In the 18th century, women’s pockets were not sewn into their gowns. Instead they were attached to a tape and tied around the waist as separate garments. Worn under the hoops and petticoats, they were accessed through openings in the gown and petticoat seams.
They were sometimes made to match other garments, for example a bodice or petticoat. This pair of quilted yellow silk pockets is part of an ensemble with a matching waistcoat (T.87-1978). Such a bright shade of yellow was popular for women’s dress from the 1740s to the 1770s. Many bodices, waistcoats and aprons of the mid-1700s used the technique of quilting for both decoration and warmth. An elaborate quilted scroll adorns the pocket edges, with a plain diaper pattern in the centre.
The top edge of each pocket is angled slightly, possibly to make the pockets sit correctly over the hips. Whether these were fastened in front or behind the waist is not clear from documentation and images of women wearing pockets.