A Woman’s Purse: Size Does Matter

BY

By Lisa Steinke/chicklitisnotdead.com

For me, size matters! (Hey, I’m talking about purses here people!) Some women like the hobo, others the satchel, some are crazy for the clutch and many are happy with a handbag.

But for me, I love giant bags (the bigger the better!). I love them the way I love watching The Real Housewives of New Jersey or reading trashy rag mags. They’re my guilty pleasure.

 Large totes are like my delicious little secret because nobody (not even me!) knows the full extent of what I have inside (more on that in a minute). On the outside, my Coach tote is chic and expensive looking (even though I got it at an outlet mall- shh!) but behind its zipper, it’s a hot mess! Full of everything from make up (hey, you never know when you need to “conceal” a flaw or seven) to the aforementioned tabloids, to, of course, my Burberry umbrella. (Hello! war with the weather still in full force!)

 So, I was more than excited to see that large totes are back. And don’t tell my dear ‘ol Coach, but I’m about to trade him out for something, er, even bigger and better. And, of course, my boy, Michael Kors has several carryalls that I have my eye on. Right now, I’m in lust with his Venus Leather, Hamilton Leather and Skorpios Metallic leather totes (how will I choose?). I plan to buy one of them and believe me, I will. Carry. All.

 By the way, when was the last time you really looked inside your handbag? Well, in the interest of full disclosure, I dumped the contents of my coach tote and took a good, hard look. *Drum roll please* Buried beneath the umbrella and the In Touch Weekly, I discovered…anti-itch cream (mosquitoes!); A pair of socks (discarded after an impromptu pedicure); 3 sharpies; Enough loose change to last me a lifetime- no wonder it felt so heavy; A half-empty bottle of water; A bag of almonds; A digital camera; My portable GPS; And last but not least, receipts, receipts, receipts! (What can I say? Lots of shopping trips to Bloomies!)

 

21 May 2010

Thoughts ( Comments )

  • http://www.chicklitisnotdead.com Liz Fenton

    Um, what does it say about me that I LOVE oversized handbags and married an oversized man? Great post! xo

  • http://www.chicklitisnotdead.com Lisa Steinke

    Liz- it says A LOT about you! And you obviously believe that size matters!

  • Kat Stover

    Every time I find myself shopping for a new bag (every 2 or 3 months or so) I always start out looking at smaller, hobo or slouch style bags. What do I usually end up getting? A tote. *rolls eyes* My current Coach slouch is the smallest I’ve carried in a few years! Two thumbs up for large totes!

  • http://www.chicklitisnotdead.com Lisa Steinke

    Kat- love the large totes! But more power to ya for goin’ with the Coach slouch!

  • http://chicklitisnotdead.com Brittany Peterson

    My obsession with the large bag started when my kids were babies and I always had a diaper bag with me. My diaper bag never looked like a diaper bag. Now that my youngest is 8, I definitely don’t carry around diapers but I LOVE have a bag big enough to include the latest book I’m reading, water, a scarf. I have a firm belief that receipts must breed in my bag because it is always full of them. I’m often explaining to my husband, “I don’t know why I have so many. . . .I only bought a few things.”

  • http://www.chicklitisnotdead.com Lisa Steinke

    Brittany-

    I always have to have water and a book in my bag too!

    PS: UGH… those receipts are always a giveaway!

    I really have to get my receipt situation under control. I read somewhere that if your wallet is a mess, it’s bad feng shui. And could mean that your financial situation will also be a mess.

  • Valerie T.

    I LOVE,LOVE,LOVE the Michael Kors totes that you have pictured…Totes are an absolute essential…how else would we smuggle in our bottle of water to the movies and any other pertinent snacks…I have 5 totes hanging in my closet and they all compete for my attention when I walk in to dress….I wonder if they need a new friend to join them…a metallic leather tote would round out the group quite nicely…I think I need to join handbags anonymous!!

  • http://www.chicklitisnotdead.com Lisa Steinke

    Valerie T.- Oh yes… I forgot about how the big bags help with the smuggling! I’m not a candidate for handbags anonymous just yet. But when I am, we can start a group!

  • Crystal

    I cannot have a big bag any longer…because I end up just filling it with everything under the sun, then my shoulder starts hurting and I need physical therapy…. case in point: my current big hand bag has in it: an iPod, my Nook, my wallet, three water bottles, a bag of chewy sprees leftover from the Robin Hood movie I went to last weekend, a chewed up binky my son no longer takes, hand lotion, three lipsticks, seven pens, two tampons and a partridge in a pear tree!

    I need to simplify. I need a clutter free clutch. Lisa, get on that… tell me what I need fashionista!