For the love of a purse

Handbags! I love them and I hate them at the same time. They’re just simply gorgeous. I can purchase them in a variety of colors, fabrics and styles. What possesses me and other women to keep on buying more and more every year? Yet, for the love of a purse, we do it.

I decided to delve into the history of this oh-so-practical necessity, as well as my own history of purses, and that of others.

Egyptian hieroglyphs show men wearing pouches around the waist. And then we have the Bible, that identifies Judas Iscariot carrying a purse. Hmmm…. Could he have been the culprit who started this “purse thing” all along?

Actually both genders loved their pouches or bags from the earliest days, before pockets in clothes existed.

By the 14th and 15th centuries, they became a status symbol based on embroidery. Women especially loved ornate drawstring bags called “homondeys” or “tasques,” which hung from the girdle or belt, on a cord. Valuables such as scented pomanders, rosaries, smelling salts were in the pouch. Men even gave their future wife purses, embroidered with an illustrated love story, as the betrothal gift.

During the Elizabethan era, women’s skirts were so voluminous that the girdle bags were lost in the fabric. Thus, they started wearing them underneath the hooped petticoats. They were able to reach their valuables through a slit in the skirt and petticoat. With all that cloth, I’d think they’d have to still do a lot of fumbling till they found their valuables! Also worn were “swete bagges,” sweet smelling material to help with personal hygiene.

By the 18th century, the wide skirt became unpopular and a more slender fitting dress came into style. Thus, women started carrying purses in their hands. They were called “reticules” or “indispensables.”

Advancement in industry flourished particularly with the advent of railroads in the 1800s. More people, including women, started using the train. Luggage makers used their skills to make hand-held luggage. The term “handbag” came into use for men, but soon the term was attached to the large accessory bags for women.

Today, we have bags for every occasion. We have the handless clutch, “pochette” or the “evening bag,” which could be held under the arm or in the hand. There were Dorothy bags, now called Dotty or marriage bags, which matched women’s robes and muffs. We have shoulder bags, back packs, fanny packs, totes, traveling, sports and novelty bags and more.

Now we’ve had a brief history of the handbag, we’ll head to my now world and the handbag.

As a teenager, I had a shoulder bag that went everywhere — to school and Sunday School. It wasn’t large, a wallet barely fit in it, plus a comb and hanky (Kleenex was invented but Mom liked to save), a used tube of lipstick from a working girl sister.

Once I was married and a mother, I had two purses — not much larger than my teenage purse with the same contents. Depending on the age of my youngest, possible a bib and a wet rag. On Sunday, for church,

Today, we have bags for every occasion. We have the handless clutch, “pochette” or the “evening bag,” which could be held under the armor in the hand. There were Dorothy bags, now called Dotty ormarriage bags, whichmatched women’s robes andmuffs. We have shoulder bags, back packs, fanny packs, totes, traveling, sports andnoveltybags andmore.

I had a small purse with a handle, with not much more than my driver’s license, keys, and tissues.

After my children were grown, likemost women, I bought seasonal purses. Each season I could be found, once again, buying another purse, even when the older ones weren’t even worn.

After I accumulated several winter/summer purses, I could sometimes coordinate the colors with an outfit. Even though my feminine instinct was to look good as “the woman of many purses,” I hated changing purses!

Why? Every time I’d get acclimated to where items were in a purse, they’d be at different places in my new purse. For instance, a pocket on the outside was for my keys, but in flip-flopping, the pocket could be inside the purse. I can’t imagine how many times I’ve opened zippers, snaps, and strings only to close again and finally find the place they now were situated.

Ask any woman. It’s frustrating!

hen I retired, I wised up. I bought myself an expensive leather light colored purse for summer and a dark colored one for the winter season — both the same, except color. No more dozens of purses in my closet. In case anyone asks, these are my “forever” purses.

In addition to my two purses, I bought a small replica of these two “forever” purses. I use it only for travel and hang it around my neck. Not much is in it except driver’s license, Visa card, tissues and money. It serves the purpose.

A few years ago, Mary Ann, one of my breakfast friends, made a gorgeous printed fabric handbag for all of us girls. That is my “bestes” purse. I only use it for Sunday or special occasions if it matches my outfit.

Now don’t get me wrong. I’m still attracted to purses. When I go to themall and findmyself at the purse department, I try to touch and feel and “”oooh and ahhh” as many as I can. Then I quickly walk away. So far, it works.

I know there are many women that haven’t wised up like me. When I’m at yard sales, I find brand names of 15 or so purses — all at one household for sale. I know they are tired of these old purses, and I know they already started up a new batch in their closet.

You know, even with my “forever” purses, I truly don’t carry that much in them besides wallet, purse calendar, brush, some makeup, keys, and tissues. To me, enough is enough.

Yet, since writing this article, I’ve seen women with large heavy satchels. So I decided to take a survey and peek inside some women’s purses. I wanted to see for myself what women actually carry in them.

First, I peeked into my 87 year old sister, Jannetta’s purse. It’s not a satchel, but it is heavy and it is full! There are several compartments and outside pockets. Before I even looked inside, she told me, “I need everything inside this purse!” This is what I found: papers filled with jokes (she needs as she can’t recall them anymore), wallet, address book, gum, cough drops, Tums, file, Tylenol, scissors, safety pins, hazel nuts and a nutcracker, checkbook, lipstick, comb, eyebrow pencil, clips for a napkin when eating out, pill box 2 political badges, a piece of music (in case she gets asked to play the piano). I thought I was finished when I spied a living will. Her answer, “One never knows.”

One of my Red Hatters, Resa, has a beautiful red leather purse. I picked it up one day and asked, “This purse is so heavy, what on earth do you have in it?” She said she’d write it down for me. Her note states, “The purse is heavy to begin with. I have all the usual stuff from hair clips to toothpicks. I have reading glasses and sun glasses in cases, a camera, a cell phone and charger, scissors, pills etc. I have two wallets. I need both because I have so many cards and it’s easier to find them.” Now this is a woman I admire. In one hand she carries this heavy satchel, and in the other her cane.

After checking older women’s purses, I decided to find out what my grandchildren do. Karissa, now 21, told me, “I usually carry a wristlet,” a small wallet that hangs on my wrist. In it are money, ID, and cards. If I go to the mall, I carry a small shoulder bag with more items in it.”

I can see Karissa in a few years, after college and working. She’s going to be just like the rest of us women. She’s going to have closet shelves full of bags — all colors, all sizes, all fabrics — summer and winter. She’ll claim her right, just like I did, all “for the love of a purse!”