In this episode, Hannah Carlson, author of “Pockets: An Intimate History of How We Keep Things Close,” discusses the historical and social significance of pockets. Inspired by a personal experience where she had no pockets during an emergency, Carlson explores how pockets have evolved from medieval times to modern days, highlighting their gender disparity. She delves into how pockets in women’s clothing were often inadequate or non-existent, contrasting with men’s standardized pocketed garments. Carlson also examines pockets in historical contexts, like women’s sports and military uniforms, and how pockets have influenced and reflected societal norms and gender roles.

Key Points

• Inspiration for the Book: Carlson’s interest was piqued by an experience of having no pockets during an emergency, leading her to explore the functionality and history of pockets.
• Historical Evolution: Pockets have evolved from medieval pocket slits to modern integral pockets in clothing, with men often having more practical pockets than women.
• Gender Disparity: Women’s clothing historically lacked pockets, reflecting societal views on femininity and practicality, and influencing how women carried their belongings.
• Pockets and Society: Pockets were banned in some eras due to their association with concealed weapons, and they influenced how people moved and interacted with the world.
• Modern Pockets: Despite advancements, women today still face issues with inadequate pockets, often expressed through social media and fashion movements.

Related Episodes:

Episode 220: Dress Codes and Fashion Rule Through History with Richard Thompson Ford

Episode 215: The Story Behind Twentieth Century Skirts with Dr. Kimblerly Chrisman Campbell

Links:

• Sign up for my newsletter.
• Watch my YouTube Channel.
• Like the Photo Detective Facebook Page so you get notified of my Facebook Live videos.
• Need help preserving your photos? Check out Maureen’s Preserving Family Photographs ebook 
• Need help identifying family photos? Check out The Family Photo Detective ebook
• Have a photo you need help identifying? Sign up for photo consultation.

About My Guest:

Hannah Carlson teaches dress history and material culture at the Rhode Island School of Design. After training as a conservator of costume and textiles at the Fashion Institute of Technology, she received a PhD in material culture from Boston University. She is the author of Pockets: An Intimate History of How We Keep Things Close and has contributed articles to Commonplace: The Journal of Early American Life; Dress: The Journal of the Costume Institute of America; Design Observer; and MacGuffin: The Life of Things.

About Maureen Taylor:

Maureen Taylor, The Photo Detective^Òhelps clients with photo related genealogical problems. Her pioneering work in historic photo research has earned her the title “the nation’s foremost historical photo detective” by The Wall Street Journal and appearances on The View, The Today Show, Pawn Stars, and others.   Learn more at Maureentaylor.com

Did you enjoy this episode? Please leave a review on Apple Podcasts.

The post Episode 243: The Hidden History of Pockets: A Conversation with Hannah Carlson appeared first on Maureen Taylor.

In this solo episode of Maureen Taylor’s podcast, “The Photo Detective,” Maureen delves into the captivating world of postcards. She explores their historical significance and practical uses, both as travel memorabilia and valuable tools in family history research. The episode highlights the evolution of postcards from the early 1900s, including the introduction of Kodak’s folding pocket camera that could take postcard-sized photos, to the legislative changes in 1907 allowing messages on the back. Maureen shares her personal experiences and tips on collecting postcards, emphasizing their role in documenting local history and personal stories.

• Historical Evolution of Postcards: Tracing back to Kodak’s 1903 introduction of a camera for postcard-sized photos and the legislative change in 1907 allowing messages on the back.
• Practical Uses of Postcards: From travel souvenirs to event invitations, and even as a method for advertising and documenting local businesses and real estate.
• Collecting Postcards as a Hobby: Tips on starting a postcard collection that can reflect personal or local history, and how to manage and organize such collections effectively.
• Unique Postcard Collections: Insights into Maureen Taylor’s own collections, including real photo postcards and historical doorways, offering a glimpse into the early 20th century life.
• Interactive Postcard Projects: Highlighting innovative projects like the TikTok channel “Return to Sender,” which reconnects postcards with descendants of the intended recipients.

Related Episodes:

Episode 139: Collecting Postcards for a Half Century with Mark Routh 

Episode 141: Postal History Stories of Selling and Collecting with Jim Mehrer

Links:

• Sign up for my newsletter.
• Watch my YouTube Channel.
• Like the Photo Detective Facebook Page so you get notified of my Facebook Live videos.
• Need help identifying family photos? Check out the Identifying Family Photographs Online Course.
• Have a photo you need help identifying? Sign up for photo consultation.

About Maureen Taylor:

Maureen Taylor, The Photo Detective^Òhelps clients with photo related genealogical problems. Her pioneering work in historic photo research has earned her the title “the nation’s foremost historical photo detective” by The Wall Street Journal and appearances on The View, The Today Show, Pawn Stars, and others.   Learn more at Maureentaylor.com

Did you enjoy this episode? Please leave a review on Apple Podcasts.

The post Episode 242:Uncovering the Past Through Postcards With Maureen Taylor appeared first on Maureen Taylor.

Clare Hunter, author of “Threads of Life,” joins Maureen on The Photo Detective podcast. A Scottish native with a background in theatre, community art, and creative writing, Clare discusses her book, which intertwines memoir and history, highlighting the social, emotional, and political significance of sewing. “Threads of Life” explores the profound impacts of needlework beyond its traditional domestic roles, demonstrating its importance in various social and historical contexts. Clare shares anecdotes from her personal life and research, emphasizing sewing’s transformative power in both personal and communal settings.

• Clare Hunter’s journey from theatre to writing, leading to her debut book “Threads of Life.”
• The book discusses needlework’s extensive historical roles, transcending mere hobbyism to include social and political significance.
• Insight into needlework in community settings, its therapeutic aspects, and its historical gender dynamics.
• Exploration of sewing’s portrayal in family photographs and its potential for storytelling.
• Clare’s ongoing work, including her new projects focusing on historical and personal narratives through textiles.

Related Episodes:

Bonus Episode: Stitching on Pictures: Stitchography by Emma 

Episode 155: Ancestral Handbag History with Curator Jessica Harpley

Links:

• Sign up for my newsletter.
• Watch my YouTube Channel.
• Like the Photo Detective Facebook Page so you get notified of my Facebook Live videos.
• Need help organizing your photos? Check out the Essential Photo Organizing Video Course.
• Need help identifying family photos? Check out the Identifying Family Photographs Online Course.
• Have a photo you need help identifying? Sign up for photo consultation.

About My Guest:

Clare Hunter has been a community textile artist, banner maker and textile curator for over twenty years and established the award-winning community sewing enterprise NeedleWorks in Glasgow in the 1980s. Threads of Life: the History of the World through the Eye of a Needle, was her first book. It was warmly received, reaching The Sunday Times Bestseller List, chosen as Waterstone’s Book of the Month in Scotland and BBC Radio 4’s Book of the Week and becoming joint winner of the Saltire Award for First Book. Her second book, Embroidering her Truth: Mary, Queen of Scots and the Language of Power, was published in March 2022 and has already reached the Scottish Books Bestseller list. Clare Hunter lives in Scotland.

About Maureen Taylor:

Maureen Taylor, The Photo Detective^Òhelps clients with photo related genealogical problems. Her pioneering work in historic photo research has earned her the title “the nation’s foremost historical photo detective” by The Wall Street Journal and appearances on The View, The Today Show, Pawn Stars, and others.   Learn more at Maureentaylor.com

Did you enjoy this episode? Please leave a review on Apple Podcasts.

The post Episode 241:Threads of Life: Unraveling the Rich Tapestry of Sewing with author Clare Hunter appeared first on Maureen Taylor.