I’m not entering the contest, obviously, but I thought it’d be fun to do a post on this any way.

What’s In My Bag at 7PM on a Thursday:

The dark brown leather satchel (B. Markowsky via Marshalls, $98) is my favorite bag right now. Gorgeous color, the right size, and just enough structure. I see a long and happy life for this bag and I.

I’ve wanted the Clinique Almost Lipstick in Black Honey (via Sephora, $14) since 2001, when I first read about this cult classic online. Finally I decided to bite the bullet and buy it. It’s the perfect rosy berry color with a hint of shine. The Neutrogena Norwegian Formula Hand Cream (via Target, $5) comes in handy about 10 times a day. The flu season is here, and dancing the tango makes me come into close contact with other people, so I’ve been very conscientious about washing my hands frequently. This hand cream protects my skin from all the hot water and drying.

The Chinese book (via instructor, on loan) is a nonfiction of a Canadian’s experience living in China in the 1990s. I try to read a few pages whenever I get the chance to keep improving my Chinese in a “fun” manner. The patent leather wallet (Lodis via TJ Maxx blogger event) is one of my 3 wallets in rotation. I love that it’s red and shiny! The coin purse section also comes in handy.

I’ve been dancing almost every night, so dance shoes (Very Fine via wholesaler, $55) have become a mainstay in my bag. I slip the shoes into a plastic wrap, drop them into my satchel, and I’m ready to go.  These shoes are Latin heels, not Argentine tango shoes (which tend to have a harder sole and thinner heels), but I figured they’ll do for now.

And of course, I always have my cell phone with me. But I can’t take a picture of it because it’s also my camera. Dad has the exact same phone in black.