The Brotherhood of the Utilitarian Pants

I inherited a used pair of Bermuda shorts from Dan Nathan-Roberts. I would always visit him at least once a year down at San Jose. Being a guest at his residence entailed giving guest lectures for his classes. Amidst his pile of old clothes meant for Goodwill donation, this berms caught my eye. I questioned why he would forgo this fine piece of apparel.

It turned out that, during his graduate school days in Michigan, he signed up to be a luggage handler. What better way to study ergonomics than to participate in the actual back-breaking work, he said. This Bermudas was part of the summer uniform issued to him. Those days were long gone, and this piece of uniform has served its purpose, and then some.

By now, the color of the pants was obviously fading, subtly hinting at me to let him go. But here I was, hesitating, worried that I would not find another pair of berms with the same comfort, mobility, and huge pockets. Chino shorts in Singapore tend to hug my thighs the wrong way. Items in the pockets would bulge out from within, and I'm not the kind to carry bags. This shorts could comfortably stash my survival essentials without puckering, and still provide the freedom I need to stride around the warm, urban jungle. I'm not ready to say goodbye to you yet.

With such deep pockets, I could possibly live a Croesus life.

Pockets are Sexist

99% Invisible's podcast highlighted how Oakland, CA's policewomen did not wear the trousers designed for them, but donned men's trousers instead. Like most female fashion, the women's police uniform featured "useless, tiny pockets". For the longest time since mankind created tools, there was a need to carry these tools, and pockets supported this requirement. After all, a man's "usefulness" almost defined his worth. He was to be efficient and productive, to always be prepared. He was to have the tools of his trade always by his side.

While this functional purpose was unisex, women had to contend with fashion, and fashion called for "sexy", body-hugging outfits. Aprons, with their big pockets and stain-protection abilities, were confined to domesticated settings. Otherwise, there were handbags, clutches, and purses. One might even claim that women had no need for pockets, for women had no property to possess. While this old-fashioned mindset has since dwindled in today's world, fashion continues to dictate what the modern working woman wears, with wallets or cellphones confined to hand-carry. Even The Singapore Girl had to find creative ways to store her pen within her sarong kebaya.

There are (female) fashion trends that offer both form and function. The?utilitarian style?features baggy designs that boost mobility and comfort, as well as plenty of pockets that actually work. Incidentally, utilitarian fashion is heavily influenced by the military (a predominantly male environment) and menswear. Athleisure offers the pleasures of sportswear in everyday casual wear, and even has "workout leggings with pockets you can actually use". It is great for the current work-from-home environment (and apparently Wall Street), but it is still not the ideal dress code for the workplace.

Pockets as Job Requirements

Work clothes can be an easily-neglected component which hinders job performance. "Clothing ergonomics" was once limited to personal protection and comfort during the course of work. To be a fully-functioning professional, most of us carry in our pockets our wallet, cellphone, keys, maybe a pen, handkerchief, or even medication. Craftsmen may have additional gadgets: torchlights, lighters, key cards, hand tools like screwdrivers and wire cutters, glasses, batteries, business cards, folding knives, among others. It is easy to see how pocket spaces can quickly run out, possibly at the expense of comfort and mobility.

A research in Israel looked at how operating room scrub suits could be better designed to support clinicians at work. The myriad of objects stuffed inside pockets include pagers, radiation dosimeters, pens and markers, ID tags, scissors, and cellphones. These essential items were overwhelming for the pockets to manage effectively. The resulting clutter hinders movement and increases the risk of damage or loss. Operating theatre scrubs were primarily designed as sanitary clothing, and contributed minimally towards keeping the clinician well-equipped.

Ergonomically, scrub suits offer relatively poor load bearing function, as well as limited tactical storage.

Contrast this with another life-saving profession: firefighters. Beyond physical protection, firefighter suits (or more specifically, bunker or turnout gear) feature oversized pockets in their coats and trousers. Experienced firefighters caution going into a burning building with empty pockets, as well as rationalizing the amount of gear to haul. War stories are shared when responding to "what's in your pocket". One firefighter kept a small firetruck, ready to calm a scared, crying child. Amidst all the rescue hardware, there was still space for a toy. Firefighters truly dress for success.

Clothes Maketh the Man

Our clothes protect and empower us. How we attire ourselves can affect our preparedness, and with that our confidence to accomplish the tasks ahead. Pockets function like extra pairs of hands, holding on to extra tools for when the need arises. Despite this utilitarian value, not everyone has equal access to pockets, nor do all workwear incorporate practical pockets. Female work uniforms are repeated missed opportunities.

Human factors teaches us to exercise systems thinking, and through this process we recognize how an overlooked component can contribute significantly towards our job performance. While most of us are not fashion designers, there is certainly room to tailor purposeful solutions together. Nonetheless, in the quest to balance form and function, there is no perfect, one-size-fits-all solution.

Is there such a thing as "too much skin" on LinkedIn?