This has irritated me for years. I have a few theories, but nothing that seems like the right answer:
To preserve the ‘lines’ of the jacket.
Apparently, it’s not stylish to put stuff in the pockets of your jacket. Okay, I can maybe get with that, but if that’s the case, why include pockets at all? Also, if you want to have the ‘pocket look’, why not just put fake pockets on? All the jackets I’ve ever know have had fully functioning pockets, but sewn up. This makes no sense.
To keep them ‘secure’ until they’re bought.
Some people have told me that the pockets are sewn to prevent things from falling in or to prevent the people who try them on before me from ‘ruining’ the pockets with sweaty hands, gum, etc. Really? Then, why don’t they sew shut the pockets on everything? Why just jackets?
Tradition.
Plausible. But all traditions start with a reason. What is the reason? Also, dumb traditions tend to fade away. This appears to be universal.
While I understand that designers may wish to preserve the clean lines of their jackets, I think that I’ll be the person who decides if I put stuff in pockets or not, thank-you very much. So, tell me, Dopers, what’s the straight dope?
I always assumed it’s so that the pockets don’t get opened up and deformed before you buy the suit (hence why it’s only outer pockets that get sewn up, not inner ones). Similarly, some people like to be able to put stuff in those pockets, some people prefer to leave them sewn shut to stop the suit getting deformed, so they leave it up to the customer to decide what they want to do.
Well, the look. Larger gentlemen often go for more pockets, and possibly oblique ones; they break up large expanses of otherwise blank cloth, which has a mild slimming effect. And even on skinny folk, there’s just such a cultural expectation of pocketage that no pockets looks downright daft.
I always understood the point was that the owner thus has the options of which ones he opens up (if any). I’ve seen plenty of cheapo suits with fake pockets, though.
Quite. Hence: sewn-up pockets that you can open if you desire. You’ve noticed that most sewn-up pockets are very widely stitched, right? That’s why.
Also: poor Americans; I love “bespoke”, it’s a great word. You should start using it. Go on. And we’ll start using “rutabaga”. Rutabaga rutabaga rutabaga.
Just checked with my tailor father, and you have the winning answer right here. Suits are made from quite delicate fabric and are bought for their sharply tailored look - completely ruined if the pockets have sagged or ripped in transit before they’ve even hit the shop floor.
Well, that is a very surprising answer. I had no idea that suits were such delicate creatures.
As to customers having the option to open the pockets on their own, I have a couple of comments to any suit-makers who may be out there. One, how about letting people know that there’s an honest-to-goodness pocket in there? It wasn’t until after years of wearing suits that I discovered there was a usable pocket behind that seam. Ripping my first pocket out was a frightening process, as I was afraid I was ruining a perfectly-good jacket for a slight increase in utility.
Secondly, why not use something a little less permanent than a stitch to close the pocket? Why not pin them closed or use some sort of weak adhesive? Ripping out a stitch is a delicate process and not many guys own a seam ripper.
I’ve recently completed a knitting course, project: handbag. The final step is to wash and lay out the piece. (The agitation smooths/felts the wool into a solid piece, no holes)
The instructions were to temporarily sew/knit the opening closed, or the wash will pull and stretch the bag opening wider than the bottom. Are manufactured clothes given a final wash or prep of some sort?
Where do you buy your suits, and of what kind, that you don’t discover pockets after washing?
Okay, as woman, I don’t buy suits, I buy blazers. And yes, I want pockets to my handkerchief and other leightweight objects. It’s bad enough that dress pants for woman, and almost all skirts, have no pockets at all, because putting a handkerchief into it, or some money to be independent, would ruin the shape. Then the damn designers should design different, instead of women being forced to either carry a handbag around or rely on a partner to provide money, handkerchiefs etc.
Anyway, whenever I buy a blazer jacket, I see the pocket flaps, and then look inside and see the little thread that’s easy to cut open (you use a special seam cutter instead of a big knife). There’s usually enough room to get a finger inside to verify that it’s a real pocket and not only a blind flap (as some designers like to do). I usually check when I try the things on in the store.
