I found this Rebecca Minkoff tote at Nordstrom Rack and just had to have it! It’s big enough to carry all my stuff, but it doesn’t feel like a piece of luggage.

Check out my list of handbag essentials:

A Good Book/Magazine–You never know when you’ll have extra time in a waiting room or get bored on the bus.

A Small Notebook & Pen–It’s so handy to be able to pull out pen and paper when an important thought comes to mind that you don’t want to forget!

Wallet–DUH.

Sunglasses–Good for both outdoors and indoors when trying to see in sunlight or look put together after a rough night’s sleep.

A Piece of Jewelry–Spur of the moment dinner plans might cause for a little something extra.

Small Makeup Bag–Perfect for concealing a hairbrush, pressed powder, hair tie, argan oil, lipstick, tweezers, and perfume (all quite necessary, I swear).