rjc149
Senior Member
- Joined
- May 8, 2016
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Backpacks create wear and tear on the shoulder pads of a suit, particularly the shoulder seams, so unless you’re unconcerned with damaging a $700+ investment, carrying a briefcase by hand is really the preferred method of lugging your crap around while wearing a suit jacket.On another note, the ubiquitous backpack is now worn by practically all strata of society: whether you're a mom pushing a stroller, a young man with big headphones, an older lady with hiking sticks, a businessman rushing off the subway, a homeless begging on the street corner, a kid getting on the bus - even a lawyer in a courtroom (!) - I think of the backpack as the one thing that has democratized us all in the past 30-40 years. The backpack is no longer seen as strictly belonging on a college campus or hiking equipment but THE mode of carry for practically all situations. Comfort over style has clearly won here.
Covid has stranded most of us in our respective places, but when I used to travel the only places I saw more briefcases were Tokyo and downtown Stockholm. La Defense in Paris, Manhattan and the City of London have all succumbed to the backpack.
And while backpacks are fine for the commute, they’re quite juvenile and unprofessional for adult men conducting business in more conservative environments. At least, they are regarded that way where I work.