For such a small requirement, 1 item, I would look to make it or get it small enough to pocket it, look for clothes with bigger/more pockets, and perhaps reduce other things you carry, like a keyring stuffed with keys or a George Constanze wallet.
Smartphones can pretty much get rid of the day planner, though it certainly is a adjustment, and sometimes paper and pen just works best.
Would and have. I prefer a backpack, but I’d use a small shoulder bag if wearing something without pockets.
Okay, Dundee…ahem, Argent Towers, in this case I think a purse is just fine…carry on.
Messenger bags are purses, BTW, the Europeans think they’ve gotten by on a technicality, but I see right through it…cough, cough girly men cough, cough.
If the stuff I’m carrying mostly consists of papers and other more or less flat, rectangular stuff, I carry a briefcase. For more irregular-shaped junk, I’ll wear a knapsack.
In the *Dark Tower *books, Roland carries a purse. So that settles it.
I do carry a laptop bag that, for most purposes, is a man purse. So yeah.
If I’m carrying cherry tomatoes in a brassiere, I don’t think my messenger bag is going to make me look like more of a girly man.
On the other hand, if I’m carrying cherry tomatoes in a brassiere back to my house in the morning, I’m clearly even more awesome than Argent Towers and his bearskin purse awesome, so there is that.
And a pair of Derringer pistols in a garter holster.
Back in the old days (through the 1990’s) briefcases were common and then supplanted by laptop bags.
Me, I use a knapsack/laptop bag or more commonly just my smart phone. I would never ever carry a man purse. Back in the day, I only carried a briefcase for job interviews. Otherwise a knapsack if I needed to carry stuff more than would fit in my pant pockets
I actually carry a Jack Spade man purse, BUT only when I travel. It is the perfect size for a book, passport, ipod and other small items. I find that people overseas are more tolerant of my lifestyle choice.
Messenger bags are for wannabe-hipsters. Real Men carry real vintage leatherMap Cases. Or Real Hipsters do, I’m not quite clear on this. But I do prefer map cases to messenger bags - they are more vertical, and more pen-friendly, IME.
MrDibble, Whoooeee, those are awesome lookin’ and I bet they cost a pretty penny if you could find one at an Army/Navy Surplus store. I can just picture a Navy Seal carrying one and daring anyone to say anything! 
Quasi
I only carry an aluminum attache case handcuffed to my arm.
They do make reproductions for the WII reenactment crowd.
Hell, maybe I should make some and stick them on Etsy…
I think they actually sell canvas map cases at the uniform shop on base. I’ll check today to see what it’s like. Something like $20 or $30 for it.
Hahaha…had to share this, I just now checked this thread, and lo and behold…an advertisement for messenger bags…Bwahahaha (somebody’s coded this board right, good job, the word recognizer is working perfectly)
I’d definitely find a use for it, Raguleader! I sometimes get called to an Advocates meeting and all I need is something to keep files in.
Thanks!
Q
Not too long ago, Mr. Matata finally saw the light, and went on an all-day shopping excursion for The Perfect Bag. He finally found something kind of like this - a little narrower, but similar, and with a bunch of smaller bags that clip on or off, as needed. Now, it’s like his American Express - he doesn’t leave home without it. It handily stores diapers, bottles, wipes, wee toys, a small first aid kit (the 11-year-old inherited all of my grace!), pens, a multi-tool, money clip, phone, dog leash, snacks, etc., etc., etc. And it’s not just for domestic use. Since his patrol car is essentially his office for 40 hours per week, the Daddy Bag goes to work with him.
Now that he has experienced the ease of carrying everything so easily, I doubt that the Daddy Bag will retire even after we no longer need a diaper bag…
Men: would you carry a purse- like bag if you had stuff you needed to carry?***
Sure.
Yah, it costs right around $25 at the uniform shop. A quick google shows that lots of places sell map cases (which, as far as I can tell, are basically canvas messenger bags) for right around the $20-40 price range.