Episodes 3 and 10 of Articles of Interest cover the history of pockets and suits, respectively. Episode 3, “Pockets”, begins with an anecdote about modern women’s pockets, which are frequently either fake or so shallow as to be useless. The hosts then dive into its history, starting from the 18th century. Back then, pockets were like pouches that were suspended from the waist and could be accessed from slits in a dress, while men’s pockets had started to be incorporated into their clothes back in the late 17th century. This started to change after the French revolution. Big, pocket-hiding skirts were out, and columnar muslin dresses were in, so women began to carry purses instead. Male fashion gained a monopoly on pockets, and they faded from women’s clothing. Meanwhile, Episode 10, “Suits”, discusses the evolution of the suit. Modern formal menswear is quite limited to the suit, which all look pretty much the same from a distance; self-expression is kept in the minute details. The suit, they explain, finds its origin in Beau Brummel, an early 19th century London celebrity. Famous for being rich, charming, and good-looking, he kickstarted the culture of sprezzatura, or studied carelessness, in his cult following of dandies. Though men of the elites traditionally wore powder and wigs and lace and high heels, he wore a simple white shirt, dark jacket, and tan pants every day: the predecessor of the suit. The culture shifted away from clothing that could be perceived as “frivolous” – and thus criticized by the populace – and towards restrained, toned-down garments that “quietly oozed wealth”. This Great Male Renunciation was cemented by the imprisonment of flamboyant dresser and suspected homosexual Oscar Wilde, and has been so ever since.
Both the change in gendered pockets and the change in formal menswear were results of greater cultural shifts away from excess. For pockets, with the French Revolution, styles changed to reflect the zeitgeist and the popular pushback against “excess”. Voluminous skirts were pushed out for a slimmer silhouette that had little room for bulk, thus pushing waist-tied pockets with it. Little purses, or reticules, became more popular for the “liberated” woman. Meanwhile, the introduction of suits and the Great Male Renunciation began with the elites, specifically Beau Brummel, and not the common people. Beau and his dandies were emulating American and French revolutionaries with a dressed-down, “man of the people” look, while still upholding traditional hierarchies of power. The people had begun criticizing the frivolous dress of the elites, and embracing the “restrained” look Beau sported mitigated this backlash.
It’s interesting to note how the evolution of pockets and suits are intertwined – as women’s pockets faded away, men’s pockets continued to multiply, until the average suit had 24 pockets. Also of note, both women post-pockets and men post-suits would find different ways to repackage luxury, though in opposite directions. The hidden luxury of embroidered pockets under the skirt became the outward luxury of beaded purses, while the outward luxury of extravagant designs and intricate lace in menswear became the hidden luxury of tiny details in buttons and pleats.
For instance, let’s look at this pair of a lady’s pockets from 1796, just before the French Revolution. Though serving the functional purpose of storage, pockets were at the same time an “opportunity for splendor”. This particular pair is made of sturdy material for the capacity to carry heavier objects, but is also covered in silk and finely embroidered with delicate, trailing vines of pink flowers along the border. As the hosts remark, they were like lingerie in a way. Pockets, intimately stored close to the body under a voluminous skirt and beautifully decorated, could only be seen by the woman herself, whoever dressed her, or a lover – a type of quiet luxury.
Similarly, men’s suits are the type of luxurious that only makes itself evident if you’re close enough to observe, and knowledgeable enough to understand. From a distance, it appears to be nothing special. But a keen observer with a trained eye would note the distinctive curved pants pockets and double topstitching on the side seams, lapels, cuffs, and pockets. Though all suits abide by the same general, uniform rules, these small differences hold a world of self-expression to those that know the language.
Works Cited
Trufelman, Avery, host. “Pockets.” Articles of Interest, episode 3, 99% Invisible, 2 Oct. 2018, https://99percentinvisible.org/episode/pockets-articles-of-interest-3/.
Trufelman, Avery, host. “Suits.” Articles of Interest, episode 10, 99% Invisible, 26 May 2020, https://99percentinvisible.org/episode/suits-articles-of-interest-10/.
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