What Your Bag Holding Style Says About You

Patti was asked to weigh in on different handbag hold styles by Refinery29. 

Which one are you and what does it say about you?

Click the link below to find out Patti's insights!

The Arm-Crook Hook

Held with a bent arm
Favorites of Paparazzi-chased celebs, this limp-handed style just screams power.  "you're wearing the bag as if it's a badge of honor or an award.  You feel as if you've got a sense of superiority."

The Briefcase
Held by the top handle
There's a certain type of woman who chooses to forgo the shoulder strap for the top handle.  "She's in business mode.  She's going fast and her bag has a lot of weight - she cares less about her appearance and more about where she's off to"

The Thumb-To-'Pit
Hooking your thumb onto the handle strap
There's a reason this move is associated with Carrie from Sex and the City.  "I see women in cosmopolitan cities doing this.  They remember their Mamas telling them to protect their bags...they don't want to get them pulled off while they're walking! They're street-smart."

The Hands-Free

Wearing a bag that crosses over your body
"The girl who wears a hands-free bag willingly covers up her silhouette and outfit.  It's useful, but it also shows you're slightly dorky.  I see this a lot with young women."

The Armpit Vice
Clutching a bag to your body without a strap
Clutches are hard to hold, we know, but this move keeps your bag in place while leaving your hands free.  "There's an awkwardness about it, and I see it happen a lot with women who are carrying a purse that doesn't fit her body."

The Third Arm Drape
Wearing a bag with a long strap over one shoulder and letting a swing
This move usually involves a bag with a long strap...but instead of crossing it over, you choose to wear it over your shoulder.  And since that baby is prone to slipping around, it shows a lack of awareness.  "It says, I don't have power over my world."


The "I've Got A Bag Bitch"
Not holding the bag yourself--because you've got someone else to do it for you!
You've got better things to do than to hold a bag, for some, that's what assistants and boyfriends are for.  "When people feel the need to look fabulous all the time, they can't be encumbered with anything."


The Twofer
Holding a bag in front of your body with two hands
Usually done with a coy smile and a leg cross, the two-handed twofer clutch denotes a shy, defensive person.  "This creates a fig leaf position as if you were protecting your goods.  If you find yourself doing this on a date, it's because you feel weird about where it's going."

The Shlepper

Holding 2, 3, 4, 5 bags at once
You've got two, three, four...five bags to worry about, so you've got a "whatever fits" strategy going on.  "You're fatigued, exhausted, and in a rush - the bags suggest you're a little spaced-out and have a hard time being present."

The Baguette
Holding by cupping it
A recent favorite of street style stars, the Baguette style, is a scoop-up, on-the-go method.  "It's a utilitarian look and you don't really care about the bag but rather what's in it.  You're goal oriented."

 

http://www.refinery29.com/bag-holding-style

Patti Wood, MA, Certified Speaking Professional - The Body Language Expert. For more body language insights go to her website at www.PattiWood.net. Check out Patti's website for her new book "SNAP, Making the Most of First Impressions, Body Language and Charisma" at www.snapfirstimpressions.com. Also check out Patti's YouTube channel at http://youtube.com/user/bodylanguageexpert.