What is a travel bag?

Another thing that the weaker sex has won from the stronger sex is the travel bag. Previously, these were travel bags that only men traveled with. Now the travel bag as a women's accessory is at the peak of popularity. This thing has a rich history, coming to us from North America in the 19th century.

What is a travel bag?

It was a bag for traveling by rail or horse-drawn stagecoach. It was not big; it could only fit things for short trips. This new product appeared for men because the women's wardrobe with long multi-layered dresses of the 19th century could not be content with small shapes.

Meaning of the word

Wikipedia interprets the word traveling bag as a derivative of the French expression, which means “travel bag.” In fact, the name conveys the very essence of the subject. They traveled with it, putting things there as if in a bag. Because sometimes there were two branches, and more often there were none at all. The bag had a space that was not divided into parts.

Description of the bag design

Initially, a bag intended for traveling for a short time was a small travel suitcase. It was necessary to place a certain number of things and objects needed on the road and travel. To achieve this, the design was limited to 1–2 compartments, in which it was impossible to place things as conveniently as a modern person can afford.

Historical reference

In the middle of the 19th century, America began to actively build railway lines between major cities. Tickets for this type of transport were available not only to rich people. Rich people, middle-class businessmen and less wealthy citizens traveled.

Humanity became more mobile, and luggage still remained in bulky wooden chests, bound at the corners with metal. And then someone came up with the idea of ​​replacing the heavy chest, even if it was small in size, with a more convenient bag made from an old, worn-out carpet.

The idea was picked up, and the fashion for traveling bags came. They did not have the strength of wood, so they were not durable, but they were superior in weight and ease of movement. Porters were not required to carry them; people could move them themselves. Soon models appeared where carpet fabric was replaced by leather. It was an expensive material, not everyone could afford it.

Modern traveling bag - what is it?

Modern models have several convenient compartments of different capacities, small pockets for small items. There are designs that provide special compartments for transporting a laptop or tablet, as well as folders with documents or securities.Dimensions range from large travel bags to regular sizes of bags of different textures and colors.

Advantages and disadvantages

There are no universal accessories that are ideal for every woman and in all situations. The satchel bag is no exception. There are many positive and negative aspects of its use.

Undoubted advantages:

• no age or social restrictions for purchasing a bag of this style;
• the irreplaceability and functionality of the model as an assistant for a business person;
• all-season use of the accessory (except for light and fur models);
• practicality and spaciousness;
• a huge selection of bags suitable for any clothing style.

Every barrel of honey has a fly in the ointment. For traveling bags, some disadvantages are considered as such:

• Very carefully you should choose models that have a rectangular and square shape. They do not match with all clothes;
• on trips over long distances or long periods of time, it is worth taking another bag or suitcase that allows you to take a large number of things;
• many models are heavy. Especially from genuine leather, which are also expensive.

How to choose a fashionable travel bag?

When purchasing, be sure to consider the features of the model. One bag may differ from another in some significant ways:

1. weight - if even when not loaded it seems heavy, you should refrain from such an acquisition;
2. fittings – high-quality parts are made of stainless steel, are attached to the model very firmly and are held securely;
3. handles - sometimes they are attached to rings. If such rings are of a significant size, it will be uncomfortable to carry the bag, the handles will slide along the circles to the sides;
4. level of comfort - try walking around with a bag, putting some things in it, squeezing into a narrow passage with it;
5. material – leather is the most practical, but also the most expensive option for a bag. An alternative is leather substitutes and textile materials, but the fur bag is considered the most trendy.;
6. shape - here focus on personal preferences: regular shape with hard walls or an angular soft model;
7. spaciousness - bags with a rigid texture do not stretch, and therefore can accommodate a limited number of things, but with walls made of softer leather they take in an additional amount of what is needed;
8. color - this also depends only on the buyer. Universal colors for a travel bag are all shades of black and brown, but gray and unusual bright colors have also carved out a niche for themselves. Think about what clothes you will need to combine the travel bag with and choose one that matches or contrasts with the overall palette.

Important! Buying a large model is not recommended for obese women, whom it will increase even more. Curvy beauties should choose medium-sized models.

Interesting Facts

The term “carpetbaggers” has been preserved in US history. This was the name given to resourceful people who, after the victory in the civil war of the North over the South, bought up depreciated land, real estate, and production in the devastated southern states. These gentlemen came light. Only with a travel bag. That's why the name of the bag served to designate a greedy person profiting from someone else’s misfortune, a money-grubber.

Some time later, after the invention of the leather bag, the ease of use was appreciated and adopted by doctors and lawyers.In a bag of this model it was convenient to place medical supplies and devices, and it also contained a fair amount of legal documents. Merchants used these bags to transport important documents. Leather, handle, initials emphasized the status of the owner.

At the beginning of the 20th century, women chose the travel bag. They became more and more independent, and for travel they needed spacious, but still relatively light bags. They began to cut locks into them, the keys of which were placed on a neck chain. New styles with long handles have come into fashion. Easy to move, they did not hinder movements and left your hands free.

Important! For social events, women purchased smaller copies of traveling bags, decorated with embroidery, beads, silver, and semiprecious stones. They were elegant, but at the same time roomy.

Nowadays, the travel bag has returned to fashion as a status item of clothing. For a business man, it is as prestigious as an exclusive watch or expensive hand-made shoes. For a woman, it is still roomy and comfortable, but at the same time an incredibly elegant and original accessory.