A good outfit isn’t just limited to the clothes on your body. The right jewelry, the perfect shoes, a hairstyle that suits the energy of the clothing. Perhaps it’s a hat, a belt, or a pair of glasses (that you may not actually need) that polishes off the look. A collection of carefully curated accessories can take an outfit from a set of well-coordinated clothes to something that transforms one’s air. But wait! You’re a university student, you can’t leave the house without a bag. As students, it’s impossible to try to skimp out on functionality when choosing a bag, there are simply too many necessities to fit in.

The obvious choice is the ever-functional backpack. Sturdy, comfortable, easy on the shoulders, it’s a bag that has been trusted for centuries for its utilitarian value. Yet more and more, students are opting to ditch the backpack and picking out bags of varying styles. Most commonly spotted is the tote—whether it be canvas or leather, structured or unstructured—but one can also occasionally catch students sporting a sling or shoulder bag. While more elevated than the standard backpack, there is a reason students may not choose these styles of bags: outright discomfort.

Aspects of utilitarianism are inseparable from fashion. First and foremost, clothing and fashion serve a functional purpose. The degree of practicality varies from item to item. Take for instance how much consideration towards utility would be put into designing a shoe versus a top versus a pair of earrings.

Bags tend to require more thought towards utility. While other accessories or clothing items can get away with letting style outweigh functionality, for a bag to be a bag, it must be able to hold a number of items and thus will be valued for its ease of use. Mini and micro-bags exist but are often criticized for their lack of practicality (and most definitely not a viable go-to bag for college students). Comfortability and convenience have been at the heart of many iconic bags ranging from the Hermes Birkin to the Kanken backpack, and brands will often pride their designs on its level of utility.

This comes from someone who lugs around a beat-up, unstructured canvas tote everywhere (possibly the least convenient choice for a school bag). A backpack is objectively more comfortable and convenient than the flimsy sack that awkwardly rests by my feet in class and cuts into my shoulder all day. Despite this, I have no plans to swap out my beloved tote that is beginning to fall apart at its seams.

What compels me and others to not choose the backpack? Since I’m bringing my bag everywhere with me, I think of it as an extension of my outfit and treat it with the same attitude as I would any other part of my outfit. I am someone who is willing to sacrifice comfort or convenience if it means achieving a certain look. Mayhaps it borders on frivolous, but it is an ethos of sorts. Furthermore, I feel more “adult” with a tote compared to a backpack. The backpack is a silhouette so closely tied with being a student, and more specifically grade school, whereas more structured totes and shoulder bags are associated with those in the workforce. I’ve worn the same type of bag since I was in preschool up until my senior year of high school. A tote breaks this mold and makes me feel more like a “College Student.”

Bags that aren’t backpacks can also offer specific aesthetic touches that a backpack falls short in. Leather shoulder bags and structured totes make someone immediately look more professional and put together while an unstructured tote or a sling bag offers a trendy, laid-back energy. For lovers of luxury, high-end brands have long catalogs of large totes compared to the number of backpacks available. For those who enjoy unique graphics, the world of eye-catching graphic canvas totes is endless. It is easy to personalize a backpack with options for keychains, pins, patches aplenty. However, the silhouette of the backpack creates a ceiling. Beyond what can be attached to one’s bag, there is a level of personalization that can be achieved when working outside the limitations of the backpack which many can feel drawn to.

What may be the factor that makes the sacrifice of comfort worth it will differ from person to person, but the underlying factor between non-backpack wearers is that aesthetics come first and foremost. Whether it be so that the bag matches an outfit better, for the more professional look, or further personalization, we are willing to go out of our way to make our lives more inconvenient and uncomfortable just for that extra little kernel of aesthetic flare.

Reach column writer Leehan Kim at musemediauw@gmail.com
Instagram @leehankimm

Reach photographer Lorelei Silbernagel at musemediauw@gmail.com
Instagram @lorelei_silbernagel