What’s a hobo bag?

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The hobo bag is a crescent-shaped bag carried over the shoulder with a single strap, made of soft materials. It evolved from the term “vagabond” and has remained popular since the 1950s, with a range of prices and materials. It can be practical and secure, with some versions having multiple compartments.

The hobo bag is a bag or satchel carried over the shoulder with a single strap. The shape of these bags is typically crescent, and the smallest bags can look like crescents. The larger bags loosely follow the crescent shape, but it may not be as noticeable. A characteristic of the hobo bag is that the materials used to make the bag are generally soft and do not retain their shape when you put it down.

The word vagabond probably evolved in the mid-19th century and referred to many people who were generally homeless and traveled from place to place in railroad cars. During and after the depression, the homeless population in the United States grew significantly. Interestingly, the first hobo bag ads appeared about ten years after the stock market crash, and hobo bags have never gone out of style ever since. When designer handbags became fashionable in the 1950s, many designers made variants of the hobo bag.

A larger hobo bag can be ideal for hauling tons of stuff. In addition to being fashionable, they are also imminently practical. When shopping for a large hobo bag, it may be wise to look for one that has more than one compartment for easier organization. The smaller versions can still have great shape and plenty of style.

The modern hobo bag can be found in many different fabrics. Leather in numerous colors is popular due to its flexibility and durability. Other materials like canvas or various fabrics are also available, and there are bags made of artificial leather for those who prefer cruelty-free fashion. The price range is very dramatic. Inexpensive handbags can be found for $10-20 US dollars (USD), while some women pay several thousand dollars for hobo bags.

One advantage of the hobo bag is that the strap is usually long enough to be worn on the opposite shoulder, so that the strap goes across the chest. Some people believe that this is a more secure means of carrying a bag because a thief cannot simply pull the drawstring of the bag off the shoulder. It should be noted that a crafty bag snatcher could cut the bag right off the straps and dispose of it.




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