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in pockets arose, which
allowed a man or woman
to hide his or her
possessions on the body
and out of thieves’ reach.
A woman’s pockets might
be hidden within the folds
of her skirt or attached to a
band under her skirt. This
continued the idea of a
woman’s pouch as a
symbol of a her sexuality.
It was something hidden
and unreachable to all but
those who had a very
intimate association with
her because to see what
was in a woman’s pockets
you had to literally be up
her skirt.
In the late eighteenth
century, women’s clothing
silhouettes got sleeker and
simpler and left no room
for pockets so women
began to carry reticules.
These elaborately
Joy feelings magazine
embroidered pouches
allowed a woman to carry
the necessary feminine
weapons- perfume,
powder, and a fan for
flirting- but usually held
no money, which was
earned and controlled by
the men. The level of
decoration of a woman’s
reticule was an indication
of her family’s wealth and
although not as private as
a pocket, the reticule was
still considered a woman’s
hiding place whose
contents were revealed to
few. The comparison of a
purse to a female’s most
intimate parts continues
throughout history and
explains the origin of the
phrase “old bag” used to
describe woman who is
past her prime.