Handbags & Your Personality Type

How to Tell a Woman by the Contents of Her Purse

Mar 5, 2008 Gill Hart

You can tell a lot about a woman by the contents of her handbag. What you carry in your purse says a great deal about you and your character.

According to the Uk's Daily Mail, today’s women are carrying more and more in their handbags. This in turn has increased the average weight of a woman’s purse to around 2.5 kilos (5.2lbs), when the ideal weight, according to the Mail’s article “How Heavy is Your Handbag” of 3 January 2008, is no more than 1 kilo or 2.2lb.

We live in an age where the designer supersized (or oversized) bag rules. Bigger bags mean an increased opportunity for more clutter. Typically, reveals the Mail, many women carry everything from their phone, keys, cosmetics and beauty products to sweets, snacks, medications, shoes, gym kit and magazines. Not to mention an Ipod, Blackberry, camera or notebook.

Is your handbag overflowing and a bottomless pit of random clutter or are the contents well organized, practical and minimalist?

Your Handbag Contents and You

Kathryn Eisman, author of "How to Tell a Woman by Her Handbag" spent two years conducting research into what women carry in their bags. Her books lists 40 different personality types based on her analysis but she has categorized then into four main archetypes. These are:

Minimal

• These women are the envy of others. Any woman who can make do with a small bag carrying only their necessities – wallet, keys, phone and glasses – has mastered the art of organization and never has to wade through a pile of sweet wrappers or old receipts to find their mobile phone.

Prepared

• Not quite as clutter free, but still practical and focused, this woman is extremely well-organized and carries items which are sensible and practical. She likes to be prepared for every eventuality. Be it tissues or toothbrush, hair accessories or phone charger, every item in this bag has a purpose. Women who fit into this category very rarely swap bags, according to Eisman, and are likely to choose neutral colors and classic cuts which will never go out of style.

Creative

• According to Eisman’s research the “creative” woman has a free spirit and “tends to rebel against conformity.” Their bag is most likely to be a treasure trove or a bottomless pit. However, the contents are still relatively organized – full but functional, even though it may appear chaotic to the casual observer. Household bills, medicines, food wrappers and other assortments of random items can be found lurking at the bottom of this purse. The Creative spirit likes handbags in bright colors, showing others that she is fun and approachable, says Eisman.

Expressive

• The Florence Nightingale of personality types when it comes to the contents of their handbags. These women are caring and sensitive and carry a multitude of items which are useful to others. Medicines, band aids, mints, chewing gum, perfume, tissues, safety pins and other practical items. Expressive personalities also tend to carry sentimental trinkets, photos of loved ones and a book or magazine which they can lose themselves in. Often appearing shy, don’t be fooled by this woman’s exterior, according to Eisman, there is a wild side just waiting to be unleashed!

Your Handbag Style and You

Not only do the contents of our purses reveal our purse-onalities but the handbag styles we choose tell a lot about us too. From a classic style or a designer “it” bag to a clutch purse or an oversized tote, in her book, Kathryn Eisman says that your chosen style says a lot about the kind of person you are.

Colors and Your Personality

Not only can the style of handbag give away your personality type but your color choice is also an indication. According to Eisman, women who go for bright colors tend to be fun loving, friendly and approachable. These are women who will happily strike up a conversation with a stranger, in an elevator or a train compartment.

Choosing neutral, classic colors such as black and brown means that the owner may be more reserved and appear less approachable. Sometimes coming across as shy, these women are confident and are often down-to-earth.

However, it pays to remember that although the contents, style and color of your handbag may say a lot about you as a person, you should still accessorize your handbag with your outfit and body type. A purse can be used to play up or down your ensemble or create your own sense of style. A brightly colored, funky handbag does wonders for making you appear right on-trend and spices up classic wardrobe pieces such as the eternal little black dress or a crisp white shirt.

The copyright of the article Handbags & Your Personality Type in Shoes & Accessories is owned by Gill Hart. Permission to republish Handbags & Your Personality Type in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

Contents Tell a Lot About Your Personality