One of my favorite blogs, The Hairpin, has a regular column where they ask people what's in their handbag. Like some glossy magazines do, but these aren't prepped and edited - what is actually in their bags.
Passport
Living downtown, I stopped driving and my license expired years ago so I use this as my primary ID. It has it's own pocket in my bag, so I never have those "where's my passport" freakouts the night before travelling.
Pens
Yesterday night while we were out, my husband asked if I had a pen. I said I didn't. He asked me to check, I stubbornly insisted I didn't. Oops, I had 2.
Eyeglass Cleaning Cloth
I need to remember I have this in there, because my glasses are always dirty.
Wallet
I have lots of purses, but only one wallet. A brown simple ladies wallet from Tanner Goods in Portland that my Husband got me when we first started dating.
Hotel Keys
New York Hilton Midtown (Digital Book World 2015 with allenlau and kellyssteen ), Hilton Colorado Springs (for KevinJAnderson's Superstars Writing Seminar), CitizenM Times Square (for business meetings last week - was really impressed at how great this hotel was for such a great price!)
Headphones
I can't travel without my noise cancelling headphones. They're expensive, but there's a reason you always see everyone in first class with the same model of Bose. They really are the best but never go on sale. I also keep a pair of cheap earbuds with me, because the airlines won't let you wear the big over ear headphones during takeoff and landing (I asked why once and was told it's because that's the highest risk time of a crash and they want you to be alert- not comforting!).
Gum
Excel White in Bubblemint and Spearmint - because they were 2 for 1 at the grocery store.
Lipbalm
I knew I had a problem, but I didn't realize it was this bad.
SUGAR advanced therapy lip treatment - the best of the group, and the only one I'll likely buy again. Possibly the only entire lipbalm tube I'll have ever finished, as I usually lose them before getting to the last few uses. It's expensive, but it works the best and lasts forever.
TonyMoly lip balm - I was drawn in by the amazing art-pop packaging and Sephora had them in the line you have to go past while you wait. The packaging is fun, but the balm itself is very meh.
Milk + Honey Lip Butter in Vanilla Cardamom - the best tasting of the group, but it doesn't really do much.
Elizabeth Arden Nourishing Lip Balm - Came in a gift set, only use it if I happen to grab it first when reaching into my bag.
Phone Charger
I never go anywhere without this now. I love my iPhone so much more, but I miss my old pink Razr cell phone for being able to go days without charging. Now I'll frequently ask bars if there's a seat near a plug.
Moisturizer
Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream: This stuff is amazing. My skin gets really dry in the winter and this cream really helps. Too greasy looking to wear all day, but I use it at night or on planes and it keeps me from getting dried out.
Tampons
OB. Be prepared.
Bottle of Advil
Missing a cap, so also the source of many loose advil in the bottom of my bag.
Business Cards
A few of mine, and a few I've received recently from writers, agents, editors, publishers, lawyers, and the owner of a thai restaurant in Toronto.
Pile of Receipts and Boarding Passes
Reminding me that I really need to do my expenses for recent travel.
Lipstick
Even worse than the lipbalm problem! I often put lipstick on in the morning, throw it into my purse for touchups later in the day, and then get way too busy/forget to reapply. Then I foget I have it in there, so add another lipstick the next day.
Chanel Ultra Wear Lipcolour in Intense Beige - This is the colour I wore to my wedding this past fall. A "your lips but better" colour, with a bit of a 90's greyish pink vibe. Lasts forever.
NARS Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in Bahama - very similar to the Chanel colour, but Matte.
Hourglass Liquid Lipstick in Icon - it was my New Year's resolution in 2014 to wear more red lipstick and drink more champagne. I killed it on the Champagne, but only a B+ on the lipstick, so renewing this one for 2015
Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics Lip Tar in Black Dahlia - very hard to put on without a mirror/lipbrush but love this dark wine coloured gloss. The tiniest drop goes a long way.
ILIA Lipstick in Arabian Nights - so sometimes I read GOOP, and somtimes I follow Gwyneth's advice. She recommended this natural, organic, vegan makeup line. When I visited their website, they listed this colour as a "Cult Classic" which is the marketing term that gets me every time. It reminds me of Clinique's Black Honey, and looks good on everyone. I've since bought this for a few gifts.
Clé de Peau Extra Silky Lipstick in 124 - I had never tried this brand before because it's super expensive, but I read about it all the time because makeup artists love to talk about how amazing their concealer is. When zoedinovi and I were shopping at Winners the other day, they had a bunch of CdP lipsticks on sale. My new fave, and still debating if it will be worth spending full price to replace when I run out.
Gloves
It's below -20 in Toronto this week, so these aren't nearly warm enough.
Chignon Pin
Almost every time I see a chignon pin I'll buy it, because I desperately want to be the woman who effortlessly piles her head into a french twist a secures it with one of these without even looking - but I think I just don't have the right kind of hair. Don't buy one of these, get Goody Spin Pins instead.
And the Purse
Rebecca Minkoff M.A.B Mini - pretty big for a bag dubbed "mini". It will fit a Macbook Air or 2 bottles of wine at once (!).
What's in your bag right now?
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Me Too!
कथेतर साहित्यDo you ever wonder when you're reading interviews what you would say if you were ever interviewed? Read a regular feature in your favorite blog and wonder what you'd do if you got the chance to write one? Me too. Partly inspired by @kfxinfinity's a...
