LLBBs

I belong to a super secret organization. An organization so secret some of us only have a vague awareness of membership. It’s the kind of awareness that only becomes part of our conscious thought when we see the unmistakable but hidden-in-plain-sight proof of membership.

We are the proud members of the League of Ladies with Big Bags. Yes, LLBB. You see us everywhere. We can’t be missed. We are all going around lugging an enormous arm (sometimes, shoulder) candy.

We come from different backgrounds, have different styles and tastes, practice different trades. But we are united by a common principle: the need to be always at a ready—to fix, to handle, to take charge.

The LLBBs always try to come prepared for any eventuality. You need wipes for that mess? Oh, I have a tape measure here. Tighten that screw, I have a Philips here. Oh, flat head? I have that too. Can you light that candle? Here’s a lighter. Look, you have string hanging out of your shirt, let me just take a snip with my scissors. Corkscrew? How did you know I have one? Can you write that information on my notebook? Here’s a pen.

Despite the efficiency with which we conduct ourselves, we are by no means dowdy dames. We love our bags functional and fashionable. It can be just one or the other. And I’m glad that the fashion world has sat up straight and took notice. Gone are the days of the hideous humongous bags. These days, there are so many choices that make us sigh with ecstasy, not only because of the way they look but also because of the amount of stuff they hold.The LLBBs are the women of today—accomplished, confident, independent, self-sufficient. Our bags carry the tools we use to make our everyday life go round. Our bags, our lives.