Pockets for women

[Anonymous]

It's not a joke, it is the patriarchy that led to the disappearance of pockets in women's clothing:

https://medium.com/verve-up/the-bewildering-and-sexist-history-of-womens-pockets-1edf3a98117

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My guess is that women say they want pockets, but by and large, when they go looking for clothes, they think the stuff that does have pockets is ugly and choose something else.

But I'm just a dude with no background in the clothing industry and who rarely shops for clothes anyway. Anyone with insight into what's *really* going on here?

When I opened this I knew you were a man. Your guess is wrong for most women. Stick to worrying about other problems or at the very least stop trying to explain what all women want.

First of all, congratulations for divining that the post saying "I'm just a dude" was written by a man. Second, how do you get "all women" out of "by and large?"
Finally, any insight into why manufacturers aren't inclined to make easy money by supplying a product that most women want?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My guess is that women say they want pockets, but by and large, when they go looking for clothes, they think the stuff that does have pockets is ugly and choose something else.

But I'm just a dude with no background in the clothing industry and who rarely shops for clothes anyway. Anyone with insight into what's *really* going on here?

When I opened this I knew you were a man. Your guess is wrong for most women. Stick to worrying about other problems or at the very least stop trying to explain what all women want.

First of all, congratulations for divining that the post saying "I'm just a dude" was written by a man. Second, how do you get "all women" out of "by and large?"
Finally, any insight into why manufacturers aren't inclined to make easy money by supplying a product that most women want?

Since when do manufacturers care what most women want?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I see a fair amount of Internet commentary about women wanting pockets for their clothes. The lack of pockets is usually explained in a joking-not-joking way as a conspiracy of the patriarchy. Is there actually pent up demand for women's clothes that have pockets? If so, it seems like some entrepreneurs could make a fantastic amount of money by offering women's clothes with pockets, and I wonder why they haven't. My guess is that women say they want pockets, but by and large, when they go looking for clothes, they think the stuff that does have pockets is ugly and choose something else.

But I'm just a dude with no background in the clothing industry and who rarely shops for clothes anyway. Anyone with insight into what's *really* going on here?

Yes, there's a demand. Is it really so hard to believe that women mean what they say?

Obviously it is. Men have been ignoring what women say they want in favor of what the men think women want since the dawn of time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I see a fair amount of Internet commentary about women wanting pockets for their clothes. The lack of pockets is usually explained in a joking-not-joking way as a conspiracy of the patriarchy. Is there actually pent up demand for women's clothes that have pockets? If so, it seems like some entrepreneurs could make a fantastic amount of money by offering women's clothes with pockets, and I wonder why they haven't. My guess is that women say they want pockets, but by and large, when they go looking for clothes, they think the stuff that does have pockets is ugly and choose something else.

But I'm just a dude with no background in the clothing industry and who rarely shops for clothes anyway. Anyone with insight into what's *really* going on here?

Yes, there's a demand. Is it really so hard to believe that women mean what they say?

No. It's hard to believe that someone isn't rushing to make money hand-over-fist by meeting that demand.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I see a fair amount of Internet commentary about women wanting pockets for their clothes. The lack of pockets is usually explained in a joking-not-joking way as a conspiracy of the patriarchy. Is there actually pent up demand for women's clothes that have pockets? If so, it seems like some entrepreneurs could make a fantastic amount of money by offering women's clothes with pockets, and I wonder why they haven't. My guess is that women say they want pockets, but by and large, when they go looking for clothes, they think the stuff that does have pockets is ugly and choose something else.

But I'm just a dude with no background in the clothing industry and who rarely shops for clothes anyway. Anyone with insight into what's *really* going on here?

Yes, there's a demand. Is it really so hard to believe that women mean what they say?

No. It's hard to believe that someone isn't rushing to make money hand-over-fist by meeting that demand.

Cool. Then the takeaway should be "Wow, designers are really missing a great opportunity!" as opposed to "Do women REALLY want pockets? My guess is that they're lying!"

