It’s needless to say that handbags are always a fashion must. Whether it’s a little clutch or a big ole body bag, next to pearls it’s a girls best friend. According to Wikipedia, handbags first became known in the 16th century. They were small and were made out of common materials like leather and fastened with drawstring on top and were carried diagonally across their body. A century later, bags became more complex and elaborate. Young Girls were taught embroidery and needlework skills in order to assist them in finding a husband. And so stitched artwork on bags became more popular.

In the 18th century, the neo-classical look became more fashionable and women started carrying their bags in their hands so that they don’t ruin their outfits. They named these bags “reticules.” Most women had several bags,  one to match each outfit. Contents of these bags might include rouge, a fan, face powder, a scent bottle, a card case, visiting cards and smelling salts.

In the early 1900s people specifically began calling their bags “handbags”. This term was also referred to luggage that men carried which in turn inspired bags with internal compartments, complicated fasteners and locks. In the 1920s, it became popular that bags no longer had to match your outfit and in the 1940s, with World War II, handbags were made out of wood or plastic, since most metals were stragetic materials. In the 1950s, handbag designers became popular and included Chanel, Louis Vuitton, and Hermes. Today these three brands are still popular, along with Christian Dior, Gucci, Prada, Fendi, Kate Spade, and Lockheart among many others.