Pockets

[Lightnose]

I just had a very interesting conversation with a friend who is an experienced primary teacher. She's slightly mad eccentric, but she believes passionately in quality education for all and works really hard aiming to achieve it.

So, we talked about pockets. The lack of pockets in women's clothing has long being talked of as a feminist issue, but I assumed that's just about convenience. Is it?

She was ranting about girl's school uniform without pockets. She said, if you empty any young boy's school trousers, you'll find pebbles, rubber bands, acorns, various treasures, which demonstrate he's been curious, experimental, imaginative and by not putting pockets in school skirts you're telling girls they're not supposed to be those things.

It seems a bit far fetched to me, but lots of casual sexism issues aren't immediately obvious. What do you think?

I think that girls school trousers have pockets too.

I agree women's and girls clothing should have pockets and not doll size ones either. There will be someone along soon to say they "ruin the cut of a dress" which is obviously more important than having somewhere to put your key or bus pass.

Also because womens clothing is more cheaply made.

I buy loads of my clothes from Seasalt because their dresses have pockets.

I take your friend's point about the girls' uniform though - I think she's on to something.

It’s so difficult to find decent girls school which actually cover the top of the foot to protect them from rain and provide enough support.

@Justkeepswimmingswimming that used to drive me mad, mostly the shoe shops sold those hugely impractical (not to mention ugly but that’s by the by) Mary Jane sort of shoes with an open front, crap if you’re walking to school in the rain.
Eventually I found a brilliant independent shoe shop which sold brogue styles (this was probably 15 years ago, clarks and Russel and Bromley didn’t used to have a wide variety but are much better now!).

I don't think it's as thought through as that. I do believe some of those primary school chequered summer dresses have pockets. A lot of school uniform is poor quality in various ways.

There is a general point about less practicality and utility, including far fewer pockets and the smaller size of pockets which do exist, comparing items designed for women vs. for men, and that this starts young. Comparing similar clothing for even babies sees frills and bows on clothes for female babies (which are lying down!). It is training girls from a young age to accept a slight discomfort and slight inconvenience, in a way that does not happen to boys.

Have you tried finding a pair of knickers or a bra that doesn't have a little bow on it somewhere?