also...

[coraa]

I like wearing long skirts, especially around the house. Indeed, I'm making a few skirts for summer (one black, one dark green). However, most skirts don't have pockets -- and I'm not a good enough seamstress at this point to add pockets to a pattern that doesn't include them.

Plus, many women's pants patterns also don't have pockets, or they have pockets that are so small to be unusable. And most of my shirts don't have pockets either.

This isn't really a problem most of the time; it's why I carry a purse or a bag. But often, when I'm cleaning the house, I want to listen to my iPod -- or when I'm going for a walk, I want to bring my phone and my keys but not lug a bag with me. This is a problem when one is in a pocketless state, since there's noplace to put the iPod. Indeed, sometimes when housecleaning I am forced to resort to sticking my iPod through my bra strap, which is precarious and kind of uncomfortable (and unattractive, but I don't care about that if what I'm doing is scrubbing the kitchen floor).

Does anyone have an idea for how I can carry an iPod or phone-and-keys combo without pockets? I'm not going to resort to a *cringe* fanny-pack arrangement, because I am not fond of the way they look or the way they feel. My best idea so far is to copy medieval folk and make some kind of small pouch that can be hung at my hip (medieval clothes did not have internal pockets), but I was wondering if anyone had other ideas.

Comments

[maggiedacatt.livejournal.com]

Well, I know this doesn't really answer your "without pockets" question per se, but I've seen some clothes recently that have an iPod pocket... which is basically just a patch sewn onto the outside of the garment with enough room for an iPod. It would be easy to add to anything you're making (though doesn't help at all w/ preexisting clothes).

Or, more simply, get a case with a belt clip.

[cwendy41.livejournal.com]

There are arm bands for iPods so that you can wear it while working out. In your case, you could wear it while scrubbing floors. But that wouldn't help with keys. If you wear a belt, you could hook the phone and keys on to the belt. Or you could wear shirts/jackets that have pockets.

Or what about a well-fashioned garter? ;)

[tedeisenstein.livejournal.com]

A fashionable small carpenter's utility belt? I could see a whole new industry built around such a thing, just for women who wear pocketless skirts....Tooled leather, with pouches in various sizes as add-ons; or tablet-woven belts, ditto. Or a decorative bandolier or sash, ditto; my lover just suggested "the eighteenth-century thing, a belt with pockets" (what I presume is not a pouch that's separable, but rather a regular pocket that's sewn on to a regular belt).

If you're up to a research project, look into historical costuming: surely all those Viking women, French housewives of the 14th century, and Italian merchants' wives of the 16th century had some way of carrying around stuff that didn't necessarily depend on skirt pockets or purses?

[rowr.livejournal.com]

I think a small pouch would be cool. and, if it's handmade, I don't think you'll run the risk of getting that 80s-tourist fannypack look :D

[http://users.livejournal.com/greensleeves_/]

If you do a search for belt pouches on eBay, they have small ones for iPhones and such that would look pretty unique. Not to mention medievalish ones that would also look good with garb, like this one. I don't know if that's more than you want to spend, but it seems like that type of handcraft would be worth the money.

[porfinn.livejournal.com]

You have my sympathy; I have had a duece of a time locating what I required, and I continue to look. Finding a utilitarian garment that is comfortable, but doesn't look like you should be heading off for the Wednesday night bingo tournament is very tricky. I looked into patterns from different companies-- like Folkwear and Lutterloh-- that I could use to make a basic element for working in. I have had a great deal of trouble finding a pair of pants that meet my requirements (skirts won't do for me-- not ideal for climbing on ladders). I finally resigned myself to track pants (they are comfortable, have pockets, aren't to hard to find or that expensive, and don't look like I raided my grandmother's closet). The real problem was consistency: I would find a pair of pants that suited my needs, and then never-ever find that style again!
The pouch-idea might be a good one, then you aren't at the mercy of the whims of availability, or the necessity of time to make a full garment. I resorted to the evil fanny pack, because I needed something that I could haul an MP3 player around in and assortment of tools, but I got one at the Fossil outlet in a red-tropical print!

[porfinn.livejournal.com]

Wow! This are interesting. Might give you some ideas.
http://www.etsy.com/search_results.php?search_type=all&includes[]=tags&search_query=utility_belt

[zellandyne.livejournal.com]

Sim and I made ourselves what we refer to as writer-girl utility belts. They rest low on the hips, making a V at the front or side, depending on how you want to wear them. They look slightly medieval. We built in pockets on either side, and she sewed in extra pouches on hers. I'll see if I can find pics... They were very simple. We made them from thrift store finds.

[triath.livejournal.com]

I've sometimes rolled up the iPod in my sleeve, kinda like how tough guys used to roll up their cigarette pack.

[shelleycat.livejournal.com]

I have the same problem even though I don't wear skirts. I used to wear a fanny pack because I found a handmade velvety one with wonderful Chinese embroidary all over it, but it frayed. Should have bought two when I first found it. Sigh.