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.

Pocket review: Dickie's Women's Overalls

Long time, no blog.  I've got a number of new reviews (of both dresses and pants) saved up in my voluminous pockets.  But, today's pockets are not so glorious as I was hoping.

I ordered a size large in Dickie's Women's Denim Bib Overalls (color: medium stonewash).  I was immediately disappointed by the pockets.  They were barely deeper than your average disappointing blue jeans!  I should have tried the Carhartt's.

The two front slash pockets seem promising at 7 1/2" maximum depth and until you realize that the 6" diagonal edge reached to a minimum depth of 2".  My phone sticks out (and it did manage to stay in during various bending and activities) and I can get keys in the other pocket.  However, it'd be risky to try to do both keys and wallet in one pocket.  I will be sewing pocket extenders on to make them more functional.

I did find the front bib pocket held my wallet securely.  It's about 5" deep and 3 3/4" wide, with an adjacent pencil/pen pocket about 1 3/8" wide.  The corners are rounded.

The two back pockets are perfectly acceptable at 5 1/2" deep and wide.

Finally, there are bonus pockets on each leg towards the back/side.

On the wearer's left is a single 4 1/2" deep x 3 1/2" wide under the hammer loop.

On the wearer's right is a slightly larger one at 4 1/2" deep and 4" wide.  Behind it is a larger pocket with a slanted opening.  It makes 8" deep and slant opening of 3 1/2".  The lower part overlaps the top pocket so its lower dimensions are the same.

Pockets around the web: Of Mercer (office-wear with pockets)

With fancy business wear (or business casual, even), it's hard to find something that looks professional and still has useful pockets.  Of Mercer has a number of dresses and skirts with pockets.  They aren't very clear on how big they are, but several look promising.  Here's a drapey dress with side seam pockets.  My main concern there would be if the fabric is sturdy enough to not distort if you include phone, keys, and wallets.  Several drapey and stretchy dresses also look very comfortable although one does have to be careful with pocket contents in stretchy clothing.  They also have two types of pants with pockets (one has welt only), but again unclear how big they are.  This gray full-skirted dress looks most promising to not show your pocket contents.

Pockets around the web: Girls Will Be clothing (girls' shorts with pockets!)

It's been a while since I was young enough to wear kids' clothing, but apparently things have changed since I wore shorts as a kid.  Short-shorts and few pockets... not helpful when you have rocks and sea shells to stockpile.  A new clothing line has been developed to have sturdy, reasonable-length shorts with big pockets for girls!  They look great.  (They also have some fun t-shirts!)

Pockets around the web: reviews of two sundresses

Hourglassy.com recently reviewed two dresses that have pockets.  One, the Retrospec’d Norma Jean Dress is described as having POCKETS, so they're there, but the sizing of pockets is unclear.  The other review, of the Pinup Girl Clothing Jenny Dress, specifies that an iPhone fits easily in "generous" pockets, so that should provide a bit more pocket size info.

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.

Pocket review: Bandolino Mandie 5-pocket Jeans

I've got a size 8 in Mandie 5-pocket Jeans from Bandolino.  The same gray color is still available on Amazon and other regular jean colors are available too.  There also appear to be petites, capris, and shorts available in this style.  I haven't looked at those in person so I can guarantee they will have the same pockets, but it seems likely.

Front pockets are 5" rivet to rivet at the opening.  The right side coin pocket is 1.75" wide and about 3" deep.

Inside the front pockets are very wide (almost 8") but shallow (about 2.5" at both rivets).  You'll see I added on pocket extenders to these, but they weren't too bad before because of the width allowing more pocket space than a typical shallow pocket.

The back pockets are typical for jeans.  They are about 5.5" deep in the middle and 4.75" at the sides. The opening is 4.5" and the width is just a little smaller (maybe 4 3/8") at the base.

Overall, before modification these had decent pockets.  The shallow front pockets were improved by their extremely wide width (going from side seem over to the zipper).

