I bought my first shirt without a pocket on the left quite by accident. I liked the lightly striped white shirt – the texture of the fabric, the shape of the collar. Only when I opened the package and wore it did I realise it had no pocket. I thought it was a manufacturing defect and took it back to the store. However, I found that, in the language of software, this was no bug; it was a feature, by design. After visiting other stores, I confirmed that this was indeed a trend. Across brands and retailers, European designers were producing shirts without pockets.

Soon the Americans started manufacturing shirts without pockets, brands such as Calvin Klein and Ralph Lauren, for instance. And, I started examining shirts carefully. On many occasions, when dapper salespersons persuaded me to buy shirts, I point out to the absence of the pocket, and ask: “Why?” They say, “European style.” There’s no further explanation. I’ve crossexamined salespersons at Nordstrom, Macy’s, Thomas Pink, and more.

No pocket, no pen

I find myself not wearing the shirt I bought because I cannot carry a pen. Coins may go in trouser pockets, but not pens. And I lose no occasion to blame myself for not examining the shirt before buying it. Of course, I swear more at the designers, manufacturers, and retailers who have foisted this crazy idea on at least half of humankind. I believe I was duped. Why should I check if a shirt had a pocket? Do shirts not have buttons?

Experience tells me that my decisions as a consumer do not reflect the majority. In social science research design-speak, the external validity of my personal conclusions is suspect. On the pocket issue, however, I believe I am on a firm wicket.

Are they trying to save on cloth? I wonder. Are they trying to eliminate the hassle of aligning the pinstripes of the pocket with the rest of the shirt during manufacturing by eliminating the pocket altogether? Maybe, they are doing us consumers a favour so that no leaky ballpoint pen stains the pocket. Why is it that the more expensive the shirt, the greater the likelihood of a missing pocket?

Astonishing array

Indian shirt-makers are astonishing; they frequently have pockets with flaps and buttons on both panels, and for full sleeve shirts, pockets on the sleeves as well, with contrast coloured piping, especially if the shirt is the tight-fitting kind for teenagers, the ultra slim fit. Even India-made T-shirts have pockets in front, something hardly any European or American brand makes.

Indian shirt-makers know no frugality when it comes to pockets, though they will squeeze every inch of cloth from the waist, sleeves, and around the arm in the name of style and economy. Bend and your shirt will pop out from the back; lift your arm, and it will come out from the side, or tear — there’s no concern for comfort.

In Bangalore, I saw a good quality cotton kurta , and bought it. Now in the case of kurtas, I have had ones with a pocket only on the right, ones with right- and left-side pockets, and ones with variable cloth quality. This one had right and left pockets, and a front pocket, and a good thread count. I was delighted. Comfort, no issue — if the salesperson recommends size 38, buy 44.

I think customer interest took fourth place, and no market research was done, when someone ultra-smart at some dressmaker — maybe with an MBA, in the interest of smoothing out the supply chain, and lower costs — decided to eliminate pockets on dress shirts. I hope these pocket-less shirt-makers take a beating in the market, no matter how grand and uppity the brand.

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