# "Purses" for men

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/purses-for-men/291668>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [February 24, 2005, 8:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/purses-for-men/291668 "2005-02-24T08:51:02Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![Walkabout](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/46a35a/32.png) [@Walkabout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walkabout)\
**Post date:** [February 24, 2005, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/purses-for-men/291668/21 "2005-02-24T18:26:40Z")

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> [@Arwin](#):
>
> When (the three regular) pockets become too small, I usually use a backpack. The downside of backpacks are … my cats. I’ll spare you the details, but if you’re wondering why you see them standing outside of my house in the middle of winter … .

The cats or the backpacks?

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**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\
**Post date:** [February 24, 2005, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/purses-for-men/291668/22 "2005-02-24T19:13:16Z")

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> [@BrotherCadfael](#):
>
> Oh, please. I remember people saying the exact same thing, with the exact same timeframe, in the 1960s. It didn’t happen, and ain’t gonna happen.

Sure it will. Men will just call them backpacks.

As long as they can define it differently men will do almost anything that women do. They’ve adopted cologne - never perfume. They pierce their ears, but don’t wear earrings. They color their hair - but don’t dye it. They use mousse and gel instead of all those formulations women get in salons.

The only things that look to be beyond the pale are lipstick and skirts. Eddie Izzard notwithstanding. And even he doesn’t dress that way as much anymore.

Purses have already happened. They just aren’t called purses.

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**Author:** ![UrbanChic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/9dc877/32.png) [@UrbanChic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UrbanChic)\
**Post date:** [February 24, 2005, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/purses-for-men/291668/23 "2005-02-24T19:22:04Z")

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I bought my husband a Jack Spade ([jackspade.com](http://jackspade.com)) messenger bag a few years ago. He likes it. He bought himself a Victorinox bag (check out [ebags.com](http://ebags.com)) later, and still carries both of them to this day.

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**Author:** ![shy\_guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a6a055/32.png) [@shy\_guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shy_guy)\
**Post date:** [February 24, 2005, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/purses-for-men/291668/24 "2005-02-24T19:37:02Z")

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I go absolutely nowhere without my messanger bag. Even if I don’t need it, I figure I _might_ need to put something in it (plus then I always have tissues and stuff handy). I use the pockets on the insides of my jackets for my phone and iPod and stuff and jeans pocket for my wallet.

When I was in Europe, I noticed a lot of guys carrying tiny little bags that they slung over their shoulders. I like whatever I carry to be big enough to put a comic book into should I buy one while I’m out.[/nerd alert]

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**Author:** ![Kilt-wearin\_man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/82dd89/32.png) [@Kilt-wearin\_man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kilt-wearin_man)\
**Post date:** [February 24, 2005, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/purses-for-men/291668/25 "2005-02-24T20:11:13Z")

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The term you guys are looking for is “[SPORRAN!](http://www.scotchcorner.com/sporran-index.html)”

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