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I see a fair amount of Internet commentary about women wanting pockets for their clothes. The lack of pockets is usually explained in a joking-not-joking way as a conspiracy of the patriarchy. Is there actually pent up demand for women's clothes that have pockets? If so, it seems like some entrepreneurs could make a fantastic amount of money by offering women's clothes with pockets, and I wonder why they haven't. My guess is that women say they want pockets, but by and large, when they go looking for clothes, they think the stuff that does have pockets is ugly and choose something else.

But I'm just a dude with no background in the clothing industry and who rarely shops for clothes anyway. Anyone with insight into what's *really* going on here?

Women want clothing with pockets that look good and won't make them stand out. People who want pockets also want there not to be such a double standard when it comes to gendering products, or for unnecessary gendering of products to stop. We'd like to be able to wear clothes that are socially appropriate, flattering, and also functional, but that might mean redefining socially appropriate.

Think about why pockets work in men's clothes and why they don't work as well in women's clothes. Maybe then you'll see why a dress your wife wears on date night doesn't have pockets. Now think about what professional women are expected to wear, and think about how a pocket that holds everything you (a man) keeps in his pockets are supposed to fit in pockets on that outfit, and think about the changes that need to be made to that outfit without the woman wearing it looking like a snake that just ate a wallet, phone, keys, and maybe some chapstick. Now consider how different she'll look from her coworkers if she wears that new outfit with pockets, and consider if most of the women you know would like being the one who stood out in such a way to gain pockets. If you want to take that exercise a little further, think about the expectations of how professional women should look and the tools necessary to achieve that goal (makeup, hair brush/accessories, compact). Now figure out how to put those tools in pockets, or how to do away with the need for those tools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I see a fair amount of Internet commentary about women wanting pockets for their clothes. The lack of pockets is usually explained in a joking-not-joking way as a conspiracy of the patriarchy. Is there actually pent up demand for women's clothes that have pockets? If so, it seems like some entrepreneurs could make a fantastic amount of money by offering women's clothes with pockets, and I wonder why they haven't. My guess is that women say they want pockets, but by and large, when they go looking for clothes, they think the stuff that does have pockets is ugly and choose something else.

But I'm just a dude with no background in the clothing industry and who rarely shops for clothes anyway. Anyone with insight into what's *really* going on here?

Yes, there's a demand. Is it really so hard to believe that women mean what they say?

No. It's hard to believe that someone isn't rushing to make money hand-over-fist by meeting that demand.

Cool. Then the takeaway should be "Wow, designers are really missing a great opportunity!" as opposed to "Do women REALLY want pockets? My guess is that they're lying!"

That could be the takeaway! But why are they missing that opportunity? I doubt it's some kind of conspiracy. Perhaps there are market forces other than lack of demand standing in their way. I don't know what those market forces are.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I see a fair amount of Internet commentary about women wanting pockets for their clothes. The lack of pockets is usually explained in a joking-not-joking way as a conspiracy of the patriarchy. Is there actually pent up demand for women's clothes that have pockets? If so, it seems like some entrepreneurs could make a fantastic amount of money by offering women's clothes with pockets, and I wonder why they haven't. My guess is that women say they want pockets, but by and large, when they go looking for clothes, they think the stuff that does have pockets is ugly and choose something else.

But I'm just a dude with no background in the clothing industry and who rarely shops for clothes anyway. Anyone with insight into what's *really* going on here?

Yes, there's a demand. Is it really so hard to believe that women mean what they say?

No. It's hard to believe that someone isn't rushing to make money hand-over-fist by meeting that demand.

Cool. Then the takeaway should be "Wow, designers are really missing a great opportunity!" as opposed to "Do women REALLY want pockets? My guess is that they're lying!"

That could be the takeaway! But why are they missing that opportunity? I doubt it's some kind of conspiracy. Perhaps there are market forces other than lack of demand standing in their way. I don't know what those market forces are.

15:26 offered some good thoughts!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My guess is that women say they want pockets, but by and large, when they go looking for clothes, they think the stuff that does have pockets is ugly and choose something else.

But I'm just a dude with no background in the clothing industry and who rarely shops for clothes anyway. Anyone with insight into what's *really* going on here?

When I opened this I knew you were a man. Your guess is wrong for most women. Stick to worrying about other problems or at the very least stop trying to explain what all women want.

