Man-purse Ken: threat or menace?
This week’s big man-purse news, of course, is the reintroduction of Mattel’s Ken doll — tan, rested, and ready after a two-year break from Barbie, his longtime girlfriend. The new Ken has two outfits: One is a beach getup that will be available in stores soon. But the other, featured more prominently in the rush of publicity, is a one-of-a-kind “urban” celebrity spokesmodel Ken designed by Hollywood stylist Phillip Bloch, in which the doll sports newly chiseled features, artfully ripped jeans with cargo pockets, a “motocross leather” jacket . . . and a man purse.
The Satchel Pages do not count Ken’s metrosexual makeover as a healthy development for man-purse supporters. If seen only as a fashion trend, the man purse will likely survive as an acceptable part of popular culture only as long as, say, leg warmers or fanny packs did. A few men may wear purses only to make a statement, but most will do it because it makes sense in so many other ways.
The new Ken presents a public danger: that a few years from now, still long before any public-acceptability tipping point is reached, sporting a man purse will seem “so 2006.”
- Ken(R) Unveils An All-New Look [Mattel]
- Barbie Makes Up with Made-Over Ken [Hamilton Spectator]
February 15th, 2006 at 1:54 am
[...] We figured the Ken-doll wannabes in our audience might be eager to learn exactly what man-purse model Barbie’s once and future boytoy was sporting in last week’s makeover extravaganza. And we’d love to identify it for you — if we could find it. [...]
February 15th, 2006 at 1:19 pm
[...] Another partial match for Ken’s man purse: The Solis Transit Messenger bag by Solis. [...]
February 16th, 2006 at 4:07 pm
[...] Today we have one more seemingly futile attempt to capture the ineffable qualities of the man purse toted by the new surgically and sartorially enhanced Ken doll. Barbie’s ex is back, and he’s wielding a . . . purse. But which one? [...]