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The Why of Handbags

Throughout history, women have always had some sort of carrying device, be it a handbag or a purse or something else. Have you ever wondered why this is? The answer may surprise you. It is very complex, and ties into everything that separates a woman from a man. Besides the obvious, of course. In fact, we have knowledge of woman carrying handbags as long ago as 430 B.C.

Besides just being a way to carry things, purses (including handbags) have always been important. From the modern classy lady with her Prada handbag, to the ancient witch-doctor and his medicine bundle, there are similarities between every form of bag-carrying.

The first thing, of course, is fairly obvious, Specifically, that a bag allows you to carry things. Everyone needs to carry things at some point in their life, some more often then others, but still you don't see men carrying purses. Ever wondered why this is? Why they only need a tiny wallet? The answer, speaking genetically, is that woman are the traditional caregivers. It is the women who were responsible for making sure that all the family had what they needed.

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 part, is the role of mystery and power. The inside of a bag, any bag, is hidden, and mystery drives imagination. The bag of the doctor, the wizard, or the medicine man is filled with strange and mysterious items, that only they can understand. This gives the holder of the bag an air of mystique, as if they alone (because of this understanding) are a people apart.

The average woman, of course, is not a mysterious wizard. However, the mystery of her bag does set her apart. Just like the wizard, at least as far as most men are concerned, a woman's handbag is filled with strange and mysterious items that only she understands. And let us not forget, an air of mystery is extremely 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.

Take, for example, Margaret Thatcher. Notice how closely her handbags resembled that of the Queen Mothers. Was this coincidence, or was there some deeper connection? Maybe both of these women chose the same style, because of their similar positions. Both leaders, with a great deal of power, and most importantly both female, it should come as no surprise that they both would choose similar handbags.

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.