I’ll take the pockets, please: The auspicious lack of pockets in women’s clothing

Image Source

It takes time to choose clothing. It takes even longer to pull together a fashion that reflects your personal sense of style and expression. There’s a multitude of things to consider – the fit, the finances, the feel. The color, the texture, the material, the occasion, the space in your closet. But one thing that is definitely high on my list of things to consider is the number of pockets, or lack of thereof. Because if there’s a sure-fire way to make me abhor shopping, it’s the horrendous amount of time it takes to find women’s clothing that looks good and happens to have functional pockets. By functional, I mean pockets that (1) actually exist, (2) are designed to actually open and (3) fit more than a single bobby pin. Because really, sometimes a lady just wants pockets to accommodate a phone or a wallet for a day out or a quick jaunt to the convenience store without having to lug around an extra pocketed-jacket or a purse. I find myself feeling gleefully triumphant when I happen to find a good-looking dress, blazer, or pants with decent pockets and considerably less gleeful when I think about why.

It’s frustrating, to say the least, when this problem disproportionately affects women. For one thing, there’s none of that fake/tiny not-pockets business going on with men’s clothing. Pockets are a given for men – they’re a staple in the way men’s pants and coats are produced. They’re designed to be functional. And yet, women’s clothing is too often deliberately designed not to be.

Women’s clothing manufacturers seem to think that it doesn’t frustrate the hell out of women when they can’t even fit a business card into the tiny (or nonexistent) pockets of their clothing. Something like 99% of dresses have no pockets, and the more formal women’s clothing gets, the more likely the coat or pants pockets are fake or decorative. Not only is this asinine (because why else would you stitch the flap for a pocket that doesn’t actually open?) it also implicates the mindset of the women’s fashion industry. It perpetuates the idea that women’s clothing is so carefully cut and tailored to look “good” that it’s justifiable to lack pockets because the resulting bulge would detract from the fit. That even casual clothing, like a reliable pair of jeans is more fashionable and more slim fitting if it doesn’t have functional pockets (even if it has fake ones to retain the illusion of a classic look). It implies that women don’t need or use pockets because they are expected to carry their belongings in a purse or a handbag (that mysteriously has tons of zippered pocket compartments and has its own problematic industry). It suggests if a woman wants functional and fashionable clothing, she’ll have to look extra hard, pay extra money, or be extra fortified to bear the brunt of social mores for wanting something that is out of the mainstream fashion.

For example, I’ve seen dresses with pockets and pants that look fabulous, but markedly more expensive than their pocket-less counterparts. What does this say about an industry and culture that pressures women to dress fashionably at the cost of function and then charges women a financial and social premium if they actually want something useful? Because the fashion industry doesn’t just include the clothing manufacturers, it also includes the men and women choosing to buy it, wear it, and judge it. Ridiculous things like bags that restrict hand movement, shoes you can’t run in, and clothes that don’t let you carry things are impractical, nonsensical, and restrictive. They shape expectations pertaining to a woman’s image, implying that function is less important than fashion. A culture that upholds a particular brand of femininity, and an industry that forgoes pockets to produce more fashionable clothing – that pushes to maintain its “flattering” and “feminine” lines – but then immediately turns around to use the inclusion of pockets as though it’s some kind of novel marketing point is just not on.

It makes consumers like me feel as though they must compromise. I’m tempted to just endure the pocket-less trend (which stubbornly refuses to die) and spend the time looking for women’s clothing that is flattering and functional. I could sew my own pockets, but that takes time and is impractical. I could choose men’s formal clothing (which is frankly, quite sexy) that contain pockets galore and the coveted inner breast pocket, but I often struggle to find the right sizes. I’d rather not have to compromise so much. I’d like to wear what I want, when I want and without feeling judged.

I really don’t think it’s particularly difficult or progressive to want clothes that women can wear comfortably, confidently, courageously without feeling pressured. When it comes to women’s clothing with pockets, sure, there may be some “unsightly” bulges if I put too much in them, but it’s not like I’m using it to carry around rocks. I’d like to at least have the option of carrying my car keys and phone. I’ll take my pockets, please, and if they’re not real and functional, I’ll keep the pocket change.

Victoria Nguyen