Sometimes I take a photo to prove a point to you, but after I study the picture, I end up being convinced of the opposite point of view. That’s what happened with the series of pictures after the jump. I expected the photos to shout loud and clear that full-busted women should stay away from cross-body bags. However, they ended up making only a few polite suggestions that there may be a better alternative in just some of the cases.
Don’t be confused by the photos of small-busted women that I include near the end (beginning with the pink-shirted woman). I took them for contrast and ended up making another discovery–cross body bags aren’t ideal on all small-busted women either. My takeaway from this experience is that a lot depends on two things: (1) how tight everything else is that you’re wearing and (2) what the proportions of the bag are to the rest of your frame. For other helpful considerations, take a look at the tips I posted from a commenter on youlookfab last February. In hopes that you’ll comment on specific pictures, I’ve numbered them below. You’ll find the same woman in 1-5 because I was determined to take a bad picture of her but never could, which is what changed my mind about the whole thing. You’ll also find photos of the same women in 7, 8 and 9 (I could only maneuver a picture of her front in the reflection of the subway door as the train pulled into the station); 10 and 11; and 12 and 13.
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2 Comments on June 27 Curve Cam: The Cross-Body Bag Edition
Darlene-
I just discovered your blog recently, and I love it. I have been one of the cross-body-bag rule breakers for over 20 years. I fell in love with the Coach Station Bag, and I’m now about to buy my third – with daily use and a train commute, even Coach bags are beyond use at some point. I have a theory why they work for some of us.
I’m short (just under 5’2″) and very buxom- I’m in a Panache 32G right now, which is a US 32I. However, I have really narrow size 6 hips. The Station bag is only about 9x9x3″, so it really doesn’t add much widthwise. When I lived in Chicago, I wore a coat 3/4 of the year, but even here in the South I find that not carrying a bag at my bust height (yikes!) or in front of my waist is more flattering than worrying about a strap cutting across my cleavage.
Darlene-
I just discovered your blog recently, and I love it. I have been one of the cross-body-bag rule breakers for over 20 years. I fell in love with the Coach Station Bag, and I’m now about to buy my third – with daily use and a train commute, even Coach bags are beyond use at some point. I have a theory why they work for some of us.
I’m short (just under 5’2″) and very buxom- I’m in a Panache 32G right now, which is a US 32I. However, I have really narrow size 6 hips. The Station bag is only about 9x9x3″, so it really doesn’t add much widthwise. When I lived in Chicago, I wore a coat 3/4 of the year, but even here in the South I find that not carrying a bag at my bust height (yikes!) or in front of my waist is more flattering than worrying about a strap cutting across my cleavage.
Okay, Robin, I HAVE to revisit this, especially since I’m in the market for a new purse. It’s super helpful that you shared your theory here.