The bigger the style, the greater the impact, right? In 2020, not necessarily. In a year that’s altered our perception of pretty much everything else, the same rings true for trends: scaling back seems to be the way of the wise. (In both your fashion game and social habits…)
Or is it?
Maybe the streamlining of carry-alls to carry-smalls (pun definitely intended here) has maintained somewhat of an appeal due to the general desire to reduce the amount of things you have to sanitize when you get home, but in reality this trend took hold last year after celebrities were seen with comically minuscule accessories everywhere from the streets to the red carpet (a Google search for “Lizzo AMAs 2019” will not disappoint!). The trouble with this trend is, though, the appeal directly contradicts the needs of people nowadays. Yes, you carry less, but fitting a mask, hand sanitizer, wipes, and potentially even gloves into a bag that’s not big enough for even a lipgloss seems like a hurdle that more people are less-than-willing to tackle. Plus, don’t get me started on the price. A Le Chiquito by Jacquemus will set you back a whopping $255 for a bag that’s roughly the same size as an AirPods case.
Don’t get me wrong, I’ve always preferred smaller bags to totes. I’ve not yet mastered the talent my mom possesses of going into a shop with her giant shoulder bags and coming out without any charges of “you break it, you buy it”. So how do you make this trend more manageable, and if we’re honest, practical for those of us who don’t have teams of people carting things around for us behind the scenes?
For me, scaling down doesn’t mean you have to strain your eyes to see your accessories. Instead of the daunting micro bag (which is typically a bag that’s too small to fit an average cell phone), I’ve re-embraced the mini bag (which can typically fit a phone and a few other basics). Take this one by Les Petits Joueurs. It’s definitely a mini, but in no way minuscule. I fit my iPhone XS, a lipgloss, a few credit cards, and my mask in it when the hubs and I were out and about in Lake Tahoe. Not 100% practical but not a waste by any means!
The main thing I look for in a mini (or mostly any) bag to give it that trendy, yet timeless appeal is structure. I love bags with unusual and strong silhouettes, my favorite being M2Malletier. While many of their bags come in medium to large sizes, they offer many in scaled-down versions that polish off any look (which is great considering they are priced as more of an “investment” piece!). Scroll to see some of my favorite styles…
While their Amor Fati design is too small to fit an iPhone comfortably, they are still roomy enough for some basic essentials! (Plus, I found these great purse-sized hand sanitizers perfect for fitting into bitty bags!)
Overall, I would say my verdict on this teeny trend is this: going mini is the way to go to get maximum mileage out of your favorite accessory. Micro bags may still be trending, but as far as I’m concerned, they are too diminutive in both their size and practicality to hang on for too long.
Are you team micro or is mini more your style? Let me know below!
Xx Tabi
I’m team…”the bigger, the better!” haha! Give me all the bucket bags!!! But, on the other hand, yes smaller is easier to deal with, especially during these unusual times 😉