A grey suit and tie, over a long-sleeve white dress shirt, tucked into a pair of neatly pressed pants with a leather belt and a shiny pair of black shoes – arrayed thus, you’re ready to embark on another day of gainful employment in style. But wait – what about the papers, stationary, organizers and gadgets you’ll need to take with you to the office? How can you transport your stuff in style?
Like it or not, business attire often requires a formal-looking bag or case. For a working guy, a back pack or traveler’s bag is a big no-no. An office appropriate bag should match your profession and the work-related situations you’re likely to find yourself in.
In most cases, your clothing and your bag will say a lot about your social and economic status. If you’re trying to dress professionally in a white shirt and navy suit, it’s always best to opt for a simple leather briefcase. For frequent fliers looking for more functionality in their work bags, a simple laptop bag which can be slung over the shoulder on the way to the airport or carried by a handle into a conference room works with any two-piece suit.
Outside of work though, casual bags for men become more complicated and controversial. Ever since satchels, man clutches and dude purses have become all the rage among soccer players and hip-hop stars, guys have been divided about what kind of bags men – men not being stalked by the paparazzi that is – can/should use.
If you’re adventurous enough to leave the home on the weekends sporting a case larger than a wallet, keep in mind one of the nascent rules of men’s baggage: a gentleman carries. With a short sleeve shirt and a pair of jeans, a semi-casual leather duffel bag with handles can still look polished. For guys who are a little more active, boxy cross-shoulder messenger bags aren’t too feminine as long as they don’t feature an excess of exposed zippers of metal accents (re-watch the Indiana Jones movies and you’ll know what we’re talking about).
Whether you need to carry your professional paraphernalia with dignity or sick of wearing bulked out cargo pants, there is undoubtedly a bag out there for you.
