What products do you think are poorly designed?

[EggSheeran]

As a woman I get frustrated with poorly designed female products and often wonder why they haven't been changed to suit us better.

One product for example is the extra gusset bit of fabric in knickers and thongs. In my opinion it's in completely the wrong location or should be longer.

I also think that some sanitary pads/pantyliners should be made with the underside or wing part in a black colour so they are less visible when wearing black underwear.

Does anyone else ponder over poorly designed products like me?

Wheeley bins - they let in water whenever there is heavy rain and must be tipped upside down to empty.

@zukiecat

I would have hated black sanitary pads or liners.

I don't wear any black clothing and have no black underwear.

I can't stand black things.

I guess it's just the option of having different colours so women can make them a little more camouflaged with whatever colour underwear/ clothing they intend to wear with them.

Having black wings on black underwear is more discreet than big white wings on black underwear.

Things that need cutting out of plastic packaging (scissors, Barbie etc.) are better cut with nail clippers than with scissors. It also helps if you don't yet have scissors to use because your only pair are in the packaging.

@purplecorkheart

Foundations that come in glass bottles with a applicator that does not reach the full length of the bottle. As someone else said hotel room lights that are very week and when you turn one on it turns another one off. Toilet cubicles that are so small that you practically have to stand in the loo to close the door.

Yes! My Bareminerals squeeze tube foundation is much better than the glass ones! I think ketchup should probably be designed in a squeezy tube like tomato paste!

@britnay

Kitchen worktops - too high for the average woman to be in an effective position when baking or slicing things up. They would be better if they were about 6 inches lower.

I'll swap for mine. I'm 5ft 10 and want mine about 4 inches higher! Mine are level with my lower hip

@playmelikeasymphony

Wheelchairs. None of the workings on my electric wheelchair are waterproof. I got stuck in the rain a while ago and the control fused and bad to be replaced. Do the designers think we all stay at home if it’s wet?!

How thoughtless of the designers to have not considered that for machinery that should be weatherproof!

@thistimelastweek

Almost every tin opener I've ever had.

Why aren't all tins ring-pull?

Yes! Surely there is no need for ringless tins anymore??

@PattyPan

What you need is reusable pads. I exclusively use them and you can get them in all sorts of colours and designs so could get plain black ones if you wanted. And they are so much more comfortable!

Are they any good with heavy periods? Do they last a whole day?

@EggSheeran I have horrific periods and love these

For days when nothing else works
https://www.honouryourflow.co.uk/extremely-heavy-flow-66-c.asp

Then I have light, medium and heavy ones from here for the rest of my period!

https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/RagHagShop

Stick them on a rinse cycle then wash

@britnay

Kitchen worktops - too high for the average woman to be in an effective position when baking or slicing things up. They would be better if they were about 6 inches lower.

I'm 5'4 and I think worktops are about the right height for me. What I would change about kitchens is making the wall cabinets lower though! And the top shelves in supermarkets!

@EggSheeran I would say I have normal periods and one lasts me a whole day. I actually have a couple of different absorbencies so I use a thicker one during the peak of my period and a thinner one at the end, so for heavier periods you could use thicker ones all the time. I got mine from Etsy.

Why does it matter what colour the wings are on a sanitary towel? No one sees mine! Or am I missing something?

Everything is badly designed if you're short and fat (Although I could do something about the fat part.) Chairs are too high. Some are too narrow. The sink is the wrong height. Car seatbelts. Everything.

Every women's public toilet ever.
I'm 5'1 although quite round have modest hips.
Toilets where you literally have to wrap yourself around the door to get in. Then the san bin is wedged in so hard against the toilet that your leg touches.

Jeans if you have an arse. Mine always gape at the back.

Sanitary pads are never long enough especially if you’re active you need protection from the front to the back just not in the middle. Also larger ladies really could do with more length. I wished I could’ve had longer ones when o was fatter.
Good move for the brand that did the reversible night ones so if you were a front sleeper you could put the bigger part at the front and vice versa.

Pockets. Never big enough. If I can’t get my hand in to the wrist it ain’t a pocket

Ladies coats - not designed for those of us with tits. Honestly I’m fed up of having to go up several sizes so I look swamped just to keep my tits dry. Also shirts/blouses.

Crew neck T-shirt’s for anyone above a C-cup. They just pull and sit in the wrong place.

@CiaoForNiao

Why does it matter what colour the wings are on a sanitary towel? No one sees mine! Or am I missing something?

Everything is badly designed if you're short and fat (Although I could do something about the fat part.) Chairs are too high. Some are too narrow. The sink is the wrong height. Car seatbelts. Everything.

For instance - when I am at the gym. If I am wearing black underwear and black leggings and am squatting the big white wings are fairly obvious through my leggings. It would just be nice to have them be more discreet, for instance if wearing a skirt and sitting down and accidentally flashing someone - white wings on black underwear stands out so much. I don't like wearing white underwear when I'm on my period.

@NotMyCat @PattyPan that's great to know. Thank you! Learning something new!

@Bells3032 totally agree with washing machines, which is why in my new house, it is being built with a laundry room upstairs. No more up and down the stairs numerous times a days with washing etc

On another note, am i the only one who hates wearing bras without the wire ? I am only a B cup, purchased some with out the wire as everyone raves about them and hate them. I feel so unsupported plus my boobs disappear too so always go for a bra with a wire

Cardigans with no buttons, bloody useless

Thanks @EggSheeran that makes sense. I don't go to the gym (hence am fat) and always wear leggings under a skirt or dress so that didn't occur to me.

Regarding length of towels I find I have to wear 2 at a time, one toward the front of my knickers and one overlapping but further back. Of course this costs a fortune and is terrible for the environment, but I haven't yet found a pattern for homemade washable ones that I like.

Re pockets in rugby shorts: Dh has also just pointed out, "They're for hands - Where else do you put your hands on a cold sleety day in January if you're stuck out on the wing?"

I agree about badly designed women's toilets - both their inadequate size and the fact that space for the sanitary bin is never factored in. Plus, as a general point, that public buildings never have the ratio of women:men toilets right, hence the massive queues outside the women's toilets at theatres and sports venues (Murrayfield, I'm looking at you )

I suggest you read the book Invisible Women OP. Steam will be coming out of your ears when you read about how the world is built for men.

Ooh! Thank you for the spoons recommendation @BelendaCarlisle

@britnay

Kitchen worktops - too high for the average woman to be in an effective position when baking or slicing things up. They would be better if they were about 6 inches lower.

Totally this. When we had our new kitchen fitted I asked the joiner to place the cabinets as close to the floor as possible so that the work surface would be lower. He looked at me like I’d sprouted an extra head. Needless to say, the little legs are a standard length so it’s impossible to get them low enough. Would have to go bespoke to get what I want. Most women aren’t six feet tall. I use the table if I’m doing a job where I really want to be on top of it iyswim.

Hose pipes, why are they so crap! Never stay in the tap.

Public loos that don’t have hooks on the back of the door so you have to put your bags on the floor

Ooh yes totally agree about the numbers of ladies loos at events. Why aren’t we angrier about the fact that we always have to queue?