Long before upcycling was a word, Will Hardy was salvaging material from the nose cones of damaged WWII airplanes and turning it into magnificent handbags.

Soon Lucite, Dupont’s trade name for acrylic resin, became a popular material of choice for a host of handbag manufacturers who produced plastic handbags that were dotted with rhinestones, glittered with confetti or designed to appear as basketweave fabric.

Why women even embraced the idea of completely clear Lucite purses! Of course, not wanting to put the content of their purses on display for all to see, they began inserting colorful scarves or hankies to hide the items they carried inside. And so a trend was born.

Many more interesting facts about Lucite handbags are shared by Ben Marks in his Collectors Weekly article, Lucite in the Sky with Diamonds, where he interviews Janice Berkson of Deco Jewels in NYC, an avid collector, expert and author of several books on the topic.

Be sure to check out the article for some breathtaking pictures from Janice Berkson’s collection.

And if you’re not into carrying one of these beauties on your arm today (I realize they aren’t fashion-forward enough for some), do remember that they can do double-duty as fabulous catchalls for doodads on your dressing table, in a powder room, in a dining room or even on a desk.

Today’s VPOD by Patricia of Miami, for example, is a style that has been featured in two books on Lucite handbags and is a particularly fine choice if you prefer to have these bags spice up your home decor instead of your wardrobe.

It’s just another way to think outside the purse if you’re a Vintage Crusader!

Available at Mom’s Vintage Treasures.

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