Any women out there have a solution about carrying basics when wearing a dress? I don't carry a purse... even so purses are not on your person so they are not the best option. Slim skirts, full skirts, dresses, dress pants... all of these look less lady-like when they are supplemented with pockets bulging, a fanny pack or whatever attached! It may not seem important to men, but when you want to be prepared and still dress like you normally would it is a bit of an issue. I hope I don't seem vain to the men in this forum.
Thanks in advance.

not a woman so I haven't tried these but...

with a full dress in a by-gone day a smallish pouch could be worn 'round the waist and hung inside without being very visible. Often worn this way for carrying money so it would not be picked. There are modern equivalents made by eagle-creek. In a slim skirt without a purse you really don't have many options. Tho' I'd love to see you dressed that way It means that you will have to lean on someone else for supplies and protection. You're not going to be packing much heat that way either. You could carry some sort of push-dagger on your key-chain (you will solve the need for carrying keys) and potentially sharpened oriental hair sticks to keep you locks in a bun. Other than that, if you are showing your figure you won't be hiding any supplies.

OTOH, If you carry a decent purse you will have more luggage capacity than most men in a decent dress suit. And that's not even a large purse.

Hmmm, a Zen riddle...how can we carry our stuff without looking as though we're carrying our stuff??

>>Slim skirts, full skirts, dresses, dress pants

Dahling, if you're dressed to the nines, why on earth aren't you carrying your Vuitton Murakami bag? ($3000 on eBay!) Do you know how much paracord you could put in that ugly purse?

>>>> I don't carry a purse... even so purses are not on your person so they are not the best option.

What do you carry your money & driver's license in? Even if it's just a wallet, you can fit in a credt-card-sized Swiss card of some type. They at least have a cutting edge on them.

I don't like carrying a purse, either. But since I do, I make full use of it. Esbit stove, tarp lean-to, -- oh, wait, I was daydreaming. Seriously, I do have a Spyderco knife, a Leatherman, 3 or 4 Bic lighters, a good signal mirror, and a standard Altoids EDC kit, plus a lot of other stuff that's typical 'Mom' junk (my husband calls my purse 'the hellhole of Calcutta').

The only thing that is ALWAYS on my person is a dogtag chain with a Photon II, a Fox whistle, a big safety pin, and a dogtag with my name, phone number, country, and brief medical info on it. The chain is encased in a clear plastic tube that ostensibly keeps the chain clean, but also doubles as a drinking tube if needed.

Perhaps you could always have at least an Altoids tin for EDC. I'm not willing to give up my comfort zone of preps for the sake of fashion. Make use of that Kate Spade bag and start toting those preps! <img src="images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Dang! That's a good question... my wife carries a day pack except when we are formally dressed but there are routine circumstances where she leaves it in the car. They would probably have a fit over what she carries into her classroom everyday in her pack... or maybe not; she is discreet.

Not much one can do in snazzy attire, male or female - Heck, I can barely carry a knife in mess dress, no way to carry a conventional wallet, and she can't carry anything (a very tiny purse, but that is normally checked in with the coats).

I guess the best answer I can thing of right now is external carry (bag/pack/whatever) and keep it in your general vicinity. I'll bounce the question off my wife and another gal, but don't hold your breath.

Tom

OK, not a woman either, but know many, some of whom "carry things".

I ordered for one lady a smallish Spyderco knife (Almite Navigator), which she carries clipped into her jog-bra when walking, or her regular bra at work (metal detectors not an issue). It can also be carried in the waistband of pants, skirts, or underwear.

Other things might be carried in a brassiere, as well—I once saw the actress Jamie Lee Curtis on a late-night talk show, wearing a fairly form-fitting dress. She discussed how she doesn't carry a purse, and proceeded to pull a cell phone, small wallet, lipstick, and a double-handful of other items from her bodice. None of it showed, at least on-camera. Jeff Cooper once wrote of a well-endowed woman whom he had trained who was able to carry a full-size Gov't model 1911 .45 automatic in her bra (For those who are wondering how: muzzle underneath & to one side, grip up in the center).

