# Matching briefcase/messenger bag with shoes?



## santosc (Oct 2, 2011)

I have read elsewhere that one must match one's bag with one's shoes, especially if they are both leather; brown leather bag, brown shoes, etc.

I am trying to avoid getting two bags, since I have both black and brown leather shoes. I am a recently graduated designer (product), so we can get away with to a certain extent, casual dressy clothing to interviews (tie, dress shirts, dress shoes, dress slacks, no suit), but we carry laptops (to present our digital work) to every interview and also notebooks, portfolio etc.

I just need a bag to fit a 13 inch Macbook. I was thinking of getting a grey wool bag like this one: 
https://shop.nordstrom.com/s/hex-wo...ferralID=112d5715-a061-11e1-ac63-001b2166c2c0

Instead of leather, I thought a grey wool would give an air of classy without looking too dressy but not too casual either... and also it would probably match both brown and black dress shoes, without having to buy leather bags to match my shoes.

Any feedback? Much appreciated, Thank you!


----------



## TSWalker (Nov 2, 2011)

santosc said:


> I have read elsewhere that one must match one's bag with one's shoes, especially if they are both leather; brown leather bag, brown shoes, etc.


Source, please, so that we might vilify it. :icon_smile_big:

Speaking as a big believer in matching leathers even down to the watch band, I can honestly say I have never heard of a man's bag needing to match. A woman's handbag is entirely another matter.



> I am trying to avoid getting two bags, since I have both black and brown leather shoes. I am a recently graduated designer (product), so we can get away with to a certain extent, casual dressy clothing to interviews (tie, dress shirts, dress shoes, dress slacks, no suit), but we carry laptops (to present our digital work) to every interview and also notebooks, portfolio etc.
> 
> I just need a bag to fit a 13 inch Macbook. I was thinking of getting a grey wool bag like this one:
> https://shop.nordstrom.com/s/hex-wo...ferralID=112d5715-a061-11e1-ac63-001b2166c2c0


I would definitely suggest getting one bag that suits your tastes. Personally, I find black rather conservative and business-y, brown rather creative and academic. In your line of work, then, grey might be a good choice, suggesting both or neither. Also, given that we are talking about a laptop bag here, I think the venerated wisdom of the old masters need not apply. Go with your gut.


----------



## santosc (Oct 2, 2011)

Hi TSWalker,

Maybe I got that "rule" from paying attention to women's fashion rules so I assume it applied to us (lots of women in my family) 

I do LOVE brown leather a lot, more so than black (especially since designers are notorious for wearing black, ugh!). Especially Brown with Grey. It's a beautiful combination; more so than black leather/grey. So I might take you up on the brown leather bag, a dressy one. Or maybe that wool bag I posted. I love wool as a material and have never seen wool used for a laptop bag before. Wool always gives that impression of dressy, no?

Well, I might have to then reconsider that rule for bags. It won't be easy, as it has been ingrained in my head for decades! Thanks!


----------



## arkirshner (May 10, 2005)

While your belt should be the same color as your shoes a bag is an accessory and need not match. Dark brown accessories take on a patina and is a better choice than black from both an aesthetic as well as a traditional standpoint.


----------



## Orsini (Apr 24, 2007)

I do not recommended this matching. 

For color, earth tone is better. 

While there was a very nice thread recently about ladies' wardrobe rules that made some very good points about color, generally, our schtick has nothing much to do with what may be good for ladies.


----------



## santosc (Oct 2, 2011)

Wow, great advice guys. Maybe I will stick to the earth tones and browns. I do love the color. Maybe a dark brown, so it is closer to black, in case I need to wear it with black shoes and break it up a bit with other colors, like beiges, lt greys, etc. (shirts/jackets/pants, etc)


----------



## lbv2k (Feb 16, 2010)

santosc said:


> I have read elsewhere that one must match one's bag with one's shoes, especially if they are both leather; brown leather bag, brown shoes, etc.


Never heard of this one before.


----------



## santosc (Oct 2, 2011)

I knew i got this from somewhere! https://www.realmenrealstyle.com/suits-backpack/

*1) Briefcases are like any other leather accessory. It is best to coordinate with your dress shoes: black with black, brown with brown are expected. Burgundy shoes? If you have a complimenting-colored briefcase, then use it. If not, then a dark brown briefcase with burgundy shoes looks better than a black briefcase.

*He does mention that it is "best" to do so, and I have seen mostly executives match their bag with their shoes, but I guess if you are a designer and adventurous, then maybe I should experiment. I have decided to go shopping with my brown & black dress shoes in tow and test out a few leather messenger bags in the dressing room and see how the bags look with either brown or black shoes and then decide. Thanks guys.


