Having a Moment: Camera Bags

By Jen Smith
April 2, 2010

I don’t know about you, but the most tiresome part of my life as a modern woman is my big bag.

Don’t get me wrong—I have spent way too much time hunting for, thinking about, saving for, lusting after and tracking down said bags. I love bags! For years, that one annual purchase (because I could only afford one), had to be cool enough to pass the fashion police (I worked at a shopping magazine, no less) and roomy enough for me to lug around my single mom and fashion editor accessories at the same time, from shoot polaroids to copies of Vogues Nippon and Paris to my son’s crumpled report cards.

I know I am not the only one to carry my life on my back. I once worked as an assistant costume designer on a soap opera and was considering making a move into feature films. One of my more enlightened bosses pointed out that many movie costume designers become so obsessed with creating the fabric of a film that they develop a habit of toting practically the entire wardrobe department around with them. My boss was forever pointing out some various wildly talented costumers …and their many bags. “Look at that!” she would hiss. “Four, count them, three totes and an overnighter!”

One such designer actually matched the color of her luggage to her usual monochromatic outfit—or her ever-changing hair color. Eventually, I found myself in an interview with this Oscar-winning woman, but I could barely take my eyes off the rolling suitcase by her side, upon which were stacked three other bags. I was horrified, returning swiftly to the more “normal” world of fashion magazines (where eventually I turned into another, though I hope less extreme, version of the bag lady I wished to avoid).

Now that a recent move has taken me out of the big city, I have a car and can stow my life in the trunk instead. Freedom! Fortunately, a trend towards small bags coincides with my ability to own one—but it still has to be perfect. I began to notice editors and trendy girls photographed in blogs wearing new, old-school-style camera bags and as well as the real deal—and it looked “right.” A small bag that I could wear hands free that was street-fashion-sanctioned …and not necessarily expensive... was I on to something?

I directed that very question to Jennifer Alfano. A co-founder of a new fashion and lifestyle blog called Keep It Chic, Alfano is a former editor at Vogue and Bazaar who had a luxury handbag business of her own for four years. "I am seeing camera bags everywhere!” Alfano told me. “A woman at my jewelry class had one with her today, and now I might be obsessed...I love the look because it's a great cross body bag that is casual without being sloppy, and it goes really well with spring's neutrals and military trends. In fact, it seems that many designers are creating simple cross body bags that resemble authentic camera bags—Celine and Dooney & Burke come to mind."

I also approached Yuri Lee, who has covered the look extensively on Lookbook.nu, her highly addictive street style blog. Knowing that I may not be able to invest in a designer bag right now, I asked Lee for her opinion on the original, professional versions."What's not great about vintage camera bags?" she said. "They allow you to protect your precious equipment (camera or otherwise) while remaining stylish. Also, there's something a bit magical about vintage/used items that have known a life before ending up in your possession."