The handbag has always been the accessory most able to withstand experimentation in designs. Unlike the shoe that has to be worn in pairs and the hat, which must compete with the face, handbags can stand alone and reflect the personality of the wearer. The bag can speak for it’s owner in shouts or in whispers, sighs or screams. Humor can be shown or a severe sense of conservatism and dogma. It doesn’t matter how disorganized the inside of a purse is - the silhouette is what shows your sense of style to the world.
Handbags can reflect a change in trends in social attitudes throughout a country. Statistics (and history) shows that when there is a potential war on the horizon or an actual war, handbags become bigger. When times are good for a country, bags become smaller and sleeker.
For an example of this within memory (at least within my memory!) just check out the popular bags of the hippy generation of the 1960’s and 70’s. Free form bags that were deliberately informal with rustic designs and handwoven textiles predominated.
As bag shapes have changed, so has the material used to make them. Leather has evolved into an art form all it’s own and a felted purse can be a riot of color and contrasts.
I think the future of handbags lies in it’s ability to transform and that form will also follow function. The divide between traditional evening bags and purses carried during the day will lessen and blend into one entity, able to make it through both the busy work day and through a fun evening. I would be very interested in know what you think about handbag trends and what your personal prediction is for the future of days. I have a survey form located at: Handbag Trends Poll
and will be publishing the results of this informal poll.
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