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History of the Handbag!
Women’s fascination with handbags is world renowned, but have you ever wondered where the humble but highly coveted accessory originated from?
Handbags have been essential to history ever since people have had something precious to carry around with them. The very first handbags were simple pouches made from animal hide or leaves, with prehistoric cave drawings showing these type of pouches carried in the hand.
The earliest documented use of handbags comes from the 14th century where Egyptian hieroglyphics depict little sacks carried around the waist. These were hung by thongs at the back of a crude belt called a “girdle” and were traditionally carried by men to hold money or flint.
Fast forward to the 1500’s and handbags had become a status symbol for both men and women. To reflect your wealth you would make your bags from expensive materials such as silk and embellish them with jewellery or embroidery. Influential and affluent people of those times have their portraits painted with what we could consider the first “designer” handbags that were prominently fastened to their dresses.
By the 17th century there was much more variety in designs and both men and women carried small purses with more complex shapes.
There was a reduction in the amount of underclothing worn by women in the 18th century and Neo-classical clothing became popular. The streamlined look of the clothes made it impractical to wear bulky handbags which lead to the development of what we know as a handbag today. Fashionable ladies started carrying their bags and they were called reticules. Women had a different bag for every occasion and every fashion magazine had arguments on the proper carrying of these purses. In these bags you would find rouge, face powder, a fan, a scent bottle, visiting cards, a card case, and smelling salts, not too dissimilar from today!
However, it took until the early 1900’s before the term “handbag” first came into use. It generally referred to luggage (like briefcases or satchels today) and were normally carried by men. These became the inspiration for new bags for women but had more feminine touches such as decorative fasteners, internal compartments for things such as fans and gloves, and decorative locks.
Fast forward again to the 50’s and you have the rise of designer houses including Chanel, Louis Vuitton and Hermes producing luxury items from beautiful, bold and elegant handbags. To this day, handbags carrying designer labels command a premium price.
So, now you know about the history of the handbag but what’s in the future? My prediction for this ubiquitous fashion accessory is that the top designers such as Gucci, Chloe and Prada will keep producing classics that will keep women wanting for years to come…
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About the author
Name: Jo Hodge
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Website: http://www.handbagsfromheaven.co.uk
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