Bag Alternatives
Hi all,
Know the general feeling about supporting Thursday Boots here and happen to agree, but got into them before I knew. Most items I've been interested in I've been easily able to find comparable alternatives but this piece is proving challenging.
https://thursdayboots.com/products/mens-commuter-messenger-bag-old-english
Any ideas?
Requirements:
- Must be full grain leather with this sort of sleeker/minimal design
- Must be able to accommodate laptops up to 16 inches (found a few that were smaller)
- Flexible on price if it's in the ballpark. Let's say under $500 as a goal.
- Prefer similar color/trim as that is a big part of the draw and I think will give more flexibility than black or lighter brown. Open
Thursday Boot Company
Men's Commuter Messenger Bag in Brown 'Old English' Leather - Thursday
Timeless Men's Messenger Bag In Rich Brown 'Old English' Hand-Finished Full-Grain Leather. Featuring Plush Microsuede Interiors, Solid Brass Hardware, And Bridle Leather Handles, Your Morning Commute Has Never Looked So Good. Shop Now For Free Shipping & Returns!
21 Replies
Do you already own it? If so you should just keep using it
Bc you already bought it
I do not! This was a planned purchase
Ah I see
Sorry, realize why you were asking as my original message wasn't clear. Just meant "I got some of their stuff, liked it and looked at a lot of their stuff". Edited to clarify.
I don’t have any brands in mind off the top but Etsy (with some effort) or eBay
leather grain (brown, black, chocolate, burnished) (messenger, laptop) might be a good place to start
I feel like you should be able to get close to this this under $300 w 500 being an upgrade but it’s been a long time since I’ve bought something like this
The realreal might honestly have optionsCheck out Cravar. I've had one of their messenger bags for over 10 years and it's been great.
Ooo, Cravar looks like a possibility - they have some nice options. Need to check their return options since they say "fits SOME 16 inch" - otherwise this is the best I've found.
I hadn't even thought about secondhand but will check that out too. Had never even heard of RealReal before.
Wow Cravar bags look nice - is there a resale / used market for them>
I imagine there are some second hand options out there, but I'd guess it'd be pretty limited since they're usually expensive purchases for timeless designs that don't go out of style. But doesn't hurt to look.
I'd just recommend if you're looking at eBay, do some research on the brand before buying, and if it's Etsy then really scrutinize the seller. You don't want to end up with some drop shipped bag from China.
Another brand option is Portland Leather. Ive never bought from them and I know they have an abysmal reputation when it comes to boots, but I hear their bags are still decently made and a good deal since that's how they got their start. But if you have an issue with Thursday (aside: I don't know what the general sentiment OP is referring to, I think they're a great option for people who want to dip their toe into heritage footwear and have never had any QC issues from them), then probably a lot of the criticisms people have with Thursday can also be leveled at Portland Leather
@heritage-ish thanks os much for the tips. learning so much from this group
@005bond005 happy to give some pointers, it's a wild world of fashion out there and I'm still learning too
@heritage-ish did you see my message by chance?
@heritage-ish My understanding is that it actually has nothing to do the quality. My stuff from them is maybe not "the best" but it's great for the price (and I actually think my waxed canvas jacket is astoundingly good). The concern is just that the founder has a history of donating heavily to some political causes that run...extremely counter... to what many here believe in. I'm not a hard liner on such things (though I get the impression others here are), but if I can give my business to someone else for something I like just as much I will.
Ahh, that makes sense! Good to know, I'll have to look into that to see if it changes my attitude in the brand
And now I'm actually having mixed feelings after unearthing this thread. I was under the impression this was much bigger in amount and with the backing of the company. It sounds like one small potatoes donation by one person. If that is truly all (and I'm not sure it is!), virtually any large company is likely off limits so not sure that would cross my personal threshold. Though I understand if others feel differently. Anyone dug in on this enough to know the reality? https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=https://www.reddit.com/r/malefashionadvice/comments/11p7fkn/cofounder_of_thursday_boots_supports_right_wing/&ved=2ahUKEwj-jMTSzq-JAxUnpIkEHaUuK88Qjjh6BAgbEAE&usg=AOvVaw3DlQMNGTQMQQokvEgTXqaB
I’ve had a few from WaterField Designs. They impressed me for their quality, design, and price. Not cheap but nice
https://www.sfbags.com
WaterField Designs
WaterField Designs | Bags & Sleeves for MacBook, Surface Book, tablets
Made in San Francisco. The best handcrafted quality bags, backpacks, custom-fit sleeves for MacBook, Surface, laptops, iPad, tablets, iPhones, Nintendo Switch & other tech gear. Friendly service.
Oooo, the executive leather laptop briefcase looks very nice.
Yeah, that's all I really found on a cursory search, though I'm totally open to there being more damning info out there. But like you alluded to, most large companies' executives skew conservative and are gonna donate to questionable causes or ones you don't agree with.
Feels like people just used that instance to justify writing the whole brand off and slagging it. I understand the folks who have had bad personal experience with the products, or just don't like the aesthetics, but it feels more like shibboleth than actual good faith criticism a lot of times. As some people say get GS or some other boot at a higher price, and yeah those are obviously better. But for someone getting their first pair of GYW boots who doesn't know if they're going to like them and might wear once every month or two, they're a perfectly fine starting point, and a $100 difference is not insignificant to a lot of folks.
What were we talking about before this... Oh yeah, bags! WaterField looks cool, and it's a good price for MitUSA I'd say
I recommend checking out Bleu de chauffe or the bridge!
I have a Claire chase leather messenger bag and I adore it.
Claire Chase
Messengers
Every couture piece in the Claire Chase Collection says you have arrived. The signature designs of the Claire Chase Collection never go out of style. A wide variety of long lasting, vibrant colored leathers give you fashionable choices in how you wish to be noticed.