How to Add Interchangeable Pockets to Your Clothes

As basic as they are, we’ll never get over how convenient pockets can be. The trend of including them in skirts and dresses has been a huge win for fashionable ladies, and it’s actually pretty easy to add them to your tops as well. We scouted out a few gorgeous textiles and paired them with basics from American Apparel as well as goodies from Velcro Industries to create our own interchangeable pocket tops. Read on to find out how!

Materials:
– tank top

– sweatshirt

– patterned fabric

– VELCRO® Brand Attach-A-Patch

Tools:
– sewing machine

– fabric scissors

– printable pocket templates (tank + sweatshirt)

The materials for this are minimal, but the sewing machine is crucial.

1. Pocketed Tank: This look screams summer festival to us, especially because you can stow a little bit of cash and even a card in the pocket if you need to. With this one, the pocket closes at the top.

Download and print our shirt pocket template. Trace into your fabric and cut out.

Take that same template and cut off the seam allowances on all sides. Trace onto VELCRO® Brand Attach-A-Patch. Cut out the pieces so that they’ll fit together nicely on the tank. Lay out on the tank and sew the hook side right on.

Now back to that pocket. Fold the seam allowances over onto the pocket, take the other side (loop side) of the VELCRO® Brand Attach-A-Patch and sew.

Place on your tank top, and you’re done!

How cute and handy is that?

2. Pocketed Sweatshirt: Sometimes it’s not quite hoodie weather, but you could use the comfort of a pocket in a summer weight sweatshirt. We went with cool tones on this one.

Trace your sweatshirt pocket template onto fabric. The hoodie pocket won’t quite fit onto a standard piece of paper so we printed it in two halves. Cut out the fabric and repeat for as many pockets as you’d like to make.

Now, cut the seam allowances off the pocket template and trace into VELCRO® Brand Attach-A-Patch. You’ll probably need to do this in a couple different sections since this pocket is larger than the tank.

Sew the hook side onto the sweatshirt.

Iron the seams on your pocket down and get the loop side of your VELCRO® Brand Attach-A-Patch ready to go. Sew it right on there, creating clean seams in the process.

Et voila! Another adorably pocketed garment.

Doesn’t it look cozy?

Which of these two projects will you try at home? What other cool things have you made using VELCRO® Brand products? Any ideas for projects we should try here at Brit HQ? Talk to us in the comments below.

In our Take 5 series, sponsored by Verizon, we ask women in business about unexpected challenges, their inspirations, recent wins, and how the free Verizon Small Business Digital Ready Program has helped propel their business forward. Here, we meet Therise Edwards, founder/CEO of Teshley Solutions, an education consultancy firm that helps students and families navigate the complexities of the education system K through 12.

What is an unexpected business challenge that you faced and how did you overcome it?

I wouldn't call myself a FAFSA (Free Application for Student Aid) expert, but I ended up having to know a lot more about it than I ever anticipated. FAFSA is what administers Pell Grants, which is what a lot of colleges base their financial aid on. I knew about the application changes, and some were excellent, but they made a series of critical errors and a lot of parents were scrambling. It was not my intent to have this as my area of focus; it just became a necessity.

What's a recent small win for your business?

Recent small wins are my collaborations. I formed partnerships with one organization that focuses on students with special needs. I hosted a webinar with the executive director of that organization. I formed a partnership with members from an insurance company on planning and paying for college. That was my first corporate sponsorship. And I've got a series of events coming out because others actually reached out to me. One of them I met through another networking platform, but I got to that platform from one of the sessions that I did with Verizon Small Business Digital Ready Program.

How did you start to collaborate with external partners?

Just changing my strategies and my approach, and just being more secure and more emphatic in making connections. It ends up being this continual cycle.

Is there a woman in business that you admire or that you look up to?

I have two. Leontyne Anglin, who runs a nonprofit called Beyond Expectations. She works with a small pool of students, but she just gives them enormous exposure and opportunity. She's brilliant with collaborating with individuals and businesses and really bringing the students what they need. And then the other on a bigger scale is Cate Luzio, founder and CEO of Luminary, who taught her Business Plan Bootcamp through the Verizon Small Business Digital Ready Program. She is just a dynamo. She is just so supportive of women entrepreneurs. She's awesome.

How did the Verizon Small Business Digital Ready Program help propel your business forward?

