Man Bags For Every Occasion

Bags of Style

“The Man Bag (the-man-bag) – noun

A place for the modern day gent to carry his tools of the trade. Born from the metro-sexual phenomenon of the 90’s, the man bag is a style essential that comes in many different shapes, sizes and materials and is now widely used, even by those who first ridiculed its creation.”

It’s been nearly a decade since Jude Law and David Beckham helped open our eyes to the benefits of the ’man bag’, and while the term now seems outdated, the concept is still very much alive. Rather than being an accessory born from its female counterpart, today’s man bag needs to be a whole lot more than a bit of arm candy, it needs to be functional, stylish and above all – masculine. In 2010, a man’s affection for his bag need no longer be a hidden love affair. The man bag has cemented its place as a style essential – just as long as it’s not too feminine. Splitting my search into four key categories I’ve hunted down the best of the bags for Spring/Summer 2010.

Bags For Work

Spring/Summer 2010 office fashion sees the return of power dressing. With competition in the workplace tougher than ever, it’s time you smartened your look with sharp suits, an even shaper intellect and a power-accessory that combines timeless elegance and business-like practicality. Whether you need to carry your laptop, vital paper work or just your cheese and pickle sandwich, invest in a stylish work bag to ensure you look the business.

Casual Bags

All work and no play makes for a very dull boy, so while power dressing has re-emerged in the work place, outside of 9 to 5 the emphasis is on taking fun very seriously indeed. Perfect for the gym, the beach or around town this seasons casual bags are mod-inspired and awash with colour so don’t be afraid to be bold and experiment.

Bags For Travel

Because of travel restrictions, getting from A to B now requires a little more shrewd planning. The celebrities are well versed at strutting through airports with designer luggage, and while we can take inspiration from their man bags, sunglasses inside are very much a no-no. The emphasis this Spring is on lightweight coats, mini sized grooming products, and luggage that allows you to travel in both style and practicality. The leather holdall is a timeless classic, but don’t overlook canvas as your fabric of choice for a more relaxed look with a vintage military feel.

Multitaskers

With as much storage as style, these multitasking bags will cover even the most demanding daily schedules and are still portable enough to carry around without leaving you with the posture of the hunchback of Notre Dame. The canvas bags continue the retro explorer feel with a vintage take on the modern shoulder bag but it’s the tote bag or ’shopper’ that is fast becoming the man bag of choice. Simple but oh so effective, these bags are widely available in a variety of styles and colours, but I particularly like how the examples below give a more sophisticated edge.