Purse or Man's Bag

[Chris Webb]

I learned to carry a man-bag at the U.S. Army Infantry School at Fort Benning, Georgia! We were issued what we all called 'fag bags' and it was part of the uniform there. It was a map case that you slung over your shoulder and across your chest. Frankly, if you are MAN enough you can carry any damned bag you want to carry.

All you have to do to be comfortable carrying a man bag is to get past the idea that you have to live your life by how other people define being a man. If anyone gives you crap just say, "Chris Webb carries one, I've got to wonder why YOU aren't!"

Kilt ON!

Chris Webb

PS Go ahead, I DARE you, try to knock my man bag off my shoulder.

[Bryan]

It's not so many years ago that in the UK, possibly seven or eight, that carrying a shoulder bag was considered strange. Now, when you look at people walking around, both the young and old carry them. A small but welcome change in what is acceptable.

Bryan

[rick401r]

Back in my "hippie" days I carried a militay ammo bag everywhere. Now I have a heavy leather, rough stitched shoulder bag I bought at a local Renn Faire but I don't always carry it. Then I have a softside insulated cooler with side pockets that will hold a 6 pack. Again I don't always carry it. The problem being is that it's another item to keep up with.

[Since1982]

Has anyone seen the recent Progressive Auto Insurance TV ad lately? It has a man and woman checking out the prices of Auto Insurance. He's carrying a "manbag" and the "dressed all in white" spokesperson makes a big thing out of "Now you don't have to carry your wife's purse" with an arm waving flounce. He turns reddish and his wife explains it's a European Shoulder Bag.

I think the whole ad is very discriminatory against the man. I'll not EVER buy Progressive Insurance after seeing it. The ad certainly isn't in any way a progressive one.

I'm really getting tired of the two supposedly "tongue in cheek" companies with ad campaigns aimed AT (not FOR) different kinds of people. Progressive and Geico are the two I mean. Geico's "So easy a cave man can do it" is the height of poor advertising. Maybe they are intentionally aiming at the less intelligent of society. ::shrug::

[Bryan]

I assumed,obviously wrongly, that shoulder bags would now be common in the US as well as Europe. Over here we have a great selection, some designed for women but a vast number of unisex designs and others created for men.

Bryan

[TomH]

Thanks for bringing that up Skip. I've seen the ad WAY to many times and it grits my teeth... Any good sales person is not going to make stupid remarks and still have a job. What business is it of hers??? But that fits with what I thought before they played that ad, so maybe I'm just offended by idiots anyway.

And Bryan brings up a good point. Does that mean we're slow on this side of the pond?

Tom

[crfriend]

Bryan brings up a good point. Does that mean we're slow on this side of the pond?

I don't believe it points up that we're "slow" on the left side of the pond, but rather way too conformant. This notion, of course, flies in the face of the "rugged individualist" stereotype American citizen because, in most ways, Americans tend very strongly to follow a herd mentality and woe be it to the individual who strays from the herd -- the wolves will get them! The "rugged individualist" is a nice fantasy, but it's a fantasy that gets kicked out of one by the time by the time he reaches the schoolyard (or gets beaten out of him there). So, it's not surprising at all that the vast majority here in the US do not take up new and novel ideas (like carrying bags) quickly -- they'll look strange and the predators might git 'em!

I carried a bag very publically for about a decade during the 1980s, but that was a tool-bag, weight about ten pounds, and could pack one heck of a wallop. I didn't get a lot of grief over it, but then again I don't tend to get a lot of grief in public anyway because (1) I'm moderately street-savvy and (2) I'm very tall and imposing looking.

Can bags work for guys? Absolutely -- and the cross-slung shoulder designs are (in my opinion) amongst the best if one is worried about security. Am I about to take up bag-carrying for things like my wallet and car keys any time soon? Probably not; I put way too much effort into learning how to "travel light". However, I am very impressed with the bag that Sapphire carries -- the ruddy thing is a TARDIS.

[Different_Trains]

manbags for me!

[Jack Williams]

Like rick40 1r, in my hippie days a shoulderbag was very normal. I had one over my left shoulder for years. I carried my camera and other essential stuff. (in fact some of those photos will appear on "Flickr" in Jauary). Use big pockets in my skirts these days, but with pocketless dresses... I dunno. Jack.

[Bryan]

I do find a shoulder bag a necessity these days, even in winter if wearing a coat with pockets. Why, because I usually carry my wallet, mobile phone, camera, spare carrier bag, pair of glasses, pen & paper and anything I may need. I would guess I have seven or eight different ones in varying sizes, colours and materials.

Bryan

[cessna152towser]

All a matter of personal choice.
My first preference is the modern manskirt style such as the Utilikilt which has pockets, failing which there is the option of a bumbag or a sporran which straps round the waist.

[Since1982]

I don't think either side of the pond is "slow" what we DO have on the American side is something the other side has a small portion of but hasn't had it as long as we have. The American Terror association, also known as either "The Invisible Empire" or the "Ku Klux Klan", which has been promoting terror against (what they call) non-whites since 1865.

People that think with that kind of mentality give pause to those free thinking men who might think of wearing a skirt or kilt but are worried "What other's will think or do"..Britain has a smaller smattering of that with the Neo-Nazis and the Skinhead movements. Some folks think the KKK and the Neo-Nazis are and think the same thing. They are similar, but not even close to being the same. There were 2 interesting shows on the Discovery Channel's "History" channel last week. One was called "Neo-Nazis and Skinheads-American Terror" The other was called "The Modern KKK"..Both are nuttier than a fruit and nuts cake in my opinion, but we can't ignore them.

The difference, as I see it, between the groups, is that the neo-nazis and skinheads hate everyone but themselves. The KKK hates non-whites only. Neither will ever overcome anyone, they are vastly outnumbered. I wonder how the KKK gets past the fact that all humans emanated from Africa.

[RichardA]

past the fact that all humans emanated from Africa.

I was created, I'm a child of God

[Stevie D]

past the fact that all humans emanated from Africa.

I was created, I'm a child of God

You are a child of your parents; exactly the same as any other animal.

[Milfmog]

Coming back on topic...

I spotted this bag in River Island yesterday and could not resist replacing my old and rather scruffy black canvas shoulder bag.


(Click for a larger image)

The main section has an internal pocket for a cell phone (too small for an iphone, but since I don't use one of those I don't care ) and a larger section separated from the main space by a mesh screen. The bag is about 10" x 8" and easily swallows my wallet, change purse, glasses (a sign of advancing years, I did not need those a year ago ), PDA, mobile phone and keys. There is still enough room for a small camera and a couple of other items if required. I'm starting to wonder how I managed before I started using a bag.

The bag is surprisingly heavy and looks as though it will absorb lots of abuse without being any the worse for it.

Have fun,


Ian.