How do you girls feel about purses?

[AimeeCD]

I can't believe myself; I bid on and won the cutest Brighton purse on eBay. I just had to have it. It's a small purse I can slip over my shoulder and I'm sure women would probably notice if I were in guy mode, but I just don't care. It is darling and I can't wait to wear it. Do any of you enjoy cute purses as well? Now, what do I put in it:)?

[Contessa]

Aimee

Put in it everything you need and everything else that you can fit in it. You'll wonder why you haven't had one all your life. They are so practical. Men need them too they just don't know it yet. I love purses. Enjoy!

Contessa Marie

[5150 Girl]

Aimee

Put in it everything you need and everything else that you can fit in it. You'll wonder why you haven't had one all your life. They are so practical. Men need them too they just don't know it yet. I love purses. Enjoy!

Contessa Marie

I can't imagine how I ever got along without one... Kinda like the day you bought your first pickup tuck... you never knew just how much you needed one untill you had it. I carry my purse no matter how I'm presenting.

[ArleneRaquel]

Having a purse is a necessary evil, that's really not an evil. I have so much to lug around, and I love shopping for purses of all types.

[barbie lanai]

5150 Girl's comment seems right. I have a pickup, and seems like it is always needed for something.

For drab mode I'm starting with more of a station wagon.

Yesterday I bought a new camera bag from Walmart. I've gotten tried of being jealous about women's purses, but the "guy" in me says no way in drab to carry a purse. But I have no problem carrying a camera bag.

So my plan is: the new bag is my stealth purse. The 8" long woman's billfold I've been carrying for 4-6 months, with 1/3-1/2 of it sticking out of my pants pocket now is in the bag. Its a tight fit, but goes in when everything else in the bag is lined up right. Along with the billfold, is stuff I could carry in cargo pants, but just no room for them in my women's jeans.

The bag says SONY on the flap. So in addition today ordered a little Sony point and shoot digital camera for the bag from Amazon. A silver one, even though they make a pink version. So I can show that it really is a camera bag. Who knows maybe in time I'll get brave enough to switch to one of my real purses.

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Sony-LCSX20/13920285

http://www.amazon.com/Sony-Cyber-Shot-DSC-W510-Wide-Angle-2-7-inch/dp/B004H8FNOE/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1328826354&sr=8-2

[Sammy777]

You might want to check out this recent thread in the "Clothing, Accessories & Shopping Talk" section : http://www.crossdressers.com/forums/showthread.php?168646 (http://www.crossdressers.com/forums/showthread.php?168646)

[PretzelGirl]

5150 Girl's comment seems right. I have a pickup, and seems like it is always needed for something.

My brother-in-law has a pickup and I agree. I always need it for something. The plight of owning a truck is that everyone you know is moving. But I can't seem to get him to carry a purse. :heehee:

[Beth Mays]

I found the cure for the "move'n truck" dilemma.. I have 2 pickups, one is a F-250 4-door long bed V-10 (red) that is my baby.. the 2nd and the "LOANER" is a 1973 Ford, long bed, black/white top I call it the "pole cat"... If someone wants "borrow" my truck to move their crap... take a wild guess what they get to drive!

Actually 95% of my friends have their own pickups... I do live in Tennessee y'all know.


WAIT!!! .... and only one purse? something wrong with this picture!
Beth

[morgan51]

I use a purse every day Love it. I do own more than 1 but my spare needs some repair lost a strap attachment. Carry an Ameribag type everywhere no problems. Ive more than a couple pickups yes that's my truck no I won't help you move!

[Jennifer in CO]

I have to say - when I transistioned back in the mid 80's the one aspect of "going male" again was loosing the purse. For months after I'd go somewhere and do something then my mind would freak "WHERES YOUR PURSE!!" immediately followed by...oh yeah...I'm not carrying one... I finally surrendered and picked up a nice clutch as after 5 years of not sitting on a lump I just couldn't do it.

