My freshman year at Tech, someone had stolen my phone.. I take complete fault for my lapse in judgment, but let me explain. I was attending Garba hosted by Tech’s India Club and didn’t have anywhere to put my phone.
So, I left my phone in an unattended room full of shoes with the thought that no one would be so malicious as to steal my phone. Reflecting back on the experience, I realize this was an incredibly unintelligent decision. However, I only did this because I didn’t have any place to put my phone, as I’m not one to typically carry a purse since I usually just fit everything into my backpack or the pockets of my jeans.
My ornate Indian clothes for this occasion, however, did not contain any pockets which is why I made the decision I did. “But Vidya, you could’ve given it to…” Yes, I could have given it to a friend, but I’m not a fan of making other people hold my things. My friends are there to enjoy the event, not be my personal storage box. Yes, I now realize that there were a million and one ways to avoid the situation entirely, but I didn’t and that’s not really the point anyway. The point is that my phone got stolen.
I remember coming back from Garba, thinking, “If only I could’ve had my phone on me. If only I could somehow contain my things in my clothes somehow. If only I had some damn pockets.” And I realized I face this issue more often than I would like.
While women’s fashion has evolved aesthetically and stylistically, it seems to have digressed in terms of functionality.
I understand that clothing for females is generally tighter so there is a lack of space to add pockets.
But whether our clothes resemble saran wrap or are so loose that two people could fit in that shirt, it seems that women’s clothing just does not have pockets. Well, not all, but the majority of women’s clothing.
Because our clothes lack this basic functionality that men typically never have to worry about (their pockets are so spacious they could provide a home for a mole rat, take a look at Ron Stoppable!) women tend to spend a considerable amount of money on buying items like purses and bags.
We spend a considerable amount of money on accessories when that money could be used on enriching experiences. Not to mention the costs of maintaining a desirable look can add up quickly, and I wold rather buy clothes than purses.
Another point to consider is safety. It seems obvious that stealing a purse or a phone in someone’s hand is easier than stealing items from someone’s pockets. It’s not that pickpockets don’t exist, it’s just that things are less likely to get stolen from your pockets. I just don’t want the responsibility of having to guard my purse with my life.
Additionally, for someone as discombobulated as myself, keeping track of my belongings is such a struggle. I can swear to you I left my phone on my bed, but somehow it has ended up on a table in another room entirely.
So Coco Chanel and Ralph Lauren, if you’re reading this, could you make pockets fashionable already? Let’s make some progress and free little girls around the world from the cuffs of purses and bags. It’s time for the pocket revolution.