I’m a guy. When I leave home, I typically throw about four sets of keys and a relatively thick wallet in one front pocket. Then I put my phone in my other front pocket. It doesn’t matter what size phone I have. I’ve never seen a mobile phone so large that it wouldn’t fit in the front pockets of every single pair of pants I’ve ever had. Whether we’re talking about jeans, khakis or dress pants, I’ve never had a pair of men’s pants for which I thought that extra room would be useful. This isn’t the case for women.
While sitting around and talking with my sister and niece over Christmas break, we somehow got on the topic of women’s pants and how the pockets are never large enough to accommodate their iPhones. For starters, they aren’t deep enough, so if one is to put their phone in their pocket, it’s going to have to somehow turn sideways, which sounds incredibly awkward to me.
As we acknowledged the pocket-size problem, it gets slightly worse. My niece has even purchased a pair of pants that she discovered afterward had faux pockets in place of actual pockets. Apparently she’s supposed to carry literally everything in her hands or purse.
The next day I was talking with my 70-something mother who hadn’t been present for the earlier conversation. She has a small flip phone that she uses when working outside in case she needs to call for help. I asked why she doesn’t just keep her iPhone in her pocket, and we came right back to the fact that her iPhone doesn’t fit in her pants pockets. That again!
So, clothing makers, there’s a real opportunity here. The first person to create and market to the masses women’s pants with men’s pockets is surely going to be a winner. I can’t believe something so obvious hasn’t taken hold. As we approach the new year, maybe we should resolve that this be the last year of pocket inequality.
