This is a very common dream for women the world over. It is about identity and values. We are all struggling to define our identity and to determine our priorities, what we value most. The purse is a symbol of identity and valuables, so losing it in a dream shows an anxiety of losing one's identity, not being able to locate the "real you." As a performer Mariah must show different faces to different people all the time. She's always playing a role, leaving her psyche struggling at times to find the "real" Mariah, the girl she used to be, wants to be, or hopes to be. Men dream this one by losing their wallets. The dream takes on an entirely different connotation when the purse or wallet is stolen. Then you're dealing with the forced removal of your identity, of becoming subject to a powerful manipulative person or worse yet, an organization.