Not owning / using a handbag

[notabaglady]

I'm mid 40's and haven't carried / owned or used a handbag for about 15 years now. I just wondered if there are any other bagless ladies around on this board? I saw a few threads about bag trends / whether to match bags with shoes etc, and I thought I'm so glad I don't use a handbag!

The way I see it is, if men can do it why can't we? Without a bag my hands are always free, my posture is better, I have one less thing to worry about. It means that any dress I buy must have pockets, so I make sure of that, but I'm generally a trousers person anyway.

When I used to carry a handbag I found it gradually got more and more full with bits I "just might need" but never really did, and I would periodically need to clean it out. I was forever losing things like my office pass for work, my keys. phone, tickets etc but they were always just at the bottom of my bag. I also invariably ended up using the same bag every day because having to switch all my things over to a different style / colour bag in the morning would have been a faff. Also my boyfriends were always asking me to carry stuff of theirs, since I was carrying a bag already. I actually got a bad posture as a result of always carrying my handbag on one side.

One other positive is that bags can be really expensive items if you care about fashion so I've probably saved a fortune!

I would never go back to using a handbag. Anyone else? Or any bag ladies interested in joining the dark side?

But if you put things like phone, purse, keys etc in your coat pocket what do you do when you take your coat off. You surely don’t wear it all day indoors & such things would make normal indoor clothes bulge.

Keys, phone, earbuds in pockets. If I'm going to work I have a rucksack with my laptop in it, a bottle of water and maybe a gardening mag. I haven't brushed my hair in years, it doesn't work with curls. I use a moon cup so no need for pads, and I've never been a tissue carrier.

Leave them in my coat pocket.

i have a back pack
havent had a hand bag for years and years, had to buy one for an interview! well i didnt have to but i wanted to look smart.

i couldnt imagine having a hand bag over my shoulder, or a small bag that i carry with one hand, or over the crook of my arm or whatever grownup women do

But then unless you carry your coat everywhere with you how can be sure it won’t get pickpocketed.

I think this is the issue - for you these are the minority times, for others, this is the bulk of their time.

i don’t always use a handbag, but for more than just a local dog walk, I’ll take a rucksack or bag of some sort. (I’m another who hates disposable shop bags, even paper ones, such a waste, I’d rather take a large tote bag that I don’t need for the amount of stuff I’m leaving the house with and then fill it with the new things I’ve bought)

I prefer backpacks tbh

I didn't really have bags much when I was younger, but when DD came along she brought a load of "stuff" with her and I kinda just got used to having a backpack.

If it rains.. I got a brolly..
If it's warm.. I got a place I can put my coat.
If I spot a thing I like.. Ive a place to put it.
If I go to supermarket.. I got a small fold up bag.
If I stink.. I got some deodorant and perfume..
Etc.

No regular handbag use here but in the car lives a small backpack for days out with DD which features mostly things for her but also a few essentials for me. We live rurally so unless going for a local walk I always have the car so the things are to hand eg painkillers, hairbrush.

When commuting to the office I have a laptop backpack that also contains a few personal items. But what I use I generally carry in pockets.

I last used a handbag at a wedding pre-baby, so about 7 years ago.

Where am I going that I'm leaving my coat behind? I genuinely can't think of a scenario where I'd do that... The only thing I can think of might be a restaurant where I need to hang it up, but then I'd have my phone with me.... And if someone wants to nick my house keys and then try and guess where I live, good luck to them 😂

I have pockets in every outfit, so I try to avoid one when it's just phone, purse, keys, tissues. With a laptop fair enough. Not found a pockets big enough for that yet

I used to have one all the time and I used to get a lot of shoulder pain because of it.

Had a mastectomy early this year and I had to carry a bag with me 24/7 for a week. Blummin' hated it 😬

Me. I bought my last handbag to this house when I moved in 7 years ago. I popped it in the cloakroom and finally got rid of it a few weeks ago - having never touched it in 7 years.

I have a laptop tote bag I used when travelling with my work laptop but other than that, nothing.

No handbag here either.

I carry a couple of cards and a phone in whatever pockets I have (all my clothing has pockets) and take a small rucksack and/or folded carrier bag when I need to carry more.

I've never 'got' the designer/expensive bag thing and only ever owned one (cheap) one at a time anyway. And it always gorlt filled with random crap. I'm much happier without.

I mean, on the coats with inside pockets thing. I run a website which finds women's clothes with pockets and there definitely are some.

www.pocketsforwomen.co.uk/category/coats-with-inside-pockets

Usually i just carry a small purse, phone and maybe keys, so if i am wearing jeans or have my jacket on (99% of the time i am not at work) then they all fit in my pockets

i do take a handbag when i go out for Christmas shopping for example or when i have a dress on…which is quite rare 😀 or need to take my glasses somewhere…which is less rare nowadays 😩

If i am going out somewhere with dh i don’t even carry a purse or keys…and quite often not even my phone 😀

Never managed a bag, as in handbag, kept leaving it places.

Now have a mini messenger bag (Wizard Works), which is fantastic and really comfortable. But also use a small crate for car journeys and rucksacks for other situations.

Work from home now and find myself trying to cram it all into my pockets rather than use a bag. When I go to the office or out for a meal etc I use a handbag though as take more stuff - laptop for work and always want to take a bit of make up.

I got fed up with the clutter in my bags though so now empty it out religiously after use and keep all the "handbag" stuff in a drawer

I rarely have a bag unless I'm wearing a coat without pockets. I am always pretty minimal in what I take out with me. Phone, sometimes keys if husband won't be in. Maybe small Spf in summer.... That's it really

I’m a no bag person generally. Phone and keys, that does me most of the time. Occasionally in the summer if I’m wearing a dress without pockets I’ll use a small crossbody bag for them.

I have a messenger bag for work with laptop and other bits and pieces. For non work times, if it’s a longer day out and I need lunch/water/a jumper or whatever I’ll use a small backpack.

I use a leather sling type crossbody most of the time - and if I am going in to work I also have a tote with my laptop and stuff like lunch, work ID lanyard thing etc.

In my bag-bag I have umbrella, beanie hat, sunglasses, painkillers, sanitary products, card-holder, AirPod case, lipstick, tissues, pen, fold-up hairbrush.

I carry my keys and phone in my pocket and mainly use ApplePay. I was caught short in M&S food a few weeks back when my ApplePay wouldn’t scan. I had to not only get my debit card out, but also insert it to the reader and type in the pin. It would have been annoying to have to return my shopping/go home/go back.

Me. I feel like I’m pretending to be a woman when I have a handbag. Which weirdly makes me feel butch, despite really not being.

I'm often bagless in the autumn/winter. It's easier at this of year, because I can utilise the pockets in coats for keys, purse, lip balm etc. In the summer I tend to need a small bag. I love not having to carry a bag, it's very freeing.

I don't need much but a lot of the time I do use a small handbag.

If I only use my jacket or coat pockets, I'm worried about pickpockets or about things falling out if I take it off eg at a comedy club or the cinema and it's just on the back of my chair. Its dark, things could fall out and you might not even notice. If I use my trouser pockets I get bulges and also worry about losing stuff if I sit down.

I think handbags are a nice way to add interest and colour to an outfit as well.

I think maybe if I had a car I'd travel lighter as would be able to store some bits in that.

Men's jeans aren't cut for women though. Don't they gape at the waist?

I'm far too disorganised not to have a bag. I'd be leaving my stuff all over the place like DH frequently does.