Show Us Your Purse

■ Who? Taylor Makakoa, onstage assistant for Terry Fator Ventriloquism in Concert at The Mirage

■ Location: Dressing room at Terry Fator Theatre

■ Handbag: Coach oversized tote bag

■ Are handbags status symbols? I don't like to think of handbags as status symbols. I don't think a purse necessarily reflects your status in life. I don't have Coach handbags to impress anyone. I like them for the high quality and sleek designs.

■ What does this bag say about you? I would like to think it says simple and efficient. It serves a purpose and looks good, too.

■ If someone found your bag and looked inside, what would they think of you? That's when they would change their mind from efficient to "Wow, I can't believe she fits all of that into her purse!" I'm currently studying nutrition so I'm very busy between work and school that people would probably be shocked at how many items I truly keep in there. My purse probably weighs 10 pounds on an average day.

■ What's the most important item you've carried in your bag? Besides the basic essentials, MiFi is definitely the most important item. It allows me to work from wherever I am by giving me Internet access. I am constantly traveling or on the road, so I need to be able to complete assignments or answer e-mails while I'm traveling.

■ What's the strangest item you've carried in your bag? Pepper spray. I don't know if that is normal. I've carried it for years. I have never had to use it, but I keep it just in case. I took Tae Kwon Do for years and Wing Chun, so I don't know if I absolutely need it but maybe it's equivalent to "pirin" tablets (from the movie "The Birdcage") -- makes me feel better.

■ Tell us about the first special bag you owned. It was actually a really loud pink Coach bag. It was fairly recently and it was my first designer bag. I was so against buying designer because of the cost, but this one was a gift which made it even more special. That's the time I fell in love with Coach because I recognized the importance of having a good quality purse. I have only purchased Coach bags since.

■ Knockoffs: Love 'em or hate 'em? I hate them. They aren't just cheap, they are federal contraband. Most of the proceeds from purchasing knockoffs support illegal activity so I would never buy a knockoff. It may not be illegal to purchase knockoff bags but it is illegal to sell them, and for good reason.

■ Image is ... nothing more than a facade.

■ What's in your bag? A Tahitian hair pick (It's pretty and I absolutely need it), my Nintendo DS (Gives me an escape from homework), a Verizon MiFi (Gives me Internet access wherever I am), a flip camera (I'm out promoting the show at cool events and meeting great people. I love to record all the events and the flip is so small and it plugs directly into my laptop), the book, "Road to Serfdom," a cloth scented flower (To remind me of Hawaii).