If you do a quick search of #WeWantPockets on Twitter, you’ll see the unanimous desire of all women to have pockets in their clothing. In fact, this desire led to the boycott of the iPhone 6 Plus, which women felt was too big to fit in their pockets, as non-existent as they are.
Women worldwide want a place to house their keys, lip gloss, and credit cards when heading out the door instead of dragging around a handbag every time. But unfortunately, this uproar has done nothing to change the majority of designers’ minds because they continue to make women’s attire without pockets, apart from jeans and some dress trousers.
Does this mean it’s impossible to get a dress with pockets?
Impossible, NO. Difficult is more like it, and you have to look really hard. Female clothing is still predominantly pocketless or equipped with tiny or decorative pockets that can’t fit anything. Experts reckon it’s because the fashion industry is still mostly dominated by men who have refused to understand the intrinsic need for women to have pockets just like men.
Thankfully, fast fashion and the involvement of China in this industry have started to change things for the better. If you want, let’s say a maxi dress with pockets, the best place to look for one is e-commerce sites like NewChic, Modily and Chicloth, which are shipping clothes from China and other countries. The design of fast fashion is heavily influenced by what people want now, in this case, women, so you will find more clothes with pockets and other features loved by women.
Unlike American brands who will charge you an arm and a leg just to get some pockets in your dress, imported clothing is quite affordable with or without pockets.
When to Choose Dresses with Pockets or Without
The pros and cons of wearing a dress with pockets are almost equal. While pockets are great in many instances, some places and styles are better without them.
Pros
No handbag necessary
Contrary to popular belief (by men), women don’t necessarily enjoy carrying handbags. Sometimes we want to be hands-free like men. If I am going for a walk outside, running errands, running to the gym, or doing brunch with friends, a handbag is unnecessary when all you need to carry is lip gloss, keys, and your card.
A place to put your hands
Ever wondered what to do with your free hands when taking a photo, standing at the bus stop, or standing in line somewhere? You wouldn’t wonder if you had pockets. Simply slide your hands inside the pockets and get comfortable. It’s also a great way to keep them warm because hands tend to freeze a lot.
Pockets are cool
Pockets give swag and confidence. Instead of playing with your thumbs and knuckles when you walk into a room or face strangers, you simply stick your hands into the dress pockets, thus taking up more space around you. Throw your shoulders back, pull up your stance, and feel confidence ooze out of you.
Cons
Pockets draw attention
Many women will disagree with this point, but designers find it valid. Dress pockets are located on your hips which draws attention to that part and makes you look wider. If you don’t want attention on your hips, stick to pocketless clothes.
Tight, sleek dresses
If you wear a really tight dress, it should seamlessly drape around your body without any bulges. Pockets create a bulge or two which ruins the straight, seamless look you wanted with that tight dress.
Pockets pull down the dress
When a lady uses her dress pockets to put a phone, keys, and other stuff, it pulls down the fabric of the dress. With time, the dress sags on that part and loses its frame. Pockets may be real, but you shouldn’t always use them to store stuff.
With this in mind, you should probably not wear a tight dress with pockets because it ruins the silhouette. Instead, choose pockets when you wear a loose-fitting dress and you have nothing to carry, except maybe a phone. Pockets are also okay when you have a car so you can leave your items inside the car and carry your phone and card in your hands.
Are Dress with Pockets in Style?
Very much so. In a generation of fast-paced, athletic, and minimalistic women, pockets come in handy in place of handbags. Women today are also very stylish and independent, so dresses that portray them as such are in high demand. Straight cut, demure, boring dresses are fast being left to our mothers because today’s youth wants unique and progressive.
But at the core of it, it’s really an equality issue. Men have had pockets in all their clothing for centuries, and we want the same. We want to stand and slide our hands in the pocket like cool people do. The fact that women have been denied dresses with pockets for so long only makes us want and appreciate them more. If you are in doubt, watch how brides jump in joy when they find pockets in a wedding gown.
Does that mean women want pockets in all their dresses? Absolutely not. We understand there’s a place and a time for pockets. However, having a few pieces with pockets to choose from when you want to run around with the girls would make our hearts glad. It really shouldn’t be so hard to find a dress with pockets in this day and age.
The choice to have pockets or not is up to the owner of the dress- some people like them and some do not. However, pockets are a great accessory to any dress because they add convenience and style.
In general no, but it depends on where you buy your clothes. Adding pockets to a dress is an extra step and material which can make some designers add cost to anything that has pockets. However, online sites like Modily and NewChic do not have different prices for dresses with pockets and those without.
