Hello and happy THURSDAY, vintage lovers!!!
It’s an absolutely STUNNING day of crisp sunshine in NYC today. I hope that you are either experiencing this weather with me, or will be experiencing it in your area of the world very soon!
Speaking of natural beauty, I was recently turned on to the beauty that is the carpet bag, a carrying companion made from — you guessed it! — the same or similar version of a carpet one may find in their homes.
But here’s the thing: Like vintage fashion itself [and as I pointed out in Monday's post], not all carpet bags are created equal. And not all carpet bags are technically made from “carpet!” Some were handmade from needlepoint, while still others are more appropriate to call “tapestry” bags. But to simplify this post — and so that you have an understanding of how to search for these gems yourself — I’m using carpet bag as a catch all phrase to cover all three types.
Since not all “carpet” bags are created equal, I would argue that the best are those made prior to the 1980s. Based on the research and online shopping I performed to put this post together, it appears that “carpet” bags of also needlepoint and tapestry variety were the norm prior to the mass production of the ’80s, when the style could be simulated thanks to the technology of an assembly line.
The carpet bag not only represents a piece of vintage style history, but also a piece of United States history, too. The expression “carpet bagger” is directly connected to the evolution of the US during the tumultuous Civil War. Who would have thought a little ‘ole bag would signify something so much deeper?
Keep reading after the jump to not only learn how the carpet bag has held its place in US history, but for motivation to give one a place in your personal vintage collection, too!
