We make our own trends

Last year my lovely friend Laurence from the blog Lost in the 50s mentioned a point in the context of one her and her husband's fabulous vintage outfit posts that really resonated with me, especially since it's something that I've thought about many times myself over the years.

She mentioned how sometimes when you've been wearing vintage for many years, you feel the need to step outside of your usual sartorial comfort zone and try something new (in context of the outfit she shared in that summertime post, it was full length 1940s summer dresses) and that really got me thinking about how we within the vintage wearing realm create our own personal trends.

Now, what do I mean by this? As we draw our inspiration and wardrobe choices from the past, decades that are long done and over with, there aren't any new of-the-moment trends happening for us to follow, if so desired. To clarify, I mean that because we're not living in, say, 1935 or 1952 and experiencing the new styles coming out in the moment then, we don't get to try out new things as easily as if we were keeping up with what was in vogue in the moment.

Of course, the upside to that is that we can now look back on the decades that we adore as a whole and pick and chose what we want to wear from each, but there again, already knowing what existed and what was to come, can somewhat take the element of trends out of the equation.

Now, that isn't to say that there aren't trends of sorts amount vintage/repro/pinup fashion wearers today. One has only to look at the epic spike in interest surrounding vintage novelty prints, Bakelite, or swing dresses, for example, in recent years, to see that some items of vintage clothing really come out on top as favourites with many wearers. Likewise, in the more repro/vintage inspired realm, 2015 has seen a boom in indie jewelry designers, especially those making laser cut, hand painted wooden brooches, who are gaining major followings (especially on Instagram) and large customer bases in the process.

I'm certain that as time goes on, such trends will only continue, especially in the repro/vintage inspired realm, and new items will have their fleeting moments in the sun, whereas others will become practically de rigueur for many vintage enthusiasts.

Still through, we don't get to open up copies of Vogue, Harper's, Elle, Burda or any other fashion magazine that was hugely popular in the mid-twentieth century and have the chance to contemplate if a new trend speaks to us or not. We know, as mentioned above, what's coming up next already and has such, if we want to shake things up on the fashion front, we need to, by and large create our own trends on a personal level based on what elements of the past speak to us in terms of our wardrobes.



{We might not have the latest editions of our favourite fashion magazines to turn to inspiration on what's trending at the moment, but thanks to our ability to look back on time and to explore every wardrobe related element of an era, we're ensured the ability to always find and fall in love with new looks and in the process, keep our wardrobes feeling and looking fresh at our own pace. Vintage Vogue magazine cover image source.}


I think that for many folks who wear vintage, the longer we sport old school styles, the more we happily branch out. When we begin, it's natural to want to play it safe, so to speak, and many people (though certainly not all, of course) opt for pieces that are really emblematic of the era(s) that they're drawn to. So, for example, a 1950s fan might really put an emphasis on circle skirts, crinolines, polka dots, and cute, classic cardigans. Nothing wrong with that in the slightest and of course all of those pieces were common players in that decade.

As time goes on though, that same person may find that they want to expand their daily wardrobe options and start adding in vintage hats, gloves, play suits, patio sets/(so-called) squaw dresses), lucite handbags, (possibly) fur garments, Audrey Hepburn-esque skinny pants, cat's eye glasses and many other fashion elements of the period.

Further still beyond that though, we may discover that as even more time goes on, we want to broaden our closet's horizons and seek out pieces that perhaps before, we hadn't paid much attention to and/or found ourselves drawn to. I know that such has rung true for me in my own life many times, with new vintage fashion interests coming along on regular intervals.

I adore when my attention gets drawn towards something that I'd previously not felt super pulled in the direction of and think that this is fairly akin to the thrill of hopping on the bandwagon with trends, were there monthly/seasonal/yearly ones for us to do so with, if so desired, much like the ladies (and gents) of the decades we adore most often used to do.

There's something very special about this actually. We create trends that work for us and aren't a slave, so to speak, to fashion's whims. No matter how much you love vintage (and the volume of garments + accessories that you own), there are always more styles and pieces out there waiting to be explored, and so the act of creating our own personal trends becomes all the more of a joy that we can set at our pace for as long as we don our beloved vintage threads.

So while we might not have new copies of Vogue to flip open and fall in love with a cutting edge (vintage) style, we do have the endless possibilities that the fashions of the past hold and our tastes and imaginations alike to help ensure that, if so compelled, our wardrobes need never lack for new looks and creative options. A point that makes me, someone who was never really much one for following current fashion trends anyhow, a rather happy vintage wearing camper. How about you?

