<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" version="2.0" xmlns:itunes="http://www.itunes.com/dtds/podcast-1.0.dtd" xmlns:googleplay="http://www.google.com/schemas/play-podcasts/1.0"><channel><title><![CDATA[Desri decodes: Lighter Side]]></title><description><![CDATA[Simple and relatable observations that women encounter in everyday life.]]></description><link>https://www.desri-decodes.com/s/lighter-side</link><image><url>https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!7sTi!,w_256,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fcc64a2ae-6a34-49f5-a82b-0bb33501dff7_442x442.png</url><title>Desri decodes: Lighter Side</title><link>https://www.desri-decodes.com/s/lighter-side</link></image><generator>Substack</generator><lastBuildDate>Wed, 08 Apr 2026 15:51:49 GMT</lastBuildDate><atom:link href="https://www.desri-decodes.com/feed" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml"/><copyright><![CDATA[Sana]]></copyright><language><![CDATA[en]]></language><webMaster><![CDATA[desri-decodes@mailbox.org]]></webMaster><itunes:owner><itunes:email><![CDATA[desri-decodes@mailbox.org]]></itunes:email><itunes:name><![CDATA[Sana]]></itunes:name></itunes:owner><itunes:author><![CDATA[Sana]]></itunes:author><googleplay:owner><![CDATA[desri-decodes@mailbox.org]]></googleplay:owner><googleplay:email><![CDATA[desri-decodes@mailbox.org]]></googleplay:email><googleplay:author><![CDATA[Sana]]></googleplay:author><itunes:block><![CDATA[Yes]]></itunes:block><item><title><![CDATA[The “Just in Case” Things we Carry!]]></title><description><![CDATA[Simple observation about things women carry just in case.]]></description><link>https://www.desri-decodes.com/p/the-just-in-case-things-we-carry-810</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.desri-decodes.com/p/the-just-in-case-things-we-carry-810</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sana]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Mon, 23 Feb 2026 17:02:43 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/47c4c1a0-76e7-40ec-ac08-89f813443aac_1536x1024.png" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Women don&#8217;t just leave the house.</p><p>We prepare for possibilities.</p><p>Open any woman&#8217;s purse and you&#8217;ll find what can only be described as a mobile emergency response kit.</p><p>Lip balm.</p><p>Hair tie.</p><p>Safety pin.</p><p>Tissues.</p><p>Hand sanitizer.</p><p>Painkiller.</p><p>Mint.</p><p>Band-aid.</p><p>Tampon.</p><p>Old receipts.</p><p>Charger.</p><p>Random coin.</p><p>Snack we forgot we packed.</p><p>Just. In. Case.</p><p>Headache? Covered.</p><p>Sudden wind? Hair tie ready.</p><p>Wardrobe malfunction? Safety pin activated.</p><p>Hungry child? Emergency granola bar appears.</p><p>Friend with a headache? &#8220;Wait, I have something.&#8221;</p><p>We are walking convenience stores.</p><p>Men often leave the house with their phone and wallet.</p><p>Women leave the house like we&#8217;re prepared to survive a minor apocalypse.</p><p>And don&#8217;t even talk to me about the car.</p><p>There&#8217;s a backup pair of flats.</p><p>An extra cardigan.</p><p>Reusable bags.</p><p>Hand lotion.</p><p>Maybe an umbrella that hasn&#8217;t seen sunlight in six months.</p><p>Just in case.</p><p>Even our desks have secret drawers.</p><p>Even our gym bags have &#8220;emotional support&#8221; snacks.</p><p>The funny part?</p><p>We rarely use half of it.</p><p>But that one day we don&#8217;t carry something?</p><p>That will be the exact day we need it.</p><p>It is not anxiety.</p><p>It is experience.</p><p>So yes, my bag is heavy.</p><p>Yes, I need five minutes to &#8220;grab my things.&#8221;</p><p>And yes, I will absolutely continue carrying a safety pin like it&#8217;s a personality trait.</p><p>What&#8217;s the most random &#8220;just in case&#8221; item you carry?</p><p>I&#8217;m betting it&#8217;s oddly specific.</p><div class="subscription-widget-wrap-editor" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://www.desri-decodes.com/subscribe?&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Subscribe&quot;,&quot;language&quot;:&quot;en&quot;}" data-component-name="SubscribeWidgetToDOM"><div class="subscription-widget show-subscribe"><div class="preamble"><p class="cta-caption">Thanks for reading Desri decodes! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.