Men’s Bags: wardrobe built on basics

One aspect of a minimalist lifestyle that I initially struggled with was thinning out my closet. I often found excuses to keep pieces of clothing I rarely used and wore them on occasion to justify their purpose. After a while, I realized it was just more junk I didn’t need around me. Now I try to practice a one-in-one-out policy where items that I buy are meant to replace or upgrade something I currently own. I also began to focus on buying things that had higher quality material and craftsmanship. While they were more expensive, I found that I used them more often and did not need to replace them.

I am a certified bag lady, and I got rid of two bags in the process of prepping this post. An orange duffel bag I got for free from an interview which is going to the salvation army (don’t throw away the things you don’t need that are in good condition, someone else might find a purpose for them) and the other is a backpack from my job that I stopped using after I began bike commuting (this is going back into storage at the office). Here is what I have left.

1 White Chrome Messenger Bag, Love this thing, used it as a backpack in college and now I use it to haul my laptop and lunch back and forth from work. The color makes me easily visible on my bike, it comes with a waterproof liner and it is tough as nails.

1 Adidas Sidearm, I bought this little bag in Taiwan in 2008. It was great for stowing my camera, a bottle of water and an umbrella during my three month stay while keeping sweat off my back. I now use it as a reusable lunch bag for work.

1 Cloth Duffel, Bought this bag for 30 dollars at Urban Outfitters during my brief employment there. It has served as a great bag for school, picking up books at the local library and now I use it for the gym or getting groceries.

1 Will Leather Goods Presley Messenger, I use this when I have a few extra things I need to carry, like going to the library or when I am taking a short bike ride where I might be making small purchases. I bought it because of the nice leather accents, detailing and canvas. Says my name on it too!

1 Marc Jacobs Danny Boy Messenger, A byproduct of my days in the corporate job. I had purchased a cheap messenger bag from a kiosk at the mall for $40 which fell apart in a week. So I did a little online research and picked up something I knew I would love for a long time. The bag is made from soft pebbled Italian leather. I don’t use it nearly as much as I did before but having a nice messenger bag is probably a good idea for when I need to dress more formally.