Are the 1980s poised to be the next "forever" decade in the vintage world?

Whoever has been in charge of PR for 1980s fashions has really let the ball drop from about January 1990 onward. But perhaps I'm getting ahead of myself there…

I don't hate modern fashion in the slightest (no do I think, as Li Edelkoot recently declared, that it's dead - though I do see why she said as much for sure), but most of its offerings - and its exceedingly fast fashion driven mindset - do not jive with my own tastes or sense of style, more often than not.

For many years now, I've looked around at what western society at large has been wearing - a sea of faded black leggings, sad, stretched out yoga pants; collar-less shirts with needlessly large breast pockets, skinny jeans two sizes too small, pajamas donned in public, and sneakers sported with darn near everything - and found myself wondering, on many occasions, if, in say, forty, five, eighty or a hundred years, anyone would be clamoring to get their hands on these kinds of garments or replicate the way people dressed back in 2015.

{Image source}

Will there be books, websites, and even a whole collective community of people who love "2010s" styles? Maybe, but if I had to put my money down on that point right now, I'd bet on "no" being the answer.

Before delving any further into this post (which, objectively, is just the tip of the iceberg on this vast topic), I want to point out that I am not, by any stretch of the imagination, saying, that there isn't great/creative/fresh/fun/and yes, even collectible, fashion being produced today. There is, at all price points, and tiers of the industry, and that is a truly wonderful thing. No, what I'm talking about is the fact that, in general (and again, I'm not per se wrangling modern fashion bloggers, those in the fashion industry, or others with fantastic senses of style into the equation here), there is a real sense of homogony at work in 21st century fashion.

This isn't entirely new by any means (trends aren't called trends for no reason after all), but it is not the same, say, as a million women in NYC in the 1940s wearing gorgeous, flattering, elegant rayon or wool crepe dresses, cute little tilt hats, and wedge shoes. Pieces so pretty, so well made (often even at a very inexpensive price point level), and so desirable, that not only are they collected and worn by some today, but that for all the ensuring time between then and now, a select percentage of the population had the good sense to hold onto, and often see the worth in, those items so as to ensure they reached their 60th, 70th, 80th, etc birthday.

Where, in a world, in which you can by a whole wardrobe with every piece coming in under $10.00 a pop, that rarely last more than a dozen washes, and look like countless other closests out there, is there room for a distinctive sense of style that defines an era and makes it become one that people yearn to emulate again, apt to take root?

Today's post however is really, ultimately, not the subject of what folks are wearing in 2015, though it does loop back to such in some ways. Instead, it is about the 1980s and the clothing and styles that this decade of excess, beauty, and grandeur produced.

As someone who has worn vintage for over half my lifetime, as well as (more recently) someone who sells it for a living, I can tell you that the 1980s were an incredible time for fashion. Seriously - and I'm not prefacing that word with "-ly bad" either, as certain folks are apt to do.

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The 1980s were the last great bastion of fresh, fantastic fashion in my opinion. Before the grunge days, minimalism, boxy shapes, epidemic of (what I call) kindergarten teacher dresses (see this post from 2009), and raver club influences of the 1990s took hold.

From there we saw a jumbled mix of styles, or lack of styles in some cases, emerge in 2000s, growing ever more casual, in general, with each passing year. I'm all for comfort, but as I've touched on here scores of times over the years, comfort does not have to equate to looking like you're ready to do a 5K fun run at the drop of a hat 24/7.

There have been lovely elements of fashion in the last twenty-five years or so, but not nearly as many, in my opinion, as in any of the decades of the 20th century (or 19th or 18th, for that matter) that proceed that era.

The 1980s looked back to the past often for influences in its designs - so hence why we now have a whole category of clothing called 1980s does 1940s or 1950s. Some of these looks rocked, others were eyebrow raising, but they were all fun and youthful and creative.

Indeed, for all the trends and styles of the 1980s, creativity ran rampant, in my opinion, and for every Valley Girl, Preppy, or aerobic gear fan, there was someone channeling their own Andie Walsh and marching to the beat of their own sartorial drum.

Beyond that, or at least in conjunction with it, there were great off the rack styles to be had as well. I was but a mere speck of a child during the six years of the 1980s that I got to experience. I don't profess to have scores of firsthand memories of the styles of those days, but I do recall what I wore for some of them, and moreover what the adults in my life were wearing.

