep getting larger. And it's not that I carry alot of things but I just happen to really like the bag. Small bags hold little appeal to me at this time. My Kooba Renee measures 16" wide and now I'm expecting a Gustto that is 17" wide (which I think may be my limit). I started out saying that 15" was the limit since I'm a small framed kinda gal. For you, in a handbag, how big is too big?
When it comes to bags...How big is too big?
- Thread starter ciatta
- Start date
It all depends on the style of bag IMO. Some bags just expand well so they can handle being a larger size while still looking good. Others look a little stretched and disproportionate.
A personal example I can use is my Furla Yolande. They made two sizes of this bag, a 'medium' shopper and a East/West medium bag. Both bags add up to almost the same dimensions but the weight is distributed differently.
Many people (including myself) find the top bag to work better because it's not as long, instead the bag is deeper.
Same can be said of the Botkier Bianca. It comes in 3 sizes but many people debate over the medium or large.
(Pics from Shop Repunzels)
So overall, it's all about the style of the bag. Some bags look better smaller and others look better bigger.
A personal example I can use is my Furla Yolande. They made two sizes of this bag, a 'medium' shopper and a East/West medium bag. Both bags add up to almost the same dimensions but the weight is distributed differently.
Many people (including myself) find the top bag to work better because it's not as long, instead the bag is deeper.
Same can be said of the Botkier Bianca. It comes in 3 sizes but many people debate over the medium or large.
(Pics from Shop Repunzels)
So overall, it's all about the style of the bag. Some bags look better smaller and others look better bigger.
My rule of thumb is if you stand sideways with the bag on your shoulder, you can see anything from mid thigh to your shoulder, the bag is too big.
The biggest bag I have is the Betsey Johnson Good Girl. I was really into big bags last year and bought this and proceeded to convince myself that it wasn't too big. (Have since thought otherwise).
I do also think it depends on the bag itself though and the wearers height and weight also need to be taken into consideration.
The biggest bag I have is the Betsey Johnson Good Girl. I was really into big bags last year and bought this and proceeded to convince myself that it wasn't too big. (Have since thought otherwise).
I do also think it depends on the bag itself though and the wearers height and weight also need to be taken into consideration.
I love big bags! I won't go so far as to say "the bigger the better," because I've seen some pics of people with too-big bags, but I'm willing to go pretty big. My Bianca large is 17 and I would even consider going an inch or two bigger. I'm medium height and weight so sometimes my bag might look kind of big, but I love them!
I'm a small person too so I usually don't buy anything over 13" wide, but the Cole Haan bag that I just bought is 16" wide. Definitely the biggest bag I own, but I bought it to take on vacation that way I can fit all of my stuff in it when I'm out sightseeing.
my new kooba cassandra is 5x11x17 and it's a good size...it's large but doesn't feel overwhelming...i'm also not the size of mary-kate...wait...maybe i'm the size of TWO mary-kates?!?!?!
Yeah I'm Mary Kate AND Ashley all in one, times two!
I love big bags too. The problem is usually finding one big enough to handle a document wallet that is professional enough to take to meetings and still stylish. Furla is usually a good bet but here in the US it's a bit too expensive. Oh well there's still a Yoox here. Shame about the slow shipping and rip-off re-stocking fee.
I love big bags too. The problem is usually finding one big enough to handle a document wallet that is professional enough to take to meetings and still stylish. Furla is usually a good bet but here in the US it's a bit too expensive. Oh well there's still a Yoox here. Shame about the slow shipping and rip-off re-stocking fee.
I used to carry small bags, but I have since moved on to small-mid sized bags. I still cannot get used to bags that are more than about 12-13" tall or wide. I think I look more proportional with the mid-sized bags, so I will probably stick with those, but I could never go really big (except as a weekend bag).
Assuming you're talking about an everyday bag (and not, say, luggage/work bag/gym bag/carry-on bag, etc) I do think there is such a thing as too big - and I love big bags! I think depending on the style, the fewer the decorations and the less obnoxious the color is you can get away with bigger - but that's also boring. I don't adhere to any rules per se (maybe because I'm average sized), but I do prefer bigger bags only so that I can stash a pashmina or a cardigan in there (and because I hate squeezing things into a small bag or having to arrange things in a certain way so that they fit).