It's in the Bag!

Empty your tote. 

What does it say about you? 

I asked and you shared.

Learn a little bit about these lovely ladies (along with the occasional gent) and what they can't leave home without.

*image via Bella Foster

"I'm thinking balls are to men what purses are to women. It's just a little bag, but we feel naked in public without it." -- Carrie Bradshaw

Lindsey Cavanaugh: Vintage Coach Briefcase Style Bag

"Perfect on-the-go city tote!"

Products in Bag:
1. Black City Flats, Gap

2. Benefit's Beauty Bar Menu (brows, tanning, etc.)

3. Marie Claire

4. Revlon nail polish in Mad About Mango

5. Mango Body Butter, The Body Shop

6. Gin Blossom Hand Cream by Love & Toast (best thing ever!!)

7. My favorite charm necklace -- found it at a shop in Chicago for 12 bucks :)

8. Pomegranate Lip Butter by KORRES

9. My favorite shade of red lipstick by OPI Lip Color in Little Red Wagon

10. Monet notecards

11. Notebook

12. Planner

13. ONE, a book I got from Starbucks (so great!)

14. phone 

Kristina Tutt: Ann Taylor Loft Summer Go-To Bag

"My Crazy Big Purse."

On to my crazy-big purse.  I am known for carrying around everything but the kitchen sink, but fortunately I recently cleaned it out and only put the bare minimum (which will make you laugh once you seen how much stuff I put in there. Needed 2 pictures. 'Nuff said.)
First Picture: All business
-My keys with the new "T" keychain I was given
-My marriage license, passport, social security card are all hidden in this little white folder. Since the wedding I've been running around town trying to change my name and prove that I'm me, but hitched. :)
-One of my many purple wallets on rotation
-The boring standard checkbook cover that came with our checks that we received in the mail yesterday. Joint account = accountablity for my spending? Dang.
-Notebook and my go-to Sharpie pen. I have tried to get in the habit of using my iPhone to keep track of lists and notes, but I always fall back on my trusty notebook.

Not pictured: iPhone (aka the only camera I use anymore), gum wrappers, a receipt for an oil change, and a Chipotle receipt.

Second picture: Ummm, necessary.
-Sunglasses. Cheap, because I never lose/break cheap pairs.
-Orbit gum
-VS rollerball perfume: Sexy Little Things Noir
-FileMate/Sephora fingernail file and case. GENIUS.
I have a thing for makeup. Guilty. Fortunately, most of the beauty stuff fits in the gold bag I bought with my mother in law at Chicos.
-Balmshell lip gloss
-Revlon Super Lustrous in Just Enough Buff
-Revlon ColorBurst in Peach
-Clinique Chubby Stick moisturizing lip color balm  in Mega Melon
-Clinique Long Last Glosswear in Air Kiss
-NARS travel multiple for eyes/cheeks/lips in Orgasm
-Benefit Erase Paste concealer
-Sephora bronzer in Riviera (but my travel brush broke so I'm not sure why I'm carrying this around...)
-Essie polish in Carousel Coral, because I can't stand a chip or smudge. Must. Fix. Immediately.
-NARS polish in Orgasm (which I feel only looks good on top of another color) 

Cassandra Palumbo: Gianni Bini Purse

"I'm in love. I got this a few months ago. I love their shoes as well."

"In my bag, I have a notebook -- mostly for lists; a Tide-To-Go Pen, my sunglasses case that hold my Ralph Lauren polarized sunglasses (love them!); pink Sony headphones; hand sanitizer. My wallet is Fossil -- it was a gift given to me from my brother-in-law for my birthday. I love that wallet; it's still holding strong after two years. My phone is usually in my bag as well but it was doing the picture taking for me.
Also included, a Cliff Bar and Burt's Bees chapstick." 

Yours Truly: Kate Spade Essex Small Scout
"I'm trying to downsize."

1. An extra Baggu for shopping.  2. Keys to the Black Flash.  3. Marc Jacobs sunglasses (found by my mom in a parking lot at the beach).  4. Moleskine notebook.  5. Tide-To-Go Mini.  6. Kiehl's Lip Gloss in Pear Tree (smells yummy).  7. Sugar-Free Altoids Smalls in Wintergreen.  8. Mini Baggu with a hair tie and migraine meds.  9. Kate Spade wallet.  10. Kate Spade iPhone case.

