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Piggy bank? It’s time you treated your pocket better

It’s time to show off our shirt pockets with eccentric cuts and styles that exhibit simplicity and yet highlight a play of contrasts.

Emphasising new styles and fashionable cuts on shirt pockets, Lokesh Ahuja, a Bangalore-based fashion designer, opines: “Pockets on shirts do make the ensemble look complete, but they are there more for functionality than for lending the look.”

Depending on the style of the shirt and the occasion, pockets can be designed to make the garment look chic, light and dressy.

“For men who are dressed mostly in formal suits, a shirt pocket is not really necessary, while the formal safari shirts can opt for a single chest pocket with a flap which helps to retain the traditional look,” advises Lokesh. Maaz Khan, a relationship manager with Citibank, enjoys wearing cotton full sleeved shirts with a single chest pocket. “A pocket completes any formal ensemble. Also it helps to keep a few visiting cards and a pen handy, as it marks professionalism and easy accessibility,” he opines.

For those men who are experimental, casual shirts can be constructed with single and double chest pockets that can be further highlighted with contemporary embroidery. Patches can also be used. So can detailed embellishments such as cut work and layering.

Sohan Ramesh, a 20-something lad, uses a lot of patch work on this pockets as it looks cool and also helps to correct blunders. “I once burnt the pocket of an expensive shirt while ironing it. Since I paid a huge sum, I did not want to discard it. That’s when I decided to stitch a patch on the pocket. It not only made it more wearable, but also added colour and design to the shirt,” opines Sohan.

For those who want to experiment with the 70’s look, double chest pockets with box pleat flap or a classic flap can be a good idea. If you are getting your shirts tailored, opt for pockets that are styled in a cross-cut pattern or a horizontal cut.

Diagonally cut pockets with subtle detailing lend a decent fit and also enhance the overall feel. All these patterns will compliment plain, stripped and checked shirts.

Roshan Dalwani, an assistant manager at Encompass Events, has shirts comprising double chest pockets with flaps that look trendy and fashionable. “Such pockets look good on half sleeve shirts and on semi formal shirts. They can be worn at a formal dinner party or a semi-formal corporate party,” says Roshan.

To add a sporty feel, Velcro or zips can do the magic; else a variety of well-detailed buttons can highlight the pocket, advises Lokesh.

Pockets have also started finding a place in the woman’s wardrobe.

“Keeping the feminine body in mind, pockets must be placed at the lower section of the garment; these look neat and comfortable,” says Shoba Lund, a Bangalore based fashion designer.

Shruti Mehta prefers wearing cargo shirts with dimensional pockets and double chest pocket shirts with pleated flaps as they add extra weight and flare to her slim body.

This style goes well with jeans, capris, skirts and shorts. “Plain straight cut pockets or diamond cut pockets are advisable on plain shirts. The pockets can be highlighted with patch work or with an artistic painting that can be bordered with a piping. Polka dots in contrast colours can also be designed on the pocket. On a shirt with vertical stripes, a horizontal cut pocket with colourful piping will look fabulous,” advises Shoba.

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