History Between the Pages
Excerpts from An Imperfect Woman by Linda Ross
(from Chapter 1, “The Secret Interview & Green Velvet”)
In the refined hush of the Cottey College parlor, Mary Pearson struggled to tuck in a loose bead on her dead mother’s beaded purse. Shabby with frayed threads and faded cotton, a weary bead popped off and rolled across a glossy wood floor. How can a floor be so shiny? Made of cheap glass, the bead rattled toward a large palm fern and petered out behind the footed pot.
(from Chapter 5, “Ashville Street”)
“Feast your eyes on Union Station, my precious brood!”
John herded the children from the train onto the station platform. Mary sighed and reached for Ma’s terribly old-fashioned purse at odds with her fine clothing. It gave her courage, though worn out and missing beads. Let Denver not be as I fear.
History Behind the Pages
Earliest versions of purses were simple leather pouches covered with a flap. But human vanity and social status won out.
“By her belt hung a purse of leather tasseled with green and beaded with Italian beads.”
Was this the first fanny pack? Nay, good pilgrim . . . in the late 1300s, poet Geoffrey Chaucer described a beaded purse in “Canterbury Tales.”
By the 1500’s, savvy fashionistas were soon parading drawstring purses adorned with an inventive array of ornamentation. Enter exquisite, beaded purses into the pages of historical fashion.
As politics and social mores morphed, women opted for a type of pocket. Designed as a separate piece of fabric knotted around a woman’s waist under her voluminous skirts, a small slit allowed access. Voila! Women could store necessities in their under-pockets, away from prying eyes.
But once again, vanity triumphed. These pockets under skirts often announced their hiding places with fancy stitching or ribbons. If these decorations didn’t give them away already, ‘sweet bags’ filled with lavender and perfumed herbs (to fend off obnoxious odors of the day) added further “look at me” vibes.
Early in the 1800s, pocket-friendly skirts gave way to tighter fitting dresses with narrow skirts. What was a woman to do? Even a small waist pocket could not fit under her dress without being noticeable or, more essential, unflattering to her appearance.
Hence the return to small drawstring bags, now dubbed reticules. Open one up and you might find handkerchiefs, a fan necessary for flirting, a dance card, bottled perfume, a tiny bit of money, visiting cards in a card case, smelling salts, or face powder to tame any unintentional “glowing.”
But a moral dilemma arose: a woman’s under-the-skirt-pocket had been considered an undergarment. Underwear as outerwear? Scandalous! Some rallied against the new fashion trend for another reason. Holding onto a purse with one’s arm or hands? Impractical! Inconvenient!
Despite the debate, beautifully beaded purses rose in popularity thru the 1800’s. Artistry in beadwork design could be quite simple with shimmering beads of slightly contrasting colors. Progressing through the Victorian era, beaded bags became more complex with a wide palette of bead colors arranged into romantic figures, sentimental Victorian pastoral scenes, flora and fauna, and dramatic patterns. Bead work gained value and high esteem. Original patterns were jealously guarded as family secrets were passed down through generations.
Victorian women displayed their embellished beaded bags to show off social status and wealth. Extra fashion points were gained by showcasing one’s own accomplished beading and embroidery handiwork on her purse. Unlike an internet scroll through Amazon’s mass-produced “beaded purses” section, purses in the Victorian era were carefully handcrafted. The finest bead work could boast a bead count of 1000 beads per square inch! Whether embellished by the purse wearer or an exclusive European purse maker, owning an original beaded purse was special and meaningful.
A Victorian woman’s purse contents were considered private. Personal and intimate items, such as feminine hygiene products, cosmetics, identification, and trinkets of sentimental importance were carried with a sense of ownership, individuality, and privacy. Women often carried respectable sums of money which allowed married women to make purchases without their husbands being present. More than a beautiful accessory, carrying a charming, beaded purse gave a Victorian woman a sense of independence.
When the adaptable beaded purse met the 20th century, this icon of fashion history continued to evolve.
But that’s another blog.
*The beaded purse picture is courtesy of Gloria Leonard’s private collection. *