Guardo una horquilla y una diadema en el bolso por si se le suelta la coleta.

I keep a hairpin and a headband in my bag in case her ponytail comes loose.

Breakdown of Guardo una horquilla y una diadema en el bolso por si se le suelta la coleta.

• yo: I
• una: a
• en: in
• y: and

Questions & Answers about Guardo una horquilla y una diadema en el bolso por si se le suelta la coleta.

Why is it guardo and not llevo here?

Guardar here means to keep / to store / to have put away. The speaker is saying they keep those items in the bag.

• Guardo una horquilla... en el bolso = I keep a hairpin... in my/the bag
• Llevo una horquilla... en el bolso would mean more like I’m carrying a hairpin... in my bag

In many situations, both could work, but guardo emphasizes that the items are kept there for that purpose.

What exactly do horquilla, diadema, bolso, and coleta mean in Spain?

In Peninsular Spanish:

• horquilla = bobby pin / hairpin
• diadema = headband / hairband
• bolso = handbag / purse
• coleta = ponytail

A useful note: diadema is usually a headband, not a general elastic band for tying hair.

Why are there two una's: una horquilla y una diadema?