<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">As a resurgence in trends continues to rise, bringing trending clothes and hot topics back from a variety of decades, the past couple of years, we have seen a rise of early 2000s magazine-style content in media lately. On fashion blogs, Youtube, and Tik Tok, fashion influencers and bloggers have been posting content like, “Get the Look for Less,” “How to Dress like an It Girl,” and have started replicating the layouts and graphics from the teen magazines we used to beg our parents to get us everytime we went to a pharmacy. But one trend that has never left is “What&#8217;s in My Bag?” For decades, we have been fascinated by what is in other people&#8217;s bags. What lip glosses do they carry? How many old receipts do they have? What perfume do they wear?</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">For years, fashion magazines have been taking part in the “What’s in my Bag” fad. For example, </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Vogue</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> has a series on YouTube called </span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLHlfmUA9UkXboTP1VQSiVafeE1TywnEM8"><span style="font-weight: 400;">“In The Bag”</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, and</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> Refinery29’s </span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJEQBmLpTgd9vRsMGVkMmUHvFbe2E_kQb"><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Spill It”</span></a> <span style="font-weight: 400;">series on YouTube </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">invites all of your favorite celebrities to dump everything out of their bag and show us a small glimpse into their daily life. After Sophia Richie posted her own</span><a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@sofiarichiegrainge/video/7284039776112479530?lang=en"><span style="font-weight: 400;"> “what’s in my bag video” on TikTok</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> (featuring an EpiPen, adding to the video’s authenticity and relatability), the trend has taken off on TikTok. Now, the hashtag #WhatsInMyBag has over 3 billion views on the app alone—and so it seems the “what’s in my bag” obsession has officially been embraced by the new generation.</span></p>
<p> ;</p>
<h3><b>Why do we care what’s in our bags? </b></h3>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In an age of rapid trend cycles, and overwhelming influence of trends and fast fashion, there is a lack of individualism in the current age of fashion. Maybe that&#8217;s why we keep jumping back to previous decades to reinvent the next trend. A glimpse into your favorite celebrity&#8217;s purse establishes individualism and allows us to discover new aspects of their identity. The intricate details and miscellaneous belongings in someone&#8217;s purse tells us a story of what they typically do in a day and gives us a taste into the person&#8217;s life. I love randomly knowing that Pamela Anderson keeps a G-String in her purse in case she needs to put her hair up. Or that Ariana Grande has Ricola’s for days. Also that Iris Law keeps a collection of lollipops and Bella Hadid has a plethora of crystals on her at all times. You may also find that your favorite celebrity has some of the same niche belongings as you. These “What&#8217;s in My Bag?” videos are also a great opportunity to find your new favorite beauty product as this trend is an incredibly unique yet fascinating way to reach products to consumers. </span></p>
<p> ;</p>
<h3><b>From then to now: what was in our bags?</b></h3>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Let&#8217;s look back a couple of decades and see how this trend has evolved. A lovely vintage magazine spread from the 1940s captures a peek into the daily lives of two women, accomplishing exactly what today’s “What&#8217;s in my Bag?” craze achieves. Though completely different eras, similar items and products have continued to catch the spirit of someone&#8217;s life as told solely by the contents of their bag.</span></p>
<figure id="attachment_16210" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-16210" style="width: 359px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><img class=" wp-image-16210" src="https://tulanemagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/Screenshot-2025-05-02-at-9.14.31â¯PM.png" alt="" width="359" height="489" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-16210" class="wp-caption-text">A Young Girl and a Woman Share the Contents of Their Purse.<br />Image via <i><span style="font-weight: 400;"><a href="https://www.chronicallyvintage.com/2011/04/1945-edition-of-what-in-your-bag.html">Chronically Vintage</a></span></i></figcaption></figure>