----------



## 12345Michael54321 (Mar 6, 2008)

santosc said:


> *1) Briefcases are like any other leather accessory. It is best to coordinate with your dress shoe**s*


In theory, it might be best to coordinate the color of my car with my dress shoes. But in reality, I'm going to keep on driving my hot pink Vega hatchback with the Rolls Royce grill, the screaming eagle hood decal, and the "Visualize Whirled Peas" bumper sticker, even if it doesn't go with my black AE Park Avenues.

Because a man's gotta be sensible about these things.


----------



## Bjorn (May 2, 2010)

I usually use my black briefcase when I'm wearing black shoes and suit. I use my dark brown Filson 252 with whatever else I'm wearing. 

I wouldn't go out and get a cordovan briefcase to match my shoes...


----------



## Orsini (Apr 24, 2007)

santosc said:


> ...
> *1) Briefcases are like any other leather accessory. It is best to coordinate with your dress shoes: black with black, brown with brown are expected. Burgundy shoes? If you have a complimenting-colored briefcase, then use it. If not, then a dark brown briefcase with burgundy shoes looks better than a black briefcase...*


This is wrong.


----------



## StephenRG (Apr 7, 2005)

"Thou shalt not over-coordinate".


----------



## CuffDaddy (Feb 26, 2009)

Matching bag and shoes makes little more sense than matching belt and car upholstery (or tie color and car paint, for that matter). Do you have two different cars that you match to shoes?


----------



## lbv2k (Feb 16, 2010)

12345Michael54321 said:


> In theory, it might be best to coordinate the color of my car with my dress shoes. But in reality, I'm going to keep on driving my hot pink Vega hatchback with the Rolls Royce grill, the screaming eagle hood decal, and the "Visualize Whirled Peas" bumper sticker, even if it doesn't go with my black AE Park Avenues.
> 
> Because a man's gotta be sensible about these things.


hey Michael, all you need is a pink pair of shoes :smile: Shouldn't be that difficult.


----------



## Balfour (Mar 23, 2012)

The idea that you should match briefcase with shoes is utter codswallop (in my view). :icon_smile: My uncle was a barrister (aka attorney) in London, since the 1960s. During his professional life he used a saddle leather top-frame chestnut briefcase. (See www.papworthtravelgoods.co.uk for something similar.)

I was ruminating about colour matching on a different thread recently (taking people's minds on my instinct that a gold watch is perfectly fine with silver / nickle brass blazer buttons), and the responses to that confirmed me in my view that over-coordination is to be lamented as much as wearing black shoes with a brown belt.


----------



## arkirshner (May 10, 2005)

santosc said:


> I knew i got this from somewhere! https://www.realmenrealstyle.com/suits-backpack/
> 
> *1) Briefcases are like any other leather accessory. It is best to coordinate with your dress shoes: black with black, brown with brown are expected. *


*

This is wrong, but wrong is to be expected as the picture of the author, which one should assume shows him in he considers to be his best look, shows him in a jacket but sans tie. Of course he may dress as he likes but one should take with caution advise on looking "professional" from a man who does not look professional himself.

Compare him to the picture of Andy at the top of this page. No contest as to who looks professional.*


----------



## smmrfld (May 22, 2007)

arkirshner said:


> This is wrong, but wrong is to be expected as the picture of the author, which one should assume shows him in he considers to be his best look, shows him in a jacket but sans tie. Of course he may dress as he likes but one should take with caution advise on looking "professional" from a man who does not look professional himself.
> 
> Compare him to the picture of Andy at the top of this page. No contest as to who looks professional.


This post is a great example of how one definition of professional is completely out of sync with what is considered professional by others. In this region, as well as many others, there are a vast number of business settings and corporate sectors (tech obviously being a key one here) where attire consisting of a well-made dark suit, quality shirt, and nice shoes, worn without a tie, would be considered more professional than the outfit worn by the site owner at the top of each of these pages. If a professional look is what is considered appropriate and widely accepted for a specific profession, the dark suit sans tie is much more the norm in many business circumstances. This site offers great info about quality goods, deals, customer service, and other attire-related topics, but times change and a one size fits all definition of professional is increasingly outdated.


