It seems men are getting comfortable with the idea of carrying a male purse, or murse, as some people like to call it. Market research firm, NPD Group, reports that there has been a 3% rise in men’s handbag sales from a year prior. Translated to dollars-and-cents, it comes out to about $957 million dollars in sales since last June. The number closing in on almost $1 billion is further proof that men totes want to carry man bags.
What counts as a male purse you ask? Let’s just say any medium sized bag typically with two top handles that look like something your lady friend would carry, but a manlier version. You can toss totes in the category, too. It’s also a bag where men can store manly things like leather notepads, fountain tip pens, tech gadgets, and the stuff they can’t carry inside pockets anymore. “With more and more devices and tools to lug around in order keep up their image, men are taking a page out of the women’s play book and gravitating to the bag,” says NPD Group’s chief analyst, Marshall Cohen.
However, it might be awhile before it takes over backpacks as the go-to choice for men. The sales rose 24% in that category. But don’t fear the carry-all, it’s perfect for avoiding back sweat caused by lugging a backpack around on hot summer days. Anything that can prevent a deluge of perspiration is good in our books.
