Why women don't have pockets.

This week I would like to address a problem being overlooked all over the world, and that is pockets on women’s clothing. It may seem like a joke, but there is a legitimate argument to be made and I feel that it will be worth taking a few minutes to learn about why there is so much controversy surrounding something so simple.

Shoutout to my RD Hailey for her exceedingly accurate reply.

I have always been annoyed by the lack of decent pockets on my clothes. It seems really unfair that men have massive pockets big enough for a full size iPad while I am often given tiny pockets or none at all. The final straw came a couple of weeks ago when I discovered that my favorite pair of shorts did have pockets, but they were sewn shut and impossible for me to use. This sparked a Twitter rant to start. But more importantly, it got me thinking. Why do men have excess space while women are given next to nothing? I decided to find out.

Long story short, women have never really had the luxury of pockets like men have. Originally everyone wore basically the same thing, simple dress like outfit. Eventually people began to strap bags around their waist under clothing. It even became a fashion statement for women to wear theirs’ over their skirts. This evolved to pockets being sewn into pants, which were predominantly worn by men. While both men and women wear pants today, this old standard was sucked into the fashion industry.

There is an assumption that women will be carrying purses wherever they go. By eliminating pockets designs can be made more form fitting and less bulky. Women’s clothing is made for fashion, men’s is made for function. Some find this sexist, some find it political. But I think all women can agree that they find it annoying. Camilla Olson, creative director of a high fashion firm, told The Atlantic how she feels it effects women.

“I find it discouraging…Fashion looks selectively at who they let in and keeps women at a certain place. It’s not helping women move forward in the workplace.” She said certain designers have claimed pockets are “too ugly” for clothes and others think women just do not need them. She believes this has created a chasm within women’s fashion and ultimately holds us back.

After doing my own research, I tend to agree with what she is saying. While we all have the power to choose what we wear, and I am sure there are pieces with pockets out there, women should have more options. I should not have to go on a hunt for clothes that fit basic functionality. And when you look at history, pockets really do display power. Women are powerful and what we wear should be able to reflect that. It is a simple thing, a little extra fabric and a few more stitches. I hope one day the fashion industry will think it is too.