Outside of the United States, pocketbook is not used often.

While, purse is the most common term across the West, Southwest, and Midwest.

The Northeast and Southeast regions of the United States have the most usage of pocketbooks. Still, others use the terms depending on the time of day. Depending on the size of the bag, pocketbook and purse are different things. The difference appears to be a word choice variation as opposed to an actual bag variation in different generations and regions. Really, what is the difference? Depending on who you ask, it is like most great debates. What's the difference between a Pocketbook and a Purse? Today, a pocketbook is a women’s handbag. During the mid-20th century, these items were typically made of leather and used as a way for women to carry their personal belongings. Pocketbooks, Handbags, Totes, or Purses, are long and narrow bags worn on the body with a detachable strap over the shoulder and/or across the body to hold items. The first pocketbook appeared in the early 18th century, but it was not until the 1820s that the term began to be used to describe women's handbags. The term has its origins in England, where a 'pocketbook' was a small compartment designed to hold a pocket journal. The word is also sometimes used to describe a man's wallet. If you are someone who carries a pocketbook, you might get the impression that all your belongings are in there, and that your bag is your life. These days, however, women carry more than just a purse-they take their laptops and other electronic devices with them, too.

They are a way to express oneself and to keep one's personal belongings close at hand. Pocketbooks, also known as handbags, are a strong symbol of a woman's identity. There are many traditional pocketbooks, but the pocketbook is also often a term for a small bag that can be carried in the pocket of your trousers or skirt. What is a pocketbook? A Pocketbook is a slang term for a woman's bag, and it's also used to refer to the purse that a woman carries with her when she is out and about.

Women's pocketbooks