The muff story
Women were always anxious about fur and everything connected with it. Fur is the greatest love of women after diamonds. That is why women tried to make as many useful details of clothing made of furs as possible. At the same time this fur elements were very comfortable as they protected women from cold during cold weather. And one of such creations was the muff.
The ancestor of the muff was the long and narrow sleeves that were worn by both women and men during the cold weather. The fur muff of the cylindrical form as the separate element of clothes first appeared in Venice.
From Italy this clothing spread to other European countries. In the 16th-18th centuries it was the detail of both women and men wardrobe and was the privilege of the rich people. It was prohibited to wear it by servants and ordinary people.
Women were wearing the muff not only outside but also at home and visiting the houses of the noble friends. After the French revolution men refused from the muff completely but this accessory was adapted by the female fashion and appeared in it from time to time changing the size, form and material.
In the 20th century designers decided to make the muff not only beautiful but also practical making the Taschenmuff that was the muff and the purse simultaneously.