Why do men's clothes have so many pockets and women's so few? This microhistory of the humble pocket uncovers a centuries-long social and political history.

Registration for this event has sold out. A limited number of standby tickets will be available on the day of the event.

When tailors stitched the first pockets into men's trousers five hundred years ago, it ignited controversy and introduced a range of social issues that we continue to wrestle with today. Hannah Carlson's new book contains surprising stories of the ways that gender politics, power, and technology manifest themselves in the clothes we wear.

Hannah Carlson speaks about how our clothes influence the way we navigate the world with Avery Trufelman, host of the fashion podcast Articles of Interest.

The Center for Research in the Humanities welcomes everyone to join the conversation between curators, librarians, and researchers, as they discuss new scholarship and projects, research methods, and the Library's rich collections and resources.

ABOUT THE SPEAKERS

Hannah Carlson is the author of Pockets: An Intimate History of How We Keep Things Close. She teaches dress history and material culture at the Rhode Island School of Design.

Avery Trufelman is the host and creator of Articles of Interest, a podcast about what we wear. She has previously worked at New York Magazine and 99% Invisible.

READ THE BOOK

• Borrow: NYPL Catalog


• E-Book app: SimplyE, available on iOS and Android

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To join | Please register for an In-Person Ticket. Doors will open around 1:30 PM. For free events, we generally overbook to ensure a full house. Priority will be given to those who have registered in advance, but registration does not guarantee admission. All registered seats are released shortly before start time, and seats may become available at that time. A standby line will form 30 minutes before the program.

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ACCESSIBILITY

In-Person | You can request a free ASL (American Sign Language) interpretation or CART (Communication Access Real-Time Translation) captioning service by emailing your request at least two weeks in advance of the event: email accessibility@nypl.org or use this Gmail template. This venue is fully accessible to wheelchairs.

CONNECT

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Hannah Carlson © Stephanie Ewens
Courtesy Avery Trufelman