The Best Men’s Murses

A Murse is a commonly used term to refer to a male handbag or purse (can also be referred to as a messenger or crossbody bag). As you can probably tell, the word derives from the combination of male, or man, and the more traditionally female fashion accessory – The Purse. The history of murses is quite complex and was a term developed to bring the idea of men being okay with the idea of carrying a purse with them and to begin the slow process of destigmatizing the men’s purse. 

This article is going to not only look into what a Murse is, the range on the market today, and whether you should get one. But also the complex history of the Murse and why a male-specific purse is even necessary for today’s society. Let’s jump right in. 

Other Related Articles:

– How the world really feels about Murses

– Drive testing The Murse – summer tends

The Compex History of Gender Roles

The reason why the term Murse exists is culturally significant when we view the idea of gender roles and the idea of masculinity and femininity. Even in 2021, we’re still at a point in time where men are judged negatively based on showcasing any feminine traits. Although women have fought hard for equality, men are still fighting their own battle in acceptance, especially in terms of fashion, to express themselves in a way that’s culturally acceptable. 

A great example of this is women and society’s acceptance of them to be more masculine. If a woman classified herself as a so-called ‘tomboy, wore more male clothes and was accepted accordingly society wouldn’t bat an eyelid. On the reverse side, men who advocate and identify as a so-called ‘femboy’ wouldn’t meet the same acceptance. Men wearing makeup, or dressing in skirts is still highly frowned upon in western society and this is often met with mockery or discrimination. 

The Right to Express Yourself

It’s not right and people, men or women, should be allowed to express themselves any way they like. But this is what we’re currently stuck with and many businesses, and individuals, have gone about changing in simply in-masculating certain female products to make them more acceptable to men. The Murse is just one example of this, but it can also be seen across many different industries including make-up. A brand known as ‘War Paint’, develops a range of make-up products aimed at men and with marketing that aims at men that challenge the female dominant industry.

Are things changing for the Better?

I believe they are but it can be hard to tell when media only reports on the negative and we rarely see the world through clickbait media and not those trying to fight oppression. For anything to change, there has to be a big enough movement for those who seek the changes. I believe this is happening as we speak. Is it a slow process, for sure, but that doesn’t mean its not happening and we won’t see change happening in the future. 

Murse Vs. Purse – How do they differ?

Functionality-wise, there’s very little difference between a Murse and a purse. Both products are essentially designed as a convenient and attractive way to carry more with you on a daily basis. Women having used Purses for hundreds of years can attest to their versatility and capacity when it comes to easily carrying around everything and anything you want on a daily basis. This just hasn’t really been an option for men whose wallets are too small and would usually require a backpack to meet the same needs

The biggest difference between a Purse and Murse comes down to their overall design and look. While women’s purses usually come in a wide variety of designs with a more feminine stylization (think bright more feminine colors), men’s Murses are usually much more toned down and have a muted color palette with a more discrete look. Think typical wallet colors such as black, browns, and blues and you won’t be far off. 

The Best Murses in 2021

At the moment Murses are still very much a niche fashion item for men. That being said, we’ve seen a number of high-profile male celebrities rock the Murse in a variety of events that are helping change that.

Generally speaking, Murses are only really sold by a few of the designer brands that we all have heard of. Think of the likes of Louis Vuitton and Gucci. That being said, the right to carry a Murse isn’t reserved simply for those with a little extra cash.  Below are just a few options available to men if you’re looking for a Murse in 2021/22. 

Louis Vuitton: By far too expansive for me, and most people, but Louis Vuitton are one of the main brands that have embraced the Murse and that shows with the wide variety of options available to choose from. For more information check out their range here.

Fossil: A more affordable option but still a great and respectable brand. Fossils have a huge range of more vintage-looking Murses made from full-gain leather and built to last a lifetime. 

Coach: We’ve talked about Coach in the past and their long history in fashion. They’re defiantly one of the more affordable designer brands but still retain a fantastic quality as you’d expect. They do stock a great array of men’s murses starting at a price tag starting at $150.00.

Etsy: If you’re looking for more independent brands then Etsy is definitely the place to look. Here you can find a huge variety of different Murses, at varying price points, that pride themselves on their fantastic handmade quality and design. This’ll enable you a lot of the time to scope out a bunch of hidden gems and find quality Murses at great prices.

Should I Get a Murse?

I really think it’s time for society as a whole to ditch this inherently wrong view of femininity and allow men to embrace accessories and clothing that traditionally have been worn by females. It really does highlight that women still have a long way to go themselves when it comes to gender equality and men feeling like they can adopt feminine clothing, or Murses is definitely a step in the right direction.

I respect and commend anyone who’s willing to take this leap and if you’re thinking of getting a Murse, wearing makeup, or rocking a skirt then you have my utmost admiration in helping change society’s ill and outdated perceptions of gender and what it means to be male or female. Go for it, rock it and own it. Murses are in my opinion cool and I’d love to see them carried by more men on a daily basis.