Etiquette experts have said that what you do with your handbag speaks volume about you, your manners and person. And as important as this seemingly simple etiquette characteristic is, many women do not pay attention to it.
Indeed, many women have learnt the art of sitting up straight, making eye contact, trying not to interrupt and general finishing school comportment, but do not understand that the handbag could actually say as much about them as their social skills. And fashionistas use how you handle your handbags, be it an oversized shopper, evening clutch or fancy designer tote and the kind of bag you carry to particular places or events to size you up and profile you.
Traditionally, satchels and bags made of raffia aren’t ideal formal wear just as overly embellished bags shouldn’t be your choice for professional work environments.
Where do you put your handbag when you dine and which hand do you hold in? These questions matter to the overall rules of modern-day handbag etiquette.
How do you hold your bag?
You should always carry your handbag on your left side, leaving your right arm free for shaking hands and socialising.
If you have a dinner engagement, you must be conscious of how you place your bag. Never put your bag on the table; this is not only seen as as rude but also unhygienic.
Rather, place your bag on an empty chair instead of on the floor, tabletop, or the back of a chair where it can obstruct the server’s movement. Or get a snazzy purse hook to hang your bag off the edge of the table or place it behind you in your chair when an extra one isn’t available.
This is easier done with clutch which is usually the right size to place behind in your chair or on your lap underneath your napkin.
Morning dress events, that is events characterised by smart day dress with hat and heels, requires a matching handbag, usually the exact colour or a similar shade.
When carrying over the shoulder bags, you must know that it isn’t fashionable to hold a short-handled bag in your hand while slinging it over the shoulder.
Cleanliness is important. No matter how much your bag cost or how high-end the label, it is never going to attract admiring glances if it is grubby and dirty looking. It has been revealed by researchers that 90 per cent of handbags contain grossly high levels of bacteria.
The way you carry your bag determines if you will give the put together dignified deportment look. In carrying shoulder bags, formal rules demand that you grasp the center of the front strap while you are in motion. This is to keep your purse firmly in place instead of letting it swing around and signal to the world that you are in a rush.
Handbag etiquette requires that bags be kept close to the body, especially large totes so as to not break into someone’s personal space.
It is wrong to place your clutch purse in your underarm, hold a clutch in front of you with both hands with your fingers facing downwards or in one hand by your side. It’s called a clutch for a reason.
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