I remember one day waiting in line in a department store. As the young woman in front of me reached the counter, she unfolded her wallet, which displayed a fan-shaped line-up of her four visa cards more colorful than a dancing peacock. Why on earth would anyone get all visa cards? Maybe she got a discount at some stores, I don't know. Or maybe she urgently felt she wouldn't be part of a group of fellow young people until her dress code was complete.

What is it with women and their handbags, purses and wallets by the way? I have been wondering about that for years. And now I finally looked into it. A Handbag Study Reveals British Women Are Most Purse-Obsessed and that "American women don't rank too far behind in second place." Do you too feel that "A girl's handbag is more than just an accessory. It's a sartorial companion"?