Jenn

[jillleanne]

I have many purses and what drives me crazy is each time I get a new one, it's only ever available in the one color. So you find one you like, but it doesn't match the outfit so off looking for another one that does. Do you know how hard it is to find a purse with a long shoulder strap that zips closed? grrrrrrr!

[linda allen]

If you observe women, they usually carry a purse when out. Put on a blouse and skirt and you'll see why. No place to carry anything, not even your house or car key.

When I go out, I take a purse and use it to carry what I need. Phone, wallet, keys, sunglasses, etc.

[Jackiefl]

I am a sucker for purses and diesel dually's nuf said!

[rachaelsloane]

Amiee,
I never needed a purse until I started going out, now I have many, but the last one I bought was my most decadent purchase, a Louis Vuitton mini bag. Like you, it was soo cute.
Rachael

[Leyna]

I love purses, but have the hardest time with them. Why? Because my shoulders are too narrow and they won't stay put! I always have to keep a hand on the strap. I'd say I just have girl shoulders, but GGs don't seem to have any problem. :/

[Cheryl T]

A purse is a must. Where would I carry all my cosmetics and my wallet if I didn't have a purse?
Besides, my wife and I share many of them.
She even bought one for me for Christmas and when I asked why she would spend so much on a purse for me she told me that she wouldn't spend it on herself, but she thought I was worth it...and besides, then she could borrow it....

[lipstickcd]

I love carrying a purse. I love pink so I just bought a new small pink purse with cute flowers on it. Got it a Walmart for 9.99 and it holds my favorite cosmetics that I wear regularly.

[Leeiah]

I soooo need to get one.

[Daphne Renee]

I would carry a purse in drab if I thought I could get away with it. Guys dont carry purses but we put everything in our pockets which is even worse..

[Jilmac]

A purse is essential to any good outfit and no self respecting girl would be without a cute one to match her cutest outfit. I have a collection of purses to fit all occasions, some so big I can fit a truck into them, and others small enough for only a handkerchief, lipstick, and perfume.

[JessHaust]

In Texas we have a law requiring everyone to own a pickup, but not healthcare. Now if we could just get a law requiring everyone to carry a purse! BTW I have a small really pretty one I use en femme, but I'm starting to understand wny my wife and daughters have the big ones, I really can't get everything I need in mine!

[sometimes_miss]

I love purses, but have the hardest time with them. Why? Because my shoulders are too narrow and they won't stay put! I always have to keep a hand on the strap. I'd say I just have girl shoulders, but GGs don't seem to have any problem. :/

From $10 to $500 and up, ebay has lots of 'cross body' purses. Tignanello makes some nice compact versions, also try Entice messenger bag. With shoulder straps and narrow configuration, you can have it ride at hip or slightly above, and they stay on your (opposite) shoulder. Every color, plastic, cloth, and leather. 'Cross body purse' gives you 17,000 hits. Plenty to choose from.

[5150 Girl]

I think this thread is beeing hijacked by pick up tucks! But then again, the purse is the pick up of the acessory world ;)
Waht I wanna know is, why are most of the purses out there short handles? I like a long strap to sling it over the sholder.

[Jenniferathome]

I always have a purse when i am out. Never in the history of time have you seen a woman out without one. It is a critical as shoes

[Beverley Sims]

I carried a purse in drab mode all around the US, UK, and Europe.
It was a long handled, brown, soft leathery purse I bought from Target in Seattle.
People looked until I pulled one of the cameras out.
Being flat I could pack it in my small suitcase no worries.
It is better than a camera bag. Has more pockets and is very soft.

[soulsister GG]

I love purses, but have the hardest time with them. Why? Because my shoulders are too narrow and they won't stay put! I always have to keep a hand on the strap. I'd say I just have girl shoulders, but GGs don't seem to have any problem. :/

Oh we so have the same problem. That is why they make the short handle ones. lol For all us girls who can't keep them on our shoulders. :)

[karanne]

And what do we use on a daily basis? I tend to have one black leather purse for work, which goes with most of my skirted suits and dresses and is generally locked in a desk drawer. For casual (ie: denim clothing like skirts and jeans) I generally have a large canvas messenger bag. However, both bags have pretty much identical contents. To change I simply move phone, wallet, keys and gun from one to another. (I don't go out partying much.) I'm not married anymore or seeing anyone, so I don't go out to bars - having worked in law enforcement I'm well aware of DWI statutes.

