The Secrets Of A Woman’s Handbag

Wherever there’s a woman. there’s a handbag. It’s like an attached part of our body, reflecting our personality and lifestyle – it’s the accessory no woman can do without wherever we are.

Some handbags are like black-holes, some are designed for tidiness with compartments, mobile phone pockets and key clips. A more recent trend is carrying two bags, one for the main items, while the secondary trendy version of a shopper holds a bottle of water, books, magazines, snacks and that all important pair of pumps for comfortable walking. What do you keep in yours? Is it practical city? Or are there items that would reveal a secret life? Here are some of the most common ‘secret’ items in our handbags:

  Practicalities
Be prepared, and we are! Safety pins and a sewing kit feature in many women’s handbags for that last minute quick fix if a button falls off, or if your skirt gets an unexpected rip. Hair accessories – brush, bands, grips, mini-spray, gel, or mousse, all keep us looking our best. Compact is a must if you’re going to check in and take a look at what your face and hair is doing. Tissues – you never know when your nose is going to start running or a bout of sneezing takes hold. Lastly headphones and iPod, need we say more.

  Wellness
Women, more so than men, are aware of their well-being and having items such as painkillers, plasters, blister packs, tampons, hand sanitizer and wet wipes all feature in handbags. The key here is being clean and comfortable: travelling on public transport, reading borrowed magazines and newspapers, working on a computer keyboard, there are germs galore. Plus trying to fit into a new pair of shoes isn’t always easy for our feet, even if they’re flats, so plasters and blister packs come to the rescue.

  Organisation
Women need to make sure they have something to note things down and remember their ‘to-do’ list, birthdays for the month ahead or what’s on the shopping list. Smartphones and tablets have changed the way we stay organised and if we don’t have one of those then a good old fashioned notebook and pen is in our bag. Having amazing technology at our fingertips is fantastic, but we’re also well-known for losing our handbags and leaving them in the most inconvenient places – consider handbag insurance to cover all your essentials.
Cards are the main way we pay now, but a little cash is always handy for that three o clock bar of chocolate, or for grabbing your morning caffeine fix.

  Beauty
As well as how we feel, we need to take care of how we look and a myriad of handbag-sized beauty essentials are filling our handbags. Lipstick and lip-gloss keep our lips in shape, oil absorbing sheets keep us oil-free on hot summer days, moisturiser and lotion remedy chapped, dry hands and face, while deodorant and mini perfume come to the rescue for those last minute evening drinks or date.

  Food
Whether it’s to keep our breath fresh or for a much needed sugar fix, mints, chewing gum, and snacks such as muesli bars, chocolate and apples populate our bags to ensure we’re prepared and nourished for the unexpected at all times.
Are these items in your handbag? What else do you take with you everywhere? Tell us your handbag stories.

Fionna is a freelance blogger based in the United Kingdom. She in interested in womens lifestyle and fashion.