They’re teeny, they’re tiny, seemingly stupid and curiously cute at the same time. They cost a pretty penny for a bag that’s often not even large enough to hold our phones, and yet our obsession with mini and micro bags is unmatched. Why?
They’re Tiny, Impractical—and Somehow Irresistible
While mini bags are fashionable, they’re the furthest thing from functional, forcing would-be users to pare their everyday essentials down to the bare necessities while stuffing a phone that doesn’t fit into a back pocket or simply carrying it in one hand. Though some mini bags are large enough to hold a phone, a small card case, and a few other goodies, other minis—and nearly all micro bags—don’t have room for a smartphone.
Yet we keep buying them. But what’s the point?
For years, bags seemed to get smaller and smaller, and the joke was on us: designers were laughing all the way to the bank, charging an arm and a leg for a Barbie-sized bag. Today, handbag trends span everything from oversized totes reminiscent of the early aughts, designed to hold all that and more to tiny statement pieces, but our fascination with miniature bags remains. So what is it about these tiny bags, and why can’t we get enough?
Why Do We Buy Designer Handbags in the First Place?
When it comes to shopping for bags, there’s an unspoken psychology behind why we buy what we buy, and it goes deeper than simply needing something to carry our belongings. To understand why mini bags became so ridiculously popular—and why they continue to captivate us—we first have to explore why we buy designer handbags in the first place.
Before you scoff and think to yourself, “I’d never buy a bag that doesn’t fit my phone,” remember that someone out there thinks luxury handbags in general, regardless of size, are superfluous. After all, aren’t bags just meant to house our stuff and take us from place to place? Well… not exactly.
A Handbag Is More Than Just a Place to Store Our Stuff
Handbags are, in essence, extensions of ourselves—our tastes, our personal style, and, whether you want to admit it or not, status symbols of sorts. So what does the mini bag, in all its micro glory, say to the world?
A designer briefcase, backpack, or power bag may say something like, I am a woman—hear me roar—and I can do it all, with this bag in tow and everything I need inside. A mini bag says something entirely different. It oozes a certain effervescence and a give-no-f***s attitude that can come only from a woman who doesn’t need to carry much at all. Her bag is merely a showy accessory: meant to be seen, not relied upon to do much of anything.
Mini bags may no longer be the only major handbag trend, but they’re clearly not going anywhere. So why not indulge in one when you want that effortless, IDGAF vibe—and save your big power bags for the other six days of the week? After all, a woman can wear many hats.
… cause that’s all most of us can afford is this awful economy.
But don’t you find that the smaller the bag the more expensive it is? I’m speaking of Hermes and Chanel, specifically.