Is there a pocket code?

Isn’t the pocket a most functional fashion ever? Stuff your hands, purse, phone and what not and you are good to go. Last year, pockets became politicised when a study proved that women’s clothes’ pockets are either not thought out practically or completely disregarded. Of late, many brands have paid attention to the fact that women need as much bag-free comfort as men do and pockets have become an integral part of female fashion too. From gowns to lehengas to dresses along with pants, everything now comes with a pocket.
But if you follow the have-pockets-will-stuff-hands-in code, there is something about the etiquette of using pockets that you need to brush up on. Grooming, fashion and image consultant Yatan Ahluwalia says that the cardinal rule of pockets is that you should never overfill them or make them look too bulky, as it makes any garment droop, tear or go out of shape. It spoils the fall of the garment. His advice? Always fill the pockets with flat and light things only. Here are his tips on acing the pockets:

1 It’s time to get rid of the fat wallet in the back pocket. “There’s nothing worse than that. Wallets should be flat when they go into your pocket. Better still, carry a man bag.”
2 Avoid stuffing your phone in to your pocket. According to him, nothing looks worse than your pockets lighting up when the phone rings.
3 Going forward, he predicts that functional and practical pockets will become popular. Basically we live in a world of gadgets, so slide pockets with zipper spaces for holding your phone neatly will be the way forward. Even hidden pockets for keeping your money, cards and earphones are going to be big.
4 Putting your hands in the trouser pockets isn’t good etiquette – using a few fingers occasionally to pull things out or put them in, is acceptable. But stuffing your hands in pockets at all times is a body language gaffe that suggests closeness, arrogance or defiance.

Did you know?
Women’s clothes rarely, if ever, contained pockets, so women often find themselves needing a purse to carry necessities. The discrepancy between gendered clothing was so important that a part of the women’s rights and suffrage movement was a push for women’s garments to contain pockets for their practicality

Stuff it out: Both Ritesh and Genelia Deshmukh were spotted with hands stuffed into their pockets – not the right pocket-wearing etiquette

If there’s a style query that you have, write to us at timeslife@timesgroup.com with STYLETIQUETTE in the subject line.