They are small, handy and almost hidden. And yet, they are a major cause of contention for feminists.
Women’s clothes did not really have internal pockets for most of history, even while men’s started appearing in the late 1600s. Women had to sew small pieces of cloth with strings, something like today’s slings and purses. But a woman’s makeshift pocket was hung under her dress making it difficult to access.
These purses got elaborate with laces and embroidery but continued to be cumbersome. And then, the Grecian fashion of the 1800s, with slim dresses meant wardrobe became narrower, making it difficult to hide pockets inside.
And it has been a century since Luisa Capetillo was arrested in Puerto Rico for wearing trousers in public. Her bravery made it possible for more women to adopt the trend, and soon, women wearing pants became acceptable in the mainstream. But even if women could wear pants, the pockets remained an issue.
Image Credit: Flickr
In fact, even today, buy a large smartphone, and you will realise your pockets is too small for anything other than a delicate handkerchief. Apart from the handbag industry, no female is happy with the continuing vestige of missing or non-existent pockets.
While some are moving forward, like the capacious pockets inside the Punjabis salwars at Fab India, many girls still struggle to stuff their tiny pockets, especially with skinny fit jeans.
A woman’s pocket is her private space. It enables her to keep his make-up, accessories, money, and tampons. By denying her this space in clothing, fashion compels her to transfer these things to a handbag, which slowly becomes a public space. Some friend will tell her to keep her stationary, and someone else will tell her to save her space for other things. In this way, slowly, it is assumed that a girl will always carry everything. Something like Hermione’s magic bag in ‘Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows’, where it could save entire tents and library.
But it is high time, that the fashion industry realises that girls need their pockets, and they need them spacious. It is not only about convenience. Pockets may be a symbol of deeper gender issues.
