Show Us Your Purse

■ Who? Cris Crotz, Miss Nevada 2010

■ Location: Fashion Show mall

■ Handbag: BCBG shoulder bag

■ Are handbags status symbols? Having worked in the fashion industry, I really understand quality and the value of investing in a bag that can last a lifetime. Often times the bags and designers that boast the highest "status" for the carrier are also the highest quality. I say invest wisely. If the bag you carry functions for your life and personal style, you'll feel like a high status celebrity no matter what you carry. Attitude, ladies!

■ What does this bag say about you? For me this bag says I'm fashion-forward but I also have a full and busy life to tote around.

■ If someone found your bag and looked inside, what would they think of you? They would think I'm a very healthy woman on the go.

■ What's the most important item you've carried in your bag? Cancer prevention. As Miss Nevada I have dedicated myself to cancer prevention through nutrition, so I always carry healthy, cancer-fighting snacks with me.

■ What's the strangest item you've carried in your bag? Snails. For some reason I have loved snails ever since I was a child. So, after it would rain, I would gather them off the sidewalk and transport them back to the grass in my purse so they wouldn't be stepped on.

■ Tell us about the first special bag you owned. Ever the fashionista, even at 5, I picked out a neon lime-green stuffed animal teddy bear backpack/purse. I was a real trendsetter with that bag.

■ Knockoffs: Love 'em or hate 'em? Hate them. For me it's about integrity and respect for the designer. When a designer creates something, it is their own work of art. In my opinion, knocking off any form of fashion design is the same as knocking off a DaVinci painting.

■ Image is ... empowering. I truly believe fashion choices enhance ones sense of self and can be your introduction before you even open your mouth.

■ What's in your bag? Sony digital camera, Tide To Go instant stain remover pen, Silk chocolate soy milk (it tastes like a naughty treat but is packed with protein and other nutrients), Artistry Cosmetics light-up lip gloss in champagne (it's amazing when you're on the go), oinking pig flashlight key chain (not only does it make me laugh, but it helps me locate the items that get lost in the bottom abyss of my purse!), Nutrilite Endurance Gummy Cubes (they keep me fueled for long busy days).