On Trouser Pockets • Hacker News Board

Re: On Trouser Pockets

#231

Post by RyJones » Sat, Jul 18, 2020, 8:44 PM UTC

GekkePrutser wrote: post #206

Very interesting idea. I'm a bit worried about pickpockets though with the pockets so low. Right now if I'm worried about them (I live in Barcelona where they are a major pest!) I put my hands in my pockets. That won't work if they're so far down. However I do love rethinking common things we take for granted, especially about clothing. For one I don't understand how the common business suit is so popular. It looks r…

There are pants with a zipped pocket[0]. Not an endorsement of that particular retailer or brand; merely an example.

[0]: https://www.target.com/p/wrangler-men-s-five-pocket-pants-na...

Re: On Trouser Pockets

#232

Post by KozmoNau7 » Sat, Jul 18, 2020, 8:45 PM UTC

groby_b wrote: post #97

msla wrote: post #75

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> awful hip pocket bulges Who says they're awful? Why do they say that? We must be informed and skeptical consumers.

Can we have opinions on our clothes without having to give every random person on the Internet a full justification? Why yes, yes we can. But, OK, let's answer it. The first answer is right in the fine article: Hip pockets lead to bad posture when sitting. They cause back pain. The second answer is that if you dress for aesthetic instead of functional reasons, one of the very first concerns is silhouette. And if you…

As a complete antithesis to this point of view, I like the silhouette that work/service pants give me. When paired with a good polo shirt, it gives off the confident vibe that I know perfectly well where I'm going and what I'm doing and that there's no need to interrupt me for whatever reasons, because I'm probably doing something important. I've never had so few religious people/coupon hawkers annoy me on the street and so many people decide to ask me for directions over everyone else in crowded streets before I started dressing like this.

Obviously the broad-shouldered build, full beard, glasses and balding head help sell the appearance.

Fashion is only for people who need other people to tell them what to wear.

Re: On Trouser Pockets

#233

Post by maxander » Sat, Jul 18, 2020, 8:51 PM UTC

At various points, thinking about what I wear to events where well-worn skinny pants are advantageous, I've thought about hip-pouches as a solution to the pocket problem. I've generally found that this runs into an inevitable quandrary:

- To carry my wallet+phone+keys, it will need to be reasonably sized - To be trusted with my wallet+phone+keys, it will need to be durable- built out of leather, or at least something like heavy canvas - It can't be brightly colored or otherwise goofy, because aesthetics - If you're wearing something on your hip that is dark-colored, made of heavy-duty material, and is roughly holster-sized, it will generally look like a gun holster to casual or distant inspection. That's not only a bad fashion statement, that's plausibly dangerous in some circumstances.

A pouch mounted right above the knee might solve this (I don't think anyone wears their pistol there?) if there's a decent way to wear a pouch that's not hung from the belt.

Re: On Trouser Pockets

#234

Post by glogla » Sat, Jul 18, 2020, 8:52 PM UTC

thebooktocome wrote: post #56

diiq wrote: post #44

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yeah, when I have a moment I'll rewrite that section. I clearly missed the mark tonally. At least I know folks read all the way to the end, I suppose.

I don't think you missed the mark. Some people just like military cosplay a lot and get offended when you call out what they're doing.

I'm not sure cargo pants themselves are "cosplay". A lot of male fashion comes from military - peacoats, bomber jackets, parkas, trench coats, pretty much any boots, etc. And a lot of it comes from jobs - trucker jackets, denim, engineer coats, boiler coats, etc etc.

It becomes kinda cosplay when you have guy in desert camo cargo pants with huge belt with multitool on it, in desert combat boots and beige t-shirt ... in an office, coding Java.

But I'm the guy who goes there wearing M65, jeans and Doc Martens so who am I to talk.

Also you can get slim and stretch cargo pants, which removes the biggest complaint fashion people ususlly have with cargo pants (OMG HUGE BAGGY) and are more techwear/streetwear than military. Unless you get them in camo.

