Men's Handbags - Will They Ever Catch On?

If they continue to be called handbags -- then they may well not catch on at all.

Call them something else and they more than likely will!

As the speed of business and everyday life continues to grow, men too are going to need something small enough to carry the various daily bits and pieces in, without subjecting their pockets to a barrage of seam bursting bits and pieces.

For the majority of the week, men are catered for quite adequately with the briefcases or laptop bags. Many now cut straight to the chase and pile everything into a backpack, caring less for appearance and more for practicality of being able to walk around easily.

But consider for a minute those trips where a business case isn't required.

Maybe they aren't going out and about with their laptop or files of papers for the day. Would they still need a laptop bag or messenger bag?

Unlikely!

So maybe the advent of man carrying some form of male handbag isn't that far away.

Indeed, designer names such as Louis Vuitton, Dior and Tommy Hilfiger already market bags specifically for men. They obviously believe the market is the there and that it's worth tapping into sooner rather than later.

Nor are they just your standard duffle or messenger bags.

They are specific, cut down versions of these, more suitable for carrying wallet, car keys and mobile phone easily than lugging big and heavy items. Slip in a PDA or iPod and you're away.

The styles and materials used are still very pointedly masculine. With thick leathers and rough looking suede they still shout out "manly" rather than 'girly'. The cut and style are purposely made to appear different to anything else gone before.

The Dior line for instance –- thinned down and mini sized messenger type bags that aren’t messenger bags but men’s handbags.

And that's the whole crux of the matter.

Men will start to carry the man's handbag -- for want of a better name -- just so long as it doesn't destroy their perceived likeness to John Wayne or the Terminator.

But if it has any likeness to a true handbag as touted by millions of women then they’ll run a mile -- fast! It’s that word, you see. Strikes fear into even the biggest man.

“Handbag.”

It just sounds girly. It’s a word all men associate with their mom. Nothing wrong with that, you say! I agree –- but although most men love and respect their moms –- they don’t want to dress like her. That includes the ‘handbag’.

Then you'll have the diehards who wouldn't touch a handbag for their wife, let alone themselves. These men, I suspect, would rather see NASCAR racing made into a non contact sport and the NFL forced to impose a non violent tackling rule before they ever handled a real, live handbag!

Mark you -- I bet these are the same men who, as soon as they get the car parked on a family trip out anywhere, turn to their wife and say "Gee honey, can I put my keys in your handbag??"

“And my cell phone?”

“Will my wallet fit in as well, do you think?”

Tch. MEN!