I wanted to love this book as much as I love a pocket. Instead, I have to temper my response to “it was okay.” I accept responsibility for not having a fuller expectation of the scope of POCKETS. I was anticipating a pictorial history–more of a fashion showpiece. And there is some of that! I simply wish it made up more of the book.

Aside from personal expectations, POCKETS is painstakingly researched; author Hannah Carlson left no pocket unpicked in her history! Fans of fashion history, more specifically, fashion micro-history, will delight in this book.