This Charming Handbag

Did I mention that I may or may not have bought that Rebecca Minkoff bag that I blogged about before Christmas?

No?

Well, I may or may not have found a 30% off after-Christmas sale, at which time I may or may not have bought it.

Ok?

And if I did buy it, it may or may not appear in this post.....

Anywho -

A while back my friend the charming Teresa - who we talked about yesterday - blogged about what she carries in her bag. 

I, of course, read it with great interest because I'm super nosy that way.  I LOVE to see what other girls carry around with them. 

But the thing is - that she carries two and sometimes three makeup bags/pouches.  I found this revolutionary and have been thinking on it for quite some time.....

I have spent years trying to simplify everything down into one makeup bag. 

As I've gotten older, the amount of crap I need/want/feel compelled to carry around with me has grown.  I need medicines, antacids, lip balms, lipsticks, breath mints, headache medicine, tampons, mirrors, powders, moist towellettes, lotions, nail files, mascaras, band aids, safety pins .... the list just has grown. 

And up until about 2 weeks ago it was all mashed into one little bag.  A solution that I found not very satisfactory.  The one bag I had was too full and it still didn't have everything I wanted to have in it, you know, in it.

I've been sort of mildly aggravated about it for years, but it never occurred to me to carry more than one bag.... until Teresa.....

That right there should tell you 1.) how adventurous I am and 2.) how easy it is for me to think outside the box.  Still surprised I'm a lawyer?  Didn't think so.

Moving on, though...

Even after reading her blog and having the seed planted, I have still spent MONTHS pondering the whole thing....

* Just how would that work? * 

But then, I did it.  I bought another bag. 

You're all SUPER proud of me, I know.

Can ya see it?  No? 

Fine.  

Here's a close up....

I decided that I would put makeup only in the Kate Spade and medicines/toiletries/odds and ends in the little bag.  And it's worked out GREAT. 

My makeup bag can now hold all the lip balm and nail files and even extra mascara that I want and I don't have to worry about the tums and the tampons falling out when I go for my breath mints during court.....  Some how, in my mind, the breath mints are supposed to be contained in the make up make up bag. 

The biggest hurdle was finding a suitable 'second' bag - because yes, I'm weird (which this whole post clearly establishes) and I actually gave it a TREMENDOUS amount of thought. 

I wanted it to be big enough to do what I needed it to, but small enough not to be a burden.  I needed something sturdy and inexpensive but I also wanted it to be a little chic. 

This little bag from Target fit the bill.... I think it ended up being about $5.99 or so.  It's black nylon and it's hot pink on the inside.  And Target was the first place I looked and I went back several times, this one just turned up in January.

Now I have all the stuff that I need and it's organized.  I also have room for the stuff that I wanted to carry around but didn't because I couldn't get it all into one little bag. 

So there you go.  A strange little trip into my mind, via my handbag.....

And by the way, the Rebecca Minkoff thing doesn't seem to be abating.  It may or may not be a problem.