Pockets, or Lack Thereof

[nicothoe]

One of the biggest problems I face when wearing skirts is suddenly finding myself without pockets. So where do I put my keys, my wallet, my must-stay-constantly-connected-to-the-internet smart phone? A lot of the time I just casually deposit said items into my wife's handbag, but when she is not around, I am left carrying them. Dilemma!!!

I probably need to find a bag of some sort, I am just not sure what type. A small rucksack, a shoulder bag, a fanny pack (U.K. translation: bumbag), a sporran?

I am curious what solutions my fellow skirted friends have adopted.

[owen]

I always need somewhere to store my hands, so what I do is look for hiking/outdoor/travel skirts. They always have decent pockets, and usually also a small zipped pocket for valuables.

The skirt I'm currently wearing is a lightweight Sprayway travel skirt which looks and feels something like linen, but is made of nylon. It has two good deep pockets and a big zipped security pocket at the front, and two patch pockets at the back.

[RichardA]

one word - manbag

[crfriend]

I probably need to find a bag of some sort, I am just not sure what type. A small rucksack, a shoulder bag, a fanny pack (U.K. translation: bumbag), a sporran?

I am curious what solutions my fellow skirted friends have adopted.

Before the advent of the "smart phone" that I am expected to carry for work every three weeks (when I work 24x7) I thought I'd licked the problem by simply carrying less around -- and it worked pretty well. I had gotten my wallet to the point where I can carry it in a shirt pocket, and when I needed to keep a close leash on my car-keys I took to wearing them on a lanyard about my neck. However, the new device ruined that course of action, as did my transition to lighter (pocketless) skirts and (sometimes) pocketless Hawaiian shirts.

Given the above, I've taken to carrying one of Sapphire's old bags. It can be carried as a clutch, but it also has a shoulder-strap; I use both modes, depending on need and mood. The thing is about 6 inches by 9 inches and is large enough to carry my wallet, my cell' 'phone, the device from work, and the reading-glasses that make it possible to actually use the work device. I carry it in public and have received no grief. It is also sequined. At work, the bag and car-keys get locked in my filing-cabinet and I carry the keys to that around my neck.

Sapphire is in the process of constructing me another one of about the same size, this one being crocheted twine; at the moment, we're waiting on the fastenings for the lid and a shoulder strap. This one looks a bit more "manly", and I think it just looks cool -- and it's hand-made by somebody I adore.

For heavy carrying, I use a canvas bag I received at a USENIX conference a number of years ago; this is the one I carry stuff in when I am going sailing. It fits a 4-pack of Guinness, spare socks, my windbreaker, a large sandwich for lunch, two liter-sized bottles of water, a backup pair of trousers, and my camera. The handles are long enough to get over one shoulder, which is good because all-up it weighs about 13 pounds, and I loop the chin-strap of my hat over the handles to carry that. In this case, wallet an mobile are in pockets in the skirt I'm wearing, in the case of the Macabi the wallet goes in the zippered pocket. Keys are carried on the lanyard.

[tesjolts]

I find the same problem with denim skirts. It's tough to find one with decent pockets.

The mocker utilikilt offers deep pockets but it's also quite expensive.

[Uncle Al]

This is a copy of my post from 18 Oct 2010----

Personally I do not like a kilt with pockets. That's why I use a
fancy shoulder/cross-body bag without the main strap. I have
attached universal sporran suspenders which wrap around my
belt and snap together. (Get these from Stillwaterkilts.com)

The 'bag' I use came from Wilson Leather.
This is an example of what the bag looks like...

Alas, it appears that the one I have is not made anymore. Mine has
lasted 15 years. Granted I've had to re-sew the 'D' ring attachment
points (one side only) a few times, and the nylon lining as given up
the ghost between the front two pockets, but I'm very satisfied with
the product. It carries a lot more 'stuff' than my traditional sporran.

Hope this info helps

Uncle Al

[Since1982]

Another word, converting big pocket shorts into straight skirts. I have a half dozen pairs of cargo shorts converted into skirts with up to 6 huge button or velcro closing pockets each.

[ramoninaskirt]

Converting cargo shorts is a excellent idea for everyday out and about skirts. I have a shop near me that make alterations and I'll be taking them a pair of my cargo shorts and see if I can get them to do the conversion. This will be interesting to say the least. I'm going to make it clear that this is to fit me. Levis used to make a 'deconstrucked skirt' but I can't find it in my size. When I get a price I'll post it here.

[Don]

Yep! A HUGE problem with a men's skirt. My Men-in-Time skirt has NO pockets! I went round-and-round on this one with the Men-in-Time folks, and their tailor told me that a pocket would destroy the grace flow-and-hang of the skirt. They're probably right, but it would also make the skirt wearable, something it now is not...

Two solutions here:

First I am considering sewing a small pocket in the liner of the skirt, and then getting a wallet small enough to slip into this pocket. An AluminaWallet looks like it might do the job.

