Monday, 2 September 2024

The Esssential Accessory: A Love Affair With Bags

 




“Seriously? Do you need yet another bag?
 Get rid of one before you buy another," is my significant other's constant refrain. He cannot get over my obsession with bags. "Why do you need so many bags?" he says. That a woman will always have a reason, or no reason at all to buy a bag is beyond male comprehension.  Except for a few, this is a precious accessory to most women. 

Choosing the perfect bag

So much care and attention goes into choosing a bag. The colour, the shape, the size, the length and thickness of the strap,  the number of pockets, and the kind of closure are all to be considered when choosing a bag. A woman's bag must complement her physique, her clothes, and the occasion.

He doesn’t need a vast array of bags

 A male will put his money, and keys into a wallet and he is ready to move.  He may carry a satchel, briefcase, or ever-popular backpack to work. The backpack is now a unisex accessory. I am reminded of the khaki-coloured backpacks that we carried to school.

Her array of bags

It is a bit more complicated when it comes to women.

They need to have a purse, a sling bag, a handbag, a tote, a clutch, a shopping bag and what have you as the occasion demands. I prefer cross–body sling bags.

Purchasing the bag

Some women swear by designer bags while others are happy to pick them off street stalls as long as it suits their style, need and personality. 

Besides the brick-and-mortar stores, one is spoilt for choice by portals who fiercely vie with each other to bring the best bargains to the women. I have done my fair share of scouring on the internet for bags that suit my budget and taste and have come away mostly confused.   

Lead us not into temptation
At the same time, I can't but help steal furtive glances at any bag that is up for sale anywhere. 'Lead us not into temptation", I mutter under my breath and walk away. A few years ago a famous Bollywood film star gifted his sister a hamper of designer bags for her wedding. What more could a girl ask for?  

 

A Peek Inside My Bag

On a normal basis, my handbag would contain a bunch of keys,a wallet containing money and identity,  a handkerchief, the all-important tube of lipstick,  a book, (if I have to wait or I am travelling by train or plane) a comb and my cell phone.  
I have noticed that gentlemen are greatly amused when ladies frantically rummage through their bags to locate and attend to a ringing cell phone. Well, gentlemen are generally amused and puzzled by most things that a lady does or doesn't do or wants or does not want. Hence it is but natural that he will wonder about her obsession with bags. 

Some Trivia

The world's oldest purse was discovered in Germany in 2012. It was studded with dog teeth and dated from 2500 and 2200 BC. 


 A700-year-old clutch discovered in the city of Mosul in Iraq is said to be the world's oldest handbag. 

Medieval purses were used not only to carry money but also to symbolise marriage and betrothal hence there were embroidered to depict love stories. 

Even though the handbag is an accessory popular with the ladies, it started as an accessory for the gentlemen. 



https://www.theswaddle.com/a-history-of-the-handbag-from-a-practical-necessity-to-creative-canvas

 

So what is your favourite kind of bag ladies?

 

This post is part of the #BlogChatterHalfMarathon Challenge

image credit : from my own collection

2 comments:

  1. There was a time when I used to have too many bags. My mum used to ask if I'm going to open a bag shop. Today, I'm a minimalist when it comes to handbags. But I agree with what you've mentioned about women and their need for variety in handbags. Loved your trivia section

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, Janaki. Good to hear about your minimalism.

      Delete

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