We love pockets. Such functional and simple additions, yet so rarely sighted on our most essential clothing. However, designers are finally hearing our woeful lamentations—pockets are now being sighted all over our skirts, dresses, and even our so-called slim-fit pants. Our affection extends to all pocket styles: secret jacket pockets, hidden thigh pockets, and even the oversized pockets on our most comfortable hoodies.

We decided we’d make a guide to the pocket styles for you, so you’re not left behind in the Pocket Revolution!

Pockets can be categorized into several types; amidst these groups there are many variations, including the 7 familiar styles noted here.

Different types of pockets

1. Bellows Pockets
2. Besom Pocket
3. Breast pocket
4. Cowl Pocket
5. Expandable pockets
6. Faux Pockets
7. Flap Pocket
8. Hacking Pocket
9. Hidden Pockets
10. Handwarmer pockets
11. Jeans pockets
12. Pork-Chop pockets
13. Kangaroo Pocket
14. Patch Pocket
15. Pouch pocket
16. Post Box pocket
17. Slit Pocket
18. Slash Pocket or Cross pocket (Curved inset Pocket)
19. Shirt pockets
20. Side pocket (Side seam pocket or hidden seam pocket)
21. Stand pocket
22. Ticket Pocket (Key pocket)
23. Welt pocket (Bound)
24.Zippered Pocket
25. Utility Pocket
26. Yoke seam Pocket



1. Bellows Pockets


Bellows pocket -types of pockets
This type of pocket has a centre box pleat or inverted pleat that expands when the pocket is used. Also called Safari pocket. This pleat can be at the center of the pocket or along the sides. This is a type of expandable pocket.

2. Besom Pocket
Besom pocket
Besom Pockets are inset pockets seen on a man’s suit jacket made with a narrow welted edge above the pocket opening. (welt pockets)

It is a double-besom pocket if both edges have welts. You can find the most common styles of pockets used in suit jackets in the picture below.

POCKET TYPES on jackets
Pockets on jackets – Double welt pocket, Slanted pockets, Flap POckets, Single welt besom pocket, patch pocket
3. Breast pocket
The pocket seen on the upper chest area (left) on men’s jackets. A Besom pocket is a breast pocket.


4. Cowl Pocket
This is a decorative patch pocket that has folds of fabric draped around the opening like a scarf.

5. Expandable pockets
These are pockets which have the capacity to expand if there is a need. This expandability is contained in its design like folds, pleats, tucks and gathers.

You can make a tucked pocket with a central tuck containing the extra fabric or gathered pocket which gathers to the top edge of the pocket. An Accordion pocket is the most common expandable pocket with folds in the sides allowing it to expand and enable you to fill the pocket with all your things.

The cargo pocket is an expandable pocket with a flap usually seen in pants by the name cargo pants. Check out the tutorial to make a cargo pocket

cargo pockets

Many of the pockets given above overlap in their properties; for eg., a welt pocket is also a slit pocket; a cargo pocket is a patch pocket as well as an expandable pocket. A pouch pocket is also an expandable pocket. A pleated patch pocket is also expandable. A flap pocket is a patch pocket with a flap.

6. Faux Pockets
Faux pockets, is a fake pocket – it is a closed up pocket; usually seen in jeggings .



7. Flap Pocket
Flap pocket1


This pocket has a flap covering the slit of the pocket. This type of pocket is usually seen in formal clothes like jackets. The pocket is usually a patch pocket or a welt pocket or a slit pocket. The flap is usually rectangular shaped but angled shaped flaps and curved flaps, angled flaps are also popular.

types of flaps on pockets
The flaps will sometimes have a buttonhole on them with button fastening on the pocket. Usually, the flaps are interfaced for slightly thicker look.

Double flap pockets are particularly popular in casual shirt styles. Double flap pockets are same size pockets on both sides of the chest.

