All You Need to Know About the Weekender Bag and 50 Ways to Style It
A weekender bag is what comes to mind when you want to travel for a weekend gateway or a business event, and you do not want to carry a lot of luggage. Whether you are taking a flight or you are going by train, a bag that is too bulky can be annoying and difficult to handle, and this is regardless of the number of items that you are carrying. And so traveling without too much luggage is the way to go because you will be free to enjoy your weekend without having to worry about your luggage.
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What is a Weekender Bag?
Just as the term suggests, it is a small and stylish bag that men and even women use to carry luggage when traveling for a couple of days. However, the size of this bag also means that people can use to carry gym gear. The design of a weekender allows it to hold just enough clothing items, incidentals, and toiletries to ensure that a man enjoys his weekend. It is a modern advancement of the traditional backpack both in design and carrying capacity.
This bag is in most cases soft sided and it has a rectangular shape with a zip that unzips across the top (lengthwise). Most weekenders tend to have both a briefcase-style handle and a shoulder strap. With many companies manufacturing and distributing it you can find one in any color that you wish and in a variety of styles.
History of the Bag
It is not always easy to trace back any bag to its origins, and a weekender bag is not an exception. However, it has been a result of the ever-changing tastes when it comes to traveling, and it came to be as a result of men’s need to fly lightly. This bag gets most of its features and also its appearance from the duffel bag, but it is smaller than the latter. Although its fashionableness has been on the rise in the last 50 years due to the onset of business travel and the globalization of corporations the bag has been around for much longer than this.
Initially, men would have to use briefcases and backpacks when they wanted to travel lightly. But, the two have numerous disadvantages, and this is the reason why most professional or businesspersons do not like to use them. The briefcase is very masculine, and it has some class and business look, but it cannot carry everything that you need for your weekend gateway due to its small size.
A backpack, on the other hand, might have enough space but it will make you look like a school kid. The duffel bag, on the contrary, might be too big for most men. A Weekender combines all the great elements of these other bags, but its development has been a very gradual process.
The weekender looks more like a duffel bag than any other kind of bag, but its small size is what makes it a distinct kind of travel bag. Due to this fact, it is fair to say that the Weekender has an almost similar history to the duffel. But, most historians credit its origins to the military where soldiers would use a small bag that looks like today’s Weekender to travel back home for vacations or after finishing their term of service.
Businesspeople and frequent travelers later adopted it due to its size and the convenience that it offers. In the last few decades, it has been transforming in design and features, and it is now what almost all weekend travelers prefer to use.
Materials and Brands
Buying a weekender bag is not always easy, and this is more so when you are buying your first one. Unlike other kinds of bags it should not only be functional but also have a stylish and masculine appearance. To buy the best you should consider things such as the style, material, and the brand.
There are a plethora of alternatives to choose from when it comes to the material, but most of these bags are from canvas, leather, ballistic nylon or a combination of any of these materials. However, what you choose should be sturdy enough to withstand the stress that comes with regular travels and being handled (roughly) at the airport. For the outer part of the weekender, a waterproof nylon or canvas is the best as it will ensure that your valuables remain safe. Leather siding and handles are an excellent choice as they give the bag a classy appearance. The interior can be from any durable and soft material, but some high-end brands will also make the inside part waterproof for easy cleaning and maintenance.
Even as you consider the material of the bag there are still many other things that you have to take into consideration if you want to buy the best bag. Top of the list is the built quality, and for this, you should pay attention to the thickness of the leather or any other material, the stitching and also the quality of the zipper metal.
The color is also important, and for a business bag, dark shades are the best as they portray professionalism while lighter colors will work for sports travelers. Size is another important thing when it comes to choosing the weekender, and for this, you should go for something that is small enough to adhere to the overhead compartment regulations but big enough to carry all you will need on your weekend travels.
The brand is another vital thing that you should always keep in mind when it comes to choosing a weekender bag. There are many companies out there that make this bag and almost all reputable bag manufacturers have it on their catalog due to its popularity. Nike and Adidas have the most famous ones and most men (especially sports traveler) love them due to their impressive quality and affordability. Luis Vuitton and Gucci also produce weekenders, and they also have some top notch but high-end ones that are quite expensive. A Gucci or Vuitton bag is perfect for men that want a classy brand while the Nike types are ideal for those that want something simple and affordable.
Whether you are going away for a couple of nights or even a week, the weekender will work well for you. However, choosing a smart one is as important as choosing one with a quality material and good design. But, with the many brands available finding one should never be a problem.
Weekender Bag - Men's Essential Accessories
All You Need to Know About the Weekender Bag and 50 Ways to Style It