----------



## Balfour (Mar 23, 2012)

smmrfld said:


> This post is a great example of how one definition of professional is completely out of sync with what is considered professional by others. In this region, as well as many others, there are a vast number of business settings and corporate sectors (tech obviously being a key one here) where attire consisting of a well-made dark suit, quality shirt, and nice shoes, worn without a tie, would be considered more professional than the outfit worn by the site owner at the top of each of these pages. If a professional look is what is considered appropriate and widely accepted for a specific profession, the dark suit sans tie is much more the norm in many business circumstances. This site offers great info about quality goods, deals, customer service, and other attire-related topics, but times change and a one size fits all definition of professional is increasingly outdated.


Leaving aside the debate about what is and isn't considered professional, I don't know why the tieless suit look has taken off. From an aesthetic perspective it just seems to me to be unsatisfactory (unfinished, and suggesting a complete lack of imagination in dressing down - i.e. dressing to a business formal standard but removing one item). I'm not opposed to the tieless jacket look (although would not adopt it in a professional context), but far better with odd jackets and odd trousers.


----------



## Avers (Feb 28, 2006)

I realize this is an old thread, but in the process of searching for a new brief I find the advise posted hre useful.

The topic of leather cover was discussed, but how about hardware - does it matter if hinges and locks are white metal or brass/gold-time? Which one are preferred?


----------



## Balfour (Mar 23, 2012)

Avers said:


> I realize this is an old thread, but in the process of searching for a new brief I find the advise posted hre useful.
> 
> The topic of leather cover was discussed, but how about hardware - does it matter if hinges and locks are white metal or brass/gold-time? Which one are preferred?


It's a matter of personal taste. I think brass looks better with brown leather, and I don't use a black briefcase.


----------



## arkirshner (May 10, 2005)

I am with Mr. Balfour. One nice thing about brass is that if you take lacquer thinner or a metal polish with abrasives and remove the lacquer thinner the brass will take on a rich patina that will positively distinguish your case from the mass of others


----------



## LordSmoke (Dec 25, 2012)

I see this is a resurrected thread, but maybe I'll add a personal observation. I carry a brown leather LL Bean Traveler briefcase (not sold anymore). I get second looks and compliments on it and really like it.

There is one drawback. Since laptops have become so small and light (I carry a 15 macbook pro retina), a) the briefcase leather is a major and noticeable component of the weight I have to lug around, and b) the relative weight of the laptop is so small, I have to keep checking to make sure I have packed it. If I had to replace my case, I would probably choose a lighter, more high-tech and airport friendly design/material.

PS: LL Bean has a lifetime warranty. One of the shoulder strap connector swivels wore out after many years. Bean said they could not replace the case since it was no longer made but offered to either a) give me a full refund or b) reimburse me for having it repaired. Amazing. The shoe shop had a near-match connector, and the repair cost $8. I didn't bother with the refund.


----------



## Shaver (May 2, 2012)

arkirshner said:


> ...... One nice thing about brass is that if you take lacquer thinner or a metal polish with abrasives and remove the lacquer thinner the brass will take on a rich patina that will positively distinguish your case from the mass of others


Ark, would you mind elaborating on that? I'm not certain I grasp your meaning.


----------



## Bjorn (May 2, 2010)

Shaver said:


> Ark, would you mind elaborating on that? I'm not certain I grasp your meaning.


If you take the protective laquer off, the brass will oxidize?


----------



## Earl of Ormonde (Sep 5, 2008)

santosc said:


> one must match one's bag with one's shoes


Wrong! Don't do it.


----------



## Bjorn (May 2, 2010)

Earl of Ormonde said:


> Wrong! Don't do it.


Brown shoes; brown bag, black shoes; black bag. Works for me.


----------



## arkirshner (May 10, 2005)

Shaver said:


> Ark, would you mind elaborating on that? I'm not certain I grasp your meaning.


One of my hobbies is antique furniture. Sometimes one needs to find a new brass door pull, or the like, to replace a lost one. The new ones are invariably lacquer coated, as are common items for the home like brass switch plates. With the coating the brass will not tarnish and on antique it will stick out like a sore thumb. If the lacquer is removed the brass can age to the dark matte antique finish in a short period of time, max 2-3 years. On a brief case an older finish on locks and hinges, to my mind , is preferable. Of course, this is true for solid brass, not the cheap coated lookalikes.

Regards,

Alan


----------



## Earl of Ormonde (Sep 5, 2008)

Bjorn said:


> Brown shoes; brown bag, black shoes; black bag. Works for me.


Don't take me out of context. You know full well that I mean that the "must match" is wrong.


----------



## Bjorn (May 2, 2010)

Earl of Ormonde said:


> Don't take me out of context. You know full well that I mean that the "must match" is wrong.


And I think the opposite


----------

