Magic Mushroom Kit Purse. Late 1960s. Maker: Unknown, possibly a General Crafts kit, put together by someone’s mom. Textured fabric tote-style purse with matching vinyl handle and accents in the unusual color of yellow—not discoloration, but the original shade. Pattern features a delightful motif with mushrooms and flowers, all done up in 3-D using an assortment of trims, faux gems, faux pearls and other sparkly geegaws (a real word, according to yourdictionary.com).

Regular followers of this blog know that I have a ton of these kit bags, but what made me buy it was the fabulous hookah-smoking caterpillar. I’m not kidding. See close-up pic, below.

Crocheted Box Purse. 1940s. Maker: Unknown. Navy blue crocheted purse with wristlet handle and gorgeous glass—not Lucite or other early plastic—ball accents. Zip closure. It’s possibly handmade from a pattern and is in very good condition.

I love classic ‘40s styling, and this is an unusual piece because of its shape and design. I bought it yesterday and it set me back a whopping five bucks! How cool is that?

Hey there vintage purse people! I’m back after a month-long hiatus. Hope your holidays were as fabulous as mine!


Plastic Beaded Purse with Flex Snap Closure. 1960s. Maker: Unknown. Super cool oblong cloth purse covered entirely in tiny white plastic beads. It’s accented by three crystal-enhanced hexagons that run across the diagonal and have pink roses with green leaf pattern underneath. It’s lined and has a "Made in Hong Kong" tag and zippered interior pocket. It's also got a goldtone rope chain and a snazzy flexible closure that snaps shut.

I recently wrote some ad copy (in my other life as a freelance writer) for modern homemade purse kits that have closures made of metal measuring tapes. The new purses snap shut in the same fashion as this old one. You can check them out here. (Note: This is NOT the copy I wrote, but the manufacturer of the purse pattern.)