What's In My Handbag?
Dear Diary

What's In My Handbag?

Apart, of course, from receipts for everything I’ve ever bought compressed into a layer at the bottom that may one day turn into coal?

I’ve seen a few of these posts on blogs recently and it really appeals to my nosy streak. I love getting that little insight into peoples lives, the things that they feel the need to carry around with them every day. So I thought I’d give you all the chance to nose into mine.

I’m not a particularly organised person. I have a tendency to pack, and then add a load of other stuff “just in case” so my bag of choice needs to be relatively roomy. I used to carry a huge tote, but when I do that I give myself shoulder problems by filling it with books, papers, bottled water, hairbrushes and other large non essential things. So I downsized to this.

It’s a brown leather vintage envelope style satchel bag. Best of all it only cost me £1.50, god bless charity shops from saving me from having to carry a plastic Primark bag on the basis it’s all I can afford.

The inside is lined in suede and has 2 large sections, a centre zipped section where I tend to stack receipts and a small zipped pocket at the back where I keep business cards, my passport and other flat things I might need in a hurry.

It tends to be slightly over stuffed, I did mention my lack of organisation! One day I suspect the seams will give way, and then where will I be? Inside it I fit all this…

Erk, so much! Going roughly top left to right and then back across.

A pen – Stolen from a Holiday Inn Express

2 lipsticks – Avon lipstick in Rose (fuchsia pink), Maybelline lipstick in Coffee Bean (browny red)

A stratton lipstick holder with a Maybelline lipstick in Eternal Flame (a bright red)

Packet of tissues

Pink mini multi tool (yes, I was a Girl Guide actually)

Brown leather purse, from a charity shop, in which I keep cards of all varieties and notes if I am lucky enough to have any.

Skull print coin purse, a birthday present, and ideal for keeping change and little bits in.

Silver case, in which I keep my business cards

Vintage Japanese fan, bought from a boot fair

Vintage sunglasses, bought from a Charity Shop

iPhone, could I live without it? Probably, but why test the theory?

Mini Mag light (see above re: Girl Guides, also handy for finding things in my bag in the dark. I keep it hooked to the zip)

Asthma Inhaler, an essential

Carmex lip balm. Sometimes I carry a Rose & Co balm instead, or a small tin of Vaseline. It doubles up as emergency moisturiser!

Passport – You never know, someone might want to whisk me away

Tea bag – Yes, actually, I AM that British.

Soap & Glory Extreme Plump lip gloss. I love the tingle!

Small velvet pouch which contains kirby grips, an elastic band and a Stratton mirror for hair emergencies.

Unnecessarily large bunch of keys. I only use one! It also contains a bottle opener and one of those fake pound coins for supermarket trolleys.

Headphones.

What’s in YOUR Handbag?

24 Comments

  • Penny Dreadful Vintage August 2, 2010

    This is actually amazingly organised. I am mighty impressed with the multitool!

  • Anne August 2, 2010

    Incredibly neat! I’m glad i’m not the only one lugging my passport around! Or have 3,4 lipsticks & other lip products in my bag! 🙂 xxx

  • Marie August 2, 2010

    Wow. you’ve quite a bit in there… a fan? I have the same receipt lump and too many shades of lip gloss, you’ve inspired me to look further when I next change bags.
    Marie @ Lemondrop ViNtAge

    • Retro Chick August 2, 2010

      The fan is because of how hot it’s been recently! It’s a seasonal handbag item!

      In winter there will be gloves.

  • Fiona - Notorious Kitsch August 2, 2010

    well I might share but I might have to kill you ;o)

    You are very well organised, love the multi tool idea, well done!

  • LandGirl1980 August 2, 2010

    In my handbag I have :- train pass, work security pass thingy, M&S alcohol hand gel, keys (small bunch), book (which enables me to avoid the stares of other commuters when I am in fully victory roll mode), filofax, ipod, phone, purse, makeup bag (which in itself holds my basics of powder, eyeliner and lipstick – plus bobby pins and hair bands) This is just my “in the week” stuff – I tend to decant when I am nipping off to the shops. You can’t wrestle for “oh-my-god-I-have-to-have-it!” dresses in charity shops whilst being weighed down by ones filofax *wink*

    • Retro Chick August 2, 2010

      I have a smaller bag I sometimes decant to.

      Once I took it out, didn’t put my passport in it and got ID’d in Wetherspoons! I had no ID and couldn’t get a drink!

  • Lynzy August 2, 2010

    I adore these posts! I will hold out on telling you whats in mine because I am going to create a post today 🙂

    xo Lynzy
    http://fromskirtstoskillets.blogspot.com
    Don’t forget to enter my giveaway!

