What's in your handbag?

I've always loved these sorts of 'whats in your handbag' projects! So how could I possibly say no when lovely Libby interviewed me about the contents of my bag over at her blog Pinkshirts and Carwrecks.


My latest hangbag is a multicoloured leather retro piece I picked up for ¥1000 the first week of living in Tokyo. It came from a cute little second hand furniture shop on the Daizawa side of Shimokitazawa.

1. I have a love hate relationship with this little furigana Japanese dictionary! Since recently moving to Tokyo three months ago I’ve been madly trying to dust up on my very average Japanese language skills. I carry this dictionary, as well as a small army of flash cards around with me everyday.

2 . Cute little woven pencil case I bought from Sou in Shimokitazawa a few years ago.

3. It’s impossible to have a neat blunt fringe without regular use of one of these.

4. Japan is THE city of points cards. If I get just one more I think my purse will break open! My favourite is this cute tiffany blue Okadaya fabric shop points card. It looks so cute along with my Pantone 107.3 coloured passmo and my lilac Shinsei bank card! I may, or may not position these three cards in a row just because they look pretty!

5. My oldie but a goodie Tsumori Chisato wallet. I love Tsumori!!!

6. The key to my heart! Ha ha! Well it’s the key to my turquoise mamachari bike which I love riding around Tokyo on!

7. It’s so inspiring in Tokyo. Everyday I see something new and interesting to me. I record things on a daily basis in this little notebook.

8. Atrix handcream - an essential handbag item!

9. I have a bit of a name for myself as being a coral lippie lover! This lipstick was bought for me as a ‘farewell to Tokyo’ present from my dear friend Richard Waller (editor of Inside Out magazine). I couldn’t have picked a better coral for myself! He is truly amazing!

10. LoFT! My favourite place in the world! Stationery, homewares, kitchenware, luggage goods, everything you could want! No trip to Shibuya is complete without popping into LoFT!

11. My cute pink Holga! I love this little camera! She comes all around Tokyo with me!

12. Mintia Japanese mints. Katsu-curry? No problems!

13. Free Tissues! Oooo it makes me so happy when I get handed a packet of free promotional tissues from one of the people manning the station exits. Usually they ignore me as I am a foreigner and they know I can’t read the Japanese advertising on the tissues. But hey – gaijins (foreigners) have noses too you know!

14. Pantone Pastel Colour Formula Guide. I can’t go anywhere without this. Whether I am picking out fabrics in Nippori or selecting coloured paper in Tokyu Hands…life is easier with this formula guide. It was a gift from my lovely VOGUE Living Art Director!

15. Dear iphone4, where would I be without you? I’d be lost, bored and lonely, that’s where! Thank you for making my life in Tokyo so much more enjoyable! Love Love, Hello Sandwich xoxo

16. You're not truly Japanese until you daintily pull out one of these from your Marc Jacobs handbag to pat your cheeks dry every now and then. Extra Japanese bonus points for drying your hands with them after a visit to a LoFT bathroom.

17. My tri-coloured heart Luella sunnies. The front is baby pink, one arm is cream and the other black. http://hellosandwich.blogspot.com/2009/10/i-love-you-luella.html

18. My can’t-go-anywhere-without Louis Vuitton keys holder and diary. There is something just so lovely about writing appointments in this diary.




I also love Jason Travis' 'Persona' project where he snaps people along with the contents of their handbags.