Totes emosh: Solving the big bag dilemma

There are a few questions that are central to the human condition. How did we get here? What’s our purpose? What should I have for lunch? And, perhaps most pertinently, what sort of bag should I use?  

The term ‘man bag’ is fairly loaded. It’s a bit post-millennium Becks (the rimless sunglasses and big jeans era); a bit Joey from that episode of Friends (‘The One With Joey’s Bag’); a bit back to school. While men’s fashion may be blessed with trousers and jackets boasting abundant pockets in which to keep ‘very important man things’ (think keys, phone, wallet and a DeWalt 18V combi drill), it can be more difficult to find a bag that is functional, but doesn’t make you look like an eager Year 8 geography student out on his first field trip. 

Fortunately, there have been great advances in the ‘nice bags for men’ landscape over the past few years – you just need to know where to look and what to look for. There aren’t specific styles I would dismiss outright (except a crossbody satchel – leave that for Indiana Jones), but the right tote – a style often aligned with bedraggled canvas designs advertising book shops, coffee shops and a certain magazine that’s based in New York – is an ideal work carrier for commuters. Often crafted in robust cordura, nylon or weather-treated cotton, a tote delivers that magic balance of practical and stylish. I’ve spent the last couple of years lugging around my laptop, notepad and… other things that go in bags in a smart black Japanese nylon tote. It feels grown-up, useful and durable, which seems to be the sartorial holy trinity when it comes to any bag selection.  

Of course, a backpack is a more fraught subject. Get it wrong and it’s quite easy to look like an overgrown child. Get it right and you have yourself a streamlined carryall that your posture will thank you for in 20 years time. Personally, I think a dark colour with a nice roll top or buckle fastening is the way to go, and brands like Sandqvist offer great options. If you commute on a bike or just like the full use of your beautiful arms, look no further. 

That said, even the widely mocked bumbag is enjoying something of a fashion renaissance (a bum-naissance?) right now. High-end designers have made them out of fancy yet functional materials for runway shows, strapping them diagonally across the body to avoid that full tourist-on-a-mission look. Their surprising new reputation as a ‘trend piece’ aside though, bumbags really are very useful, and ideal for shoving everything into during an airport run, while hanging nonchalantly off your shoulder (yes, cue Joey from Friends again). 

Whatever shape or size of bag you opt for though, my broad recommendation is to go for something dark, with as little branding as possible, that’s built to handle a downpour, rough knock, or changing of the season. Because, when it comes to bags, you need it to carry you through everything.