If you grew up in the age of Levi's, you have always known the
luxury of a pocket to guard your phone, stash your lipstick or plunge
your hands into when an awkward moment arises.
Pockets are the heroes of convenience and multitasking — in fact, they've even inspired a song or two. In 1995, Alanis Morisette recounted having "one hand in her pocket" while giving a high-five, flicking a cigarette, flashing a peace sign, playing the piano and hailing a taxi cab.
However, things weren't always so "fine, fine, fine." Pockets
have seen many makeovers over the years, and their standard presence on
both men's and women's clothing is relatively recent. In fact, their
history is rife with class and gender politics.
Ready to dig into the history of pockets? They're deeper than you may think.
'Lucy Locket, Lost her pocket' (1846-1901) for a book of nursery rhymes.
Pockets first began appearing on waistcoats and trousers about
500 years ago. As you probably already know, about half the population wasn't
wearing trousers back then. For women in the 1600s and beyond, pockets
were a separate garment that tied on between a skirt and petticoat. They
were able to be removed and worn with multiple outfits.
These pockets functioned like purses and could hold hold enough
treasures to make Mary Poppins (and her infinitely expanding carpet bag)
jealous. Pincushions, thimbles, pencil cases, knives, scissors, keys,
spectacles, watches, diaries, personal-grooming objects like combs and
mirrors, and (obviously) snacks were just some of the items commonly
toted around below the belt, according to an exhibit about pockets at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London.
It's good to be prepared for every situation, you know? (Some things never change.)
Your
move, Poppins. This 1780 country gown was decorated with extra-large
spotted pockets. (Photo by (C) Historical Picture Archive/CORBIS/Corbis
via Getty Images)
While pockets occasionally appeared as details on
"country-style" dresses or aprons, they were more often layered
underneath — a concept made possible by the full skirts and forgiving
silhouettes of the era. Skirts were often made with built-in slits for
easy access and working women who carried money often preferred to keep
them hidden for safety reasons, reported a history of tie-on pockets by historians Barbara Benbo and Seth Denbo.
That all changed in the late 1800s, when the Victorian era saw
trends shift toward slim skirts and tiny waists. Pockets became smaller
and more ornate — and basically useless.
These "reticules" — really early handbags — were worn outside
the clothes and meant to be pinned on or attached to a belt. Their very
daintiness was a status symbol in itself, signaling a life of leisure
and a husband who handled the finances.
A
blue watch pocket in beadwork and Wrap over bodice high collar tight
sleeves with shoulder puff reversed cuffs diamond applique on the hem
sleeves. A reticule hangs from a broad belt with a silver buckle.
From there, purses took off. Pockets as we know them more or
less disappeared from women's clothing, though they continued to be a
fixture on men's tailoring.
That is, until the 1920s, when women co-opted menswear styles
for themselves — and therein took back the pocket! What a time to be
alive.
(The right to vote was exciting, too. But come on, guys, the pocket.)
Boyish cuts and menswear-inspired looks gained popularity in the
late '20s, especially with Hollywood stars like Greta Garbo and Marlene
Dietrich. But the trend remained somewhat controversial and
off-the-radar until 1933, when Women's Wear Daily became the first big
name to address the trend in an article called "Will Women Wear
Trousers?"
The Hon.Mrs John Russell has introduced pockets for women - a vogue which promises to be very popular with sportswomen.
At the time, WWD simply reported the trend without getting too deep into what it represented. But in a 100th anniversary issue in 2010, WWD called the story one of the biggest moments in fashion: the "first major moment in the limelight" for "gender-bending, borrowed-from-the-boys style."
"While Women's Wear Daily has been reporting the acceptance of
trousers in cinema circles,” read the 1933 article, “and while the
consumer press has been discussing the controversial subject ‘Will women
wear trousers?’ at least two progressive manufacturers … alert to the
ever-shifting whims of fashion, have been quietly at work designing
tailored cloths to meet this demand.”
The takeaway being that the consumer dictates the market, to an
extent. So the menswear trend was something women wanted and embraced
despite the controversy — not something the patriarchy forced upon them.
Aka a total feminist win.
Once androgynous fashions became more common, so did pockets —
though the rise of purses allowed them to be geared more toward form
than function. The mid-1900s saw lots of shallow but dapper-looking
pockets that couldn't hold a compact, much less an iPhone.
Luckily, that wasn't an issue at the time.
(On
the left) A Dior-Paris look features a cardigan type jacket in white
wool with three pockets and edges banded in bright red. (On the right)
Marlon Brando in 1951's "Streetcar named Desire."
And then jeans came along, and the world got better in so many
ways. But most crucially to this conversation, people realized that
having actual, durable pockets on their day-do-day clothing was kind of
the best.
Mobile phone in the back pocket of blue jeans
And now all we have to worry about is remembering to take our
phones out of them before we go to sit down. And, maybe, how to get that
Alanis Morisette song out of our heads.
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