A woman’s purse 50 years ago was more than a place to keep money and keys. It was a tiny survival kit filled with everyday essentials, beauty products, handwritten information, and a few personal things that rarely left her side.
Open one from the 1970s, and you would probably recognize plenty of what was inside, but the details would feel wonderfully different. There were no smartphones, digital wallets, or contact lists stored in the cloud. Instead, women carried the things they might actually need during the day, often tucked into little pockets and zippered compartments.
1. A Coin Purse
Loose change was important enough to deserve its own little pouch. Coins were needed for payphones, parking meters, vending machines, buses, and countless small purchases, so a separate coin purse helped keep quarters, dimes, and nickels from disappearing into the bottom of a handbag.
2. A Compact Mirror
Before front-facing cameras made it possible to check your appearance anywhere, there was the compact mirror. Many were small, decorative, and sturdy enough to last for years, making them perfect for checking lipstick, fixing hair, or quickly freshening up before walking into a restaurant or meeting someone.
3. A Tube of Lipstick
Lipstick was one of those purse essentials that rarely stayed home. A favorite shade could travel everywhere, ready for a quick touch-up after lunch or before an evening out. The metal or plastic tubes themselves often felt substantial, especially compared with today’s lightweight cosmetic packaging.
4. A Handkerchief
Long before disposable tissues became the default, a neatly folded cloth handkerchief was a familiar sight inside a woman’s purse. Some were plain and practical, while others featured embroidered edges, tiny flowers, lace, or initials and were almost too pretty to use.
5. A Small Address Book
Phone numbers did not follow you around automatically. A pocket-size address book kept the numbers and addresses of family members, friends, doctors, businesses, and anyone else worth remembering. Over time, the pages became filled with crossed-out numbers, new addresses, and little handwritten notes.
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6. A Comb
A small plastic or metal comb was an easy way to keep a hairstyle looking presentable throughout the day. Wind, humidity, hats, and convertible rides could all require a quick repair, and a purse comb was much easier to carry than a full-size brush.
7. A Pack of Gum or Mints
A pack of chewing gum or a roll of breath mints was a simple purse staple. They were especially handy after coffee, lunch, or a cigarette, and there was usually enough to offer one to a friend sitting nearby.
8. A Paper Calendar
Appointments, birthdays, lunches, and reminders lived on paper rather than on a screen. Small pocket calendars often became surprisingly detailed records of everyday life, with tiny handwritten notes squeezed into each day’s square and important dates circled in pen.
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9. A Wallet Full of Photos
Wallets frequently held more than cash and identification. Small school portraits, family snapshots, and pictures of children or grandchildren were tucked behind clear plastic sleeves, ready to be pulled out whenever someone asked about the family.
10. A Bottle of Perfume
Many women carried a miniature perfume bottle or small atomizer for a quick refresh during the day. These tiny bottles could be surprisingly elegant, and opening a purse sometimes released a familiar mix of perfume, face powder, lipstick, and whatever else had been stored inside for years.
11. Bobby Pins
A few stray bobby pins always seemed to find their way into the bottom of a purse. They were useful for fixing a loose curl, securing a hairstyle, or dealing with an unexpected hair emergency, and somehow there was usually one available when it was needed.
12. A Powder Compact
Face powder was another beauty essential that traveled everywhere. Powder compacts typically included a mirror and a soft puff, allowing women to quickly reduce shine and freshen their makeup without carrying an entire cosmetic bag.
13. A Ballpoint Pen
There were plenty of reasons to carry your own pen. Checks needed signatures, forms had to be completed, phone numbers were written down, and reminders could appear at any moment. A dependable ballpoint pen was one of those ordinary objects that could save the day.
14. A Checkbook
Before debit cards became part of everyday shopping, many women carried a checkbook in their purse. Paying for groceries, clothing, or household purchases could mean writing out the amount by hand, signing the check, and carefully recording the transaction in the register.
15. A Book of Matches
Even women who did not smoke might have carried matches picked up from a restaurant, hotel, bar, or local business. Matchbooks were handed out everywhere and often featured colorful logos and advertisements, turning an everyday disposable object into a tiny souvenir.
16. A Roll of Life Savers
That familiar little paper-wrapped roll could disappear into a purse pocket and stay there until someone wanted something sweet. Life Savers were inexpensive, easy to share, and small enough to carry everywhere, making them one of those simple treats that seemed to show up in purses, glove compartments, and desk drawers alike.
More Related Notes
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• 18 Things Americans Used to Bring to Work Every Day.
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• 16 Things Americans Used to Buy at Drugstores That Are Hard to Find Today.
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