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I loved the baggy sweatshirts, the ankle grazing micro pleated skirts, the 50s revival sundresses, the slouchy leather boots, the prevalence of pastels, the kooky accessories, the Jordache jeans, the safari styles, the mile high perms, and yes, even some of the punchy makeup hues.

A few months ago Tony and I were rewatching the Crocodile Dundee movies and I was struck by how the character of Sue Charlton (played by Linda Kozlowski) sometimes wore fashions, hairstyles and makeup that seemed more akin to me to the 1940s and 1980s, than they do today (including, but not limited to, full skirts, gloves, and hats). This isn't the first movie where I've spotted this. It springs to mind with the Naked Gun series as well, amongst others.

Yet, these particular looks and plenty more like them were not meant per se to emulate the 1940s or 50s. They were just more classic, more beautiful (IMO), and more refined that what you’d be apt to see your average movie character (let alone person on the street) wearing today. Even when curve hugging, they didn't risk looking vulgar (which isn't to say there weren't vulgar looks in the eighties, there were, of course) or like a person was going to tumble out of their wardrobe and have a Janet Jackson experience at any moment.

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1980s fashion had a prevailing sense of youthfulness to it, as well as strong lines, designer influences, a rainbow of hues, and looks to suit a million and one types of fashionistas/os. I truly love a lot of the styles of this decade, but even putting aside my own passion and nostalgia for the eighties, I can appreciate and look with a vintage wearer’s, and dealer's, eye at the decade that gave me life.

In doing so, I've really started to feel in the last couple of years that the 1980s are going to see an explosion of popularity on the fashion front in the near future. I'm not talking about hipsters wearing 80s pieces ironically, or a few select items that have always remained popular or highly collectible, nor even the 80s just having a moment (as the 70s are this year).

No, what I mean is that I think that the 1980s are going to start developing (or expanding, as I do know that there are already some such folks out there) their own group of passionate fashion fans who intentionally emulate the looks of the 1980s. Perhaps, these individuals will go a step further still and bring other elements of the eighties into their homes, music and movie choices, collections, garages, and bookshelves, just as those of us who favour early and/or mid-twentieth century styles already do.

{Image source}

In addition, the 1980s looks, even at their most extreme, often strike today's fashion crowd as being more akin to present styles and are seen as less "antiquated". The latter rarely, if ever, phases mid-century (or early) fans, but for those who are looking to dress from the past, but still keep one foot firmly planted in the present, the 1980s can be a great way to do just that.

I'm not going to lie, I'd personally have no qualms with wearing quite a few different 80s look myself, though I don't foresee trading in my Bakelite and platter hats for Esprit tops and duck shoes anytime soon. I could easily wear 80s garb though, and not just 1980s does 40s/50s, but full on, teased hair, blue eye shadow, power suit looks from that iconic decade.

In this hard, expensive, stressful, social media driven world, many people are looking - even if they don't fully realize it on a conscious level - for a return to (seemingly) simpler times and to when fashion wasn't just what Zara, H&M, or Old Navy put out on the floor that day, but when trends still had roots and style in general was more, how shall we say, nuanced.

I fully believe that in the next five to fifteen years, we're going to see the 1980s become a decade that some vintage fashion fans purposefully recreate and wear looks from on a daily basis. This decade will garner its own following and we'll see 80s clothing rise in both popularity and price, just as those of the 1920s, 30s, 40s, 50s, and early 60s started to in the eighties themselves and onward to this day, when they're hotter (and often pricier) than ever. Eighties fashion and accessories are still quite easy to find online and off, and that may help further bolster their appeal and following.

I dub the 1980s the next "forever decade" and would be very happy actually to see my prediction come to fruition (by “forever”, I mean that it’s popularity takes hold and remains for far more than a catwalk season or two, but rather endures in the way that earlier ones from the last century have). Not everything, fashion related or otherwise, about the 1980s was great, but heavens to Bea Arthur, plenty of it was cool, fun, creative, and well worth remembering and keeping the spirit of alive.

Will this actually come to be? Only time will tell, but whereas I wouldn't wager the 2010s being an era that is largely coveted in decades to come, I would stake a good sum on the eighties experiencing a renaissance of sorts in my lifetime and I sincerely look forward to that day, if it does arrive. How about you?

The abc's of vintage fashion

A few months ago, the thoroughly lovely Mary of Out of My Front Door wrote a post called The Alphabet According to Me! in which she listed a different fact about herself for each and every letter of the alphabet. I thought this was a charmingly delightful idea and tucked it away to put my own spin on come September.





