By Candice Hern
The purse as an essential feminine accessory came into prominence in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth century when the line of dresses narrowed and the waistlines rose. Prior to that time, women had worn pockets under their skirts. These were large flat bags with long vertical slits, which were tied around the waist and sat atop the petticoat. They were reached through a slit in the skirt.