You probably don’t give too much thought to the way you carry your handbags around with you. But now a body language expert called Patti Wood has looked at the way women hold their bags. Her conclusion? That there are some distinctive traits that can reveal your personality.

Some A-list for celebs, for example, according to Patti, love carrying an oversized bag slung over their arm. She thinks that, for them, this “screams empowerment.” Favoured by the likes of reality TV starlet Kim Kardashian and designer and ultimate WAG Victoria Beckham, Wood says this way of holding a bag is: “as though you have a sense of superiority; it’s a badge of honour.”

Alternatively, perhaps you hold your bag in a way that keeps a thumb tightly looped around the bag’s handle? This is a streetwise, protective style, and city girl Sarah Jessica Parker often adopts it in Sex and the City. Other popular postures include “The Schelpper” – in which those who are multi-tasking as they shop carry a number of bags around with them, wherever and however they fit, as they march (or “schelp”) around the shops. According to Wood, this is a clear indication of exhaustion, fatigue – and trying to do too many things at once, too quickly. Those who are on their way to the office are likely to be more familiar with what Wood calls “The Briefcase”, involving grasping a bag “in business mode” by its top handle.

It seems that this way of carrying is associated, again, with stress, and with those who may be less concerned with appearances than reaching their destinations on time. On the other hand, some techniques tend to go with specific kinds of handbags. For example, “The Twofer” – in which the wearer holds her clutch with two hands over the front of her body – is an indication of defensiveness or timidity. So if you find yourself adopting this technique while you are on a first date, it could be that you feel slightly uncomfortable about the evening ahead.

Equally – and this one seems to be favoured by committed fashion is as – some tend to hold their bags under one arm in the style of a clutch, whether it has a strap or not.

Wood commented: “This look is known as ‘The Baguette’, and it’s quite utilitarian. It suggests that you’re not overly concerned about the bag itself, but instead about what it contains.” There’s also the “third arm drape”, in which a bag with a long strap is worn over a shoulder rather than across the body.

It can slip around and can suggest a lack of awareness and control. Finally, another slightly awkward posture is the one in which you grip your clutch under your armpit, where it is jammed in as though in a vice. If you use this one a lot, it could be that your bag simply doesn’t fit your body. You’ll find some great deals on handbags online – how do you carry yours?