What woman can live without a purse? Whether the purse is made of modest cloth or materials favored by the fashionistas, purses are necessities for and functional extensions of a woman.
As shown in the South Carolina State Museum's upcoming exhibit The Purse and The Person: A Century of Women's Purses, these handbags, whether leather, plastic or metal, and no matter what size or shape, illustrate the 20th century’s changing fashions, culture and economics through items that most women cannot do without.
As with all fashions, purses illustrate an era’s aesthetic sensibility along with their functionality. “Purses are more than beautiful examples of a period design or practical containers; they are private repositories of the stories of women’s everyday lives,” said Curator of History Elaine Nichols. “By examining purses collected and used by women, we get a glimpse into the lives, personalities and concerns of women over the past 100 years.”
Most women living during the Edwardian Era (1901-1914) did not work outside the home and purses reflected that lifestyle. Small cloth, leather, or metal mesh bags dangled from wrists or belts, while large leather bags were popular for shopping. Purses often contained separate compartments designed to hold essential items such as calling cards, a dainty handkerchief, house keys or a small amount of money.
By the 1920s, modern women had a more public and independent life. As a result, purses designed to hold “essentials” such as cigarettes and make-up gained popularity. Known as the clutch, or pochette, these rectangular handbags could be elegantly tucked beneath the arm or dangled from a wrist strap.
World War II offered women unprecedented opportunities to work outside the home in jobs that were once the sole domain of men. Consequently, purses were not only loaded with the usual items like keys, cosmetics and money but also contained important new items, ranging from ration books to flashlights.
With the end of the war most women, some reluctantly, returned to the domestic front. It was also during this era that a steady market was developed for novelty purses which reflected the country’s casual style and popular culture.
As the Baby Boomers came of age in the 1960s, they broke sharply with their parents’ politics, mores and fashions. The carefree, hands-free shoulder bag emerged as the purse of choice during the era of the miniskirt and the “Age of Aquarius.” Mod purses made from ostrich and python vied with tooled leather and psychedelic fabrics.
Many women in the 1980s believed that they could and should have it all. The superwoman’s busy, high-stress life led to more reliance on a purse that could take her from kitchen to gym to boardroom to after-work drinks.
Status dressing was in full force. What better way to show your style and wealth than by carrying a purse displaying designer logos?
The more than 2,000 objects found in the exhibit belong to collector Anita Davis of Little Rock, Ark. They date from the late 19th to the late 20th century.
The Purse and the Person can been seen Oct. 21 through Dec. 30. For
more information contact Elaine Nichols at (803) 898-4953 or
www.southcarolinastatemuseum.org
This colorful telephone-cord purse illustrates the many styles, colors and materials that have gone into the design of women's purses over the past century. It is one of many fascinating items to be found in the South Carolina State Museum's new exhibit The Purse and the Person: A Century of Women's Purses.
Photo courtesy Smith Kramer Traveling Exhibits/South Carolina State Museum
Women's purses have always been made for a variety of occasions, and matching the rest of the outfit is often essential, as illustrated in this 1950s photo. A large variety of purses - and their contents - from the past 100 years can be seen in the South Carolina State Museum's new exhibit The Purse and the Person: A Century of Women's Purses, opening Oct. 21.
Photo courtesy Smith Kramer Traveling Exhibits/South Carolina State Museum
The South Carolina State Museum's new exhibit The Purse and the Person: A Century of Women's Purses contains many varied examples of styles and materials of purses. This 1970s clutch purse is made of plastic, and is printed to look like a rolled copy of Elegance magazine.
Photo courtesy Smith Kramer Traveling Exhibits/South Carolina State Museum
One of the many elegant styles of purse to grace the exhibit The Purse and the Person, which can be seen at the South Carolina State Museum Oct. 21 through Dec. 30.
Photo courtesy Smith Kramer Traveling Exhibits/South Carolina State Museum
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