Why men are getting carried away with bags

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Why men are getting carried away with bags

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Bags are finally holding the attention of fashion-conscious businessmen. [JoongAng Ilbo]

They say that what you carry in your bag reflects your personality, but it seems that the bag itself tells us something about who you are.

An emerging trend in men’s fashion this year is the accessory bag.

If you’re still lugging around a boxy black briefcase, consider yourself out of the fashion loop.

The stereotypical businessman’s briefcase is most definitely out. Fashionable bags that match a tie or shoes are most certainly in.

The accessory market for men has grown rapidly in spite of the torpid local economy. It’s a healthy sign that men are finally thinking about what kind of bag will suit their lifestyle and needs.

According to the Samsung Economic Research Institute, the men’s accessories and fashion market has seen an annual growth of about 7 percent since 2002.

But sales of Louis Quatorze’s men’s bags went up a staggering 84 percent just last year.

“Bag designers have been creating a much wider range of designs for men in response to more male customers requesting more creative bag designs,” says product manager Kim Mi-jeong at Louis Quatorze.

Until recently, men’s bags at Louis Quatorze, whose best-selling products are bags and wallets, took up only 30 percent of their entire product line.

Last fall the company introduced a separate “homme line” for men, aiming to boost that figure to 45 percent.

The sales of MCM’s men’s bags have also leapt.

“Before, men would buy wallets that meet their taste, and that was about it,” said Vice President Hong Eun-mi, who is responsible for MCM’s product management.

“Now these men are shifting their attention to bags.”

Male fashion brands that once produced accessories just to fill empty corners in the store are now launching separate stores for these items.

Last October, Hazzys, a local brand, expanded its accessory corner and opened “Hazzys Accessory.” Half of the news shop’s products are for men.

Jeon Yeon-jin, a representative of LG Fashion, said its lineup targets male consumers eager to find bags that suit their taste, suggesting that men’s bags have evolved from a simple carrier to a common fashion accessory.

“You can’t find a man with just one bag these days,” says Yu-jin Shin, a 28-year-old office worker.

Shin recently gave her boyfriend a bag as a gift.

He was looking for a bag that matched his trench coat.

“When I went to a department store to buy his gift, I was surprised to see so many others like me,” Shin said.

Just like Shin’s boyfriend, men these days are buying bags that would go along with their outfit for TPO, or time, place and occasion.

“You can’t go on a date carrying a bag that you take to a business meeting,” says Byung-jun Kim, a 33-year-old graduate student.

“I have about three to four different kinds of bags and I’ve seen other men around me with even more.”

Lee Jung-soo, a 36-year-old office worker, hints that men might buy bags for similar reasons that women collect shoes and bags.

“There are bags that might go with a pair of shoes or with the color of a suit. Not many people notice when you put on new clothes, but everyone makes comments about bags,” Lee said.

Others have experienced a dramatic response to their bag choices.

“When I carried my laptop in a bag that I got from the laptop store, a female colleague jeered at me,” said Kim Ho-jin, 30, a businessman.

“She said, ‘How inappropriate for such a young man!’ She pushed me to look for a new bag, but I returned without buying anything.”

Why?

Kim said there were too many bags to choose from and he didn’t know which one to go for.

Yang Yun-jung, a stylist, says bags for men can be divided into two categories: Briefcases store documents or laptops, and a tote bag is slightly bigger, and has a handle instead of a strap.

She said briefcases that have a simpler design should be selected according to their texture and color.

Since briefcases often go with suits, the choice of briefcase depends on what kind of tie the man is wearing and the color of his shoes.

“When you select tote bags, it’s good to consider the type of outfit the man is going to wear,” Yang advises.

Here is Yang’s suggestion:

For a flashy outfit, a modest tote bag suits better.

For a modest outfit, a flashy tote bag like an alligator or snake skin mix well.

But if you are confident enough take some risks.

A large fashionable bag with a unique pattern would also be a good choice.



A users’ guide to choosing an appropriate bag for business occasions

If you wear a plain-style suit, choose a special briefcase.

Men who prefer a plain outfit with no stripes or color should select a more adventurous kind of briefcase.

Match the color of your briefcase with your tie, and if you plan to wear a woolen coat, a pearly slim briefcase should be the perfect match.


Messenger bags for spruced-up occasions

Choose small, simple bags for any occasion that requires a more fancy outfit. Putting small items in the jacket pocket can ruin the jacket’s shape.

Instead, carry a smaller messenger bag if you want don’t want your pockets to sag from heavy car keys and loose change. A simple brown leather messenger bag goes well with a light-party look, such as a velvet jacket with a turtleneck sweater.


If you dress casual for business, choose a backpack.

A dressy suit over a trench coat is good for a casual backpack. This might be passe in New York, but it still works in Seoul.

A pearly backpack goes well with a woolen coat.

Big-size tote bags for easy dates

The casual look is best for showing off one’s sense of style.

Big bags are currently one of the hottest items among men’s bags.

Men’s bags have gone to the point where women are drawn to the fancy decorations and want to own one of these bags, too.

Big bags go well with visually complex casual outfits that have many layers of clothing, but it’s better to avoid bags with overly elaborate patterns.



By Kang Seung-min JoongAng Ilbo [estyle@joongang.co.kr]
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