The Term “Handbag” Appeared In The 1900s And Was Used To Refer To Hand Luggage For Men.

National Handbag Day on October 10th recognizes the versatile and utilitarian bag that goes by many names.

Call it what you will – pocketbook, clutch, reticule, purse, evening bag, case, or pouch – they’ve been coming in handy for thousands of years.

• 3400 -3100 BC – The first purse known belonged to a man – Ötzi the Iceman.
• 17th Century – Carrying bags became extremely popular among women and young girls in the 17th century. It was one of the most sought-after gifts to give to women and young girls at that time (it still is).
• 1750s – In the mid-18th century, handbags aren’t mainstream, so women carried the essentials in pockets that were as big as a bag.
• 1841 – London’s H.J. Cave made the first luxury leather handbag.  Cave manufactured the first small and resistant handbags from durable leather. These were specially made for the family of a very successful businessman, Samuel Parkinson. Of course, his wife’s purse had a more delicate size and shape. Now, these bags can be seen in the Amsterdam Handbag Museum.
• 1900s – The term “handbag” appeared in the 1900s and was used to refer to hand luggage for men. However, women’s bags became more popular in that period and now the term is associated with the accessory.
• 1910 – The term “backpack” was invented in 1910. Before that the terms knapsack and packsack were used.
• 1923 – The first handbag with a zipper was introduced by Hermes in 1923. Before that, bags were typically closed by drawstrings, since they were a common accessory used to carry coins.
• 1940 – During the Second World War, there is a cultural and fashion shift towards more sensible, less flashy items — handbags reflect this and useful styles like shoulder bags become in vogue.
• 1980s – Seemingly every decade of the 20th century brings a new handbag trend — the 1980s see the production of wildly flamboyant and colorful bags.
• 1985 – The first handbag designed for both men and women is launched — while it was met with mixed reviews at the time, today, it’s much more universally accepted for men to carry bags.
• The first person mentioned in a written text as wearing a bag is Judas Iscariot. The Bible makes him the first purse owner in history.
• The average woman owns 6 handbags.
• The average women’s handbag weighs 5.2 pounds.
• A study has revealed that women’s handbags are contaminated with more bacteria than toilet seat.
• The average student carries a book bag weighing 25% of their body weight. The recommended weight is no more than 15%.
• In ancient Egypt, men used to carry around purse-like pouches and it was completely normal at that time.
• The word luggage comes from the verb “lug” which means to drag.
• Shakespeare was one of the first to cite the word “luggage” in his masterpiece Henry IV.
• The Mouawad “1001 Nights Diamond Purse” is the most expensive handbag in the world and has a price tag of $3.8 million.
• 2 out of 10 luxury purses on the street are knockoffs
• Rumor has it that, at the end of each year, Louis Vuitton burns all its unsold products.
• Diamonds are a girl’s best friend. Handbags come in second. Therefore, handbags are a girl’s second-best friend.
• 22% of women choose to go on a handbag shopping spree if given a chance to buy branded things.
• 1 out of every 10 women invests more than $150 per year for handbags.
• Louis Vuitton was the first branded handbag to arise. Second, came Fendi, third came Hermes, fourth came Chanel, etc.
• A woman spends about 76 days of her life searching in her handbag. On average, there are 15 different articles in the bag.
• The top five items in the handbag are keys, a wallet, a telephone, handkerchiefs and pens.
• In the Bible, Judas is the first person mentioned to be carrying a bag.
• In the days of rationing during the World War II era, Gucci started to use canes as bag handles because leather was scarce. Nowadays though, this piece has become fashionable.

Sources:

National Day Calendar

Rioni

Maes & Hills

Lulu & Sweet Pea

National Today