First of all, congratulations for divining that the post saying "I'm just a dude" was written by a man. Second, how do you get "all women" out of "by and large?"
Finally, any insight into why manufacturers aren't inclined to make easy money by supplying a product that most women want?

How the hell would I know? Go AWAY MAN DUDE

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My guess is that women say they want pockets, but by and large, when they go looking for clothes, they think the stuff that does have pockets is ugly and choose something else.

But I'm just a dude with no background in the clothing industry and who rarely shops for clothes anyway. Anyone with insight into what's *really* going on here?

When I opened this I knew you were a man. Your guess is wrong for most women. Stick to worrying about other problems or at the very least stop trying to explain what all women want.

First of all, congratulations for divining that the post saying "I'm just a dude" was written by a man. Second, how do you get "all women" out of "by and large?"
Finally, any insight into why manufacturers aren't inclined to make easy money by supplying a product that most women want?

How the hell would I know? Go AWAY MAN DUDE

Btw I meant to say I didn't have to read the whole sentence before I knew it before I read the part "I am a dude" Stay in your own lane, dude.

[Anonymous]

The argument that women "need" all this stuff to function so pockets are impractical is part of the problem. The fact that women feel like they have to paint a face on top of their face each day and then carry around a Go bag to maintain that face throughout the day is ridiculous.

Men don't 'have' to carry that stuff because no one expects any thing of themselves but the face the good Lord gave them and their talent.

Ladies, get clothes with pockets and a phone case that holds your cards/id, keep tampons or pads in your desk drawer and live your life with your hands available to you as nature intended.

[Anonymous]

I specifically buy clothes with pockets. I won't even buy workout leggings if they don't have pockets. I want a place to put my cell phone, keys, credit card, bus pass etc. I do own a purse, but it's not always safe or practical to carry one--too easy to become a target.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The argument that women "need" all this stuff to function so pockets are impractical is part of the problem. The fact that women feel like they have to paint a face on top of their face each day and then carry around a Go bag to maintain that face throughout the day is ridiculous.

Men don't 'have' to carry that stuff because no one expects any thing of themselves but the face the good Lord gave them and their talent.

Ladies, get clothes with pockets and a phone case that holds your cards/id, keep tampons or pads in your desk drawer and live your life with your hands available to you as nature intended.

+!. I have only bought pants with functional pockets for several years, and recently have started doing this with dresses too. I noticed that I always ended up wearing the one dress I had with pockets, since it was so much more convenient than holding my phone in my hand the entire time. Purses seem ridiculously unwieldy and unsafe to me, and I've never used one since maybe 8th grade - I just carry a streamlined keychain in one front pocket and in a back pocket is my phone with a little slot for credit cards/ID on the back of the case. I can't think of a time I've ever wished I could have carried anything else around with me. Trying to think of what my mom had in her purse when I was little and it was just junk - old lifesavers, kleenexes, and a giant wallet with a bunch of department store credit cards.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I mean don’t you carry things on your pockets?? A wallet? Your phone? A mask? It’s a huge pain to have to carry things in your hands or it a bug in your shoulder that (in my case) hurts my back.

Women want pockets because pockets are useful. For holding stuff. So you don’t have to carry a bag. Would you like to walk around all day with zero pockets?

I agree that pockets are fantastic. It just feels like, if the demand was really there, market forces would take care of this. The pocketless items would remain on the shelves and the racks while the pocketed garments got snapped up right away.

Not all woman want pockets and some have probably given up. As a PP said, there are a few companies out there who are great about putting pockets into women’s clothing - especially dresses - and have a lot of brand loyalty. Athleta and Title Nine are two of the best for this. I have a few dresses from T9 in particular on which I receive a lot of compliments; when I tell the complimenter that they also have pockets, they usually shriek with delight.

+1 There's a reason "thanks, it has pockets" is effectively memeified. I refuse to buy jeans that don't have real pockets but it's sometimes hard to find them and I have to compromise between "it fits" and "it has pockets" unfortunately.

I say that everytime I get complimented on a dress! I'll add Boden and Eliza J to the list of companies that make dresses with pockets.