Jill's Journal: Women and our purses

We women love our purses. Who doesn’t have more than one on the shelf to pull off and pair with an outfit or a specific event you’re heading to.

I know I do.

And I have them in numerous colors, shapes and sizes. Some are equipped with a shoulder strap; others are short-handled. Some are big. Some are medium. And a few are small. You get the gist.

I know I’ve spent hours throughout my lifetime scavenging purse displays in search of that “just-right” bag. While the exterior look of the purse is first to catch my eye, the amenities inside are equally important. I do my best to avoid those “dark hole” bags, you know the ones where you just toss stuff in with no order whatsoever and hope you can find what you need when you need it.

I personally prefer bags with pockets – inside and out – and zippers to keep things in place where I put them so I can find them when I need them. I also look for a purse with “room to grow.” And what I mean by that, is sometimes, I’ll have a need to bring along something extra and having the ability to toss it in my purse, is yet another perk of the perfect purse.

Ever see a woman in desperate search of her purse? I’ve been that woman, and it’s not a pleasant woman to be, because purses contain “our life.”

As for what a purse all contains, that, of course, is up to the individual user. Debit and credit cards, cell phone, keys, chicken scratch notes and lists of things to be done, places to be and groceries to buy, and all the essentials for life’s little emergencies. Perfume, gum, lip balm and a comb are just a sampling of those mentionable essentials.

I recently took in two concerts at the nearby Denny Sanford Premier Center. I was well aware of their new “small purse” policy, and so I opted to load up my pockets with the essentials: cash, debit card and phone. I would’ve included my driver’s license, but a simple look at this ol’ gal, and it’s a sure bet I’m 21 years old … plus. For the first concert, my friend followed my lead, opting to go hands-free as well.

For the second concert, another of my friends wasn’t willing to part ways with her purse. When I arrived at her home, she had just finished arranging a few essentials into a “small purse.” I warned her there were guidelines, so she opted for an even “smaller” purse.

Now, small is obviously in the eye of the beholder, because when we reached security, she and her purse were turned away.

I knew she was well aware that “I told her so,” but I couldn’t resist reminding her that “I told you.”

Perplexed what to do next, I put my fast-thinking brain into action, and suggested that instead of making treks all the way back to the car, we could do the next best thing: Empty the contents and stash it behind a display to retrieve on our way out.

We women love our purses. And nothing, well, most times nothing, will keep them from coming with us.