She might let you in on her innermost secrets, but dare peep into her miniscule world - her handbag - and her fury will know no bounds. It’s a cathartic carrier for her, not just a bearer of mere essentials. The ‘man’ kind has always been curious about what lies inside, but has failed miserably in its attempts. Recently a German artist had to pay women £500 to reveal their personal items for an exhibition! But we at t2 will make things easier, by telling you that a woman’s bag contains stuff that a man wouldn’t think of carrying on a three-day trip! Find out what a woman’s bag tells about her personality.
The minimalist
She is a practical and no-nonsense chick. She knows what she wants and is sure about how to get it. Her bag tells about her personality more than anything else. She does away with all the junk and hates piling her bag with superfluous stuff. Maximum women envy her, as a small number falls in this category. She only carries what she requires the most – wallet, keys, cellphone, comb, pen, organiser and glasses. She also keeps her passport, driving licence, ID and PAN card handy, as she might need them for any official purpose. She is focussed towards her work and so ensures that all her documents are in place. She has mastered the art of organising to the T, so you will never find chocolate wrappers, old receipts and movie tickets lying in the recesses of her bag.
Extra baggage: “I hate living messy. So, I ensure that from my room to my bag everything is in order. I carry nothing more than my wallet and mobile, but more often than not one can find forks, spoons and a plate in my sack. I am very finicky about cleanliness and if I find the cutlery dirty at an eat-out joint, I make use of my own. This apart, in my bag one can always find a torch handy. Since darkness freaks me out, I carry a torch even in the daytime! I advise all women to carry a torch as it will not only help them ward off any untoward incident but also assist them to do away with the groping bit, especially in the theatres,” says Sushma Prasad, 31, a professional.
The prepared
She carries a really huge bag and packs her ‘life’ inside it. Although it is not clutter-free, it is quite practical as it has paraphernalia that can come to the rescue of anyone when in crisis. From a toothbrush, towel, soap, charger (if she decides to stay put at a friends place; make-up and hair accessories (if her girls decide to party); umbrella, spare undergarments, t-shirt, socks (in case it rains); safety-pins, sanitary napkins, first-aid kit, thermometer, antacids and aspirins in addition to what all the minimalist carries. (Pheew!) Every item in her bag has a purpose and she believes in being prepared for any emergency and is always there to lend a helping hand.
Extra baggage: Reena Katiyaar, 36, teacher, is one of those women who carries a mini rucksack with her. “Since I am always running out of time, I try to pack as much stuff as I can in my sack. I have barely two or three bags and don’t change them too often, as I fear misplacing things. Few will believe that I always carry woollen yarn and knitting needles, irrespective of the weather, because whenever I get bored or have to wait for someone I quickly take them out to keep myself occupied,” she confesses.
The fashionista
She is a trendsetter and loves to flaunt her accessories. Be it a tote or a minaudiere, her priority is that it complements the outfit she is wearing. Each and every item that goes inside the bag is kept with style quotient in mind. She doesn’t leave home without her breath fresheners, sanitiser, nail filer, French perfume, YSL shadows and lipstick, her iPod, BlackBerry and loads of plastic money. She is very stylish and it’s her attitude that she wants to sport. She makes no bones about her penchant for high-end stuff.
Extra baggage: Sanjana Singh, 26, a PR consultant, is heavily into designer wear and loves her Guess and Hidesign bags. “I would kill anyone who even tries to tinker with my bag. I am very possessive about it and do not even let my boyfriend inspect it. Except my girlfriends no one knows that I keep a pair of sandals as I am paranoid that I might just break my heels and that would be quite an embarrassment,” quips Sanjana.
The sensitive
Here is someone who is a thoughtful creature. She is attached to every little item and refuses to chuck them out even those that choke her purse. She will carry photographs of her with her best pals when they graduated, a picture of her parents’ wedding anniversary, the coffee bill of her first date, her favourite chick lit, her most cherished earring, the pair of which she lost, an empty container of lip-balm as she loves its fragrance, prayer beads to tell when she feels panicky, chocolates of course and a lot more items towards which she is emotionally attached. Her bag is a repository of sentimental stuff and not one of those that she requires on a day-to-day basis. Hence, most of the time she is found asking for a pen or tissue from her friends and colleagues as she is least bothered to have her own.
Extra baggage: Madhumati Chatterjee, 33, software professional and mother of a one-year-old is a ‘self-proclaimed’ eccentric who feels she should have been an in-charge of an antique house. “I hoard things in bag which one can barely imagine. Since I am working, I don’t get to spend much time with my daughter so I carry her bib with me. In addition to this, there are packets of biscuits for stray dogs, neatly folded shopping bags that I love, a pencil box full of stationery items and I keep my personal diary always with me as I tend to pen down my thoughts when I need to vent out,” she gushes.
Sonashree Basu
What’s unique in your bag? Tell t2desk@abp.in
