MAN DAY: the man bag lives on

Today's MAN DAY topic took me completely by surprise. Please follow this exchange I had with a male fabulite associate of mine for more details:

Me: So you carry a purse, eh?

Him: It's not a purse. It's my carrying bag.

Me: Oh--so it's a man purse?

Him: No. It is what I use to carry my important items.

Me: Like what?

Him: My wallet, my phone, my, iPod, my important papers...

Me: (I cut him off) What happened to your pockets and a briefcase?

Him: I don't like to look bulky.

Me: What in the man-bag hell are you talking about? You have a manbag!

Him: Whatever. As long as you don't call it a purse.

Me: OHHHH--so you're a metrosexual....

Him: Did you just call me a homosexual?

The conversation then wandered off into an unnecessary convo about his "manhood." I just wanted to know if dude was carrying a purse or not....

Anyway you put it, the man purse, oh, excuse me, manbag, is still on the rise. No longer confined to the celebrity crowd (see examples of the uber fine David Beckham below--I don't care if he carries a purse, he is FINE!), manbags are becoming ever popular with the metro trendy male crowd (code word for metrosexual).

Not only a fashion accessory, they are actually quite useful. With the introduction of male grooming products, they are needed more than ever to ensure that the busy fashionismo (yes, I made it up---get used to it) is looking sharp and sexy all throughout the day. Instead of putting your MAN DAY survival kit in your car as I previously suggested, you can put it in your big ol' purse--sorry-I mean manbag.

But, if you carry one, you better have one that makes it look like you actually put some real thought into it, i.e. meaning you better spend some duckets and buy a designer one. Nothing is worse than seeing a dude walk down the block with a designer inspired manbag from Target (Tar-jay for us experienced bargain shoppers). I mean, come on, if you are going to be man enough to carry a purse, at least let it be a designer purse.







To bend it like Beckham and rock the manbag, you can find the Marc Mermel Herman tote from the pics above here. You can find any version of the Louis Vuitton bag here. Just be sure to look into the men's bag section (yes, they have a specific and separate section for this in addition to briefcases) and not just buy any purse on a testosterone-filled whim. If I see you out and about with a woman's purse, I will unapologetically laugh at you.....

To read a man's take on the manbag debacle and learn some do's and don'ts from GQ, look here. If your precious hand is sore from hoisting your ginormous manbag, just read below for the tips from GQ:

How to choose your manbag by GQ's Charlie Porter

Dos

1. Follow function, not fashion. A good bag should have a clasp or a buckle only if it's got a purpose. The bells and whistles of women's bags just don't sit right in menswear.

2. Ensure there are enough compartments to take keys, coins, phones and iPods. You don't want things banging around in the bottom of your bag, especially when your portmanteau acts as an all-day office.

3. Think about the weight of the bag. If the leather is thick and heavy, then, when the bag is full of stuff, it will be too much of a burden. Men's bags are normally bigger, but this doesn't mean they should be impractical.

4. Look in unusual places. Fishermen's bags by Brady are a current sleeper hit. They can be bought at Labour and Wait on Cheshire Street in London, while Topman has done a cheaper version in vivid colours for the summer.

5. Explore the unusual. Pochettes are returning this coming season, especially at Prada, where they have the appearance of an exercise book for a back-to-school look.

Don'ts

1. Don't assume that shoppers are just for women. A canvas tote will look suitably masculine, especially with a navy trim. Marc by Marc Jacobs is currently selling canvas totes with the slogan "Give 'Em Hell, Al" over an image of our fearless hero, Al Gore.

2. Don't overstuff the bag. The sharp edges of a too-big book can destroy the shape of a bag.

3. Don't stick to the style of your adolescence. Backpacks look great on skate kids, but a Valextra Premiere in white is a much more modernist choice for adulthood.

4. Don't worry about matching shoes to the bag. There's nothing wrong this summer with carrying a tan leather valise with mustard patent sandals.

5. Don't worry if you can't stomach the male bag; just ensure your clothing has the right pockets to carry your load. Designer Rick Owens hates bags, but hates trousers without good pockets even more. His clothes have enough hidden slots to carry a day's worth of clutter. It's a philosophy some
other designers should follow.

This is definitely a purse....shame, shame, shame on you, Terrence Howard!

Hubby's note: Besides being slightly miffed that I called David Beckhman uber-fine (twice at that!), he said that as long as the bag is masculine, it's okay by him (yes, I married an even more uber-fine metrosexual....)

Good luck with this one, fellas. Keep it strictly stylish!