What's in a bag?

One of my mini obsessions is wondering what people keep in their bags.

Apparently I'm not the only one.

"US Weekly" has a new recurring page where a celebrity such as Jewel or Lauren Conrad dumps out the contents of their designer bags and describes what's inside.

Atlanta-based photographer Jason Travis (also known as J Trav) has a cool photo series called "Persona" where he snaps pictures of people along with the contents of their bags. You can check it out at www.jtrav.net and click on "Persona" in the sidebar.

So, for all those readers out there with the same obsession, I'm going to empty the contents of my purse and share what's inside.

1. The purse: I bought this several years ago at B'zar. I love the opposites-attract aspect of it, the preppy seersucker that's perfect for

Charleston summers and the embroidered skull motif that toughens it up a little.

2. Bottega Veneta wallet: To date, this is my greatest find on eBay. I'm a huge fan of the supple woven leather that's a signature of the luxury brand. When my beloved Prada wallet finally gave up the ghost a few years ago, I spent two years searching for the perfect replacement.

3. Aviators by Ray-Ban: I've had the same pair for more than 10 years, and I still wear them all the time. I'm also constantly losing them: at the bank, Five Guys, Barnes & Noble. I'm totally convinced that this time they're gone for good. But so far, they've always turned up.

4. Rosebud Strawberry Lip Balm: I don't go anywhere without lip balm. This is my current favorite.

5. Nook e-reader: While waiting for my lunch order, I can download the latest bestseller by Stieg Larsson, Google something from its web browser, listen to some tunes I uploaded and receive "Eat Pray Love" from a friend in a matter of seconds. Genius.

6. Sally Hansen nail polish: My all-time favorite nail polish was "Milk Punch" by Delux. It was the perfect sheer white that looked equally amazing on winter-pale skin as it did with a tan. I say "was" because it's no longer available. I've now found "Sheer Me Now" by Sally Hansen, which does basically the same thing.

7. Instant Mattification by Bliss: This tube is part of my summer arsenal because there's a big difference between dewy and oil slick.

8. Le Pen pens: Another of my mini obsessions is finding the perfect pen. I'm not above swiping a pen at work if I like the way it writes. I've been using these for years. They come in 18 colors, and you can find them at the College of Charleston bookstore.