This summary provides the key details about the "Murse" article in 3 sentences: Men carrying purses, also known as "murse," is becoming a trend as fashion designers predict more men will carry bags that resemble a cross between a briefcase and purse to hold items like cell phones. Several stores now offer "man bags" specifically targeted towards men. While some men are hesitant about buying bags that could be seen as feminine, others see them as a necessity to hold all of their belongings.

1. Man + purse = Murse
By Timber Massey
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Photo by Justin Avera
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OCTOBER 1, 2002
the SCENE WWW.THEVISTAONLINE.COM
throughout the ages.
"In medieval times fashionable, elite gentleman carried little bags
called pockets suspended from a leather belt.
Then, in the sixteenth century, a person's wealth was judged by the
degree and ornamentation of their purse."
Stufflebean said the line between what is considered masculine and
what is considered feminine has become rather vague.
"Today more men are wearing accessories such as earrings and
bracelets. It has become acceptable to do your own thing, rather than
worry about traditional stereotypes."
If fashion designer's predictions are correct you
may be hearing this phrase on a daily basis, most likely
when men are trying to defend their masculinity while
carrying the male version of a purse, or "murse."
"There is going to be a trend of men carrying bags
which resemble a cross between a briefcase and a
purse," said Dr. Tana Stufflebean, professor of fash-
ion marketing.
Stufflebean said this trend is in response
to the endeavor by men to find a place for essen-
tial items such as cell phones and PalmPilots.
Ryan Walker, UCO business communi-
cation graduate, owns a store called Subterranean
Shoe Room where murses can be purchased.
"So far the response has been really good," said Walker.
"There are some unisex bags which you would assume women
would carry but we have been seeing a number of men buying them."
Heather Cockley, an employee at Bag 'N Baggage, said, "More
older men have been purchasing man bags because their pockets are
not big enough to carry all of their stuff and their wives don't want to
carry it."
Bag 'N Baggage offers three kinds of "man bags." One resembles an
extremely large wallet, another includes an organizer, and one is a sin-
gle pocket bag.
Paula Shreve, an employee at Wilsons The Leather Experts, said,
"The response of people buying the bags has been about half and half.
Some people hesitate buying them because they feel they resemble a
purse and others feel they are a necessity."
Stufflebean said the trend of men carrying bags has been common
In the immortal words of Jerry Seinfield, "It's not a purse,
it's a European carryall."
Shelves at Wilsons Leather Experts in Quail Spring Mall has man
bags starting at $50 to $140. Business executives and older men are
the target market for the fashion trend.
character, Dolly Gallagher Levi.
"Dolly is a bigger than life, gre-
garious, giving, and humorous
woman...and humor will carry us
a long way, darling," Cook said.
"She goes through life treating
everyone as if they love her. It
would make life a lot easier on all
of us if we treated everyone as if
they loved us."
Julie Meyer, UCO theatre grad-
uate, said she feels very fortunate
to have had the opportunity to
work with Carole Cook and guest
director and choreographer
Stephan de Ghelder.
"Carole is so feisty and fun, you
can learn so much from just watch-
ing her rehearse," Meyer said.
"The students have benefited
quite a bit from working with a
director from outside of the uni-
versity who approaches things dif-
ferently."
Greg White, Program and
Production Associate for the UCO
school of music, said, "When
`Hello, Dolly!' was first produced
on Broadway in 1964 it marked
the end of an era, in musical the-
atre."
Cook was the second person in
the world to play Dolly in one of
the original Broadway tours in
Australia and New Zealand in
1965.
"I have a personal attachment
to Dolly's character because it
seems the more you play a role, the
richer the character becomes," said
Cook.
Cook performed in "Arsenic
and Old Lace," the first Broadway
Tonight production, four years
ago.
"It was such a fabulous experi-
ence and I adored working with
the students so I thought, why not
do it again?" Cook said.
"The music theater and techni-
cal department at UCO is top
notch. They manage to maintain a
terrific amount of enthusiasm and
dedication every single night."
Meyer said people working
backstage on the costumes, lights,
sound, and set are the unsung
heroes of the production.
"The set is absolutely beautiful
and it would be well worth the
price of admission to experience all
of the work that has gone into the
production."
Tickets prices for "Hello,
Photo Services
Left to right Sheena Smith as
"Irene Molloy," Brad Milburn as
Cornelius,"and Carole Cook as
"Dolly Levi."
Dolly!" are $5 for students and
$20 and $25 for others. For more
information or to purchase tickets
call the Mitchell Hall box of
Monday through Friday from 10
a.m. to 5 p.m. at 974-3375.
"Hello Dolly" comes to Broadway Tonight
by Timber Massey
tm@thevistaonline.corn
UCO's Broadway Tonight
series in collaboration with the
College of Arts, Media; and
Design's Music Theatre
Department will present the musi-
cal comedy, "Hello, Dolly!" 8 p.m
on Oct. 3-5 and 2 p.m Oct. 6 in
the Mitchell Hall Theatre.
Carole Cook, noted stage and
screen actress, will play the lead