Nearly 2 years ago, not long before I left for a solo trip to Paris, a friend’s dad told me about how he was recently pickpocketed while enjoying the art at The Hermitage in Saint Petersburg. I could imagine it happening so easily in such a crowded place, while your attention is focussed elsewhere.
Travelling alone and with a tendency for getting lost in my own thoughts, I felt more comfortable taking a cross-body bag rather than my usual handbag. This way I could always have it in front of me, close to my body and often with a hand resting on it. It’s not that I believed anywhere that I was going was more dangerous than home. But when you’re in a foreign land, surrounded by a foreign language, trying to find your way around and soak up as much of the surroundings as you can, you can easily be distracted.
Here I am trying not to look like too much of an idiot taking a selfie in the Louvre. My bag is from Country Road. It’s a beautiful quality leather one, which has plenty of room for money, phone, snacks, hotel room key, map, water bottle, tissues, lipstick, etc, etc. I could stay out all day and had everything I needed. It’s about 37cm x 33cm and practically flat, with internal and external zipped pockets.
This year will be our first overseas sightseeing-type trip with the kids, as opposed to the relaxing resort-type holidays we’ve had overseas to date. And I will definitely be using my cross-body bag again. This way I can keep all the most valuable things close to me, without wearing a money belt. Hubster can carry all the water bottles, etc in a backpack, leaving us both with free hands for holding onto the kids!
Unfortunately my Country Road bag is no longer available, but I have found plenty of fantastic alternatives. They come in all shapes and sizes, so have a think about how much stuff you will need to fit in it. Don’t go too big though. If you’re travelling with kids, you will probably need to have a second bag, so all the non-valuable things that you would normally carry in your handbag can go in that other bag. A cross-body bag is not comfortable to wear if it is too large and heavy. And the smaller it is, the more likely you can carry it in front of you where I feel it would be safest.
If leather is not a priority, then these bags offer terrific value. That Sussan one (number 2) is almost identical to my Country Road one!
1 Colette Structured satchel
2 Sussan Scarlet messenger
3 Witchery Daisy sling
4 Colette Small zip slouch
5 Sussan Ashley bucket
These bags are all fabulous quality, either leather or waterproof nylon, and have classic shapes to suit any outfit.
1 Witchery Andy sling
2 Hedgren Inner city sputnik
3 Fossil Sydney cross-body
4 Country Road Tamara sling
5 Witchery Christina cross-body
These bags are all about the lushest leather and timeless designs. If you have a fancy camera to tote around, then the aqua 3 Annies one is ideal.
1 Trenery Zip top hobo
2 Longchamp Le Foulonne
3 Fossil Riley top zip
4 3 Annies Audrey-Lu
5 Country Road Sylvie hobo
Which one do you like best?
What sort of bag do you prefer when sightseeing overseas?
