Coffee Table Book: Inappropriately Contextualized T-Shirts from Around the 3rd World | Main | Top Ten Mispronounced Versions of Seattle Rape Relief 

September 13, 2003

Office Utility Belt

I had this idea when I was office manager at a feminist-oriented non-profit. The thing is, I always wear skirts or dresses,which have no pockets. Indeed, most proper woman's office garb does not include pockets. And yet I found myself running around the office needing various "tools" all the time -- stapler, staple remover, stamps, letter opener, sometimes even a hammer.

I began wearing aprons at work so that I would have pockets to put things in. I have to admit: I thought it was pretty cute. Working in a feminized position (secretarial), wearing this feminine (yet decontextualized) garb. But then I had a better idea: My mother is a carpenter, and she gets to wear this totally handy and cool carpenter's belt, which has a place for ALL her tools. Why not a tool belt for office workers? It would have a tape dispenser, place for a letter opener holder, notary stamp, cordless phone, a small screwdriver for fiddling with the fax machine -- well, you get the idea. In short, an office utility belt.

I think it's a really great idea.

I went to an "Octoberfest" thing tonight with my friend Jim to see Brave Combo, and there were all these booths there, including one selling utility kilts. I tried to sell the guy staffing the booth on the idea of office utility belts, and he was not very interested. He said the guy running the store was really going after men. Well! If he's not interested, I guess that leaves the market wide open for me. And the thing is, the utility kilt is taking a market of people who already have something that's basically pretty functional -- pants. And giving them a possibly more comfortable (that's why I wear skirts) but generally less functional option: kilts. Whereas office utilty belts would really be adding value to people's lives in a totally functional way.

You could do them in all kinds of cute styles, too. And I love the idea of slinging your office utility belt over the back of your roller office chair when the clock stricks 5.

Posted by mary at September 13, 2003 12:05 AM

Comments

Post a comment