Many bags were made to match the dress or bonnet, but the main interest both for amateur and professional makers was in their decoration.  Society ladies would work them as gifts or for charity bazaars, and followed the latest fashions in fabrics and embroidery.  These were described in popular women’s publications of the time such as The Englishwoman’s Domestic Magazine and The Lady’s Newspaper. Beads became very popular as a simple method of producing sophisticated designs in bright colours.  Heavier materials were often mounted on ornate frames of silver gilt or pinchbeck, but most bags just used silk ribbons or twisted silk cords as fastenings.

By 1900, female emancipation and the widening range of women’s activities began to be reflected in new designs for handbags and purses.  Increasingly they had to serve the needs of travel and work as well as pure fashion.  The security of documents, tickets and, in our own time, credit cards, became a major consideration, and resulted in more robust designs with heavier fasteners and stronger materials such as leather and vinyl.   Large all-purpose bags were developed for everyday use, as an indispensable accompaniment to shopping, commuting and the office.  At the same time, bags and purses for evening wear, weddings and other special occasions continued to evolve under the influence of fashions in dress, and in tandem with other accessories.