I had the recent pleasure of acquiring one woman's entire estate....in the fashion sense of it.....who had lived to the age of 99 without throwing much, if anything, away. I have her wardrobe, accessories, shoes & hats. When I started to go through it I asked the executor of the estate if I could look at the snapshots before they sold it all, as I was starting to get to know Jean by sorting through her clothing....and I wanted a face to go with the ensembles I was able to put together in my mind.
I've been working since then to tie some of Jean's things to the letters, articles & ephemera. I have scores of letters her Mother wrote to her, over a span of 35 years. In MANY letters her Mother would include newspaper clippings, most often fashion related. Today I discovered a small fashion column about spring handbags, by Rea Seeger, cut from the Des Moines Register in January of '49. Bless that Jean's Mom for always prodding Jean to stay fashion forward!
NEW HANDBAGS ENHANCE BEAUTY OF SPRING COATS & DRESSES
New spring handbags have been presented with much the same pomp and ceremony as the various new spring collections of suits, dresses and coats. This was particularly so during the recent press week showings of spring and summer fashions by famous American designers in New York. During that same week, the top flight bag designers presented their newest ideas for the coming new season, thereby assuring women shoppers that bags of handsome new leathers and other fabrics in all the complementary shades and tones to blend and harmonize or dramatically contrast the newest fashions will be ready.
The house of Koret, for instance, has some of the most unusual new leather handbags of this or any season; also some new colors that are fascinating foils for spring suits and coats as well as dresses. Two new colors in the spotlight are a warm neutral called "bamboo" and an intriguing new green that is the exact shade of of the inside green of an avacado. The bamboo color is extraordinarily beautiful and is a smart neutral to carry with navy blue or brown, and one of the most effective contrast shades imaginable with greys of all tints. The leathers and the most distinctive shapes of these brand new bags make exciting news for the early spring shopper desiring something different.
Also promised for spring, and still later for summer, are some of the most exciting new straw bags ever designed. These vary in size and shape, including the satchel variety, with ample space and width and depth; still larger models resembling feeb bags and carryalls; neat, flat affairs, ready to be tucked under the arm, and even smaller versions to be carried in the hand. Straw undoubtedly will be the best seller of the coming season!"
When I acquired Jean's wardrobe (and that of Bob's, but he didn't carry a handbag), within the collection were quite a lot of bags. Ranging as old as 20s up to the 60s. Its interesting, or maybe just pretty normal, that as she got into her late 50s and older she became less concerned about fashion. In the whole of the wardrobe, there was VERY little fashionable 60s....a few great early dresses, but after that.....all comfort wear. I imagine with her back trouble she got around less & less, and perhaps one solid neutral bag sufficed. Somehow that makes me sad & also hellbent to stay bag savvy til the day I die!
As I read that article I started thinking about Jean's bags. I still have most of them, bags don't sell well for me and truth is, I'm having a hard time parting with her things! But I remembered a bag..... 
A smart little patent with a whip stitch effect done in a grosgrain ribbon, one of the ones I was truly taken by when unpacking her things. I had somehow figured it as 60s, but this picture proved me wrong. 
Thats Jean, early 40s, holding the black "football" bag. I have that dress as well, red & navy floral....gorgeous! If I don't keep procrastinating, the dress will be listed in mid October during a week of all things Jean. But its hard to let it go.
So, the bags. Not only did I get the bags, but the situtation was such that I got them as-is (likely searched for cash, but otherwise as she stored them). Nothing earth shattering in them, just the every day whatnots we rarely move from bag to bag.
In the "football bag", some tissue to hold shape inside....a mirror and a little tag that appears to be a return to owner tag, claiming to "drop in any mailbox", postage guaranteed. Dated 1945. A few hairpins in the bottom....bag in well-loved condition. 
Wonderful 30's deco detailed brown crepe rayon bag, which MAY be even older and may have gone with her brown wedding ensemble. Contains coin purse holding hairpins, safety pins, ticket stubs to a show at the Shrine Temple and 2 pennies, from 1911 & 1917. 
Soft suede bag with another deco clasp, has strap on back to slide over hand. Sadly the color is wearing off this onto everything it touches, so until I figure a way to seal it it stays with me. The clasp is wonky too. It contains quite a lot of pins, both hair & safety....halves of Wrigley's Double Mint gumsticks (hard as rocks), directions to get to Cedar Rapids from Burlington, more Shrine Temple stubs, a receipt from a dry goods store for some gloves that cost her 1.85, and her calling card which she had handwritten on "In Case of accident tel. 4344 Bulington , Iowa and 6200 or 6810 Cedar Rapids Iowa. 
Based on the age of that bag and the knowledge she married Bob in '29, I'd venture a guess that the calling card was her first as "Mrs Huie", and perhaps it was her way of feeling safe during her first time away from her Mom & Dad, in a different town as a newly wed fresh out of college. I may be reading too much into it, but I find it sweet, and a little telling about who Jean was back then.
Between the clothes & accessories I'm finding out a lot about Jean....a lot about family, a lot about myself. Some of the most personal things have been these contents of bags (a little scary to think what conclusions people would draw about me if all they had to go by was the contents of bags in my closet!). I've been blessed to get to know Jean through HER bags & wardrobe, and am happy to have found this site to share a little bit more about her with the world. Eventually I will part with more of her things via my website, dorotheasclosetvintage .....and some have already made their way around the world, even a pair of her shoes will soon be featured on the wonderful shoe site, shoe-icons.com . I doubt I'll ever part with the above bags, though.
Angela
Gives you pretty good reason to bid on that next batch of handbags at a local auction, no? |
