KEEP YOUR HANDS IN

They’re beautiful and warm, but they’re completely impractical for most people in the world we live in now. Unless you marry into some Scandinavian royal family and start riding around in carriages in the middle of winter, you’re probably never going to need a muff.
Which is really too bad.
Muffs have been around for a long time. They first became really fashionable in the 1500s, when fur trimming started to be a thing. But the general idea has probably been around ever since some cold prehistoric person realized they could wrap both hands in a piece of material and keep them warm.
You’ll note that I said prehistoric person. We think of the muff as a feminine accessory, but stylish men wore muffs in the 1690s and again in the late 1700s. Those were both periods where the fellas were at least as flamboyant as the ladies, with lots of ribbons and lace and extravagant hair. It’s not surprising that a guy who was comfortable wearing “petticoat breeches” – essentially a frilly skirt over knickers – would appreciate a muff!
Muffs were usually fur, feathers, or some heavy fabric. That didn’t change much over the centuries. What did change a lot was the size. In some eras, they were just big enough to hold two hands. But in others, they grew into truly epic proportions, turning into almost a giant fur apron. Not only were they pretty funny-looking, but they were unwieldy, too.
You have to do something with a muff. Unlike gloves, which can just be taken off and stuffed in a purse or pocket, a muff demands attention. If you’re not going to put it down somewhere (and considering the cost and value of these pieces, you aren’t), you find a work-around. One that comes up time and again in fashion plates is simply shoving the muff up one arm, so it becomes a super-sized cuff. It looks sharp, if a little asymmetrical.
It’s not just the muff itself that is the issue. There’s what – or who – might be inside.
Handbag muffs were big in the late 19th century, as women started having more interesting lives outside the home and needing to carry stuff with them. So they got in the habit of slipping their essentials in the muff – and muffs were soon designed to accommodate them.
It’s also a practical matter. A muff is hard enough to navigate; you don’t need to be dragging a bag, too.
A muff, though, wasn’t just a good way to carry a few coins. It was also a nice way to bring a companion.
Just as you’ll sometimes see a cute little puppy face peeking out of a nice tote bag on the train now, in the 1600s, you’d have seen woman’s best friend in her muff. It was a major fashion trend for a time, but even after it waned, ladies were well aware that they could use a muff as a convenient carrier for a small dog. Never a cat!
Even after women started driving and living more active lives, little girls still wore muffs with their best winter dress-up outfits. And big girls sometimes still do – Carrie famously rocked one on “Sex and the City.”
And, writing this has made me think I may just need to invent one in fleece with an internal heater and a tape recorder pocket for my reporter pals. I know I’d like one on a winter stakeout!

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