What's the point of dress pockets?

[Draculina]

Basically as the title reads: why do so many people prefer dresses with pockets in them? In my mind, they just make your hips look wider, and if you actually use your pockets to store things in them, you look bumpy and, again, wider than you really are...

Do you prefer dresses with or without pockets, and why?

Definitely a feminist issue!

Ive read before it partially stemmed from the yesterday years (17th century style) when men were the ones responsible for carrying money/documents so it meant a woman would need a chaperone with her and therefore lacking independence to do what she wants!

And Women’s trousers if they do have pockets are generally smaller than a man’s but sometimes they’re only decorative.

every pair of trousers I have ever bought has had pockets. The vast majority being sold… have pockets.
i wouldn’t buy one with “mock pockets” and I really don’t see many of them around tbh

Also, I think men look ridiculous with bulky pockets...I personally only like them as decoratives on jeans, otherwise I'm generally not a fan of pockets. For men or for women...

You can bet if men wore dresses they’d have pockets

Oh this is daft.

Some dresses have pockets
Some do not have pockets

Some women like dresses with pockets
Some women do not like dresses with pockets

Lily out of Peter Rabbit has saved her friends' lives many times with the contents of her pocket. And she still looks good in that dress.

Practicality.

That's the one word summary, it's why pockets exist and men's clothes have them.

I remember a teacher commenting how it was odd that it was mostly girls who lost their dinner ticket. I pointed out that our uniform (tunic and cardigan) had just one small pocket whereas the boys had proper trouser pockets and blazers.

Men wear trousers. Trousers have pockets

Women wear trousers. Trousers have pockets

So you are the type of person for whom a certain look - being able to see a pardons body shape - matters more than the practicality of something

That's why
People are different

Person not pardons

But what about when you’re at home, maybe cleaning the house or something when you’re moving from room to room? What do you do with your phone? Presumably you don’t carry a bag with you then?

My wedding dress had pockets. I loved it. I was able to offer DH's great aunty a hankie when she got emotional on the day, and we shared a hug together. A fond memory for me.

Pockets are absolutely a feminist issue. They're a brilliant indicator of the difference in social expectations between men and women. The op's post was a good example. The key concern for women is how the outfit looks and fits, not how practical and functional it is.

I could post some photos?

I like to put my hands in them.

I used to lecture history of fashion, Believe me nothing would kick off more than the one on pockets. The fury that women didn’t have pockets became like shouting matches. Completely united on it!

https://www.vox.com/2016/9/19/12865560/politics-of-pockets-suffragettes-women

I wouldn't be cleaning my bathrooms with a dress on to start with and I have hands - a hand is useful for picking up a phone and taking it somewhere else 😂

I'm also not saying there's anything wrong with looking wider and bumpy, but you can't deny that it's not the look most people go for. That's all. Just like, "God forbid", you can look as bumpy and wide as you want, there's no shame in NOT wanting that look, either.

There's no shame in wanting pockets or not wanting pockets. Or in wanting your clothes to be whatever shape you like. The point is, some women will prioritise shape over practicality and some won't. Some choose their clothes on the basis of what makes parts of their body look smaller, and some don't.

It would be naïve not to think it's a feminist issue that clothes have traditionally been designed on the basis that women should look decorative and sexy and be whatever shape is currently dedirable, and don't need clothes to be warm, practical, comfortable or durable. Except for women who are too old to be sexy, obviously...

Anyway, most dresses don't have pockets, so it shouldn't be hard for you to find ones without them if you don't like them.

And a pocket is essentially a functional item. Women not having pockets minimises their function. It’s basic anthropology.

I love pockets and hate handbags as I find them cumbersome. In jeans, women's have shallow pockets, men's have pockets you can fit your phone into. I now buy men's jeans, as they fit me better anyway.

In coats and jackets, it's rare to find women's that have an inside pocket. God forbid that we may be hiding feminist propaganda!

I'm always a bit surprised when people (male or female) say they're not a feminist - literally just means you believe in equality of the sexes, and certainly doesn't mean you think women want to be like men.

There's no shame in wanting pockets or not wanting pockets. Or in wanting your clothes to be whatever shape you like. The point is, some women will prioritise shape over practicality and some won't. Some choose their clothes on the basis of what makes parts of their body look smaller, and some don't

This isn’t what l saw. I saw a room full of furious young women and a couple of bemused young men. They want shape AND practicality. And if a pocket is made or positioned correctly shouldn’t make the wearer look ‘bigger’ . If it does, it’s the wrong pocket for you.

I can barely get my keys in my jeans pockets. They are normal straight-leg jeans, not skinnies. Anyone got any recommendations for women's jeans with proper-sized pockets?

I only wear dresses, so clean my bathroom and everything else whilst in a dress.
If my phone is in my hand then I’m going to struggle to also carry the hoover.

What do you mean, you're not a feminist???
You're a woman, yes??
Having pockets in dresses does not make me want to BE LIKE A MAN ffs!!!

I'm always a bit surprised when people (male or female) say they're not a feminist - literally just means you believe in equality of the sexes, and certainly doesn't mean you think women want to be like men.

Well quite. Frankly a woman who isn't a feminist is like a turkey voting for Christmas.

Feminist propoganda😂. My internal pockets have a Chapstick and a few receipts.