The Pocket

A Hidden History of Women’s Lives

by: Barbara Burman and Ariane Fennetaux

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Hi there! This is a very good book for anyone who is interested in this type of history. The book allows you to look at the individual because each pocket would have been made to suit the wearer and their own needs. (Often by the person wearing them.)

Many of them had beautiful embroidery on them. This is important to note, since you were not technically supposed to see these pockets as they were tied underneath the ladies garments. Since the pockets were just tied on, they could fall off or be stolen. Ladies would have to claim what items had been in their pockets such as thimbles, rings or handkerchiefs. Hopefully, these items would have their initials on them and they would be lucky enough to get them back easily.

My following post will have some more tidbits about pockets and their history. I hope that you will find this as fun as I do!

• The Pocket: A Hidden History of Women’s Lives by Barbara Burman and Ariane Fennetaux, 2019 Yale University Press