to not understand why so many young ladies carry handbags on the crook of their elbow.

[glasgowsteven]

Huge heavy handbags....this cannot be comfortable or even good for you...

fashion victims in the real sense of the word..

My granny with her cats bum faced used to carry a bug handbag this way...

Kids these days eh...harrumph etc

Carry your bag on the crook of your elbow. It's the nearest you'll ever come to feeling like the Queen. Helps if you have a perm and red lippy.

She can rock it.

Why not just hold the handles? Isn't that what they're for? I thought shoulder bags had longer handles to be erm, worn over the shoulder?

To, er, have your hands free? Like everyone has said?

When I was a teenager in the late 80s, early 90s carrying a handbag in the grandma fashion would have had people taking the piss wherever you went, asking if you thought you were the Queen. I think it's funny that it's the preferred way of carrying one now.

Mine is crook of elbow too. Can't do the across the chest because of the boob issue, can't carry on shoulder because my boobs knock it off my shoulder when I move my arms... gets old.

Sometimes I'll hold it in my hand too.. depends on my mood and its weight.

Actually, I think the op mentions young ladies doing this because it's often more noticeable on younger woman. Old/elderly woman carrying their bags like this looks perfectly normal (like the queen), I'd be more surprised to see the queen carrying a shoulder bag.

Middle aged woman smartly dressed in office wear also look like they should be carrying bags like this so it's less noticeable again.

But it's a smart /stylish way if carrying a bag, combined with being carried by someone dressed down a bit who otherwise looks like the bag they should be carrying is a more casual one, looks odd, often the formal smart bag with informal clothes stands out.

it is really only in the last 10 years or so you've seen a lot of younger woman choosing structured bags as day bags even if the majority of the time they aren't smartly dressed (when previously you'd expect this group to pick less structured bags or even backpacks or messenger bags for woman).

In the same way a backpack or messenger bag for a woman dressed in office wear would stand out and look odd, the structured bag on a young woman, however it's carried looks wrong so catches your eye, and then you notice how she's carrying it.

John, why the hell do you even care?

For the record: hands free. Easy access to bag. Hate holding by handles, feels uncomfortable.

I think it started after a show called Wags Boutique.

I can't remember women carrying bags round like that before (but that was also the start of HUGE bags)
I am guilty of carrying my bag like this too.

I think it's so your hands are free to hold your phone, keys, childrens hand. The bag doesn't have long enough straps to go over your shoulder and you feel it's more secure than just at your side. I'm going to enjoy holding it like that now I know people are feeling smug and superior to me because they don't like the way I hold a bag.

I'm a not so young lady and if it's that sort of bag that's how I'll carry it.

I have tried this and cannot do it . It takes so much effort to keep your arm like that and hold weight on it it's so uncomfortable

There seems to be a bit of assumption from some on MN that liking shoes, bags, clothes, dressing up makes you at best shallow or at worst an evil gold digger who is marrying your son just for his money. Owning a structured handbag is probably indicative of being that type.

Oh I love a big bag infact just bought a gorgeous new one today

Why would people get worked up about how people carry bags surely there's more to annoy you than that!

Citrus re lack of individuality, my pet hate is jeans.The most boring garment invented, worn by almost everyone. Maybe, like me you never wear jeans, but if you do, then really criticising bag carriers for not being individuals is a bit rich

My DD does this elbow thing with bags! She's 6!! I nearly wet myself laughing when she does it!

I don't care how you carry your bag, but please for the love of all that is handbaggy please take the damn thing off your arm/shoulder when shoving down the bus or train aisle as the next person who tries to knock my head off with theirs will find it defenestrated in short order:o

I like a big bag, my DM couldn't understand why, then a pulled a bottle of wine out of it.

Elbow here too.

jassyradlett why shouldn't I care?

looks messy on a shoulder I think.

what's a young lady? is that a female child or a woman in her 20s? what an old fashioned term op!

Actually, did I actually say that I cared? No.

I think it's quite jaunty and chic on the crook of the elbow.

I don't understand why you care, incidentally.

The straps arent ways long enough to go over the shoulder.

Some styles of bag look good like that, certain sizes and shapes feel more comfortable that way.

Personally I like an across body messenger or satchel type bag, I like to have my hands free, can't stand shoulder bags slipping down all the time.

They will have one popeye type forearm :P