Inspired by another thread. A friend of mine uses a 'manbag'. It's a shoulder bag and he swears by it. It's about the size of an A4 sheet and a few inches deep (7-8cms?). What do you ladies think of a man with a manbag?

Hmm interesting one, I know a lot of guys who use a small backpack style/gym bag daily as their "handbag" & my husband has a "courier" type satchel but doesn't use it every day. But an actual bag made of leather or not styled like a sports bag??? Not sure.

Always remember the friends episode where Joey uses a leather man bag & gets the piss taken out of him.

I really honestly think it is all to do with the style of the bag. Difficult one to judge.

Take a photo of it & let us see what type it is.

If he caught me photographing his bag, I don't know what he'd think!

When you've shown it to the ladies bring it over to the Gay Forum and we'll tell you just how gay you look

One reply and nobody's told you you'd look like a pouf.

It's OK , I lose bets all the time.

I had one once (well I used to live in France) and let me tell you it's a bad idea.

Men are not "handbag consciuos". When staggering out of a bar a woman will

say (no matter how drunk she is) "where's my handbag?" A man will not.

This saves the woman from losing a packet of kleenex , sundry make-up items ,

a packet of very stale chewing gum and a photo of her last boyfriend.

The man will lose his passport , his plastic money cards , his driver's license ,

oh hel_l everything that separates him from being a vagrant.

Go ahead , buy the bag , good idea !

Always remember the friends episode where Joey uses a leather man bag & gets the piss taken out of him.

When I saw the thread I was gonna say exactly that! haha.

I would say... is the world ready for his manbag yet?

I think it's a GREAT idea! I have men friends who stuff MY handbag with THEIR stuff... get your own I say....

When I lived in Japan, going on 20 years ago, the man bag was called "second bag"; the first being the wallet. Sure, it's like a briefcase except you can stuff a book, newspaper, moisturiser, candy, whatever in it. Metrosexual.

Er, how come people in this thread think I am enquiring for myself??? I can barely manage my wallet! The thoughts of carrying a manbag gives me stress. I have pockets and lots of them. I simply asked what the ladies thought?

NO NO NO NO NO. If Mr Man got one we would divorce. I prefer that he gives me his stuff to carry (not that he has anything). Manbags and wallets, I loathe wallets. Men who flick or scurry through their notes like Ebenezer. Conversely I don't mind credit card wallets. Coin purses are beyond the pale

Er, how come people in this thread think I am enquiring for myself??? I can barely manage my wallet! The thoughts of carrying a manbag gives me stress. I have pockets and lots of them. I simply asked what the ladies thought?

Sorry, mate. We thought you were talking about your (ahem..) 'friend'

I picked up one of these "man bags" the other day. its exactly the size of a hand bag but with a long shoulder strap but with different styling. Its well designed with padded pockets for ipod, camera, and a many compartments making it very handy. Its marketed as "uni-sex". I think it passes. Ok ladies (//edit or gay men) what do think ?

Personally, I always assume that a fashionable bag is another gay indicator. It doesn't necessarily mean that a guy is gay, but it's another point in favour of that. Usually a strong one. (I'm not talking about the typical small-to-medium sized business bag, but something that's obviously intended to be fashionable).

There are also a lot of metrosexuals out there... of course... that must be the reason...

Personally, I always assume that a fashionable bag is another gay indicator. It doesn't necessarily mean that a guy is gay, but it's another point in favour of that. Usually a strong one. (I'm not talking about the typical small-to-medium sized business bag, but something that's obviously intended to be fashionable).

There are also a lot of metrosexuals out there... of course... that must be the reason... :D

My main reasons for purchasing are

1. functionality and practicality for intended purpose MOST IMPORTANT

2. quality

3. value

fashion is somewhat important but not at the top of the list for me because as IJWT says, it indicates a "metrosexual" man!

Grover, I think yours is OK. I also think it's OK for a small backpack or sportsbag to be used (as Boo stated), but definitely not the handbag type manbag. As Endure & Ijustwannateach have said, perhaps using one of those is more attractive to other males than to females. Farangsay makes a good point though, women seem to be very aware of their handbag's whereabouts. I'm just wondering how many men would leave them behind on trains, in taxis & especially in pubs.

The 'man bag' has been around for years and it is free and available in many different patterns - Central do a nice one in red with gold lettering, Big C has a lime one and I think Tesco do a striped one.

