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?

90% of my dresses have pockets, i'm always sad when I find a dress I love and it doesn't have pockets. I hate carrying a bag. Same with skirts, although it's rarer to find a skirt with pockets.

OP - the Oxford English Dictionary describes feminism as “the advocacy of women's rights on the basis of the equality of the sexes”.

Please could you tell me which bit of that you do not support?

Answering on behalf. Someone might jot consider to em selves a feminist because:

They don't feel like an advocate for anything. They aren't out protesting or writing to MPs.

They don't align with the views of some other feminists. For example, that pink is negative for girls.

Maybe they have more traditional values about sexuality, family life, dress etc (doesn't mean they want to restrict anyone else's rights per se).

Maybe they think we do have equality in a particular area already.

They just don't want the title and what comes with it.

FWIW I agree with some feminist stuff (the main rights women need) but not others. I would not describe myself as a feminist, no an opponent. Just an average person.

YY to a phone or a tissue, but the MAIN reason I like having pockets in a dress is shyness. I often don't know what to do with my hands when I feel shy, being able to put them in my pockets help me not feel so exposed.

OTOH I'm also a big proponent of not using pockets to carry everything and I'd like to see men also having handbags where things can be kept tidily and not have to be removed every night.

"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?"

I sometimes use a bum bag in this situation.

I prefer dresses to have pockets - mainly so I can put my hands in them, and also for tissues and lip balm. I certainly wouldn't use them as a substitute for a bag however.

All my skirts have pockets except for one.

Ooh @ithinkthatmaybeimdreaming where do you get your skirts if you don't mind me asking?

It also ignores the fact many men carry bags. Why would that be if pockets are supposed to be the answer to everything?

Many years ago, when it wasn't common for men to carry bags, my DH always complained how unfair it was that women could have handbags instead of having to rely on pockets.

I'm not in the UK, however one is from M&S and three from White Stuff (two of which are denim). The others are from Australia/NZ. Actually, I've just checked and the skirt I thought didn't have pockets does have them!

Thank you @ithinkthatmaybeimdreaming I wear a lot of victoriana style skirts&they never have pockets😭

Oh, victoriana style skirts sound lovely. I either waft around in linen skirts, or stick to denim skirts with either linen tops or tee shirts.

I have an aquired taste in clothes @ithinkthatmaybeimdreaming , I love anything gothy, steampunky and punky. Here are 2 of my purchases.

Those are lovely @ChishiyaBat. However, I couldn't wear the second one, being short waisted and rather large in the stomach area

The 1st one has an elasticated waist&is very comfortable. The 2nd one is not as comfy, but I still love it. My biggest problem @ithinkthatmaybeimdreaming is that I am only 4foot 10 so everything is 10mile too long, but I love a long skirt so I perservere😂.

OP you have throw a whole load of accusations of feminism but you haven’t given any examples of what you are talking about.

Feminist here. Personally very rarely wear a dress tbh. Not bothered about pockets personally. Don't like the bulky thing, plus I LOOSE things in pockets never to find them again, until I return to that bit of clothing. TaRa to all those lippys in jacket pockets.

Good for hands though granted.

Just bought a pair of pyjamas that have pockets.

Prefer my stuff corralled into a bag, in one place.

I love a dress with pockets for work. I work in a special school and as a minimum need to carry a radio, my id badge, keys and pen. We aren't allowed to wear lanyards and the clips on the id badge and radio are rubbish, so pockets are very useful.

I do also. I love pockets, but mainly to put my hands in - I don't know why, I just do - but when it comes to my stuff I always use a bag.

I don't mind patch pockets if it suits the style. But I don't like the pockets you mean either, they can make a dress look frumpy, and you loose the silhouette.