Question

Is 'purse' and 'handbbag' the same? Are they used by women?
Ms. Sue
Yes, they are the same and are used by women. However, a few men are now carrying a masculine version of purses.

http://www.google.com/search?q=men+purse&biw=1920&bih=955&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=yVX2VKLdCon7sASZuoCoAg&ved=0CFYQsAQ
Reed
Well, in common usage today, a purse and a handbag are synonymous, but see the second definition here. A purse is also a small, pocket-size container for carrying money. We usually call them "change purses" because they are handy for carrying coins. They're not used as much today as in the past, but once were very common.

Purse | Define Purse at Dictionary.com


http://www.dictionary.reference.com/browse/purse