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A hobo is the crescent-shaped bag that curves from a single strap and softens against your side. The Hollis keeps that slouch but adds a full zip top, so it holds a tablet, a layer and the daily kit without anything falling out.
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The Hollis
The HollisA hobo has three things: a crescent outline that dips in the middle, a single strap, and a body soft enough to slouch when you wear it. Many hobos leave the top open, which is the reason people stop carrying them. The Hollis closes with a full-width zip, so you keep the slouch and lose the worry.
A tote has two handles and a fixed open shape. A shoulder bag is usually more structured. A hobo falls between the two: it holds roughly what a compact tote does, rides on one strap like a shoulder bag, and moulds to your side. It is the most forgiving shape for a bag that is overfilled on Monday and half empty by Friday.
The Hollis measures 15.75 inches across and 11.75 inches tall when laid flat, but a hobo is never worn flat. On the shoulder it curves in by a couple of inches, which is why the 9.75-inch drop sits it comfortably under the arm.
| Style | Width | Height | Depth | Drop |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ashby shoulder | 12.5" | 9.5" | 4" | 9.5" |
| Hollis hobo | 15.75" | 11.75" | 4.75" | 9.75" |
| Selby slouchy | 16.25" | 11" | 4.25" | 10.75" |
| Kendal bucket | 9.75" | 9" | 4.75" | 11" + crossbody |
| Rydal satchel | 12.5" | 9" | 3.25" | 4" handle + long strap |
| Ripley saddle | 8.75" | 7.5" | 2.75" | up to 22.75" |
| Tilly mini | 8.75" | 6.25" | 3.5" | 4" handle + crossbody |
| Mabel clutch | 11" | 7.5" | 0.75" | wrist strap |
A hobo only works if the leather is supple enough to curve without creasing hard. Full-grain with its surface intact bends into soft folds; cheaper corrected hides fold into sharp white lines along the crescent. That difference shows within weeks.
The crescent is built from two curved panels joined by a gusset, stitched by hand so the seam follows the curve without puckering. The single strap is anchored at each horn of the crescent with doubled leather, because that is where a hobo carries its whole load.
On a hobo, colour shows off the folds. Cognac and tan pick up highlights along each curve as they age, black keeps the shape quiet and graphic, and oat makes the crescent read as a summer bag.
The Hollis can carry three free initials near the zip end. It is cut when you order and ships in 5 to 7 working days, with 30 days to decide whether a hobo suits the way you carry.
Because a hobo slumps when set down, store it stuffed with paper so the crescent keeps its line. Wipe the folds rather than scrubbing them, and condition it when the curves start to look dull.
Because it curves and softens, a hobo works best with relaxed clothes: knits, denim, linen, long coats. Worn high under the arm it looks neat. Let the strap out a little and it reads more bohemian. A dark Hollis with a long coat is the city version. Tan or oat with summer whites is the holiday one. Avoid packing a hobo with hard, square things like boxed chargers or books with sharp corners pressing out. Soft items let the crescent keep its shape, so put boxy things in a pouch.
A hobo works best with soft, mixed loads like a scarf, a cardigan, a bottle and a pouch of small items. It works less well with rigid square things that press against the curve, such as boxed chargers, hardback books and lunch boxes. Those make the crescent bulge and wear the leather unevenly. If you carry a tablet, slide it against the back panel, where the hobo is flattest. Keep keys clipped to the inside or in the zip pocket so they don't settle at the bottom of the curve.
Hobos usually come in three sizes. Small ones are about 11 to 12 inches wide and suit an evening or a light day. Medium ones, 14 to 16 inches, are the everyday size and hold a tablet. Large ones, 17 inches and up, are close to a tote. At 15.75 inches the Hollis is a medium, the size most people carry daily. If you want a smaller soft bag, the Tilly mini is the closest. If you need more room, our leather tote bags take a laptop.
See also slouchy leather shoulder bags, leather shoulder bags or go back to all leather handbags.
Yes. A zipped hobo like the Hollis is one of the easiest daily bags because it fits a changing load and sits comfortably on one shoulder.
A tablet, a water bottle, a light layer, wallet, phone and keys.
Yes, a full-width zip across the top, which many hobos lack.
It is designed to soften, but the strap anchors are doubled so the horns of the crescent do not stretch.
Cognac and tan, which pick up highlights along every fold.
Nothing we sell is bonded, corrected or finished with a plastic film, which is what makes a cheap bag flake at the corners.
Full grain explainedCut when you order and dispatched in 5 to 7 working days, or 4 to 6 for the hand woven Wren. A monogram adds one working day.
Shipping and deliveryThree letters in gold foil, silver foil or a blind press, set by hand before the bag is boxed, on every bag we make.
PersonalizationIf something is wrong, the reply comes from the workshop rather than a call center, and the repair is done by the person who made the bag.
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