If you experience back pain from your handbag, it's too heavy. But you knew that, right? Just by that thudding ache that won't go away? As a general rule, your bag should not weigh more than 10 percent of your body weight, which means thirteen pounds if you're 130, says FabSugar.com. That seems like such an impossibly tiny number when we're talking about fitting our entire lives into one bag. Especially now, when totes are huge and hot — just look at the new styles from Louis Vuitton, large enough to fit a small animal and a new pair of shoes (without touching each other, mind you). So what if you end up with a dead arm, pinched nerves, or a hump-back. No pain, no gain.

But as our posture continues its free fall into Quasimodo territory, maybe some downsizing is worth considering for a New Year's resolution. Do we really need a day planner when we're headed to the gym or a three-pound hardcover book while shopping? And just how many pairs of shoes should be in there? Because if life's necessities are literally a pain in the ass, it's time for us to collectively unload.

Have You Ever Experienced Back Pain From a Handbag? [FabSugar]
Style for Style: Back-Friendly Handbags [FabSugar]