Archive for the 'Accessories' category

iPad in a Porter Bag

Aug 16 2010 Published by under Accessories, Bags

After purchasing an iPad back in May, I quickly realized that the days of lugging around my laptop were over. No longer would I burden myself with the weight and bulk of a 5.5lbs Macbook Pro — the future was thin, light and… lacking any sort of memory slot or connectivity port. Doh!

Initially, for my daily commute, I was satisfied with storing the iPad in my usual shoulder bag or Arc’teryx backpack. But such bags could easily hold half a dozen iPads, or more — I needed to downsize my bag as I did with my mobile computer.

So the other day I visited a popular bag shop and picked up a Porter Freestyle shoulder bag.

The bag is made from high density canvas that has been processed with a polyurethane film. This creates a weather-proof exterior that is similar in feel to leather, yet is lightweight and requires very little maintenance.

Critically, for my use, the bag is just large enough to store an iPad in a SwitchEasy Nude case, a Micro Four Thirds camera, and regular items such as a wallet and iPhone. Because I tend to overpack, I made sure to get something that would hold only the essentials, thus forcing me to travel light.

The bag features three zippered compartments, each containing several sub-compartments, that are easily accessible when the bag is being worn. I’ve learnt from owning other bags that capacity without accessibility is highly annoying; I always seem to be reaching for my gadgets, money, or other stuff almost compulsively!

In conclusion, I am quite satisfied with this Porter Freestyle shoulder bag. Although the color was not my first choice, the brown finish contrasts nicely with the metal zippers. Overall, the bag looks conservatively styled with its boxy look conveying a feeling of utility.

On the practical side, the main compartment not only stores my iPad, but also allows quick access to my camera — important for candid street shots. The other pockets are similarly well designed and help to organize my growing collection of smaller gadgets and personal items.

Porter has long been one of the most popular bag brands among Japanese men. Although their products are not so easy to acquire outside of Japan, you can search through their product catalog here and perhaps find an international reseller online.

Here’s a shot of the Porter Freestyle shoulder bag taken with my phone. The bag’s dimensions just fit the iPad, but there is ample girth to hold the Panasonic GH1 camera with extra lenses as well.

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Bag Personality

Aug 06 2010 Published by under Bags

Almost everyone in Japan carries a bag.

Each and every time I cut through town or ride a train, I end up seeing a lot of interesting gear. It always gets me wondering: what does a bag say about its owner?

This guy is dressed neatly, but rather subdued. His bag, on the other hand, is a sure magnet for attention. I wonder if he chose the plain color of his clothes just to create this contrast. Even the way he holds his bag is as if to show it off.

The guy on the left has a large kit bag, probably filled with lenses, filters and other expensive goodies that only a camera geek could appreciate. Comparatively, his friend with the popped collar is probably packing some shrimp flavored crackers and a Nintendo DSi XL for when his friend’s hobby starts to wear on his nerves.

This guy is wearing a cheaper looking shoulder bag. Shoulder bags of the larger ‘messenger’ style have fallen a bit out of fashion here in Osaka. But this one looks pretty comfortable, and the horizontal stabilizer across his lower torso is probably a great idea. However, it’s just not something that most people would wear as a fashion accessory. But this guy has probably got waaay too much date-simulator gaming to do on his weekends than to worry about looking hip!

This guy, from head to toe, has put a lot of thought into what he’s wearing. His mini bag perfectly matches his outfit, but I think that makes the ensemble a bit obvious and overdone. Which means it’s totally fine and not overdone. Because he’s in Osaka.

This is a cool backpack made by Porter, a well known bag and accessories company based in Tokyo. I love the big metal zipper. Also, the dark fabric looks sporty and lightweight.

You don’t see many backpacks these days in any city, but they still make the most sense for transporting heavy loads. This guy is a salary man, so I’m guessing he has at least a laptop tucked in there with probably some fresh porn manga for the train ride home.

Finally we have the no-bag guy. This man is clearly dressed for comfort, sporting loose fitting clothing that is actually quite ideal for battling summertime humidity. It looks like he just brought his cellphone with him. I’m guessing he’s talking on it right now, asking his wife where the hell his bag is at!?

