Long before smartphones fit into the palm of your hand — or even your back pocket — people in the 1970s had a much bulkier vision of cutting-edge communication.
Forget wireless connections or touchscreen displays. Back then, true tech glam came in the form of a purse that doubled as a portable telephone.
Yes, you read that right. Decades before the invention of the iPhone, someone dreamed up a futuristic hybrid: a phone tucked inside a handbag. The idea was that you could carry this bag with you and plug it into any phone jack wherever you went.
While that may have sounded convenient at the time, the logistics are a little fuzzy — especially when you consider most phone jacks were already occupied by, well, phones. So were users expected to unplug the house phone just to plug in their own mobile-bag? It seems like a lot of effort for a not-so-portable solution.
Fast forward to today, and these quirky relics of retro tech have become coveted collectibles. A company called La Pochette, known for curating unique vintage handbags, is now offering these working purse phones for $295 each. That’s right — they still function, assuming you can locate a landline jack (good luck with that).
The novelty lies in the nostalgia. These bags are more conversation piece than communication device, appealing to vintage lovers and fashion-forward tech enthusiasts alike. While you probably won’t be making any calls on them in the era of 5G, they serve as a fascinating reminder of how far we’ve come — and how fabulously odd the past could be.
Want to turn heads with a purse that doubles as a phone? Or just take a trip back in time to a world where “portable” meant “with a long cord”? Check out La Pochette’s offerings before they vanish like dial tones and busy signals.