Lauren Davis: Does the Berner come with the bag?

"Waiting for friends to come over. Sitting on the couch. Paisley wouldn't leave me alone, so I figured I'd let him in the pics."

In my bag:
-small clutch purse (doubles as my wallet) to grab quickly instead of the big ol' bag
-Carmex
-Sunglasses
-Miniature Penguin...can't remember where I got it, but it's been in my purse for so many years now I feel that its duty is to remain there. So yet, a tiny penguin in my bag at all times. LOL.

Susan Pezzolla: A Brown Fringe Tote from H&M

Boho Chic

Things I carry in it include: my wallet, Bare essentials Faux Tan bronzer, Volume Express THE FALSIES Black drama mascara, inFATuation lip gloss, sunglasses from forever 21, passport, hair clips, and an Olympus digital Camera.

Angela: A bag on a mission.

"Can you tell I ran errands recently?"

My wallet, checkbook, keys, (blue) chapstick, receipts from the BX, Jo-Ann Fabric,  PetSmartiPod sock, my watch, eye drops, two packs of gum, a purple Flip-and-Tumble reusable shopping sack.

Natalie Durkovich: My Beloved Satchel

"It used to look prettier, but after two years of wear and tear it's looking a bit more homely. I, however, couldn't give a rip. It's my favorite bag ever. I bought it in Italy when I lived there in 2009. I was quite fond of my black Calvin Klein tote until its handles snapped off after I shoved 12 pounds of crap in it (to avoid an overweight luggage charge — It's ITALY people!). Arrivederci CK tote, hello satchel." 

Inside the black hole:

365 Franklin Covey weekly planner. AKA my life. 

iPod nano 5th generation. 

Essential gym tracks: Britney Spears and Rage Against the Machine. 

Essential kitchen tracks: Billie Holiday and Frank Sinatra. 

Goody clear hair elastics. I feel like this is akin to the panty line solution. 

Thongs, clear elastic ... the point is that you don't want it seen. 

Marilyn backcombing brush. 

Great to tame flyaways or create volume in a jiffy.

Badger Balm in Stress Soother scent. Eucalyptus on my pressure points = see ya later stress! 

Also fabulous to slather on my always-dry cuticles.

Pangea Organics lip balm in Pyranees Lavender with Cardamom. 

Chapstick who?

Phytomer Ogenage 1st signs of aging emulsion sample. 

I have a box full of this brand's 1 oz. moisturizers and they're great to have after washing my face off at the gym or whenever I need the extra moisture. Call it a perk of working at a spa. 

The flimsiest, crappiest pair of aviators on the planet. 

I'm not even sure they block sunlight, but they look great with my face shape, and I got them in Italy for three Euro. Sentimental and economic.

Brianne Thoreson: Bag-Color Block Market Tote 

"The Banana"

Contents:
wallet-timbuk2 travel wallet
cosmetic bag-muffinmade;)
hand lotion-Neutrogena Deep Moisture Body Cream, Butter Cream
Purell hand sanitizer
Renu travel size saline
Neo-to-Go
Band Aids
iPhone
M.A.C. lipstickNeutrogena MoistureShine Lip Soother with SPF 20, Shine 
Skip Hop Swipe Baby Wipes Case
eos Organic Lip Balm
stride gum
Kenneth Cole sample cards to make my purse smell great!

Sarah Wilson: Summer Bag

A timeless, classic piece. A trip to the Hampton's, anyone?

Wallet, sunglasses, sunglasses case, deck of cards, passport case, shine erasers,  two Coor's Light bottle caps (That's my kinda girl!), nasal spray, lip gloss X3, zip drive, Sharpie, Tide-To-Go pen, a coupon for free Chili's chips and salsa -- I still need to use that, and headphones.

Faye Mattie Crowell: A tenacious tote.

"The bag and contents I take with me to the clinic."

I'm embarrassed by how much I carry around, but the highlights include:

stethoscope

pager

name badge

4 various medical/pharmacological reference texts

a couple cloth napkins

a reusable Velcro snack bag

the oh-so-important birth control pills 

Of course, the usual stuff like keys, cash, cards, compact, gum, mints, eye drops, water bottle are in there too.

