Wednesday, March 16, 2011

"Accessories: Head to Toe": Bonus Post: Do 18th c. Breeches Have Pockets?

Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Susan reporting:

A reader commenting on today's post that featured the gentleman's velvet breeches asked: "Everyone always wants to know where the pockets were in the garments. I have had people argue vehemently that there are no pockets in breeches."

For the answer, I went back to Mark Hutter, Journeyman Tailor here at CW. His reply: there's no definite right or wrong. Some breeches have pockets, and some don't. Most likely the decision would be made according to the wearer's personal taste.

Where are the pockets? They're on the front of the breeches, never on the back. On the pair of replica breeches, above left, there is the front flap or fall, with buttons on the corners of the fall. On either side of the fall are button-through points, and the pockets are below that.

Mark says that he's also seen a long, narrow pocket along one side seam called a purse pocket, with another button flap for security. For comparison, the boy's breeches, right, don't have pockets.

3 comments:

Leah Marie Brown said...

I loved this post. Those photos are great.

I wrote a piece about the banyan a few weeks ago and have decided that some of the garments they wore in the 18th century were so much more fun than the ones we wear today.

Isabella Bradford/Susan Holloway Scott said...

Thanks, Leah Marie!
We've covered banyans, too. I agree - it's definitely a lot more fun to dress like an 18th c. gentleman.


http://twonerdyhistorygirls.blogspot.com/2010/06/gentlemen-at-leisure-banyans.html

Leah Marie Brown said...

Heck! I think, minus the lice and vermin attracting powdered wig, I would have enjoyed dressing in 18th c. female garb (:::she writes, while sitting in her Abercrombie sweats:::).

 
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