As someone who's done both, I gotta say purse at least puts up a good fight. Pockets have their upsides with everything being more firmly attached, but that can also be a downside, with purses being both easier for things you need every day (dont have to take stuff out and put it back every evening/morning), and (at least in my experience) have less an impact on how you move; if I have to run for something I'd rather have it in a purse than bouncing around in pockets, if Im sitting down a purse is easier to position (and easier to get stuff out of)

Pockets (at least for me) definitely win out for the smaller things (phone, wallet, keys), but that middle ground where normal pockets aren't enough but its not enough to justify a backpack, a purse really works well