My mother has at times carried a small cloth "wallet" pinned to her bra, or elsewhere inside her clothing.

As MiniMe suggested, some variation on a theme of a discreet pouch under your clothing is an option. The pouch to which he's referring was usually a pair, one on either side, tied around the waist on their own sash, and served as pockets for the women's dresses in the 19th century (accessed by a slit in each side--easier than putting pockets in all dresses).

Security pouches, travel wallets, or neck wallets (mine is from Brigade Quartermasters; Eagle Creek also makes multiple models), worn as intended—concealed—could also be an option, as might a neck ID carrier/pouch—hide in plain sight—if you must wear an ID at work.

If you wear pants—full length, that is—there is also the option of an ankle holster, though with a pouch instead of gun holster. I think Brigade QM has one of those, too. Custom leather houses would probably make one, for a price.

An elastic "belly band holster" might be an option, depending on how you're built, & what style of clothing you prefer. It could be worn higher, near the bottom of your bra, in the area of fabric drape, or as Massad Ayoob suggests, lower in the waistband of your pants or skirt, and could accommodate a number of items in either location.

You didn’t mention what style of clothing you prefer, nor, as others observed, how you actually do carry keys, money, & driver’s license/ID. How do you handle those items?

I disagree with the suggestion of a push dagger on the keychain simply because it is likely to be considered a weapon, rather than tool, and has less utility than a conventional blade (I like push daggers—have several, but don’t carry them). I’d suggest a folder that can be readily disconnected (snap link, FasTex buckle, etc).

Anyway, I guess this is a little more than my two cents’ worth…

Let us know how you work this out.

Good luck.

David

To answer your questions about my situation... I usually wear jeans, khakis or shorts with pockets so that I can and do carry a knife, whistle, lighter, and keys with a mini maglite and a pulsar led light. (incidentally I recently discovered while trying to help get a kitten out of the sewer at the airport where I work that the constant squeezing needed to keep it lit is not practical or very comfortable). I keep my ID and money, etc. in a wallet that I keep in my backpack that I take everywhere with me. It has in it first aid, personal hygeine, multitool, another knife, garbage bags, rope, PSK, and other junk. (I recently had a dream that an airplane crashed into the airport where I work and I had to go back to get my backpack so that I could trek home through the surrounding woods!) I just don't like being dependent on an external way to carry my stuff. I've tried purses, but I hate them, I feel like I look like a geek with it. I carry clothes to work, and my bible and notebook to church, basic stuff to a park or other excursion we may take, so it seems easiest to keep a backpack stocked. But when I go to church is the only time I dress up, and that is when I need to go without my knife, whisle, lighter, flashlites on my person. I feel really silly concerning myself with it, but really I am trying to stay in a prepared state of mind in every situation. I do like the ideas you all have stated, the pouch in the bra--maybe, also the pouch strapped to the leg... I wonder how comfortable that would be on the thigh. I could do that with a dress. I don't wear tight dresses or skirts. I do have one skirt that has cargo pockets, maybe I could find more like that. Oh! that reminds me... You know utilitarianism is becoming fashionable when you see someone wearing heels and satin cargo pants with a very nice sweater that goes with them! I saw someone the other day wearing that! they were kinda cool. Ok I guess I've rambled enough... thanks again to you all.

A question about an EDC with a dress, and half of the respondents are..... men. And men who seem to have a good bit to say on the subjet, too. Hmmm. <img src="images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" />

Actually, this thread should be of interest to us males - just in case something like this ever becomes popular..... <img src="images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" />

.....CLIFF

[color:"blue"]> just in case something like this ever becomes popular [/color]

Now there's a scary thought. You gotta love their slogan though - "Utility kilts for every occasion...except bungee jumping". <img src="images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

Hmmm--it says that we're savvy, knowledgeable individuals who can think outside of the box when presented with a new situation! <img src="images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />



Nah, then you just carry everything in your sporran!

(No offense meant to Cliff, or anyone else, and none taken!) <img src="images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

David

No offence taken, my friend.

A Personal survival sporran? Hmmm...... <img src="images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

.....CLIFF