Real Men Carry Their Briefcases?

[heitwl]

In reality, I have to agree with Scottish Steve. I have a Carbon Fiber backpack with a computer compartment and all, If someone told me It was not acceptable, I would have to tell them that, "this is me and the way I carry my work to home." Be you, if they carried a murse would you carry one?

Clay

 

[barneykiller]

If I have to carry a lot of heavy crap over a long distance, I will use a strap.
If I am to carry a light load over a shorter distance, the handle alone is more convenient.

This makes perfect sense to me weather it be a conservative or semi-casual buisness setting.

 

[Rivguy]

I am definitely in the carry with no strap camp. I think that it is also important to keep it looking sharp and clean. Yes, I treated the fine leather and polished it when necessary.

Regards,

Doug

 

[jpakstis]

I work in the legal field and I have to say that there is no particular norm. I've seen attorneys with backpacks. When I worked at a big firm downtown DC as a paralegal, we always had to prepare floppy binders for the founding partner because he liked to carry everything in his gym bag (he later became chairman of the SEC). I always think of Robert Duvall's character in A Civil Action with his beat up ancient bag. Everyone kept underrating him because of his shlubby outward appearance right up until he tore their throats out.

So if you have a nice bag/briefcase/whatever and it works well for you, then do that thing. If you want to be talked into getting a new bag/briefcase/whatever because this is a new experience and you want to face it accordingly (like people who buy brand new luggage before a big vacation), then do that thing. Personally, my bag has a strap that comes in handy on the subway, but I like to carry it generally speaking because I wear a suit and my suit wears better that way.

 

[Predict]

No strap. Square style attaché can't go wrong. It's too classic nobody can fault you for it.

 

[Liquidmidnight]

Not to derail this thread or anything, but is anyone going to care? I mean, if you're going straight from the office via car to finalise a multi-million Euro deal, then fine, leave the strap in your desk, but isn't this a tiny tiny thing to worry about? I see many pieces of advice, such as "Don't wear gold after 5pm". You ditch your wedding ring then? Or does this mean only a slob buys a gold wedding ring? Well-dressed is well-dressed, fine; a suit has to fit, shoes have to be clean, don't wear luminous green shirts to have a chat with your bank manager; we get it. But I believe many of these rules are ir-relevant and were even back in those golden days when everyone's father supposedly came home to a newly-poured highball and warm apple pie. Few people are even aware of, never mind follow these archaic observances.
"Real men carry a briefcase".
That's just silly.

I have to agree. Many of the rules are rather asinine or have asinine origins. We leave the bottom button of our suit jackets and blazers unbuttoned because some king a couple of centuries ago was too big to get his button button closed. Many of the rules do seem to be fading away. I see everyone from attorneys, bankers, and jewelers wearing black suits during the day.

But OT, I personally prefer handles, but straps can sometimes be more practical.

 

[Doc4]

I work in the legal field and I have to say that there is no particular norm. I've seen attorneys with backpacks. When I worked at a big firm downtown DC as a paralegal, we always had to prepare floppy binders for the founding partner because he liked to carry everything in his gym bag (he later became chairman of the SEC).

... be careful not to confuse "what people can get away with" with "what people ought to do to make the best impression".

(Oh, and founding partners of law firms can do what the "heck" ever they want, and nobody's gonna say "boo". That doesn't mean that the footsoldiers in the trenches can do the same.)

I have to agree. Many of the rules are rather asinine or have asinine origins. We leave the bottom button of our suit jackets and blazers unbuttoned because some king a couple of centuries ago was too big to get his button button closed. Many of the rules do seem to be fading away. I see everyone from attorneys, bankers, and jewelers wearing black suits during the day.

But OT, I personally prefer handles, but straps can sometimes be more practical.

The advice you will see against black suits during the daytime is not mere dogmatic adherence to a bizarre ancient "rule" but actually based on good reasons ... a black suit will appear too darkly stark and austere during the brighter light of daytime, while it looks better in the evening when there is less light (both natural and artificial.)

Maybe not everyone who trumpets the "no black suits during the day" understands this ... maybe they are just parroting what they heard on Styleforum or some such den of didactic diatribes ... but there IS a solid reason behind the advice.

 

[scottish steve]

But it stillis only advice and not to be confused with some sort of patriarchal law. Nor is it necessarily a sign of bad breeding or ignorance, as some would have you believe.

 

[chrisgayle885]

If a firm doesn’t want its employee to use any kind of strap bags then briefcase shoulder strap is out of question too. I have been using a briefcase from last 3 years now, which I purchased from Briggs & Riley luggage sale and completely satisfied with the functions and durability of the bag.