Dear clothing companies, corporations, creators, designers, and producers:

For the past decade, I have been an active consumer of your merchandise and as an avid consumer of your products, I think some changes need to occur. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve loved what you’ve done in the past centuries with zippers and buttons (I’ll overlook the questionable trends in the 70’s and 80’s), but since it is the 21st century, you really need to update a few things. 

1. This is 2015. Why are you still putting itchy, uncomfortable tags in clothes? Yes, they’re good for sizing (but every store puts their own size tags on anyway), and yes, it’s helpful sometimes to know how the item should be washed, but as someone who hates doing laundry, who shoves two loads worth of clothes into one, I definitely don’t bother checking the tags. So please, save some thread. 

2. The last time I went into a store that sold men’s and women’s clothing, I noticed there was an overabundance of pockets in men’s clothing and little to none in the women’s. What’s up with that? I would like functional pockets in every dress, skirt, sweater, cardigan, and hoodie, as well as in every expected piece of clothing, please. You know, like jeans and pants. Don’t you dare use fake pockets. And don’t make pockets that are only useful to hold chapstick. Or half my phone. Or three of my fingers. I know you’re probably only doing this so we spend money on more accessories like bags and purses, but for once in my life I’d like to go out without a bag or carrying my wallet around in my hand, where I will inevitably set it down someplace and then spend half an hour frantically running around Target looking for it.  

3. Would it be too much to ask for if all clothing came in measurements instead of this strange system where one size is different for every brand and style? I guarantee that if I knew the specific measurements of a shirt or pair of jeans, I would be more likely to buy them if I knew they would fit, especially if I didn’t have time to try them on in the store. Especially for online shopping, measurements really need to be included with the item description. 

4. I am really tired of you not using the same quality of fabric in the men’s and women’s departments. I do not appreciate translucent t-shirts that rip after three washes. Or cardigans that have holes in the armpits after one season. Or sweatshirts that are so thin you have to wear another sweatshirt to keep warm. I realize I don’t have to buy thin t-shirts if I don’t want to, or cardigans if I think they look too cheap, but if I only have to switch from one gendered department of a store to another, there’s a problem.

5. And while we’re on the subject of gender, can you just not gender clothing? Why does this plain black t-shirt have to be a men’s t-shirt? Or this gray cardigan? Or button-up shirt? Why do dresses and skirts have to be constantly gendered as “women’s clothing”? There are some issues regarding the different body types of women and men, but why don’t you categorize clothing by body shapes instead of size or gender? 

And finally:

6. There is no such thing as “one size fits all” (looking at you, hat designers).