I guess I'm very out of touch. My reaction to this whole thread is "why would you care what men, women, gay men, albinos, dwarves or ostriches care whether you carry a bag if you need a bag to put your stuff in?" if it serves a purpose and you can look in the mirror without laughing or breaking out in a cold sweat, carry it!

Most of the boat taxi guys on the island carry a bag, usually a small string purse/bag (often sold at tourist places and the weekend market). Holds their money and their phone. No Thai person gives two shakes about it. Seems to me too many Western men are too hung up on what other people think of their sexuality and invest that in what bag they do or don't carry.

If you want a bag for your stuff and you are pleased with it (or your friend does ) Go for it, I say

And Grover, I think that bag looks great. Very useful for all your excess stuff.

I picked up one of these "man bags" the other day. its exactly the size of a hand bag but with a long shoulder strap but with different styling. Its well designed with padded pockets for ipod, camera, and a many compartments making it very handy. Its marketed as "uni-sex". I think it passes. Ok ladies (//edit or gay men) what do think ?

My husband (he is Thai) carries one pretty much like this one except it's in that camouflage patterned fabric, I personally think it looks silly (like a fanny pack ) but he uses it all the time, keeps all his papers, business cards and stuff but (thankfully) he mostly keeps in the truck

I picked up one of these "man bags" the other day. its exactly the size of a hand bag but with a long shoulder strap but with different styling. Its well designed with padded pockets for ipod, camera, and a many compartments making it very handy. Its marketed as "uni-sex". I think it passes. Ok ladies (//edit or gay men) what do think ?

I think this looks okay, kind of like a schoolbag. It sounds practical.

ps gisele, fanny pack Forgive me for being purile.

fanny is a perfectly acceptable word for one's derriere in North America.

Most of the boat taxi guys on the island carry a bag, usually a small string purse/bag (often sold at tourist places and the weekend market). Holds their money and their phone. No Thai person gives two shakes about it. Seems to me too many Western men are too hung up on what other people think of their sexuality and invest that in what bag they do or don't carry.

If you want a bag for your stuff and you are pleased with it (or your friend does ) Go for it, I say

Exactly. Does having too much stuff to carry for pockets but not enough for a briefcase have anything at all to do with a man's sexual preference? (Or bubblebaths, or umbrella drinks, or skin care...) It's silly really.

fanny is a perfectly acceptable word for one's derriere in North America.

Yes, but in the UK and Ireland it's the furry front bottom!

I picked up one of these "man bags" the other day. its exactly the size of a hand bag but with a long shoulder strap but with different styling. Its well designed with padded pockets for ipod, camera, and a many compartments making it very handy. Its marketed as "uni-sex". I think it passes. Ok ladies (//edit or gay men) what do think ?

Does it have a pocket where the fashionable man can store his manssiere?

of course not

Does it have a pocket where the fashionable man can store his manssiere?

OK, know I'm setting myself up, but what, dear LB, is that?

there was an episode on sienfeld about this. They came up with the idea of a male bra (for the fat fellas ) , and couldnt decide to call it a bro or a manissiere.

if a man needs it,its the type of thing to be worn not stashed in a man bag I would think.

I picked up one of these "man bags" the other day. its exactly the size of a hand bag but with a long shoulder strap but with different styling. Its well designed with padded pockets for ipod, camera, and a many compartments making it very handy. Its marketed as "uni-sex". I think it passes. Ok ladies (//edit or gay men) what do think ?

Does it have a pocket where the fashionable man can store his manssiere?

there was an episode on sienfeld about this. They came up with the idea of a male bra (for the fat fellas ) , and couldnt decide to call it a bro or a manissiere.

if a man needs it,its the type of thing to be worn not stashed in a man bag I would think.

Ahhh, I remember that episode. Jerry also had a "man purse" aka European Carry-All

I picked up one of these "man bags" the other day. its exactly the size of a hand bag but with a long shoulder strap but with different styling. Its well designed with padded pockets for ipod, camera, and a many compartments making it very handy. Its marketed as "uni-sex". I think it passes. Ok ladies (//edit or gay men) what do think ?

I think this looks okay, kind of like a schoolbag. It sounds practical.

ps gisele, fanny pack Forgive me for being purile.

so what are these bags called in the UK then?

no matter what they are called, they are still unattractive

fanny is a perfectly acceptable word for one's derriere in North America.

Yes, but in the UK and Ireland it's the furry front bottom!

Yes, but Gisele and I are both in Thailand, not the UK

Anyway, they are ugly but I still wear one when travelling. It makes me less likely to leave something behind