Handbag

A handbag, often called a purse in North American English, is a medium-to-large bag with handles used to carry personal belongings. In some parts of the United States, it is also referred to as a pocketbook. Originally, the word "purse" meant a small bag for coins, but over time it came to describe a larger accessory that holds more than just money.

The term "handbag" first appeared in the early 1900s, initially referring to men's hand luggage. As women's bags grew larger and more elaborate, the name shifted to them. In American English, "purse" and "handbag" are used interchangeably. "Pocketbook" was a common term for a woman's handbag in the mid-20th century U.S.

Bags have been used since ancient times to carry items like flint, tools, supplies, weapons, and coins. Early examples from Egyptian burial sites (c. 2686–2160 BCE) were made of leather with two straps or handles. The ancient Greeks used leather, papyrus, and linen purses called *byrsa* for coins—the root of the English word "purse." The rise of money led to drawstring purses, often hung from a belt or hidden in clothing. A handbag was found with Ötzi, who lived between 3350 and 3105 BC. One of the earliest ornate leather purses came from Anglo-Saxon Britain, dated around 625 CE, discovered at the Sutton Hoo burial site of King Roewald. Though the leather had decayed, its gold ornaments, forty gold coins, a gold belt buckle, and hinged straps remained, symbolizing wealth.

The oldest surviving handbag in the world is the Courtauld bag, believed to have been made in Mosul in the early 1300s, likely belonging to an Ilkhanate noblewoman.

Until the late 1700s, both men and women carried bags. Early modern Europeans used soft fabric or leather purses for coins, worn by both genders; the Scottish sporran is a remnant of this. In the 17th century, young girls learned embroidery for marriage, which also helped them create decorative handbags. By the late 18th century, European fashion favored slender shapes inspired by Ancient Greece and Rome. Women wanted purses that were not bulky, so reticules—made of silk or velvet with wrist straps—became popular in France and then Britain, where they were called "indispensables." Men did not adopt this trend, instead using purses and pockets in trousers.

The modern handbag emerged in England during the Industrial Revolution, partly due to railway travel. In 1841, Doncaster industrialist Samuel Parkinson ordered a set of traveling cases and trunks, insisting on a traveling bag for his wife because her purse was too small and made of unsuitable material. He requested various handbags in different sizes for different occasions, made from the same leather as his cases, to distinguish them from common carpetbags. H. J. Cave (London) produced the first modern luxury handbags, including a clutch and a tote (called a "ladies traveling case"), now displayed in the Museum of Bags and Purses in Amsterdam. H. J. Cave continued selling handbags, but critics argued women did not need them and that such heavy bags would "break the backs of ladies." The company stopped promoting handbags after 1865, focusing on trunks, though they occasionally made bags for royalty or special events, such as the Queen's 2012 Diamond Jubilee. H. J. Cave resumed handbag production in 2010.

When handbags first gained popularity, they were criticized as unfeminine. Sigmund Freud argued that purses symbolized female genitalia and sexuality, and that a woman retrieving items from her purse represented masturbation. Before handbags, women used pockets sewn into their dresses, allowing discreet access to items. Handbags, carried openly, exposed personal belongings. As handbags became mainstream in the 20th century, they shifted from practical items to symbols of wealth and social status. Styles, materials, prices, and brand names grew as important as functionality. Handbags came to be seen as specifically feminine, while men's bags remained practical briefcases—square, hard-edged, plain—containing items associated with the "man's world."