Re: On Trouser Pockets

#235

Post by Pxtl » Sat, Jul 18, 2020, 8:55 PM UTC

It's funny, I actually had a pair of something similar in the '90s.

I had a pair of charcoal grey men's pants of some unknown heavier fabric that were cut slim instead of baggy like cargo pants or work pants, and had a pair of discrete flap pockets instead of bulky cargo pockets on them. I adored those pants.

I'd love a pair of slim-cut black jeans with that kind of pocket on them.

Re: On Trouser Pockets

#236

Post by howenterprisey » Sat, Jul 18, 2020, 8:57 PM UTC

mumblemumble wrote: post #220

msla wrote: post #200

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The dismissiveness comes from dismissing cargo pants for being associated with manual labor.

Here, again, is what was actually said: Cargo pants solve different problems for different people. If cargo pants are appropriate for your daily life, you definitely don’t want or need my side-seam welt pockets; and vice-versa. Cargo pants aren’t office-wear; these dress pants aren’t combat-wear. This is not dismissing cargo pants or the wearing thereof. This is dismissing the failure to grasp that details matter a l…

The article has been edited. A few scrolls below, the article was quoted[0] as saying:

>No. Cargo pants are fashion-as-pretend-occupation — when not at work, wear a fancy chronometer to suggest you’re a pilot or a diver, or camo to suggest you’re in the military. Cargo pants are a paratrooper costume. Cargo shorts have giant external pouches so teenagers in the 90’s, trapped in school, could say (sartorially) “I go out into the world and do adventurous things!” even though the things they stored in those pouches were doritos and portable cd players.

>I am discussing clothing as it might be worn by people while doing their real jobs, not their pretend ones. If cargo pants are appropriate for your real job, you definitely don’t want or need my side-seam welt pockets; and vice-versa."

[0]: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=23881595

Re: On Trouser Pockets

#237

Post by ddrt » Sat, Jul 18, 2020, 9:04 PM UTC

There are several designers already doing exactly that.

Re: On Trouser Pockets

#238

Post by kashyapc » Sat, Jul 18, 2020, 9:05 PM UTC

I wear the kind of slim-fit trousers that this article shows at the end. I like this improved pocket idea; it's functional and elegant. (Although for non-black trousers, I wonder about the discreetness of it.)

My 'workaround' when I'm on the bicycle -- which is everyday -- for phone has been this (rather expensive, but robust) every day carry-on backpack with a hidden-but-accessible phone pocket:

https://www.abordage-shop.com/12240-thickbox_default/brooks-...

Alas, OP, you say "no sales" ... perhaps I should start taking sewing classes, which reminds me, there's a hacker space (the only one in town) near me that also gives sewing workshops. Once the world fully reopens.

Re: On Trouser Pockets

#239

Post by jackdawed » Sat, Jul 18, 2020, 9:07 PM UTC

sumnole wrote: post #105

Actually, cargo pants are quite trendy right now as techwear. Whether or not they stay in style, at least they'll always be functional.

I'm pretty curious what portion of HN's audience is aware of techwear and the work of Errolson Hugh at Acronym or Taka Kasuga at Arc'teryx Veilance. I've noticed that SWE's make up a substantial portion of the techwear community, in part due to the pricing and the overlap with sci-fi/utilitarian tastes.

Re: On Trouser Pockets

#240

Post by KozmoNau7 » Sat, Jul 18, 2020, 9:10 PM UTC

GekkePrutser wrote: post #206

Very interesting idea. I'm a bit worried about pickpockets though with the pockets so low. Right now if I'm worried about them (I live in Barcelona where they are a major pest!) I put my hands in my pockets. That won't work if they're so far down. However I do love rethinking common things we take for granted, especially about clothing. For one I don't understand how the common business suit is so popular. It looks r…

If you get properly fitted suit pants, they're actually quite comfortable, and in the right materials (generally wool), they're also a lot less warm than you'd think. And the jacket can be sewn to have decent freedom of movement, obviously not to gynmast type movements, but certainly not uncomfortably restricting.

I still think the standard suit looks silly, but when well-made, it is actually designed to be worn comfortably for a whole workday.