Leather Purses Hold Your Secrets!
Depending on which side of the globe you reside on, a leather purse will mean something quite different to both sides. The English and all her colonies will describe a purse as a small money container which is very similar to a wallet but it has a dedicated compartment for coins. Purses are only used by women. In the United States however, purses refer to a small bag which is also sometimes called a handbag. Wallets which used to be the sole dominion of men, are the male opposite of the purse, however more and more women are seeing the virtues of a man's wallet and are replacing their fatter purses with the thinner leather wallets. Leather purses have been around for a very long time. For at least as long as man has wanted to carry something precious with him. They started out as simple pouches either attached at the waist or worn across the chest. During the 17th century, purses were worn by both men and women but by this stage they had begun to be seen as a fashionable accessory being made in ornate shapes decorated with beautiful hand stitching. It wasn't until the 18th century though that women stopped wearing their purses and begun carrying them. At this time they were given the name reticules and they would contain such things as their cosmetics, a fan, purfume, maybe some visiting cards and as was required of the day, smelling salts.
Not a great deal has changed today. If you were to open a woman's purse you would be sure to find cosmetics, purfume but instead of visiting cards you would be more likely to find credit cards, but definitely no smelling salts. The material has changed though, with the most popular purses being made of leather. Purses do not require such heavy duty leather as say briefcases or totes. They are more than likely going to be made of a softer leather that is pleasing to the touch. Napa leather is a favorite leather choice of women because it not only looks good but feels beautiful and soft to touch. It is ideally suited to be made into leather purses. Full grain leather is not only the best leather but it is also the strongest and therefore suited to specific applications where strength is an essential component of the finished article. For a hide to be processed as this type of leather it must be free of marks which are caused by thorns, insect bites and horns etc. This prevents an enormous amount of hides from reaching this standard, and most top grade leathers will be produced from animals which are bred for meat as they are contained in paddocks and less likely to be subjected to injury. Because purses are not large and are not subjected to carrying heavy weight, they do not require such a strong leather as this one. Women's leather purses certainly change with the dictates of fashion. Fundamentally though, they must provide a safe place for her to carry all her important belongings when away from home. It is hard to imagine what else can be achieved with a leather purse to make it different other than change colors, or materials. But each year the leather manufacturers prove that it is possible to keep us excited with new shapes, colors and finishes.
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