Pockets: An Intimate History of How We Keep Things Close

(Hardback)

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A fascinating and surprising social and design history of the sewn-in pocket, from the mid-fifteen hundreds up to today that uncovers what pockets reveal about us, our place in society, and how we move through the world.

Who is allowed pockets and why Why is it that mens clothes are full of pockets while womens have so few How is it that putting your hands in them can be seen as a sign of laziness, arrogance, confidence, or perversion Throughout the medieval era, the purse was an almost universal dress feature carried by men and women alike. But when mens bags, ostentatiously belted at their hips in Western Europe, moved inside clothing and the sewn-in pocket emerged, it ignited controversy and introduced a range of social issues concerning security, sexuality, power, and privilege that we continue to wrestle with today.

In this abundantly illustrated four-color book, Hannah Carlson, who teaches in the apparel design department at the Rhode Island School of Design, asks a question many women are asking every day: Why do men get so many pockets, but women do not But this pocket history is about a lot more than the politics of gender. Among her other questions: What did Walt Whitman do to usher in a new attitude toward pockets Why are the contents of Abraham Lincolns pockets the most popular exhibit at the Library of Congress What is the connection between pockets and pistols And what else do we hide in our pockets

The book begins when tailoring receipts for mens sewn-in pockets first show up in the fifteen hundreds, and continues up to today, as hashtags like #PocketInequality, #wewantpockets, and #givemepocketsorgivemedeath have mobilized thousands of women to demand more from the companies they patronize. And The Pockets Book explores whether we will still need pockets when our clothes contain smart textiles that incorporate our IDs and credit cards and when our thumbprints replace the keys that open our front doors The Pockets Book is for anyone intrigued by fashion but also for readers who want to discover the impact that the humble pocket has had on our culture, both high culture and pop culture.

Reviews

Who knew the humble pocket could hold so much history In this enthralling and always surprising account, Hannah Carlson turns the pocket inside out and out tumble pocket watches, coins, pistols, and a riveting centuries-long social and political history.
Jill Lepore, author of These Truths: A History of the United State
Who knew the humble pocket could hold so much history In this enthralling and always surprising account, Hannah Carlson turns the pocket inside out and out tumble pocket watches, coins, pistols, and a riveting centuries-long social and political history.
Jill Lepore, author of These Truths: A History of the United States
In her nifty Intimate History of How We Keep Things Close, Hannah Carlson unbuttons the politics behind who gets to hide their belongings, and where.New York Times Book Review
If youre a man, you might wonder why someone would write an entire book about pocketsif youre a woman, the story of Pockets pretty much illuminates all of human history. Either way, once you pick up Pockets, youll never forget its weird and wonderful lessons of power and possession.
Faith Salie, contributor to CBS News Sunday Morning and regular panelist on NPRs Wait WaitDont Tell Me!
Rarely is such a feat of scholarship also such a delight. Carlsons comprehensive history isamong the best fashion books Ive ever read. This deceptively simple premise contains surprising stories of the ways that politics, law, and technology manifest themselves in the clothes we wear. But the best part is that this book is full of so much assorted delightful useful miscellanyjust like the pocket itself.
Avery Trufelman, host and creator of Articles of Interest podcast
"Delightfully wide-ranging."The New Yorker
Delightfully wide-ranging...Carlsons winning book depicts the range and relevance of the pocket, which can be a metaphor for abundance or perversion, possession or secrecyand a way of managing the efficiencies of life.The New Yorker
From feminine codes of secrecy to the fascinating culture of smart textiles, Carlsons book is that rare thing: an exhaustive social history thats also un-put-downable. Pockets reminds us that what we hold close says everything about who we are, what we value, and why it matters.
Jessica Helfand, Design Observer
Pockets is absolutely fascinating and beautifully written.
Dr. Valerie Steele, director and chief curator, The Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology
Fascinating. Drawing from literary and artistic sources; media commentary; behavioral studies; and object histories, Carlson offers an enlightening and engaging account of the sexual politics underlying the uneven use of pockets in the design of mens and womens dress.Andrew Bolton, the Wendy Yu Curator in Charge, The Costume Institute, The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Witty, wise, and totally mind-bending, this deeply researched, beautifully written book not only recovers the hidden history of pockets, but also reveals the ways those familiar but often ignored pouches reflected (and sometimes reshaped) cultural understandings of objects and the persons that carry them.
Bruce J. Schulman, William E. Huntington Professor of History, Boston University, and author of Making the American Century
Carlsons fascinating booka historical who, what, where, why and when with the pocket as its central characteris as delightfully gripping as a spy novel.Linda OKeeffe, author Shoes: A Celebration of Pumps, Sandals, Slippers More
Stuffed with illuminating illustrations and fresh insights,Pocketswill make you reconsider an overlooked butindispensablemanifestation of our designed lives. Carlson keeps ferreting out discoveries we didnt even know we were looking for."
Rob Walker, The Art of Noticing
Sweeping gracefully over half a millennium of Western culture... Carlsons study showcases the best features of cultural history As sumptuously illustrated as it is learned this highly inventive and original book demands a pocket sequel.Wall Street Journal
"Fascinating insight as to how something as simple as a pocket can influence culture, gender, and society as a whole. Full color images and photos are abundant throughout the text, wonderfully illustrating that which is being discussed. Perfect for readers interested in history and textiles as well as culture, sociology, and gender."Booklist
"An entertaining, slightly academic look at how attitudes toward pockets have changed over the course of the past several centuries... juicy anecdotes."Minneapolis Star-Tribune
"Carlsons detailed and roving examination of the pocket, a substantial and fascinating book filled with lavish color illustrations, is definitely worth a read even if it likely wont fit in anyones, well, you know."Washington Independent Review of Books
Named a Best/Most Recommended Book byThe New YorkerandPublishers Weekly
"Fascinating first book richly illustrated This erudite, enjoyable book about pockets delivers."Library Journal
[A] colorful look at an everyday piece of fashion that has been routinely underappreciated but never deeply explored.Inc., "The 15 Best Business Books of 2023"

Author Bio

Hannah Carlsonis an authority on the history of clothing and an award-winning researcher and author. She has been featured on the podcast99% Invisible, as well as inThe Los Angeles Times,Fast Company, andThe New Yorker. A senior lecturer in the apparel design department at the Rhode Island School of Design, she has acted as the faculty fellow in Costumes and Textiles at the RISD Museum and trained as a Conservator of Costume and Textiles at the Fashion Institute of Technology. A graduate of Wesleyan University, she earned a masters degree from FIT, and a Ph.D. in material culture from Boston University.