Carry Me Please found this article interesting. It compares what a woman carried sixty five years ago to now. What did women carry in their handbags in 1945?
Then 1945
The typical handbag of a typical
woman in 1945 contained:
One or two lipsticks
A compact(they won't close)
1 fresh handkerchief
2/3 crumpled handkerchiefs
A package of letters
The laundry bill
3 tickets from the cleaner
1 nylon stocking to be repaired
1 address book
1 pack of cigarettes
3 packs of matches
1 leather picture folder
All ration books (including expired ones)
Several cards with address of a furrier, a wholesale place for children's coats, a beauty parlor, a graphologist, etc.
2 scraps of paper with telephone numbers and no names
1 hairnet
1 bottle of vitamins
3 samples of slipcovers
1 fountain pen
2 pencils
1 parcel of V-mail letters covering
several months held by a rubber band.
Now
The typical handbag of
a typical woman today.
ATM Card
Cell Phone / Blackberry
Change Purse
Checkbook
Crumpled Tissues
Hand Cream
Hair Brush
Keys
Lip Balm
Nail File
Makeup case filled to capacity
Pens
Wallet and credit cards
One bag is not enough
Our contents spill over into our tote bags,
where you will find:
Agenda
Bottled Water
Paperback Book/Magazine
Newspaper
Shoes to change at work
Umbrella
Featured bag, Beautiful People Designs' Mary Anne shoulder bag.
The contents of a handbag...revealed. The original copy of this article is from the NFAA archives. Printed January 21, 1945, The New York Times, by Anita Daniel. Handbag History Article