A women’s handbag can take on a life of its own. As late screenwriter Norah Ephron hilariously portrayed in her essay ‘I hate my Purse’, what was once neat, compact and organized can quickly crumble into a force of its own reckoning.

Image features our Richmond Bag in Green and Navy Check, our Chelsea Bag in Russet and our Heritage Rucksack in Bay Leaf.

‘This is for women whose bags are a morass of loose Tic Tacs, lipsticks without tops, Chap-Sticks of unknown vintage, little bits of tobacco even though there has been no smoking going on for at least ten years, tampons that have come loose from their wrappings, foreign coins from the last trip abroad, boarding passes from long-forgotten airplane trips, leaky ballpoint pens, Kleenexes that either have or have not been used but there’s no way to be sure one way or another, scratched spectacles, an old tea bag, several crumpled personal cheques that have come loose from the cheque book and are covered with smudge marks, and an unprotected toothbrush that looks as if it has been used to polish silver.’

Does this sorry tale of arm candy abuse ring true for you or is yours more inclined toward OCD order? Of course, our handbags are designed with functionality at their core. Our Messenger Bag can be slung across the body leaving hands free to chase pets and blot mucky mouths with wet tissue (children seem to adore this). We also have a new member of our bag family. Designed by talented Accessories Designer Milly Newman, our 100% wool Heritage Rucksack has been made in England by wool specialists Abraham Moon & Sons. We asked Milly what inspired this new style:

“The rucksack is a huge trend on the catwalks and we wanted to create a version yet interpret it in a Boden way. We introduced softer wools and canvas to give it a relaxed grown up casual feel, yet the contrast lining and drawstring help give this product a bit of quirkiness”.

`How many of you will be bagging yourself a backpack this season? 

Abridged extract from I Feel Bad About My Neck And Other Thoughts About Being A Woman by Nora Ephron, published by Doubleday on March 1 at £12.99. Nora Ephron 2007.