  • Emma August 2, 2010

    I love that you have a tea bag in there! The hair emergencies pouch is a good idea too, I’m always scrabbling around for a hairband or a kirby.

  • Cassie August 2, 2010

    What, no hanky?

    Otherwise, I think mine is near-on identical to yours!

    Cx

    • Retro Chick August 2, 2010

      I have a packet of tissues! They double up for “no toilet roll” emergencies!

  • Fi Phillips August 2, 2010

    What’s in my handbag? Too many child related things for my liking.

    The things in there for me are mainly the essentials: iPhone, keys, purse, lipgloss and liner, hairclips, handcream, very large sunglasses, pad for ideas, pens, tissues or wipes (oh, hang on, that’s mainly for my children).

    Yours is much more glamorous.

  • Wendy August 2, 2010

    mine is divided quite nicely into wendy : purse, keys, ipod nano, phone, lipstick, mirror, security pass and emergency fork (for the days when you forget to pick one up with your m&s meal)
    and mummy : dummy, handwash, mini packet of wipes, packet of baby biscuits, crayons and a couple of toys.

  • rings90 August 2, 2010

    I’m American & I carry tea bags in my purse also. Sometimes when you are out the tea offerings at the places are AWFUL…

  • steph August 2, 2010

    I’m only replying cos I’m that nosey too.. me and my mum sometimes play handbag snap if we are very bored.. I usually win but that’s job related…
    So.. I have.. pack of tissues, carmex lip balm, eliz arden lipstick, l’oreal lip gloss, small tube of handcream (khiel’s at the mo), small alcohol gel, a multitude of pens, a supply of contraceptive leaflets, a BMI chart, a pregnancy wheel, a calendar, my diary, work ID & name badge, a smear brush (unused!), my purse, bobby pins, bobble, tampons, paracetamol, antihistamines, car key, car radio, house keys, a book, a list of code for keeping track of implants I’ve fitted, a nail file, a plastic fork, a small tube of 8hr cream, my phone, sweeteners, hmm there’s probably more….

  • Ceri August 3, 2010

    I am so glad that I am not the only one that carries loads of old reciepts in their handbag. My handbag contains all sorts of stuff from old shopping lists, childrens dummies and lollypops to a varity of lipsticks, sunglasses, purse, notebook, mobile phone and keys.

    I love the idea of buying vintage purses to keep stuff, I think I might get one for collection business cards in.

  • Andi B. Goode August 3, 2010

    I love seeing in other people’s handbags. Hehe. Mine isn’t very interesting. Batman purse, lipstick, iPhone, sunglasses, powder, notepad, bandaids…
    -Andi x

  • Charlotte August 3, 2010

    I love seeing what other people carry in their handbags too! I used to carry a large tote, which would contain everything from my SLR camera to a sleeping mask, but now I match my bag to my outfit so I don’t want to transfer great swathes of stuff from one bag to another. So now I generally carry: phone (with mirrored screen protector, so I don’t need a mirror), purse, one or two lipsticks, vaseline tin, sunglasses. Not very interesting at all! Although currently there’s also a vintage button card in there, to save me from total blandness.

    xx Charlotte
    Tuppence Ha’penny Vintage

  • sara August 3, 2010

    Great Blog . Really cool style & interesting write ups.
    Please check mine out at http://seraluxe.blogspot.com

  • Lyn August 3, 2010

    ok so I am emptying my bag as i type so no order to this

    Car Keys
    House Keys
    Yelpstick LipBalm that I won in a goody bag from you
    Tin of vaseline with Aloe Vera
    Carmex Cherry Lip Balm
    PC Memory Stick
    Leather Purse
    Phone
    Sunglasses
    Face Off Of My Car CD Player
    Ipod Nano
    Huge wad of receipts including a post office receipt
    Pack of anti hystamines
    Tesco coupons
    small writing pad mostly used to wrie shopping lists as i think of stuff
    Pack of kleenex balsom
    Diary
    Avon Nail experts with gold leaf

    eeek

  • Lori Smith August 3, 2010

    I’m glad I’m not the only person who’s blogged about this! My bag has all the things I mentioned before, plus (inspired by you) a fan.
    http://lori-smith.blogspot.com/2010/01/contents-of-my-handbag.html

    I thought mine was a survival kit but I’m clearly lacking tools, a torch and my passport 🙂

    • Retro Chick August 3, 2010

      Oooh, that was all the way back in January! See, I knew I’d seen this done 😀

      What is your fan like? I got a cute black one at a boot fair the other day. I thought it just needed a bit of sticking down, till I had a play and it appears to be completely buggered! Oh well, that’s 50p down the tube 😉

  • Lucy August 5, 2010

    tampons?

    • Retro Chick August 5, 2010

      No! I don’t carry them with me!

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