Street Style Inspo: How Influencers Carry Their Bags

The fashion crowd has turned the simple act of holding a handbag into an art form. What you once did without thinking (sling it over the shoulder, done) has become the final flourish that makes an outfit unforgettable. Here are the seven street-style tricks you’re seeing everywhere right now, and exactly how to copy them with the five bags you already own.

The Lazy Crossbody (Actually Genius)

Influencers stopped wearing crossbody bags across the body years ago. Instead, they shorten the strap so the bag sits high under the armpit, almost like a shoulder bag but cooler. It creates a relaxed, slightly slouchy silhouette that makes even the stiffest blazer look effortless. Do this with your compact crossbody or belt bag worn on the shortest hole. Suddenly your trench coat + jeans reads Paris Fashion Week exit, not airport commuter.

The Top-Handle Carry (Never on the Shoulder)

No one who is anyone puts a structured top-handle bag on their shoulder anymore. They carry it strictly by the handle, forearm parallel to the ground, bag dangling just above the knee. It looks expensive because it is slightly impractical, and that’s the point. Try it with your Kelly-style bag or any structured tote that has short handles. Bonus points if you let the bag swing a little when you walk.

The Belt-Bag Blazer Hack

The fastest way to make a belt bag look 2025 is to wear it over a tailored blazer, strap tightened so the pouch sits right at your natural waist. The contrast between sharp menswear tailoring and the casual nylon or leather pouch is pure catwalk alchemy. Works equally well with an oversized black blazer and cycling shorts or with a camel coat and wide-leg trousers.

The Tote Fold-Over

Oversized totes look infinitely chicer when you casually fold the top third down, turning them into a softer, slouchier shape. The Row’s Margaux is famous for this, but you can do exactly the same move with any leather tote. It hides the fact that you’re carrying your entire life and instantly gives “quiet luxury” energy.

The Clutch-as-Prop Move

Evening clutches are no longer reserved for evenings. The coolest girls tuck a small clutch under one arm like a hardcover book and carry it all day with minimalist tailoring or a simple white tank and low-rise trousers. Try it with your black satin or metallic clutch during the daytime. It feels slightly wrong in the best possible way.

The Double-Bag Trick

Two bags are always cooler than one. The classic combo right now: a large leather tote on one shoulder and a tiny crossbody or belt bag worn diagonally across the chest. The tote does the heavy lifting, the little bag adds the attitude. It’s also genuinely practical when you’re going from work to dinner and don’t want to do the mid-day bag swap.

The Inside-Out Dust Bag

This one is pure fashion-insider flex: take the cotton dust bag that came with your expensive handbag, turn it inside out so the logo or monogram faces outward, and use it as an actual tote for groceries or gym gear. It started as a joke on TikTok and somehow ended up on the arms of half the front row in Copenhagen. Works best with Hermès orange, Goyard chevron, or Chanel black-and-white canvas.

The Final Secret Nobody Talks About

The real difference between your outfit and the street-style photos isn’t the bag itself; it’s confidence. The girls in the photos aren’t thinking “Does this look cool?” They’re thinking about where they’re having lunch. The moment you stop overthinking the bag and start wearing it like it’s been yours for five years, the picture changes. The bag stops being an accessory and becomes part of your posture.

Copy any one of these seven moves tomorrow morning and watch strangers start taking your photo outside the coffee shop. Same five bags you already own. Completely different attitude. That’s the only upgrade you actually needed.