Okay, one last photo.

Here we have a typical school girl’s bag that’s decorated with at least a half dozen Disney characters. Sadly, this could just as easily belong to a man twice her age. I’ve seen it.

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Gatsby Moving Wax and Deodorant Spray

Jan 30 2009 Published by under Accessories, Misc.

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Walk into any convenience store or pharmacy in Japan and you’ll likely find Gatsby deodorant and hairstyling products in the toiletry section. Gatsby is a maker of beauty care products, specifically for men, and is owned by Osaka based Mandom Corp.

So how does Gatsby Gold deodorant fair against its Gillette and Mennen counterparts?

Gatsby Gold has a pleasant fragrance, but one that diminishes quickly after use. Japanese people consider strong fragrances a bit offensive, so it’s not surprising that their deodorants lack that head slamming nasal shot you get every time you walk past a crowd of teenagers wearing Axe or TAG. Furthermore, most Southeast Asians lack any sort of body odor to begin with, so an olfactory smokescreen is not really what they’re going for.

When might you use Gatsby Gold?

This Gatsby deodorant is probably best used for short trips out of the house, and not for 9-to-5 workdays, riding crowded commuter trains and the like. Personally, I usually forgo the use of pure deodorants and opt for the chalky white stuff (anti-perspirants). I find that staying dry is pretty essential to smelling clean; spray on fragrances do nothing to keep your dry!

Next up, is Gatsby’s Moving Rubber hair wax.

This stuff comes in travel or bathroom sized allotments and is great for adding style and hold to your hairdo. Each type of wax comes with a unique name and container color, and each one is rated by shine and strength on an easy-to-read scale. For instance, the Wild Shake flavor that I’m using right now scores high in strength, but low on shine. This is something Astro Boy might use!

With 4-foot high hairdos being quite the norm in Japan, good hair styling and cleaning products are sold everywhere. In comparison, they’re not quite up to par with their domestic selection of deodorants. Although you can find a few western strength products in Japan, like Axe and Old Spice, those might not be your products of choice (well I’m hoping they’re not!). So when visiting – and I hope you will travel to the Island at least once in your life – you might want to pack a few extra spray cans of whatever you use to mask your explosive barbarian odor!

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Low Life of London: Checkered Belts For Punks

Jan 24 2009 Published by under Accessories

full-lowlife-belts

I’m pretty sure I’m going to get one of each of these belts! These checkered studded belts list for around $60 and come in a variety of bright and glittery colors. Low Life of London, as their label is called, serves a punk-rock inspired crowd, and has many of their products worn by musicians, artists and professional skateboarders.

With so much dark denim being worn these days, it’s nice to have the option to highlight an outfit with some eye-catching waist gear. Now if only I wasn’t trying to hide my rapidly accelerating post-holiday waistline. Damn you Haagen-Dazs!

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Hergopoch Pleated Leather Bag

Dec 12 2008 Published by under Bags

Hergopoch leather bag

The Japanese are infatuated with their bags. Everywhere you go, you’ll see Japanese of every class, occupation and gender with stylish bags in their hands and on their shoulders. Having some of the best and most used public transit systems at their disposal, Japanese bag culture grew out of the need to lug around the day’s items in lieu of driving a car. Whether commuting to work or out for shopping, virtually everyone is a pedestrian in Japan’s urban centers and having suitable luggage for such occasions is a must. Dingy backpacks and overburdened plastics bags are a definite faux pas on an island where Louis Vuitton handbags are as common as Nike runners are in the States.

One particular bag that caught my attention was from the 02 series by Japanese luggage specialist Hergopoch. The 02-BRF is a pleated leather (soft) briefcase that is handmade in Japan. The striped look of the body is eye-catching and unique, and the zippers offer bold highlights with good practicality; but it’s the studded, overlapping leather handle really puts this piece in a class of its own. And if you’re more of a shoulder bag kind of guy, Hergopoch also brings this pleated look to a few more gorgeous items in their lineup.

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