Lenny Kravtiz takes his androgynous style to the next level in this photo, in which he pairs his man bag with heels
Pharrell’s murse is an Hermes Birkin bag, one of the most coveted and difficult-to-acquire purses in the women’s fashion world.
Terrence Howard also set tongues wagging when he carried this little man clutch. What do you think he carried in there?
Kanye West, shown here with one of his many man purses, is no stranger to wearing women’s clothing. He recently made headlines for wearing a women’s sweater to a London fashion show.
Snoop Dogg carried this lovely Louis Vuitton purse on an outing a few years ago. Too bad he spoiled the look with a shower cap.
Rapper Lupe Fiasco rocks one of the most fashion-forward and desired brands in luxury purses — Goyard. That distinctive coloring and custom lettering makes a bold statement.
While technically a little more on the backpack side, the top-handle on the murse rap icon Jay-Z is carrying puts this satchel in the “man purse” category.
Even rapper Bow Wow is in on the man purse trend. Who knew?
Seal’s style is one that seems to match the murse trend most of all, but that has not stopped many others from adopting the practical versatility of the murse.
LeBron James’ “man purse” is sparking commentary and criticism, as sports fans and celebrity style watchers weigh in on what exactly the NBA star was carrying in that little leather satchel he carried to Sunday’s game. As James and other Heat players walked into the Staples Center to play the Lakers, James wore a quirky purple shirt and distinctive backpack. But his decision to round out that bold L.A. ensemble in with a miniscule “murse” has set the media world agog.
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The Hollywood Gossip reported that after ABC’s broadcast of the team entering the arena, “LeBron James’ purse (yes, purse) became the talk of the NBA[.]”
Leading business blog BusinessInsider.com mused that LeBron’s “Appletini shaker” was in the bag, as the aesthetically-minded athlete is known to like the sweet drink.
The staff of Tweetscenter.com came up with a very interesting theory. Was the cubic carryall with dimensions perfect for conveying a stack of cash stuffed with thousand dollar bills for a post-game shopping spree? Maybe.
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Yahoo! Sports writer Kelly Dwyer took a decidedly positive position on the LeBron James Purse controversy. “I don’t care what you think, that thing is dope. I’d carry two, if I could pull it off,” Dwyer wrote in his sports blog, Ball Don’t Lie. “With the leather and the handle, it looks like it’s going to be full of straight razors, scotch whiskey, and creamed spinach in anticipation for that night’s massive slab of prime rib. If that’s a man-purse, it’s something that Errol Flynn would have boarded a swanky dirigible with.”
Well, all right! It’s clear James’ murse has at least one fan, but most takes on his man bag are more pointedly humorous. “Nice purse, LeBron,” one derisive fan opined.
Rather than making fun of the man, perhaps James should be applauded for taking an old trend into a new realms. Murses, man purses, or man bags have been carried by many well-loved African-American music stars such as Pharrell Williams and Kanye West for years. James can’t be applauded for trailblazing, but he deserves points for bringing more fashion freedom into the world of men’s sports.
Too bad James couldn’t generate the points needed to win Sunday’s game against the Lakers. The Heat lost to them 93-83.
Check out other fashion forward black men with murses below.
Follow Alexis Garrett Stodghill on Twitter at @lexisb
