5 Best Ways on How To Wear a Backpack

Backpacks are a staple in the everyday lives of people around the world. From students to working professionals of all trades, a backpack is a simple and convenient tool for storing whatever the workday requires. 

With so many different types of people wearing backpacks for a variety of jobs, trips, classes, and other exciting endeavors, it’s no wonder that there are so many ways to fashion them. Not to mention, backpacks come in all shapes and sizes.

Express Yourself With Your Backpack Style 

We know at Andar that quality bags make our lives more convenient while adding a personal flair to our fashion that leaves an impression. Our full-grain leather bags are memorable companions meant to hold fast through all the seasons of life. 

A backpack may be a common tool in our everyday lives, but it can really make us stand out when we wear them in a way that expresses who we are. 

So let’s go over five of the best ways to wear a backpack:

1. Swung Around One Shoulder

Many of us probably grew up seeing this classic way to wear a backpack everywhere. Public and private schools — from preschools to Ivy Leagues — alike were filled with kids donning their backpacks in this fashion. 

The style is simple. Just let the backpack hang with a strap wrapped around just one of your shoulders. This makes it hang almost like a messenger bag, loose and cool for students looking to appear nonplussed amongst the stuffy classrooms. 

This style isn’t just for emphasizing your slacker-rock style but also comes about from pure convenience. Sometimes, it’s simply easier to scoop your bag into one arm than to strap it on fully. That’s what makes this a versatile look. Depending on how you wear it, it can make you look active and busy or laid-back and casual. 

2. Crossbody for a Trendy Look 

Wearing your backpack crossbody is a style that really works best with the smaller-sized packs, meant for only carrying a few key items. If you try this with a bulky or heavy backpack, it might end up straining your back or twisting it in uncomfortable ways. 

For this style, loosen one of the straps on your backpack, wearing it around your shoulder and across your torso. With your bag slung to the side, it’s easy to open up while still being carried around.

You take on the aesthetic of a busy professional who needs quick access to their supplies on the go: someone like a journalist, professor, architect, or engineer. That, or you might just be the scrambled artist. It all depends on the clothes you pair with your pack. By the way, if you love the upfront and sleek look, you might want to add The Indie, a two-compartment crossbody bag. 

3. Upfront for Safety in Crowds

While traveling or going about your day, there are always some places that are safer for your possessions than others. While it might not always look the best, sometimes carrying your backpack in front of you is a necessity.

Many crowded places have been the scene for pickpocketing and other forms of theft. You may be distracted by whatever is drawing the crowd while someone reaches into your pack. That’s how a lot of theft happens, especially to tourists and other unsuspecting victims. 

Even at a concert, this kind of theft has been known to happen. If you ever feel unsafe in a crowded area, the best thing to do for your possessions is to wear your backpack up front, where you can easily see and feel if any of the zippers are tampered with. 

4. Wear Leather for a Classy, Professional Look

As we touched on before, the type of material going into your backpack matters. A typical school backpack, usually made of canvas or nylon, can degrade over time, looking ragged and plastic. 

For certain careers and for more formal settings, a leather backpack can go a long way, especially one made with full-grain leather. The patterns and texture of this fine-quality leather have a more elegant, mature look, with a sleek sheen that makes it great for formal occasions.

A full-grain leather backpack paired with a nice dress shirt, sports coat, or even something wholesome like a tweed jacket makes for a neatly-arranged outfit. Meanwhile, some of the flimsier nylon backpacks might stand out against the nice clothes as a bit of an eyesore. 

5. Strap In! Save Your Back

This style may be the most typical way to wear a backpack, with both straps secured around both shoulders, but it’s worth bringing up for a reason. 

This is the best way to sport a backpack in order to save your back from strain. Of course, many of the other styles we’ve discussed can be accomplished with little strain if you’ve got a fairly light or tiny pack on.

When it comes to carrying the heavier stuff, straps are essential to back health.

Healthy Packing: Strapping in Safely

When it comes to everyday use, the way you wear your backpack can start to have an effect on your health over time. Particularly, by wearing a heavy backpack unevenly, you may be straining your back in dangerous ways, sometimes leading to scoliosis and other issues. 

On the bright side, wearing a backpack properly can actually help your posture:

• If you find yourself carrying a heavy pack, make sure to wear both straps tightly so that the bag hugs your back rather than hanging loosely. 
• Also, if you have a waist strap, that can go a long way towards evening the strain of the load on your back.
• Do your best not to slouch or stand in a way that might cause the straps to loosen too much and pull on your back. 

These tips are especially important if you’re planning on packing a full backpack for a trip or doing something athletic with your pack, like hiking. 

Load Your Backpack With Care

Aside from the straps, the things you carry in your backpack can also add unnecessary strain to your back. Your backpack should be packed neatly, without too much wiggle room for heavy things to shift around.

If you’ve got some heavy books, for instance, it’s best to keep those close to your back, with lighter items in the front of the pack. This makes it so that the heavier contents don’t pull on your back as they hang down in front. 

Loading your backpack with water bottles can also cause an uneven strain on your back. Try to balance heavy bottles with something else in the pack, or utilize any bottle holders that may come with your backpack. 

Live a Quality Life with a Reliable Backpack

It is our hope at Andar that this guide has helped you to explore the many fun ways you can fashion your backpack. 

If you’re in the market for a reliable backpack, possibly a life-long companion, it’s hard to go wrong with the full-grain leather used to craft our bags made at Andar. This type of material is some of the finest quality leather you can get, taken from the most durable, beautiful layers of hide for a natural but reliable, tough backpack. 

Our bag, known as The Manhattan, is a perfect example. Made from 100% premium full grain, oil-waxed leather, this bag has a sleek shine, available in three magnificent colors that will make any outfit pop.

If you’re serious about getting a reliable, quality backpack, look no further. Let Andar assist! 

Keep Learning and Keep Growing

We hope our advice has helped you brainstorm some ways to create fashionable looks with your backpacks! If you find our suggestions helpful, tune in to our collection of informational resources. 

That’s where we offer practical advice on a range of fashion and lifestyle topics, whether it be cleaning your iPhone screen, packing for long trips, or taking care of your leather products. 

Whatever the issue is, we hope to tackle it! And head over to Andar whenever you need what you carry to support you back. 

Sources:

How to Avoid Theft and Protect Your Valuables in Large Crowds | Corporate Travel Safety

How to Properly Wear a Backpack | Symmetry Physical Therapy 

You’re Probably Wearing Your Backpack Wrong | NYT Wirecutter