<figure id="attachment_16212" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-16212" style="width: 325px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img class=" wp-image-16212" src="https://tulanemagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/Screenshot-2025-05-02-at-9.15.14â¯PM.png" alt="" width="325" height="483" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-16212" class="wp-caption-text">December 2011 Marie Claire issue with Kim Kardashian on the cover.<br />Image via <a href="https://in-my-purse.livejournal.com/1033935.html"><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">LiveJournal</span></i></a><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">.</span></i></figcaption></figure>
<p> ;</p>
<p> ;</p>
<p> ;</p>
<figure id="attachment_16213" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-16213" style="width: 325px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img class=" wp-image-16213" src="https://tulanemagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/Screenshot-2025-05-02-at-9.16.08â¯PM.png" alt="" width="325" height="428" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-16213" class="wp-caption-text">Early 2000s Issue on Alexa Chung for Elle Beauty<br />Image via <a href="https://www.pinterest.com/pin/914862420908301/"><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Pinterest</span></i></a></figcaption></figure>
<h3></h3>
<h3><b>TikTok “What&#8217;s in my Bag” trend</b></h3>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The resurgence of the “What&#8217;s in my Bag” trend comes from a newfound fascination with Jane Birkin bags. The recent months on TikTok have seen an immense amount of attention on how Jane Birkin wore and what she put inside her bag. Being known for carrying around her Hermés purse in the late 1980’s, later to be named the Birkin, with an overflowing amount of stuff including, letters, journals, pens, papers and papers and papers, Jane Birkin also added lucky bracelets, charms, necklaces, any keychain she felt held importance to her, and dangled it on the exterior of her purse. For some reason, all of the fashion TikTokers became obsessed with how she wore her bags in 2025. Although I personally dislike what the “Jane Birkin-ify” trend has become on TikTok, Jane Birkin gave all of us a glance into her life with her incredibly unique way of carrying her day-to-day belongings. Some of my favorite new TikTokers who have recently gone viral for their stunning and whimsical “What&#8217;s in my Bag” videos are </span><a href="https://www.tiktok.com/discover/helena-what-is-in-my-bag"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Helena</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> and </span><a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@creepygirl102/video/7472909772409310510"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Kali</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">. These creators capture a unique glimpse into their bags and their lives in their opposite aesthetic content. Many comments on their “What&#8217;s in my Bag” videos refer to the two of them as the “sun and the moon.”</span></p>
<p> ;</p>
<h3><b>Let&#8217;s take a look inside some of my favorite celebrities&#8217; bags: </b></h3>
<h4><b>Ariana Grande: </b></h4>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Watch</span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8VXAinjv_EM"><span style="font-weight: 400;"> here!</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In a hilarious and surprisingly relatable video, Ariana Grande reveals what’s in her Loewe bag in a Vogue “In the Bag” video. She carries, </span></p>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">her cell phone</span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">her fuzzy earmuffs</span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">an open bag of Ricola cough drops</span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">three different kinds of headphones</span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">a pair of sunglasses</span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">lavender essential oil</span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">a small crystal ball</span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">a selenite wand</span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">her