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Women's handbags through time: the history of women's handbags

The history of women's handbags

Fashion handbags are a must-have accessory for every woman. Depending on the stage of life a woman is in, the contents and function of her purse change. Handbags have been worn by women of all walks of life in the past, but the difference was, of course, in the materials used and the way the handbags were made. The bag has always reflected trends. In today's sense of the word, it became established at the end of the 18th century, when it replaced the scrotum, which was closed with a cord. See how handbags have changed over time in terms of functionality and design.

Women's handbags they are a must-have fashion accessory that has seen many throughout history stylistic and other types of transformations. They are considered one of the most precious treasures of every woman and have a great meaning. It is a purse much more than just a fashion accessory, because similarly to men, the car represents a status symbol, but at the same time it also reveals the owner's personality. The interior is her private space. If we were to take a peek inside it, we would be amazed at what we can find in it, so it is not a wrong observation that a look into a woman's handbag, like looking into her soul.

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The oldest purse found dates back to the 12th century.
The oldest purse found is from the 12th century.

Believe it or not, women's handbags have long been considered technological the most complicated fashion accessory. Most of them are made of different materials (fabric, leather, metal, wood...) that were necessary in an aesthetic and functional way to connect with each other, so the manufacturers had to know the properties of different materials and processing procedures well.


In the life of every woman, there are many handbags, and their appearance and contents differ depending on the period in which they are.

Women's handbags through time  –  history of women's handbags:

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