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A wired jacket with 17 pockets? How cool is that!

The magic words are "washable headphones for your mobile." Almost.

Unlikely though it may seem, one of the highlights of the CTIA Wireless 2003 show in New Orleans next week will be a fashion show. And leading that "Fashion In Motion" show will be a utility jacket with 17 pockets, so that nerds can carry all their mobile crap around with them ...

The jacket comes from ScotteVest, makers of the jacket of that name. They'll star at the show, in conjunction with high tech engineering firm Foster-Miller with what they call "the future generation SCOTTeVEST - code-named Version X."

And the killer feature of the jacket will be Foster-Miller's built-in textile electronic network, making your "earbuds" - the American term for a headset - part of this durable and washable jacket.

Normally the ScotteVest jacket has hidden conduits for ordinary cables - to allow wearers to carry and connect their portable digital devices while "discreetly hiding" the copper. "By integrating Foster-Miller's textile cabling, the interconnectivity will be built right in to the garment," says Scott Jordan.

The company actually found someone with the title of "Technology/Fashion Expert," - it's a woman called Kathy Klingele, who'll produce the Fashion in Motion show.

Klingele commented: " ... there is a huge disconnect between the fashion and technology industries. The ScotteVest was created as a revolutionary, cutting-edge product, which leads the way in this geek-to-chic trend -- this is the future!"

As ScotteVest president Scott Jordan says (and he writes his own PR speeches!) "Today's consumer, anyone who doesn't leave home without a cell phone, wants the convenience of the having necessary digital and communications items on hand. Our goal is to provide a simple, yet stylish, way to make this possible, and the partnership with Foster-Miller takes the ScotteVest to the next level."

Not just the audio headpieces are washable. The term "personal area network" normally means a wireless network; not here. It's going to include the wires - but they'll have to be rather different wires:

"Regular wires weren't designed for the abuse of daily wear," said Foster-Miller Business Development Manager Doug Thomson. "Our cloth systems are comfortable and washable, so you never have to worry about the wires again. Using the network, we are also looking at integrating a central battery to extend the life of all the devices and simplify recharging to just one unit."

Fashion show times are: Monday March 17 (11:30 a.m., 2 p.m., 4 p.m.), Tuesday March 18 (11:30 a.m., 2 p.m., 4 p.m.) and Wednesday March 19 (10:15 a.m., 11 a.m., 1 p.m.).

A limited number of Version X are expected to be available at Scott Jordan's web site, in approximately six to eight months.