Should Nigerian Men Carry These Bags?

We often think too much about what is gender appropriate. Can a man wear this? Can a woman wear that? The good thing is that gender norms have eased up. Handbags have gone from sitcom jokes to trendy wardrobe staples for men. This article is focusing on handbags that men in Nigeria can carry without feeling too eccentric (if that’s not what you’re going for). Growing up, some of us saw our dads carry only briefcases, today we see men carry purses AKA murses and handbags thanks to the evolution of the fashion industry. We’re not talking about Hushpuppi carrying Louis Vuitton duffle bags, we’re talking about Harry Styles’ handbag carriage.

Men are discovering what Women have always been aware of – bags are important for carrying necessities.

 Tote Bag

This is an everyday bag. This bag has a big storage space and can contain a whole lot of stuff. A tote bag is a very gender neutral bag if you ask me and can come in any material. They come in leather, Canvas, Polyester, Cotton and more. It is quite rare for you to see Millennial Nigerian men carry tote bags as opposed to how Gen Zs gravitate towards them on sight. 

Fanny packs 

Remember when Fanny packs became a whole fashion necessity in Nigeria in 2015? They aren’t only necessary for NYSC candidates, even you can have them as your basic storage bag. They come in different styles and colours that can suit your personality. Millennials lean into carrying fanny packs than they would with any other bag apart from backpacks.

Backpacks

The backpack is one of the trendiest male wardrobe staples just like sneakers and jackets. You can easily find men with backpacks because of its easy carriage. Instead of going for briefcases, men would rather go for backpacks as it’s a lot more comfortable to move around with and also for its functionality. It might be slightly weird for you to see a Nigerian Baby Boomer or a little fraction of Gen X carrying a backpack since they were the briefcase carriers.

Clutch Bag

You can easily just grab a purse and toss in a few things but the essence of clutches has been a mystery since the storage space is little – it basically contains your phone, credit card and some cash and that’s it. It may not be used for its functionality but for the statement it conveys. And as the name suggests, you have to spend the entire time clutching it. Well well well, clutches got made for men too and that has switched up their style. Instead of moving around with foldable wallets, now you can have your essentials in a stylish clutch and steadily maintain beauty.

Messenger Bag

Otherwise known as the “Jehovah Witness” bag in Nigeria. The versatile and stylish messenger bag which is similar in functionality to backpacks, messenger bags are perfect for carrying heavy or bulky items while ensuring comfort. You might often mistake a messenger bag for a shoulder bag but they aren’t the same as their functionalities are quite different. Messenger bags are for more active use while the shoulder bags are laid back and not really for active use.

Baguette Bag

Nigerian men would see a baguette bag and shy away from it because it screams FEMININE! But that is not really the case. The image shows a baguette made for men. I wouldn’t want to suggest what generation is most likely to gravitate towards this type of bag but the level at which Nigerian men are switching up their styles lately, you might see more of them with baguettes soon!

Hobo Bag

As seen, Harry Styles carrying the Jackie bag by Gucci. We already know that Harry Styles has an eccentric style and we are here for it. I’d like to say that it is a relatively eccentric bag for men to carry. 

This may not be every Nigerian man’s cup of tea but we can’t deny how creative the bag made Harry Styles’ whole outfit look. I see Denola Grey trying this and if you are leaning more into Denola Grey’ modern guy’s style, you might actually dig this. Hobo bags are really functional, incredibly practicable and timeless because they’ve always been there and will remain for a very long time.