Women's boho bags and purses

How have they changed over the centuries?
A handbag is an essential part of any woman's closet. Handbags can not only be fashionable, but also functional. You can carry all sorts of necessary gadgets in them, and at the same time stand out from the crowd. Some handbags are completely basic and simple, while others are fancifully decorated and are a designer element of the whole outfit. What was the history of handbags over the centuries? Let's zoom in on their history.

Ethnic handbags in antiquity

For most of history, both men and women used handbags for practical purposes. Ancient people used them as bags to carry weapons, tools, food and flint (for making fire). Even Otzi the Iceman - that is, a 5300-year-old, well-preserved mummy found in the Italian Alps in 1991 - had a bag-like pouch attached to his belt. Inside it contained a flint, a drill, an awl and dried mushrooms.

The Egyptians of the Old Kingdom (2686 - 2160 BC) used oriental bags with double handles, made of linen and papyrus. Ancient Greeks, on the other hand, carried purses hanging from a belt that could be hidden in clothing.

Medieval purses

In the 13th century, Western Europeans carried small purses called "salmon purses." It was into these that they tucked donations in the form of coins to give later to the poor. Working people, artisans, pilgrims and peasants used purses as a way to transport small goods. They were most often sewn from recycled leather and coarse fabric.

More sophisticated versions of practical handbags were used by members of royalty and the aristocracy. Beautiful handbags were given as gifts - decorated with romantic scenes and even humorous mottos.

Handbag in the Renaissance era

In the 15th century, large handbags with metal frames were carried by male aristocrats and members of the royal family. Over time, handbags became more and more fancy, sewn from elegant fabrics and decorated with elaborate designs. Elizabethans were fond of allegorical handbags, for example. In the late 16th and early 17th centuries, small, embroidered handbags were status symbols for all wealthy women.

The late Renaissance saw the development of the evening bag. Men and women carried flat bags that contained tokens and coins for games. The bottoms of the bags were decorated with coats of arms, used for identification.

Oriental handbags of the 17th-19th centuries

At the beginning of the 17th century, men used small handbags, attached to their belts - as hanging bags were seen as feminine. By the 18th century, women wore small, but often larger bags, hanging down to about the wrist area.

The 19th century ushered in new, fashionable handbags. Women carried a net with a string instead of a purse, but also bags with embroidered images of houses and flowers. Women also often made their own ethnic bags to give them individuality and show off their sewing skills.

Handbags of the early 20th century

Between 1900 and 1914, exotic fabrics mixed with practicality . Thus, small silver mesh bags, large velvet bags with hand-carved frames, bags with locks, and oriental handbags cut from expensive fabrics and decorated with ribbon and lace were introduced. Love of oriental styles and materials, moreover, influenced bags with Asian designs. In the early 20th century, leather shoulder bags were also popularized.

It is worth mentioning that the hippie culture of the 1960s brought a lot of interest in vintage styles and ethnic handbags. Shoulder bags, made of exotic materials, became one of the indispensable elements of every member of the hippie subculture. To this day, oriental handbags are still quite popular among women who are looking for unobvious solutions in fashion.