What's In My Bag? Single Girl Summer Edition

Single 20-something girls may not have everything figured out. Hinge, health insurance, how to have higher standards in a world where romantic prospects do the bare minimum — you’re lucky if you have one out of the three on lock.

But if there’s one thing the girlies have down to a science, it’s the art of the bag. Fitting all 20,000 items you need for a very specific event into a small shoulder bag is a learned skill, one that comes with age and wisdom — and the experience of your Uber driver being one minute away without having packed a purse yet. It’s in that adrenaline-filled moment when a woman discovers her perfect purse formula.

First date? She knows exactly which makeup items make the cut for bathroom touch-ups. Girls night out? She’s armed with just the right number of loose hair ties. Sneaky link appointment? Phone, keys, wallet, lube, spare pair of undies… she’s prepared for anything. And — call it a woman’s intuition — but her Mary Poppins bag always seems to be ready for wherever the day or night takes her.

So, what's the secret sauce to the bag formula? What is inside the perfect purse? I’ve got you, girl.

The First Date Bag

A first date doesn’t start when you’re sitting across the table. It begins in the Uber ride there, romanticizing your life as you look out the window — with the perfect song playing, obv. That’s why headphones are the first crucial addition to any good first date bag.

Followed by, in order of priority: an on-the-go blush stick to keep you blushing all night long; a claw clip in case you get overstimulated with your hair down; a balm and gloss duo for kissable lips; and, finally, mints (for the kissing, of course).

The Girls Night Out Bag

To pack a proper GNO bag, remember that the contents of your purse are not just for you — they are to serve the greater girl community. There’s a portable charger for that friend whose phone always dies and a mini fan to keep your girls cool on the dance floor. Then you’ve got press-on nails, extra earrings, and a communal lipstick for the bathroom touch-ups turned mirror selfies. A group slay, if you will.

The Sneaky Link Bag

A sexy meetup is certainly not out of the question during a single girl summer. Given that these hangs can easily turn into overnight affairs, the bag formula is all the more important. For the actual sleepover portion of the evening, pack an extra pair of undies and some melatonin or sleep gummies (since there’s nothing worse than when your ~buddy~ falls asleep first and starts snoring).

As for the non-sleeping part, stuff a scrunchie or two in your bag and a travel-sized perfume. Plus, you may want to bring your own mini water-based lube — particularly if you're meeting up with a man, who for some reason never has his own.

The “Is This A Date?” Bag

It’s a classic summer activity: the “we’re meeting up for drinks but I can’t tell if it’s platonic or romantic” hangout. To master the effortless, I-just-showed-up-here-and-didn’t-overthink-everything look, clear brow gel and a skin tint are the ideal bag stuffers, along with setting powder so they don’t see you sweating.

Pro tip: Bring a book to give the illusion that you’ve been on-the-go and not totally hyperfixating over what this is.

The Morning Debrief Bag

The morning debrief is a staple of single girl summer, and so is the bag that you bring to that Sunday morning brunch with your besties. You’ll likely swap the small shoulder bag for a ludicrously capacious tote, filled to the brim with the holy trinity of hangover remedies: Tums, oversized sunglasses, and a rose quartz gua sha for its witchy healing properties and magical depuffing powers. To fight the battle against hair grease and under-eye circles, pack some dry shampoo and brightening concealer too.

But even your largest purse won’t fit your biggest essential for an unmatched single girl summer: your girls. As long as you have them, your bag will be filled — because they probably have something in theirs that you forgot.