Why September, you may ask? Excellent question! The reason is that there's no other time of the year that I associate more with the alphabet than the early days of this month, when school returns to session once more and countless children the world over peer up at alphabets bordering their classrooms.

School days and the alphabet go hand-in-hand like chalkboards and erasers, and so today I'm going to run with Mary's idea, instead shifting the focus from myself and instead onto the world of vintage fashion.

I'm not the first person to whip up a vintage fashion alphabet (some people, such as Charlotte from Apple Menina, for example, have even turned their alphabets into 26 part series, devoting one post to each letter), and make no claims as such, but just because something's been done before is no reason not to give it a go yourself, too, and that's precisely what I'm going to do here.

While some letters of the alphabet have throngs of possible choices that could be assigned to represent them, when it comes to certain others (say, "x" or "z"), the pickings (in English at least) are considerably slimmer, so I decided that it would be best to select just one item for each letter of the alphabet (a choice that was also influenced by the fact that Mary stuck with one entry for each letter in her post, too).

The abc's of vintage fashion

A is for aprons: whether practical and hard working, stylish and all but for show, or somewhere in between, aprons have a been a fashion mainstay for countless generations, and were especially popular with mid-century ladies from all walks of life.




B is for bullet bras: Love or loath what they do to the shape of one's chest, bullet bras burst onto the scene in the 1940s, rising to the peak (both literally and figuratively!) of their popularity during the 1950s, when they were sported by glamorous Hollywood bombshells and real world ladies alike.




C is for crinoline: The history of crinolines stretches back for centuries, however when many people think of this classic undergarment, it is the circle and poodle skirt filled years of the 1950s that spring to mind first (and indeed, crinolines of varying lengths, thicknesses, designs and colours were frequently employed be girls and women of the era to help give their skirts and dresses extra volume).




D is for dickies: Though they still exist today, few people include dickies (a false shirt front garment worn under other another item of clothing, such as a sweater or dress) in their wardrobes (unless perhaps they're fan of vintage fashion). However back in the day (especially during the forties), they were a popular, often inexpensive way to help stretch your wardrobe.




E is for Elsa Schiaparelli and her whimsical, gorgeous fashions: Whether creating her own shade of shocking pink, adorning evening dresses with images of lobsters, or collaborating with Dalí, Elsa Schiaparelli was an incredibly creative, forward thinking, original, dynamic designer whose works will always stand out as some of the most unique, innovative, and beautiful of their time.




F is for furs: No matter your stance or fur (be it vintage or modern), there is no denying that the first half of the twentieth century was rife with the wearing of fur. Whether a glamorous full length mink coat or a wee touch of fur on one's cuffs, for example, very few women of the era didn't at least aspire to include a bit of genuine fur in her wardrobe.




G is for gloves: Gloves saw their last great hurrah as a wardrobe staple in the mid-twentieth century, during which time they were worn by almost every women, many of whom had extensive collections and enjoyed matching (or fashionably contrasting) their gloves with the rest of their ensemble. To this day, gloves remain one of the best ways to instantly inject a hearty dose of vintage style into one's yesteryear wardrobe.




H is for hoods: Be they to guard against the elements or merely as a chic fashion element, hoods have been around for hundreds upon hundreds of years, featuring into various mid-century styles in the process - two personal favourites of which are 1930s evening capes and 1930s/40s hooded beachwear.




I is for I. Magnin & Company: This once popular west coast chain of department stores (that specialized in high-end fashion) was founded in 1876 by a Mary Ann Magnin who named it after her husband Isaac. Popular with stylish ladies for decades, I. Magnin catered to a elegant, smartly attired, often well-to-do crowd and the fashions they sold during the mid-twentieth century exemplified this fact to a tee.




J is for for Jantzen: Launched in 1916, Jantzen quickly rose to popularity as one of the world's most beloved swimwear lines of all-time, with their ads a mainstay in scores of fashion and women's lifestyle magazines for decades. Though the brand dabbled in other garments (such as sweaters, too), they are without a doubt, best know for their wonderful swimsuits.




K is for Kerrybroke: If you've ever flipped from a Sears vintage catalog from the 30s, 40s or 50s, chances are you're familiar with this in-house brand, which included fashions for everyone from Juniors to "Graceful Ladies" (a diplomatic term the company used to appeal to their senior citizen demographic).