8. Hacking Pocket
This is a slanted pocket placed at an angle on men’s suit jackets/coats. It is located at waistlevel.

9. Hidden Pockets
These are secret pockets that are sewn to the inside of garments to safeguard your belongings. This is usually additionally added and is not visible from the outside. Easy to make they are a must have when traveling.

10. Handwarmer pockets
This is a patch pocket with a side opening which allows you to insert your hand inside.

11. Jeans pockets
Pockets play a very important design detail in jeans. They talk volumes about the style of the person wearing the jeans. The back pockets of jeans come in many shapes – Standard, Rounded, Curved, Arch. They sometimes have different types of flaps -Standard Flaps, Rounded Flaps, Curved Flaps & Asymmetrical Flaps, Pleated Flaps.

12. Pork-Chop pockets
pork chop pockets

This is a kind of oversized front pocket seen on pants and jeans

13. Kangaroo Pocket
kangaroo pocket
This is a patch pocket that is usually seen in the front of garments used by workmen. it usually has two compartments.

14. Patch Pocket
patch pocket

This pocket is as named added as a patch on the garment. It is also the most common type of pocket. You must have seen patch pockets on shirt fronts. It can be of different shapes like square, rectangular, round and even triangular.

Sometimes patch pocket is stitched with a pleat in the front. The pleat is usually a box pleat or an inverted pleat. This pleat is given so that you get more space inside. They are then called the Bellows/Safari Pockets -outside pockets made with center box pleat or inverted pleat that expands when the pocket is used.


15. Pouch pocket
This is the type of pocket that hangs along the side of the garment connected to it only at the top.

16. Post Box pocket
This is a combination of a welt pocket and patch pocket. The Patch is just a decorative element around the slit pocket which is bound in the opening.

17. Slit Pocket
This is one of the most common types of pockets you see in garments. You must have seen this in the back of pants. It is named so because from the outside you only get to see the slits of the pockets. A pocket bag is attached to the slit.

slit pockets

18. Slash Pocket or Cross pocket (Curved inset Pocket)
Cross pockets

Another commonly seen pocket. You have seen it in the front of pants and on skirts. It starts from the waist and goes diagonally down to the sides. This pocket is a kind of back facing to the front of the garment. Sometimes it is shaped as a curve or as straight but slanted. They are also called cutaway pockets

Jeans slash pocket is shaped in a slightly different manner from trouser slash pocket which is more slanting. A scoop pocket is a slash pocket which has a curved shaped.


19. Shirt pockets
shirt pockets
A shirt pocket is a patch pocket. This pocket is top stitched to the garment. The two common types of patch pockets on shirts are angular shaped pockets & round shaped pockets. They are placed on the left side of the shirt. They are usually placed a little above the third buttonhole.

In denim shirts, the patch pocket is topstitched with a double-needle.

It can have the bottom edge straight, round shaped or shaped into a triangle; the top edge can sometimes have a welt effect, with the fabric turned over.

The patch pockets on shirts are usually of size 4 3/4 inch by 5 1/4 inch; they can be slightly smaller as well for smaller shirts. The position of the shirt pockets is about 2.5 inches from the center of the shirt.

20. Side pocket (Side seam pocket or hidden seam pocket)
This is an almost invisible pocket placed in the side seam and is usually seen on tunics. The slit of this pocket will be on the side seam of the garment.


21. Stand pocket
This pocket has a seperate piece of fabric added to the top edge and this stands above the pocket opening.

22. Ticket Pocket (Key pocket)
ticket pocket

This is a pocket inside a pocket. You must have seen this teeny tiny pocket on your jeans – earlier it was supposed to carry your railway ticket. It is usually seen inside the side inset pocket.

23. Welt pocket (Bound)
This is a slit pocket where the slit is finished with a band of a separate piece of fabric or a welt.



24.Zippered Pocket
A zippered opening given to a slit pocket or a patch pocket.


25. Utility Pocket
This is a variation of Kangaroo pocket with different divisions for carrying tools and such, usually seen in the front of the garments.


26. Yoke seam Pocket
This is a slit pocket placed on the yoke.