# Conspiracy About Women’s Clothing And Pockets **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [June 27, 2023, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conspiracy-about-women-s-clothing-and-pockets/986194 "2023-06-27T22:20:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2023, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conspiracy-about-women-s-clothing-and-pockets/986194/1 "2023-06-27T22:20:50Z")
Even for fairly unisex items like jogging pants, men’s clothing often has a reasonable number of pockets. Women’s clothing often has no pockets. Certainly it often has fewer pockets and often only small pockets, My question: **is women’s clothing in the pocket of Big Small Pocket?**. How to explain the continuation of this trend? ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2023, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conspiracy-about-women-s-clothing-and-pockets/986194/2 "2023-06-27T22:45:13Z")
And what effect does this have on the size of wockets? ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2023, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conspiracy-about-women-s-clothing-and-pockets/986194/3 "2023-06-27T22:46:25Z")
A fairly long thread on the topic from last summer: > [@Women like pockets, but fashionable dresses, etc, don't have them, why?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-like-pockets-but-fashionable-dresses-etc-dont-have-them-why/968277/5): > > I believe in one of the Star Trek novels, Scotty complains that their uniforms don’t have pockets. During the search for the following, I received a LARGE number of hits “how to add pockets to a dress”: ---
**Author:** ![gracer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8e7dd6/32.png) [@gracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gracer)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2023, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conspiracy-about-women-s-clothing-and-pockets/986194/4 "2023-06-27T22:46:40Z")
I make my own clothes and add pockets and my husband always exclaims: “Ah, the gender politics of pockets!” > **[The Gender Politics of Pockets](https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2014/09/the-gender-politics-of-pockets/380935/)** > > The iPhone 6 may be the great catalyst in including this oft-ignored aspect of women's fashion. So now I often have pockets, but after years of not really having pockets, I don’t use them. It’s too late! There can be no more changes after you turn thirty. What would I put in my pockets? A piece of string and a penny? I wear my phone on a cord and if I leave the house I have an enormous handbag. ---
**Author:** ![Ynnad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/4491bb/32.png) [@Ynnad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ynnad)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2023, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conspiracy-about-women-s-clothing-and-pockets/986194/5 "2023-06-27T22:55:29Z")
My wife is a nurse but she wears scrubs all the time, even on her days off and on vacation. She says its because of all the big pockets. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2023, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conspiracy-about-women-s-clothing-and-pockets/986194/6 "2023-06-28T00:22:09Z")
I give you: “The Giant Hoodie Company” You won’t be disappointed. I promise. Even their shorts have great pockets. 😊 ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2023, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conspiracy-about-women-s-clothing-and-pockets/986194/7 "2023-06-28T00:27:08Z")
Don’t get me started on cargo panties… ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2023, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conspiracy-about-women-s-clothing-and-pockets/986194/8 "2023-06-28T01:15:17Z")
Is _that_ what they keep in those things? I always wondered. More seriously, it is interesting to me that with the advent of the slab smartphone women have discovered that putting something in the back pocket of their jeans works. At least the right back pocket. The left one is always empty. Always. Back in the 1980s when fashion jeans were all the rage they did have back pockets. _Jordache_ anyone? Both of which were always absolutely gloriously empty, so as not to ruin the symmetrical lines of the jeans owners’ wondrous (or sometimes simply voluminous) bottom. Now? All those now-old bottoms and all the new generation bottoms all have a phone glued to their right cheek. Times they be a changin’ ---
**Author:** ![carnut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnut/32/3531_2.png) [@carnut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnut)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2023, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conspiracy-about-women-s-clothing-and-pockets/986194/9 "2023-06-28T01:22:43Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > I give you: “The Giant Hoodie Company” You get hero status Beck, seriously! I’ll be ordering soon. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2023, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conspiracy-about-women-s-clothing-and-pockets/986194/10 "2023-06-28T01:32:55Z")
I promise you’ll love them! ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2023, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conspiracy-about-women-s-clothing-and-pockets/986194/11 "2023-06-28T02:38:29Z")
