Geekwear -- want that coat with a pocket for your GPS-enabled Palm?
Walter Mossberg writes about the growing array of clothing made with special pockets and compartments according to this Wall Street Journal story (subscription required) -- a la the old Safari/Photographer's Vest of the 70s or 80s which I still own -- which I also just saw on a friend's new jacket this Christmas.
You know the scenario: A cellphone rings and someone scrambles to find the phone in a bottomless purse or bag. She detangles and then attaches her "hands-free" headset to the phone and finally starts talking if the caller hasn't hung up yet. Or someone who uses multiple digital devices can't seem to remember in which pocket he crammed his Global Positioning Service-enabled Palm Pilot in time to turn right on Michigan Avenue.
But now, the clothing industry -- or a tiny branch of it -- has come up with garments specifically designed for toting all these gadgets and using them conveniently. These items range from marketing gimmicks to impressive new technology, and my assistant, Katie, and I have been trying out some of them. To our surprise, they didn't make us look as geeky as we'd feared they might.