Posted on 13th Apr 2012 @ 7:50 AM

A handbag, also purse or pouch in American English, is a handled medium-to-large bag that is often fashionably designed, typically used by women, to hold personal items such as wallet/coins, keys, cosmetics, a hairbrush, pepper spray, cigarettes, contraceptives, mobile phone etc. In the UK however a 'purse' would not refer to a handbag, but that similar to a man's wallet, containing money, cards etc.

"Purse" or "Handbag"?

The term "purse" originally referred to a small bag for holding coins. In British English, it is still used to refer to a small coin bag. A "handbag" is a larger accessory, that holds items beyond currency, such as a woman's personal items. American English typically uses the terms "purse" and "handbag" interchangeably. The term "handbag" began appearing in the early 1900s. Initially, it was most often used to refer to men's hand-luggage. Women's accessory bags grew larger and more complex during that period, and the term was attached to the women's accessory.

Types of handbags

An 1875 Chatelaine bag, with a buckram frame and velvet body. It would have been "hooked" into the waist of the skirt.
Crocodile skin handbags in a conservation exhibit at Bristol Zoo, England

As a fashion accessory, handbags can be categorized according to the silhouette of the bag, as well as the type of handle. The current popular handbag silhouettes are (as of 2011):

    Baguette: a small, narrow, rectangular shape purse, resembling a French loaf of bread (baguette)
    Barrel: shaped like a barrel or closed tube, usually with shoulder-length straps
    Bowling bag purse: a popular 1990s "retro" style for younger women, modelled after American bags used to carry bowling balls
    Bucket bag: shaped like a bucket, medium-size or large, with shoulder straps and a drawstring closure
    Clutch: a handbag without handles, rectangular in shape, often an evening bag but used during the day as well
    Doctor's bag: modelled after a Victorian era doctor's bag for making housecalls
    Drawstring: a purse that closes with a drawstring at the top, may have wrist- or shoulder-length straps, popular as an evening bag style
    Half-moon: shaped as a half-moon
    Hobo: medium-size crescent-shaped bag with a top zipper and often a slouch or dip in the centre; a modern, casual silhouette
    Lighted: a handbag with a lighting system which has been attempted since the 1950s without success until recently when in 2011 the first successful lighted handbag was brought to market.
    Messenger bag: one long strap worn across the body, inspired by bags worn by urban messengers to deliver business mail, a modern silhouette
    Minaudière: a small rectangular evening bag, usually hard-bodied, sometimes held inside a soft fabric bag that serves as a sleeve
    Muff: a winter bag made of real or faux fur, wool or velvet that has zippered compartments and a slip opening for hands
    Pocketbook: small purse, rectangular shape
    Pouch: small bag such as a pocket, teabag, money bag, sporran, etc
    Saddle purse: shaped like a horse saddle, may have equestrian motifs and hardware to emphasize the design
    Satchel: a soft-sided case usually of leather
    Tote: medium to large bag with two straps and an open top
    Trapezoid: shaped as a trapezoid, usually made of stiff material
    
    
    According to type of handle, handbags are often categorized as:

    Tote: a medium to large bag with two straps and an open top
    Cross-body: one long strap that crosses over the body, with the bag resting at the front by the waist
    Sling bag: one long, wide strap that crosses over the body, with the bag resting on the back
    Shoulder bag: any bag with shoulder-length straps
    Clutch: handleless

Handbags that are designed for specific utilitarian needs include:

    Laptop purse: a medium to large bag that contains a padded interior compartment or sleeve for protecting a laptop computer
    Camera bag: for carrying photography equipment
    Cosmetic bag: small bags for holding cosmetics, often made of synthetic protective material
    Duffle bag: a large bag usually used for travel or sports gear, sometimes called a "weekend bag"
    Security bag: protects the carrier from travel theft and includes an invisible stainless steel strap sewn into the fabric and a protectant on the main zipper.

Hardware

    A distinction can also be made between soft-body handbags or frame handbags, where a metal frame supports the textile or leather of the bag. Frame bags often use a kissing lock closure, with two interlocking metal beads set on the top of the frame. Kissing locks were popular on handbags during the early- to mid-20th century, and remain popular with vintage collectors and in "retro" designs.

Diamanté clasps were in use by the 1930s. In later decades, designers found popular success with zipper enclosures, flaps, and even magnetic clasps hidden in the fabric of handbags.