B-log

(from my archives)

I recently accompanied my wife purse shopping. 

I had no idea there was so much for me to learn.

A sampling:

• straw purses are for summer.
• canvas purses are for summer.
• its too late to buy for summer.
• little purses aren’t practical.
• big purses are practical.
• practical purses look frumpy.
• if a designer ever successfully reconciles the practical/frumpy conundrum, a Nobel Peace Prize is certainly the reward. 
• the purse must look good on your shoulder.
• it must be easily slung atop the shoulder.
• it must not be too long.
• it must not fall from the shoulder.
• it cannot be too heavy.
• it cannot be too light.
• it must match everything in your wardrobe.
• blue is not the next black (whatever that means)
• black, apparently, is the next black.
• a purse can appear perfect, yet once filled be completely wrong.
• it is not only acceptable, but encouraged to solicit the opinions of total strangers on your purse purchase (if the total stranger is another female purse-shopper, and not a worn-out man sitting in the store’s complimentary husband chair).
• purses on clearance only are so because they are hideously out of season.
• drawstring, zipper, velcro, and magnets are all closure options for the purse. 
• all closure options are not equally appealing nor effective.
• my observation that i’ve had the same wallet for going on a decade was not appealing nor effective as a purse shopping closure option.