You can tell a lot about a woman by looking at the contents of her handbag. What she carries in her bag tells her story. I say give the same bag to 10 women and they will customize it in a way that each bag will look unique - from the inside! A mom's handbag looks totally different than a single girl's, a traveling professional carries whole different set of things in her bag than a work-in-an-office woman. But whatever our lifestyles are, there are certain things we all need in our bags to carry us through the day! In my opinion there are six categories of things we all need in our handbags -
- Make up - Lipbalm, Mascara, Face powder - for a 2 minute makeover to put a fresh face forward!
- Clean up - Wet wipes, Hand sanitizer - to deal with any messy situation
- Freshen up - A travel size perfume spritzer, breath mints - to be ready to enter any room with confidence
- Connect up - A fully charged phone - No need to explain - we live in the phones!
- Money up - At least $40 cash and your credit card - you know its always sunny.....
- Ready up - Things for our feminine needs - remember that time when (ahem) your cycle went crazy and you-know-who came unannounced?
I asked some of my readers, who by the way are super stylish women, to spill the beans on their handbag contents and here is what they told in their own humorous style. You will be surprised how useful this info is!! In alphabetical order, here are the handbag secrets of Style Delights readers!
Jenna, NYC - Mom of 3 kids, blogger @ Mommy In Manhattan
"I always carry baby wipes, Mac Cremesheen Lip gloss, Jonathan Adler planner, kids' snacks, baby teether (for her little one), Downey travel size wrinkle release spray, Purell, Orbitz gum, NYC map, Mommy cards for playdates (from minted.com)
Mrigakshi, New Delhi - Documentary Filmmaker
"I have oily skin so I always carry a powder compact, hand sanitizer, lipbalm/lipstick.
Namrata, New Delhi - Journalist, NDTV India
"My bag is huge because I carry a lot of stuff - Make up (because she is on TV!), Kohl pencil, mascara, lipstick, perfume, MAC studio fix, sunglasses and a sanitary pad!"
Natasha, Evanston IL - Super mom of 3 kids
"I always carry two diapers (universal mom thing), bottle of water, wallet, snacks, baby wipes, a little toy from McDonald's Happy Meal and my cell phone. I wish I had some feminine stuff - like hairbrush, lipstick, foundation and tickets to the best show in city!"
Neetha, New York - Lawyer by profession, stay at home mom of 2 by choice
"I always carry - Vanity mirror (To see me pretty face!)
Kleenex (To dab away anything I don’t like on my face)
Lipstick (For a gloss over when you need it)
Small make-up kit (ditto)
Facial wet wipes (the most ingenious thing discovered since sliced bread)
Pen/notebook (to jot down what I need hubby to buy after work) Small perfume bottle (how I wish it was Joy)
Gum (to chew while waiting in traffic)"
Puja, Chicago - Management Consultant - collecting airlines miles faster than Meryl Streep collects awards!
"These days my laptop bag is my purse. With 2 items limit in the cabin, I can only have my laptop bag and carry-on luggage with me. No room for a fancy purse! So, here is my list -
Lip balm - MUST HAVE
Eye liner - this has recently become my MUST HAVE. Very convenient for instantly adding some life to my sleepy eyes.
Breath Mints - Never know when your man gets in the mood!
A light black shawl - I get cold easily so helps to have an extra layer handy"
Supriya, Richmond VA - IT Professional (and my own Martha Stewart on speed dial - seriously, she has the most amazing ideas about style and decor)
" When I don't carry a big bag, I always keep my driving licence, credit card and a lip balm in my pocket! In a bag I carry these 3 things, my checkbook, a pair of tweezers and a little idol of Lord Ganesha."
Tweezers! Wrinkle release spray! Who would have thunk!! Did you notice how even in a little bitty purse women can carry everything but the kitchen sink - we are so awesome!!
What do you carry in your handbag??