House of Fraser Blog

The journey in to work is never going to be the most amazing of trips but recently I have seen something that I found truly shocking…

 As I endure my daily commute, my eyes have been drawn to something so terrible that I find it hard to retell…

On more than one occasion I have had the dismay of witnessing an average businessman wearing his well-made well-tailored suit accessorised with nothing other a shabby backpack.

Wearing a backpack when you are not hiking or in fulltime education is bad enough but to put so much effort into making yourself look professional and smart, and then to go and ruin it with a backpack is just baffling.

It is not only a crime against fashion, but does it really send out the best message? When a promotion is on the table it could just be the difference between you and Dave from accounts with the dapper briefcase.

Ok, so perhaps I am getting carried away, but detail is important both in outfitting and at work. ‘What can I use instead?’ I hear you cry, well, the obvious and most traditional bag for men of the working world has always been the briefcase. The briefcase has recently been enjoying a renaissance and all the top designers now offer their update on the menswear accessory classic.

But then there is also the satchel with a shoulder strap that makes it both incredibly stylish and practical. Then, of course there is the modern ‘man bag’, in fact there’s a wealth of stylish yet practical options for us chaps to choose from for work. There is really no excuse.

I personally like to match my bag with the rest of my leathers of that day, so for example; if I’m wearing brown leather loafers, my belt and watch will be in the same shade along with my bag for the day. It makes a subtle but confident statement. But for your first transition from backpack to grown ups bag, just a stylish bag is enough.

So men of the city I appeal to you to please bin your backpacks and invest in a new bag that you can carry off with style, let the backpack wear you no more and show Dave in accounts just who’s boss.

Here are some of my favourite men’s bags perfect for work: