Should We Call the Leather Bag for Men a Man Bag?

The leather bag for man has been reluctant to catch on in America. It has been called several other names beside the leather man bag.  A shoulder bag, or cross body bag is acceptable in other cultures. A briefcase is acceptable as long as it is used in a business context.  What do we cal the bag used to carry gadgets, and other essentials?

If you were a Seinfeld fan, you might remember a segment in which Jerry was given a leather bag for men.  The comedic implication and the primary concern was what they should call the bag.    In the segment, Jerry commented about George’s “…morbidly obese wallet…” because George kept every piece of paper or receipt he ever had in his wallet.  In George’s words, “Men carry wallets.”

The secondary concern was the belief that in our culture, men do not carry a leather bag other than a briefcase or backpack.  I could never understand why the back pack, designed with two straps to fit comfortably on the back as in actual back-packing device is usually slung over one shoulder and carried like a cross body bag or a shoulder bag. I have even heard people ask a man who carried a briefcase outside of the business setting, or a smaller, practical shoulder bag or cross body bag, “Do you have your purse?”

Historically, men have carried leather bags in some of the most manly endeavors.  Soldiers from the American Revolution, the Frontier Wars and the Alamo, through the Civil War carried leather bags and pouches on their belts, in addition to a backpack.
Hunters carry leather bags and pouches.  The frontiersmen carried a “possible” bag for muzzle loading essentials. Men in other cultures carry a leather bag similar to a purse. Members of sub cultures such as Motor cyclists have all kinds of leather bags for the bike and belt bags to wear.  Cowboys have saddlebags, although you could argue that the horse carries them for the most part.  If you like westerns, you will see a cowboy with the saddlebag slung over one shoulder when he is not riding the horse.

With a continuing more mobile work force, and an increase in gadgets, men should not be afraid to carry a stylish and durable leather bag.  As gadgets are down sized, they are still too big for pockets and too small for a briefcase or  messenger bag. Leather cases have pockets and compartments.  The leather man bag is useful for travel to carry a book, a Nook, or a Kindle, the I Pad, lunch and snacks, or even a small coffee thermos. Pens, cell phones, cameras (other than phone cameras) fit neatly into additional compartments.

Even though the gadget market is attempting to make an all-in-one gadget that combines everything, each company makes their own version and cost and flexibility cause people to find they still need multiple gadgets. There are several leather man bags form a one-size-fits-all leather gadget bag to a leather messenger bag, laptop case, back pack or briefcase to carry them.

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