New technology makes light of a woman's handbag

From old receipts to boiled sweets, the contents of a woman's handbag have always been mysterious and sometimes bizarre.

The modern working woman has further added to the load with each new technology, from hefty nineties mobile phones to noughties laptop computers.

But no longer, it seems. Gadgets are finally helping to take the strain, reducing the average weight of a handbag by more than half in the past two years.

Lugging around laptops has become a thing of the past as women have moved towards multipurpose tools like the iPhone and BlackBerry, research from Debenhams has shown.

One Scottish businesswoman to notice the difference is the brains behind Ultimo lingerie brand Michelle Mone. She said: "I would definitely say my handbag has got lighter over the past few years thanks to the introduction of lighter gadgets, but like most women I still pack a bag ready for anything.

"My handbag always contains my phone, Blackberry, make-up, a notepad, my purse and a bottle of perfume."

Women now carry an average of 1.5kg (3.3lb) in their handbag – 57 per cent less than in 2007 when the average bag weighed in at 3.3kg (7.3lb).

Anticipating ever-lighter and smaller gadgets, fashion experts have already highlighted a trend for smaller bags in 2010.

Mrs Mone added: "I have several favourite handbag brands, but the bag I'm using at the moment is Padovano. I can't recommend the bags enough; they're both chic and perfectly sized."

Sales of smaller handbags have shot up 25 per cent in Inverness branches of Debenhams this year – more than anywhere else in Scotland.

Debenhams Inverness manager Nick Harvey said: "Inverness women are obviously realising the benefits of not having to carry everything but the kitchen sink around with them on a daily basis.

"Nowadays, gadgets such as the iPhone and Blackberry are helping to make women's lives easier, as well as lighter."