I Lost My Purse

Not really. Nothing to lose. I gave up carrying a purse some years ago and, a few years later, gave away the last one which was a tan leather Coach bag with a simple profile. Now I make sure I have pockets for things like those shown in my office drawer photographed here. My shorts have pockets, my sweat pants have pockets. Dress pants? I wear either custom pants with front pockets or co-opt Men's wear. Jeans? Pockets. Blazers are a fixture in my wardrobe. A couple were searched out meticulously to find ones with an inside pocket and most were custom-made with two inside pockets and outside patch pockets. Traveling with important things like traveler's checks or passport? Let's just say it's on my person.

Not to say that I never carry a bag. I have a messenger bag, a brief case, a couple of backpacks including one designed for a laptop. I have ten zillion of those canvas bags you get free or for a couple of bucks in a store. If I want to carry books, papers or a laptop then yeah, a bag. But for wallet, keys and such? Nope. Pockets.

The other night we were at Austin's Saks store for a party. I wanted to take some photos of honorees and put my wine glass down on a shelf. There were purses on the shelf. They had lots of flaps and buckles (the current fashion apparently) and cost four figures. Yes, over a thousand dollars. Imagine how much the ones behind glass go for?

Whenever I hear about a woman who got out of her car to go meet her kid and got her purse stolen or about someone who lost wallet, etc. in a grab and run I wonder: is it that important to not look dowdy? Because obviously pockets are dowdy. Plus I admit I clip my old school phone to my belt and put my digital camera there occasionally. I look dowdy, lumpy and bumpy. But I keep up with wallet usually!

I did get pick pocketed in the Paris subway, though. The guy crowded me on the escalator and then reached in the outside pocket of my jacket to grab a wallet I had there. I hope he enjoyed the small amount of cash and the Metro tickets and the fake credit cards. Because, yeah, it was a 'dummy' wallet for the purpose of paying for and holding Metro tix.

Losing the purse simplified my life. No fashion accessories. Not so many lost things.

That drawer I've shown used to be chaos but I cleaned it out as part of the downsizing effort. I park my keys, cameras, wallet , phone, etc. there. I try to keep my wallet thin.

But like all these tales, there is a warning. The one thing I have trouble controlling are all the little notebooks and pens I carry around. They are everywhere and yet, when you are looking for one, nowhere to be found. Also, I have given up carrying a PDA (where would I put it!?) so while my phone has lots of numbers, I can't always tell people what's on my calendar when I'm away from the computer. This can be a good thing, though, because it gives you time to make excuses or double check with the spousal unit before committing.

Is my purse-less life simpler? Yeah. Is it still chaos here? You bet.