L is for Lucite: Whether used for handbag, shoe heels, umbrella handles, jewelry, buttons, sunglasses or myriad other purposes, Lucite was a very popular material all across the vintage fashion spectrum, and pieces made from (or including) this synthetic compound are highly collectable today.




M is for (hand) muffs: A winter wardrobe staple throughout much of the 19th and early to mid-20th century (in particular), muffs were a beautiful, functional way for ladies to keep their hands warm during the coldest days of the year (and indeed still are, should you happen to be lucky enough to find a vintage muff in good, wearable condition).




N is for (Dior's) New Look: A groundbreaking post-war style that shocked and outraged some, but more often than not found fans in women the world over. Dior's wildly iconic new look (often typified by his classic Bar Suit, pictured above) thrust women out of nearly a decade of garments made with moderate amounts of war rationed fabric into meter after meter of elegant, figure hugging style once more.




O is for overshoes: Much like gloves and muffs, overshoes aren't a modern fashion mainstay any more, but once just a few decades ago, they were a smart, stylish, thoroughly practical way to help keep your (less weatherproof) shoes safe from harsh elements like rain, snow and ice.



P is for Pendleton 49er Coats: If you close your eyes and envision a generously sized plaid coat, chances are you're thinking about a Pendleton 49. This cozy, fashionable coat entered the garment marketplace in 1949 and was an instant hit, with thousands upon thousands being purchased and worn to all manner of outdoors and casual events in the decade to come (and beyond).




Q is for quilted garments: During the 1950s in particular, quilted skirts and to a lesser extent other daywear garments (such as dresses, vests, and jackets) marched their way into vogue, with this stitchery technique appearing most often of all on circle skirts.




R is for rayon: With roots stretching back to the 1850s, rayon was one of the first successful semi-synthetic fabrics, and its use and popularity only continued to expand as time went, with a particular high point being during the 1940s, when it was called into duty to help make up for the shortages in various other (often natural) fabrics that were needed for the war effort (for more on the history of rayon, see this great article by Charlotte from Tuppence Ha'penny). If you're a collector (and wearer) of 1940s garments in particular, it's very likely you find yourself sporting all manner of wonderful 1940s rayon dresses, blouses, slips, gloves and other various other wardrobe staples.




S is for shirtwaist dresses: Loved as much today by vintage fashionistas the world over as they were back a few decades ago, the classic shirtwaist dress will always stand as one of the garments that best represents the 1940s and (especially) 50s.




T is for t-strap heels: Without a doubt one of the most iconic shoe styles of the 1920s and 30s, t-strap heels gained rapid popularity as it became more socially acceptable for women to expose their feet and ankles (and as such were an especially big hit with the flapper crowd, though the style was by no means limited to nightlife loving youngsters). While those years were the heyday of t-straps, once can easily find examples of this classic style from the 40s, 50s and every decade since as well.




U is for umbrellas: Vintage umbrellas were often terrifically lovely works of solidly constructed art, with ornate handles, feminine patterns, slender (when closed) silhouettes, and outfit making sophistication. Whether for show or function, a genuine vintage umbrella is the kind of accessory every mid-century loving gal should try to invest in at some point.




V is for (hats with) veils: Veils and veiling are an age old lady's accessory, whose popularity has waxed and waned over the course of time. During the years that spanned the 1930s-early 60s, veiled hats came back into vogue, with some toppers boasting just a wee hint of netting/veiling and other's fully cloaking the wearer's face in (usually) tulle, as well as hats featuring veils of every length in between. To this day they remain a gorgeous, endlessly chic way to inject sophistication into any vintage look.


W is for wedges: A truly beloved wardrobe staple amongst vintage fans the world over today, the wedge heel (or sandal) began its speedy rise to fame in the 1930s and it hasn't let up since, though certain decades (such as the 1940s and 70s) have seen a particular interest in this height elevating, often easy to walk in, warm weather staple.




X is for x-ray beauty contest: Ok, this is a bit of a creative stretch, but there are an exceedingly small number of vintage fashion related words beginning with the letter x. Without a doubt one of the most unique of vintage beauty contests, this 1950s Chiropractic sponsored competition saw participants being judged on the healthy appearance of their spines (as viewed in x-rays).




Y is for yachting and boating inspired fashion: Nautical inspired ladies wear was a big hit throughout much of the last century, though certain eras (i.e., 1910s, 1940s, 50s) really excelled at creating sweet, youthful, fantastic garments that channeled a sense of the boating life and all things seafaring related.





