Tuesday, September 27, 2016

Pockets on my mind

I'm a big fan of pockets in my own clothing.  There was a time when I skipped them, or only inserted them in the side seams (totally unflattering and uncomfortable for my build), in the rush to be done with a sewing project.

Now, I sew to get exactly what I like.  If it takes longer to make it, then so be it.

Imagine my delight when I saw this slideshow of Marni's S/S 2017 collection:

Photo from NowFashion via NYT
An entire fashion collection devoted to exploring pockets!

BTW, I read the NPR fact-check transcript, but could not bear to watch the debate last night.

Did you read the Politics of Pockets?  There's all sorts of good historical stuff about suffragettes, rational dress, the "New Woman", and Hillary Clinton's pantsuits.

Read this story about Susanna, a custom clothier in Beverly Hills who makes some of HRC's pantsuits.  Fox and right-wing pundits tried to deflect criticism that Trump-branded clothing is all made abroad in low wage countries by suggesting that HRC's pantsuits are made in Bangladesh.  They lie.
Susanna Forest, of Susanna Beverly Hills, has been handcrafting women's suits in the United States since 1976. From design to manufacturing, every step of her process is carried out entirely from her atelier in Beverly Hills, California. Susanna Beverly Hills garments are the product of hundreds of hours of American labor, and women, including Hillary Clinton, can be proud to wear a garment that has been crafted with the absolute most care and skill here in the United States.
I have a small quibble.  The article says that this white suit she wore at the convention does not have pockets.  Click to embiggen the photo.  Do you see a faint outline of welt pockets on her jacket just below the waist?  Methinks her jacket has a pair of pockets, but they are so skillfully done, they are practically invisible.

Enlarge this to see the hip jacket welt pockets.
I'd like to make the jacket below for my S/S 2017 collection.

V8732 is sadly OOP.
But first, I need to make progress on F/W clothes from DD and myself.  I promised her 2-3 colorful tops.  I need to make a few for myself and clear a backlog of 3-4 sweaters patiently awaiting seaming and finishing touches.

6 comments:

  1. Fascinating! I've definitely heard the discussion of "pocket deprivation" in women clothing. I wonder though: is this an example of self-induced sexism? I may be wrong, but I think women in all time had a lot of say in what kind of clothing they wear. Not an individual woman, of coarse, but class in general. So I have hard time imagining any man specifically deciding "no pockets for women!", but likely pockets were not desired enough to be fashionable. It would be also interesting to check if pockets found their way to the garments of working class women earlier, I think these were much more about functionality than fashion.

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    Replies
    1. I think the tyranny to look slim is as likely a culprit as some man waving a wand and saying, "No pockets for women!"

      How often have you heard or read the phrase about pockets creating bulk? And what is wrong with bulk with a purpose? I want pockets. I want muscles.

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    2. That is true... Although we (women) can be very successful in convincing men that something completely ridiculous is fashionable, elegant or even beautiful. Too bad we are sometimes are own worst enemies.
      Truth being told, I personally have mixed emotions about pockets. I absolutely need one in my pants for the phone, but in a jacket I sometimes keep them stitched when I buy it, since I don't like the way it moves about when I inevitably fill my pockets with random stuff.

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    3. I can understand why gaping jacket pockets can be a hazard in lab. Pants pockets work for your workplace.

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  2. I do see the faint line, but based on the drape line of the jacket, I think she kept it stitched shut.

    The other side of the pocket story is that many jackets don't stabilize the pocket lining well enough so the pocket sag with anything heavier than a pen or lip balm and distort the outline.

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  3. Anonymous19:02

    Really looking forward to seeing your version of the Claire S. jacket.

    ReplyDelete

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