[Spareribs]

Back in the 1950s or so, a man would own a good pair of leather shoes. Along with that, he also own a nice wrist watch and a nice leather wallet. He would also have a nice briefcase that he would take to work.
 
The briefcase had style. He would sit back and relax in his office with his cigarette and maybe even pour a little glass of scotch on his desk. Along with him, he would conduct his business with a briefcase and desk telephone. His briefcase was special to him as he had the important papers, quality pens and perhaps even a leisure magazine.
 
Yes, the briefcase was a beautiful thing and it was part of being a man. These days, you don't see briefcases that much but they will be remembered because it was part of being a man.

 

[SomeWiseGuy]

Nowadays, workforce people carry thumbdrives to work.
 
Briefcases will one day become obsolete.

 

[wuwhere]

They've been replaced with knapsacks and laptop bags.

 

[ProtegeManiac]

  Back in the 1950s or so, a man would own a good pair of leather shoes. Along with that, he also own a nice wrist watch and a nice leather wallet. He would also have a nice briefcase that he would take to work.
 
The briefcase had style. He would sit back and relax in his office with his cigarette and maybe even pour a little glass of scotch on his desk. Along with him, he would conduct his business with a briefcase and desk telephone. His briefcase was special to him as he had the important papers, quality pens and perhaps even a leisure magazine.
 
Yes, the briefcase was a beautiful thing and it was part of being a man. These days, you don't see briefcases that much but they will be remembered because it was part of being a man.

 
You're ignoring something - think of it as MCU movies and we can connect the story of "End of Classic Manly Style: The Decline of the Briefcase" with "Owwwwwowwwwwwwowwwowww: The Rise of the Chiropractor," and with respect to how people hate leather and steak due to cows as "beings" or that cow fart+poop adds to global warming, the third movie is "DuPont: Rise of the Polyamorous Polymers." The prequel movies will be entitled "Commute Hell: Return to Downtown" and "Cykill: Death to the Four-wheeled Autobots."

Basically, men over time just starting using these instead...
 





And for those who hate drab colors, these

 
 
...due to a convergence of ergonomics, plus the rising preference for living closer to downtown and taking trains or bikes vs the tiring commute through traffic with a car (where one wouldn't really worry about the crappy ergonomics of a briefcase).
 
I used to have a leather briefcase for my laptop as well, but now look at what I use (although I still drive half the time, and most of the other half, I take the train - but ergos rule):
You might actually recognize these from the other photos

No huge DSLRs either

From the other side - thick padding plus reflectors (the flash is actually blinding when used in the first photo)

 
Heck even the associate dean of the social science college (who also happens to be my MA thesis adviser) uses a bright blue Hershel Retreat because of the ergonomics (he doesn't even use a bike, let alone at night, so I'm not sure why he chose that color).

 

[gbremer]

Also, many jobs these days have no use for a briefcase. I do all of my work on computers and if for some reason I need to do any work from home I use a VPN connection. The only thing I bring to/from work is a travel mug.

So much of that style was based on the rise of "white collar" jobs, and that culture has changed quite a bit since the rise of computer technology.

 

[superjawes]

Also, many jobs these days have no use for a briefcase. I do all of my work on computers and if for some reason I need to do any work from home I use a VPN connection. The only thing I bring to/from work is a travel mug.

So much of that style was based on the rise of "white collar" jobs, and that culture has changed quite a bit since the rise of computer technology.

Even the idea of a "white collar" job has gone away. IT/Tech Support is roughly the equivalent of a repairman or mechanic, but without the "getting dirty" part, and they can work alongside the guys who would have been the white collar workers. Style just evolved into a business casual for many. The business formal style is reserved for executive class these days.

 

[crazychile]

I used to carry a nice briefcase to work...about 20 years ago. I didn't like it as much as a backpack but they weren't acceptable in most office settings as they are today. So now I have a backpack and have room to carry my headphones, iPad or MacBook, Sunglasses, Lunch, USB drives, etc. and still have room in case I'm on the motorcycle and want to grab a 6'er on the way home.

 

[WraithApe]

Spareribs, have you ever thought about compiling all of your 'The decline of...' posts into a coffee table book called Declension, or maybe Life In Decline?

 

[Spareribs]

I haven't but it would seem like a decent idea I suppose.