Man Purses (With Guest Curator Voteprime)

(Curator’s Note: In an exciting Etsy Stalker first, we are bringing you Etsy from a male perspective! Please welcome Guest Curator Voteprime in what we hope will be the first of many contributions.)

Men are realizing that pants pockets just don’t cut it any more for all their carrying needs. And while there are manly totes and handy utility belts out there, they just don’t have the same style as a bag across your shoulder. As a result, men carrying bags on a daily basis are becoming much more common. Some, like me, call their bags a “murse” (man purse), but maybe you’d just prefer “Man bag.”

So what should you look for in a man bag? I prefer a medium-sized bag with a strap to carry over my shoulder. We’re not talking messenger bags here; those are too large to lug around all day. And your murse can’t be too small because, well, other guys will just laugh at you and your tiny bag. My ideal man bag size is around 10” high x 12” wide. And though murses are
now generally accepted man accessories, there will still be some hold-outs that insist on teasing you for your “purse.” So don’t help them out by getting one with flowers or My Little Ponies on the front.

Luckily, for the aspiring murse-purchaser, Etsy has plenty of handmade bags that allow you to carry all of your belongings in style.

Man Purses (With Guest Curator Voteprime)

Urban Heirlooms has designed one of the most beautiful man bags I have ever seen, putting a unique twist on a standard style. Made to order, using dark brown leather, antique nickel hardware and a skeleton key latch (!!!), you could search your whole life and never find a man bag like this.

Specializing in recycled materials from damaged leather jackets, yarashi has designed this wonderful man bag that still shows off the old jacket pocket right on the front.

Among a wide variety of creations, you can find these vintage bags at Catfluff. Reconstructed from Swiss Army bread bags, these man bags are a tad wider and shorter than my preferred size, but it is designs like these that make you want to break your own rules.

Sweetgum Handbags makes some beautiful women’s bags, but this almost-messenger-size bag is on the mannish side of things. It also looks light and durable being made of a charcoal denim with a contrasting white thread for some added style. (also comes in indigo and orange)

Stash makes all kinds of fantastic bags, wallets and clutches (and even pencil cases!), as well as some really stylish small messenger bags. These bags might be a bit shorter than I would like, verging on a not-so-desired purse look for men, but that herringbone weave is hard to resist, as is the canvas lining.

And finally, while really not something I would recommend male readers start hauling their items around in, Retired Records has a tote made from a recycled pair of jeans and a Led Zeppelin album cover, and it really is a creation you have to see.

So call it what you like – a man purse, a man bag, or whatever – but guys, know that a bag is okay to carry. In fact, it’s quite stylish.

Guest Curator Voteprime