The micro bag trend shows just how good fashion can be when it doesn’t take itself too seriously.
Tiny and fairly useless, in 2019 the micro bag somehow managed to catch the eye of every influencer and style icon, despite being pretty hard to spot.
Micro bags might not be your go-to for a day out, but there are plenty of reasons to love this seemingly unhelpful accessory.
For a start, it’s a bag to make yourself smile. It’s silly and stylish, which is something we all need from time to time.
Ready to fall in love with the micro bag? Read on to learn all about this trend, and why you need a tiny purse.
What Is The Micro Bag?
Picture your normal purse. Now picture it smaller. Now picture it smaller again. Now picture it even smaller again.
This is the micro bag. It’s a tiny purse that is almost entirely useless but that everyone has fallen in love with.
The micro bag is all about keeping things tiny. It’s designed to hold the bare minimum. Your standard micro bag shouldn’t even fit a phone.
Instead, you might be able to tuck in a few loose coins, maybe some folded notes, and a lipstick, if you’re lucky.
The micro bag trend isn’t about carrying something useful. This isn’t the purse you carry to a meeting or for a long day out.
This is the purse you take to a cocktail evening or a boozy brunch when you have room in your pockets for your phone.
So, why do we love the micro bag if it’s so completely useless?
The micro bag is an accessory designed to add a pop of cheeky fun to your outfit. When you style a micro bag, you’re saying that you don’t take yourself too seriously.
It tells people that you like to play around and that you use fashion to express yourself.
Purses are often used as a fashion accessory, even if it isn’t always the most practical choice.
Many of us have probably struggled to fit a phone and a wallet into a clutch that we just had to wear because it matched our outfit perfectly.
The micro bag simply takes that trend to the next level.
Plus, most of the things we need for the day can be found on the smartphone. You don’t have to worry about carrying money when you can pay with your phone.
As long as you have a pocket to fit your phone in, a big purse isn’t exactly necessary.
And because you can’t carry much, you’re forced to reconsider what you do carry. It’s a chance to streamline, to leave behind some of your worries when you head out for the day.
The micro bag is an easy way to update a simple everyday look and make it into something special. A micro bag hanging from your belt buckle gives even your T-shirt and jeans extra style.
Finally, take a look at a micro bag, and try not to fall in love with it. It’s just so fun because it’s so completely useless.
Sometimes, we need something that serves no purpose but looks good in our wardrobe!
When you’re carrying a micro bag, you’re having a good time. You can only use this purse when you have nothing important to do, so you’re just out to have fun.
It makes you feel good by bringing a smile to your face.
Where Did The Micro Bag Come From?
The micro bag has been skirting the edges of fashion mainstream since 2018, but it really exploded into public consciousness when Lizzo took a micro bag to the American Music Awards in 2019.
Lizzo arrived on the red carpet wearing a ruffled and layered coral Valentino, but it wasn’t the dress that caught everyone’s eye (and it was a good dress).
Instead, it was the delightful little accessory she held in her hand.
Small, white, and hard to see without binoculars, Lizzo had accessorized her outfit with the tiniest Valentino bag around. It was so small you could only safely carry a penny in it.
Her sparkly nails were almost as big as her micro bag. A Barbie would probably find the purse a bit too small to be practical.
But while the micro bag could have immediately fallen into the background, instead it became the center of attention.
Lizzo carried it with a sincerity that gave way to silliness, making the purse stand out in almost every shot.
It’s no surprise that after that the micro bag trend blew up! Carrying her micro purse with panache, Lizzo looked like the person at the party that everyone wants to be friends with.
Who doesn’t want to copy that look?
Lizzo and Valentino weren’t the originators of the micro bag trend, but their exaggerated take helped bring it to mainstream popularity.
The biggest name in the world of micro bags is Jacquemus. Le Chiquito by Jacquemus is the most recognizable of micro bags, featuring a magnetic closure, a leather handle, and a long removable strap.
Le Chiquito measures roughly 4.7 inches by 3.5 inches. It’s just about big enough to fit in a standard credit card. You can use your Le Chiquito to carry your ID, your house key, and even a lipstick!
If you need just a touch more room, you can try Le Chiquito Noeud. Measuring 7 inches by 5 inches, this is slightly more practical for everyday use.
While Le Chiquito might be the best-known of the Jacquemus micro bags, it isn’t the only option from the brand.
Le Bambino is another adorable micro bag, measuring roughly 7 inches by 3.5 inches. It’s also sold in a smaller version — Le Petit Bambino.
But while Jacquemus might be the main name associated with micro bags, plenty have jumped on the trend. The
Staud mini moon gave a new shape to the micro bag, while the Gucci mini tote proved even a micro bag can be useful.
The micro bag has also been spotted all over the high street. Mango was a particularly early adopter, but you can find micro bags being made by most fashion retailers now.
