What Size Crossbody Bag Do I Need? A Simple Guide to Mini, Original and Plus
Most women do best with a mid-sized crossbody. Our Original (20 x 16 x 8cm) or City (23 x 16.5 x 7cm) holds a phone, a slim purse, keys, glasses and a lipstick without becoming a weight on the shoulder. Go Mini if you carry a phone, cards and keys and little else. Go Plus if you want room for a small folding umbrella, a paperback or a water bottle. The rest of this guide explains how to decide, with real measurements rather than guesswork.
Start with what you actually carry
Before you look at a single bag, empty the one you use now onto a table. Most of us carry the same six or seven things every day: a phone, a purse or card holder, keys, glasses (often two pairs), a lipstick and a tissue or two. Everything else is occasional.
The bag you need is the one that holds the everyday items comfortably, with a little room to spare. A bag that is too big fills itself, and you end up carrying the extra weight every day. A bag that is too small means a constant fight with the zip.
The sizes compared
All of our crossbody bags are handcrafted in 100% full-grain leather, lined, with easy-clean interiors. Here is how the main sizes compare and what you can expect to fit.
| Bag | Size (w x h x d) | Phone | Purse | Glasses | Umbrella |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Original Mini | 16 x 14 x 6.5cm | Yes | Card holder or coin purse | One pair, no case | No |
| City Mini | 18 x 12 x 5cm | Yes | Card holder | One slim pair | No |
| Original | 20 x 16 x 8cm | Yes | Slim purse | One pair in a soft case | No |
| City | 23 x 16.5 x 7cm | Yes | Slim purse | One pair in a soft case | No |
| Original Plus | 23 x 17 x 9cm | Yes | Full purse | Two pairs | Small folding umbrella |
| City Plus | 28 x 20 x 8cm | Yes | Full purse | Two pairs | Small folding umbrella |
If you are torn between two, our bag comparison guide sets every style side by side with photographs and measurements.
Mini: phone, cards, keys
The Original Mini (16 x 14 x 6.5cm) and City Mini (18 x 12 x 5cm) are for the days when you want to carry almost nothing. A phone, a card holder, keys and a lipstick go in and the bag stays flat against you. They are the bags that get worn to lunch, to the shops and on holiday evenings, and at £84.95 they are the most affordable way into the range. Browse small crossbody bags to see them together.
One honest caveat. If your purse is the full, folded kind with a coin section, a Mini will not take it. Swap to one of our card holders or a coin purse and the Mini becomes a very easy bag to live with.
Original and City: the everyday size
The Original is our classic. At 20 x 16 x 8cm it has three compartments, so a phone sits in one, a purse in another and the small things in the third. The City is a touch longer and sleeker at 23 x 16.5 x 7cm, with two external zip compartments, which suits anyone who likes a more structured shape. Both are £94.95 in the UK and $135 in the US.
Which is right for you comes down to shape rather than capacity. The Original is softer and rounder; the City is flatter and sits closer to the body. See the Original collection and the City collection to compare them.
Plus: when you carry more
The Original Plus (23 x 17 x 9cm) and City Plus (28 x 20 x 8cm) are for the woman who needs a full purse, two pairs of glasses, a small folding umbrella and perhaps a paperback or a small water bottle. The strap on the Original Plus is longer too, reaching 142cm, which helps if you are taller or like the bag to sit lower on the hip. Both are £124.95.
If you regularly carry a tablet or a change of shoes, you are into tote territory. Have a look at the totes instead.
Three quick checks before you buy
- Measure your phone. Most phones fit every size, but a large phone in a thick case is worth checking against the Mini measurements.
- Decide on your purse. A slim purse or card holder opens up the Mini and keeps the Original light.
- Think about the strap. Every bag comes with two free straps of your choice, so you can set the length for crossbody wear and swap to a shorter one for the shoulder.
Whichever size you choose, it arrives with two free straps and a keyring, together worth £63 in the UK and $77 in the US, and every bag is covered by our 365-day warranty with 30-day returns. If you get the size wrong, send it back and try the next one up or down.