</p></div><form class="subscription-widget-subscribe"><input type="email" class="email-input" name="email" placeholder="Type your email&#8230;" tabindex="-1"><input type="submit" class="button primary" value="Subscribe"><div class="fake-input-wrapper"><div class="fake-input"></div><div class="fake-button"></div></div></form></div></div><p>Signing out,</p><p>Sana</p>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[Women and Pockets]]></title><description><![CDATA[If it fits one finger, it&#8217;s not a pocket. Article is about how women's clothing is far behind and how it must evolve with modern women.]]></description><link>https://www.desri-decodes.com/p/on-the-lighter-side-women-and-pockets</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.desri-decodes.com/p/on-the-lighter-side-women-and-pockets</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sana]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Mon, 16 Feb 2026 17:00:47 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/9991255e-d143-4116-a569-8091b9ba0a67_1536x1024.png" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Simple observation &#8212; why do women&#8217;s clothes come with tiny pockets, fake pockets, decorative pockets&#8230; or no pockets at all?</p><p>It&#8217;s a big deal. Why?!</p><p>Why do I have to carry my purse everywhere just to hold my phone or a credit card? Why is it so hard for designers to add proper pockets to women&#8217;s pants the way they do for men&#8217;s? Is this something we need to start a movement for?</p><p>I remember the day I found leggings with four real pockets. Two side pockets. Two zippered pockets. I was ecstatic. This is exactly what I wanted - convenient, secure, comfortable. I was fully ready to pay extra for them. And, of course, they were more expensive than the usual ones.</p><p>When did functional pockets become a luxury item?</p><p>Though it seems like a small thing, it annoys me. Why is functionality negotiable in women&#8217;s clothing?</p><p>We celebrate dresses with pockets like we&#8217;ve won the lottery. &#8220;It has pockets!&#8221; becomes a selling point. Why are dresses with pockets rare in the first place? These are everyday inconveniences we don&#8217;t question. We adjust. We carry bags. We work around it.</p><p>And don&#8217;t get me started on fake pockets. Beautiful pants. Perfect fit. And then comes stitched-shut decorative pockets. Why? Who decided decoration matters more than utility?</p><p>Or those tiny activewear pockets near the waistband that can hold&#8230; what exactly? Half a lip balm? One finger? Maybe half of a credit card if I&#8217;m lucky?</p><p>It&#8217;s funny, but it&#8217;s also telling.</p><p>Men can step out with just their phone and wallet. Women? We automatically reach for a bag. Because we&#8217;ve been designed around aesthetics first, function second.</p><p>Modern women work, commute, travel, run errands, lift weights, manage homes, lead meetings and we still can&#8217;t reliably carry our own phone without extra accessories.</p><p>And why does my husband have deeper pockets than I do? Literally.</p><p>Pockets are not a luxury. They are independence stitched into fabric.</p><p>Maybe it sounds dramatic. But small design choices reflect bigger assumptions. If clothing is evolving with modern women, utility should not be optional.</p><p>So yes, I will continue celebrating real pockets like small victories. And I will absolutely pay for them.</p><p>Do you resonate with this? Tell me about the moment you found that one perfect pair with actual usable pockets.</p><div class="subscription-widget-wrap-editor" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://www.desri-decodes.com/subscribe?&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Subscribe&quot;,&quot;language&quot;:&quot;en&quot;}" data-component-name="SubscribeWidgetToDOM"><div class="subscription-widget show-subscribe"><div class="preamble"><p class="cta-caption">Thanks for reading Desri decodes! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.</p></div><form class="subscription-widget-subscribe"><input type="email" class="email-input" name="email" placeholder="Type your email&#8230;" tabindex="-1"><input type="submit" class="button primary" value="Subscribe"><div class="fake-input-wrapper"><div class="fake-input"></div><div class="fake-button"></div></div></form></div></div><p>Signing out,<br>Sana</p>]]></content:encoded></item></channel></rss>