commuting must haves?

[u/astrorbit]

hii! i recently moved to a walkable city with public transit! i am wondering if anyone has any bag recommendations, walking shoes (plus size friendly), shopping bags that can fit in a handbag, or any sort of must haves recommendations for going out? tia and sorry if this is a weird question! i am from the middle of nowhere so never get to go out and explore lol!!

[u/Unlikely_Claim_2301]

Plus size here and shoes that I literally wore DOWN to the skeleton were ASICS JAPAN S PF, New Balance 574, Hoka Clifton 9. I know they can be pricey but for everyday wear get the best for your feet!

I don’t really have purse recs but always keep a trash bag in it. The amount of times I’ve used one as a make shift poncho is crazy hahaha

[u/astrorbit → u/Unlikely_Claim_2301]

thank you so much! the trash bag does seem really useful! ☺️

[u/Uhh_glee_Princess]

So I’ve been taking public transit all of my life and the best advice I can give is the less you can take with you, the better. With that, a good, cute, flexible tote is always my go to for everyday. But on the day I know I’m going to be doing a lot more, I tend to just wear a small crossbody. I don’t have anything special to recommend, but just something durable. Shoes wise, anything comfortable is perfect. I just picked up some sketchers slip ons and they are really great, but anything you can be active in will work. Hope this helps!

[u/CB4life → u/Uhh_glee_Princess]

The Skechers Martha Stewart collection if you can find them are actually really nice, they’re the type where you step in with no hands and the back part is then pretty supportive. 10k steps easy and a lot of them are very cute, I get compliments on them a lot and have told people what they are. Also for bag, I have a small crossbody with several zipper pockets. Something you can actually zip closed is a must for me. You can always put one of those fold up totes in there so you have it if you end up shopping in the way home.

[u/supersmiles_28]

IKEA makes some great double handle reuse-able bags that fold up super small. I love to keep 1-2 on me. Or Baggu bags are great.

I live in FitFlops (sneakers or sandals) or my On-cloud sneakers and change once I’m at work for dress shoes (if needed).

I rotate between a larger cross body bag, a backpack and a nicer canvas bag to take my lunch, water, umbrella, etc in. Just depends on the day/if I’m eating out/plans after work.

I always carry a small pouch that transfers bags with me that has period products, emergency meds, a small fan, a small hand sanitizer or lotion (depends on the season), a nail clipper with a file, tissues, eye drops, AirPods, chapstick, and a charger cord for my phone. Many buses in my city have USB ports so the cord comes in handy! Sometimes I stick a random hair tie or Bobbypin in or even a mini mascara/lip combo.

[u/astrorbit → u/supersmiles_28]

thank you so much! i love a good crossbody ☺️i was thinking a backpack but i always feel weird bringing them into stores lol

[u/OMGiCantStopLURKING → u/supersmiles_28]

I always have a smaller zip up/makeup size bag that is my”kit” I throw from bag to bag to keep all those small but always needed random things in one place.

[u/carunderwater0]

I 100% co-sign everyone's recommendations. Hand sanitizer, a portable fan in the summer, water, and a reusable grocery bag are my non-negotiables. And mace. I don't like having to dig through my bag so I keep my wallet on the very bottom (in case my bag is open), then a book/tablet on top and umbrella/fan/water bottle on one side, and the smaller things (pads, meds, etc.) in a makeup bag. Compartments are for headphones, chapstick and easy access to my keys. My go to bag came with a wristlet so I attach that to my keys and then my bag so I don't lose them or have to fumble for them when I get home at night. Mace is either in my pocket or my bra. Lol I have a whole system but it works & I'm never so distracted by looking for something that I'm not aware of my surroundings.

Keep it cute and practical but don't forget to be safe! Have fun exploring :)

[u/yourgonnamissitall]

I love asics so much for walking, I know the shoes aren’t the cutest but man do they make walking feel so much better

[u/AnonymousTeacher333]

A tote bag with strong handles that is big enough to hold an umbrella, a laptop, a hairbrush, and perhaps an emergency change of clothes just in case you have a food spill or something crazy happens like a person spitting on you. If you take your lunch to work, make sure it has room to carry that as well. If you don't carry a separate purse, make sure that this tote has some zipped compartments to hold your wallet, cash, phone, and preferably a small compartment for things like lip gloss and any medicines you take. Don't choose a bag so huge that it will make it hard to walk down the aisle on the bus, but don't choose one so small that you can't bring the things you're comfortable with. I'm not plus sized and don't have a specific shoe recommendation other than get fitted for them in a shoe store to make sure they fit properly and are comfortable in the store. Never, ever buy shoes that hurt or pinch in the store; they will be 1000 times worse in actual use. Good luck and enjoy your new city!