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men and women. Men
were expected to dress
neatly and respectably as
was acceptable in the
work place while women
were permitted to dress
sweetly and romantically
in keeping with their
fragility and role as a
decoration.
Because men’s fashions of
the time were much
unchanged and still
included the pockets
needed for a man to store
his things, the purse was
seen as a purely feminine
accessory that served to
exhibit not only the
increasing differences in
men’s and women’s attire
but also the distinct
separation in the roles of
Joy feelings magazine
1800-1930 Carpet Bags
& Clutches
As new modes of
transportation developed
and people began to
travel, the precursor to the
modern handbag really
came into being. To be
away from home for long
meant that men and
women needed a way for
their things to travel as
well, thus suitcases,
hatboxes, and dressing
cases were created. Carpet
bags were the travel bags
of choice for much of the