A tongue-in-cheek take on why phones are now worn on a strap across the body
A Verge reviewer writes a humorous personal account of wearing her phone on a crossbody strap, an accessory she says has become popular in Europe and among younger people, weighing its quirks against its conveniences.
Senior reviewer Allison Johnson of tech and culture outlet The Verge has published a personal, self-deprecating piece about her new habit of wearing her phone on a crossbody strap.
Johnson describes the accessory as a fun, youthful way to carry a phone, noting it has become popular in Europe and among younger people. She jokes about the mixed feelings of having roughly a $700 device swinging near her waist while walking down the street, calling it "a thrill."
Everyday conveniences
Among the benefits she lists: it's quick and easy to grab the phone and reply to a text without missing a beat, and it keeps the device handy for tap-to-pay purchases, even if that occasionally means leaning in or doing a small squat to reach a payment terminal. She also notes that in dimly lit bars with hard-to-read menus, having the phone's flashlight within easy reach doubles as a convenient reading light.
One of her friends, watching her sling the strap over her shoulder, joked that she looked like she was hanging out with travel personality Rick Steves.
Room for improvement
Johnson closes by wishing the bag could also hold other everyday items — keys, tissues, a small notebook, loose change and lip balm — and suggests it would be handy to remove the phone at home and hang the strap on a coat rack, ready for the next outing.