[jilliannichols]

LOVE purses!Have too many but becoming more selective.Been researching those with built-in provision for carrying a concealed firearm.Anyone have experience with such?
Straps?Found some convertible strap satchels on sale at Penneys around the holidays-leather and not expensive.

[Prissy Linda]

I LOVE LOVE LOVE purses, I feel lost without my purse. It just feels so right having my purse with me.

[ArleneRaquel]

I wish that I could carry a clutch purse more often. But I just carry so many things that I can rarely use one. My spare eyewear alone takes up so much space and a girl always has to carry lipstick, doesn't she ? :heehee:

[Christie ann]

I carry a "wallet on a string" purse all the time everywhere. Something like http://sherpani.com/sherpani-zoe.aspx but not as cute.

[Eryn]

I have 2 pickups, one is a F-250 4-door long bed V-10 (red) that is my baby.. the 2nd and the "LOANER" is a 1973 Ford, long bed, black/white top I call it the "pole cat"... If someone wants "borrow" my truck to move their crap... take a wild guess what they get to drive!

In ranch life those are referred to as the "work truck" and the "go to town truck!" After a few years a new "go to town truck" is purchased, the "go to town truck" becomes the "work truck" and the old work truck is set to moulder behind the barn.

I can't get along without a purse in either mode these days. I used to carry a large canvas briefcase in male mode but found that it was always filling up with random junk and paperwork that I never cleaned out. I replaced it with a Timbuk2 "Click" purse that holds my (femme) wallet, camera, keys, USB drives, Leatherman, makeup bag, and coin purse. It has additional room for a fat paperback if I need it, but not so much room as to make it a black hole. It has a shoulder strap that can also be worn cross-body when I want to do something more active.

En femme I have a few bags that I choose from. There's a large pink leather bag that is handy while shopping, a print bag that will be my normal bag for spring, and a smaller black bag for dressy occasions. My wife and I also share bags from her collection when we need something to match our outfits. Having a selection is really part of the fun of putting an outfit together.

[Sandra1746]

Hi,
I started carrying a purse about a year ago using the excuse that it would be needed for passport, documents, etc for a trip we were planning to Canada. The trip was planned for September and I bought the purse in early summer so my wife probably saw through the 'excuse'.

I now carry one all the time, either a leather shoulder bag by 'thesak' or a nylon one. My newest one is a 'travel bag' by Wenger- a Swiss Army purse!

As many have noted they are very practical and nobody has ever remarked on it. I used to carry a briefcase large enough for a small library every day and I used it for the accessories that are now in my purse.

Additionally, an article in the NY Times yesterday noted that sales of men's fashion accessories were taking off and among the really popular items were purses (the GMs call them 'holdalls'). Who would have guessed we are on the leading edge of a fashion wave.

Love,
Sandra

[Elana]

I love going out with a purse. Adds to the femininity, and i can take a lot more things with me in them. I usually go for the casual purses from target and walmart.

[danielletorresani]

When I was bold enough to walk around in public for the first time, I went through a casino on halloween. I took a purse which had emergency man clothes, just in case. Flip flops, t-shirt and some shorts. Now that I think of it, what the hell was the point of that? Let's say that for some weird reason I had to rush in a bathroom and change. What would I have done with the purse? Funny enough, this didn't hit me until I was typing this out. Goes to show what the irrational fear of getting caught can do, I guess.

[Jess Marie]

I got my first purse recently and I love it. I never knew the convenience of one. I told my SO one time after she started just pulling massive amounts of stuff from hers, that I want a sachel or something that I can put stuff in. I drink like 3 gallons of water today but I hate carrying water around the mall and stuff, so it would be perfect.

