You can find out a lot about a person based on the contents of their bag.

Whether it’s the book they’re reading, their signature scent or what they’ve got planned for lunch that day, it can speak volumes about someone’s personality.

But what happens when you take a peek inside the bag of the person who knows you the most closely? Are there any secrets left to be uncovered or does it cement your relationship?

Just in time for Mother’s Day, we asked four women to swap bags with their mums or mother figure to see what they could learn. Here’s how it went…

Kellyann: “Swapping bags with Mum has made me realise she is clearly more groomed and glamorous than I am, which I’d never really thought about! She always has her lipstick and sunglasses to hand. I’m surprised my mum doesn’t bring her Kindle out with her. What’s the point of having one if you only use it at home? 

“When it comes to my relationship with my mum, I think welcoming my own daughter a couple of years ago has brought me and my mum even closer – she’s given me lots of valuable advice which actually, I can see reflected in how I pack my bag now.”

Geraldine: “From looking in her bag I can see Kellyann is getting quite good at her cryptic crosswords… I’d like to think that’s my good, logical influence! Her bag is also normally a mess, full of old wrappers and receipts. I was ​surprised to see it looking so tidy! I’ve learnt that she’s more organised than she lets on.

“It’s also nice to see that she’s using the raisin tactic with my granddaughter. That’s something I used to do! 

“Kellyann and I get on really well and we like each other’s company and getting out and about. We’re visiting Kew Gardens for Mother’s Day this year. I’m a volunteer gardener and have always taken my children to Kew Gardens since they were little.”

Jacqui: “I think I could’ve told you the contents of Saffron’s bag without looking! I don’t think there’s anything that could shock me because we’re so close.

“When it comes to our relationship, we’re definitely friends but there’s still that line. There’s a mutual respect which is a given, but now we hang out, we go shopping, we call each other our besties. 

“When they were younger I used to do a thing called a princess day. It sounds really cheesy but it was the kind of thing where someone was princess for the day. Now Saffron’s an adult, we do a similar thing but it will be something like going to the theatre.

“Peeking inside Saffron’s bag has definitely reaffirmed how similar we are. There’s a lot of crossover – for example, we both always have headphones on us – I’m very into my podcasts and she’s into her music. I’m very into 90s music and it looks like I’ve passed some of that love on to her as she’s been listening to some 90s tunes. 

“One thing I would say is that I didn’t expect to see a hat in her bag…”

Saffron: “I have to have a hat because my head gets cold! I cut my hair in December and I had a bit of an incident where I thought I was a hairdresser. 

“I cut it badly and had to shave it. It was a whole situation. My head gets very cold so I had to develop a collection of hats. Mum took the head shaving well, to be fair. Our relationship isn’t that traditional. The older I’ve got the more it’s like a friendship. 

“I’d agree with Mum that our bags are actually very similar. There are definitely some mother/daughter similarities. We both have lipstick and headphones, for example.

“Her lipsticks are definitely more classic and neutral than mine. As much as we’re similar, I’ve learnt that I’m more of an extrovert, which is reflected in my bold lipstick and more out-there hats, for example.”

Alejandra: “I’ve discovered just how practical Mum is from this swap. Everything in her bag is so useful, whereas mine is very much hair oil and a charger. I’ve also learnt that Mum gets a lot of migraines, based on the sheer amount of migraine tablets…

“Having said that, there were some similarities. We both have perfume because we like to smell good, we have the same brand of mascara. 

“That kind of crossover just reaffirms that we’re very, very close. From my perspective, I see my mum as more of a best friend. I can tell her everything and when she went to Spain my heart kind of broke because she was so far away. 

“Especially with the pandemic because we couldn’t fly over. We have a very strong relationship.”

Natalia: “What we have in our bags definitely shows the difference in generations. Plus, I’m a Virgo. I’m very practical and methodical, whereas clearly Aleja is more laid-back and creative. I see Alejandra’s bag like a Mary Poppins bag. Is that oil… for your hair? I would never put oil in my bag! 

“I agree with Aleja in that we are definitely friends, but with my relationship with Aleja I’m still the mother. I need to advise. I love her so much, so I always need the best for her. Now that she’s grown up we can talk about anything and we’re open. I really feel like we’re soulmates. There’s nothing bad because we accept each other the way we are. I’m very proud of my daughter and we have a strong bond.”

Molly: “Olga and I recently moved in together and it’s been great. Neither of us have our mums living near us, so we act as that figure to each other. We cook for each other and we’re the first person the other one goes to for help or advice. 

“Swapping bags made me realise just how similar we are. I’ve learnt that we know a lot about each other. I knew there’d be a lighter in her bag because it’s her conversation-starter trick. She’s got a sketchbook in her bag which is interesting because I have Polaroids in mine… we’re both creative people which is probably why we get on so well. We often sit there and rant about Adobe because we both work in design!”  

Olga: “We’ve been friends for about three years. We met while we were in our third year at university – my housemate was going out with one of Molly’s housemates which was convenient for us! I put her as my emergency contact and if she’s out late I’ll always text her to check in and keep an eye on her on Find My Friends.

“I’ve always thought I could easily pack a bag for Molly and this swap has proved me right! Although, I didn’t realise that she brings spare headphones around with her, but that makes sense because she always runs out of battery. I know she packs Kinder Bueno because it’s the easiest chocolate to share… That just goes to show what a caring person she is. Not everyone shares their chocolate, and who can blame them?”

Whoever you’re celebrating with this Mother’s Day, River Island is your go-to destination for thoughtful gifts, including a bag for every personality type.