History of Handbags

Have you ever wondered about the origin of handbags and purses? Handbags have been essential to daily life ever since people have had something precious to carry around with them and only the items have changed over time. The very first mention in written literature comes from the 14th century, even though Egyptian hieroglyphs show pouches carried around the waist. Bags were attached to what were called "girdles" which were fastened to the waist. Embroidery and jewels adorned these articles and were used to show status - the richer the person, the more elaborate the bag. More information on medieval clothingIn the 16th century, handbags took on more of an air of practicality with the use of everyday materials such as leather with a drawstring fastener on top. During this period, cloth bags were used that were made larger and used by travelers and carried diagonally across the body. The 17th century saw more variety and both fasionable men and women carried small purses with more complex shapes. Young girls were taught embroidery as a very necessary skill to make them marriagable and we see the rise of beautiful and unique stitched artwork in handbags.
Neo-classical clothing became popular in the 18th century with a reduction in the amount of underclothing worn by women. Wearing a purse would ruin the look of this clothing so fasionable ladies started carrying their handbags which 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 the reticules one would find rouge, face powder, a fan, a scent bottle, visiting cards a card case, and smelling salts.
The term "handbag" first came into use in the early 1900's and generally referred to hand-held luggage bags usually carried by men. These were an inspiration for new bags that became popularized for women, including complicated fasteners, internal compartments, and locks. With this new fashion, jewelers got into the act with special compartments for opera glasses, cosmetics, and fans.
The 1920's saw a revolution in fashion with varying hemlines and lighter clothing. Bags no longer needed to match the outfit perfectly and the rage was for the stylish lady to carry a doll dressed exactly like herself, complete with matching bag for her minature companion! The discovery of King Tutankhamun's tomb inspired Egyptian art on purses. The 1940's saw new austerity in clothing, including handbags with the war effort in mind. Metal frames, zips, leather, and mirrors were in short supply so manufacters used plastic and wood. The 50's saw the rise of important designer houses including Chanel, Louis Vuitton, and Hermes and the 60's saw the breakdown of old notions of the classical and the rise of youth culture.
Copy is the most sincere form of flattery and, if so, Kate Spade, Gucci, Coach and Dior must be very flattered! There are many replica handbags flooding the market (just visit Canal Street in New York City!). Some of these "designer fakes" even carry the label of the Company they are imitating while others just have the signature "C" or "G" without the label.
What's in the future of handbags? My personal prediction is more individualized bags and interesting fabrics. What do you think? Send me an e-mail with your own personal prediction for the future.... Click here to a great handbags estore

Find a wholesale handbag at a great price

A wholesale handbag is a great alternative to the expensive, hard to find high fashion designer bags. While designer handbags are in high demand, selling at outrageous numbers worldwide, knock-offs or wholesale handbags are just as valuable. Blame it on a slow economy or just consumers refusing to pay high prices, but wholesale handbags are indeed a hot item.
What is a wholesale handbag? When we hear wholesale, we think of cheaper, less expensive, or on sale items. This is true for handbags as well. While most of these bags are the true designer originals selling at discounted rates, they can also be department store knock-offs similar to their designer cousins. Often times wholesale handbags are sold below the original prices simply because no one previously purchased them.
To find these wholesale handbags, one does not need to look far. You could check out the local department stores, fashion boutiques, and malls, but these will be more costly unless they are found on sale. Thrift stores are a good place to look for gently used items. Also a good place to look for wholesale handbags is online. The Internet is an outstanding place to find just about anything.
Wholesale handbags are a great alternative to the more pricey designer bags available. Many look and feel the same, just have a small price tag! While others are the originals just with a price cut. Finding the right handbag is essential to making the right outfit great and finding one that is at a discounted price makes it even better! ... Click here to a great handbags estore

Handbags as a symbol of female power

Have you ever thought of a handbag as a symbol of female power and authority? Of course everyone is different so a purse for one person may mean something totally different and unique for another but let's look at handbags from a different perspective.
The press of England has spent time and effort speculating and commenting on ex-Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher's handbag. To quote "The Times" in June, 1982 written by Julian Critchley, "She...tends to believe the worst of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. She cannot see an institution without hitting it with her handbag..."
It's obvious that the press equates Margaret Thatcher's handbag with her assertion of power and the ability to impose her will. If you look closely, you will notice that her handbags closely resemble the Queen Mother's handbags. Is is because both of these powerful women choose the same type of bag or is Ex-Prime Minister Thatcher deliberately mimicking this female symbol of ultimate authority in her country?
Negotiations are underway for the famous handbag to be placed in a museum that houses Winston Churchill's papers and historical documents from the War. There is no indication that Mr. Churchill's wallet is stored in this prestigious collection but, then again, Margaret Thatcher was the first woman to impose her powerful presense (and pocketbook!) on 10 Downing Street! .... Click here to a great handbags estore

How to choose the perfect handbag

There are so many handbags on offer, how to select the one that would complement your figure and go with most of your outfits? See fashion expert tips.

What purse style would work best with your figure?
Never mind the current fashion: your handbag should first of all complement your figure. A tiny purse on a largish woman looks a bit silly. But even though large bags are in fashion now, don't go overboard, otherwise the bag will distract attention from your person. See examples of how to match purses to your figure.
If you are slim and tall, go for a round or square shaped purse. If you are not very tall, a bottle shaped handbag would look best. And, of course, a not very large backpack works perfectly for any figure.
Most handbags have adjustable handles, so make use of them. Large bags should never hang at the level of your hips: if necessary shorten the handle, so the bag comes to your waist line. And if you wear a backpack, it should not hang down over your backside: adjust the handles so it is just above your waist. This looks better, doesn't put as much pressure on your lower back, and forces you to keep a good posture.

What color should you choose?
These days handbags are very colorful. Of course, this means that you can no longer have just one bag that would go with any outfit you wear. However, if you wear a lot of blue, orange or green, a matching color purse would make your outfit complete. Fruit prints are currently ?in', with the most popular being cherries, peaches and apples.
As far as prints go, a plain, one-color handbag is more practical as it is easier to match with your clothes. However, if you wear a single-colored dress, adding a bright, multicolored handbag might be a good idea.
Also each season of the year favors different handbag colors. All greens are very popular in spring, while red and orange are often seen in autumn. Winter favorites are white and all shades of blue.
And, of course, black is still a classic, which goes with any outfit. Brown handbags, too, are still popular although they are not very practical: a brown bag would only work with brown or beige clothing.

What are most fashionable purse materials?
Leather is always a classic, and it works for any situation and with any outfit. However, other purse materials are fashionable now. Fabric bags can look very stylish, as well as a mix of fabric and leather. Straw bags are simple, and create a great look for the summer. Moreover, since straw looks very natural, it works well with a summer outfit of any color.... Click here to a great handbags estore