Messenger Bag for a Graduating College Senior?

Parent Cafe
21

<p>“Pizzagirl, it sounds like your son is looking at employment closer to the East Coast - a leather bag would be perfectly fine for him then.”</p>

<p>He’s seeking employment wherever they will have them :slight_smile: This is not the job market to get picky in, IMO.</p>

<p>“The reason I say fabric instead of leather is because I speak for this coast. Leather bag concept is just not something the West Coast crowd embraces. Here are some anecdotal examples. My old boss, a lawyer, ditched his very nice briefcase and switched to a timbuk2 like messenger when he moved to Seattle. My SIL, an assistant prof, would not want a leather bag. I commute with plenty of “suits” on my bus route, and I hardly ever see guys with leather messengers or briefcases. It is mostly backpacks or tech bags. I have seen similar trends in SF or further down in the Valley, too.”</p>

<p>If S does wind up in SF, it won’t be with a Silicon Valley / tech-type company. He might carry a laptop, but it won’t be because he’s in tech.</p>

22

<p><a href=“http://www.ferragamo.com/shop/en/usa/men/large-leather-goods/messengers-totes/-570300--1#pId=6148914691233563111”>http://www.ferragamo.com/shop/en/usa/men/large-leather-goods/messengers-totes/-570300--1#pId=6148914691233563111&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>My daughter bought this for her significant other last Christmas–he works for a marketing company in Philly. </p>

23

<p>Thanks! I think I want the large size that fits papers and a laptop. Does he find the 9 x 9 size useful? It wouldn’t even hold a pad of paper, right?</p>

24

<p>My H has the medium in black, and I will probably buy the same thing for S1 at some point. Very elegant and understated with no obvious logos. The quality and durability are impeccable. I hate the embossed metallic branding on the Mark Cross bag. I also don’t like a lot of buckles, straps, and zippers.</p>

<p><a href=“http://store.tods.com/Tods/US/categories/Shop-Men/Fall-Winter/Bags/Document-Holder-Bags/c/221-TodsUS”>http://store.tods.com/Tods/US/categories/Shop-Men/Fall-Winter/Bags/Document-Holder-Bags/c/221-TodsUS&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

25

<p>I’m glad I only spent $250 for the Levenger bomber bag, as my son has shifted back to a backpack. It is really nice and affordable, especially for a young man.</p>

26

<p>Gourmetmom, that is a very nice bag. Although it is not a messenger bag - it is a briefcase with a shoulder strap. Pizzagirl, is this closer to the style you are looking for (v a true messenger with a flap)?</p>

<p>“If S does wind up in SF, it won’t be with a Silicon Valley / tech-type company. He might carry a laptop, but it won’t be because he’s in tech.”</p>

<p>Even lawyers on my side of the country look like they came out of a tech hub, not a law firm. ;)</p>

27

<p>@gourmetmom, I so agree with you about the logos, buckles, and straps. One of the reasons why I like the Bleeker Legacy. At least the logo is just stamped into the leather, not gilded.</p>

<p>I’m usually a fan of Ferragamo, and I like the bag that Bromfield’s D bought, but their larger messenger bags just look a bit too feminine to me. I also dislike the huge FERRAGAMO on the strap.</p>

<p>THIS is gorgeous. It is also really expensive:</p>

<p><a href=“http://usa.hermes.com/leather/bags-and-luggage/men/briefcases-and-bags/handbag-alfred-1.html?color_hermes=NOIR&nuance=1”>http://usa.hermes.com/leather/bags-and-luggage/men/briefcases-and-bags/handbag-alfred-1.html?color_hermes=NOIR&nuance=1&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>This one is even more gorgeous, and even more expensive:</p>

<p><a href=“http://usa.hermes.com/leather/bags-and-luggage/men/briefcases-and-bags/sac-steve-besace-35-taurillon-cristobal.html”>http://usa.hermes.com/leather/bags-and-luggage/men/briefcases-and-bags/sac-steve-besace-35-taurillon-cristobal.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

28

<p>The Hermes bags are beautiful, but that’s a lot of bag for a freshly graduated young man!</p>

29

<p>It’s all relative - I agree that the $7K Hermes is a lot of bag for a freshly graduated young man, but IMO so is the $1K Tod’s you linked to! They are all gorgeous though. </p>

30

<p>Pizzagirl, I came across this link when I was looking for my rolling tote bag:</p>

<p><a href=“http://lawyerist.com/60015/your-briefcase-is-probably-terrible/”>http://lawyerist.com/60015/your-briefcase-is-probably-terrible/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>Some suggestions of professionally looking, manly bags! </p>