The other solution is to get a manbag that doesn't look ANYTHING AT ALL like a womans handbag. Check out the AmeriBag (www.ameribag.com),

[r.m.anderson]

Very nice 'manbag'.
The only thing I do not like about a bag hanging off my rear is that it out of view and if you are in the crime area of a large
metropolitan city a thief with a small razor knife can be off with your important stuff before you might notice.
The odds of that happening are somewhat remote; yet I like my manbag fanny bum bag sporran or whatever you what to
label it to be right in front where I can see it and in some respects also FEEL IT !
None of my skirts or kilts have pockets and the only pockets on my skorts are the tennis ball pockets on the sides of the compression
shorties under the outer skirt.
As for the damn pants; trousers or slacks I prefer womens fitted pants sans pockets.
Awhile ago one poster noted for medical health reasons to avoid have a wallet or other fat device placed in the rear pocket(s). This caused
stressful spinal problems. Solution have side cargo pockets on your kilt. Not feasible for most skirts.
Thus back to square one - what to do about your stuff when no pockets are available.
So the 'manbag' is one neat solution; but consider wearing it across the chest in front.
There are also money belts and something I saw awhile back a garter belt money belt worn underneath a skirt or kilt at mid thigh
or at the ankle if wearing pants. A somewhat ackward way to retrieve your cash or credit card to make a purchase/payment.
Some folks could survive with just a Passport; drivers license and a credit card of two.
For myself I like to have my leatherman tool; a small flashlight; pen & pencil; small retractable tape measure (to measure size on
clothing); and all the essential insurance; AARP; medical cards & AAA auto club card.
As for actual money - a few dollars and coins covers it - plastic will take care of the big other stuff.
All this stuff fits comfortably in my fanny bum bag (worn in front-not back) with the cell phone clipped on the bags belt.
That is my comfort level - everyones circumstances will of course vary.
Kilts are made with optional pockets and some denin skirts have pockets resembling jean pants as for skirts in general it will be a tough
sell to have pockets added to satisfy the needs of men skirt wearers for the moment. Eventually it will happen.

"Skirted-But-Pocketless"!
rma

[steve66oh]

I have a small video camera, a 30GB JVC Everio, and a medium size camera bag to keep it in. When I carry it, I also keep my wallet, keys, checkbook and smokes in it. It works just like a purse, but it's rectangular with the top zippered on three sides - and nobody has ever given me a second look for carrying a camera case.

[straightfairy]

I don't buy skirts any more without pockets, but use a day rucksack as a 'man-bag'.

[Kilted_John]

The skirts I usually wear don't have pockets. During the summer, I usually just carry my wallet (with phone inside - have a wallet that looks like a normal guy's wallet, except for two things: there's a strap with a snap to keep the billfold portion closed, and a coin purse on the outside, which happens to fit my phone perfectly) and keys in one hand. During the fall, spring, and winter, when it's cool enough, I'm either wearing a sweatshirt, fleece vest, or my parka, which all have pockets for stuff. Next summer, I might see if there's a holster that'd carry my waller on my thigh. Yeah, it might be a little awkward either answering the phone or getting the wallet out to pay for something, but, at the same time, if I'm hiking or riding a bike, it'll solve the issue of finding a place to put things.

-J

[Since1982]

I don't think I could exist in a skirt without pockets. The least amount of pockets I have is 3, 2 front and one rear. My converted cargo shorts into skirts have 9 pockets. A watch pocket, a hidden pocket inside a front pocket for keys etc. 4 ziplocked deep pockets at waist level, 2 ziplocked pockets at just above the knee level and another small keys pocket on my hip. With nothing in my pockets on that skirt I still look like I'm carrying stuff in them. I wore a skirt with no pockets that I'd just bought and hadn't added pockets yet and had to go home and changed to a pocketed skirt because I kept unconsciously reaching for pockets that weren't there. No, I don't think I could stand an unpocketed skirt. O well, to each his own.

[Stevie D]

I find all this reluctance and angst by so many people to carry a bag mildly amusing and sad at the same time. For goodness sake, what IS the problem? If you are man enough to wear a skirt, are you not man enough to carry a bag instead of stuffing pockets full of day-to-day paraphernalia?

I've been using a shoulder bag of one sort or another on a daily basis for years and years, regardless of whether or not I am wearing a skirt or any other design of lower body clothing. Has anyone ever made any adverse comment about it to me, or treated me with any less respect? No, never, not once.

Bags don't have to be girly, nor do they imply girliness. There are plenty of bags out there suitable for even the most macho of blokes. Walk around my city, and you will see dozens of men, particularly the younger ones, carrying all sorts of styles of bags, shoulder bags, messenger bags, satchels, city rucksacks, etc. Carrying a bag is just plain common sense and nothing else, no different from wearing a raincoat in wet weather.