What's In My Bag

Hello friends! I've been telling you about all the awesome stuff you need in your life for about a year now, and THIS is my 100th post! Woo hoo! I wanted to do something a little different to mark this milestone, so I decided to give you a sneak peek into the things I carry with me every day. I love going through people's bags and wallets and seeing the kinds of things they keep with them - a little bit because I'm nosy, but also because I think it tells you a lot about a person. Plus, I might find some new product to become obsessed with, and can then relay to you! See? Everyone wins. So here's what's in my bag at the moment. I carry a Marc by Marc Jacobs Hillier Hobo in an olive green color. I had major bag lust for this baby for like, two years, but I could never justify the $428 price tag. But then God had mercy on my wallet and I found this bag on the sale table at Nordstrom for significantly less, and I snatched that baby up so fast it was nothing but a blur. I'm a big proponent of buying higher end bags (they're good quality, they last longer, they look better, and if it's something that you carry literally every day, why not make it something nice?), but I'm also a big fan of sale tables and stores like Nordstrom Rack and Marshall's. So treat yourself, but also keep your eye out for a good deal. Anyway, I didn't take a picture of my particular bag, but here it is. It's a good sized hobo with a small shoulder strap, and also a longer strap for versatility:

Now for what I carry around every day. Full disclosure: I didn't include the 10 random receipts that I usually have floating around  in there.

1. My wallet, which I already talked about here.

2. A bag of almonds. Because of my sugar allergy it can be hard to find quick, easy snacks when I'm out and about. I always keep some almonds and/or a Larabar in my bag at all times, just in case.

3. Sunglasses. I always, always wear sunglasses. These are Marc by Marc Jacobs (I'm not consciously a brand loyalist, but with all the Marc by Marc Jacobs in my bag, I guess I am). Similar glasses can be found here.

4. This little cosmetics bag by Porridge helps keep some smaller items organized and in one place. I found this pouch at Anthropologie (on sale!), and it's no longer available, but I found some other cute little bags here, here, and here. Or from my favorite cosmetic bag maker, Dodo Designs!

5. Now for what's in the cosmetics bag. Nothing exciting, really. A pillbox and a bottle of vicodin (if you don't need vicodin, it doesn't really hurt!), a tube of tinted Baby Lips, a cord to charge my phone/ipod/ipad (via my laptop), some greasy sheets, and a comb.

6. A pen, some hair ties, and an assortment of lip products: Aquaphor, Burt's Bees, and plain Baby Lips (all reviewed here). There's also a marble, given to me by an occupational therapist to remind me of the marble/spoon theory for fibromyalgia sufferers.

7. My favorite moistruzer by Yu-Be, and some antibacterial gel.

8. Xyla Mints. It's incredibly hard to find mints or gum that don't contain sugar. These mints are made with xylitol, which is ok for me, but they are WEAK. Seriously, I eat them by the handful just to make me feel like my breath is neutral. Once I run out of these (I bought them in bulk from Amazon) I'm going back to Starbucks mints, which are suger free AND powerful.

9. An iPod. It's an old one, but I only use it in my car, so it doesn't really matter how new it is. I've had that Superman cover forever, although I do have to keep buying iPods (This is maybe my fourth one? When one dies I buy a used one on eBay for $50-$75)

10. An iPhone. The real star is the case. I do have a bit of  problem with constantly wanting/buying phone cases, but this one is my all time fave. I mean, come on, it's Hero! The case is Marc by Marc Jacobs (again, I know) and I found it at Bloomingdale's.

11. Keys. The keychain was a gift from one of my favorite kids ever as a thank you for watching her while her family went out and lived it up in Las Vegas. Being only two years old, and therefore being banned from all swanky Vegas restaurants and shows, she and I spent the evenings hanging out in the hotel room ordering room service and watching movies. It was the greatest, and the keychain is a special memento for me.

12. I don't usually carry around this headband. I put it in my bag because I had an appointment with my dermatologist and I wanted to wash my makeup off before I saw him. I didn't want to look like I'd been waterboarded, so I packed a headband to hold my hair out of my face. Aaaand now it's been hanging out in my bag for a few months.

Hope you liked a peek into my handbag, and here's to 100 more awesome, essential, obsession-worthy posts of what you need!