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Two in three British men (65%) are now following in the footsteps of celebrities such as David Beckham and Jude Law by daring to carry 'man-bags'.
According to new research by insurer LV=, the total contents of British man-bags are worth an estimated ¯¿½4.4 billion as men carry mobile phones, i-pods, laptops and PDAs (personal digital assistants) around with them every day.
The research reveals that man-bags are becoming so popular, particularly amongst younger men, that they could soon rival handbags as a mainstream accessory.
Over 8 in 10 younger men (18-24) carry some type of man-bag compared with 47% of the over-55s.
More expensive items
The individual contents of an average man-bag are already worth ¯¿½60 more than those in a woman's handbag, ¯¿½319 compared with ¯¿½2552.
Andrew Beard at LV= General Insurance said: "Man-bags are no longer just for celebrities but are fast becoming a mainstream male accessory, as essential as a handbag is to most women. Whereas we used to carry our belongings in our jackets or trouser pockets, millions of men now routinely lug around a stash of gadgets, like MP3 players, headphones and cameras, in a man-bag.
"It's easy to forget how vulnerable these valuables can be when you're out and about, and no doubt today's man-bag carriers could learn a few simple bag safety tips from their female friends and family."
In total, British men and women are carrying a staggering ¯¿½10 billion worth of items as a matter of course, which could be putting them increasingly at risk of theft.
Boys and their toys
The study proves the old adage about 'boys and their toys', where five of the ten most popular items in a man bag are technological compared with only two in women's handbags.
Men's lust for technology seems to be a key driver in the growth of man-bags. For example, more than four times as many men as women carry lap-tops (18% versus 4%), and three times as many men as women carry a PDA (9% versus 3%).
In terms of regional variations, men and women in the capital are the most likely to carry books (46%) and magazines (20%) in their bags, probably due to greater numbers of people commuting by public transport.
Scarves (16%) and gloves (33%) are more likely to be found in bags in Scotland whilst carrying sunglasses is more prevalent in the South (39%), perhaps indicating a North-South weather divide.
However, the survey reveals that seven out of the top ten items carried are the same for both sexes, as shown in the table below:
