Why do we not have pockets in a salwar-kameez?
The most worn ensemble by women in the country lacks something as useful and practical as pockets
Your tailor will sew the most complicated of embroideries and will fashion a blouse out of the most unmanageable of fabrics, but when it comes to making pockets for your kameez, why do they always mumble something like, "Apa, there is not enough fabric." But pockets are simply squares of fabrics attached to the cloth!
Three-piece, two-piece, kurti, anarkali – salwar kameez has many names and many designs. If you want tailor-made ones, there are fabrics in every possible colour and texture in the markets for you to choose from. There are countless shops too if you want ready-made ones.
But ever wondered why the most worn ensemble by women in the country lacks something as useful and practical as pockets? The mystery remains unsolved.
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Women's dresses have had pouches sewn on them, under them, and even sleeves have served as pockets, but these were not pockets in any sense. Sexist? Yes! Some even term it 'pocket sexism'.
You can hardly call pockets fashionable because they have existed since the 13th century and you will almost never find men's shirts or pants without pockets in them.
There are some brands which have pockets in their salwar-kameez but either they are ridiculously tiny or frustratingly tight-fitted. What is the point of having pockets if you cannot keep things in them!
But you will find most women's clothing lacking them. Sometimes if you do spot a nice pair of pants or a top, if you notice closely, you will see 'fake' pockets which are just there for 'aesthetics'.
There are some brands which have pockets in their salwar-kameez but either they are ridiculously tiny or frustratingly tight-fitted. What is the point in having pockets if you cannot keep things in them!
Md Abdus Salam who owns a tailoring shop in Dhanmondi's ARA Centre said that the reason why salwar kameezes do not have pockets is because customers do not want them and also because the pockets apparently compromise the fitting.
He explained, "If anybody wants pockets we will make them pockets, that is not an issue. However, the materials with which the salwars or pants are usually made are soft and not really suitable for making pockets." (So men and women also have different fabrics!)
So we asked him, why should his female customers ask for pockets whereas his male customers get them anyway? His quick reply was, "Because men's clothes do not have much going in terms of design; what else do they have other than pockets?"
He also informed us that tailors usually make pockets for the special loose-fitted clothes that women wear during Hajj or Umrah.
Sometimes kameezes with pockets are sold at a much higher price with the USP simply being that they have pockets.
Fully-functioning, normal sized pockets in salwar-kameez – that is all we are asking for.
If kameezes have pockets, our purses and wallets would be lighter and our hands warmer during winter. We would also be able to keep our phones in them. Hardly unearthly demands, are they?
