How do guys get by with just a wallet and a couple of pockets? Easy! We don’t carry a bunch of non-essential stuff. You mentioned carrying chapstick, stamps, address book, pepper spray, food, gloves and spare change. Put the chapstick in the car box. If you need a stamp, buy them at the PO or the grocery. Address book can be in your cell phone or PDA. Pepper spray is easily trumped by martial art training. Food is available on sale everywhere. Gloves in the glove box or your pocket. Spare change you can pocket or give away.
My pockets have a comb, glasses in a case, keys (minimized to house and car), change (use it to pay; don’t accumulate it), a kleenex or a handkerchief, cell phone, and wallet.
My wallet has two credit cards, an ATM card, driver’s license, triple-A card, a pocket-lens, my health insurance card, my MD’s business card, a BlockBuster card, a few of my business cards, maybe a dry cleaner receipt, and a few twenties and smaller bills. Thickness is 0.75″.
Pockets in women’s clothing are different that in men’s. Check out Glenn’s front trouser pockets. They extend back of the rear opening creating a cup that keeps change from falling out while sitting. Women’s pockets are straight down from the front and rear edge of the opening — cheaper to fabricate, but useless as a pocket .
As to pockets not even being in some women’s slacks, etc., it’s because pockets add bulk to the silhouette and we know that women don’t take kindly to that.
My sense is that if you have more to carry than what will fit in your two cupped hands, you have too much junk that should either be in the car or, if really need at the moment, can be bought nearly anywhere.
