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miko2I came to the conclusion last week that I needed something to keep my checkbook, my iPod, and perhaps my keys and my wallet in. Maybe also the things I usually put in my front jeans pockets -- chapstick, pocket knife, spare change. Maybe also other things that would be useful to have handy -- tin of mints or gum, a pen, perhaps a spare ponytail scrunchy or hair brush. And maybe, if I ever actually get a cell phone, I'll need something to carry that in too.
What I needed, in fact, was a purse.
Most of my life I've carried this kind of junk in my coat pockets like any self-respecting guy. Only in the Summer I either wear a lightweight jacket with few pockets or don't carry a jacket. Sometimes I just lug my jacket around without wearing it, because it has stuff in the pockets. In those instances my jacket is really just a badly designed purse anyway.
I've also recently bought some new jeans and the pockets were a bit smaller, so it wasn't comfortable having my wallet in my back pocket. Not that it's ever comfortable, per se, but I'm used to it I guess. But this last week I was putting my wallet in my coat pocket with my keys, and I thought, why don't I have something to keep all of this stuff in?
I did some web research and, as it turns out, the so-called "Man Purse", "Murse" or "Man-Bag" is increasingly popular, for all of the same reasons I wanted one -- everyone had phones and eletronic devices to keep track of, and nobody carries a briefcase around these days. And actually, I realized that I already have a Man Purse or two. I have a nifty canvas courier bag with the Neon Genesis Evangelion Nerv logo on it, that I use to lug about art supplies and my laptop, and I have a canvas tote bag from Costco that I use to haul stuff to work like my radio, iPod, cds, lunch, etc. Both of these are technically purses of a sort. But what I wanted was something smaller -- something I could sling across my body like my courier bag, but smaller. Not something to carry my laptop around, just something to carry the iPod, checkbook, wallet, etc. You know, all the things a guy would want a Man Purse for -- which is what any gal uses a normal every day purse for, really.
My online search led me to this item: The Myth Wear Neon Genesis Evangelion Nerv Logo Lucky Pouch. Myth Wear is the company that makes my courier bag (you can see it on that page), so this lucky pouch is kind of a companion to it. Mind you, the Lucky Pouch is more like a real purse... I think, it's hard to tell from online photos, although the Myth Wear site gives you some better photos and lets you zoom in a little.
Anyway, purse or no, I ordered one. It matches my courier bag and I can use it at conventions if nothing else.
In the meantime, I also checked out some stuff at the REI web site. They had some things that looked like what I wanted too. So today I headed up to the REI in Tukwila / Southcenter, and when they didn't have what I wanted, I headed straight downtown to the flagship store. I'd never actually been in that place before, and it's very cool. I love the whole wooded path entrance with the cascading stream waterfall.
Anyway, I'm happy to report that REI has, at their flagship store, a large selection of women's purses designed for the kind of woman who also hikes mountains, I guess. Most of them looked exactly like what they were: purses, women's shoulder bags. I looked at the Reign vermont Day Purse, which comes in several designs, all of which still look like a women's purse; I looked at the Overland Equipment Donner Bag, but even the black version still looks like a women's purse; I very strongly considered the Overland Equipment Placer, which was just the right size and price, but still, even the black version looked a bit too much like a woman's purse for me to carry around.
Then I found, in the luggage section, the REI Eagle Creek Guide Bag. This was $5.00 cheaper than the Overland Equipment Placer, was about the same size, and had a more utlitarian look. It says, "I know I'm really a purse, but I'm trying very hard to look like a normal bag that any guy might carry." In other words, it's a purse designed for guys... or at least, a "unisex" purse. ^_^
I like it!
What I needed, in fact, was a purse.
Most of my life I've carried this kind of junk in my coat pockets like any self-respecting guy. Only in the Summer I either wear a lightweight jacket with few pockets or don't carry a jacket. Sometimes I just lug my jacket around without wearing it, because it has stuff in the pockets. In those instances my jacket is really just a badly designed purse anyway.
I've also recently bought some new jeans and the pockets were a bit smaller, so it wasn't comfortable having my wallet in my back pocket. Not that it's ever comfortable, per se, but I'm used to it I guess. But this last week I was putting my wallet in my coat pocket with my keys, and I thought, why don't I have something to keep all of this stuff in?
I did some web research and, as it turns out, the so-called "Man Purse", "Murse" or "Man-Bag" is increasingly popular, for all of the same reasons I wanted one -- everyone had phones and eletronic devices to keep track of, and nobody carries a briefcase around these days. And actually, I realized that I already have a Man Purse or two. I have a nifty canvas courier bag with the Neon Genesis Evangelion Nerv logo on it, that I use to lug about art supplies and my laptop, and I have a canvas tote bag from Costco that I use to haul stuff to work like my radio, iPod, cds, lunch, etc. Both of these are technically purses of a sort. But what I wanted was something smaller -- something I could sling across my body like my courier bag, but smaller. Not something to carry my laptop around, just something to carry the iPod, checkbook, wallet, etc. You know, all the things a guy would want a Man Purse for -- which is what any gal uses a normal every day purse for, really.
My online search led me to this item: The Myth Wear Neon Genesis Evangelion Nerv Logo Lucky Pouch. Myth Wear is the company that makes my courier bag (you can see it on that page), so this lucky pouch is kind of a companion to it. Mind you, the Lucky Pouch is more like a real purse... I think, it's hard to tell from online photos, although the Myth Wear site gives you some better photos and lets you zoom in a little.
Anyway, purse or no, I ordered one. It matches my courier bag and I can use it at conventions if nothing else.
In the meantime, I also checked out some stuff at the REI web site. They had some things that looked like what I wanted too. So today I headed up to the REI in Tukwila / Southcenter, and when they didn't have what I wanted, I headed straight downtown to the flagship store. I'd never actually been in that place before, and it's very cool. I love the whole wooded path entrance with the cascading stream waterfall.
Anyway, I'm happy to report that REI has, at their flagship store, a large selection of women's purses designed for the kind of woman who also hikes mountains, I guess. Most of them looked exactly like what they were: purses, women's shoulder bags. I looked at the Reign vermont Day Purse, which comes in several designs, all of which still look like a women's purse; I looked at the Overland Equipment Donner Bag, but even the black version still looks like a women's purse; I very strongly considered the Overland Equipment Placer, which was just the right size and price, but still, even the black version looked a bit too much like a woman's purse for me to carry around.
Then I found, in the luggage section, the REI Eagle Creek Guide Bag. This was $5.00 cheaper than the Overland Equipment Placer, was about the same size, and had a more utlitarian look. It says, "I know I'm really a purse, but I'm trying very hard to look like a normal bag that any guy might carry." In other words, it's a purse designed for guys... or at least, a "unisex" purse. ^_^
I like it!
