Pocket Perfection: Top 5 Clothing Items for Women Who Need to Carry Sh!t

READING TIME: 4 min, 10 sec

I travel. A lot. Like, more-than-a-million-air-miles-to-date a lot. Of the seven continents on Planet Earth, I’ve stepped foot on six of them…and Antarctica is mere months away on my travel calendar.

So I suppose you can imagine that I take my travel clothing seriously. Specifically, I am always and forever on the lookout for togs that are not only cute, but also incredibly comfortable AND have that most elusive of attributes in women’s attire: POCKETS.

Even if you’re not a travel junkie, you know this pain. Let’s say you need to head to a meeting in a conference room a few floors down in your office building. It’s never a good idea to walk around without your critical items like ID, car keys, and at least some form of currency. But who wants to lug a big ol’ purse with them all day? With pockets, you can play like the boys do: keep all your vitals right at your fingertips.

Now if you’re anything like me, you have experienced the frustration of trying to satisfy the holy trinity of attractiveness, comfort, and utility in women’s clothing. Occasionally you’ll find something that satisfies two of the three criteria (usually comfort and utility…leaving you looking like a wayward autoshop teacher, which is not typically what one goes for around the office), but to score on the full triad? Bon chance, madame!

Well guess what?! Today is your Lucky Day! Read this article, and then buy a lottery ticket, m’dear! Over the last few months, I’ve tracked down five must-have items that fit the bill. I get zero kickbacks on any of these beauties; I just use them and love them…and I hope you’ll do the same.

The BetaBrand WorkIt Skort

If you don’t know about BetaBrand, you should.

The backstory: BetaBrand accepts clothing design concepts from anyone. These designs are then voted on by the BetaBrand community (which is anyone who goes to their website). Designs that receive a critical mass of votes are then turned into clothing prototypes, and the earlier you pledge to buy into the prototype, the bigger the discount you’re offered off the full purchase price (early funders usually get 30{5b94df0808d5051ae4460ba229ec68b809d99f898aebd4fa5019c7ba642362c2} off). If enough funding is generated, the prototype becomes a production garment…and your very own piece of this awesome idea arrives in your inbox.

Apparently, lots of ladies were feeling my pain regarding the dearth of pockets and comfort. So a former special events planner came up with this beauty of an idea.

It’s an A-line cut (a godsend for those of us with strong thighs!) and features a 5-inch pair of ultra-comfy shorts hidden underneath (a godsend for those of us with strong thighs who also bike!). It has a zip pocket along the back waist seam that’s big enough keys and cash (and a smaller smartphone), as well as a flap pocket on the shorts that can hold a few credit cards and your driver’s license. I wouldn’t go crazy stuffing things into the pockets, because you’ll see the bulge, but you can certainly keep the absolute essentials on your person in this skort.

$88; available in black, maroon, and both a navy and gray pinstripe.
https://www.betabrand.com/womens-gray-pinstripe-yoga-sport-skirt-skort.html

StashBandz Thigh Garter Purse

I know this sounds weird, but hear me out. Thigh garters can be used for more than stashing your secret ninja throwing knives to employ against would-be assassins.

In actual fact, the StashBandz garter purse is perfect for holding smartphones, passports, tampons, lip balm, and even insulin pumps!

It features two pockets: one with a snag-free Velcro closure (use this for your cash and credit cards), and a larger, open-top pocket for things like tall cell phones.

The elastic is grippy, so even if you spend the night dancing like a maniac, your purse should stay put. Just make sure you order a small enough size to prevent slippage. If it feels too tight when you first take it out of the package and try it on, wear it around your house for 15 minutes or so; it should loosen up a bit.

$25; available in black and white
StashBandz® Garter Purse, Stays Put Silicone Grip & 2 Secure Pockets

SholdIt Scarf

I don’t know why it took me so long to find this puppy.

I mean, I’m always chilly, so scarves are pretty much a permanent part of my wardrobe. And on airplanes? Fuggedaboutit! But even if I don’t need a scarf for warmth, I always have one with me to use as a makeshift pillow.

Enter the SholdIt. It’s basically an infinity scarf with two discreet zippered pockets: a main one for maps, passports, and the like, and a smaller one for money and phones.

It comes in an array of materials and colors, and it even has a cinch toggle in case you want to wear it cross-body like a sling. There are two designs: the Original and the Basic (no toggle on this one). I have one of each. They’re that good.

$29.99-$79.99; available in myriad fabrics and designs
http://www.sholdit.com

 

Clever Travel Companion Hidden Zip Tank

Trying to find a shirt with pockets that isn’t a) a button down; and b) made for a dude is practically impossible. Even travel-specific clothing companies usually fail on designing feminine travel wear for the female upper half.

So you can imagine my delight when I stumbled upon this product recommendation on the http://www.smartertravel.com blog. The zip pockets are under the armpits, not right on the chest, so they’re somewhat concealed. Like any pocket, if you stuff them full, it will be obvious (and uncomfortably obnoxious)…but if you wear this tank under a cardigan, no one will be the wiser.

They’re mostly cotton, so they aren’t a good choice if you’re going to be doing a lot of hotel-sink laundry on the go, but for day-to-day use and non-spartan travel, these fit the bill.

$29.90; available in black, gray and white
http://www.clevertravelcompanion.com/products/tank-top-with-2-pockets

 

BetaBrand Travel Yoga Pants

I can’t help it. My love for BetaBrand is so great that I must bookend this blog entry with a final recommendation from their line. Go grab a pair of their travel yoga pants and prepare to have your world rocked.

These pants are stretchy. They’re sleek. They have numerous pockets hidden inside the waist inset that are large enough to stash a passport. Again, you’ll have lumps if you put bigger items in the pockets, but I’m always sporting an untucked top with yoga-style pants, anyway, so you can easily conceal any extra mass.

$88; available in black, maroon and gray
https://www.betabrand.com/womens-travel-inspired-pocket-yoga-pants.html

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Of course there are many, many clothing options out there for you to investigate on your own, but the above list should give you a good jumpstart in the Pockets Department, covering you from your neck down to your ankles. And hey, if all else fails, you can always DIY pockets in your existing togs: HoboTraveler.com Zipper Secret Pockets Ready to Sew into Clothing. Oh, and if you go that route, drop me a line and let me know how they pan out!