JSLALALAND

CITY & ITS PEOPLE

What's actually in an LA woman's bag?

What's in a woman's bag is more honest than her Instagram: on the Westside there's a yoga mat and sand, in Beverly Hills it's too small for anything but a lipstick, and in the 626 there's always a bottle of green medicated oil. Life observation, not a shopping list: find which neighborhood your bag belongs to.

Translated from Jasmine’s original Chinese. The illustrated slides are on the interactive reader.

Key points

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  1. Westside（Santa Monica、Venice）

    A yoga mat strapped to the outside, electrolyte packets, sunscreen, a light jacket for beach mornings, a baseball cap, and sand that got in there at some point. The bag itself: a big canvas or nylon tote.

  2. Beverly Hills

    One lipstick (just one, but expensive), sunglasses, phone, one card, and no car keys needed, because valet handles that. A tiny bag with no visible logo: the smaller the bag, the better taken care of the life.

  3. Silver Lake、Los Feliz

    A film camera, a book from an indie bookstore, fruit from the farmers market, and a tote bag inside the tote bag. The bag itself: a worn canvas tote printed with a coffee shop's or bookstore's name.

  4. 626

    Tissues, green medicated oil, a 99 Ranch membership card, a thermos of hot water, a boba straw sleeve; a big practical bag with lots of pockets. A Taiwanese woman's bag is still Taiwanese in LA.

  5. Valley

    Bigger sunscreen (the Valley is hot), a liter of water, snacks for the kids, a Costco receipt, and a second bag in the car. The bag itself: a mom bag that fits everything.

  6. Downtown、Arts District

    Laptop, noise-canceling headphones, a TAP card (or TAP on the phone), and a pair of flats to change into. The bag itself: a leather tote that fits a laptop.

  7. The wellness girl (all over LA)

    A crystal, collagen powder and magnesium, an essential oil rollerball, and a planner for writing today's intention. Um, this one I know very well >_<

  8. Hidden version | The bag that lives in the car

    LA women actually have two bags: one on their shoulder and one in the car, holding a jacket, flats, a yoga mat, a charging cable, snacks and a spare top. In LA, the car is a second closet.

  9. 5 things every LA girl carries

    Sunglasses (365 days a year), lip balm (LA is dry), a light jacket (AC and temperature swings), a water bottle, and a foldable shopping bag, because LA grocery bags cost money.

  10. Opening up the bag

    In Taipei, there's always an umbrella in your bag; in LA, there's always a pair of sunglasses. Open someone's bag and you see how they live.

In this series

Read it with the slides →

An original JSLALALAND field guide by Jasmine Chang (@jslalaland).