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Small bags are for the days you carry a phone, cards and keys and nothing else. The Tilly is a mini top-handle bag that also goes crossbody; the Mabel is a foldover clutch with a wrist strap. Both are full-grain and hand stitched.
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The Mabel
The Tilly
The Mabel
The Mabel
The Tilly
The Mabel
The Mabel
The Tilly
The Mabel
The Mabel
The Tilly
The MabelSmall bags fall into two sizes. Phone-and-cards bags, like the Mabel clutch, carry a phone, keys, cards and a lipstick. Mini top-handle bags, like the Tilly, add room for sunglasses and a small wallet. Check the depth as well as the width: the Tilly is 3.5 inches deep, so a large phone lies flat inside.
The Tilly carries by its 4-inch top handle or crossbody on a detachable strap. The Mabel tucks under the arm or hangs from a wrist strap. A small bag gets carried in more ways than a big one, so we give each one more than one carry.
Our small bags are the 8.75-inch Tilly and the 11-inch Mabel clutch. Depth is the number to watch on minis: 3.5 inches lets a large phone lie flat.
| 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 |
Small bags need full-grain more than large ones do, because there is no room for thick padding or stiffeners. The leather has to give the bag its shape on its own.
A mini takes almost as many steps as a full-size bag, just at a smaller scale. Corners are hand stitched with a finer thread, the base is a separate panel, and the crossbody strap clips onto stitched brass rings.
A small bag is the easiest place to try a colour. Olive, oxblood and oat do well on minis, and black and tan keep them easy to wear.
Initials fit neatly on a small bag's front panel and are free. Minis are made to order, ship in 3 to 5 working days and can be returned within 30 days.
Small bags get squeezed into bigger ones. Keep the strap off the body when packing, so it doesn't press a line into the leather.
Phones are now wallets, tickets and cameras, so many days don't need more than a mini. A mini doesn't pull on your shoulder, keeps your essentials together and won't catch on things in a crowd. On busy days, it can sit inside a larger tote so the essentials move between bags in one go. If you regularly carry sunglasses in a case, check the depth figure first.
Before you buy a mini, empty your pockets and lay out what you carry. A large phone is about 6.3 by 3.1 inches, a card holder is about 4 by 3 inches, and keys add bulk. The Tilly takes all of that plus a lipstick and slim sunglasses. Glasses in a hard case usually won't fit. The Mabel holds a phone, cards and keys flat. If your list includes a full wallet, a water bottle or a tablet, a mini is too small and the Ashby or Hollis suits you better.
A mini's strap matters more than its size. Worn crossbody, it should sit at your hip or waist, not low on your thigh, which looks awkward and swings. The Tilly's detachable strap adjusts so you can set that height. Carried by the top handle, a mini looks smarter and works for dinners and events. Clip the strap off and keep it inside the bag when you don't need it. A mini with the strap tucked away also fits neatly into a larger bag as an organiser.
Belt bags sit at the waist or across the chest and suit active days, while a mini bag looks smarter and carries by hand or crossbody. We don't make a belt bag. The Tilly worn high crossbody does a similar job and works with dresses and tailoring too. If you want the smallest option possible, the Mabel with its wrist strap carries the bare essentials with nothing on your shoulder.
See also leather clutch bags, leather saddle bags or go back to all leather handbags.
A large phone fits flat in the Tilly and in the Mabel.
The Tilly comes with a detachable crossbody strap.
The Mabel clutch, under an inch deep when closed.
Yes, as a hands-free bag for days out, kept inside a larger bag in transit.
A card wallet, yes; a large long wallet will not fit.
Three 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.
Talk to usNothing 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 3 to 5 working days, or 4 to 6 for the hand woven Wren. A monogram adds one working day.
Shipping and delivery