The Why of Handbags

From as far back as 430 B.C, women have always carried handbags. The reasons for this, though, are both complex and surprising. In fact, it is both genetically and culturally determined that a woman should, if not must, bear a handbag. Here, although I don't have the space to go in depth, I will try to reveal at least a few of the reasons behind it.

Not merely a way of carrying things, handbags and purses in generally have always played a significant part in society. From the with-doctors medicine bag, to the society ladies handbag, there are a lot of links that tie together all the different uses to which bags and purses have been put.

The first reason, as first reasons should be, is an easy one. You can put things in a bag. This may seem overly simplistic, but do not overlook the astonishing freedom a woman enjoys, having everything she needs instantly at hand. And yet, you never see a man with a handbag. Ever wonder why this is? The truth is, it is women who have been evolutionarily selected to be the traditional caregivers, and responsible for keeping up with the needs of her family.

More important then this, the woman were responsible for raising children, and so needed ready access to anything their child might require at a moments notice. Then, again, women are the traditional organizers, and often have an obsession with keeping things neatly ordered.

The second reason, is that a bag conceals its contents. Now, I know this may seem rather obvious and trite, but what you may not realize is that anything hidden immediately becomes the focus of imagination, and is surrounded by an air of mystery. A bag, be it the bag of a doctor or a wizard, contains peculiar items beyond the understanding of the common man. This sets the holder of a bag, any bag, as a person apart- marked out in some mysterious manner.

Most women, of course, are not doctors or wizards, and do not fill their bags with strange and mysterious items. However, the contents are still hidden, and so the bag lends her the same air of mystery that surrounds the medicine man. And let us not forget, that mystery is highly attractive.

So a handbag rants the woman carrying it a mysterious aura, besides allowing her to have everything she might need for the day at hand, and neatly organized. This covers two of the reasons that women carry handbags, and I'm sure that you can guess what the third is going to be.

A handbag is a fashionable item to carry. It is actually that simple. A woman's handbag is an excellent indicator of her fashion preferences, and as such, shows clearly her place, or perhaps rather her perception of her place, in the social order. I'm sure you can immediately see that a woman with a small, plain handbag, is clearly in a different position to one with a large ornate one.

To give you an example, take a look at Margaret Thatcher. The press has always made much of her use of the handbag, and if you look a little closer, you'll see a marked resemblance between hers and the queen mothers. Is it just coincidence, that these two powerful women should choose the same design? I suspect not. Given what I've already said about the reflection of social standing that a handbag represents, I'm sure you can see that it is entirely unsurprising that they should equip themselves similarly.

To conclude, then, let me say that handbags have an incredible amount of significance. Far more then you might expect, a handbag is intensely linked to everything that is female. Allowing a woman to stay organized, while endowing her with an attractive sense of mystery, it also shows clearly her social standing. This is the reason for handbags.

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