Pockets around the web: pockets in the kitchen!

Here's something a bit different from our usual fare: aprons.  This company makes them for professional and industrial environments, but they also sell to the public.  They are supposed to be durable, look to have very good pockets, and are also made of breathable fabrics (important if things get toasty in the kitchen or wherever you use an apron... gardening perhaps?).

Pockets around the web: Zuri wax print dresses

Here are fabulous-looking colorful dresses with pockets!  If you don't want to click through the nytimes paywall, here is their website directly.  They look cool (in all senses of the word) and comfy!

Pockets around the web: Svaha pocketed dresses review and interview

I've mentioned Svaha dresses on here before, and they just look so intriguing.  Here's a review of three dresses in two silhouettes, plus an interview with one of the owners and a 20% off discount code!

Pocket review: Gloria Vanderbilt Avery Slim Leg Pull On pants

I measured a size 8 specimen of Gloria Vanderbilt Avery Slim Leg Pull On Stretch jeans.  These pants are delightfully comfy in terms of their soft, stretchy material and I wear them often when it's cool out.  However, the front pockets were rather lacking (rating: terrible).  I could hold my keys in one pocket.  I had to put both my wallet and my phone in the back two pockets.  So, I could get away without carrying a bag, but I was always sitting on my phone and almost having it fall out if I bent or moved the wrong way.  I ended up adding "pocket extenders" to fix things up to acceptable levels of pocket storage.  They seem to be going out of season but I found one version on amazon that matched the fabric content (cotton, polyester, and spandex) so would have the same comfy stretch.

Before I modified the pockets, front pockets were about 2 1/2" deep at the side seam and 4 1/2" deep at most. The width at the bottom is 5 3/4".  The outer opening is 4 1/2" from rivet to rivet but curved. The right front also has a 2 1/4" wide coin pocket that is 2 3/4" deep.

The paler striped fabric are my pocket extenders.

The tape measure crosses the small right coin pocket.  There is no coin pocket on the left side.

The back pockets (two) each measure:  5 1/4" deep at middle, 4 1/2" deep at sides, 4 3/4 to 5" wide at the opening (it varied), and about 4 1/2" wide at the base.

Pockets around the web: a pocket round-up for insulin pump wearers

You may remember an article I linked to previously, on the necessity of pockets for people with insulin pumps.  I've found another pocketed round-up for people who need to tote their insulin pump, with clothing that should work for whatever small items you want to carry by necessity or desire.  It's unclear to me if they've tested these pockets in person, but they are certainly worth checking out.

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: Old Navy Utility Shirt Dress

Here's a nice olive-green shirt dress (price slightly reduced) with pockets.  You can zoom in on the picture to see the pocket outlines.  They don't look huge, but probably would hold the basics (i.e. pretty decent for a dress).  The non-pocket aspects of the dress are reviewed here, where I first saw it.  If anyone has one and wants to provide some pocket measurements, send me a note or leave a comment!

Pockets around the web: Duluth Trading Co. Women's Fire Hose Work Pants

Let's have some more work pants options.  The Duluth Trading Co.'s Women's Fire Hose Work Pants look tough and with practical pockets.  Here's a long review of the men's pants, with a shorter note at the end on the women's pants (both reviews are very positive).  They have several cuts (regular; slim in two versions: one without knee pad slots but with eight pockets and one with knee pad slots with seven pockets; and bootcut), plus a fleece-lined version!

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!

Pockets around the web: Red Ants Work Pants

While browsing around for pockets recently I came across Red Ants Work Pants.  They say the pockets will hold a 3x5" notebook and more!  Plus, they come in two fits (straight and curvy) and give sizing based on measurements instead of the usual undecipherable women's numbering sizes.  They look like great field or work pants, are made in the USA, and they sound like they have a good return policy.  Also, if you prefer shorts, they have a practical long-inseam shorts version! Pocket readers, have any of you tried these?