As spring semester begins, we all have to adjust to new schedules, changing classes, and different books. Does the way you carried your things for fall make a seamless transition into spring, or does a back-to-back schedule mean you’ll now be toting your laptop all day long?
Whatever your situation this semester, you’ve got to have the necessities: ID, keys, and phone. Beyond that, though, there are a few other items CF girls should have on hand. Though these five handbag essentials are super basic, there are tons of fun fashionable options for customization. Check out our suggestions (and adorable picks!) for ideas and inspiration!
1. Notebook and pen.
If you’re going to classes, you probably already have a notebook and pen in your bag. These two items, however, are just as essential for time spent outside the classroom!
Mini notebooks are ideal for jotting down random ideas, making lists and schedules on the go, and for general distraction! Even if you can’t spare the space in your handbag for a notebook, a pen is absolutely non-negotiable! Have you had those times when you really wanted to write something down during the day (an e-mail address, website, whatever!) but couldn’t?Having a pen on hand in the same spot in your bag ensures that you’ll totally avoid those issues.
Hot Picks
Product Information: Pink Vintage Pen, Jack Wills. Limited-Edition Very Hollywood Scented Signature Pen, Michael Kors. Marilyn Mini Notebook, Crate & Barrel. Watermelon Pen – Sniffly Scented Pen Set, Fred Flare. Bob’s Your Uncle Who, What Notebook, Velocity Art and Design. Bic Round Stic Ballpoint Pens, Shoplet. O’BON + Bird A6 Peacock Notebook, Econscious Market. Appaloosa Horse Pen, 1928. Other Half Notebook, ModCloth. Mini Notebook with Pocket in Hope Garden, Vera Bradley.
2. Mints or gum.
Anyone on the go can attest to the importance of keeping pack of mints or gum within reach. Both are excellent options for consumption pre and post lunch or for freshening up.
Mints are ideal for covering up nasty latte breath, can decrease tummy rumbles, and can even make a good “snack” (if you can call it that!) in your last-class-before-lunch pinch. Chewing gum can keep you awake and alert, remove stains from teeth, and as some studies have shown, increase brain function and memory.
Aside from mental and physical benefits, fun-flavored gum is a great mid-day pick me up! With flavor options ranging from classic mint to strawberry shortcake and mint chocolate chip to tropical fruit, if you’re a gum girl, there’s enough variety to last an entire year. Whichever breath freshener you choose, it’s an essential in your bag.
Hot Picks
Product Information: Cool Honey Altoids, Walgreens. Extra Dessert Delights Strawberry Shortcake Gum, Amazon. Eclipse Gum, Amazon. Trident Tropical Twist Gum, Buy The Case. Fairy Mints, Archie McPhee. Orbit White Gum, Drugstore.com. Mint Tic Tacs, Candy Warehouse.
3. Hand sanitizer.
During cold and flu season (…which seems to be every season in college!) it’s always a good idea to have hand sanitizer in your bag. On an average day, we touch dirty doorknobs, use germ-filled bathrooms, encounter coughs and sneezes, prepare food and eat, and sit at tables and desks used by many, many students before us. And, since we’re constantly on the go, few of us have time to take a hand-washing break after each class.
The solution, of course, is ultra-portable hand sanitizer which uses alcohol or other chemicals to disinfect and cleanse as needed. Far beyond the days of Purell gel, manufacturers now often hand sanitizers in scented spray, lotion, and foam forms that do double duty by killing germs and moisturizing. An item that keep you pretty and healthy? A definite CF do!
Hot Picks
Product Information: Fresh Lemon HandiBac Foaming Hand Sanitizer, Bath & Body Works. Pure Seduction Travel-Size Anti-Bacterial Sanitizing Hand Gel, Victoria’s Secret. Belli Motherhood Moisturizing Hand Sanitizer, Petit Trésor. Spehora by OPI Moisturizing Hand Sanitizer Spray, Sephora. Burt’s Bees Aloe & Witch Hazel Hand Sanitizer, Walgreens.
4. Sunglasses.
Though often forgotten in snowy and rainy months, sunglasses are a definite handbag essential for CF girls. Not only do they shield your pretty eyes from the sun’s rays, but a great pair can create a focal point for an outfit, conceal a tired face, function as an impromptu headband, or just make you look mysterious!
