Penguin Books Australia

Women are divine and mysterious creatures, gracefully dancing their way through life, all the while carrying the weight of the world on their shoulders. To fully understand a woman, don't be distracted by the light-footed skip in her step, look at the actual weight on her shoulder – her handbag.

While a woman's clothing and shoes might change with different moods and seasons, it's her handbag that remains loyal; after all, it is the item literally closest to her heart.

Fashion comes and goes, but a handbag is forever, be it a design classic that will some day become a family heirloom, or an embarrassing reminder of that punk-rock phase you went through. From tiny sequined clutches to enormous nappy bags, and from chrome beauty cases to shabby leather briefcases, they are a record of a woman's journey from childhood to womanhood.

From the time your grandmother magically extracted a white hanky from her purse when your nose ran, to the day you lovingly pull out photos of grandchildren from a pouch of your own, the handbag is a woman's constant companion and most trusted friend. Only a fool would dare peep inside a woman's bag; it's a place of mystery, the final frontier of female privacy – a place where cherry lip-balms are stored and cute bartenders' numbers are secretly deposited.

A peek inside a woman's bag is a peek inside her soul. There's the woman with the bottomless pit of ideas and half-eaten sandwiches who believes chaos is a small price to pay for creativity; she's the free-spirited genius who has a million important calls to make, once she finds her mobile phone, that is.

Then there's the organised femme in whose bag sits a spare toothbrush, mini-deodorant, phone charger, pair of stockings and everything else she may need to see her through the day (or year). She's the type who is always prepared for any crisis, the type of woman you'd like to be stuck in a bunker with, since she prepares for life like she's going into battle.

Then there is the bag of the sentimental dreamer who's planning her next adventure as she misses her bus stop. She's content to carry a bag filled with knick-knacks from holidays gone by, perfume and photos and trinkets to remind her of her loved ones, rather than prosaic things like her purse and phone. She's a romantic soul with a wildly passionate side and an even wilder temper.

Or there is the 'less is more' type; lip gloss, phone, wallet and keys being all she needs. She's likely to be overly logical, and is often accused of having thrown out her heart along with her taxi receipts.

But you needn't go as far as looking at the contents, just one glance at the bag itself will tell you everything you need to know. Since ancient Egyptian times when women elaborately embroidered and encrusted their bags with jewels to denote wealth and class, the handbag has been the ultimate status symbol. Look at the revered handmade gold-mesh bags of the nineteenth century, and the three-month long waitlist for the latest Hermes Birkin bag of today. One needn't have asked Jane Birkin, Grace Kelly or Jackie Kennedy Onassis which bags they carried; their iconic 'it girl' status rested on the very handbags that bear their names.

While every woman is unique, this book will reveal the link between a woman's favourite bag and the woman herself. And, with a little practice, you will be able to identify a woman's real purse-onality. Be it your mother, sister, best friend, foe, colleague or boss, without her having to utter a word, you will understand her aspirations, sensibility, sensuality, style and sense of humour, not to mention how many dollars and cents she has in the bank.

From the beggar on the street to the Madison Avenue heiress, we are all bag ladies – now it's time to discover exactly which one.