Quantcast
Tha Office

BLOG: Duffle Bags > Man Bags

Tuesday Nov 10 7:00 AM CST posted by xxl staff

Do you know what really grinds my gears? (Cue Family Guy). Man bags and murses.

When I was coming up, dudes rocked backpacks, duffle bags, or even those NorthFace Kanga bags. You know the ones that kinda-sorta look like fanny packs but were given a pass because they were NorthFace?

Anyway, there was no question as to who should be rockin’ the bag. Men had heavy-duty nylon bags with two straps, while chicks had dainty leather bags that were monogrammed up. Today, however, is a whole different ball game. Dudes are walking around with these shoulder-strap bags that resemble purses. Some try to defend their choice by labeling them “man bags” (or totes and travel bags) but the fact they even have to specify the gender of their accessory should be a red flag.That’s why most stores have a men’s and women’s section.

Now, I’ll admit that some of these satchels might actually be made for men and might get a pass on a good day, but there seems to be more and more men walking around with girlie bags. Last year, Pharrell proudly posed on the cover of Paper magazine with his purple/fuchsia Hermes bag. Sorry, homie, I don’t care what the salesperson told you, what name brand it is, or how much it cost, I know a purse when I see one, buddy. You’ve been got.

Now, far be it for me to judge a man for having to carry a bunch of stuff around, but I’m infamous for not carrying a bag of any sort if I don’t have to. People often ask, “But where do you put your stuff?” In my pocket like any other adult male. DUH!

Why the hell is it so pertinent that I carry every portable item that I own with me every day? I just don’t get it. All I need is my iPod, Blackberry, wallet and keys and I’m good. I dropped the backpack as soon as I graduated college.

The only exception to my no bag rule is: 1) I just went shopping—which is highly unlikely in this recession 2) I’m coming from the gym 3) I just got off a plane 4) I had to lug my laptop around with me for some ungodly reason. Whatever the case, it’s usually a nuisance for me and the masculinity of said bag is clearly visible.

While scouring the Internets the other day I came across a video clip of some rap group called Jap City (I don’t get the name either). Apparently the whole man bag/murse epidemic riled them up to the point where they made a seven-minute salvo against men rockin’ womanly bags, as well as other questionable trends like biker chains, skinny jeans, scarves and anything else they deemed suspect.

What do y’all think about the trend of man purses? Has hip-hop gone soft or are some guys just trying to be fashionable while carrying all their crap? —Anslem Samuel

COMMENT

Send to a Friend





SEND TO A FRIEND

This entry was posted on Tuesday, November 10th, 2009 at 7:00 am and is filed under ** Highlight **, Bloggers, Tha Office
Share it: . You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

RSS feed | Trackback URI

28 Comments »

November 10th, 2009
at 8:26 am

GO-Getta' says:

Duffle Bags > Man Bags……Purple or Orange.
U must b high or sumttin.I won’t b found dead with those.
I’m positive my gal will mistaken it like i bought if 4 her.

PS:Does’nt Pharell look gayish in that pic?

 

November 10th, 2009
at 8:59 am

TheCoolest says: Subscribed to comments via email

Pharrell can wear a man bag because he’s Pharrell.If you would see a dude in the street with a purple bag you would call him gay.But with Pharrell it’s just “Fashion”

I wouldn’t even giv a fuck If I was Pharrell and somebody called me gay.He has got lots of money and get more women than anybody here commenting on XXL……

November 10th, 2009
at 9:15 am

El Tico Loco says:

That’s still gay as fuck, Pharrell may have money and women but he must not have real friends to check him on suspect behavior; then again maybe his friends are gay. What he eats don’t make u shit so why the pass based on who it is?

 

November 10th, 2009
at 11:28 am

Federal Ranga says:

“He has got lots of money and get more women than anybody here commenting on XXL……”

Hate it when people say that… like Charlemagne said, you don’t know shit about the commenters here or who we could be. This ain’t Twitter, nigga. You’d be surprised at who’s here…

Back to the subject though.

