Handbag facts for kids
A handbag is a type of bag that people, especially women, use to carry their personal items. Handbags are often designed to be stylish and are a big part of fashion. You might also hear them called a 'purse', 'pocketbook', 'pouch', or 'clutch'. These other names usually mean a smaller kind of bag.
Handbags can hold many different things. People often carry items like a wallet for money, keys, a mobile phone, cosmetics, and sometimes jewellery. You might also find books or e-books, a pen and paper, or even a small food item or a water bottle. Tissues or a hairbrush are also common things to keep inside.
Handbags for Everyone
While handbags are mostly known for being used by women today, this hasn't always been the case. In the past, men also carried bags.
History of Men's Bags
Long ago, men used to carry small coin purses. One of the oldest known purses was found with Ötzi the Iceman, who lived over 5000 years ago! He was a man, and he had a purse.
Later, in Europe during the 1700s and 1800s, men started wearing trousers instead of breeches. These new trousers had pockets sewn into them. This made it easy for men to carry their coins and paper money in small leather wallets right in their pockets. Because of this, men didn't need to carry separate purses as much anymore.
Images for kids
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Queen Elizabeth II, holding her Launer London handbag
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Women's fashion from 1830, including a reticule handbag from France
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An 1875 Chatelaine bag, with a buckram frame and velvet body. It would have been "hooked" into the waist of the skirt.
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Crocodile skin handbags in a conservation exhibit at Bristol Zoo, England
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1860 Woman's handbag with frame and kissing lock (LACMA)
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A bilum bag, used in Papua New Guinea. Bilums are made of "bush rope", cuscus fur or wool, and expand in size
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Ojibwa bag with decorative beadwork; this particular bag was probably made for a child
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A Burmese Kachin bag or wallet. A Figure from the booklet Burmese Textiles, published in 1917 by Laura E. Start
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A Scandinavian Sámi purse (handbag) with shoulder strap
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A Betel bag from West Timor, made around 1921. Called an aluk, such bags are still made
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A modern handbag in a traditional Hakka Chinese-style floral fabric design
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North African bag with lizard head and paws
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19th century bags and pouches of the Sioux
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Bags exhibited in the Yunnan Nationalities Museum, Kunming, Yunnan, China
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An early 19th-century Mexican Handbag featuring a lamb and crown motif in traditional needlework and a silk dress lining.
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Ladies' Burberry handbag (2005)
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Tanner Krolle Eva bag (2006)
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Longchamp tote bag
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Ted Noten bag (2009)
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Chanel 2.55 bag
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A handbag from French designer Etienne Aigner
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Handbag shaped like vintage Volkswagen bus (2007)
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A classic-looking bag made from black microfiber cloth
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Crocheted bucket-style handbag by Sak.com
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Handbags at the 2010 FONART exhibition in Mexico City
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Bag made of recycled water sachets by Trashy Bags, Accra, Ghana (2012)
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Colorful handbag made from recycled materials (2012)
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JulieApple's Yoga-a-GoGo bag made by AirDye technology that dyes fabric without the use of water
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Santiniketan leather bag from India
See also
In Spanish: Bolso para niños