Like a pen, a pair of sunglasses is often only noticed when you find that they are missing from your bag on super sunny days. So pick a go-to pair and keep them on hand at all times! Look for a pair that comes with a protective case or buy cheapie lenses and splurge on a post-market case (I love the ones by Vera Bradley!) to ensure that your shades won’t be crushed in your bag.
Hot Picks
Product Information: Plastic Aviator Sunglasses, ASOS. Côte d’Azur Sunglasses, ModCloth. Heart-Shaped Lolita Sunglasses, Amazon. Floral Print Sunglasses, Forever 21. Karen Walker Eyewear NUMBER ONE Crazy Tortoise Sun Glasses, Gargyle. Blue Wayfarer Sunglasses, Ray-Ban. Michael Kors Updated Aviator Sunglasses, Neiman Marcus.
5. Hair ties.
Have long hair? Keep a hair tie or two in your bag! They’re great for those moments when you decide you want to put your hair up on the go like going to the gym or keeping hair out of your face during an exam.
They also have many other uses – In a pinch, a hair tie can function as a rubber band to hold school supplies together, cinch regular bra straps into a racerback, or provide secure closure for an open bag or container. I’ve even heard of girls attempting to squeeze into their skinniest jeans creating an accommodating “loop” with a hair tie woven through their button holes and then secured to the buttons for an extra inch!
From a fashion standpoint, many companies are making stylish alternatives to simple banded and scrunchy styles by offering bands that double as bracelets or hair accessories.
Hot Picks
Product Information: Cuteberry Rhinestone Flower Hair Tie, Yes Style. Scunci No Damage Hair Ties, Walgreens. Tortoise Hair Tie, Sephora. Marc by Marc Jacobs Heart Ponytail Elastic, Bloomingdales. Three Green Hearts Leather Feather Hair Tie, Swell. Juicy Couture Multi Thin Elastic With Chain, Zappos Couture.
Your thoughts?
What do you keep in your bag?! What are the top five items that you always have with you? Do your essentials change at night? Let us know with your comments!
Marjorie, I have to disagree, a hand sanitizer CAN help prevent flu or cold and it is not a antibioticum, since it couldn’t be sold without prescription here. Usually kills bacteria, viruses and funghi.
Tampons are a definite for us girls!
I know I should keep track of my periods but I always forget, so a spare supply is a good idea.
My bag is probably the most intense. I like to make sure that I have almost everything I need with me, so I carry a medium size makeup bag stuffed with stuff that transfers easily from one bag to another and means that my purse isn’t cluttered with a bunch of loose stuff.
In it I have:
– Eye drops
– Spare contacts
– Tide to go pen (I spill a lot)
– Spare concealer
– Anti-itch pen (mainly for the summer when I’m covered in bug bites)
– A small tube of sunscreen
– Oil absorbing sheets
– Those little colgate toothbrush things
– A mini hairbrush and mirror
– Tampon
– Hand cream
– Lip balm/gloss
– Tissues
– Band-aids
– And in little individual packets with their dosage instructions on that I made from post-it notes – painkillers, pepto bismol tablets, my prescription meds, anti-diarrheal meds
Everyone always makes fun of me, but when we’re out and they need something they realize how useful all this crap is.
pretty good list though i really need to stock up on gum.
i carry loads more like band-aids(for the injury prone), lotion, floss and eye drops
This is such a great list! Aside from these things, here’s what my suggestions are:
1. A small mirror and LOTS of bobby pins.
2. Burt’s Bees lip balm (the best stuff EVER) and C.O. Bigelow mentha lip shine for when I need to look a little fancier.
3. A Tide-To-Go pen. I’m a klutz.
4. Pacifica solid perfume. This stuff smells SOOO good, is made from eco-friendly materials and is really compact and convenient. It’s a little pricey, but well worth it. I’ve had mine for about three years and it still smells amazing.
5. My iPod. Clears up awkward moments, and if you have a Touch, it’s like having a computer in your bag if your campus has WiFi.
6. A teeny bottle of anti-frizz gel. I live in Michigan (brrrr!) and my locks get super dry in the winter, lemme tell ya.
7. A cheap pair of fingerless gloves. Whether I’m driving, have to walk in the cold to class, or if my hands are just generally cold (that Michigan thing), these guys are great to have around. And they’re fingerless, so I can still text 🙂