Wristlets and reticules

“Napoleonic era women wore sheer white dresses that were too transparent for pockets. They began wearing teeny-tiny wristlets or reticules (sack-like bags with drawstrings). Even when fashion returned to bigger, fuller skirts, women still continued to carry wristlets and reticules because they were so pretty and functional.”

Gladstone bags and satchels

“The Victorian era brought increased travel and tourism. Women started to use large Gladstone bags, leather or cloth satchels inspired by those worn by 17th-century explorers. In the evening they continued to carry small bags.”

Whiting and Davis Mesh Silver Bag

“At the turn of the century, women were less confined to their homes. They were able to vote; some began working and attended college. The ‘Roaring Twenties,’ brought innovations in entertainment -- many women spent their evenings at the movies, jazz clubs and speakeasies. Evening bags became a la mode, particularly a silver, mesh bag from Whiting and Davis. At approximately 5-6 inches in length, these evening bags were roomier than the wristlets and reticules that preceded them.”

Van Cleef and Arpels Minaudèire

“Women of the 1920s began to smoke but found their cigarettes would crumble in mesh evening bags. Jewelry magnate Charles Arpels (of Van Cleef and Arpels) saw Florence Gould (wife of railroad mogul Frank Jay Gould) using her cigarette box as a purse. She stashed her lipstick in the box along with her cigarettes. Arpels modeled his “minaudeière,” (essentially a compartmentalized, bejeweled tin cigarette box) off of this trend and it was a hit -- a price point every woman could afford and functional for the needs of the 1920s women.”

Bugatti Bags

“What does the rise of automobiles have to do with handbags? When driving in open sports cars, women became frustrated because their possessions would fly out of their bags. The solution to this problem was very first handbag with a zipper--the Bugatti Bag, invented in 1923 by the sports car company of the same name.”

Clutches (also called envelope bags)

“Women of the 1930s loved the flat shape of the Minaudeire, but were carrying more than what could fit in this style of bag. This led to the development of the clutch (also called an envelope bag). Clutches of the 1930s could be as large as 9 inches by 12 inches.”

Shoulder bags

“Shoulder bags came into fashion first as war-time necessity. The women’s military core, the WACs (Women’s Army Corps) and the WAVES (Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service) were among the first to carry shoulder bags that had a strap and could fit war staples such as food, flashlights and bandages.”

Miami bags, Chanel bags and the Kelly bag

“Coco Chanel developed her signature quilted bag in 1952. Women, who were out of the house more, found that their leather bags would get scratched easily. Coco’s solution -- quilted leather. The quilting didn’t show scratches as much and helped protect the contents of the bag.

Miami bags, made of lucite and plastic, became trendy in the 50s. They represented the post-war fascination with industrial materials. Women were identifying less with mom and home, and identifying more with the world.

A bag used to carry horseback riding supplies became a national craze when Hermès adapted it into a smaller-sized model. It hit the market in the early 50s. In 1956 Grace Kelly carried this bag in her first year as Princess of Monaco to hide her bulging tummy before she announced her pregnancy. From that point on, this style purse became known as the ‘Kelly Bag.’”

Shopper bags and totes

“Women of the 1960s were working and running their households. Designer Bonnie Cashin identified a woman’s need for a simple, comfortable bag to carry more ‘stuff.’ Her ‘shopper’ bags, designed for Coach, were roomy enough to fit a magazine as well as a lipstick."

Backpacks

Also at this time backpacks came into style with the recognition that women needed to carry books, sports supplies and even snacks. Backpacks were modeled off of German ‘Rucksacks’ used for hiking and in the army.”

Big bags, laptop bags

“Bags are getting bigger and bigger because we have more stuff to carry. The laptop bag has in some cases replaced a women’s handbag, or, at the very least, women make sure when they buy handbags that their laptops or iPads can fit inside.”

The future of bags

We are charged by the weight for our luggage and in turn, suitcases and carry-ons have been designed lighter. “Next up is handbags,” says Deb Chase, who predicts handbags of the future “wont be as heavy -- they’ll be made from lighter materials and feature less hardware. A Louis Vuitton or another super designer will need to be first to make these modifications and then other designers will follow suit.”