Opening my handbag is a bit like opening my heart, if my heart were organised by vague intention rather than logic. It’s a soft excavation of who I am on a given day: hopeful, slightly feral, trying very hard to be kind to myself. This isn’t a “what’s in my bag” so much as a why I’m still standing. Each item is less an accessory and more a coping mechanism dressed as chic.
Photography: Cherish Yourself
A guided tour of the small objects that help me stay soft, sane and upright — even on days when I’d rather crawl back into bed and start again tomorrow.
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Wireless Headphones
These are less about music and more about boundaries. They say: I am unavailable for small talk, emotional labour, or mansplaining. Sometimes nothing is even playing. Sometimes it’s just me, pretending I’m in a film montage where everything works out eventually.
Cat-Eye Glasses (Normal, Prescription, Unapologetic)
Unlike sunglasses, these offer no place to hide. They’re about seeing things clearly, including the bits I’d rather blur out. Putting them on feels like an act of honesty: yes, this is my face, yes, this is my life, yes, I am choosing to look directly at it. They make me feel clever, slightly vulnerable, and oddly powerful — which is exactly the mood.
MAC Velvet Teddy Lipstick
The emotional support nude. It’s what I put on when I want to look like I have my life together, even if I absolutely do not. It whispers “effort” without shouting “try-hard”. I reapply it not because it’s faded, but because rituals are comforting and hope comes in beige.
Elemis Green Fig Body Butter
This is the grown-up equivalent of a hug you don’t have to explain yourself to. I slather it on like I’m glazing a ham, convincing myself that if I smell expensive enough, I might feel put together. Green fig is optimistic. It says you have a future. It’s self-care with delusions of grandeur.
Sertraline Tablets
Tiny, practical, quietly heroic. These are not a failure, they are maintenance. Like watering a plant or charging your phone overnight. They remind me that asking for help is also a form of self-care, even if it comes in a blister pack and a slightly awkward conversation with your GP.
An Apple (to Stop Me Wanting a Cigarette)
She’s not glamorous, but she is loyal. This apple is here purely to intervene in my worst ideas, like a sensible friend who texts “maybe don’t” at exactly the right moment. Crunching into it feels virtuous, smug even, which is very helpful when what I actually want is nicotine and chaos.
The Bag Itself: Shrimps Antonia Beaded Bag, Cream
She is impractical, beautiful, and absolutely refusing to be ignored. This bag does not believe in rushing. It forces me to slow down, to be deliberate, to carry my life with a bit of ceremony. She’s not here to hold everything—just the important things. Much like me, these days.
Together, it’s not just a handbag. It’s a love letter to staying. To choosing softness, humour, and small acts of care when the world feels sharp. It’s proof that even on the messiest days, I am still showing up for myself—one apple, one lipstick reapplication, one hopeful reach into the bag at a time.
Burn, Baby, Burn
You’re not spiralling — you’re glowing. How scented candles turn existential dread into a curated moment of calm.
Skincare that feels like soothing the soul
A reminder that while life can fall apart spectacularly, your skincare routine — and your future — doesn’t have to.
On Choosing Joy (and Really Good Earrings)
Accessories that don’t fix everything — but do remind you that you’re allowed to enjoy yourself, even now.
Lined in Confidence
From bathroom mirrors to global movements, the feline flick traces a lineage of bold women who understood that sometimes power begins with drawing a line.
The Story Behind Cherish Yourself
This space was created in honour of my nana, shaped by grief and heartbreak, and guided by the belief that self-care isn’t indulgent — it’s essential.
You Are Not Alone: UK Crisis Support at a Glance
If you’re feeling heartbroken or overwhelmed confidential help is available right now. Here are some UK resources that might help you.
All opinions and observations are written reflections that are personal and subjective, not factual claims or advice. If you are struggling with your mental health, please seek support from a doctor or qualified health professional.
©CherishYourself 2026
