If this bag could talk, oh the stories it would tell…

This vintage French beaded evening bag belonged to my Grandmother. She gave it to me on one of her many closet purges she performed before moving into an assisted living facility.

“How are you with evening bags, honey?” she asked.

At the time, my evenings consisted of in house parties and an occasional rowdy wedding but nothing that would merit the formal Saturday evenings and cruise ship expeditions that were a major part of her life after she turned 40.

I could tell that she wanted me to have it so, I said, “Not so good”.

Without opening the dust bag, she tossed it my way where it went quickly into my ratty tote. A couple of years later, I did have the need for an evening bag and I rummaged through my closet to find it. When I opened the dust bag, I got a whiff of my Grandmothers perfume. The bag was very delicate. That outside was covered in jet glass beading with Beauvais floral needlework delicately scattered about. It had a really cool 40’s spring-loaded clasp. Inside its black satin lining was a French label that said Hand Made. It was a marvel that someone could hand make something like this. The detail was exquisite. My first impression was that it was very 40’s funky but I later found it to be surprisingly charming. Whenever I carry it, I always get, “What a gorgeous old bag!” and I can only stop and wonder what this bag heard when my Grandmother carried it.