"I was sorting my infant son's clothes from mine when I noticed that he had more pockets on his clothes than I did. What exactly does an eight-month-old need with a tiny pocket? Is he supposed to keep something in there? A dummy? Bits of rice cake? All the sleep he's stolen from me (in which case he'd need a bigger pocket)?"
"Pockets or rather the lack of them in women's clothes are a well-known grievance. Historically, women weren't given pockets because they weren't expected to carry valuables, go anywhere or have autonomy. Later, pockets were rejected for the sake of appearance: they disrupted the line of a dress, their functionality ruining the fantasy of the woman as decoration. Instead, we were given the handbag oh, great! another object to manage! and even now, feminist scholars note that women's pockets are often shallow, symbolic or fake."
Women historically lacked functional pockets because they were not expected to carry valuables, travel, or exercise autonomy. Fashion later removed pockets to preserve dress lines and maintain women as decorative figures. Handbags emerged as a substitute, adding another object to manage. Feminist scholars note that women's pockets are often shallow, symbolic, or fake. Baby and some men's clothes often include practical pockets, while little girls' clothing frequently omits them. Maternity wear evolved from corset concealment to oversized shapes and later to designs that accentuate the baby bump, influenced by celebrity culture.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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