Some may argue that carrying a purse at school isn’t necessary– that a backpack should be more than enough to carry anything students might need or want to keep on hand– but to some Woodward students, wearing a purse is both a fashion statement and a matter of practicality.
Some of the most expressive fashion accessories, handbags and purses have existed for roughly the same amount of time as humans. In addition to their practical uses, handbags have served as fashion accessories since the Renaissance era and even more so during the Roaring Twenties, when smaller clutches became a staple accessory.
Due to the uniform, Woodward students must find creative ways to express themselves and their style without violating the dress code. A top pick for fashionistas is carrying a purse alongside their backpack. Handbags are also a remedy to the issue of too-small skort pockets.
Most people wouldn’t stuff their pockets the way we did, but even just keeping a few smaller items (chapstick, phone, mascara) proved to be difficult. The weight of the items and the angle the pocket is at when one sits down is perfect for the smaller items to fall right out onto the floor. For this reason, some students prefer a handy purse rather than stuffing their belongings in a pants or skirt pocket.
Makai August ‘26 carries her Michael Kors purse and matching clutch. Her mom used to always tell her that, as she was growing into a young adult, she would need to start carrying a purse. She also finds her purse more accessible than her book bag to get things she needs. Makai always has her purse on her for just-in-case situations.
“Especially being in high school, I think it’s good to have your little pouch on the side for whenever you need it,” Makai said. “I just remember freshman and sophomore year I always had my purse. My friends always said if they saw me, they never saw me without my purse.”
Makai carries her signature lip gloss, eyebrow pencil, wallet and her ID. She would recommend having a credit card above all else, because she thinks it’s good to always have it on hand if there is no other form of payment available.
Like Makai, Cameron Stephens ‘26 finds his belt bag/fanny pack more accessible than reaching into his book bag to grab items.
“You can’t carry the items in your bookbag because they might get jumbled up with your school stuff,” Cameron said. “They might fall out somewhere; it [my purse] is much more handy.”
He carries toiletries– cologne and deodorant– to always stay fresh. He also carries Chapstick to make sure his lips aren’t chapped during the day.
“My favorite item would have to be my cologne, to make sure I always smell good,” Cameron said. “I recommend having some deodorant to make sure you don’t stink, and maybe some people may need to freshen up throughout the day.”
For Laila Davis ‘27, carrying a purse is more a matter of convenience than fashion.
“I have stuff that won’t fit in my bookbag,” Laila said. “My bag is mostly for academics and books and this [my other] bag is for PCS clothes and other stuff. [Inside of my bag] I have my mascara, lip gloss and phone. My favorite item is my phone and it’s in my purse for easy access… instead of having it in my bookbag or on me.”
Convenience is a big appeal for carrying a purse; Josie Faxio ‘28 also doesn’t like putting specific items in her bookbag.
“It’s so inconvenient to have to take your stuff out your bookbag, take it to the bathroom, then put it back in your bookbag,” Josie said. Her Juicy Couture purse holds a lot, but one item is prized above all:
“My favorite item is probably my lip liner because I can use it as a lipliner and eyeliner,” Josie said. “[I would recommend] the Nyx lip liner because it pushes out and so you can keep reusing it. I’d recommend that to anyone who does lip combos.”
Leah Scantlebury ‘28 didn’t like looking in her backpack for specific items either; she found the cupholder to be a poor storage compartment, and the bag couldn’t fit all of her school supplies. This was a struggle for Leah, until her friend Lotus Jiroch Laurencin ‘28 got her a new Telfar purse as a surprise gift.
“I carry [my purse] around all the time, and I don’t like to carry my book bag everywhere I go,” Leah said.
Just like Leah, Amirah Abdus-Salaam ‘29, has a similar idea about keeping items on hand. There are just some things you can’t go without.
“I don’t carry [some] items in my bag because my purse is more reliable,” Amirah said. “I leave my bookbag in a lot of places but I don’t leave my purse anywhere. [I would recommend] probably getting a phone and getting hand sanitizer because it’s dirty everywhere.”