[JiveTurkeyOnRye]

I've got a small black canvas cross body purse that has a pocket on the front that almost looks like a men's jeans pocket, I carry that a lot, even in boy mode, although boy mode for me often still includes skirts, but, I find it useful to centralize my stuff, rather than dig through pants and coat pockets. I recently bought a green one that is similar in fabric but is slightly more "women's purse" looking. but I still think works as a men's bag in boy mode. Sometimes I just carry my courier bag though as I often have a notebook and my kindle with me.

[KimmyMartin2u]

Without a purse, where would I put my wallet?

[marny]

What a terrific sales person. I have gone to my home centre dressed many times. They don't even blink.

[KimberlyJean]

At first I wasn't on board with the purse but all women have one so I thought if I want to blend I will need one. I bought a black shopper from Kohls and started putting stuff in it and carrying it around to get used to it. Now that I have been using it for a while (girl mode only) I don't know how I've gotten along my whole life without one. I hate having things in my pockets and you have to take only the essentials when you are using pockets, with the purse it is win/win, I can take what I think I will need and there is nothing in my pockets!

Shoulder pads help keep the purse on your shoulder and help balance big traps.

[EjayeCD]

I have a Coach Morgan bag & carry it in male mode too.

[kimdl93]

Between my wife and I we share seven purses of various shapes, sizes and colors.

[SANDRA MICHELLE]

I have never been a big time fan of purses, I have two and that is enough pretty much for all my excursions. I bought them both while out with my wife and she uses one of them more than I do. We bought matching purses in different colors so we could switch off as needed. She has probably 20 purses so why should I spend any money on them when I can borrow one of hers if needed, LOL!!!!

[Elle1946]

I don't carry one most of the time but with all of the normal things that a person carries a purse would be handy, even in the guy mode.

[Sarah V]

I am o.k. with them and I normally take one (more or less a "handbag" really) when I go out dressed. I keep a hairbrush, small sub bags each for cosmetics and personal hygine stuff, and a seperate ID/money purse within it.

Lately, I have been thinking about getting a "man-purse" for helping me organize when running around town doing chores on the weekend. I have soo much small item "man crap" I usually need carry with me or have readily available to me e.g.; wallet, key's, personnel cell phone, work BlackBerry phone, checkbook, part-time work two-way radio (sometimes), and (sometimes) something else we are no longer allowed to talk about on this site. Might just come in handy and be what I need to be better organized. Can any of the other sisters out there let me know what experiences they have had if they use a "man-purse" regularly, and what type would be a good one to buy. I have seen a few over the shoulder ones that I like. Thanks.

[jeanine38]

I carry a "wallet on a string" purse all the time everywhere. Something like http://sherpani.com/sherpani-zoe.aspx but not as cute.

Sherpani's bags are so cute! I carry the Milli purse.

And I agree, once I starting carrying a purse even en drab, I don't know how I got along without them. They are great!

[NatalieGirl]

I always carry a leather clutch, even when in drab. I found when I was out dressed it was so much more comfortable to not have anything in pockets.

I have one shoulder purse but rarely use it. I have a dressier clutch for nights out enfemme and a pretty leather briefcase that I often carry en drab or en femme.

[ronda]

i have one it looks like a small triangle bag pack cute little bugger

[HannahF6]

I always carry a purse if I'm in femme mode, it is just part of the scenery. Without one I'd stick out like a sore thumb, I want to blend in as a woman if I possibly can.

Hannah

[ArleneRaquel]

I usually carry a clutch purse.

[Antoinette]

I never liked carrying bags but for some reason a purse just feels right. Almost anything can fit in there and won't weigh me down. They've become another accessory to me rather than dead weight.

[BLUE ORCHID]

Hi Aimee, Don't leave home without it.

[Jodi]

the bag is part of the outfit. The right bag can make an outfit. The wrong bag can totally break a great outfit.

Jodi

[daarleane]

Been carrying one for years, started when I needed to carry necessary medical supplies. Still get questions and comments about it since I carry it everywhere I go.