Show Us Your Purse
■ Who? Jan Scarborough, principal of The Idea Factory
■ Location: The Idea Factory in Summerlin
■ Handbag: Coach tote bag
■ Are handbags status symbols? Yes. Don't get between me and my bag! It holds my wallet, cell phone, lip gloss and the rest of the stuff I need to survive. To be honest, I can wear old jeans, a ratty T-shirt and if I have a designer bag, everyone notices it.
■ What does this bag say about you? It says that I enjoy and acknowledge things of quality that have longevity. And it's no surprise that I would feel that way because, as a small-business owner, I'm here for the long haul. I'm invested in this community. I need this to be a good place to live. Like my marriage. We've been together nearly 20 years and we're not going anywhere.
■ If someone found your bag and looked inside, what would they think of you? They would think that I'm connected and maybe that I'm tidy and organized.
■ What's the most important item you've carried in your bag? My kids' pictures. Nothing I ever do will be more important than that.
■ What's the strangest item you've carried in your bag? Another purse.
■ Tell us about the first special bag you owned. An old friend bought me a limited edition Louis Vuitton bag. It's so beautiful: pink and white and just yummy. She shouldn't have done it but I'm sure glad that she did.
■ Knockoffs: Love 'em or hate 'em? Hate 'em. There are great handbags in every price range. I don't think you should try to be something that you're not. And who needs the worry about someone calling you on your knockoff.
■ Image is ... an odd thing in this town. It's really sort of faux. It's everything and it's nothing. It's everything to a client but it's nothing to your family and friends. So, in the end, what does it really matter?
■ What's in your bag? Wallet, stickers, colored markers (my signature writing tool), sticky notes, iPad, digital camera
