Do you roll your shoulders, sigh or breathe heavy after putting down your handbag?
most girls (me included) have no idea “normal” shoulder pain is slowly killing their posture. After only 2 years in Uni I saw it in the mirror: uneven shoulders, one side higher than the other. btw i never had issues before. So if you also carry your entire life with you everyday... it’s probably already happening to you too. but don’t worry girl, i got you. here is my no-filter guide to avoid it, and the bags that actually help, ranked ↓
Spoiler: read till the end to learn what saved & actually caused my asymmetrical shoulders
#5 Backpacks - back to elementary
Yes, sorry, but a backpack actually does the job. sadly it also does another job: absolutely ruining your outfit aesthetic, but keep in mind:
“A bad bag choice ruins one outfit. asymmetrical shoulders ruin EVERY outfit. Forever.”
i know the back sweat is heinous, and it feels humiliating wearing a backpack as a fully grown adult. But at least you can take it off at the end of the day! overall solid ‘ok...’ for me though.
#4 functional totes - a safe choice?
Lately i’ve been seeing a bit more functional tote girlies on campus. Even though I find them a bit too cringey looking, my orthopedist (spine-doctor) actually had one.
- pro: basic, functional (wide strap),
- safecon: they are the backpacks of the tote bags
- best for: girls who want a basic solution to not think too much
For me it sits at number 4 though because i truly care about my outfit & appearance.
If you only care about functionality, this could be a safe choice!
#3 what 90% of women get wrong: the tote bag
Please don’t mistake this:
this is NOT a normal tote bag, those give you lopsided shoulders. This one actually works.It’s a basic tote bag, simple, and has a wide strap (I’ll explain why that’s important later)
- pro: healthy, spacious, simple
- con: more of a grocery-shopping bag tbh
- best for: when you don’t want to be seen, and you just need something that works.
For this one i personally haven’t tried it, so durability i can’t say anything about... but it seems like a safe choice for those "just need to get through the day" moments.
let’s move on with one more option before i reveal my personal number 1…
#2 outpocket hobo bag
if you don’t love a wide strap on a bag, this is the bag with the thinnest strap my orthopedist still approved, as 2,5cm is the usual minimum.
- pro: doesn’t dig into your nerves, should be well manufactured
- con: it’s an investment money-wise & return policy is unclear
- best for: commited girls ready for a long term relationship with healthy shoulders
(Btw. Yes. I went through a list of like 20 bags with my orthopedist, validating each one…)
Conclusion: it’s more on the luxury side with 500$ (1,14$ per wear over one year tho) it’s simply a big upfront cost! But even though they’re popular the return policy seems tricky with no warranty, so just be sure you love it before ordering. i think it is cute though!
Before I reveal #1, I have to promptly say this:If you're expecting me to say Longchamp...No. Just no.
My orthopedist specifically called out Longchamp-style bags as worst offenders. She calls it a “longchamp epidemic”. Thin straps. Hard leather. And we fill them with everything.
I get it, I had one too. But that's exactly why I'm warning you.
#1 A effortlessly chic shoulder bag - the perfect mix
you knew i’d save the best for last right? it’s kind of a niche pick, here it is:
the everyday bag I used to save my shoulders: the mila shoulder bag from kaia&more
this was my insta discovery of the year. the colors, the material, everything seemed perfect and I just bought her right there (yes, a bit impulsively, i know…) but it had the three key things every educated women needs in her everyday bag:
1/3. she doesn’t kill my shoulders
(note: here I’ll share what I’ve learned from my orthopedist, so listen carefully!)
because this is how it went:
- First week of Uni: maybe I noticed something here, but I ignored it.
- First 6 months: i remember rolling my shoulders & sighing, every time i put down my bag. but i simply continued wearing it.
- First year of uni: i joked with my friends about the pain from a handbag being temporary, but swag is forever...
- second year: i looked into the mirror and started breaking down bc of what i saw...
this is what happens without you noticing:
A thin strap sits directly on the nerves running through your shoulders. the thinner the strap, the more pressure on one point.
kind of like a needle: it only hurts because it’s so thin. and it’s cutting off your nerve-flow.
You compensate without realizing it: adjusting your shoulder. raising one higher than the other. tense your neck. You twist your spine just a little to balance the load.
end result?
By the time you notice it in the mirror, the long term damage is already done.
How to reverse/prevent it?
It took me 8 months until my shoulders looked normal again. This was hell: Chronic neck pain. Tension headaches. Nerve issues, all of it...
I do NOT want this happening to you.
What really caused my uneven shoulders, and my complete loss of confidence, was not:
✕ how heavy my bag was
✕ how often i wore my bag
instead:
✓ what happened while I was wearing it
Here's what finally made sense to me: think about why a needle hurts so much.
It's not heavy... it's just so thin that all the pressure hits one tiny point.
That's a thin strap. All day quietly cutting in. A wide strap turns that line into a surface.
10 x 1 = 10, 10 x 4 = 40
same weight, 4x difference.
crazy right?
I love the mila, bc it has a 4cm wide strap. Nothing digs in. Plus it’s a bit slouchy, so 0 nerve compression. approved by my doc btw!
2/3. this bag fits all my essentials
Their marketing literally talks about fitting laptops, which honestly was refreshing. Most "fashion" bag brands act like women don't carry anything heavier than a lipstick.
plus she never looks bulky, even fully packed. love!
She fits my:
- 15 inch laptop
- water bottle, lunch
- beauty pouch, wallet,
- ipad, earphones, power bank
- keys, makeup
3/3. there was no risk
I’m the most pessimistic skeptic EVER when shopping online... but what actually drove me to buy it right after i saw it, were two things:
- They have a 30 day money back guarantee.
- And a 2 year warranty.
And in comparison to other brands: They actually made that clear on their page... it didn’t feel like i have to scramble unlimited pages just to find their contact email.
Why I can confidently recommend the mila shoulder bag: because I actually got the wrong color delivered... Alex from support was super helpful, and they (free of charge) sent me the correct one instantly :)
Final Verdict: Go with your Flow
At the end of the day, you just need a bag you can take everywhere, it should compliment your aesthetic, make you feel good, and NOT silently ruin your shoulders in the meantime...
I love the mila shoulder bag , but is this the healthiest bag on earth? No. And is it perfect? No bag is.
What it is: it’s the bag that fixxed my uneven shoulders, and would have prevented the damage if I'd found it sooner....
Whatever you do:
make a choice today! Every day you wear a thin-strapped bag fully packed, you're not just risking pain—you're risking your posture. Your confidence. How you look in every outfit.
I felt like Quasimodo for a year. You do not need that.
Please don’t wait like I did. We are the first girls in our families able to go to University, so we need to watch out for ourselves!!
If nothing from this list, please make any choice:
- leave your essentials at home
- constantly switch shoulders, hands, etc.
- literally anything to avoid those thin straps digging into your nerves!!
you need to avoid that long term damage slowly building up over time! us sickengly educated girls have to stick together 🤍
thanks so much for reading my blog today! another win for girlblogging :)<3
