Skip to main content

You make this possible. Support our independent, nonprofit newsroom today.

Give Now

Results are in: women's pockets really are trash

caption: How functional is this pocket, REALLY? Inquiring, data visualizing minds would like to know.
Enlarge Icon
How functional is this pocket, REALLY? Inquiring, data visualizing minds would like to know.

We all know this is a problem. But until now, we didn't have the hard data to verify this societal scourge, this paltry pocket epidemic.

In 2012, after the first Hunger Games movie was released, star Jennifer Lawrence was on the red carpet basking in her success. And just when the day couldn't get any better, she discovered that her dress had pockets.

The Record: Women's pockets are trash

Lawrence's delight at finding pockets in her dress - REAL pockets she could fit her hands into - is a joy that many women experience. But not nearly as often as we might like.

Anyone who has ever done the “thanks, it has pockets!” twirl already knows. For those who don’t: when women’s garments get pockets at all, usually they are terrible. Anecdotally, this is not a secret. But data visualizers Jan Diehm and Amber Thomas brought receipts. Marcie Sillman sat down with Amber to commiserate and explain.

Why you can trust KUOW