The Humble Pocket
2019 The Year of the Pocket
According to the Chinese Zodiac, 2019 is the Year of the Pig, which symbolises beautiful personality and blessings of good fortune in life. Here at Helena Couture Designs, I would like to add to that sentiment and say that 2019 is also the Year of the Pocket! Our brides have always had the option to include pockets if their design allowed, however following the trend set in 2018, the demand and requests for pockets this year has skyrocketed!
Why, you may ask, are pockets becoming so popular in bridal dresses? Looking at the history of the pocket, both men and women have needed them, either sewn into their undergarments (women) or attached to belts as pouches (men). The French Revolution was a time that violently challenged notions of property and privacy. Women’s pockets were private spaces that they could carry into the public arena and during a revolutionary time, this freedom was paramount. The less women could carry, the less freedom they had. If you took away the pockets happily hidden under garments, women’s ability to navigate through public spaces and carry seditious (or merely amorous) writings was limited.
In today’s world the humble pocket is a symbol of women’s independence, especially in a wedding dress as brides can carry their own private belongings without relying on their partner or friends. My daughter Tahana is a great example of this. For her Year 12 formal, one of her requirements for her dress was that it had pockets cleverly hidden in her dress; she had the freedom and independence to carry her phone and car keys with confidence. The practicality of having pockets is proven throughout history and ‘the pocket’ is still relevant and vital today – maybe even more so with the addition of the mobile phone, which has everything we need at the touch of a button.
Helena x