MOD vanilla fragrance</span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">a lip gloss tester presumably from her R.E.M. brand</span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">a vegan fruit roll</span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">two vegan bars</span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">her iPad</span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">a tiny book from a fan called “Ari’s Pick Me Ups”</span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">a journal she was given to by her dad</span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">a pink marker</span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">a pink lip balm from her brand</span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">and a hair clip</span></li>
</ul>
<h4><b>Inside Pamela Anderson’s Stella McCartney Handbag</b></h4>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Watch</span><a href="https://www.vogue.co.uk/video/watch/in-the-bag-inside-pamela-andersons-stella-mccartney-handbag"><span style="font-weight: 400;"> here!</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> </span></p>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.google.com/aclk?sa=L&;ai=DChcSEwiv8bqoz_OMAxVQXX8AHRglJ3AYABAIGgJvYQ&;co=1&;ase=2&;gclid=Cj0KCQjw5azABhD1ARIsAA0WFUHkFTcBfMeDuDf0HRwYV_kGVgIEsVNxdSce_i-rUf1kKqj9DFOKkSAaAqAOEALw_wcB&;cid=CAASJeRooSQtqkPuKD27WoClAiBbmNqUMbrqia0YJ4kgJa-hymTjlXo&;cce=2&;sig=AOD64_0nGDQ6R6DiOEGAzqf3OBOA6xMfoQ&;ctype=5&;q=&;nis=4&;ved=2ahUKEwjUiraoz_OMAxUOJNAFHRlfLDAQww8oAnoECAcQDA&;adurl="><span style="font-weight: 400;">Ilia concealer</span></a></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">A fan for hot flashes</span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">CBD oil for her arthritis whenever her hands hurt</span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.kindredblack.com/collections/face/products/mesa-rose"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Kindred Black</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> “little cheek stuff that you can just put on”</span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Little brown glass bottles</span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Her scent” which she describes as a “love potion” with her “roses pressed from my garden”</span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">An amethyst love crystal, “all for good vibes”</span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Vintage sunglasses</span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">A G-string that serves as a scrunchie. </span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.google.com/aclk?sa=L&;ai=DChcSEwimusmMz_OMAxV4OtQBHbdKKvsYABAOGgJvYQ&;co=1&;gclid=Cj0KCQjw5azABhD1ARIsAA0WFUGEhmi7VWMbIHWnXXQJqBF5xuaIgBHkWkX6l84Ept0VFkn4H5soe4AaAh8WEALw_wcB&;cce=2&;sig=AOD64_1kzPVwA73SmjxI29YYpFJm48_L8Q&;ctype=5&;q=&;ved=2ahUKEwiexMOMz_OMAxVY78kDHYc_Iv4Q9aACKAB6BAgHECg&;adurl="><span style="font-weight: 400;">Dr. Hauschka lip balm</span></a></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Sunscreen </span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">One of her eyelashes</span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">A little pot of glitter</span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Altoids, but inside her Altoids box she carries </span><a href="https://www.google.com/aclk?sa=L&;ai=DChcSEwjbzf2Dz_OMAxXQMtQBHXPbMn0YABANGgJvYQ&;co=1&;gclid=Cj0KCQjw5azABhD1ARIsAA0WFUFel2Pg1zu6pz5SFukOEkkzrufGC-1Sqf0ZXZKgqJcWCtF8YgEKLWMaAl_MEALw_wcB&;ei=GroLaJaFN5PjwN4P8c7Q8QI&;cce=2&;sig=AOD64_2nAi6YSQ6ESajM29QLruGyodWdZA&;ctype=5&;q=&;sqi=2&;ved=2ahUKEwiW-vODz_OMAxWTMdAFHXEnNC4Qww8oAnoECAkQDw&;adurl="><span style="font-weight: 400;">Rescue Remedy</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> for when she&#8217;s stressed</span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">A little pad of paper</span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">A pen for writing </span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">A snack</span></li>
</ul>
<p> ;</p>
