purse essentials / 12 things every woman should have

have you ever dug through your purse and realized how much random crap you have in it? this happens to me way too often. sometimes my purses are so big i don't realize how many things i actually do not need to carry around. i consistently have to clear my purse of the extra watches/jewelry i take off and shove in there, the many receipts, the camera parts, the water bottles, candy and food. once all of the excess has been trimmed, i usually end up with these twelve things. for the most part, i never leave the house without any of them.

1. sunglasses:

these are an obvious must. i have discovered that the nicer the sunglasses, the longer they last. maybe it's just me, but i don't take care of my $12 sunglasses as well as the $150 ones. i usually have them in the case with a cleaning pouch (though somehow they never seem clean enough).

2. lipstick pouch:

i have to have a small lipstick pouch or all hell would break lose. i tend to carry at least 5 or 6 lipsticks at all times, and having something to gather them in is key. this is usually where i keep a little medicine (advil, sleeping pills, etc).

3. headphones:

for those times when you are on the bus and you don't want to listen to people cough around you. this would be considered an emergency situation in my book.

4. keys:

it helps if you have a cute keychain with silhouettes of you and your husband (a lady made this for me for my bridal shower! obsessed).

5. pen:

my pens are almost always pink. and they always come in handy, though sometimes bank tellers make fun of your for signing your checks in pink.

6. mints:

these are my family's mints of choice- ice breakers wintergreen. we aren't gum chewers, but we are big fans of fresh breath.

7. face wipes:

i have a terribly greasy face (just one of the many facets of my horrible skin). halfway through the day i freshen up with these palladio face wipes. they have a little bit of powder on them and take off the grease. i get mine from sally beauty supply.

8. glasses:

my eyesight isn't terrible, but i do need glasses every now and again. i keep them with me for movies, museums, and class (though i don't go to classes often now that i'm graduated).

9. chapstick:

i am crazy over chapstick. this is actually the only thing that would kill me to leave the house without. the shaka laka brand coconut chapstick is by far the best chapstick in the world. i can only find it at select gas stations in utah, and have created a small stockpile at my house.

10. lipgloss:

ok, i realize this is like the third lip-related item. but for real, my lips always have to be covered in something. this classic Nars Lipgloss always gives the best color for any occasion. 

11. phone:

i used to carry around a calendar and notebook, but all of that has been replaced by my iphone (which i'm not sure if i should celebrate or not).

12. wallet:

i got this steve madden wallet for $20 at the rack a few years ago and can't part with it. finding a wallet that is the perfect style and size is harder than finding a good pair of jeans. but when you do, keep it till you wear it out.