31

<p>If you live near a Fossil store they have some nice looking bags for men.</p>

32

<p>“Gourmetmom, that is a very nice bag. Although it is not a messenger bag - it is a briefcase with a shoulder strap. Pizzagirl, is this closer to the style you are looking for (v a true messenger with a flap)?”</p>

<p>I think more a true messenger w a flap versus a “lawyer-looking” briefcase. </p>

33

<p>Ok, got it! Maybe after his graduation from law school… That H bag. ;)</p>

<p>How do these look like? </p>

<p><a href=“http://m.nordstrom.com/Product/Details/3377652”>http://m.nordstrom.com/Product/Details/3377652&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p><a href=“http://m.nordstrom.com/Product/Details/3808782”>http://m.nordstrom.com/Product/Details/3808782&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p><a href=“http://m.nordstrom.com/Product/Details/3289004”>http://m.nordstrom.com/Product/Details/3289004&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p><a href=“http://m.nordstrom.com/Product/Details/3673737”>http://m.nordstrom.com/Product/Details/3673737&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p><a href=“http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B005F02L02?pc_redir=1410499408&robot_redir=1”>http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B005F02L02?pc_redir=1410499408&robot_redir=1&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

34

<p>

</p>

<p>Leather messenger bags do not seem to be that popular in SF. Common are typical backpacks or messenger bags made of non-leather materials.</p>

35

<p>If I was Robert Redford in Out of Africa, I’d use this bag.
<a href=“http://usa.roots.com/on/demandware.store/Sites-RootsUS-Site/default/mProduct-Show?pid=18030193&selectedColor=Y21&start=1&cgid=menleatherLaptopBags”>http://usa.roots.com/on/demandware.store/Sites-RootsUS-Site/default/mProduct-Show?pid=18030193&selectedColor=Y21&start=1&cgid=menleatherLaptopBags&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>I have another bag out of this leather and it wears well.
They have other similar bags for men that are less expensive as well.</p>

<p>I carry my iPad in a Tom Bihn bag.
Great organization.</p>

<p><a href=“http://www.tombihn.com/MADEINUSA/TB0805.html”>http://www.tombihn.com/MADEINUSA/TB0805.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

36

<p>“Leather messenger bags do not seem to be that popular in SF. Common are typical backpacks or messenger bags made of non-leather materials.”</p>

<p>I’m really not interested in “restricting” a classic gift intended to be long-lasting on the off chance that he winds up in SF. </p>

<p>He actually has a Victorinox laptop bag right now that he’s using for interviews - it looks similar to the Tom Kihn bag that EK linked to. And I think that right now, on a college campus, it’s fine. But I think there’s more utility in something that can dress up or down. </p>

<p>And I once got into a message board debate with someone in SF who contended that a polo shirt was “too dressy” for a beach, Six Flags, or running around town – she thought it was the same level of dress as a button down Oxford – and the rest of us from the east and Midwest were like - huh? You think a polo shirt is DRESSY? Lol </p>

37

<p>Great links, BB. There’s a lot of territory in between “formal lawyer briefcase” that would look overly formal in a business casual setting, and the kind of super-casual bag that wouldn’t be able to “stretch up” to a more formal setting. I am trying to find the little black dress of messenger bags :slight_smile: </p>

38

<p>Didn’t read the whole thread, but have you looked at Fossil? I love their women’s bags (although I don’t own any). I Something like this for a guy could look dressy enough but not stuffy.</p>

<p><a href=“http://www.fossil.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=12052&catalogId=25005&categoryId=230545&productId=22448953&cm_mmc=goo2-_-feed-_-pdp-_-dly&mr:trackingCode=D518B0C1-52ED-E211-A755-BC305BF82162&mr:referralID=NA&mr:device=c&mr:adType=pla&gclid=CjwKEAjw14mhBRC0vdSNkI2l7CASJAC8OFS0pRmFyrYwad7Y_9evUF3gdxCH25bnEt8eVxypHD5JVhoCLUPw_wcB”>http://www.fossil.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=12052&catalogId=25005&categoryId=230545&productId=22448953&cm_mmc=goo2-_-feed-_-pdp-_-dly&mr:trackingCode=D518B0C1-52ED-E211-A755-BC305BF82162&mr:referralID=NA&mr:device=c&mr:adType=pla&gclid=CjwKEAjw14mhBRC0vdSNkI2l7CASJAC8OFS0pRmFyrYwad7Y_9evUF3gdxCH25bnEt8eVxypHD5JVhoCLUPw_wcB&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

39

<p>That’s a nice choice too. Can go up or down with jeans or a suit or anywhere in between. </p>

40

<p>I haven’t read the entire thread but thought I’d point out that Tumi is featured on Gilt today, mostly luggage but they have some really nice carry-ons, satchels, etc. </p>