This post is sponsored by Ricola… all opinions {and handbags :} are my own.

It took me forever to decide which handbag was worthy of my small savings this year and just right for my Fall/Winter wardrobe. I’d been using my little white Rockie bag by Alexander Wang and loving the size, though the fun feet on the bottom made it a bit heavy for long walks and I prefer to save my whites for Spring and Summer. And while I still use my large Pashli bag by 3.1 Phillip Lim, it’s jut too big for everyday. So I finally settled on a the mini Pashli bag in navy, and I just love it. {seen once here in this outfit post}

When Ricola asked me to partner up for their #swissherbs campaign, I couldn’t resist showing off my new handbag, which arrived at around the same time. Also, I actually LOVE Ricola natural herb cough drops and eat them like candy in the winter {seriously, whenever I pull out an old handbag in my closet, the bottom is littered with Ricola drops & coins and lip balms I’d forgotten about}. And I love when brands and products I already use and stand by come a’knockin’, because it’s a win win for everyone! {100$ giveaway below!}
The hilariously awesome box arrived in the mail which echoed R I C O L A… when I opened it and included my favorite original drops {cultivated in Swiss alpine areas using organic farming methods without chemical pesticides!} and a bag of their new Extra Strength for powerful cough relief drops, which have a natural menthol liquid center. I can’t say I’m looking forward to getting a winter cold to try them out, but I bet that minty center works wonders to relieve a dry throat.

What’s in my winter bag…
With this winter season comes so much dryness… so. much. dryness. And while I don’t tend to keep lotion in my handbag, even in the winter, I do keep Ricola drops, tons of lip balm and lip gloss, my fingerless gloves that I wear every day, my phone, wallet {by Alexander Wang}, a hair clip or two, sunglasses {still wearing my fave Tom Fords whenever I need to get up and go because they’re so sturdy I never worry about them getting ruined if I need to toss them in my bag}, and my mini tape measure {in case I find the perfect vintage chair, like the one here, and need to measure it to fit my home/space}.

GIVEAWAY!! GIVEAWAY!!
Leave a comment below telling me how you get your handbag winter-ready for a chance to win this fab #swissherbs Prize Pack that includes:
- Ricola Soothing Relief Kit
- $100 Gift Card (VISA or MasterCard)
Like Ricola on Facebook
Follow Ricoloa on Twitter

Good Luck!
This post is sponsored by Ricola… all opinions {and handbags :} are my own.
Vanessa
Lotion, Chapstick, and sunglasses for the glare off the snow!! 🙂
Rebekah
I always make sure I have chapstick and hand lotion – must haves for this time of year!
Brianna M.
I love Ricola too! They are my favorite cough drop! To winterize my handbag, I always make sure I have a small tube of L’Occitane Shea hand lotion. The tube is the perfect size for a small handbag, and it’s the very best hand lotion around, in my opinion. Also, I tend to use my crossbody bags, b/c when dealing with cumbersome layers, it’s just easier to sling a purse over your body rather than try to prop a tote on your shoulder.
Meaghan
In DC winters, it’s hard to leave the house without a huge bag that’s home to extra gloves, hand lotion, chapstick, sunglasses, tissues, & a huge scarf to use as a blanket just in case!
xx Meaghan
Megan
I just throw in some gloves and a hat and tissues – all essentials for the cold NYC winters. And sometimes I switch to a more hearty, sturdier bag that won’t mind getting snowed on!
Jessica w
I add kleenex, gloves, ricola, and water!
Jessica w
I Like Ricola on Facebook
Jessica w
I Follow Ricoloa on Twitter
lena
LOVE the bag!!
http://gregoryxgregory.blogspot.de
Melissa H.
I carry around my gloves, lotion, lip balm, a scarf, hat and maybe some extra socks!
Lisa Brown
i make sure i have my lip balm, gloves, sunglasses and tissues.
jslbrown_03 at yahoo dot com
keely
Lip balm galore!!
Jessie C.
I add gloves, cashmere wrap, shea butter cream and Riocla to get ready.
Tairalyn
I add a few addition to my bag to get winter ready, one is a medicated lip gloss, one that can be easily put over top a lipstick, gloves, kleenex, and candy canes 🙂
Sarah P
Unfortunately in Miami, we don’t have much of a winter, something I really miss!! But I do up the ante with my chapstick use (the moisturizing one with SPF is my one and only), and throw in some tissues when I get that annual cold!
Allie
I add tons of cough drops to my bag and I’m still usually finding them come July! I also upgrade to my more heavy duty Chapstick. Occasionally a pack of tissues and cold medicine find a way in there too. At the moment it’s three different prescriptions to battle my winter funk!
Sadie B.
I add tissues, cough drops and lip balm to my hand bag.
Elizabeth @ hobbylobbyist
I always keep a pack of tissues in my purse. There’s nothing worse than having a runny nose and nothing you can do about it!
Cat
Handlotion! (Chapstick is always in my purse regardless of the season)
Missy
Along with all of the usual things, I always add Neosporin’s night lip cream to my bag. That stuff does magical things for chapped lips.
Patti
Well for winter, I always carry some type of lip balm, kleenex tissues and some type of lotion. The dryness gets me everytime!
Betty
I winterized my purse by carrying a larger one that will have room for my Chapstick, gloves and bulky scarf.
Mami2jcn
I carry gloves, chapstick, tissues, and hand lotion.
lacretia
Love your new bag! To get winter-ready, I always stash my handbag with gloves, a scarf, chapstick, and some cold meds, in case I’m feeling sick on the road.
Neiddy
During winter I like to always have Lip balms, hand lotion, sanitizer, tissues, mints and cough drops in my bag
Ashley H
I have tissues, chapstick, and cough drops.
Kelly D
I carry hand sanitizer, tissues, mints and lip balm in the winter months.
Danielle
I add an extra pair of gloves, lip balm, tissues which are a must, hand cream and Purell.