We are now in an age in women’s fashion where it has come a long way in terms of progressiveness and innovation. From tuxedos for women to decent and stylish plus-size clothing, the growth of the women’s fashion industry cannot be denied. So the big question now is: Why are there still no pockets? Or if there were any, why are they either teeny tiny or too tight to put anything in them?
Why don't women's clothes have pockets?
This is sadly an age-old sexist struggle. History would show that is this due to women’s freedom or lack thereof. Due to the disparity of social roles between men and women back in the day, with the latter staying home to clean and be pretty, clothing designers thought less about functionality and more on the female silhouette.
Reclaiming pockets = reclaiming freedom
During the suffragette movement, women began sewing pockets into their own clothes to fight for the right to vote as well as the right to functional wear. When the wars came and men left, women took up work outside of their homes. They finally had the opportunity and freedom to make their own money. With the growth of female independence, came pockets!
Image from vintagedancer.com
The #ithaspockets Revolution
Unfortunately, this predicament in the 1800s and 1900s still seems to live to this day. In modern times, pockets still haven’t fully returned on women’s clothing is to fulfill that old textbook definition of “feminine” and to sell more handbags which were created after the war to make women more feminine again. Women have since been demanding pockets from clothing companies and designers or sewing them themselves. If you have some clothes with no pockets, tiny ones, or fake ones read on and we can teach you how to sew them yourself!
Join the revolution: Here’s how to add pockets
Step 1:
Print out a pocket pattern and cut them out. Pin them over your pocket cloth and cut them out. You should have a pair for each pocket.
Image from Craftsy.com
Step 2:
Lay 2 cut-out patterns on top of each other and stitch the side seams or the curved part of the cloth, leaving the top open. This is where the pocket will be attached to your skirt or pants.
Step 3:
Turn the pocket inside out and press them to keep the shape.
Step 4:
For a dress or skirt, mark where the pockets should be. Unpick the side seams in a space about 10″ where you want the pocket to go. For pants with fake pockets, unpick the seams on the supposed opening of the pocket. And for pants, skirts, and dresses, with small pockets, turn it inside out and unpick the seam where the pocket is attached or you can simply cut off the pocket.
Step 5:
Taking your prepared pockets, stitch each side of the mouth of the pocket into the respective side of the seam, making sure that there are no gaps and that the stitches are hidden.
Step 6:
Repeat on all the other desired pockets.
For cutting thick fabrics and overall easier and faster cutting (especially if you’re adding a lot of pockets on your clothes), we recommend the Pink Power HG2043 Cordless Electric scissors! They’re not just good for fabric and paper, they’re also designed to cut through leather, metal, and cardboard. These powerful scissors are compact enough to make those smaller, precise cuts and light enough not to wear you out, making it optimal for both beginner and experienced crafters.