15 Things Moms Kept in Their Purse in the ’60s and ’70s
Remember when mom’s purse seemed like a magical bottomless bag? Back in the ’60s and ’70s, mothers carried around a treasure trove of necessities that defined an era before smartphones and digital wallets.
These purses weren’t just accessories—they were survival kits packed with essentials for every possible situation a family might encounter.
1. Handkerchiefs with Embroidered Initials
Cotton squares with personality! Before tissues dominated, moms carried these cloth classics for runny noses, spills, or impromptu games of peekaboo. Often embroidered with delicate flowers or monogrammed corners, these weren’t just practical—they were family heirlooms.
Grandma might have hand-stitched them, adding that special touch of love. When laundered and pressed, they’d return to mom’s purse, ready for the next emergency.
2. Roll of Lifesavers or Certs Mints
The ultimate church service survival tool! These candy rolls kept fidgety kids quiet during long sermons and freshened mom’s breath after her third cup of percolator coffee.
That distinctive click of the roll being opened could be heard across any quiet room. Peppermint was the standard, but wild cherry made special appearances.
Moms knew exactly when to deploy these sweet bribes for maximum behavior control.
3. Leather Coin Purse with Kiss-Lock Clasp
Ka-chunk! That satisfying sound of the metal clasp opening revealed a tiny treasure chest of coins. Perfect for parking meters, pay phones, and gumball machines, these miniature money holders came in matching colors to mom’s main handbag.
The soft leather developed a patina over years of handling. Inside might lurk a forgotten dime or two, emergency mad money tucked in a secret compartment, ready for unexpected ice cream stops.
4. Avon Lipstick in Coral or Pink Frost
Frosted perfection in a golden tube! These lipsticks pulled double-duty as emergency entertainment when mom handed them over to placate a bored child. The distinctive Avon fragrance wafted through the air whenever the cap came off.
Applied without a mirror at stoplights or before exiting the station wagon, these lipsticks left a telltale ring on cigarettes and coffee cups. The shade names—Pink Champagne, Coral Glow—promised glamour even during grocery store runs.
5. Folded Kleenex Tucked in the Side Pocket
Crumpled soldiers ready for battle against sniffles and spills! Unlike today’s travel packs, these were full-sized tissues carefully folded and tucked into side pockets, often slightly linty from purse debris.
Mom could extract one with surgical precision while driving, eyes never leaving the road. They tackled everything from ice cream drips to mascara smudges.
In desperate times, they transformed into makeshift napkins during impromptu picnics or roadside hotdog stands.
6. Address Book with Emergency Numbers
Tiny leather-bound lifelines filled with carefully penned phone numbers! Long before contacts were stored digitally, these pocket-sized directories contained everyone mom might need to call from a payphone.
Pages grew dog-eared from frequent reference. Inside the front cover: the pediatrician’s home number (for emergencies only!). Names were crossed out and updated as families moved away.
Some included cryptic notes only mom could decipher—secret codes for birthday gift ideas or neighborhood gossip.
7. Safety Pins on a Card
Fashion emergency first responders! These humble heroes fixed everything from fallen hems to gaping blouses with lightning speed. Stored on their original cardboard backing or collected in a tiny envelope, they’d accumulate mysterious fuzz from the depths of mom’s bag.
Size variety was key—tiny ones for delicate fixes, jumbo ones for major wardrobe malfunctions. Experienced moms could deploy a safety pin one-handed while balancing a toddler on their hip, a superpower learned through necessity.
8. Estée Lauder Compact with Powder Puff
The golden clamshell of sophistication! Opening this compact revealed a perfect circle of pressed powder and a fluffy white puff tucked beneath a protective plastic shield. The mirror inside witnessed countless touch-ups at red lights and before PTA meetings.
That distinctive makeup scent—powdery and elegant—signaled mom was “freshening up.” Children were sometimes allowed to hold it (but never open it!) as a special treat. By day’s end, the puff collected evidence of the day’s adventures in its ivory fibers.
9. Plastic Rain Bonnet in a Pocket Envelope
Hair-saving heroes in transparent plastic! Folded into impossibly small squares and tucked into colorful vinyl envelopes, these crinkly bonnets deployed at the first raindrop to protect freshly set hairdos that had required hours at the salon.
The clear plastic created a greenhouse effect—protecting but also slowly steaming mom’s carefully crafted curls. Kids found them hilarious; moms found them essential.
The distinct rustling sound announced “it’s starting to sprinkle” to everyone within earshot.
10. S&H Green Stamps in an Envelope
Shopping rewards before loyalty apps existed! These little green trading stamps came from grocery stores and gas stations, carefully collected in envelopes tucked into mom’s purse until they could be pasted into redemption books at home.
Sharp-eyed moms never missed a chance to ask, “Did you give me my stamps?” at checkout. Kids learned fractions by helping calculate how many books they needed for that coveted toaster.
The sticky backs sometimes adhered to other purse contents, creating frustrating treasure hunts.
11. Prescription Pill Box or Aspirin Tin
Tiny metal medicine cabinets! These diminutive containers held headache relief for mom and mysterious pills for “women’s troubles” that kids knew better than to ask about. The metal lids developed distinctive wear patterns from frequent opening.
Bufferin, Bayer, or prescription medications rattled softly with every step. Some clever moms repurposed decorative mint tins for their pharmaceutical needs.
The contents were dispensed with wisdom: “Only one—they’re strong” or “Take it with water, not your soda!”
12. Cigarettes and Plastic Lighter
For many ’60s and ’70s moms, smoke breaks were standard operating procedure! Soft packs of Virginia Slims or Salem Menthols nestled alongside plastic BIC lighters in dedicated purse pockets, ready for deployment after particularly stressful grocery store tantrums.
The mantra “Not in front of the children” meant stepping onto porches or rolling down car windows. Empty packs transformed into impromptu notepaper.
Those iconic “You’ve come a long way, baby” ads spoke to a generation of mothers balancing tradition with changing times.
13. Leather Checkbook with Register
Financial command centers wrapped in leather! These checkbook covers contained not just checks but a meticulous record of family finances, often annotated with cryptic shorthand only mom could decode.
Balanced to the penny each month, these registers revealed the household economy. The ritual of check-writing at the grocery store counter created impatient lines behind mom as she carefully recorded the transaction.
Some checks featured decorative backgrounds—flowers or scenic landscapes—adding a touch of personality to bill payments.
14. Bobby Pins and Hair Accessories
Stray hair tamers lurking in every corner! These hairdo heroes migrated freely throughout mom’s purse, occasionally jabbing unsuspecting fingers during searches for other items. Black, brown, or blonde—they always matched mom’s hair color.
Wind-blown hairstyles could be rescued in seconds with these emergency reinforcements. Kids received stern warnings about opening certain purse compartments, lest they trigger an avalanche of pins, barrettes, and hair combs.
The distinctive feeling of finding one by touch was unmistakable—like discovering a tiny metal fish swimming in a leather sea.
15. Chewing Gum in Foil Wrappers
Breath-freshening bribes that worked magic on cranky kids! Wrigley’s Spearmint, Juicy Fruit, or Doublemint came in distinctive green, yellow, or white packs, often slightly crushed from purse pressure. The foil wrappers crinkled with promising anticipation.
Mom’s rule was clear: “Don’t swallow it!” The gum emerged as flat sticks that required folding before chewing. Expert moms could unwrap and fold a piece one-handed while steering with the other.
Empty wrappers collected in purse corners, leaving behind a faint fruity scent.