everything a (mildly chaotic?) girl needs in her bag this spring
get in loser, we're reclaiming the term 'bag lady'.
I already declared via TikTok that 2025 was the year of the big bag for so many reasons. For one, most of the western world is moving back to being in office at least some part of the week which means the Jacquemus Chiquito bag era will not cut it for a lot of us. We are commuting more often, spending longer periods away from home and that means for a lot of us (especially if you are a public transit girlie) our bags contain multitudes and have the heavy task of keeping our lives together until we get home.
And in the name of reclaiming the big bag, I have a personal list of must-haves for the mildly chaotic girlies of the world. These are things I personally need to have on me so that I can spend the next 12 hours after I leave my house in a relatively comfortable state of being. While I don’t think anything on this list is hyper-niche, it goes outside the realm of typical ‘what’s in my bag’ style content. (I presume you have your own must have lipgloss, fragrance, etc- so I’ve decided to skip all that.)
Here’s the definitive (no it isn’t, do what you want-seriously) list of bag must haves for the girls who live full lives :)
Reusable bags
What was life before a foldable reusable bag? How did anyone survive? I can’t tell you the amount of times I was just existing on the street and something called out to me that needed to be purchased and thus, hauled home to its final destination. A foldable reusable bag is basically the Swiss Army knife of modern life. You go out for coffee, and suddenly there’s a cute pop-up market next door. Do you need that hand-poured candle and a loaf of sourdough? No. Do you want them? Obviously. That’s why you carry a reusable bag. It’s your spontaneous shopping enabler. It’s your unplanned errand wingman. It’s your “I’ve got this” moment in a pouch.
Something to entertain you
As a native New Yorker who spent many a morning commute on a subway stuck in limbo because of “train traffic ahead” or something much worse, I can assure you the only thing worse than an unplanned difficulty, is an unplanned difficulty without headphones. A true lady is never without a diversion. Whether it’s a slim novel, a sleek Kindle, or a language-learning app she never opens, having something to occupy your mind is not just a luxury—it’s a lifestyle. Boredom is for the unprepared.
A journal
Let me be the patron saint of journal having people who don’t journal well. I don’t have a junk journal, I don’t pour my heart into the pages- and yet, I still advocate for a place to jot down your thoughts on the go. And honestly, if I may be so judgmental- the Notes app just doesn’t cut it. A journal is a soft place for your loudest thoughts. Tucked inside your bag, it’s your secret garden, your confessional booth, your idea incubator. Not every page needs to be profound—sometimes doodles and to-do lists are sacred, too.
A writing utensil
For the analog journal obviously but, for so much more than that too. Pens are like bobby pins—you never have one when you need it unless you plan ahead. Sure, we live in the digital age—but batteries die. Apps crash. A pen? Ready to go 24/7. And when someone asks for one, you can whip it out like a legend and show the room you’re 99% more responsible than they are. Look at you, solving problems with ink.
A childish cosmetic bag
While everyone else is out here with beige-on-beige-on-beige makeup bags, you’re rocking rainbows and cartoons. Why? Because neutral is a mood, but neon is a personality. Sure, it’s childish. And yes, the zipper is shaped like a donut. But it makes you smile every time you open it. You’re not here to impress minimalists. You’re here to live colorfully, unapologetically, and a little bit chaotically.
Snackies
Sometimes, self-love looks like a surprise pack of gummy worms at the bottom of your purse. A snack isn’t just food—it’s a contingency plan. Much like being the only person in the room with a real pen, having a snack in the event of a mild inconvenience (like being stuck on a Manhattan bound 5 train for upwards of 30 minutes because of ‘train traffic’) denotes that you think ahead. And people will be jealous that you did.
Reusable water bottle
Carrying your own bottle is low-key activism. You’re keeping plastic out of oceans, avoiding overpriced bottled water, and serving eco realness with every sip. Also, store-bought water bottles are so impersonal. Your water bottle is yet another opportunity to signal to the world the type of person you are. (Personally, I can count on a conversation in my office at least once a week with someone who is amused by my Spongebob water bottle. Even if I’m in suiting that day, that bottle speaks to the person I really am.) Adorn it with stickers, get a design that speaks to you, go crazy.
A coffee cozy
“Don’t talk to me until I’ve had my coffee” — your cozy, probably. (Sidebar: If coffee quite literally changes your mood, you need to detox lol.) Why use a cardboard sleeve when you can have a cozy that makes a statement and matches your mood? Exactly. You could drink your coffee like a normie, or you could slide on a reusable cozy and sip in sustainable luxury. It’s cute. It’s clever. It’s probably crocheted by someone named Barbara on Etsy. What’s not to love?
And for good measure….some of my personal faves!
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-xoxo Jenn