I see posts like these done all the time, and I figured a good way for you all to get to know me would be to do one myself! Now, this isn't really an
exhaustive list of what I have in my bag
— or even what bag I carry all the time!
— but it's a good place to start!
All right, number one: the BIG STUFF.
1. red scarf | This is one of the best things you can have if you carry a small bag. If you get one big enough and tightly woven enough, it can double as a jacket/wrap and even triple as a blanket if it gets suddenly chilly! This one was a Christmas present from my girlfriend back in 2012.
2. arthur backpack | Okay, okay, I know. This seems way silly. But this bag is great! I'm a woman of small victories, and to grab this for $2.50 (!!!!!!!!!!!) at the AmVets thrift store by my work was a huge steal! Arthur Read, the actual aardvark character, and I even share a birthday — he's been one of my favourites for ages. Its big pocket is just large enough for my favourite notebooks and the outer pockets are great for my smaller items.
3. michael kors wallet | Another gift, this one a birthday present from a family friend in 2013. Generous and such a perfect size, it works wonderfully for me! Perfect amount of pockets.
4. motorola droid razr | My phone! This one's pretty trusty, especially since I'm clumsy and caseless. It's fallen in sand at the beach, onto linoleum, and onto the sidewalk more times than I can count. I've had this phone (in its first and second incarnation after a toilet-bowl incident, whoops) for a good while and the screen only barely has its first hairline crack! Maybe I'm lucky, but this phone's doing me right.
5. free people sunglasses | These are more for fashion than function, seeing as how I wear glasses and can't see properly unless I "double-glasses," but I'm so enamoured with round-frame glasses that I couldn't pass them up!
6. urban outfitters wallet | I use this for my makeup when I only need a few things with me. It's really, really small. I'd guess it's a better card wallet than anything else, but I've only ever used it for jewellery and makeup, so I can't say for sure. Mainly I got it because I love the design! I love "ocular" designs, probably because I fancy myself a cyclops in another life.
7. keys | My keys are a bit unwieldy at times, but they've got everything I need: One Direction lanyard, Sailor Jupiter keychain (a San Diego Comic Con find from years long past), soccer-mom-style club cards for restaurants and shops, and my car and dorm keys!
Number two: school supplies (well, more or less).
1. writing utensils | Again, this is a matter of form over function for me. I do have a preference for nice writing tools, so you'll never see me with a purloined dentistry ballpoint which barely works or a nubby little number two pencil. These I've amassed from the student bookstore on campus here at UCSD, Typo (a writing-goods shop that's an offshoot of clothing store Cotton On), and my work (Michaels)!
2. frank lloyd wright engagement calendar | I needed a sturdy planner with plenty of space to write all the events and assignments and work scheduling and deadlines that keep me stressed and busy! This one is nice to look at and serves as a great agenda. I got this at the UCSD bookstore, too.
3. conair mini comb | Honestly, I couldn't tell you where this came from if I tried. I feel like it's been in my possession since the dawn of time, since maybe even my birth. Wherever it originated, it's perfect for taming my unkempt fringe, soothing it after the wind, rain, or its hellborn wavy nature frazzles it.
4. skullcandy in-ear headphones | Again, a bookstore find. These aren't my favourite headphones I've ever used, if I'm being frank. I have an over-ear pair that are bright purple and Adventure Time-themed which work much better, but they're bulkier and harder to bring around. These were reasonably priced and work well enough! Plus, my weird ears that won't hold in the round iPod-style ones treasure these more than anything.
Ah, number three: beauty supplies.
1. urban outfitters wallet | See first photo above! In the interest of full disclosure: it was a struggle to get this much stuff into it and still be able to zip it shut. Usually, half this stuff ends up loose in one of my backpack's small front pockets.
2. mac angled brush | Much like my comb, I've had this forever. I love it for eyeliner and eyebrows! It's the perfect size for me, and I can't see myself replacing it with a different style or brand in the foreseeable future.
3. mac eyeshadow in 'coquette satin' | Eyebrows, eyebrows, eyebrows. I'm not one for eyeshadow to begin with, honestly — I much prefer eyeliners — and even so, this is much too dark a shade for my taste. However, it's the ideal shade for my eyebrows! I got this eons ago, so I don't even know if it's available still, but for now I've got plenty left... hey, MAC, call me when I run out, though!
4. benefit 'they're real!' mascara | A Sephora present from my birthday in 2013, I can't imagine using anything else. I'm pretty boring when it comes to makeup; I rarely do anything fancy. Contouring and blending and, honestly, even foundation and primer and all that are processes too cumbersome for me, but if I leave the house without my eyebrows and mascara done, I'm on my deathbed. My eyelashes are so naturally short and stubby that finding this mascara was a miracle! It adds length without being clumpy or, God forbid, flaky, and it's just light enough for everyday use.
5. maybelline 'red revival' lipstick | This is my go-to red lip! I have yellow undertones to my skin, so some orangey reds I have like my Forever 21 lip crayon really wash me out. This one's a nice true red that brightens me up and goes on really opaque. I love it, though I wish I had a matte version, too!
6. bic lighter | I don't smoke, but a lighter's just one of those things that's handy to have, I think. To tell the truth, I mostly use this for crafts and birthday candles, not any other purpose, whoops.
7. tweezers, assorted hair accessories | You caught me on a tame day! This is the most sensible my hair accessories ever get. You can usually find a menagerie of bows, clips, and barrettes in my bag, and nary a single bobby pin. Hopefully these all don't go missing! Isn't that always the way?
Thanks for taking the time to read my irreverent self-analysis on this one, y'all! Things I need to be carrying, probably? Pepper spray, nail file, hand sanitiser! For all of you out there reading this, what is your bag missing? Even if you think you have it all, you might be surprised at what sensible items are nowhere to be seen...