Fuck that… them bags is gay, my nigga. And the worse part about it is… Niggaz bags are getting bigger and women’s smaller… WTF?

November 10th, 2009
at 11:43 am

capcobra says:

these rap niguz so busy dressing and talking slick that the bitches don’t got nothing to say.wear.or do nowadays…and people still wondering why it ain’t no female rappers…it’s some..they just born males…so would that make them trannies?

November 10th, 2009
at 3:01 pm

$ykotic/Don McCaine says:

@ Ranga
@ cap

Preach!

We used to rock the Polo toiletry bag & them LV/Gucci pouches that went around the neck. Even at first fanny packs, until undercover’s started using them.

These days? “Y’all n*ggas are gay”-Riley Freeman

And shame on a person still giving rich n*gga b*llsh*t a pass because you’re thirsty for bread.

 
 
 
 

November 10th, 2009
at 9:05 am

El Tico Loco says:

Tight jeans, scarves and purses to match and that’s the dude! SMH
What makes it so bad is that some chicks like that shit.

 

November 10th, 2009
at 9:07 am

Moving Sideways says:

Don’t worry, that purple bag is big enough to hold his dignity.

 

November 10th, 2009
at 9:42 am

Lolow says:

Why the f*ck would anyone go around with that? Shit’s gay.

 

November 10th, 2009
at 11:31 am

SOUTHSIDE A-TOWN says:

man purse… that shit is sad.

 

November 10th, 2009
at 11:33 am

capcobra says:

don’t forget about the earrings in both ears..that’s suspect.

 

November 10th, 2009
at 11:34 am

GregSIDE says:

I’ma guy that’s real secure with his masculinity. I got a couple gay friends that I would ride for.(I don’t have to say “no homo or “pause” after that cause I’m str8 with mine) Hip-Hop is very homophobic and I really don’t see that changing. But not even on some Hip-Hop shit, there is no way in hell I’d be carrying some shit like that. I just can’t picture a str8 man going to a store and going, “This purple bag is fly”. Like homeboy said, guys put there shit in there pockets. The only time I carry a backpack is if I’m going to the gym or I got some weight. As far as everything else; I don’t get the scarves, especially when it ain’t cold. I think rappers are wanting to look more like a rock star’s with the tight jeans(Wanye)but they still sag them to look hip-hop. I don’t see the problem with the biker chains. IDK. Maybe some of these guys are gay and are slowly trying to come out. You never know. Your favorite rapper might be gay. I wonder who’s gonna come out first? Probably the one’s who say “no homo” after every sentence.

 

November 10th, 2009
at 11:45 am

11KAP says:

gay. nothing else to say.

 

November 10th, 2009
at 11:49 am

Curtis75Black says: Subscribed to comments via email

Hip Hop is turning into a Boondocks Episode !! I just hope to GOD these new emcee’s don’t start rocking The Gangstalicous wardrobe.

 

November 10th, 2009
at 11:50 am

Blakout615 says:

I can care less what a dude wears or carries around,as long as its not affecting me.
But man purses?? The fuck?
That purple bag Pharrell is holding is DEF a purse. No,ands,ifs ,buts about it. Shit look like something a church lady would have.

Kinda on a side note: I notice alot of yall internet cats use “no homo” or “pause” alot. Do yall actually use that in everyday speech? Cause I would hate talkin sum rap shit wit a nigga saying pause every 6 seconds lol

 

November 10th, 2009
at 12:46 pm

Oakland 106 says:

damn that shit’s just about as faggoty as all those loaded athletes with diamonds in their ears

 

November 10th, 2009
at 1:02 pm

YOM says:

@Curtis75Black,
That episode of Boondocks was funny as hell cuz its so true.Even the part when the fans of the gay rappers don’t want to accept the TRUTH and defend them with dumb ass excuses or even worse START DRESSING LIKE THEM.

 

November 10th, 2009
at 2:24 pm

ONE50 says:

Back when Cam started the pink trend I thought nothing of it. Then cam the earings in both ears, right there I knew something was afoul. It didn’t take several gay trends later to make me realize that mainstream hiphop was going gay. How many clues do yall niggas need. Shame on XXL. Step your game up.

