By Michelle Menner
Where are all the purses? About two weeks ago, another staff reporter and I conducted some fashion field work. Our mission: to find and weigh the biggest handbags we could find. As we sat perched outside of Hoover Library
I soon realized that there aren’t too many people on campus who carry purses. If so, then what does the fashionable McDaniel student carry?
The tote bag reigns supreme on the Hill. The bag that holds everything from books to cosmetics to a meal on-the-go; there’s no limit to what these bags can hold.
However, the bag that holds everything can sometimes become more than just a practical accessory.
Often times the tote bag takes on a life of its own and can weigh as much as a small child.
From the sampling of totes from my study I was glad to find that no one was killing themselves by carrying a bag that weighed 30 pounds.
When senior Jessica Fawcett stopped by the impromptu fashion investigation she revealed the contents of her 11-pound Vera Bradley straw tote: a brush, an orange, a spoon, hand sanitizer, her school books, and so much more.
As I watched her go through her bag I wondered what she was going to pull out next: maybe an entire place setting?
Senior Melakee Baker showed off her lime green handled BAGedge brand tote. Also weighing in at 11 pounds, Baker’s bag was packed with almost a complete change of clothes.
Upon closer inspection her CD player was tucked neatly into the tote’s outside pocket.
With a more minimalist approach there was Kara Constantine, a sophomore. Her Target brand tote weighed 3.5 pounds and held only her keys, cell phone, and McDaniel planner.
This piece was inspired by the article “Is Your Handbag Killing You” by Karen Stabiner from the October issue of O, The Oprah Magazine.
A futher exploration on behalf of the kind folks at the writing center:
Laura Davis ’09 – purse contents “most days”: cell phone, a pen “because people always ask for one,” an iPod, wallet, car keys, school keys, camera, sunglasses, mirror, small hair brush with hair ties, lip gloss, gum, tampons, birth control pills, and sunglasses.
Rori Rockman, Dec. ’07 –contents “most days”: a water bottle, Kleenex, senior sem book, a billion different pens, three different types of gum, mints, Soft Lips and chapstick, “gourmet” lollipops, lip gloss, flash drive, hand sanitizer, keys, cell phone, hair tie, and stuffed wallet.
MJ Alexander ’09 – MJ carries a free canvas bag that her mom got from a benefit. Contents most days: a Fendi wallet (filled with all cards, family photos, cash), a planner “my life – it has all,” a key chain which has a whistle and pocket knife, a cherry chocolate cell phone, a minimum of five different pens, a highlighter, three tampons “that I have to change because the wrapper opens and that is not hygienic,” and throat lozenges.
Stacey Baugher ’09 – purse contents on Thursday, Oct. 4: wallet, Germ-X, Kleenex, Tic Tacs, gum, her grandmother’s (Mary Baker’s) house keys, her keys, cell phone, some sort of makeup (cover up), student ID, bank envelope with money, checkbook, pen, highlighter, and a hair clip on the strap because “it always comes in handy.”