Anyone who has ever worn an outfit that lacks pockets can attest that pockets add immeasurable value to clothing. While most men’s pants and shirts offer pockets, women’s wear typically does not including functional pockets. So, how does this apply to ergonomics?
Pouches, worn inside or outside the clothes, have been around for thousands of years. The full dresses of the 1800’s had pockets – very full skirts were used to transport, or even smuggle, a myriad of items. Over the past few decades, women’s fashion has tended toward a slimmer silhouette, meaning that pockets were out of the picture. A pencil skirt is no place for a wallet or cell phone! Some people have even argued that fashion designers have avoided pockets so women will be forced to buy handbags.
I’m no expert in fashion, so I’ll focus on the more practical aspects of pocketry. This post was inspired by Karl Zelik’s recent post announcing that his company, HeroWear, has debuted an optional pocket for their exoskeletons. It’s brilliant, really – the kind of innovation that exo-wearers may wonder how they ever lived without.
How do people survive without pockets? I know I carry my cell phone from room to room all day long, misplacing it and my reading glasses, a dozen times a day. Early this morning, I tried to carry my coffee in one hand and my phone in the other, while opening the screen door – I lost my tenuous grip on the door, which slammed, and probably woke up the entire house.
When we try to carry a heavy load while holding a pen, tool, or phone, we put our body at risk – trying to recover an item as it falls can lead to back injury or property damage. A solid grip on a heavy or awkward item can make the difference between a safe lift and a back injury. Similarly, holding a small item in your hand while you fit two pieces together, or operate a tool or mouse, puts your hand in a really awkward and weak grip. The body can tolerate these demands occasionally, but some people have to work in these positions repetitively, all day long.
What’s the solution?
Why can’t we industrialize, or commercialize, pockets for other things that we carry at work? Tool belts have existed for many years, so in a way we have. Tool belts can be quite heavy, even empty, and if they are too big for the user they can make walking uncomfortable. Repair workers may carry a lot of weight in their tool belts, to be prepared for any type of repair. In repair jobs, productivity can be optimized if you bring all of your tools every time, but at some point the tradeoff loses its advantage. Despite these challenges, the idea seems right – holding items in a “pocket” that rests against your body requires less muscle effort than holding the same items in your hands. We just need to minimize the weight of the pack and the load, and ensure that it rests comfortably against the body.
Make pockets cool again
Styles will come and go; generous cuts of pants, jackets, and skirts allow discreet pockets. For activewear, I favour leggings with pockets on the side of the thigh – I can stow and retrieve my cell phone easily if someone calls me mid-route. But very few of my pants or shirts have large enough pockets to be useful. Could someone market a removable pocket, similar to HeroWear’s pocket option, that simply attaches, perhaps with magnets or Velcro, to pants or belt loops? And somehow make it fashionable?
Pocket-like equipment
We can piggyback on the pocket idea by adopting backpacks, tool pouches or holsters, sling bags, fanny packs and hip bags. Our ergonomists have been using waist packs and sling bags to carry gauges and a tape measure long before (and after) they were cool. Any opportunity to carry light items with the hands free should be welcomed. Of course, we need to be wary of overloading our packs so we don’t get fatigued earlier in the day.
The humble pocket is more than a piece of fabric—it’s a small act of rebellion against inconvenience. If we start demanding pockets (or clever alternatives) and designing them into our wardrobes, we’ll gain both style and ease. Let’s give ourselves permission to want comfort, practicality, and the freedom to move through our days unencumbered. Here’s to the pocket—long may it stick around!
Reference: https://fashionmagazine.com/style/womens-pockets/