All of the collaborations and partnerships with the exception of one all came from joining the Verizon Small Business Digital Ready Program. I’ve taken all of the free classes and the one on projections and pricing, something every entrepreneur struggles with, was very helpful. There have been so many of them. Sometimes you're completely ignorant in a category so you take the class and it's like, okay, that's good to have. But then sometimes you sign up for it and it's like, oh, yeah, I did know 90 percent of that, but this other 10 percent is going to be very, very helpful.

Learn more about the free Verizon Small Business Digital Ready Program and Teshley Solutions.

Illustration by Daniela Jordan-Villaveces


Selena Gomez & Benny Blanco are engaged! And as excited as we are for the happy couple, their friends are even more excited. (Although based on Selena's selfies, no one is as excited as her. Duh!!). Everyone from Nina Dobrev (who's also recently engaged to Shaun White) to Rare Beauty and Benny himself commented on the post. But no one made me smile as much as Selena's BFF Taylor Swift!

Keep reading to see what Taylor Swift said about Selena Gomez's engagement.

Taylor Swift's comment on Selena Gomez's engagement announcement is the most BFF response ever.

Selena Gomez's engagement post includes four photos: a close-up shot of her ring, followed by a picnic, a selfie, and a photo of Benny with his arms around her. "forever begins now," she captioned the post.

"yes I will be the flower girl," Taylor Swift joked in the comments. I know Taylor would look beautiful as part of Selena's wedding party (even if her 'fit isn't as dramatic as the "I Bet You Think About Me" music video!). Taylor herself has been subjected to engagement rumors for years, and her BF Travis Kelce recently spoke on the rumors this summer during the Big Slick Celebrity Weekend's onstage comedy sketch.

When Jason Sudeikis asked, "When are you going to make an honest woman out of her?" Travis responded with, "Guys, you're really pushing it." Travis' mom Donna just told Page Six at the Glamour Women of the Year Awards, “we will see what happens. You never know.”

In addition to Taylor Swift's comment, Benny Blanco said, "hey wait… that’s my wife," while Nina Dobrev commented, "YES !!!! Congratulations!!!!! So happy for you both!!!! 🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍‼️"

The official Rare Beauty account commented, "CONGRATULATIONS 🥹💍 so happy for you two!!"

Jennifer Aniston said, "HONEY!! Congratulations sweet mama! ❤️💫" while Lily Collins commented, "Ahhhhhhhh yes yes yes!! Best news ever. Couldn’t be more happy for you both ❤️❤️❤️❤️"

Do you hope Taylor Swift winds up in Selena Gomez's wedding? If you're loving this celebrity wedding news, check out Gavin Casalegno & Cheyanne King's Beautiful Wedding Photos.

In our Take 5 series, sponsored by Verizon, we ask women in business about unexpected challenges, their inspirations, recent wins, and how the free Verizon Small Business Digital Ready Program has helped propel their business forward. Here, we meet Rita Suzanne, a marketing strategist for health and wellness businesses who learned to network, connect with other entrepreneurs, and build her business online and IRL.

What's an unexpected business challenge that you've had to face and how did you overcome it?

The hardest thing for me was my sister passed away and I ended up taking custody of my nieces. I ended up being a single mom of four kids. This is the thing that transitioned my whole entire life. I stopped doing web design and started my podcast Mom Owned and Operated. I wanted to reconnect with other moms and figure out how they were able to run their businesses and raise a family and take care of themselves because I wasn't able to do all three at the same time. Through that journey, I realized that I really needed to connect with other people and how important it was for my business. It helped me to create that community that I was yearning for that I didn't realize that I needed.

What's a recent small win for your business?

For me, the win was just pivoting back to something that I actually wanted to do. Also, I’ve started to say no to things that I no longer want to do.

Who is a woman in business that you look up to and why?

I have always admired and looked up to Amy Porterfield [author of Two Weeks Notice]. I listened to her all the time when I was starting out. I think that she's amazing and I love her stuff. She just seems like a very genuine person.

Is there a resource that has made an impact on you as an entrepreneur?

I listen to a lot of audio books. One of my favorites that has been huge for me is You Are A Badass by Jen Sincero. I was told when I first started my business, by a friend who was a business coach, that I have a mindset problem. Ten years ago, I had no idea even what “mindset” was. Sincero’s book helped me to see what she meant by “mindset” and helped me adjust that mindset and fix some of the things that I didn't realize were broken.

How has the Verizon Small Business Digital Ready Program helped propel your business forward?