<h3><b>What&#8217;s in MY bag? </b></h3>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Macbook air </span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">iPad </span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">4 different wired headphones (two for my phone &; two for my laptop) collected </span>from various flights</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Lots of loose Muji pens (my favorite pens)</span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">One big notebook I use for all of my classes</span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">7 different lip liners and glosses (</span><a href="https://www.sephora.com/product/lip-cheat-lip-liner-P433516?country_switch=us&;lang=en&;skuId=2309409&;om_mmc=ppc-GG_17789371101___2309409__9025150_c&;country_switch=us&;lang=en&;gad_source=1&;gbraid=0AAAAADnIXb2kdqtP6b3wLHrCnEpsU-jh_&;gclid=Cj0KCQjw5azABhD1ARIsAA0WFUEV1e5WeW8xl_QltcQTxi6CprbYJjXDlGGP1FkCGrSRdEGosEZJYd4aAhGiEALw_wcB&;gclsrc=aw.ds"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Charlotte Tilbury lip liner</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> in the shade Pillowtalk</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> and </span><a href="https://www.victoriassecret.com/us/vs/beauty-catalog/5000008919?genericId=11201543&;choice=053G&;cm_mmc=PLA-_-GOOGLE-_-VSD_VS_Beauty_PMAX-_-&;gad_source=1&;gbraid=0AAAAADvRVmEnDfp0whu-QYimqIPDuna9u&;gclid=Cj0KCQjw5azABhD1ARIsAA0WFUFS4cXIrzPYSKV-y0yTziHxqewwIWZt1eFL5ISJDaynbI9rGju4aXgaAu80EALw_wcB&;gclsrc=aw.ds"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Victoria&#8217;s Secret lip gloss</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> in the shade Dazzling are my all-time favorites)</span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Face powder and a powder brush (</span><a href="https://www.sephora.com/product/airbrush-flawless-finish-setting-powder-P433526?country_switch=us&;lang=en&;skuId=2606085&;om_mmc=ppc-GG_17789371101___2606085__9025150_c&;country_switch=us&;lang=en&;gad_source=1&;gbraid=0AAAAADnIXb2kdqtP6b3wLHrCnEpsU-jh_&;gclid=Cj0KCQjw5azABhD1ARIsAA0WFUF-plRE3C0hN7ljKSezPxwOMWqp7DCaa1jGEOt6e-gnLM4fsqZSAL8aAhcBEALw_wcB&;gclsrc=aw.ds"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Charlotte Tilbury flawless finish powder</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> is also my favorite for powder)</span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Sunglasses I got on the side of the street in Santorini</span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Miscellaneous photo booth pics from nights out with my friends</span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Icebreaker mints</span></li>
</ul>
<p> ;</p>
<h3><b>What&#8217;s in YOUR bag?</b></h3>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The alluring charm of the “What&#8217;s in My Bag” trend over the years rests within its assortment of nostalgia, vulnerability, and peculiarity. Whether it&#8217;s a peek into a celebrity&#8217;s purse or a TikToker’s whimsical haul, the trend has become more than just product recommendations. In the digital media age overwhelmed by trends, a glimpse into the contents of a bag is a rare moment of vulnerability and authenticity. From Jane Birkin’s overflowing Hermés purse decked out with charms, to Ariana Grande’s essential oils and stash of Ricola’s, we are reminded that sometimes, the smallest detail says the most about who we are. </span></p>
<p> ;</p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">So, <em>what&#8217;s in your bag?</em></span></p>
<p> ;</p>
 <!-- WP Biographia v4.0.0 -->
<div class="wp-biographia-container-top" style="background-color: #FFEAA8; border-top: 4px solid #000000;"><div class="wp-biographia-pic" style="height:100px; width:100px;"><img alt='' src='https://tulanemagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/IMG_3886.jpg' srcset='https://tulanemagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/IMG_3886.jpg 2x' class='wp-biographia-avatar avatar-100 photo' height='100' width='100' /></div><div class="wp-biographia-text"><h3>About <a href="https://tulanemagazine.com/author/lkline2tulane-edu/" title=" "> </a></h3><p>Lila is the fashion and beauty editor. She is a sophomore from New York City double majoring in Design and Communications with a minor in SLAM. In addition to writing fashion articles, she is a ballet dancer and enjoys vintage shopping, painting, listening to music, and spending time with her family and friends.</p><div class="wp-biographia-links"><small><ul class="wp-biographia-list wp-biographia-list-text"><li><a href="mailto:lkli&#110;&#101;2&#64;tul&#97;ne.&#101;d&#117;" target="_self" title="Send Mail" class="wp-biographia-link-text">Mail</a></li> | <li><a href="https://tulanemagazine.com/author/lkline2tulane-edu/" target="_self" title="More Posts By " class="wp-biographia-link-text">More Posts(11)</a></li></ul></small></div></div></div><!-- WP Biographia v4.0.0 -->

What’s In My Bag?
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