Today I have a special article dedicated to men. So step aside ladies, this fashion how-to is for stylish and smart men out there, including my husband who is currently in a dilemma on what versatile bag to buy.
Man-bags have been until recently a sensitive issue in fashion, as if we were supposed to all tread carefully and tip-toe around the subject carefully. The point that no one wanted to acknowledge in the old fashion days is that men need a practical and comfortable solution for carrying many things with them during the day too, and women weren’t the only ones entitled to such practicalities.
Thankfully, in the past decade or so, especially since the number of things we needed to carry became greater (with the rise of electronic devices like laptops, music players, tablets and so on), the fact that men need bags as well couldn’t be swept under the rug anymore.
Therefore, the so-called ‘man-bags’ (though the term still carries its derogatory notes in some circles) are now a legitimate part of any guy’s wardrobe, and an important focus of men’s fashion trends. One of the most valuable things about the backpack is that it’s highly versatile: if you wear it in the right combinations, you could actually wear it all day, from your office job straight to a date or a meet-up with friends. After all, that’s what the smart-casual style is all about, isn’t it?
In this post, we’ll show you just the right way to wear a canvas backpack in this fit-for-all-day use manner. We have 5 matching tips to get you started.
1. Choose a classic style canvas backpack
photo: serbags.com
You can’t go wrong if you choose a classic style for your canvas backpack. Not necessarily too vintage and old-school looking (unless you want that, and it can look pretty cool indeed), but a backpack model with neutral colors and few precious touches, like some leather trimmings and so on.
Something that inspires comfort and exceptional quality from the first glance is ideal. Not only will it go well with almost everything you can wear (yes, even with your more formal attire), but it will also look pricey and classy enough to bring a touch of elegance in itself to any casual outfit. Yes, even if it’s a backpack, it can do that, if it’s well-chosen and you keep an eye out for the details explained above.
2. Wear it with jeans and ¾ sleeved shirts and suit tops
Nothing can be more smart-casual and fit for all day use than a pair of fitted jeans, and the top composed of ¾ sleeved shirt and suit top. The carelessness and vague rebellious air of ¾ sleeves (or, even better, tucked sleeves) are disarmingly full of charm, and the canvas backpack will fit right into the story.
See: Unique Designs for Men’s Rings
3. Don’t match your shoes to the backpack
A common sense rule of the old fashion patterns is that the shoes and the bag should always have matching colors, for women and men both. This stems from an age when leather was almost the only suitable material for both bags and shoes, and people were much tamer in their color matching options.
Therefore, wearing a brown bag with black shoes or vice-versa was a no-no. Thankfully, this is no longer the case. If you have too many colors on you and your outfit is already very bold (think red suit with a blue bow tie), then ok, feel free to wear your shoes in the same color as your canvas backpack; but if you can avoid it, please do.
4. Wear more colors
Another fashion change (which men are only recently getting more accustomed to) is that they too are allowed to wear more colors. You don’t need to become a rainbow from head to toes, but incorporating more bold colors into your wardrobe will bring a new spark in it and be the perfect setting for your classic and tame canvas backpack.
This way, your outfit will be stylish enough to wear both to the office and to your casual after-work program. Start with red, blue and green for example (and by blue and green we don’t mean denim and khakis).
5. Don’t be afraid of scarves
Yes, scarves are traditionally associated with women’s fashion, and if you’re still a little insecure about your fashion choices, it’s natural not to know what to make of them as a man. But don’t worry, if you choose the right scarf, in the style of hiking attire, and if the weather is chilly enough to make its use appropriate, it will look very, very cool.
If you’re still wondering whether women find this style attractive on men, just take a look at the lumberjack style fashion trends which have been popular in the past two years. Don’t worry, this isn’t high school anymore, and what the jock type guys think isn’t relevant anymore.