No pockets

Here's a post that stems from a friend's complaint. I didn't even think about it, but now that it's been brought up, I've been stewing over this, and I've discovered that it's quite annoying.

Let me start off with this: Pajama pants and gym shorts are the most comfortable things in the world. Obviously, you don't wear them at the same time, because that would look weird and would probably negate the whole comfort thing. I love wearing pajama pants because they are so loose and unrestricting. Fleece or flannel are great in the wintertime, and of course something lightweight during the summer. SOOOOOOO nice!

Gym shorts are just as good as pajama pants, if not better! They are loose, lightweight, and slightly more acceptable to wear to the store if I get a craving in the middle of the night for something that I don't have in my pantry (which happens far more often than I'd really care to admit). I mean, sometimes you just need some sour cream and onion chips at 3:30 AM, am I right?

But there is one major design flaw with gym shorts and pajama pants. I've discovered that this flaw has infected approximately 50% of both styles of legwear, if not more. It's devastating and oh so inconvenient. Enough so that I actually will no longer purchase pajama pants or gym shorts if they have this particular ailment.

No pockets.

Seriously? You sell pants with no pockets? Who's "genius" idea was this? I mean, at least put one in! I don't need a utility belt or anything, but a pouch in which to put various pieces of my daily necessities in would be something you'd think would be obvious to have. I have lots of things that I carry in my pockets, and of the regularly used essentials, each has their own pocket. My phone goes in one pocket, my keys and pocket knife in another, and my wallet in a third. I can condense if need be, but that's my usual pocket lineup. If the pants I'm wearing have no pockets, then where do I put all my stuff?

This issue is annoying enough around the house. I like having my phone on me constantly. Yeah, I know, I"m one of "those" people, but get over it, that's how I live. If I'm wearing pants with no pockets, where do I put my phone? When I'm not using it, I have to place it between my body and the waistband of these apparently almost-useless pajama pants. Then, the material of the screen shield warms up and sticks ever-so-slightly to my skin, which is both uncomfortable and makes it difficult to retrieve the phone without feeling like I'm going to take off either a layer of skin or the screen shield. (Given the choice between the two, I'd rather lose the skin. Good screen shield are expensive!)

As annoying as this lack of pockets is at home, it's at least workable. I can set my phone down on a table and walk away without worrying someone is going to come pick it up and walk off with it (except for my kids, but they really just want to play games). The real problem comes from those late night store runs. I suddenly need my keys and my wallet in addition to my phone. If I'm having trouble keeping my phone in one spot without pockets, I can't even attempt adding other things into the mix. For starters, my wallet is too heavy to stay suspended within the waistband, being weighed down with all the money I carry (snicker), and my keys are all pokey and stabby, so there's no way I'm even trying that. I can't carry all of this in my hands, because I need my hands to carry the chips I'm picking up at the store (and maybe a Gatorade). And I can't justify getting a cart or a basket to carry my items because I'm only getting a single item (which inevitably turns into 5... or 20, but how am I supposed to know chocolate milk is on sale that day?) and who needs an entire cart for one item? That's just wasteful!

Now, the person who initially submitted this blarg topic mentioned the fact that many women's jeans don't have pockets. What "intelligent" person thought that jeans without pockets was a good idea? Now you're screwing with perfectly acceptable daily wear, making them far less useful to the person who wants to both leave the house AND look like they actually showered that day. I get it, many women carry purses with which they can hold all of their "out the door essentials." This does not, however, mean that they don't also want pockets! phones are more easily accessed if they are in a pocket. I've seen women's purses and the apparently magical quality they have to carry much more than should be physically possible, and I can't imagine that digging your phone out of your magic satchel is any easier than sliding it out of your pocket. Pockets are necessary. Now, some women's jeans have the front pockets, but not the back ones. I personally have no problems with these, as they have both form and function. I'm only speaking for myself however. I do notice that girls tend to put their phones in a back pocket as opposed to a front one. I don't get the reason behind this, but I'll accept that there is one. Therefore, the back pockets missing on girls jeans may actually be more annoying to some women than if the front ones were missing. I don't know. I've never worn women's jeans. I'll leave that up to someone else.