It seemed almost prescient that one of spring 2020’s biggest trends was the micro bag. Spotted on runways, this necklace bag (with some of the hottest offerings as small as two inches) was designed to fit just a lipstick, a credit card and AirPods. A representative of a minimalist lifestyle (with the invariably impressive price tag), the nano sac was all about travelling light and paring down your belongings to the bare essentials.
Post March 2020, as the world came to a hard stop, this edit became the norm. Conversations were dominated by safety concerns and sanitisers, and face masks fast became the new black. A petite pouch was now seen as a must-have only because it could store house keys while leaving your hands free to spray disinfectant on every possible surface.
It has been over four months since I took out my favourite tote, let alone thought about accessorising my outfit. Truth be told, it has been that long since I wore a pair of heels or slipped into a little black dress. And yet, I don’t miss that as much as I miss organising my handbag, often packed with makeup, essential medicines, a hairbrush, pens, my wallet, dark glasses, prescription spectacles, tampons and, in a crisis, even a Tide stain remover stick. Now, my bags lie empty, wiped down every month and returned to their dust covers. Is this where their future lies? Unused and unnecessary?
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Breathe In, Breathe Out
A powerful tool to help you master your nervous system or another biohacking buzzword? SIMONE DHONDY explores the inhalations and exhalations of breathwork
Red Pill, Blue Pill
India's nutraceutical industry is booming thanks to advanced technology, distrust of the medical system and rising vanity. With multivitamins becoming purer and more effective, NIDHI GUPTA finds out if supplements have become the new serum
Sign of the times
No longer do you need to have an answer to, \"What is the significance of this?\" when people point to your new tattoo. ARMAN KHAN discovers that everything is on the table when you get inked temporarily
Return to form
Watching the world's most elite athletes deliver the best performances of their careers rekindled SONAKSHI SHARMA's own love for sports
Dimple, All Day
YOU MAY HAVE WATCHED HER ON THE BIG SCREEN FOR OVER FIVE DECADES, BUT DON'T MAKE THE MISTAKE OF ASSUMING THAT YOU KNOW DIMPLE KAPADIA.
MUSIC, TAKE CONTROL
As someone who had always sought safety in numbers, ALIZA FATMA often wondered what her own company would feel like. The answer arrived unexpectedly when she attended her first-ever music festival, one of the largest in the world, all alone
Let it grow
When we think of hardworking farmers toiling in India's scorching heat, we often think of men, the sweat on their brow, the sinews in their arms. JYOTI KUMARI speaks to four women who are championing the invisible female labour that keeps these fields running
YOU'LL NEVER WALK ALONE
When armless archer Sheetal Devi set her sights on the Paralympic Games this year, she knew she had a tough journey ahead of her. Luckily, her mother was with her every step of the way.
Beauty and the feast
The appeal of Indian weddings has always been in a sprawling spread. For additional bragging rights, Aditi Dugar recommends going beyond designer tablecloths and monogrammed napkins.
Sweet serendipity
From a scavenger hunt-inspired proposal to a Moroccan-themed baraat, Malvika Raj and Armaan Rai's love story prioritised playfulness throughout their blended celebrations.
