Ladies, what is the best surprise when shopping for clothes? Pockets.
Pockets add value to pairs of pants or dresses, casual or formal, and instantly make the article of clothing worth buying. The absence of pockets in women’s clothing is ridiculous. Even when a piece of clothing appears to have pockets, the need to carry a purse, fanny pack, etc. still exists because these creations passed off as pockets, but can barely fit a phone, let alone a set of keys.
According to Tanya Basu of The Atlantic, “The biggest problem (with women’s clothing) might be the lack of pockets in the first place: women’s slacks, dresses and blazers often have no pockets, or worse, ‘fake’ pockets that serve no utilitarian purpose besides sartorially leading the wearer on to believe they have a handy wardrobe aide, until it’s too late.”
It is unfair for women to not have reasonable and functional attire as the norm.
Whether it be jeans or gym shorts, pockets are always practical. When some men are faced with wearing pocket-less gym shorts, for example, they freak out. It is normal for men to have functional pockets, but women need these, too. Of course, there is the option of lugging a purse everywhere just to hold items which should be able to fit in your pockets.
Do not get me wrong: purses have their benefits. I like to keep snacks in my purse, and then there is the whole dilemma of discreetly storing feminine products. With this being said, it is still easier to steal a purse than it is to pick a pocket.
According to Catherine Snowdon of BBC News, “There are concerns about pockets affecting the lines of the garment, making it sit strangely on a woman’s figure.”
There is a clash between cute and functional clothing. Why is there a problem with a pair of jeans or a skirt addressing issues of both fashion and function? There is no reason a pair of jeans cannot be fashionable and well-designed. One solution is to jump back to the 1990s and early 2000s when cargo pants were in style.
On that note, the history of pockets is a little complex and goes back hundreds of years. Pockets originally started as pouches tied to garments. These pouches lead to both purses and pockets as we know them today, as reported by Embry Roberts of Today.
However, things changed in the 1920s, “when women co-opted menswear styles for themselves—and therein took back the pocket! What a time to be alive. (The right to vote was exciting, too. But come on, guys, the pocket.).”
From there, well-designed pockets have been fading into the distance to make room for overpriced purses and skinny jeans. Slowly, they seem to be coming back for dresses. Some modern wedding dresses even feature decent pockets (yes, this pro-pocket wedding dress style has made it onto my Pinterest board).
It is way past time for pockets to stay in women’s fashion and serve their intended purposes. All pants should be created equal. There is no reason for them not to be.
Besides, what is a little more fabric in the big picture of pant and skirt designs? Pockets are a convenience all women should have at their sides, and I do not think anyone likes that fake seam of illusion convenience.
If only I had a pocket for every time I had to ask a man to hold something for me.
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All pants should be created equal
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