Props to Cap for his excellent analysis on why no females in the rap game now. Maybe XXL should hire you

 

November 10th, 2009
at 3:03 pm

daydeezy says:

oh yeah and the chick that sold those Big Azzzz purses to 4real she must have been fine as hell, woman make you do some strange sh*t….even change religions now man purses…

 

November 10th, 2009
at 4:31 pm

Brooklyn says: Subscribed to comments via email

there’s no reason in the hell why a nigga should be walking around with a pocketbook, and that’s what those bags are, pocketbooks. i feel uncomfortable when my girl asks me to hold her bag while she runs and takes a piss, so i’m wondering how these dudes must feel walking around with these motherfuckers. in my opinion, the only bag a nigga should be carrying is a backpack, anything that dangles off the shoulder is suspect. and i’ll never be convinced that pharrell is straight and to that nigga that said he gets more women than any of the commenters, he probably does. get them to come back to his hotel room so that they can compare purses, but i’ll be damned if he’s fucking them. i wouldn’t be surprised if he and kanye weren’t swordfighting.

 

November 10th, 2009
at 4:51 pm

92FS says:

Lol. I walk around with ma SAE bag that goes around the neck. But those shits is hilarious. I’d just laugh if I seen a ‘bruvva’ walking with that shit.

 

November 10th, 2009
at 5:40 pm

JV says:

remember da boondocks ep when he had da skirt n da man bag n found out his favorite rapper was really gay?

 

November 10th, 2009
at 8:09 pm

latino heat says:

*checks pockets.* keys, wallet, cell phone. the Zune’s already in the glove box in the car, i’m out the door. what the fuck do i need a purse for?!

cosign every line in that Japcity song. what the fuck is wrong with these dudes these days? and i’m glad people are finally starting to address these faggot ass scarves too. that shit was the gayest trend ever.

and i’ve bee convinced for years that Pharrell was homo.

 

November 10th, 2009
at 8:38 pm

Tony Grands says: Subscribed to comments via email

I understood the “metrosexual” craze. Even pimps & dope dealers get manicures & dress fly, & some of those niggas go extra hard on in the streets, so it’s whatever.
But dressing like women, WITH accesories to match is beyond belief. When I was growing up, niggas rocked handkerchiefs in their back pockets to signify neighborhood association. Now, it’s replaced by Gucci scarves & designer hand bags (no such thing as a “man-bag”. It’s a purse or it’s not)?

Jansport Backpack>>Louis V. “carry-all”

 

November 11th, 2009
at 2:15 am

Tasha Keyes says:

Pharell is a trendsetter artist must redefine themselves in order to accomdate the fan/comsumer. Take YUNG RO from St.Louis his unique look defines his Latin/Asian ethnicity. He targets his audience and it certainly landed him on the charts. Men can call it what they want but we women control the market. Men flaws and stunt to impress us. Artist like Pharell and Yung Ro BP have a future!

 

November 11th, 2009
at 8:27 am

CLEVER says:

Can Anybody say, ” Gangstalicious”!!!!!!!!!

 

November 11th, 2009
at 12:49 pm

gutta says:

i think the purple “man bag” is dope.
anything new and different people call gay. f*ck outta here

 

November 11th, 2009
at 1:45 pm

orangejuicejones says:

Jappin is Chicago slang for going off. Like New Yorkers call it “wildin” or DC niggas say “spazzin”, or Atlanta niggas “go ham”, a popular Chicago term is “jappin”. So Jap City is like sayin he the mecca of snappin or goin off.

For example, Jap City went hard or “japped” out on man bags….

 

Name (required)

E-mail (required - never shown publicly)

Website

Subscribe to comments via email

Your Comment (smaller size | larger size)

You may use <a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <cite> <code> <del datetime=""> <em> <i> <q cite=""> <strike> <strong> in your comment.

DIRECTORIES