My Purse Relationship

I love purses. I don’t understand how I can live without one. I must have with me pen, paper, phone, wallet, tissues, miscellaneous toiletries like floss, Advil, migraine medication, Chapstick, Band-Aids, lactaid pills, safety pins, hair barrette and elastics, hanky, sunglasses, hand sanitizer, keys and lipstick. Of course the one time I choose to eliminate one of the above essentials, that is the time I need it. As a consequence, I cannot carry a small pocketbook or purse.

I am amazed when I see some women who do not carry a purse at all. They keep in their pocket their credit card, and keys. Where is there lipstick I want to shout!

I have a friend who carries her essentials in her pants or jacket pockets. The size of phones and the need for readers is challenging her commitment to be a free and easy no purse kind of gal.

I inherited from my Mother many of her small and evening purses from the 1940s and1950s. They are gorgeous. The problem is back in the day, lipstick and maybe a compact along with some change and a key was all a woman needed and that is about all that fits in these purses.  My smartphone and lipstick is all that fits today!

Recently when I was dressing for a wedding, I had to spend more time on the purse choice than the dress choice. The wedding was outdoors and I was going to need sunglasses and case, my phone, lipstick and hanky, keys, Kleenex, Advil, some money and ID and it was hard to fit it all in one of these purses! My plus one was my husband so of course he had to take over the ownership of holding some of my stuff. I think it is in our marriage contract!

Every now and then I look at buying a new purse and I go into sticker shock. When did the price of a pocketbook make you think you need a cosigner or a bank loan? I cannot tell the difference between a real and a knockoff Channel, Kate Moss or Coach handbag. I know if I am buying a Coach bag from someone who has them displayed on a sheet it is not real.

What about you? Do you covet a Furla, a Coach, or a Kate Spade? Have you bought a handbag investment? Will you pass it down to your children?