Fashion

[Desert Lily]

I'm talking about pockets on women's tops & blouses only.

Shirt pockets came onto the scene on men's shirts in the late 1800's to early 1900's. They were used to carry small items then: pens, glasses, small notebooks, a timepiece, smoking materials, a hankie, etc.

In the mid 1950's, Marlon Brando in A Streetcar Named Desire & James Dean in Rebel Without a Cause created the popularity of pockets on men's t-shirts. 

In 1910, suffragettes wore skirt suits with pockets in their blazers. During WW2, women wore pockets on their shirts to work in munitions plants & other factories because those pockets were functional.

But after the war in 1947, Christian Dior stated, "Men have pockets to keep things in, women for decoration."

In the early 20th century, troops in war needed multiple pockets on shirts, & that later impacted fashion. (BTW, in 1938, the British Armed Forces invented cargo pockets on pants.)

And now to the present ...

Many women's tops & blouses have pockets on them.

I don't like most of them. I don't put anything in pockets on my tops. And, I don't always like how they can "decorate" my chest. I think pockets on women's tops & blouses can sometimes look quite awkward. I like & use pockets in pants, skirts, jackets, robes, coats, blazers, & cardigans. But, I look & think twice before buying a top or blouse with a chest pocket.

What do you think about pockets on women's tops & blouses?

[shoesnbags]

Just not something that I think about at all when choosing a top or blouse.  I have a small chest, so no concerns about pockets there.  But I can see where it might be a problem if you want to minimize your chest.  For me, I avoid gathers and drawstrings at the waist because I don't want to emphasize or enlarge my middle.

[songbird]

Depends on your body.  Small breasted is fine.  Large breast, forget it.  Anyway top pockets are awkward to drop things in.  Lower pockets are better.  And if you feel awkward....hands shoved in pockets look good.

[just bee]

I do not need to draw attention to my bosom.

No on pockets.

[Desert Lily]

I'm rather small chested. 

The size & placement of the pocket can make or break a top purchase for me.

[Sweet Caroline 1]

@Desert Lily,   To each his own but, like you, I don't care for chest pockets on my clothing at all.  And I'll add one more...  I don't buy tops or sweaters with dropped shoulders.  They look slouchy and unattractive on me.  But to each his own.  

[geezerette]

I don't think they're particularly attractive, but I do use pockets on my tops when I have them.  But I don't base my buying on whether a top has pockets or not.

Now, pants are a different story.  Pockets are a must in those for me.

[ThinkingOutLoud]

Unless it totally blends in (ie plaid), chest pockets are a deal breaker for me.

[We rescue cats]

Don't care for pockets on my blouse but pockets at the seams are okay with me. Agree about pants and skirts, in pants it is mandatory and for skirts they are preferred.

[Venezia]

I like (actually prefer) pockets on the side seams of a shirt/blouse.  Pockets on the front, not so much, unless they add some interesting detail.

Whether I bought or not, would depend on the actual top and how it looked on.