The Evolution of Bags

What would our days be like without the help of bags? With all the bounty life has made us bring with us in our day to day activities, a bag is the friendliest aide we could have. Historically, Egyptian hieroglyphs showed people with pouches around their waist. The richer the person, the more jewels and embroidery decorated the pouches.

Eventually, these items evolved in to the present handbags we have now and are made of leather, cloth, and other synthetic materials. The 16th century marked the debut of these handbags but not as a fashion item that we normally use it nowadays. It was used by travelers, with a long strap or sling to carry the bag diagonally across the body.

In the 17th century, the bags were commonly known and used now not only as a traveller's companion but also as a fashion item by women. The ancient pouch became a purse now and women of often carry it. The purses were usually decorated with embroidery. Young girls even learned to use the art of embroidery to decorate their purses. During the 18th century, the women became more fashionable in clothes. With this, they learned to accessorize their clothes with bigger purses called reticules. Reticules could carry in it the personal items of a lady of fashion during that period. These items include a laced fan, a laced and perfumed hankie, compact powder, rouge, perfume bottle, and smelling salt.

In the 1900's, men carried travelling cases or luggage installed with hand-held handles. Since these were hand carried, the term handbag was now used for it. Eventually, these inspired designers to manufacture such bags for women also. It was not meant to replace the purses, however. The handbag was more for fashion and practicality where various personal articles could be carried. Added to the lady's handbags were decorative clasps and inner compartments. The 1940's saw a change in bag materials due to the war austerity program. Wood, cloth and other non-leather materials were used. In the 1950's, handbags turned into an avant garde look with the rise of designer houses like Louis Vuitton, Hermes, and Chanel.

These fashion icons pushed the embroidered bags into an image that matches the trend of clothes fashion and even of technology.

Nowadays, the bags ranged in sizes from small to large, according to the dictated fashion trend. The classic style still lives along with the ultra-modern design and everyone is having fun with his own choice of bag.