Let Me Be Completely Transparent

I make no claims about being a neat and tidy person. As much as I would love to be a minimalist Marie Kondo worshipper with clear countertops and an organized closet, I just don't have the time and energy to be about that life. I'm not messy, but I'm a Taurus so I have a lot of things and I like it that way.

My purses are an extension of this way of living—never overflowing with random trinkets, but filled with their share of mile-long Rite Aid receipts and old lipsticks that I haven't work in ages. And yes, throwing these items out would take minimal effort, but I usually just don't care enough to worry about it.

But for the right accessory, these viewpoints can change. Enter: the Staud Shirley Tote, an adorable purse came in such a gorgeous shade of pink that I just had to add it to my holiday wish list.

The transparent outer shape was a bit intimidating at first (am I really the type of person who can handle this responsibility?) but I realized it was the perfect gateway into the world of clear purses, since it features a removable pink pouch for me to hide all my more sensitive belongings (in other words, I don't care how cool the purse is, I'm just not the kind of person who can have tampons on display in my clear purse—even if said tampons have cute packaging).

The clear purse trend has almost become a challenge in this regard; are you brave enough to show off the contents of your bag to the world? Can you even edit your belongings enough to look like a simple, curatorial individual instead of a hoarder?

The beauty of a purse is the ability to keep objects, no matter how mundane or shocking, close to us and known only to us. The clear purse removes that air of mystery, and that can be very frightening.

On the other hand, the clear purse allows for all the contents within your purse to become accessories themselves. Keys, sunglasses, lipstick tubes, wallets, and more are fully on display now, instead of simply when they are utilized. I for one love this benefit, because so often I feel the gorgeous packaging of my go-to Origins lipstick, for example, goes unseen by everyone but me; now, all passersby can witness the small details of my personal style.

If you're completely intimidated by this trend, I understand, but I encourage you to try it out! And even if your purse doesn't come with an opaque pouch like mine does, you can always toss in a makeup pouch to obscure any items you don't want the general public to see. But test out this trend and let me know what you think!

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