To think men's clothing is so practical compared to womens.

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I've been searching for a cheapo warm over the bum jacket to knock about in, and nothing suitable in women's department.

However, up in the men's department, there was the perfect jacket... zipped pockets, inside pocket and a peaked hood for the rain. So warm and cosy. NOTHING similar in the women's department. It is zipped so none of that buttons on the other side mullarkey either!

Slippers.... I wanted closed slippers with a decent sole for going outside to put the bins out etc. Women's department full of feathers, diamonds and other fluff and all, apart from (sorry) old lady velcro types were backless, so flip flop flip flop. Got a great pair of memory foam with a great sole and so warm and comfortable, yep... in the mens.

Gilets.... I love them and have several. Saw one in the men's department with exactly the same material as the women's version, BUT with zipped pockets and an inside pocket, so handy. Same price as the womens.

Now bear in mind I was buying for comfort not style or labels and I like nice girly things too, but I detest the puffer coats that make you look like Mr. Michelin. Anyway. I bought them all and am delighted with them all. Size Small fits with a bit of room, but that's ok.

This was all in Primark and the jacket, gilet and slippers cost £45 altogether, what a bargain!

I want women's items to be practical, so AIBU to think they should be?

TBF I haven’t had this problem with jackets. But women’s walking trousers are diabolical - cut too short from waist to crotch and too tight round the crotch and even if they come in short, too long in the leg. So I mostly wear heavy duty leggings or men’s trousers size small.

@SpamIAm

I hit peak outrage about this when putting trousers on my 3 month old son that had pockets. Do clothes designers really think baby boys need pockets but women don't..?

3 month old baby boys need pocket to keep their stuff in though, whereas you have a handbag..?

@MichelleScarn oooh! Hadn’t thought about that idea. I’m 5 2 and a size 10 so wondering if age 13 boys stuff would be right for me? Keen to get some good quality T-shirt’s with cool prints rather than all the crappy women’s stuff!

This is why I never buy new clothes.. I don't want to give profit to an industry that I think view women as stupid dolls that you can sell anything to!

I buy everything second hand. Except underwear. Cheaper too.

So agree with sexnotgender - I am 5'2" and a different shape from a man, I want clothes cut for a female shape but as practical as men's. It's not rocket science!

I have had a long and disappointing search for woman's trousers. Women's trousers are always skinny,end at the ankle and have no pockets. Enter the Asda unisex range they have the trousers of my dreams!. Combat trousers with so many pockets it's heaven.I feel like a Appleton sister and have Pure Shores as an ear worm . Since I got them I have worn nothing else.

I suppose we are all different. I have sewn up and removed pockets in my some of my clothes and I often alter fleeces and tops so that they nip in at the waist.

I think women vary in shape more widely than men so it makes it harder for clothing manufacturers to please everybody.

I totally agree. We have to wear uniform at work. The men's shirts have a pocket, women's don't. Men's trousers have pockets on the back big enough to take a phone, women's don't. Men's shirts long enough not to ride up when you bend down, women's trousers cut with a dip in the middle of the back seam! Wtf?

I think you are right Coogee.
Apples and pears
Big boobs vs no boobs

Mountain Warehouse and Regatta always have sales on, you will find an more appropriate coat there for a good price that will last longer than Primark, Declathon is another good shop for warm clothing aswell as good coats. Marks do good slippers, also Birkenstocks have slippers with good soles that will last for years . Crocs are another option. You can buy practical clothing you are just looking in the wrong shops. Also please look at Ebay and second hand shops

I was literally having a mini cry on DH about this yesterday.

I've got money to spend. Clothes and underwear I need.

Let's start with bras...cause I can't just buy men's can I?

Why can I buy a bra, that supports well, looks nice and isn't lace? I can buy a supportive nice bra, if it has lace. I can buy a supportive bra that isn't lace if I'm happy for it to be ugly. Apparently I can't buy a mix of all 3. I don't want a quarter cup embellished fucking thing for day to day work, but also, I don't want a crappy full coverage bra that starts to be uncomfortable on the underwire after 4 hours.

Jeans, Levi's all the way now. But I begrdudge having to pay £100 for a pair of jeans when DH can just go buy some for £30. Even at the outlet they're still £70. Okay, I can afford it, but why should decent jeans be for the preserve of those with high disposable income?

