I’m always on the lookout for men’s bags that are a little bit left-of-center, and with Master-Piece Co’s fun printed men’s backpacks, I believe I’ve found just that. These Master-Piece Co Printed Backpacks are like catnip for menswear bros – they’re brightly printed but with retro touches and leather trim that give them an air of some kind of amorphous authenticity, they’re all made in Japan (as I understand it, Japan is very important to menswear bros), and two of them are made in collaboration with other indie design brands.

I know it’s my job to know these things, but I’d like to go ahead and admit that I wasn’t even really aware that Dolce & Gabbana made men’s bags until I laid eyes on the Dolce & Gabbana Full-Grain Leather Messenger. Of course I assumed that the brand did, but I don’t think I had ever seen one, let alone sought one out for evaluation; Dolce’s men’s suits and shoes are simply far more spotlight-stealing than the rest of the line.

Because of the rush of the holidays season (and then the inopportune placement of the holidays themselves), it seems like it’s been forever since we had a chance to do a Man Bag Monday. Obviously, that all changes today, and what better way to get re-started mining the Internet for the best in men’s accessories than with a bag from one of the most dapper men on the planet, Tom Ford?

As we’ve mentioned approximately 8,329 (but who’s counting?) around these parts since mid-November, it’s that time of year. Doesn’t that sound ominous to you? It’s like when you were a child and your parents used to spell out words that would upset you when they were talking to each other and you were in the room – maybe if no one says the name of the impending holiday, we’ll all stay calm and the stress and airport lines and eating of feelings just won’t happen this year.

If your dad is anything like mine, he’s a little hard to shop for. Not only does he generally tend to buy whatever he wants for himself before anyone gets the opportunity to give it to him, but he’s retired, so I can’t fall back on reliable gifts like ties, cufflinks or interesting pieces for his desk or office. If you’re shopping for luxury gifts for your dad, you’re probably in a simular situation – what do you get for a man whose primary activities are going to the gym and exploring iTunes?

To the casual observer, men’s bags might be a tad boring, particularly for those who are used to the multitude and variation of women’s bags. How many messengers and carry-ons and briefcases can one person need, exactly? Well, that’s precisely what nonbelievers say about women’s bags, and they’re wrong. Just because mainstream men’s bags tend to have a more limited color palette and set of shapes than women’s doesn’t mean that there aren’t important differences, even between bags made for the same purpose.

I love having visitors from home come see me in New York City because it gives me an opportunity to try new things and go new places while playing tour guide. This past weekend my friend David came to town, and after seeing a particularly splendid grosgrain-trimmed blazer at Bergdorf Goodman, he requested we make a trip to the Thom Browne boutique in Tribeca.

Father’s Day is tricky. Lots of dads are either difficult to shop for or don’t really like getting presents at all, and there’s only so many times you can go buy dad some new black dress socks before things get a little boring and predictable. My suggestion? Use the opportunity to update your husband’s or dad’s style game in a way that he may not think to do for himself.