Wouldn’t pockets make life easier?

If it’s true that we’re starting to see men with bags, it’s also true that we rarely see women without them. In women’s clothing, a handbag replaces pockets on men’s clothing. But Now women are also asking for pockets for their clothes, wanting to achieve practicality even if it meant giving up excess. Clothes have always been a reflection of society, and the discrepancy between women’s and men’s pockets is an issue.remnant of atavistic and secular distinctions in human roles (which works and should have easy access to the pockets where he keeps money, keys…) and women (confined to the home and without access to money), which seems inappropriate and untimely today.

Practical clothing trend

Among the fashion trends of the past spring summer, which is confirmed by the current autumn winter, it stood out and stands out. practical clothes with large pockets. It is no coincidence that functionality is now a central theme for fashion designers. Obviously notThe trend is not enough to eliminate stereotypes, but it certainly provides an opportunity to take a step forward. However, women are “forced” to use bags for utilitarian rather than stylistic reasons. Is it possible that a true “era of pockets” has arrived, since everything needed for everyday life has become so small?

The Feminist Question of Pockets in Hannah Carlson’s New Essay

A new essay by fashion and costume scholar and professor Hannah Carlson recently hit bookstores. Carlson’s Pockets: An Intimate History of How We Keep Things Closed (Algonquin Books, September 2023), in which the author speaks lightly but not superficially on the feminist issue of pockets. “Maybe – he claims – that the real era of pockets has arrived, because everything necessary for everyday life has become so small. Cash is of limited use and address books, diaries and maps are dead. Phones and maybe lipstick, a key or a hairbrush are really all a woman needs, and it could mean we’re no longer cluttered with bags.” WITHcelebrities who choose dresses and trousers for special occasions – how recently Kate Winslet in a white pantsuit with pockets for Vogue World 2023 or Kasia Smutnyak that during the premiere of “Priscilla” at the Venice Film Festival 2023, she wore a feminine take on the classic men’s suit with a tie and floor-length wrap skirt with pockets. — and a newfound passion for cargo pants and their big pockets seems to confirm Carlson’s optimistic vision.

Step back…

In her essay, Hannah Carlson argues that the politics of pockets is ancient but actually modern history: “Throughout medieval Europe, everyone carried bags on their belts. Then, when the first pockets were sewn onto men’s trousers 500 years ago, problems began.” And he talks about when just recently Arch-fashionist Diana Vreeland, then editor-in-chief of Vogue (from 1962 to 1972), expressed her dislike of bags, which she said were “uncomfortable” – and the desire to dedicate the issue to the festival of pockets. The idea was stopped by publishers who pointed to revenue figures from sponsorships in the bag industry. But it’s not just a commercial issue, Carlson always admits: “Although women’s outerwear has generally improved, stylists continue to argue that the pocket spoils the shape of the dress.”

Publications and websites in support of the campaign for women’s pockets

There are some hard facts at the heart of the pocket debate. Five years ago, a denim study published by The Pudding found that on average women’s pockets are 48% smaller and 6.5% thinner than men’s, and that only 40% of women’s front pockets can accommodate a smartphone. Less than half could hold a wallet. A couple of years later, YouGov’s study, ‘Which Women’s Trousers: Pockets They Can Use’, found that many women wanted more pockets in their jackets and trousers. Among the most ardent supporters of pockets in women’s clothing are Mandy Fletcher

which opened the Pockets For Women shopping site in March 2022. Fletcher’s site selects brands that offer the best pockets on women’s clothing and is becoming increasingly successful.. According to Fletcher, “the situation is improving: the differences in the number and size of pockets offered to men and women are becoming less noticeable. And what’s happening with the cargo pants trend in particular is fantastic.” His website lists all the advantages of pockets and disadvantages of bags: “The bag may have been a status symbol for Margaret Thatcher, but for Carlson and Fletcher it is merely an encumbrance: an expensive pleasure and a temptation for thieves, as well as attracting judgment from others.”