Midevil Buckle

Midevil Buckle

No items matching your keywords were found.

Contrary to the belief of some fashionistas, the handbag was not invented in 1985 by Miuccia Prada. In fact, there have been handbags, or purses, for as long as people have had a need to carry things with them. Besides their practical use, handbags throughout history have also reflected social status, gender roles, fashion design, and romantic intentions. The styles of handbags may have changed, but their impact on our culture has remained the same.

Ancient times. In the beginning, there was the pouch. Used primarily to carry coins and other valuables, the pouch was a piece of cloth tied with a string to close it. Early Egyptian hieroglyphics showed men wearing pouches around their waists or attached to their swords. Women did not use pouches because they did not own anything valuable enough to carry. The men held the purse strings, so to speak. The Bible also makes references to money pouches, like Judas Iscariot's purse that carried the payment for betraying Jesus, and the Good Samaritan's purse.

14th to 17th Century. Because pockets had not yet been invented, men and women in medieval times attached pouches to their girdles. The drawstring purses had varying degrees of ornamentation depending on the social status of the wearer. And for the first time, purses were not just used for carrying money. Men presented women with purses as a traditional wedding gift, usually embroidered with depictions of a love story. During the Elizabethan era, women wore their pouches underneath their voluminous skirts, and men had leather pouches inside their breeches, almost like pockets. Since personal hygiene was lacking at the time, 16th century aristocrats filled their concealed pouches with fragrant herbs like lavender to mask body odors.

Neoclassical era. After the French Revolution, purses came out in the open again. This change was dictated by the evolution in fashion design that had taken place. Women were no longer wearing enormous skirts, instead favoring slender, more Grecian silhouettes. Obviously, wearing a purse underneath the form-fitting dresses would not do. Therefore, fashionable women began carrying their bags, which were called "reticules."

Industrial revolution. Of all things, it was the railroad that turned pouches and purses into "handbags." Because more and more people were traveling by train, luggage makers began making hand-held luggage, and the term "handbag" was born. This new generation of luggage featured a multitude of internal compartments and fasteners, and these useful innovations were incorporated into women's bags, with small compartments for fans, opera glasses, and cosmetics.

The roaring 20s. Fresh off the landmark decision that allowed women to vote, the handbag became a symbol of women's growing independence. They carried their handbags to show that they could go anywhere they wanted, without depending on a man. Women held the purse strings now. Reflecting their newfound freedom, fashion design had changed once again, as rigid corseting and binding layers gave way to more comfortable styles and shorter hemlines. Women even declared independence from the handbag's carrying strap, preferring a clutch that they could just tuck under their arms.

World War II. The war brought a practicality back to handbags. They became larger so they could hold more items (like gas masks!), and the straps became longer, turning the handbags to shoulder bags. Rationing of metal and leather forced designers to experiment with wood and plastic for the frames, and rayon for the outer material. After the war, shoulder bags went out of fashion until the 1970s.

Rise of the Designers. Watching movies from the 1950s, one can see a culture that was obsessive about matching accessories - hats, gloves, and handbags. Major fashion design houses capitalized on this obsession, with the best example being Coco Chanel, whose quilted 2.55 handbag with chain strap became the standard for a generation. Louis Vuitton, Hermes, and Christian Dior also offered iconic designs during this pivotal period.

Late 20th Century. During the 60s, youth culture influenced fashion design and created a more relaxed, informal dress code. The handbag also became more youthful - the small shoulder bag with long, thin straps was swinging, literally and figuratively. Handbags also took on more ethnic flair as young people traversed through India and other exotic locales. Shoulder bags that disappeared after World War II returned, this time with fabric patchwork and embroidery, along with big buckles and zippers to reflect the modern woman. In the 80s, yuppie pride and conspicuous consumption took center stage, and women's handbags incorporated compartments for work-related necessities like calculators and day planners. It was during this decade that Prada introduced the unisex black knapsack that was embraced by High Street and Wall Street alike.

Today. One can find any type of handbag imaginable in the 21st century, but what's most interesting isn't the styles, but the handbag's role in current culture. Handbags have historically been used to show off someone's status, but today it is ironically a social equalizer. That's because a designer handbag (whether the real thing or a knock-off) is accessible to practically everyone. One might not be able to afford wearing Chanel head to toe, but buying a Chanel bag is more manageable. Also, women who might not have the body type to pull off a slinky designer dress can still carry a designer bag. It's one size fits all for this little piece of luxury.

We may not be able to predict what the rest of this century, and beyond, will look like in terms of fashion or society. But based on history, you can bet we'll be carrying handbags.

If you love matching handbags with outfits, a career in fashion design might be in your future. Visit FIDM, Fashion school for more info.

whats this design called?

It kind of looks like plants, you see it around old midevil looking pictures. Usually wrapped around like crests. Here is a picture of it on a shirt. Is there an official name for the style of design?

As far as I know, it's call Heraldry Design, or more specifically Grunge Heraldry.

http://www.shutterstock.com/cat.mhtml?lang=en&searchterm=grunge+heraldry&anyorall=all&search_cat=&search_group=all&orient=all&photographer_name=&searchtermx=&safesearch=1&color=

Making a medieval buckle, final process.