What Are You Carrying National Handbag Day?

 

Celebrated each year on Oct. 10, National Handbag Day honors one of our most practical and personal accessories: the handbag. Yay! But I can't wait until Oct. 10 to celebrate!

What began as appreciation among handbag enthusiasts, like me, has grown into a day when people share favorite bags, handbag memories, fashion tips, and the stories behind the items they carry.

So, what are you carrying?

The day was created by the fashion website PurseBlog and first celebrated in 2013, giving purse lovers a chance to appreciate handbags as functional necessities and expressions of personal style.

Handbags aren't just fashion statements, there’s also sentiment. Some of my very favorite purses belonged to my mother, and some to her mother, and some to her grandmother too. And some of my favorite purses were lovely gifts. And some are gifts I treated myself to.

Purses are portable treasure chests filled with everyday necessities, keepsakes, forgotten receipts, and sometimes surprising secrets. As an author, a handbag can reveal so much about its owner, which is why amateur sleuth and Purse Designer Katherine Watson, along with her handbags found their way into the heart of my novels Kat Out of the Bag and Don't Shoot the Messenger Bag (It’s the perfect accessory to murder).

A handbag can be a mystery all its own. Somewhere inside mine are keys, reading glasses, a shopping list, three pens that may or may not work, and enough mysterious receipts to fuel a detective novel. Handbags make wonderful story starters.

Esse Purse Museum in Little Rock, Arkansas tells women’s history through the purses they carried through the decades. Beautiful stories. One of only two purse museums in the world — built on the idea: what a woman carries tells her story.

Esse Purse Museum praises my In Purse-Suit Mysteries –

“Inside every handbag are artifacts – pieces of personality, glimpses of the past and often the deepest secrets. Vintage purses have a story to tell and for Wendy Kendall’s mysteries, these stories unveil more than just purse-sonal history; they’re the clues to catch a killer.

 

Irresistible to want to write Don’t Shoot the Messenger Bag

Whether it's displayed in a museum case or sitting on a chair beside you right now, every handbag has a story waiting to be told.

As a writer, I'm fascinated by ordinary objects that turn out to be anything but ordinary. A handbag can reveal a great deal about its owner. Why carry that style? What's tucked inside? What has been forgotten? What mystery is waiting to be discovered?

That's the beauty of storytelling. Sometimes the most exciting journey begins with something as simple as opening a purse.

Happy National Handbag Day! This week, enjoy the handbags and fashion that make a statement, whether they're carried on the street or found in fiction. Who knows where they might take your imagination?

The accessories carried by the characters of the In Purse-Suit Mysteries reflect personality traits . . .

Katherine Watson’s favorite bag. Here she’s on site in Los Angeles on Rodeo Drive with her adopted stray cat she named Purrada.

Carried on the other hand . . . Moonjava delights in the joys of the flower child era, in her meditations, clothes, purse and lifestyle. A definite contrast to her daughter Katherine’s tastes.

Katherine’s grandmother Pam is a tea-toting Brit living in the midst of Bayside, a Seattle suburb. She’s surrounded by wonderful friends, the Ladies of the Round Table, who know all the going’s on in town. At times Pam carries her favorite England souvenir.

If handbags tell stories about the people who carry them, what about the packs carried by working dogs, like Hobbs who is partnered with Officer Jason Holmes? A police K-9's "purse" might contain water, first-aid supplies, tracking gear, and treats earned for a job well done. A K-9's bag helps a four-legged officer do important work.

And what does Hobbs' Partner Jason Holmes carry, including when he's romancing Katherine?

Where does Bayside buy their purses? Of course at the gift shop of Katherine’s Purse Museum in town. It’s run by college student Amber, who is definitely not a big bag girl. She wears a wristlet when she’s not, ironically, just carrying her phone case.

National Purse Day is coming, October 10^th, but no need to wait. Celebrate every day!

What are you carrying?

Bob Mackie Purses: Glamour in the Palm of Your Hand

 

Bob Mackie's comments about glamour help explain the spirit behind his handbags.

"Glamour has to come from you and it has to come from confidence."

This idea is reflected in his accessories, which were designed to feel more like statement pieces than practical items.

Few designers embraced glamour quite like Bob Mackie. Best known for dressing icons such as Cher, Carol Burnett, Diana Ross, and Elton John, Mackie built a reputation for sequins, beadwork, dramatic embellishments, and eye-catching style. His philosophy carried over into the handbags and purses that bore his name.

Mackie's fashion was rooted in visibility and confidence. He famously said, "A woman who wears my clothes is not afraid to be noticed."

That same attitude appeared in his purse and handbag designs. Rather than creating understated accessories, Bob Mackie favored pieces that complemented glamorous wardrobes. Many featured:

• Rich beadwork and Art Deco-inspired patterns
• Metallic accents and faux-croc textures
• Embroidery, decorative appliqués, and colorful motifs
• Dramatic evening-bag styling
• Structured totes and satchels with a luxurious appearance

Examples found in vintage and resale collections include beaded evening bags, embossed leather shoulder bags, crossbody bags, satchels, bucket handbags, and large tote bags.

Collectors commonly associate the Bob Mackie name with several handbag categories:

Beaded Evening Bags
Among the most recognizable are ornate beaded purses featuring geometric and radiating patterns in jewel tones, echoing the sparkle of Mackie's stage costumes. 

Bucket and Shoulder Bags
Designs such as the "Palm Desert" bucket-style handbag combined faux leather construction with decorative patchwork-inspired patterns and bold detailing.

Vintage Satchels
Vintage Bob Mackie satchels often featured distinctive color combinations, structured shapes, and decorative hardware, reflecting the fashion trends of their era.

Totes and Travel Bags
Large faux-croc totes and travel bags brought Mackie's flair to everyday accessories while maintaining a polished, glamorous appearance. 

Today, Bob Mackie handbags remain collectible because they capture the same theatrical glamour that made the designer famous. Whether a vintage beaded clutch, a structured satchel, or a decorative tote, these accessories reflect Mackie's lifelong commitment to sparkle, confidence, and unapologetic style. His nickname as the "Sultan of Sequins" and his reputation for "fashion exuberance" are easy to recognize in many of the handbags created under his name.