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The Elephant in the Room - Man Purse

Haversack

One Too Many
Messages
1,194
Location
Clipperton Island
When I had to choose a moniker for this site I ended up using the name of the satchel I use every day. Over the years I have played in a variety of historic recreation milieus and have developed an appreciation for the broad variety of sartorial solutions which people in the past have found for specific problems. For example, knee breeches and socks make a great deal of sense if one spends a lot of time outdoors in the field. Your lower legs are the part that tends to get wet and muddy.

Anyway, my daily commute involves about 1.5 miles of walking, a 3 mile trolley ride and a 40 mile train trip each way. I have to bring a lunch as there are no places to eat within a 1/2 mile of work. I usually have the morning paper and book, and often have some paperwork as well. A briefcase is overkill and is also inconvenient climbing the stairs on the hill I walk over. Back when I used a bicycle to commute, the knapsack was fine. For walking however, it too was overkill and left a large sweat mark on my back. My solution, which I have been using now for five years is a linen reproduction of an 18th C. Haversack as per below.

http://jas-townsend.com/product_inf...d=182&osCsid=79f418453f6e972e747c1701636d0924

They are light weight, do not impinge on what I am wearing, and do not read as a purse. They also do the job and can even carry groceries if I need to stop at the market on the way home. Although they do wear out after a couple of years, they are easy to replace and scrap linen is always useful for making repairs. It is pretty much an earlier eras equivilent to the Israeli paratrooper bag. I've often toyed with the idea of painting the badge of one of a variety of regiments on the cover.

Haversack
 

Sefton

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,132
Location
Somewhere among the owls in Maryland
It seems like the "folk" here (women and men) have come up with some interesting alternatives to the ubiquitous back pack. Byrne Sherwood, I agree with you completely. Nothing looks worse than a man in a suit wearing a backpack. Backpacks have their place of course. Mountaineers need them and so do school children...they look odd on adults just going about town.

Here in Northern California it seems that the shoulder bag is totally accepted. I've never had a rude comment directed at me while carrying one. I prefer to carry my things in jacket pockets but sometimes you just have to a bag.

Salv, Great lunchbox. Herman Munster style!
 

Salv

One Too Many
Messages
1,247
Location
Just outside London
PrettySquareGal said:
That is really cool.
Sefton said:
Salv, Great lunchbox.
Thanks guys :) I carried the lunchbox in the days before mobile phones, MP3 players, and debit cards so it always contained, at least, the 1980s equivalents of those now essential items: a 35mm film canister with change for a phone box, Sony Walkman with headphones plus a few spare tapes, and my cheque book. Also squeezed in were whatever book I was reading at the time and a Swiss Army knife wrapped in a hanky to stop it rattling around.

After posting about it yesterday I went looking for the box and found it in the garage, badly tarnished, but still solid after 20 years. I took the Brasso to it and it looks great now - nicely vintage - so I may have to start carrying it around again. It only has a single clasp in the centre and looks more chunky than the one in the picture. There's an internal tray at the top of the lower compartment and a wire holder inside the lid for a thermos. It is very cool...
 

RedPop4

One Too Many
Messages
1,353
Location
Metropolitan New Orleans
I carry a little leather man-purse...:p :p :p in a canvas backpack.
Yes, I am the "turd in the punchbowl" here.

I got sick and tired of the black marks that keys made even on the outside of my khaki pants. Even with the stain removers, soaps and detergents at our disposal, the key marks are everlasting. So I got the little clutch. I keep keys, pens, cigars, cutters, lighter, and matches in there as well.

Now, I carry it in a canvas knapsack that has already done its duty as my kids' school bag, I can keep my lunch in there with it, a sweatshirt for my frigid office, and a couple of smaller monographs.

I also have a laptop case that sports a logo quite similar to my avatar , but not Golden Era like it. Just got the laptop in December, and received the bag as a gift.
 

matei

One Too Many
Messages
1,022
Location
England
Marc Chevalier said:
According to the Renaissance Faire, the only "bag" a guy needeth is a codpiece.

.

Whenever I hear "codpiece" I can't help but think about yer man from Cameo:
codpiece.jpg
 

adamgottschalk

A-List Customer
Messages
405
Location
NewYork/Florida
Filson luggage--built for several lifetimes

I cannot recommend luggage from Filson highly enough. I've owned 4 or 5 pieces from them (only have two left) and they were/are by far the nicest bags I've ever owened or used. The kind of bags that get compliments every time you use them. Understated, but ultra durable, kind of bags that just look right anywhere and make you feel like the coolest guy in any room. They do have an all-leather briefcase (field satchel), but it's way expensive (it's also a proverbial tank of a bag). Most of their bags are expensive, but well worth it. Most are heavy duty waxed/oiled cotton cloth ("tin cloth"), in tan or green with extra-thick, dark-brown bridle leather straps and trim. They have a number of smaller bags that work excellently as "man purses": small carry-on, medium or small field bag, sportsman's bag, several briefcases (one that's padded all around for laptop carrying). I'm partial to their compartment cases; not meant for papers and files, more for odds and ends, but I just love them. The "sportsman's case" mentioned is a cross between one of their compartment cases and a briefcase. I've had GAS for one of those for some time.
 

feltfan

My Mail is Forwarded Here
Messages
3,190
Location
Oakland, CA, USA
BellyTank said:
I once knew a lady who came from Duluth, got bit by a dog with a rabid tooth.

B
T

That backpack is hilarious. Looks like a parody.

And thanks- I'll have Meat Puppets stuck in my
head for the rest of the evening.
 

Kodiak

A-List Customer
Messages
315
Location
KY/DC
Help finding a leather satchel

Does anybody know of a link to a leather satchel that I might be able to buy at a relatively decent price? I've seen the one from J. Peterman, and this one from Duluth Trading Co. There is also this one from Duluth Trading, too.

Anything else ya'll might know of?

Regards,
-Kodiak
 

Kodiak

A-List Customer
Messages
315
Location
KY/DC
scotrace said:
Colonel Littleton is always worth a look. I've also always liked the stuff i see at Duluth Pack.

Thanks. The ones from Duluth Pack are pretty nice, still in my price range. Those others are a bit expensive for me, and not quite large enough for my laptop. Anybody else have links?

Regards,
-Kodiak
 

Kodiak

A-List Customer
Messages
315
Location
KY/DC
No... I hadn't. But unfortunately the only thing that looks vintage about that bag is the cell phone in the front pocket. That's old school there ;)

Thanks for the link anyway.
 

Solid Citizen

Practically Family
Messages
922
Location
Maryland
German Schoolbag

If you look on Ebay you can find a vintage German leather schoolbag which is just what Barry is showing in the photo!

SC ;)
 

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