Pockets around the web: Essay on why girls need pockets

The Washington Post has a nice essay on the importance of pockets for girls' freedom and independence.  Thanks, anonymous reader, for sharing!

Pocket reviews: eShakti pants pockets

eShakti pants pockets are great.  I've entered some measurements in the Spreadsheet of Pockets (lines 9-11).  eShakti does custom sizes in addition to their standard sizes.  I always go for a custom size.  It took a few returns to get jeans that fit, but once I got the measurements right it was great.  They have great customer service in terms of accepting returns.  (The dresses always turn out perfect at this point, but I know pants are harder to fit.)  The looser pants seem easier, on par with the dresses, in terms of getting a good fit almost immediately in a custom size.

The big wide-legged pants have magnificent, capacious pockets that fit my phone and dog treats (easily accessible without struggling) in one pocket and wallet and keys in the other.  I love these pockets.  (Also, the pants are cool and light in the summer.)

On their jeans (when they make them - eShakti rotates through many styles frequently), they often even have an option to customize the pocket size: standard, larger, or smaller.  I chose the deeper pockets when the option was available.  I have some classic straight-leg jeans that have the typical five-pocket style of jeans and another wide-legged pair that has front patch pockets and lacks the little coin pocket in the front (which I don't use anyways).  They've been selling some jeans lately but it comes and goes.

Pocket reviews: new pants entries in the Spreadsheet of Pockets from my own closet with some commentary

I'm adding all of my newer pocketed purchases from the last year to the Spreadsheet of Pockets.  I'm going to write up a bit of commentary on the latest entries (rows 2-7).

My favorite in these rows is the striped slim fit jeans I got from Duluth Trading Company.  These were hearty pockets that I don't even want to modify.  I bought a size that just barely fit (they were on clearance and the last size left that was close), but next time I need pants I will be looking at theirs.

Many Eddie Bauer pants happily have curvy fit versions that actually fit me without tailoring or gaping around the waist.  This is a minor miracle.  Yet, they still have merely decent pockets that leave me plotting to cut the bottoms off to add a deeper pocket bag.  (But I'm lazy, so it hasn't happened yet.)  Yeah, they're sort of slacks, but one pair was TRAVEL pants.  It's baffling to me that an ostensibly outdoorsy company can't make their travel pants have fully satisfying pockets.  They just need a few more inches in the pocket bag to be as good as the Duluth Trading Co. jeans.  Oh well!

Old Navy Pixie Pants I probably wouldn't have tried but I needed yellow slim pants for a Halloween costume.  They also happened to have a linen version on sale so I bought that too as I have found every linen thing I've bought to be so nice and cool for biking and gardening and existing outside.  The pockets are awful and all need modification.  (The linen was great, though, and will be a favorite once I fix the pockets.)  The end.

Pockets around the web: "Women's Pockets are Inferior": an essay with DATA

Last year several of my friends and family sent me this amazing data-filled article giving very telling visuals of the inadequacies of women's pockets.  They sampled 20 popular US blue jean brands with a sample size of 80.  It is just as relevant today as it was last year.

Pockets around the web: B6178 Culottes sewing pattern

Did You Make That? recently featured a sewing pattern for culottes (which I assume could be lengthened into regular wide-legged pants if you prefer full-length pants).  She notes that the deep pockets can be stuffed full of tennis balls for one's dog (or one's self, I suppose, if you are inclined to tennis), so these sound quite promising in the pocketry department!

Pockets around the web: a review of Carhartt overalls

While we're on the train of things that are not quite pants, here's a glowing review of Carhartt Brewster Double Front Bib Overalls.  She says "pockets for days", which rather says it all, and continues to list all the things she has in her pockets, with room for more.  They come in both short and regular lengths.

Pockets around the web: Scottevest Sandy Skirt review

Sorry I missed a week!  Things have been busy in pocket-land.  However, I just ran across this very promising review of the SCOTTeVEST Sandy travel skirt (there is also a longer version called the Sandra).  The pockets look fantastic.  This company looks to have a lot of good pocketed items... the Maddie Cardigan in particular caught my eye.

Pockets around the web: patch pockets

The Colette sewing blog has a fun feature with lots of pictures of unique patch pockets.  They are good ideas for sewing or modifying existing clothes!

Pocket review: Lee Women's Relaxed Fit Straight Leg Jean

More pants from loyal blog reader Mary!  The Lee Women's Relaxed Fit Straight Leg Jeans (Model 305183C, in size 6 petite) are stretchy jeans with amazing jeans pockets.  I believe these are the same pants, and here on Lee's website.  That model lacks the 3C but it seems to be it.

