The street can be rough but it does not mean there is no code of clothing or a sense of fashion, in fact most mainstream fashion trends emanate from the streets. One such trend is the pocket; though an overlook cloth part, it symbolizes style and fashion.
The unwritten rule for men’s clothes is that they all should have pockets. However, not all kinds of pockets may work for office wear. I recently asked my girlfriend why she keeps insisting a bag around in its variants (handbag, clutch bag, purse…) and she gave me the look she usually does whenever I asked something dumb. Perhaps it was the way I asked – what emancipation is there in burdening yourself with an almost empty sign of liberation in the name of a handbag – that sparked the angry look, but my befuddlement was genuine. I did not see why she insisted on carrying her various pouches, which at some point I would end up carrying for her for the large part of the night because of her claims of an aching neck and back. I have since figured it out: women carry tiny bags and massive handbags to serve the purpose that our pockets serve. Most women’s clothes do not have pockets and when they do, they do not like to use them lest the items placed in these pockets distort the shape of the fabric. Pocket is a useful addition to a man’s pants, jacket and shirt. However, the look of the pockets can be a deal breaker for your clothes.
For the shirt, the pockets should be as plain as possible. This means that fancy stitching is a big no when it comes to an official shirt. Additionally, one pocket is usually sufficient for the shirt and this should be as flat as possible. The requirement that the pocket be as two dimensional as possible rules out the inclusion of flaps for a shirt pocket meant for the office. Flaps should be preserved for the shirt you wear for duck hunting (so that your phone doe not fall out of the pocket and into the water when you bend to pick up the wounded bird) and for fishing.
The pants should generally have no more than three pockets: the two front pockets and one back pocket. Two back pockets do not work for everyone, and they may serve to make your behind seem large than it really is. The orientation of the pockets also matter. Choose pockets that have their orientation to the side to be safe, but if you feel brave enough, try the pants with straight front pockets too if the trend of the day allows. Avoid these pants if you have large thighs, however. Even if you have had your pockets picked on the train a million times, do not fall into the temptation of wearing pants with zippy pockets or flaps. If you choose khakis for the office, flaps for the back pockets may not look so bad and you may even get away with having fancy pockets so long as the fancy decorations do not go overboard.
