The Way You Carry Your Purse Reveals A Lot About Your Personality, According To Research
Do people really judge the way you wear your purse?
Victoria Fox | Shutterstock There's no denying that fashion and style are linked to personality traits, but have you ever thought that your preferences for the more functional aspects of fashion might indicate specific facets of your personality? Specifically, do you ever wonder why you carry your purse the way you do? Or have you ever wondered why you have a preference for certain types of handbags more than others?
Ok, maybe it's not something you think about at all. It's just your preference, and you have certain tastes. However, there may be more to it than you think. According to body language experts who have researched the topic extensively, how you prefer to carry your purse is not just a random choice. In fact, it indicates a lot about your personality without ever saying a word
One shoulder with the bag close to the body
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Body language expert Kathlyn Hendricks, Ph.D., spoke with Glamour about this very topic, and she argued that anyone who prefers to carry a bag over one shoulder but pulls it close to the body is practical and driven.
"It points to the wearer prioritizing her freedom of movement over the display elements. She's not a peacock, just getting things done," Hendricks explained. In simpler words, this means that you're always taking into account the motives behind every action and base your decision on whether that motive is right or wrong.
Patti Wood, a body language expert with over 30 years of experience, was similar to Hendricks in her assessment of women who prefer a tight hold on the one-shoulder bag carry. She told Reader's Digest that this carry indicates a cautious person who can be wary and even insecure of their surroundings. She noted, “If you tightly grip the bag and pull it, it’s more likely fear, lower self-esteem, or concern of your purse being stolen.”
One shoulder with the bag swinging freely
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If you tend to leave your bag swinging and open, you're comfortable. Hendricks said that this "indicates a priority on ease and functionality over display."
The Style Coaching Institute took Hendricks' analysis a step forward, noting that anyone who carries their bag with this overt sense of ease is self-assured and comfortably confident. Basically, this is a style that gives off cool girl vibes without being cocky. These women have a casual confidence that prioritizes whatever else they've got going on that day. They wrote, "It also emits a cool and chilled vibe because the shoulder line drops slightly and appears to be more relaxed. It also gives off an air of practicality, functionality, and self-sufficiency because the wearer’s hands are free to engage with whatever the day throws at them."
Cross-body with the bag in front
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Hendricks said that this action shows that you're cautious or shy. She told Glamour, "This style of bag-wearing often indicates a more cautious personality, someone who is reticent or shy." She also described the bag as an "armament" because it tells other people you are not up for chit chat. You have somewhere to be, and you will not be diverted.
And while Wood agreed that a cross-body purse worn in the front of the body was a defensive move, she also noted that it might have more to do with geography rather than just being a shy person. In fact, by her estimation, it would mean this woman is pragmatic rather than standoffish. She told Reader's Digest, “Some people carry and use cross-body bags, and they think it is the safest, easiest, and most secure if you are walking a lot. You see this in people who live in big cities like New York and with people who travel a lot.”
Cross-body with the bag at the back
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In an interview with Cosmo, Wood argued that women who prefer their cross-body bags to sit at the back or even the hip towards the back are carefree and trusting in a way their cross-body front-wearing peers aren't. Unbothered and relaxed is the name of the game. "Your mind is more fixated on your goals or sense of purpose than on worrying about mundane things like possessions."
Hendricks described any woman who wears her purses this way as "an urban warrior with a clear goal." Adding, "The bag is incidental to her independent self-image, flung on for its functionality."
Hanging from the crook of the elbow
Victoria Fox | Shutterstock
What's interesting about this preferred carrying style is that, as the Style Coaching Institute noted, "Historically, aristocratic women would have only worn a bag as an adornment to their outfit. In terms of practicality Vs aesthetics, bags worn in this manner prevent the wearer from easily using one of their arms, which projects an air of high status."
Hendricks offered insight, sharing, "You're basically de-operationalizing one of your arms in order to carry something of that size, telling everyone you don't need to use both arms as you move around in the world." It's also the preferred style of someone who wants the world to see their bag, how it coordinates with their outfit, and the fact that it is meant to enhance style rather than serve as functional. The Style Coaching Institute added an interesting caveat, "This handbag hold is an intriguing one, because it can provide clues of high confidence, a passion for fashion, and an outgoing character… but equally it can hint towards deeper insecurities and a need to project a clear ‘high-value’ image as a defence mechanism for low self-esteem."
Held in your hand
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"This is equivalent to carrying a briefcase and communicates the importance of the woman's job," said Hendricks. By carrying your bag like this, you're showing that your purse is more than just an accessory — it carries important things. You're someone who means business and takes your job seriously.
But that only applies if the handheld bag is large, like a tote. As Wood explained to Reader's Digest, if it's a smaller bag like a clutch or even a normal handbag held like a clutch, like the image above, the wearer has a sense of sophistication about them. They are put together and confident in their sense of style and in their ability to organize and prioritize.
No bag
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If holding a bag in the crook of your arm indicates high status, choosing to forego a purse altogether is an heir of privilege that cannot be matched. As Hendricks said, "Not carrying a bag indicates a level of status where others handle the everyday issues such as money and schedules."
Those others who carry the literal stuff you need? They don't have to be assistants. They can be partners or even friends. We all know that one girl who asks if they can put their wallet in your bag because they just can't be bothered. And while this person on the surface seems a little too high-maintenance, there's a flip side. The no-purse woman could actually be the most laid-back of all. Wood noted, preferring not to carry a purse, "could just mean that you are completely unencumbered and want to move freely."
You are clearly a person who is confident in who they are, and you likely have way too much faith in the functionality of women's pockets! So, how do you hold your purse?
Caithlin Pena is an editor and former contributor for YourTango. Her work has been featured on Thought Catalog, Huffington Post, Yahoo, Psych Central, and BRIDES.