Z is for zippers: As you may recall from this post last autumn, the modern zipper was born in the last Edwardian era and quickly gained popularity with clothing manufactures everywhere (giving them a handy alternative, or addition, to buttons, ties, or other types of closures on a garment). Whenever I think of the words vintage fashion and zipper together at the same time, my mind flashes instantly to thoughts of charming 1940s and 50s house/day dresses, which often featured a long zipper running up their front.

{To learn more a specific image, please click on it to be taken to its respective source.}

♥ ♥ ♥

In most cases, I opted for the first old school fashion related word that sprang to mind when I thought of a particular letter, but for others I debated through several choices and went with whichever was my very favourite in that moment. Save perhaps for a few of those aforementioned uncommon letters, this really is the kind of exercise one could repeat every now and then, if they so wanted, using new vintage fashion words each time.

Though the days of learning my abc's are well behind me (and then some!), I'll never grow old of enjoying the alphabet and various ways of depicting and exploring it letter-by-letter.

I hope you had fun hopping through all twenty-six letters here today and that, who knows, perhaps just as Mary did for me, I'll inspire you to create your own alphabet related post this September.

1945 edition of what's in your bag?

✯ Day 106 of Vintage 365 ✯

 

A few years ago a trend sprung up on the ol' interwebz in which it became all the rage to share a photo of the contents of one's bag with the world. From fashion to mommy bloggers, oodles of gals (and to a lesser extent, guys - as this blog post shows) were (and still are) letting us sneak a peak into the various possessions that were calling their purse home.

A Flickr group - which currently has over 20,000 members - called What's in your bag? devoted to the subject even appeared, as have variations of the theme such as The Items We Carry and What's in your camera bag?.

Though I've occasionally seen accusations of staging (aka, the charge that someone had deliberately placed certain items in the photo that they didn't really carry around with them all the time), and every now and then that may be the case, by and large these images give us a very realistic glimpse into the private sanctums of another woman's purse - and by extension, a look at who that person is.

Thanks to such photos we could suddenly know if she liked to carry around everything and the kitchen sink (a camp into which I've been known to veer many-a-time myself) or she was a streamlined sister with little more than a Metro Pass and a beloved tub of nearly finished lipstick in her tiny clutch.

From books to music devices (iPods, etc), make-up to accessories, snacks to camera, there was (and is) something strangely addictive about glancing at the contents of someone else's purse. You can't help but compare your own bag against it (with thoughts such as, "Ooooh, we both use the same hand cream!" or "Their wallet is so much nicer than mine!"), noting similarities and differences, and perhaps being reminded of something you should be toting around but haven't been lately (such as an umbrella in the spring).

While the desire to peer into another person's handbag is scarcely new (especially for chaps, who so often seem to think all purses have a magical Mary Poppins-like quality to them), until recently I had yet to find a vintage example of this fun game (though long had a feeling that, given enough time, one would appear - there's no way that yesteryear gals didn't enjoy peering at the stuff women of their day carried around just as much as we do today!).

{Click here for a larger version of this wonderful 1945 magazine page.}

 

This terrific vintage image, which comes by way of kimintn on Flickr, is immensely interesting, as it features the handbag contents of both a young girl named Margaret o"Brien and chicly dressed lady called Maria Montez.

The items in little Maggie's bag remind me very much of what I used to carry around in my first teeny handbag (which was a darling tartan patterned mini saddlebag style purse): a tiny doll, some coins, a hankie, and a few cherished belongings.

Being older and more worldly, Maria naturally needs to stock her bag with more than just a child's trinkets and treasures. In her interesting Persian lamb's wool purse we see a larger - but still rather streamlined - array of items such as gloves, photographs, a calorie guide (attesting to the fact that trying to keep your figure trim is anything but a new preoccupation for many folks), letters, a small pouch-like bag used as a wallet, and - just as in young Margaret's bag - a handkerchief.

By comparison with the kinds of things one often finds in today's (one might say "overcrowded") purses, Maria's bag seems nearly minimalistic (it's interesting to note how few cosmetics she was packing that day), yet I bet it was worlds easier on her shoulders than carrying around the kind of Sherpa worthy bags many of us do these days.

This wonderful vintage magazine page from the forties shares not only a moment of handbag voyeurism, but also a snapshot of the lives of two individuals at that precise moment in time - which, if you stop and think about it, is exactly what today's "what's in your handbag" craze accomplishes, too.

Different eras, yet common items interspersed with the events and trends of the day, capturing perfectly the essence of someone's life as told by the contents of their purse.