I have an account with newspapers.com and frequently use it to research and look at ads for various vintage EDC and home items that I own, collect and carry. I decided to look through the archives and see what was being said about pocket contents in the good old days before one or two devices took the place of numerous things. I found that in the late 40s to the early 50s, there were lots of articles mentioning that men's pockets contained just as much, if not more content than their wives purses.
I have taken screenshots of these articles and present them here for you, to both give you an idea of the items carried by men of the 40s and 50s, as well as to show you that your morning anxiety-provoking routine of trying to fit all of your gear somewhere on your person, has existed well before some of you were even born.
Enjoy!
1937:
1941:
1945:
1946:
1946:
1946:
1947:
1947:
1947:
1947:
1947:
1947:
1948:
1948:
1951:
1951:
1952:
1952:
1953:
1953:
I have taken screenshots of these articles and present them here for you, to both give you an idea of the items carried by men of the 40s and 50s, as well as to show you that your morning anxiety-provoking routine of trying to fit all of your gear somewhere on your person, has existed well before some of you were even born.
Enjoy!
1937:
1941:
1945:
1946:
1946:
1946:
1947:
1947:
1947:
1947:
1947:
1947:
1948:
1948:
1951:
1951:
1952:
1952:
1953:
1953: