Alternative to pockets?

[TravellingJack]

Although some of the skirts and dresses I’ve bought in recent years have pockets, I have plenty of older clothes that don’t, that I would like to be able to wear without worrying about where I’m going to put things, especially at work when I only have my rucksack and I’m just popping to the toilet or to another office. I’m not surgically attached to my phone but do sometimes need to take it with me, or have other small bits (tampons, tissues, lip balm etc etc) that I need.

Is there a solution that does not involve me learning to add pockets? Much as I’d like to learn to sew at some point, I simply don’t have the time, inclination or equipment, and some fabrics (e.g. leather or satin) are going to be tricky for skilled people, so no matter how simple it is, it’s not an option for me!

The only thing I can think of other than a bumbag is one of those money belt things you used to get for airport travel - think my dad had one in the 80s! Does a stylish version of this exist? Or something better?

@RampantIvy , usually the keys and wallet are in my pockets anyway. Taking the phone is no different, I suppose, to locking my laptop, which I have to do.

Imagine if you did leave these items and they vanished. As I said, why take risks?

Imagine if you did leave these items and they vanished. As I said, why take risks?

I just didn't work in the kind of workplace where that would happen, so I thought what kind of workplace do you work in where it might be a risk? Anyway, you have opened my eyes.

@ there was an incident at work where a patient stole a staff member's car keys, then her car.

The car was found but she couldn't get it back as it was now evidence (for a separate crime - sexual assault).

NHS

@RampantIvy sorry my last post was meant as a response!

I work somewhere where people have been security cleared and everyone is a graduate etc but that doesn't mean I'm going to assume that there couldn't possibly be someone light-fingered or a bit of a prankster.

My coffee mug vanished at a previous (DBS-checked, all graduates on my floor, blah-di-blah) workplace. It wasn't even a nice mug although it did have a quirky slogan on it. If they'd asked, I could have brought in the others from the set.

In our office I didn't but it was a open plan card access office with only the two teams I worked with in about 20 people in total.

I also worked in a lab as part of the university and we had individual lockers as there were frequent thefts of tablets and laptops so wouldn't trust anything there.

A colleague had his laptop stolen after visiting another company in a local science park he put it down when he was getting coffee and accidentally walked off with out it. Although say that, we had lab equipment stolen before we moved the lab to the uni.

We did an outreach/charitable day school once and there were about 40 of us there and had 6 wallets, 8 phones and 2 laptops stolen. I had my phone and keys on but had left my purse in my bag as I couldn't fit it my pockets. Mine wasn't taken but I did swap to a purse I could fit in pockets in similar situations.

Wow. It sounds like I have been really lucky with the places I have worked, and with the people I have worked with.

I have these in different colours! I can fit phone (with bulky case), card wallet (inside pocket), minimal keys (outside pocket), hand sanitiser, glasses wipe, which is all my necessities, and everything is easily retrievable. Could probably pack in something else like a pack of tissues but it starts to get a bit bulky and hard to pull things out without shuffling.

There’s a larger version that you can pack a paperback into apparently.

Fits my passport too! Also they are made from canvas and I put them in the washing machine and they come out fine.

@Cleansweeper there was a great looking alternative to the Roku posted up thread by @RampantIvy .
https://www.amazon.co.uk/FuninCrea-Crossbody-Waterproof-Lightweight-Adjustable/dp/B0FCDYFSY5/ref=sr_1_1?adgrpid=1176478397365764&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.fJKJ-znPjGQhZ7Ji4knvQgtVGI6VXbWmIv3d4M4ycnYjdvZr1X45P-GOh3LqvWGeFSq1nS_9ZFH5S8IIvTSVTWLB2uMes3NtgHS8neD2DnklRmnrKR7GCcg5t49si-L3kFPh15mOuHfC4rDBWIPwKf38It10rVWJ31pbLjJHGUGK7HbZqa8H8pL-z9HpwY-M6-sYzjnretK5jAN8rvaMzA5d90kjqi2LBnfyQJTFIzj733B2s-HEz50bWzFcCo6wy01P9cMP-tFkhaRr5hePiot6TZviUKJEGR0YtlK7zXY.jgDXV6p9_ZUHAlAAJcWUS_xqJhsiGSI28iPXGSm6KWg&dib_tag=se&gb=2&hvadid=73530113469960&hvbmt=be&hvdev=c&hvexpln=0&hvlocphy=133671&hvnetw=o&hvocijid=17491104274199556983--&hvqmt=e&hvtargid=kwd-73530077901870%3Aloc-188&hydadcr=23462_1839812&keywords=small%2Bflat%2Bcross%2Bbody%2Bbag&mcid=e154d44e35fd30dbae4e1e95e3a9645b&qid=1789197225&sr=8-1&th=1&tag=mumsnet&ascsubtag=mnforum-style-and-beauty-5577356-alternative-to-pockets

I bought one of these in Matalan to hold a bottle of water on holiday. They’re only £6 and some colours now £2.50. You could keep it in your desk and put in what you need at the time of wandering about.
https://www.matalan.co.uk/p/accessories/black-woven-phone-bag/17457102/

You need a Uniqlo bag

if you're going somewhere and just need keys and a lipstick or tampon or something, then you can get hair scrunchies with zips that carry just about that. Still need to tuck tissues into sleeves or bra or waistband, though, and definitely no room for a phone. But depending where you're doing and what you're doing, that might be enough, especially if you have a watch that gets messages or you can pay for things with. Good for exercise

thanks @Mamma2828384 and @limetrees32

I've been to primark and bought this today. will be keeping my essentials (keys, wallet, buspass, handcream, phone) and that will make swapping bags really easy as i just need to transfer this one into others. Also fits in a a small tissue pack, tampon, and lipbalm. It's perfect 🥰

Hopefully images show!

Was also really tempted by this one. It's so cute

I love my Uniqlo bags for days out, but I wouldn’t want to wear one indoors.

This has just reminded me of wristbands we had as kids with a zip on them for coins (they were a decent size - a bit like the things that go round your arm on a blood pressure monitor. Ahhh the 80s.

A scrunchie with a zip?
Sounds intriguing, I'm off to Google.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Scrunchies-Ponytail-Accessories-Lipstick-Y8FHDCFQ/dp/B0FHZFR31R/ref=asc_df_B0FHZFR31R?mcid=378e0fe1aa6634988f5f3a73490ccff7&tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=753625453621&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=12653021481893625674&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9198099&hvtargid=pla-2443027046828&psc=1&hvocijid=12653021481893625674-B0FHZFR31R-&hvexpln=0&gad_source=1

I use a tiny cheap fake leather pouch/phone bag similar to some of the ones listed. It's great because it's not bulky or heavy so I can forget I'm wearing it.and keep it on, whereas I'd take off a larger cross body bag which would defeat the point. At first I thought it looked a bit naff but I got over it. Even when clothes have pockets, few of them are adequate for a phone!

The hair scrunchie ones I first saw: https://wavycircle.co.uk/products/silk-stashy-black-silk

You might need to think outside the box a bit. Look at pencil cases, large purses etc. I often carry a caddy with tools, carry cup etc so like to have a small bag for phone, hand cream and bits. This needs to tuck into the caddy but be able to be battered about a bit. I have a small round belt bag from ROKA (minus the belt), a tweed pencil case and a very small camera bag.

Something like this which you can clip to your rucksack or detach to pop to the loo?

https://amzn.eu/d/0gOQq5Gt

https://www.vinted.co.uk/items/9759027096-doc-martin-mini-cross-body-purse