I have everything that I could ever want. I have an awesome boyfriend, a caring family and amazing friends. I have everything, and yet, I am missing something critical, something of crucial importance: jean pockets.
Yes, it is 2019, and I still do not have front pockets on my jeans. I can go through all my pants and shorts and find that many front pockets are sewn together or, for some pants, non-existent. This is not only frustrating but utterly inconvenient when I need to shove something in my pocket to free up my hands. The lack of front pockets has a lot of factors, but they all circle back to the misogyny of the fashion industry.
Yes, the irony of the fashion industry being misogynistic is not lost on me. The majority of fashion designers are male and handle designing women’s clothes. Since when did a man understand the needs of a woman? Fashion designers neglect to supply women front pockets on their pants and shorts to force us to buy purses.
Not only are we being forced to buy these items that we do not need, but they are also overly expensive because of something called the Pink Tax. The Pink Tax is the extra cost that women’s products have entirely because they are products for women. So, while we are paying more for jeans, we also must pay more for a purse. And with purses comes the Purse Effect.
Purses tend to have a lot of room for a multitude of unnecessary items, creating the Purse Effect when women stuff their purses with belongings such as books, legal notepads, and snacks. And not only are we shoveling money out of our non-existent pockets, but we are dealing with medical issues. Continually carrying a purse around can take a toll on someone’s arms, shoulders, and back over time. And even then hands-free purses can cause pain and irritation on the collarbone. Overall, purses are only causing damage, countering the fashion industry’s perspective.
So, to Levi Strauss and Michael Kors, I will no longer accept the lack of front pockets on my jeans nor the cost of a purse. I want to be able to put my phone entirely in my front pocket like my male counterparts. I do not trust my back pocket because there are thieves in this world and things easily fall out of them.
Ladies, we do not have to settle; find jeans that complement and support your lifestyle. We can take our business elsewhere. They need us more than we need them. If I must wear Fabletics leggings for the rest of my life, then so be it. Is pocket equality too much to ask for?
Iana Fields is a freshman studying english creative writing at Ohio University. Please note that the views and opinions of the columnists do not reflect those ofThe Post. Want to talk to Iana? Tweet her @FieldsIana.
