Bag Lady
Kathryn Eisman's new book, "How to Tell a Woman by Her Handbag," is the natural follow-up to her previous book, "How to Tell a Man by His Shoes." As the titles imply, Eisman likes to think accessories reveal much more about people than just fashion preferences.
"People reveal themselves in details," she says, "not grand gestures or who we say we are."
The style and culture writer from Australia spent two and a half years researching women's handbags to determine pros and cons of the women who carry 39 different handbags. They include the nylon Prada bag, Le Sportsac, gym bag, Hello Kitty bag, Dior saddlebag, corporate briefcase, diaper bag and several more.
Every purse's owner is subject to Eisman's dissection. For instance, the Quilted Chanel Lady "oozes class" and will "fix herself a hot cup of English breakfast tea after she's had some even hotter sex ... with the spunky gardener." On the other end of the purse spectrum, the Hemp Sack Lady "hasn't a spiteful bone in her calcium-depleted body" and she "saves the 'save the forest' mantra for her armpits."
Eisman also appoints a celebrity as the official representative for many of the bags. Roseanne Barr is the Fanny Pack Lady; Nicole Richie is the Fendi Spy Bag Lady; Jennifer Lopez is the Logo Luggage Lady and Reese Witherspoon and Jennifer Garner are the Canvas Tote Ladies.
One of the key bags she says influences a woman's personality is the studded bag. The woman who carries this bag is often rebelling against society, the rules, even herself. The Fendi baguette also speaks volumes about the woman carrying it. It happens to also be the purse Eisman most identifies with. "For all the little girls out there, it's nice to know that Barbie is alive and well," Eisman writes of the baguette. But its shape "doesn't leave much room for depth."
So, which men from her previous book would Eisman pair with the women of this book? She sees the Hermes Kelly Bag Lady matching up well with a man who wears loafers to form a power couple. The Juicy Couture Lady, being young and playful, would seek out a man who fancies street trainer shoes.
All in all, Eisman expects readers to take the book lightly. Will every description precisely pinpoint the personality of the woman who wears the bag? Probably not. "It's meant to be fun, and it's based on my beliefs," she says.
Purse Talk
We hit Eisman with some of the questions we've been asking Las Vegas women for years in our "Show Us Your Purse" feature. Here's what she had to say.
Are handbags status symbols? Absolutely. They are without a doubt the female equivalent of a man's car.
What's the most important item you've carried in your bag? Women carry their most precious things in their bag. All our secrets go in our bag. For me, it would be plane tickets. Without them, my journey to America would've never happened.
What's the strangest item you've carried in your bag? Lots of shoes. I worked as a news reporter, and often my day would start at 4 a.m. and finish at 1 a.m. Each event I covered required different shoes, and in between, I'd need flats.
Tell us about the first special bag you owned. It was a gift for my 18th birthday from my boyfriend: a Gucci handle bag. It was black leather with a red handle and came beautifully wrapped. I still carry it.
Knockoffs: Love 'em or hate 'em? Hate them, but not entirely. If you can buy one good one, it's a much better value, but I've had (knockoffs) before.