Julia Snell: A Very Berry Paisley Tote Bag

"I love it because it has a long shoulder strap and a sturdy base so it is easier to load full of crap. It is also the perfect go to carry on for flying because it has six little pockets on the inside so you can keep your snacks and entertainment organized."

I take this bag to work each day, and it holds:
2 - 32 oz Nalgene bottles filled with water
My lunch box (see image below)
An extra pair of shoes (sometimes)
A jacket or a sweater (sometimes)

It's a lunch box during the work week and a cooler on the weekend
(it holds 6 cans of beer  in a perfectly discrete way).

Jonathan Brenden Clark: Polo Ralph Lauren Canvas Tote

"A boy has got to be well read and well primped..."

MY STUFF: Clockwise from bottom left
Shu Uemura DepSea Lip Moisturizer
Diptyqe Lotion
Keys
Balenciaga Parfum
Jurlique Day Brightening Cream SPF
The Economist
Carthusia Parfum
Rayban Wayfayers
Ipod Nano (RED) Edition
Orbit
Newsweek
Shiseido compact (a boy needs a mirror)
Kerastase Chroma Cristal Shine Reflector Hair Mist
Louis Vuitton checkbook
Byredo Parfum
Vintage enamel cigarette case

Jordon Furnell: Fossil Crossbody

For the creative girl on-the-go

Inside it you will always find:
My keys
Wallet
Camera
Chapstick
You may find the following items spilling over the sides:
Printed groupons
My massive coupon book
Receipts

Aubrey Richardson: My Pro Fringe Sister
"Muh Purse."

See the contents and their correlating numbers for my explanations:)
1. First and foremost, it is important to note that my purse also doubles as a portable trash can! A sundry of receipts, coupons, lists, and parking tickets can be found in my purse at any given time. Occasionally, a perishable will make the roster...this rarely ends well.

2. I always seem to be toting around entirely too many lip glosses. However, switching from a nude color to a richer red is always a great way to transition from day to night with minimal effort. Never hurts to keep your options open.

3. My lovely sister has made valiant efforts in helping me get my life organized. This precious Sarah Pinto planner keeps me inspired to plan ahead. Monday starts out refreshed and ambitious with a full page entry, but by Thursday the pages are typically blank:) I always like to keep a Moleskine notebook with me to scratch down everything from songs on the radio (not while driving) to grocery lists (which I rarely adhere to...how do you pass up a deal on animal crackers).

4. While emptying out the contents of my purse I found two concert tickets. One from a Cold War Kids show at the Blue Note and another from a Pixies show we went to in St. Paul:) Some of my favorite memories I have with Nick (my stellar boyfriend) are spent at the different concerts we go to together. However, this may be in large part to the copious amounts of over priced liquor consumed on such outings. My sister can attest to the consequential late night calls (aka drunk dials)!

5. My absolute essentials that I NEVER leave the house without are...my sweet state of the art Samsung phone (which does not ring or vibrate...best "app" EVER), Fossil wallet where I keep all my cash monay, and a can of C.O. Bigelow Rose Salve which I have an intense love/hate relationship with. Why do they make that thing so hard to open? Please tell me I'm not the only one with this struggle!

6. Recently my mom sent me the sweetest embroidered bookmark from the Cornflower Blue Studio on etsy. She told me to keep it in my purse so I would have a daily reminder of how much she loves me:) I have the greatest family ever...fact! Last but not least are my party shades which are an absolute MUST in my day to day life! I find their day-glo colors pair perfectly with any outfit! Not to mention the convenience of a flip shade allows me to stroll in and out of buildings without ever having to take them off;) And I avoid looking like a fool in those dorky transition lenses...what is good enough for Urkel is good enough for me!

And finally... Flyboy's Backpack

"For those in the mile high club."

The contents remain classified. Pardon the disco belt. Safety first.

I appreciate the overwhelming number of submissions. 

You guys are great! Above all, thanks for humoring me and supporting my blog. This was so much fun. I believe Coco Chanel would approve -- you've been classy and fabulous!!