Well, I’m not a clothing manufacturer, but my WAG is that, since the suit is being assembled in pieces by the ladies sitting already at sewing machines, sewing it shut is quickest and easiest.
Until recently removable adhesive weren’t around; and you always have the risk that delicate cloth will react to the glue. (Remember that a lot of nice dress stuff can’t be washed normally in the machine, because it’s so delicate and the colours so badly fixed).
As for using pins: everybody would stab themselves handling them (remember how much fun it is to remove pins from male dress shirts and forgetting one?), and it would leave noticeable holes in the fabric because pins are bigger than the sewing needles. Also, pins have weight and would not be as regularly as a thread, so pins could deform the fabric.
They are indeed, because they’re (generally) made with natural fibres (wool). Natural fibres wear out relatively quickly, losing colour and shape, unlike manmade fabric. Now, if you’d really like to go for an all polyester suit, you go for it.
It seems likely to me that the tailor would have a seam ripper, though. When you pick up the suit from the shop, you could probably ask them to open up the pockets right there for you.
You’re not meant to leave them sewn up. You’re supposed to cut the stitches after you buy it.
No, not really. They’re meant to prevent the suit from being ruined before you buy it. After you buy it, you can do whatever the hell you want with the pockets.
Because other clothes are less susceptible to being ruined before they’re sold in this manner.
You are that person. They don’t weld the pockets shut. They just loosely stitch them because thread is something that a clothes maker already has plenty of lying around.
The median values of (1) how long it takes to realize the pockets are real and (2) you won’t destroy a jacket by cutting the pockets open probably don’t justify committing the resources for “letting people know.” Enough people already do know.
Those stitches aren’t really that hard to get through. I’ve never heard of a seam ripper before this thread.
Thanks for the straight dope, though, folks.
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As recently as five years ago, Esquire used to recommend keeping the pockets sewn shut to preserve the “line” of the garment. If I buy a jacket for a specific event, I wait until after said event to rip the pockets open.
As for fake pockets, forget it. I’m still vaguely pissed about non-functioning cuff buttons, and prefer functioning ones if they’re available.
LOL. I hadn’t even thought about that! That is kind of annoying. That said, what would I do with functioning cuff buttons? I can’t really see the need to roll up my jacket sleeves. Although, I guess that was sort of a ‘thing’ for stand-up comedians in the 80s.
I’m willing to buy the “the drape of the jacket” explanation but have to note that in a better quality suit jacket or sports coat there is another little patch pocket up against the inside of the pocket for heavy stuff like a wad of keys, a set of brass knuckles or a spare magazine. Put you junk in the inside pocket and the jacket will not bulge (as badly).
Off the rack suits are never made with functioning cuff buttons because it makes it harder to alter the length of the sleeve if it’s required. Changing the sleeve length is pretty common.
Bespoke suits are often made with working cuff buttons because the suit is cut to fit you perfectly and there’s no problem making them real buttons.
There’s still no reason to have real buttons at all except that people with bespoke suits like to unbutton them as if to say “hey, I have working buttons and that means I am wearing a bespoke suit”. It’s sort of the cross roads of douche baggery and obliviousness. How many people would even see an open suit cuff button and think “hey that must be custom made and therefore expensive”, let alone think it reflects highly on someone.
I used to work in a fairly high class mens clothing store (about 20 years ago). One of my jobs was to inspect clothing before it was delivered to the customer. If the pockets where sewn shut I was to open them, or have a tailor do it if they where sewn shut with a difficult to remove stitch. Some had a very loose stitch that you could easily undo by hand, other coats had a tighter stitch that required a seam ripper or knife.
Other stores may have had different policys of course.
Or, in guy language, you stuff it on the cleaner’s counter wadded up in a ball, and get it back on a wire hangar, in a bag. The typical man only finds the dry cleaning tags purely by accident. Why would he even look for pockets?
