My first job was selling waterbeds and next door was a shoe repair business run by a father and son. The son delivered waterbeds for my boss part-time.

When I mentioned I needed a new purse he said, “Find a leather one with a cloth lining and it will last a decade. No matter what breaks on it, I can repair it.”

I have simple tastes; I like a white purse for spring and summer and a black purse for fall and winter.

My current black purse has a cloth lining, and although the exterior is not leather, it has lasted me six years. It was a little small – now that I have to carry 2 Epipens, an inhaler, wrap-around sunglasses and an allergy mask in a protective bag.

When the tab on the zipper tore off, I replaced it with a key ring because I knew it would take some time to find a leather, cloth-lined purse. I like being able to hook the key ring in my finger and pull the zipper shut.

I replaced the torn tab piece with a key ring.