The Great Purse Survey

The Great Purse Survey
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Size matters.
I didn't ask my survey group to measure their purses, but I did ask a few questions designed to get a feeling for how large the average purse is. It seems pretty clear from my results that there are two completely different schools of thought on this subject. There are women who view their purses as a place to hold everything they need to have in their everyday lives, and then there are women who take great pride in having the smallest and most dainty purse possible. Indeed, a couple of the latter group made a point of saying they had “the world's smallest purse.” Meanwhile, the group espousing the bigger-is-better philosophy seemed to get a kick out of enumerating every single item they carried in their purses, right down to the types of magazine.

Interestingly, though, when I asked if the respondents ever carried a bag other than their purse, most said yes. Some multi-bagging episodes were understandable – if you're going to the gym, you'd obviously want a place to put your sweaty workout clothes when you're done. However, a lot of my sample group listed a separate bag for business items. Even among the big-baggers, separate work sacks were common. Maybe this is for practical reasons; not wanting to damage files and papers for example. Or maybe this is just because women don't want work to interfere with the fabulousness of their purses. A purse is an over-the-shoulder oasis of girlishness in the otherwise hostile business desert.

What's My Bag?
In the interest of fair play, I asked myself the same ten questions that I asked my survey group. Here's how I would've responded.

How many purses do you own?
Four. Three of them were gifts.

Of those purses, how many to you use on a weekly basis?
One.

Of the following categories, which is most important in determining which purse you use?
Definitely how much stuff it holds.

No peeking: what's inside your purse right now?
My wallet with cash, credit cards, ID, coupons and transit card. A small change purse containing several lucky coins. A little bag that Lolita gave me that says “Yoga Queen” on the side and holds my cell phone, my lip balm, spare hair restraint devices, and sentimental nick-knacks. Last week's issue of The Economist. My empty lunch bag. A small notebook and pen. A mechanical pencil, in case the pen runs out of ink. A book of stamps, at least two paycheck stubs, a pair of sunglasses and a utility bill that needs to be mailed.

Do you carry other bags in addition to your purse?
I used to, but then I hit upon a novel solution: I bought a bigger purse.

If you had to guess, how much would you say your purse weighs?
Easily 8 pounds. I could scuttle a boat with it.

Have you ever lost your purse?
No. I would probably have a heart attack.

Have you ever lost anything in your purse?
Usually whatever I'm desperate to get my hands on is the one thing I can't find in there.

How often to you buy a new purse?
Once every 14 years. On Mars.

How much is too much to pay for a new purse?
$12.95. Unless it's in the name of important research, in which case, $59.