Size & What Fits
Buying a small bag online comes down to one question that photographs cannot answer: will my things actually fit? This page explains how we size and test every FITINY bag, so the answer is on the product page instead of in your hands two weeks later.
How we measure
Every bag is measured on the finished product, not from a supplier drawing.
- Width — the longest horizontal edge, excluding straps, handles and any hanging hardware.
- Height — the highest point of the body to the lowest, excluding handles.
- Depth — the thickest part of the base.
- Strap drop — the distance from the top of the strap to the top of the bag. This is the number that decides where a bag lands on your body, and it is not the same as the strap's total length.
Soft bags are measured in their natural state — not stuffed, not flattened. All measurements are given in inches to one decimal place.
Essentials levels
Dimensions tell you how big a bag is. They do not tell you what it holds — a flat 8-inch clutch and a boxy 8-inch crossbody are the same width and a completely different bag. So every FITINY bag also carries an essentials level, decided by physically putting objects inside it and closing it properly.
| Level | Holds | Suits |
|---|---|---|
| Micro | Card holder, lipstick, AirPods | Evenings, short trips out |
| Mini | Phone, cards, keys | The daily minimum |
| Small | Phone, small wallet, keys, cosmetics | The everyday default |
| Small+ | Everyday essentials, sunglasses, power bank | Long days, light travel |
"Closing it properly" means the zip or flap fastens without the bag bulging. A bag that only shuts when you push is not a bag that fits your things.
What Fits, on every product page
Each product lists the specific items we fitted and — just as usefully — the ones we could not. We test with a large phone rather than a small one, so if a large phone is listed, smaller phones will fit too. If an item is not listed, we either could not fit it or have not tested it. We do not estimate capacity from measurements, and we do not carry over capacity claims from suppliers.
Choosing between small and mini
Small and mini are separate collections rather than two sizes of the same thing, because they solve different problems. A mini bag is built around a phone, cards and keys, and it stays flat against the body. A small bag adds a wallet and cosmetics, and becomes the bag you stop thinking about.
The honest test: if you regularly end up carrying things in your hands because they will not go in the bag, you have sized down too far. Sizing up one level costs you very little in how the bag looks and a great deal in whether you keep using it.
Strap drop and how a bag sits
A shorter drop sits at the waist; a longer one at the hip. An adjustable strap gives you a range rather than a single position, and a detachable strap lets one bag do two jobs. Every product page states the drop in inches, whether it adjusts, and whether it comes off.
To find your number: measure from the top of your shoulder to the point where you want the bag to sit, and compare that to the listed drop.