Does a Handbag Really Need to Be Practical?

When it comes to discussing a new handbag or reviewing a recent purchase, functionality is almost always part of the conversation. Will it fit my phone? Does the shoulder strap actually stay on your shoulder? Is the crossbody strap long enough to wear over a chunky winter coat? Are there enough interior pockets? And, perhaps most importantly, can it fit all the things we think we need to carry around every day?

Now, this might be a slightly controversial admission, but I’ve never been someone who puts functionality at the top of my list when shopping for a new bag.

Somewhere along the way, the contents of our everyday bags seem to have become a little less important. Whether that’s down to changing lifestyles, evolving trends, or simply the fact that many of us have become accustomed to carrying less, our handbags no longer need to accommodate quite so much of our daily lives. What was once a practical necessity has become something much more personal: an accessory, a style statement, and, in many ways, an extension of who we are.

And let’s be honest, as fashion lovers, we’re not exactly strangers to making a few compromises in the name of a good outfit. Sometimes the aesthetic wins. Sometimes the impractical bag is just too good to pass up. And, if I’m being completely honest, I’m usually much more interested in how a bag looks than how many things I can squeeze inside it.

Surely I’m not alone in this?

Fashion Over Function: Am I the Only One?

I almost feel like I’m confessing to some sort of fashion faux pas here, but functionality has genuinely never been a deciding factor in most of my handbag purchases. Unless I’m specifically shopping for a travel bag, it’s rarely something I give much thought to.

In fact, this little habit goes back much further than my designer handbag days. I can trace it all the way back to seventh grade, when I desperately wanted a baby blue Coach logo wristlet. My mom was probably expecting me to ask for a new school bag that year, but no. I had other priorities.

I wasn’t particularly concerned with having somewhere practical to keep my books, notebooks and school supplies as I moved from class to class. I wanted the wristlet. I wanted the logo. I wanted the look. And so, I happily spent the school year carrying a stack of textbooks in my arms, occasionally wondering why my biceps were so sore, all while proudly sporting my little Coach wristlet.

Looking back, perhaps that should have been my first indication of the kind of handbag shopper I would become.

Fast-forward two decades, and not all that much has changed. I’m still drawn to the silhouette, the details, the hardware, the color and the overall aesthetic long before I start thinking about whether a bag has enough compartments or can comfortably accommodate everything I own.

Of course, I appreciate a well-designed, practical bag as much as the next person. But if I’m choosing between a bag that ticks every functional box and one that makes my heart skip a beat, there’s a pretty good chance I’ll be reaching for the latter.

For me, fashion has always come before function, and I don’t see that changing anytime soon.

But now I’m curious: are you a functionality-first handbag shopper, or are you willing to sacrifice a little practicality for a bag you absolutely love? Let’s chat!