This is excellent news because you have plenty of options to choose from!
Want to lean completely into the trend with the tiniest purse you can find? Or do you prefer a look that’s both petite and practical?
How To Style The Micro Bag
The tiny shape of the micro bag makes it an easy option to style. Here are some of our favorite ways to wear a micro bag.
As A Cross Body Bag
By far the most popular way to wear a micro bag is across the body. With a long strap and a tiny handle, you can loop the micro bag over your shoulders and wear it hanging at the side.
This is the easiest way to incorporate the micro bag into your wardrobe. It’s also the most versatile way.
Almost any micro bag can be styled like this. If it doesn’t come with a detachable strap, you can always add your own.
Worn across the body, this is the perfect way to elevate a casual look. It adds a touch of fun to your T-shirt and jeans, and it’s an easy way to accessorize without weighing yourself down.
If your look needs something extra, the micro bag can be the perfect final touch.
On Your Belt
The tiny dimensions of the micro bag allow you to style it in ways you might never have considered.
Because the micro bag is just so tiny, you can loop it onto your belt and wear it around the waist.
This style takes the fanny pack and makes it look good. You can hang the purse from the front, tuck it to the side, or even turn it to the back.
Drawing the eye to the waistline, the micro bag can highlight your silhouette for a flattering look.
The belt purse is also super convenient. With your micro bag around your waist, you never have to worry that you’ve put it down and forgotten to pick it up again.
While we love this option for the daytime, it’s also great for a party look.
Loop a micro bag around your party dress and you can leave your hands free for dancing and drinks.
As A Clutch
We love the micro bag as a stand-in for the clutch. It looks super cute and fits comfortably in the hand or with the strap looped around the wrist.
One of the biggest benefits of holding the micro bag is that when someone says “I love your purse” you can immediately pounce into your best Lizzo pose.
With your purse already in your hand, you can display it at its very best.
The downside of this option is that you risk putting your purse down and never finding it again.
It’s so small it can easily become hidden under a stray glove or an errant appetizer.
Across Your Back
The limited size of the micro bag gives you a chance to play around with styling.
Why not slip your micro bag across your back, rather than hanging it at the front or side?
It can add visual interest to a part of an outfit that normally goes unnoticed.
Worn similar to a cross-body bag, loop the long strap over one shoulder and across the back.
This style looks best when the micro bag sits just above the hip. Too far down and it can start to sag.
For this option, you want to keep the rest of the back simple.
Avoid lots of detailing or intricate closures, as they will only fight the bag for attention. A simple back with a higher neckline lets the bag shine.
However, you can have some fun with it! A micro bag worn across an open back is a little bit cheeky but looks incredible.
On Your Wrist
The micro bag is probably the only style of purse that can successfully substitute a bracelet. You do need an extra small micro bag for this to work, otherwise, it’s likely to get in the way of your hands.
But if you have a mini micro bag, then why not wear it as a bracelet?
Bracelets are fantastic when your outfit needs a little something extra, but you don’t want to distract from the main look. They add that pop that you sometimes need.
A micro bag looped around the wrist accomplishes the same thing but in a fresh new way.
It’s ideal for daytime casual. A bracelet might be a bit too much sparkle, but a micro bag will work in its place.
As A Pop Of Color
A neutral tone is an excellent base for an outfit, giving that Casual French girl chic. Head-to-toe neutrals can look incredible, but sometimes, they need something else to really sing.
This is where the micro bag comes in. A tiny micro bag allows you to add a pop of color to a neutral outfit. And we are talking about a pop here.
A micro bag can measure less than a credit card, so it’s perfect when you only want a splash of brightness.
Conclusion
It’s hard not to fall in love with the micro bag. Too small to be really useful but so cute you can’t help but smile, the micro bag proves that sometimes smaller really is better.
There are so many ways to style a micro bag and we hope this guide has given you some new ideas. What do you like to keep in your micro bag?
Frequently Asked Questions
The micro bag trend first started to explode in 2019 and it remains incredibly popular. For a while, micro bags were getting smaller and smaller, but in the current iteration of the trend, they tend to be about the size of your hand.
Micro bags are popular because they’re cheeky and fun, which is something we all need from time to time. The micro bag doesn’t take itself seriously, it’s easy to style, and it won’t weigh you down.
Everyone needs an accessory that’s (somewhat) practical and brings a smile to your face.
My whole life, I have always been a little bigger than my friends. I was always a bit taller, wider and just bigger built. From my late teens, I would say that I was curvy. I really struggled to find clothes that fitted me, as my hips went out, but my chest didn’t really.
I created WarningCurvesAhead.com because I wanted other women to feel the sense of empowerment I have felt since changing up my wardrobe and finding out what clothes suit my body shape, skin tone and style.
I hope that you too can join me on this journey, and start making some amazing fashion choices that celebrate your beautiful body- instead of hiding it!
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