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are you guilty of stuffing your designer women’s handbags with everything but the kitchen sink? my goal in starting shortyLOVE was to streamline life with more organized bags — allowing us to pare back to essentials when we can or have a larger, lightweight bag with enough compartments to stash it all so we can find things quickly. key to being more organized is being prepared. that’s why i keep my everyday handbag ready to go with my must-haves for running errands, heading to lunch or wherever else my schedule takes me. it makes my day go so much smoother! not that i think everyone’s life is exactly like mine, but maybe your list of handbag essentials is similar? let’s see!
i know what you’re probably thinking: “i’m not going camping. why do i need a first aid kit?” because those annoying heel blisters or paper cuts always seem to happen when you don’t have a bandage. i keep a small kit (which should be on everyone’s handbag essentials list),just in case. you can find these kits in most drugstores or make your own. when i’m traveling or at the gym and carrying a larger bag, i tuck it into my stevie cosmetic bag along with wipes, pain relievers and bandages.
when i’m using a crossbody belt bag or small crossbody bag, i just slip a couple of bandages right into my bag.
you’ll frequently find me sketching new bags for the upcoming season, flipping through fabric samples, and working on set with models and photographers. moving through the city puts my busy hands in contact with public door handles, public transportation handrails, ugh. just thinking about it gives me the shivers. who knows what gunk and germs lurk there? to keep things clean at work, hand sanitizer is definitely one of my handbag must-haves.
at the risk of sounding old before my time, yes, i always bring tissues. vindication comes whenever someone asks, ‘do you have a tissue?’ — which they always do. for me, tissues are a total handbag must-have. super handy after accidental spills. for picking gum off your shoe. and, of course, for rescuing people who don’t carry tissues themselves. a small pack fits easily in any bag, from amuse to ranger.
some of you rely on gum. me, i’m a mints girl. working face-to-face with people in this business, i like to keep things ‘fresh,’ if you know what i mean. so you’ll always find a roll of mints in my bag. which is in your handbag essentials kit, gum or mints?
forgetting my headphones can feel like the end of the world, especially at the gym or sitting on a plane. these are on my mental handbag essentials list so i can avoid this tech disaster. and i try to make sure they’re charged up and ready to go!
pet peeve: dry lips. lip balm is one of my handbag must-haves year-round. it helps soothe and moisturize, so i’m not left with dry, cracked lips. i also keep a small tube of hand cream in my handbag essentials kit since hand-washing and hand-sanitizer can really do a number on my skin.
most of us are practically attached to our phones these days. too bad phone batteries didn’t get the memo. one minute, you’re posting a cute doggo pic, and the next, you’re hit with the dreaded low battery notification. and there’s no outlet in sight. keeping a portable charger in my bag ensures i’m never stuck with a dead phone battery on the go again.
how is it that these handbag essentials always seem to disappear together. i have no idea, but i’ll save my crazy theories for another day…
since i’m currently growing my hair out, i rely on my hair ties, clips and bobby pins to keep the craziness reined in. if you’ve ever impatiently waited for your pixie cut to grow out, you can relate!
sun protection is a must! keep that’s why you’ll find a pair of big ol’ stylish sunglasses in my bag and ready to go should i need them. likewise, i don’t leave the house without applying sunscreen first — and a small tube is in my bag at all times for reapplication.
the chance any of us will need a wallet in our bag is pretty good, regardless of daily agenda. but can your wallet hold your phone? it can if it’s a sleek jetty clutch/wallet!! my phone is my lifeline for work (and just in general) and it fits inside my jetty — my go-to when i need to have phone, cards, cash and even my sunglasses on me. the jetty has built-in rfid-blocking technology to deter identity theft — better safe than sorry!
sometimes i want to pare back even more — like when i’m taking the dog for a walk or going to an event where i want my hands free for cheering or clapping. this is when i throw on my shorthand or small cruiser crossbody. no need to pack a wallet, because i designed both of these organized little bags with three slide-in credit card slots, plus plenty of room for cash, phone and essentials. having a smarter small handbag really liberated me from lugging so much stuff when i don’t need to!!
is a handbag essentials list complete without a small cosmetic bag? with stevie’s cute, cubed style and sizable interior, i’ll let you decide. when i’m headed to the gym or vacationing, this small makeup and cosmetic bag is perfect for my lotions, potions and travel-sized notions. pop-red zip pocket to keep stray hair ties and other small knick-knacks in check. slide pocket for easy access to mascara and various slim cosmetics. a generous interior for my skincare routine. and her plush feel makes her perfectly packable for my tillie tote or boxer backpack. what’s not to love?
your handbag must-haves may not be the same as mine, or anyone else’s for that matter— and that’s okay! we all carry different lives, which makes our essentials vary. the one thing that remains for all of us? the need for a softer, smarter, more organized bag. find a bag that can streamline your life and you’re ready to take on the world.
xo — sloane
