Reticule
The little drawstring bag that was needed when dresses became too slim for pockets.
Women had previously worn pockets tied under their skirts. When the slim, high-waisted dresses of the Empire style arrived around 1800 there was no room for them, and a small bag was carried in the hand instead.
The bag was called a reticule, nicknamed the ridicule. It is the ancestor of the modern handbag.
Materials: Silk, velvet or netting, beads, cord
Manufacture: Often sewn or embroidered at home; finer examples were made by professionals.
The pouch shape drawn together with a cord.
Embroidery, beads or netting.
The tassel at the bottom.