Product Code Database
A pocket is a small bag- or envelope-shaped compartment that is either sewn into or attached to clothing, designed for carrying small items. Pockets are also found on luggage, , and similar containers. Historically, the term could also refer to a separate pouch or small bag.
In medieval Europe, early pocket-like openings called fitchets appeared in the 13th century. These vertical slits, cut into the outer tunic, allowed access to a purse or keys suspended from the girdle beneath. Historian Rebecca Unsworth notes that pockets became more visible in the late 15th century, and their use spread widely in the 16th century.
Later, pockets were often worn like Coin purse on a belt, concealed under a coat or jerkin to deter pickpocketing, with access through a slit in the outer garment.
By the 17th century, pockets were sewn into men's clothing, while women's remained as separate tie-on pouches hidden beneath skirts.
The word pocket entered Middle English from a Norman language diminutive of Old French poke or pouque, related to modern poche and the English word Bag. The form "poke" is now only used in dialect, or in such proverbial sayings as "a pig in a poke".
In the 17th to 19th centuries, women's tie-on pockets—mentioned in the rhyme Lucy Locket—often carried everyday tools like scissors, pins, needles, and keys.Weissman, Judith Reiter. (1994). 051710136X, Wings Books. 051710136X
A besom pocket (or slit pocket) is set into the garment rather than sewn on top. The pocket opening is reinforced—often with an extra strip of fabric or decorative stitching—and may be secured with a flap or button. Besom pockets are common on Tuxedo and trousers.
Camp pockets (or cargo pockets) are sewn onto the outside of the garment, typically square or rectangular with visible seams. They are common on utilitarian clothing and outdoor gear.
A beer pocket is a small compartment within a jacket or vest sized to hold a bottle of beer. It was popular in some areas of the American midwest during the 1910s, before Prohibition caused it to fade from fashion. The style saw minor revivals in the 1980s and early 2000s.
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File:EighteenthCenturyPocketsSwaledaleMuseumReethEngland.jpg|18th century-style hanging pockets
File:Tailored flap pocket with labels.JPG|Parts of a tailored pocket
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