There are a lot of things that I have loved about it. There are local networking and training opportunities, and that has been great, and the online training is very valuable. It's a great resource. I find that marketing needs a three-tiered approach, meaning you need to network it locally, socially, and then also have a very comprehensive online approach to your marketing. One of the Verizon Small Business trainings that I took was all about taking advantage of your local resources. I found that to be extremely valuable because often people think they need to just focus on social media. I don't think that people focus enough on their local community.

Learn more about the free Verizon Small Business Digital Ready Program and Rita Suzanne.

Illustration by Daniela Jordan-Villaveces

First there was Austin Butler as Elvis, then Timothée Chalamet as Bob Dylan and Jeremy Allen White as Bruce Springsteen. And now, after months of rumors, we finally got insider confirmation that Paul Mescal will be starring in a Beatles movie! (TBH after showing off his singing chops during SNL, I'd expect no less). Not only did Ridley Scott tell the world that Paul will be in the new movies, but sources confirmed to Variety that he's attached to the project.

Here's everything you need to know about Paul Mescal's Beatles movie — including which member of the band he's attached to play.

Ridley Scott seemingly confirms Paul Mescal's Paul McCartney casting.

During a Christopher Nolan, Gladiator 2 director Ridley Scott was asked if Paul Mescal was starring in his next film The Dog Stars. “Yes,” Ridley says. “Maybe. Paul is actually stacked up, doing the Beatles next. So I may have to let him go.”

While Paul Mescal's involvement in Sony's upcoming Beatle biopic quartet (say that five times fast) has been around the rumor mill, the news hasn't actually been confirmed by the movie studio. Um, does that mean Ridley Scott just leaked the information to the entire world?! I feel like this is information I'm not supposed to have.

Even though we don't have official casting news on the films, we do know that Sam Mendes is making four biopics, one for each of the band members. The movies will intersect to “tell the astonishing story of the greatest band in history,” per Variety.

Here's what Paul Mescal had to say about those Beatles biopic rumors.

Paul's rumored to play Paul McCartney, and told GQ in October 2024 that he "would love to be involved, but there’s nothing set in stone,” before telling ET at the Gladiator 2 Los Angeles premiere that "it would be an incredible story to be attached to. The fact that Sam Mendes is attached to direct, it truly would be a dream come true."

Fan casts for the other members of The Beatles include Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Asa Butterfield, Barry Keoghan, and Tom Holland — which I would totally be here for TBH!

What do you think about these casting rumors? Would you like to see Paul Mescal in a Beatles movie? If you're loving these music biopics, don't forget to check out why Monica Barbaro Said Meeting Timothée Chalamet On A Complete Unknown Was A "Beautiful, Magical Day".

Minimal effort — that's our favorite phrase. Do a bit of arranging, brushing, and drizzling, then let the oven take care of the rest of the work for a dinner that's sure to end up on your regular recipe rotation. We use chopped potatoes, carrots, and red onion in this honey mustard chicken recipe, but you could easily replace 'em with baby new potatoes, baby carrots, and shallots (or scallions) to skip the knife work!

Bonus: Throw a bit of cooked couscous or quinoa in the leftovers (maybe a cheeky sprinkling of goat cheese too), and tomorrow's lunch is sorted. If you love the sheet-pan method, take a look at some of these veggie sheet pan dinners.

Now onto our delicious honey mustard chicken recipe!

Ingredients for Sheet Pan Honey Mustard Chicken

Brit + Co

  • 3 large red-skinned potatoes, chopped into bite-size chunks
  • 2 large carrots, peeled and chopped into bite-size chunks
  • 1 large red onion, peeled and sliced into chunky wedges
  • 4 chicken breasts
  • 3 tablespoons honey
  • 1 tablespoon whole-grain mustard
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 medium head of broccoli, broken into florets
  • 20 asparagus spears
  • Small bunch of parsley, finely chopped

Directions for Sheet Pan Honey Mustard Chicken

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

2. Arrange the potatoes, carrots, onion, and chicken breasts on a large sheet pan.

Brit + Co

3. Mix together the honey, mustard, and brown sugar. Brush this mixture on the chicken breasts. Drizzle two tablespoons of the oil over the chicken and vegetables, then sprinkle on the salt and pepper. Bake in the oven for 25 minutes.

Brit + Co

4. Take the sheet pan out of the oven. Use a spatula to turn the vegetables over, then add the broccoli and asparagus. Drizzle on the remaining oil and sprinkle on another pinch of salt and pepper. Place back in the oven to cook for a further 5-10 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and the vegetables are tender.

Brit + Co

5. Sprinkle with parsley and serve!

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This post has been updated.