And it all starts with pockets
Mr T and I walked to the farmers market this morning. He was kind of surprised when I disappeared for a second between the olive oil store and the French bistro. Yes, our neighborhood has gotten a bit chi-chi since we moved here. Not complaining, though.
It wasn’t the jazz trio that was driving me away, although that would have been enough (YES! I WILL SAY IT OUT LOUD! I HATE JAZZ!).
It was a bathroom.
Mr T: Where were you?
Me: The bathroom!
Mr T: There’s a bathroom there?
Me: Yes.
Mr T: Do you know where all the bathrooms are?
Me: Yes. Duh.
Mr T: Is that a woman thing?
Me: Yes.
On our way into the library, where he has to re-arrange the tomatoes from the market to find my phone and library card, which are at the bottom of the bag, he teases me, “Why don’t you just put them in your pocket?”
Me, merrily: Hahahahahaha!
I spy a woman wearing painter’s pants.
Me: You have pockets!
Woman: Yes!
Me: Those are great!
Mr T: See? She has pockets.
Me: Be quiet, patriarchy.
Woman: And look! It has a hook for a hammer!
Me: Which is cool!
Woman: They are functional!
Mr T: See? You could have those pants and then you would have pockets!
Me: Hush, Patriarchy.
Woman: Many women, however, would not want a hook like this.
Me: I would. What if I wanted to carry a hammer? I would be able to!
Woman: You know what, though? These are men’s pants.
Me: Of course. THEY HAVE POCKETS.
Women: They were $25. If they designed them for women, they would cost $89.
Me: As well they should. Our bodies are different, after all, and it’s more expensive to design for them.
Texan in Exile 
A lot of brands leave off the pockets because many women don’t want tnything widening their hips. Side seam pockets can add an inch on each side. And, lots of women don’t want to break the long line of their legs (think cargo pants). And, women’s pockets – when they exist – are smaller, because who would want to put something in a pocket, especially something that’s not tiny. I love pockets and am willing to sacrifice the inch, but many are not.
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Bathrooms & water fountains – if I don’t already know where they are, I can find them in an instant.
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I live to see the day when women rise up in unity and refuse to buy any clothing without useful pockets. All it would take would be a couple of weeks and everything will have pockets from that day forward.
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I once had a fancy fancy (had an underskirt and all) dress that had pockets! Designed by Tracy Reese. Take that patriarchy!
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There is a store in Seattle called Velouria and all the clothes they carry are designed by women in the US and Canada, and everything has pockets. And yes, the price point is higher, but the quality is excellent.
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