Two stories: A month of carrying a purse. A beautiful man en-femme!

[mechamoose]

You all know me. I'm not 'subtle'. My hair is pretty & long now, I have TONS of curls, and my wife is appreciative & jealous.

1)

About a month ago I was in AC Moore and found some really pretty shoulder bags on the cheap. (The ones I liked at TJ Maxx were $100+ after 'discount'!)

In went my wallet, cash, my keys, my phone, a pen, my emergency battery, my nail kit, a comb, barrettes, hair elastics, wipes, my 'loyalty keyfobs' for stores. a shopping list, a calendar.

&#^$&^%

How did I used to do this with pockets?

I have been doing a purse as daily public wear for over a month. It is pink and yellow and purple and geometric. It is soft and pretty and has lots of pockets.

Not a single frack was given that day, or other days.

I'm just shakin' what my Momma gave me....

----

2)

I was deep in 'Theater District' downtown Boston today to help my boy with a project he volunteered for. While passing the time on Boston Common I observed this pretty black woman with blond hair and all kinds of confidence.

She was one of us. She was built like me. NO boobs, NO hips. She wore nice grey slacks, a translucent white top and a white/grey sports bra beneath it. She looked *fierce*. Totally confident, I smiled her way, hoping for the linkup, but I honestly think the chip on her shoulder prevented her from seeing it.

No matter, I was so stoked to see one of ME walking the walk and looking for challengers!

/swoon... pretty girl!

<3

[Nadine Spirit]

I love my red Coach purse and have been wearing it while in male mode for quite a bit. It has caused some raised eyebrows but that is it. I really do wonder how I used to get along without having a purse!

[nevarrie]

I have been carrying a Sherpani Zoe for about a year now. I like that it can easily go from a wallet in my pocket or my purse to a cross body purse and not need to carry anything else.

Most of time my Zoe goes in my iPad bag which is easier for people to accept if I am carrying it is man mode when I can pull the iPad out of it, but I carry it just as much so I do not have to figure out what to do with all the stuff I carry in my cargo pockets when i decide to wear a skirt or a dress, for that matter when I decide to wear my lee jeans that have almost no pocket space.

I have found it is so nice to carry a purse to have everything with me. Even with cargo pants I can not carry as much as i can in a small purse.

[OCCarly]

When I am in casual male mode I usually carry a small Coach messenger bag or man purse, murse, what have you. I haven't stepped up to a femme purse yet, but slowly getting there. The thing is, with having to carry three pair of glasses (drivers, readers, sunreaders) an Ipod, a large smartphone (eyes are not good enough for the smaller ones) a bottle of water for hydration, and other odds and ends, pockets just weren't enough any more.

No one noticed except my receptionist at the office, who complimented me on it.

[Allisa]

Been carrying a purse now for about 6 months now. No big name just a plain old brown tooled leather bag with pockets on the side, cross body style. Wear it every where in guy mode or girl, haven't noticed any looks but then I don't look for reactions anymore. I also use a "womans" wallet were I keep my money and cards, then I have a floral coin "purse" for loose change.

[Tracii G]

I have been using one everyday for about a month just because its practical.
No real looks that I have noticed.
Went to Auto zone to get front disc brake pads for my car and the guy said thank you just take them down to the register so Amy can check you out.
Ok so I walk down with my box lay it and my purse on the counter.Keep in mind I was in 50/50 mode.
She rang me up and I handed her the money.
Got my change and receipt slung my purse on my shoulder and walked out.
No comment of any kind.

[Robin414]

OMG, carrying a purse is one of those things I love about being a girl! I'm not comfortable with one in my usual fluid or sometimes drab modes though, I think it crosses the line for me so only when full femme sadly😕

[Bridget Ann Gilbert]

Haven't ever thought of a full-on purse, but I have several satchels that I use to haul stuff from my car to my classrooms. I'll have to consider a purse when its time for a rep!acement.

[pamela7]

great story Mecha Moose,

i think from your words, American "purse" = English "handbag", making me wonder what the English purse (female wallet) is in American. It gets confusing believing we share a language (boot/trunk, bonnet/hood etc)!

I've been increasingly using a handbag and a purse instead of pocket and wallet, and I' on the lookout for a better/bigger handbag to fit the growing number of items i just have to have en-femme!

xxx

[Robyn-aus]

I have been using a purse now for two years Get a few comments but who cares I like it

[Tammy Lynn Tx]

We live in a smaller town in the bible belt and love it here but it seems to have more than it's share of old codgers. My wife is always handing me her purse when she is looking through clothing, etc. Sometimes I get some comment about my purse matchin or not, others just stares and a few comments from small kids. Outer clothes are all male and I look like what I am, underneath..... None of anyone's business. The other day was typical, carrying her purse by the strap until I had to grab some things then I slung it over my shoulder in a proper carry. My wife looked at me and said.. You're getting too comfortable carrying a purse. Next store, still have her purse (properly carried) 😁

[Sharon B.]

