Watching the rise and fall of cargo pocket volume over a decade

I was cleaning out my closet and found a pair of cargo pants I bought in 2014. The pockets were these huge, saggy boxes that could hold a water bottle. My new pair from this year has pockets that are basically flat, just a slim flap of fabric. The shift from 2014 to now is huge, and I think it's because streetwear and slim fits took over, making bulky utility look dated. But I'm seeing some newer techwear designs bringing back bigger pockets, just with cleaner lines. So is this a full cycle back to utility, or are we stuck in a minimalist phase for good? What's the next move for functional pockets in everyday design?

3 comments

3 Comments

lopez.emery16d ago

Oh man, I feel this so hard. I held onto my old cargo shorts for years because you could actually fit stuff in them, but they look so out of place now. I think the slim fit trend really did kill practical pockets for a while. But you're right, I'm seeing those bigger pockets come back in more stylish tech fabrics, which gives me hope. Maybe we're heading for a sweet spot where things look clean but you can still carry your phone and keys without them bulging weirdly. Fingers crossed for that, because I'm tired of everything going into my back pockets.

lopez.emery16d ago

The slim fit trend was rough, but it didn't actually kill pockets for that long. Baggy pants with huge pockets came back into style pretty fast. I guess it felt longer because we were all stuck with those tight jeans. The real problem now is that some pants have fake pockets or ones too shallow to use. We might get that sweet spot, but brands still try to sell us useless clothes.

parkerbrown15d ago

The fake pocket thing is the worst part of the whole cycle. It's pure style over any function at all, which feels like a step back. Hopefully the move to techwear means brands actually have to make things work again.