I'd not posted for an interval of time following the "Hiroshima, Japan, June 2009" post. The last line of that post was "Also, take note that just about every adult female has some sort of baggage."
Previously I had been convinced, even in my daily life, that a handbag just gives thieves a convenient target to snatch and grab. I also felt that by carrying a minimal amount of things in my pockets, I freed myself from having to always need to watch my bag, from having to find an appropriate place in a restroom to set said bag down, from having one hand constantly on the strap, etc.
However it never occurred to me just how WEIRD it was to go around, as an adult woman, without any sort of bag, purse, or stroller. Until I started actually paying attention. And it never failed. Every woman who I could identify as not having some sort of personal baggage (who wasn't engaging in exercise) looked extremely out-of-place and awkward - the overwhelming impression was "unattractive lesbian."*
I had no idea how obviously my orientation was being proclaimed by my lack of baggage! And also the unattractive part, what was up with that! Well, it turns out that women look better when it doesn't look like they have tumors coming out of them in inappropriate areas! Imagine! So loose clothing (so as to better shove things in your pockets) and bulging pockets (so as to better carry your unbagged possessions) did things to one's attractiveness level that even makeup couldn't hide!**
So here's the situation: Adding a bona-fide bag to the list (the Tom Bihn Passport Pouch isn't gonna cut it) would add weight to the list that I had found "unnecessary" on previous trips. However, since I am now more conscious of not looking like a fool, it had become necessary. I haven't weighed everything on my list so far, but I'm pretty sure adding a handbag or two is gonna add in the neighborhood of 4 pounds. My actual luggage is gonna weigh 3 pounds. To go 15 pounds or lighter meant I'd only have 8 pounds left for clothes, toiletries and electronics.
Well. I accept this challenge!
*I added this star in case my statement was taken out of context and twisted into some kind of hate speech, of which it is not. I accept that the underlying reason why my brain defaulted to "lesbian" may be because I am sensitive to such perceptions. Please feel free to discuss in the comments below counter-examples if you have them.
**I don't actually wear makeup, so double whammy!
Found your link from TB tweets. I have always wanted to go minimalistic and have either a tiny bag, or no bag, but can never figure out where to put the essentials like my keys, phone and wallet plus everything else without having them as you say, look like tumors. I accepted this around the time my first child was born 8 years ago, but struggled with how to carry my things in a way that was fun, efficient, attractive, useful and not just a fashion statement. I don't wear makeup either and choose function over form almost all of the time as evidenced by my clothing and shoes.
ReplyDeleteI think TB has many nice offerings for women that are both useful from beginning to their long away end and hold aesthetic. I also think it's all in how you pull it off.
I was a purse/bag person before I had children and became a stay at home mom. The bag person didn't leave, it just morphed into diaper bags. My youngest, is 3.5 and out of diapers so my diaper bag days are long gone. Enter TB bags :)
I justified my first as a knitting bag, but soon came to see so many other useful applications.
It's actually pretty funny, doreen... I'm guessing you're talking about your Swifts... I did get one in cork around when they first came out and it just didn't match me - that, and I really wished for a zipper closure (I suppose that's almost the antithesis of a tote bag!) It has since found a happy home with my aunt. I've been using mostly the Small Cafe Bag since my realization and believe I'll be sticking with that on my trip.
ReplyDeleteFunny story - I actually have a lot of bags (SCB, MCB, LCB, Imago, Co-Pilot, Side Effect, Ego, etc.) but as I mentioned in my post I always tried to avoid carrying one. This created quite a dilemma between proudly using my TB purchases and worrying that everything would be gone once the bag was snatched!
Of course when I went on travels with my wallet in my back pocket, my relatives would implore me, "Please, just give it here so I can put it in my handbag otherwise it'll get stolen!"