The ManicaPost
WE’VE all experienced that moment when someone compliments your dress and you scream “It has pockets!!”
When you’re out in the world, there are two things you need: a sense of adventure and … pockets. On men’s clothing, pockets are standard, but women’s clothing in general and dresses in particular, often lack this key feature. Happily, a few companies understand the plight and have designed travel dresses with pockets, so you can go bag-free.
But would you really going to commit to a dress without pockets? Nowhere to slide a phone, a business card, a dry cleaning receipt? Nowhere to put your hands while you need to look unbothered while waiting for the elevator at work, nowhere to hide excess buttons, or the too-heavy earrings you had to take off in the middle of the day?
Storage is not the point of pockets, in fashion. What I like about pockets is the mood music they bring to an outfit. When a dress has pockets, it takes on a different vibe. It doesn’t matter that you can’t carry anything more than a lip balm in the aforementioned pocket without ruining the line of the dress.
Just the fact that they are there, for you to jam your hands into when you feel awkward at a party, or to put your office swipe pass in so you can carry a cup of coffee, changes the personality of the dress.
Pockets have been the fashionista’s favourite hidden detail for a while. If you’ve ever reached down to put something in your pocket only to realise that whatever you’re wearing doesn’t actually have pockets, then consider yourself in the majority. It’s a frustrating situation to be in, especially if you’ve only got a few things to carry and don’t feel like lugging around a bag or purse.
Women love pockets. It seems to be a consensus. The reason why we don’t have it is because a few decades ago a few male designers decided it would ruin the lines. From a cynical business point of view, bag manufacturers must love the fact women have nowhere to pop their keys.
No pockets means we’re forced to buy more purses, clutches and totes — it’s a huge source of income for the bag industry, as women hand over their money to have something to hold our phones with.
Unfortunately, most of the tastemakers and top designers in the fashion industry are male. As a result, a lot of female style is dictated by men, many of whom have traditionally reinforced society’s expectation for women to look slim and streamlined. So pockets are a no-go, lest they make us look bulky. Even some trousers and coats, which you’d expect to have pockets, have them sewn up to streamline the silhouette. Let’s face it, men probably don’t understand how irritating it is not having pockets, because they’ve never really had to experience it. —Online
