FASHION - WAR - PEACE - SOCIETY - TECHNOLOGY and the small purse

A purse is a fashion accessory. 1800’s women’s clothing style dictated what and how bags were carried. The technology of the day was not mechanical, but manual. Women practiced hand work. Your society status and wealth produced quality elegant small bags. Wartime changed material availability.

The Chatelaine was a woman’s tool belt. many of the carried items were sewing implements. The the small ring at the top of a coin purse indicates it could have been worn on a *chatelaine 

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Georgian purses were all handmade. Technology at the time made use of simple handmade tools. One ancient tool was a Lucet: a two pronged fork used to make cording. Bead knitting used fine needles to combine beads 

Most small  bags late 1700’s - mid 1800’s, closed either with:

a draw string - those were called reticule purses

with rings or bars were called Miser purses

a metal hinged frame with a push top spring closure called a coin or sovereign purse

Late 1700’s Georgian women had full wide  skirts with a slit for a tie on underskirt pocket/s. Regency fashion included a slimmer woman’s profile with no room for an underskirt pocket. Chatelaines, were worn on the outside either on a pin or belt. Objects were removable and could include sewing paraphernalia, small purses, pencils, date books etc.

Men had exterior pockets that were functional. Misers bags and purses could be hidden in a pocket or garter.