After reading these threads on carrying a purse in male mood, I am tempted to try it today when I run some errands. I enjoy carrying one when dressed as a woman, never thought about it as a male but it does make sense.

[chris80]

I wandered out y'day in drab with my wife. She did not want to strain her painful shoulder with a handbag and I had no jacket. So I grabbed my black 'manbag' with shoulder strap from the cupboard and walked round all day with her stuff and mine on my shoulder. No adverse comments or odd looks that I noticed. Mind you I used to use this bag daily when working in my medic job as I had so much stuff to carry and I did not wish to stretch my suits any more than they were with my fat. A shoulder bag at least leaves your hands free.

[Charona]

I have carried my wife's purse every so often. If anyone says anything (they sometimes do) I usually say something about it not matching my shoes. I tried carrying a small one (sold as a combination fanny-pack/purse) for a while, and no one said anything. Trouble was, just as women set their purses somewhere and then wonder where they are, so did I. And old habits die hard - I found myself putting stuff back into my pockets instead of the purse. I suppose were I to wear clothing not pocket-equipped, I'd eventually learn.

[kayegirl]

I have carried a shoulder bag for at least two decades now, after my first trip to France, where many men carry bags, and have about 12 to choose from. Got a few negative comments in the early days, but nobody bothers at all now.
Not worried about the name, purse or hand/shoulder bag, just as long as you don't call it a man bag please!!

[mechamoose]

The bag in question:

IMAG0104.jpg

[Barbara Black]

I'm not very inclined to carry a purse, other than while dressed, but maybe you could claim to be tired of getting your wallet lifted out of your pocket?

[mechamoose]

Nope. I'd be more likely to say something like "I have a lot of stuff, and I have taste".

No excuses needed

- MM

[kimdl93]

Interesting encounter. It's hard to say what the other person had on her mind. But, nonetheless, it's nice to see others like ourselves out, and confident in public.

[Ceera]

I recently bought a cross-body shoulder bag. It's fairly unisex in design - plain black, pockets on the outer side for phone and the like, more pockets and dividers inside to keep things organized.

After reading this thread I took everything from my pockets and loaded it up for my trip to the doctor today. I needed to carry my medicine and papers from the prior visits in something anyway, and it will work great!

[Krisi]

I will often hold my wife's purse while she is looking at clothes (for the both of us). I have been with her while she is looking at purses and I will comment "I need a purse." Her reply "You are welcome to borrow one of mine."

I don't carry a purse in male mode except for what I wrote above. Not a lot of men carry purses where I live.

[Eryn]

("Purse" in the following is US usage)

Not very many men carry purses here in SoCal either, but that hasn't stopped me. Years ago I could get away with a wallet and key-ring, but now there's so much more to carry. I tried a canvas briefcase for a while but found that it was just a magnet for junk and ended up weighing 15 pounds. I bought a nylon mini-messenger bag in a beige and purple wide stripe pattern from Timbuk2 and have used it ever since. It fits my femme wallet, phone, makeup/hair/medicine bag, a tablet, keys, etc.

In femme mode I have other purses although like many women I tend to favor one go-to bag that works well with most outfits.

When I first started carrying a purse in male mode I got a couple of comments, but nothing negative. If someone tried to masculinize it with "man bag" or somesuch I'd gently correct them by saying, no, it's a purse!

[Krisi]

Several years ago one of the guys I worked tried too hard to be hip and stylish. He came in one day carrying a purse. When people stated kidding him about it he said it was not a "purse", it was a "pantless pocket". This went on for weeks.

One day four of us went to lunch. This guy, me and two women. We went to a restaurant, ate, paid out tab and left. As we were walking toward the car the waitress came running out calling "hey, you forgot your purse."

That was the end of the "pantless pocket".

[Rhonda Jean]

I carry a purse in male mode a lot. Not to work, though. I don't carry it for any of the practical reasons. I carry it simply because it's a strong feminine statement. I carry my Ipad, wallet, keys... all the usual stuff, but that has absolutely nothing to do with the real reason I carry one. It's just one of those things I like to do, and I do it knowing damn well what it makes me look like.

[Prissy Linda]

I love purses, always have. The one I usually carry is a simple black leather purse but it's obvious that it is a purse. There is just to much stuff I need to carry and don't like bulging pockets, plus it's a cute purse and says I am a guy who is not afraid to show my feminine side.