Pockets for all: It’s time to give women what they need

• Lucy and Yak uncover the most frustrating issues women face when it comes to clothing
• Searches for ‘I hate all my clothes’ have increased by 50% in the last 12 months
• Over half (55%) of females in the UK say that they struggle to carry items due to lack of pockets in their clothing
• Lucy and Yak look into addressing the issues in the fashion industry.

Searches across the UK for ‘I hate all my clothes’ (+50%) and ‘comfortable clothing brands’ (+100%) have increased significantly over the last 12 months^[1].

These stats demonstrate that individuals are struggling to express themselves through their wardrobe, and that functionality and practicality is very much in demand.

Inequalities within women’s clothing choices are hugely apparent from a practical perspective, as the pockets on women’s jeans are on average 48% shorter and 6.5% narrower than men’s pockets ^[2]. This raises the question, what are the most frustrating issues that women are faced with amongst today’s current fashion trends?

Lucy and Yak has uncovered what women find the most irritating when it comes to their clothing and have offered their top tips for addressing such issues within the fashion industry.

The most frustrating issues in women’s clothing

Clothes that aren’t true to size topped the findings^[3], with six in ten (60%) UK women saying that they found the lack of consistency in true to size clothing, the most frustrating issue. True to size means that the garments you choose will match the companies sizing guide exactly^[4]. Following this was pricing (42%), poor quality (40%), and uncomfortable clothing (35%).

The most frustrating issues in women’s clothing	Percentage of respondents who agree (%)
Clothes that aren’t true to size	60%
Pricing	42%
Poor quality	40%
Uncomfortable clothing	35%
Colour fades quickly	22%
Lack of pockets	21%
Pockets that aren’t big enough	15%
Practicality	15%

Women’s pockets are stuck in the past

Over half (55%) of survey respondents, said that they often struggle to carry things due to lack of pockets in their clothing.

Lack of pockets for women dates back to the 17^th century, where men’s clothing was adapted to be practical by sewing pockets into their clothing, whereas women’s needs were ignored and they subsequently needed to undress themselves to access the contents of their hanging pockets^[5].

Although there have been significant changes towards women’s equality over the decades^[6], there is still much that can be done to improve women’s well-being, which includes creating practical and functional clothing options.

Lucy and Yak offer their top tips towards addressing such inequality within the fashion industry:

Women know what women want – Only 40% of womenswear is designed by women, and only 14% of 50 major fashion brands are run by women^[7]. Creating equal gender representation can provide positive change towards how clothing is made for its consumers, therefore creating items that are stylish, yet functional.

Empowerment – Many women choose outfits based on how clothing makes them feel^[8]. The industry needs to break away from fast-fashion trends and create items with women’s values at the forefront, including practical clothing fit with functional pockets. This small change can help women feel empowered and confident in clothing they trust.

Going sustainable – Buying more sustainable, second-hand and vintage clothing can help fight climate change^[9]. Not only this, but it also offers the opportunity for fashion designers and clothing experts to re-evaluate what consumer priorities are.

Natalie Robinson, award-winning celebrity stylist expert, says “The future of fashion looks bright and we are moving in a new direction. This year is all about reinvention, feeling good about yourself and breaking free from restrictions.

The future of fashion will be more functional and practical to accommodate hybrid working and, as such, there will be a greater need for comfortable wear and larger pockets in women’s clothing. Women are becoming busier, juggling the school run, home, and work life. Therefore, the need for functional fashion is much greater.”

Lucy Greenwood, founder of Lucy and Yak says “These findings show that women are very much aware of the lack of clothing standards currently available, which should urge the fashion industry to start implementing change“.

To learn more about the history of women’s fashion, head over to Lucy and Yak’s blog: https://lucyandyak.com/blogs/news/pockets-for-all