Why do pockets sewn shut

This is just one more reason that suit jackets have their pockets sewn shut. While opening the pockets of a single jacket is relatively easy and quick, you have to remember that major manufacturers produce thousands of suits each year. If a manufacturer decides to sell jackets with open pockets, it must invest the time and labor to opening the pockets of each jacket that it sells, which may be thousands or more per year.

Therefore, they choose to leave their pockets sewn shut. From the moment you bring home your suit jacket, you can begin wearing it. This alone is reason enough to at least consider leaving the pockets sewn shut.

Sometimes, though, they turn out to be "real" pockets that have simply been sewn shut. In other words, some pockets can be liberated with the help of a seam ripper, while others would only put a hole in your clothing if you tried to remove the thread.

To help you tell the difference and prevent any damage to your clothing, Business Insider created a video using suit jackets and dress slacks as an example. As Business Insider explains, suit jacket manufacturers sometimes sew the pockets shut to keep them looking fresh and tailored.

World globe An icon of the world globe, indicating different international options. Get the Insider App. Click here to learn more. A leading-edge research firm focused on digital transformation. Good Subscriber Account active since Shortcuts. Account icon An icon in the shape of a person's head and shoulders. It often indicates a user profile. A "cash and carry suit" designed by Elsa Schiaparelli in Philadelphia Museum of Art.

But there are also garments like this circa dress by Edward Molyneux. This Edward Molyneux dress was designed to accentuate a slim waist. And in more modern times, features like the small pocket on jeans, though pretty much useless , are kept around because they help train the eye where to look at the body.

So these kind of design elements linger and are more a visual reference for a design architect than a function. World globe An icon of the world globe, indicating different international options.

Get the Insider App. Click here to learn more. A leading-edge research firm focused on digital transformation. Jacob Shamsian. Take heed: Some "fake pockets" on dresses and skirts may actually be real. They're actually just sewn shut and can be opened easily. However, fashion historian Sarah C. The tension between fashion and function when it comes to pockets has been around for centuries.