It’s a conspiracy to make us buy more purses. They’re in the pocket of Big Purse. Also, purses are much easier to steal than the contents of pockets. That’s why the back pocket is phone-sized, so phones are still easily accessible. Collusion with the Society of Shitty People. ---
**Author:** ![simster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/simster/32/1047_2.png) [@simster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/simster)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2023, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conspiracy-about-women-s-clothing-and-pockets/986194/12 "2023-06-28T02:42:03Z")
What has it gots in its pockets, precious? ---
**Author:** ![Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eyebrows_0f_doom/32/3119_2.png) [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eyebrows_0f_Doom)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2023, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conspiracy-about-women-s-clothing-and-pockets/986194/13 "2023-06-28T02:44:43Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > At least the right back pocket. The left one is always empty. Always. Most people are right-handed so it only makes sense to put their phone in their back right pocket. So often I’ll see women walking down the street with their giant phones halfway sticking out of the tiny back pocket and just think “that is a pickpocket’s dream right there!” ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2023, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conspiracy-about-women-s-clothing-and-pockets/986194/14 "2023-06-28T02:50:55Z")
> [@Dr\_Paprika](#): > > My question: **is women’s clothing in the pocket of Big Small Pocket?** Probably more like the pocket of Big Purse. By not putting decent pockets in women’s clothing, the fashion industry creates a market for handbags. eta: Ninja’d by ZipperJJ who even used my Big Purse joke. ---
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2023, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conspiracy-about-women-s-clothing-and-pockets/986194/15 "2023-06-28T17:40:02Z")
Changing, stupidly small pockets to reg/usable size, is actually a pretty simple alteration. Take them to a seamstress, you won’t regret it. I do my own, but if I’m feeling lazy, I just do one, haha! ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2023, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conspiracy-about-women-s-clothing-and-pockets/986194/16 "2023-06-28T19:33:59Z")
In the interest of providing a somewhat scientific argument, I’ll note that until [about 1860](https://www.srnteach.us/HIST1700/html/projects/unit3/popups/readings/garment.html#:~:text=By%20the%20end%20of%20the,the%20trend%20by%20the%201880s.), most clothing was home made and probably, usually by women. They could add or not add pockets to their own clothing as they saw fit. As best I can tell from googling, pockets were only infrequently added and generally only large enough for a handkerchief. I think the simple answer is that women usually carry more stuff than you can put in a pocket and most of which they prefer to keep private (a tampon/tweezer/lipstick/wet wipe utility belt solution doesn’t seem like it’s going to take off). I vote for market forces. ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2023, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conspiracy-about-women-s-clothing-and-pockets/986194/17 "2023-06-29T22:01:36Z")
I have things in every pocket and cannot imagine being without pockets. A friend claims that women will never be fully liberated until they insist on pockets and stop carrying a handbag. ---
**Author:** ![carnut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnut/32/3531_2.png) [@carnut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnut)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2023, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conspiracy-about-women-s-clothing-and-pockets/986194/18 "2023-06-30T13:37:52Z")
> [@Hari\_Seldon](#): > > A friend claims that women will never be fully liberated until they insist on pockets and stop carrying a handbag. Ha. My glasses case will never fit into a reasonable pocket. But yes, now that pockets are back, I frequently head to the grocery store with just my small wallet in one pocket and car key in the other. No phone because Google doesn’t need to know where I am every second of the day. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2023, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conspiracy-about-women-s-clothing-and-pockets/986194/19 "2023-06-30T14:31:49Z")
If you don’t mind wearing metal underwear [these magnetic pockets are available](https://www.amazon.com/Learning-Resources-Magnetic-Storage-Pockets/dp/B00AQURHCS). You can do your own search for the metal underwear. It seems to be quite popular with female superheroes. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2023, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conspiracy-about-women-s-clothing-and-pockets/986194/20 "2023-06-30T16:35:50Z")
> [@Sage\_Rat](#): > > In the interest of providing a somewhat scientific argument, I’ll note that until [about 1860](https://www.srnteach.us/HIST1700/html/projects/unit3/popups/readings/garment.html#:~:text=By%20the%20end%20of%20the,the%20trend%20by%20the%201880s.), most clothing was home made and probably, usually by women. They could add or not add pockets to their own clothing as they saw fit. I don’t think we should be taking clothing advice from people who hadn’t invented belt loops yet. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conspiracy-about-women-s-clothing-and-pockets/986194.md?page=2)