I need two coats, one for work and one for home. The work one is a nightmare. It needs to be easy to move in, remove and comfy, with pockets and look smart. Nope, can't find one that fits well, and has at least three pockets, whilst not making me look like the Michelin man.

Homecoat, I just want wearable, smart, pockets, goes with everything (e.g. the aforementioned jeans and boots) bit doesn't make me look frumpy and fat. How on earth can clothing make me look three times bigger than I am?

I hate shopping, it should be easy. I'm slim, average height and have money to spend. But I don't want to look like a middle aged woman dressing like a teenager/be uncomfortable/cold.

Suggestions for bras welcome? I've found 1 in Ann summers so far, but unfortunately as it is lace, I'm only able to wear it with certajn clothes FFS.

Because womens clothing is style over substance and function. Men keep clothing much longer and most women wear clothes in style and on trend and then get rid of them.
How many Teddy coats that were essential last season are banished to the back of the cupboard or in landfill.
I still wear my winter coat.
Unfortunately the fashion industry "designs" for looks and not practicality. Vote with you feet ladies and start a pocket and practicality revolution.

Men’s socks are the absolute best. Hate women’s socks, naff, pink, girly designs. Thin fabric, too short. M&S men’s socks everytime

Uniqlo, decathlon, HM, mountain warehouse etc etc all offer practical women’s clothes

I have an Uniqlo dress with lovely deep pockets, HM jeans with good deep pockets

The items people want are available

Just maybe not at Next or Primark.

Vote with your feet

I can’t feel any rage about this even though I love some good feminist rage

I'm a man and it's women's underwear all the way for me.

Maternity vests - great for the beer belly.

Women's briefs - so much more comfortable, and lovely pastel colours or floral patterns if I want. M&S's current Y-fronts virtually reach my armpits, and the seams feel like they've been borrowed from the rigging of a tall ship.

To hell with the looks at the gym. What's so manly about chafing?

I agree.

I'm 5"7 and tend to buy men's because of length. Even t shirts!

My go to wardrobe currently is m and s woman's high waited jeggings, m and s men's v neck t shirts with a primary men's hoody and a gillet from decathlon.

Practical and smart yet casual. Easy to wear with wellies for woods walking, boots for town or supermarket and trainers/ pumps for running errands or work (I work in school).

In fact I'm very tempted to get a primark dry robe they've just brought out for £45 for playground duty. 🤣

My son has another brand (not the dry robe one) as he's a swimmer and they are really dry warm and practical

I find the opposite in terms of quality. I've got loads of clothes from Asos and Primark that I bought in the mid-late 00s and are still going fine, whereas my DH seems to need to replace his clothes every 2-3 years.

I like that women's clothes have more style and I've heard a lot of men wish their choice of clothes wasn't so dull and uniform.

Yes and no. In summer I like being able to wear dresses and skirts to the office and have cool legs while the men sweat it out in long pants.

Dangerous Coats

Someone clever once said
Women were not allowed pockets
In case they carried leaflets
To spread sedition
Which means unrest
To you & me
A grandiose word
For commonsense
Fairness
Kindness
Equality
So ladies, start sewing
Dangerous coats
Made of pockets & sedition

Sharon Owens

I agree @bluetongue. Office appropriate summer clothes for women are far more weather friendly.

Thanks fr the link to the white pants. They look great!

Medicaltextbook

The children’s section is your friends, I can fit in to age 13/14 clothes so no VAT either, same for shoes.

I was buying men’s clothes from Fosters as a teenager.

I bought some lovely linen dresses in Italy on holiday four years ago, they have deep pockets so I bought two, same style different colours. My niece had pockets in her wedding dress :)

Rosiesmydog I wear walking socks from the children’s section. Walking socks all the way for winter wear.

And why I buy a lot of men's clothes for me. Pyjamas are really much better (i don't care about the open fold at the front).

@Medicaltextbook

I have the misfortune to be petite so can’t buy from mens section- for example straightforward practical jumpers at a reasonable price.

Try buying boys clothes. I discovered that my sons' hand-me-downs were perfect for walking dog and general knocking about in. I'm in age 13 - 15, a nice loose fit for a woman who's a size 8, 5 3".

Sadly for me that lads are now 18 and 20 and both 6 foot, so their cast offs are massive. I'm still in my last couple of pairs of their tracky bottoms but they'll fall apart soon.

@Runningwithoutstopping I’ve been looking for combats - would you have the link for the Asda ones please?