Cavernous bags a catchall for women on the go

You don’t carry around the kitchen sink, but this season’s trendy oversized handbag could accommodate one.

“The bigger the better,” said Suzanne Bishop, owner of Frankie & Julian’s, a women’s fashion boutique on Frazier Avenue. “The big bag is back in a big way.”

Today’s woman-on-the-go carries around more than a cell phone, cosmetics and wallet in her purse. She’s also often toting a laptop, workout clothes and, in some cases, baby diapers and accessories.

Oversized handbags have taken a back seat in recent years to smaller purses, including the strapless clutch, Ms. Bishop said. “So people like me, people who can’t carry small purses because they carry around a lot of junk, are really happy that new styles of the hobo-style purses are back.”

The new styles have been updated with organizational pockets, a detail that most women will find attractive, she said.

“The pockets are a matter of convenience, and that’s what we want,” she said. “We don’t want to spend 30 minutes looking for something that’s made its way to the bottom of the purse.”

The new bags reflect the bright colors and patterns of the season, said Maggie Douch, operations manager at Dillard’s at Hamilton Place.

“Green is the new black, followed by yellows and blues,” she said. “I’m already seeing a lot of ladies carrying these big bags.”

While the bigger purses offer convenience to women, they can weigh much more than an average-size purse.

“Bags with hardware detail are typically heavier,” Ms. Bishop said. “I’ve got an oversized Gucci bag that has a horse-bitlike detail on the front. When I put more than three things in it, it feels like I’m carrying around a ton of bricks.”

Synthetic fabrics weigh less than leather, she said. “And it’s also less expensive. I carry both in my store. There are some women who would much rather pay $79 for a pleather purse than $300 for one that’s leather.”

According to an article on forbes.com, a heavy purse can cause muscle spasms and neck pressure.

Dr. Jane Sadler, a family-practice physician at Baylor Medical Center in Texas, said in the article that when female patients lugging huge bags come to her office, she asks if they’re having neck pain, headaches or numbness down their fingers. The answer is often yes.

“If you’re carrying more than 3 pounds, you’re carrying too much,” she said, suggesting regularly alternating shoulders in addition to unloading some of the weight.

Big purses are typically available with an extra strap for carrying it messenger style, Ms. Bishop said.

“Women living in New York City always carried a purse and a tote bag. The tote bag held their reading material for subway commuting and high heels. They wore tennis shoes to and from work and changed into their high heels at work,” Ms. Bishop said. “On my most recent trip to New York, women were carrying just one big bag. It really is a stylish convenience.”