They have two front pockets, both about 6" wide.  The right one is 6" deep and 3 1/2" at the side seam.  The left one is just a bit deeper at 6 1/4" but shallower at 3" at the side seam. On a second pair both were about 6 1/2", so there is some variation.

The inexplicably asymmetrical front pockets.

The more symmetrical front pockets on a different pair.

The front pockets have the usual jeans curved opening.

The right front coin pocket is 2 1/4" deep and 3 1/4" wide.

The back pockets at 5 1/4" deep in the middle and 4 1/2" deep at the edges.  The pockets are 4 1/2" wide at the top and 4 1/4" near the base.

Standard back pockets for jeans.

Pocket review: Wrangler Blues Relaxed Fit Jeans

Today's specimen is the Wrangler Blues Relaxed Fit jeans, in size 6 x 32, courtesy of loyal blog reader Mary!  The label says WB501DS, which I think is actually the color (as their website has a similarly formatted number behind the color) and there only appears to be one style for this name, available in both misses and plus sizes.

The front pockets are great.  They are 6" at the widest point.  The left pocket is 7" deep at the front edge and 2 1/2" deep at the side seam.  Oddly, the right pocket is a bit shallower at 6".  I found a similar difference on another brand of jeans so it may be deliberate.  Either way, these are generous pockets for jeans nowadays.  The right side also has a small coin pocket measuring 3 1/2" deep and 3" wide.

No clue why one side is longer than the other.

The front are curved top entry pockets.  The entry is 5" from rivet to rivet (the curve is longer).  You can see the coin pocket on the wearer's right (left in this photo).

The two back pockets are 5 1/2" deep in the middle and not quite 5" on each side.  The pockets are 4 1/2" wide at the opening and 4 1/4" near the base.

Typical back pockets for jeans.

Edited 2017/02/07 to note this has been added to the #SaturdayShareLinkUp!

Pocket review: Land's End Down Commuter Long Coat

I bought this coat in 2014.  The closest coat I can find on the Land's End website has a similar name (Commuter Down Long Coat).  They advertise that it has the same helpful pass-through where you can get to a deep pocket inside the coat (and your own pants pockets!).  The current edition also still has nice fleece pockets beside the pass-through pockets.  (Also they have it in a lovely shade of blue now.  They did not when I was buying.  WOE.)  This current model, however, seems to lack the front outer pockets which I found handy for dog-poop bags and quick mitten stashing.  However, even when de-pocketed on the outside, with all the other pockets and pocket access, this coat still rates as amazing in pockets!  Detailed measurements are in the photo captions since there are SO MANY pockets.  I count seven on mine, and there should be five on the new model (since it lacks the outer front flapped pockets but retains the others according to its description).

The wearer's left (right in this photo) has an inner zippered pocket measuring 6 x 6".  I believe this is the one in the description noted as "small vertical pocket with secure zip closure".

The outer pockets, with a flap (and two snaps), are no longer available on the current model.  On my coat there are two (one per side) and they measure 6" wide, 7" deep in the middle, and the entry is slightly diagonal with a length of 6 1/2".  Each side also has a fleece-lined pocket (in the photo, shown by my thumb).  The fleece-lined pocket is about 7" deep from the pass-through opening, and a good size for warming hands.  Finally, my fingers are in the pass-through opening that lets you get to the inner pockets (last photo) or your own clothing.  The opening is 6" and has both a zipper and a snap (next photo) to close it, although even with temperatures in the negative double digits (both Celsius and Fahrenheit... brrr) I've never actually needed to shut these.

This is the inside of the coat from the pass-through opening (visible on the right side of the pocket).  You can also see the snap and zipper that can be used to close the pass-through.  There is one bit of velcro, maybe an inch long, to secure this pocket if you desire.  This pocket is 8 x 8" and I haven't ever had anything fall out of these (cell phone, keys, wallet, dog bags).  As for the outer and fleece pockets, this inner pocket is duplicated on both the left and right sides.

Edited 2017/01/27 to link with #SaturdayShareLinkUp!

Pocket review: Cabela's Women's 7-pocket Hiker Pants

I have gone through so many pairs of these over the years and loved them.  They came in classic and modern fits (high waisted and low waisted). Sadly, Cabela's appear to have stopped making them as their website no longer shows how to buy them.  If you find them at a thrift store or used, though, I highly recommend their pockets.  Rest in peace, hiker pants.

Pockets around the web: a sewing pattern with endless pockets

Erin at dressaday.com almost always sews her dresses with pockets, and her latest creation has what look to be amazing, deep pockets.