PLAY蝦咪GAME

The very first handbags were just little sacks holding oranges and money and were carried by men and were called 'pockets'. Around 1400, men and women both wore pockets, and richer people had their pockets decorated with gold or embroidery. 100 years later, the pocket had become a status possession. Paintings from that era show bags tied by string, but by the end of that century, women preferred to wear these pouches under their skirts.

In 1670, pants with built-in pockets became popular (something like today's trousers) and men then didn't hold them anymore, but they did carry a little 'purse for money in their pants pocket (similar to today's wallet).

In the 18th century, hand carried pouches for men and women were no longer used. But after the French revolution, the style of women's clothes had become so delicate that it was impossible for them to contain a pocket. Thus, the handbag made a small appearance again.

The tables turned and skirts became bigger so inside pockets were the rage again. Even when these dresses grew tighter in the 1880s, handbags were slow to return. The real rebirth for handbags came at the turn of the 1900s, with the arrival of the hobble skirt (the brand Louis Vuitton started producing bags around this time). A pocket was impossible, and large handbags with long straps became popular. (A hobble skirt was a long skirt that was very narrow below the knees - you couldn't take long steps.)

In the 1920s, as dresses got tiny, handbags became a must, both as a utility item and as a fashion statement reflecting one's personal style. Nowadays, every fashion has its handbag and every woman can have a wardrobe of shapes and colors.

Even now, a new chapter in handbag history is being written, as men's fashions become leaner, more and more men are discovering the convenience of carrying their stuff in a hand or shoulder bag.