Like any facet of fashion, accessories speak volumes about your character and your intentions. So, as a modern traveller, you need to ensure that your bags are as tailored as the clothes on your back. Finding a bag that is professional, stylish and functional is no mean feat, but the Boston bag ticks just about every box.
In fact, in 1920 the Washington Post noted: “The Boston Bag has created such a demand for itself that we are sometimes taxed to keep the stock fully complete.” As they put it, the high sale demand was brought about because it appealed to those who subscribe to every lifestyle; from those who spend their days shopping in the city for the newest clothing and accessories, to those who need to travel overnight for work and need a bag that can fill their needs.
Occasionally overlooked in favour of a satchel or a backpack, the Boston bag packs a punch in every sense of the word, and it’s making a long-overdue re-entry onto the modern travelling scene. But do you know what a Boston bag is or what is at the core of its very existence, or how it ties into the wider Boston style?
What is a Boston Bag
Émigré’s answer to the Boston bag is as Bostonian as it gets. The simplistic style is intrinsic to its effortless functionality and practicality; enhancing the core aspects of a traditional Boston bag makeup but in a contemporary way. The Boston bag, despite its name, got its origins from the House of Commons in England, where there was a green bag that was placed behind the chair of the Speaker of the house which held petitions. Attorneys and businessmen across the pond noted the practicality of such a bag and started to carry their personal items in a similar vessel.
Due to the calibre and high grade of the people carrying such bags and the items they were transporting, the green bag evolved into something that was a foot long and high, with a flat bottom and short handles for easy carrying. Émigré has not strayed from this humble fundamental, though it has been adapted to carry technology like laptops as well as more durable papers and sundries. Though what we carry has changed, the need to carry it and the manner in which it needs to be done has not.
Celebrity turned civilian style
It may surprise you to learn that decades ago, the Boston bag was a staple of many celebrities, including Audrey Hepburn in the 60s. Unlike many other celebrity-loved fashion accessories, though, this bag hasn’t dropped off the radar. It has remained a staple of high fashion travel, even though many of the famous people carrying it did so not for functional transportation, but as a fashion statement as a well appearing handbag, hence such a demand for the Gucci Boston bag and similar variations.
Due to this, there was a period in time where the Boston bag was used for fashion over overnight trips, with the arrival of the mini Boston bag – structured handbags with flat bottoms and short carry handles. Though they still survive, the Boston bag has, for the most part, returned to its roots of being used by business professionals who are on the move, but in a more high fashion way.
Practicality
Ultimately, a Boston bag needs to be secure and stable. Often with a reinforced bottom and sturdy sides, the bag represents something much larger than itself. If you have a Boston bag with you, you ooze class and poise, but you’re not too far gone to recognise the importance of a bag that does what it says on the tin. After all, Boston bag or bowler bag, it needs to be able to carry your goods safely and conveniently, but remain light like a traditional handbag.
Émigré’s Boston bag is traditionally structured, but it offers more ingenuity. You have the option to attach the removable shoulder strap which transforms the bag into somewhat of a satchel. If your bag contents are slightly heavier, you can balance the weight cleverly using the backpack straps which are available separately. Both straps can be neatly tucked away into one of the zipped pockets on the exterior when not in use or if you’d prefer to carry the bag whilst walking using the handles.
Functionality
No matter the purpose of your trip, your Boston bag has to be able to hold its own to be classified as such. The Émigré Boston bag comes with the traditional flat bottom which allows the carcass of the bag to sit upright and remain in place, whether it’s full or not. This means you don’t have the hassle of constantly trying to prop your bag up whilst travelling to keep it clean and out the way – although the outer shell of the bag is water and abrasion resistant, meaning the bag can withstand the perils of public travel where necessary.
Smart organisation
If you’re carrying a Boston bag, you are likely transporting work related items like a laptop and associated cables, and personal items like clothes and toiletries. Ideally, you want to transport all of these things in one vessel, but you want to be able to do so without the items jarring together. The Émigré Boston bag has taken the structure of the traditional Boston bag and married it with the needs of the modern traveller, creating a solution with two compartments specifically designed to separate work and personal items. As well as the padded compartments suitable for devices up to 16”, there are also pen loops and a myriad of other well-equipped storage compartments to keep your belongings safe.
There is also a zip and a mesh compartment which allows you to keep your clean and dirty clothes separate, not to mention wet and dry. Everything is secure with the poppers and zippers, as well as a cord and toggle fastening.
Stylish practicality
If there’s one thing Émigré does well, it’s blending style and practicality effortlessly. For all the uses of their Boston bag, they haven’t compromised on simple style principles. Minimalistic yet high quality leather piping and coerce branding make their Boston bag look unsuspecting, meaning it’ll never go out of style. What’s more, it’s made from sustainably sourced materials – and environmental responsibilities never go out of fashion.
All in all, Émigré’s answer to the Boston bag is nothing short of a masterpiece. The bag retains its core purpose but is adapted to the needs of the modern person travelling short-haul. It ticks every box and leaves no room for shortfalls and errors, much like the rest of the range which can be viewed here.
