I've been holding this in since 12th night.......

So, I've always kind of assumed pockets were firmly in the realm of the 18th century. Then I went poking through Holly's copy of Moda at 12th Night, and lo and behold.....

(1575-78; Florence; Woman at her toilet; Alessandro Allori; Church of Santa Maria Noevella, Gaddi chapel)

HOLY POCKETS BATMAN!!

Look at that pouch on her right hip.....does that not look like a pair of pockets to you?! It does to me....

My extremely un-educated deduction is that given her state of undress, it is entirely plausible that these pockets would (or could?) be worn underneath the over gown. Am I totally off-base here? I have not seen anything on late 16th century pockets, like, EVAR. Is this because it's completely ridiculous to even speculate, or is it because pockets are not the accessory research du-jour? Has anyone seen any research or documentation for pockets earlier than say.......1600?

And Holly found another painting that also shows some object that I would like to think is a pocket: (Woman in the pinkish red skirt, wearing a tan and black "pocket" on her right hip)

(1595; Birth of the Virgin (detail); Alessandro Allori; Cortona, Church of Santa Maria Nuova)

**Thank you to Holly for scanning these and getting them to me!!**

**EDIT: the ever-lovely Bella pointed me to http://katerina.purplefiles.net/garb/diaries/Kat's%20Soccaccia.html.
Another one of Katerina's pages is here: http://katerina.purplefiles.net/FlorenceFiles/FLAccessoriesSOCCACCIA.html
Katerina has found an extant Spanish pocket of the same time period here:
http://museodeltraje.mcu.es/index.jsp?id=48&ruta=4,17,48&referencia=MT00790
(jeez, that was hard to find! The English search functionality is broken, and had to go through the Spanish site. Ugh.)
I'm still totally jazzed for more info, but I'm tired out and need to go to bed. More lookin' around tomorrow.**