Win it: Bespoke Post “Dispatch” Box

Bespoke Post “Dispatch” – $45.00

For $45 per box, Bespoke Post will deliver to your door a “box of awesome” once a month. Inside you’ll find hand selected items curated for a guy like you. You can skip any box you want or cancel at any time. Click here for more.

About the Brief

Fair or not, how a guy chooses to carry his stuff into work can project a little bit about him. And while backpacks are seeing a bit of a resurgence in the “fashion” world, the risk is they still project inexperience (or, bike commuter… which is totally fair). Yet a hard sided attache case can make a guy look like he’s playing dress up as a hard selling 80s exec. Our work culture is more casual than ever, but you still don’t want to look like you’d need a hall pass to go hit the vending machine. So… what’s a guy to do?

Get something that’s basically like this.

It’s entry level, but it hits all the right points. The ideal design for a briefcase in the 21st century is a not too bulky, softer sided brief made from either canvas or leather, that has well balanced grab handles at the top, and the option to attach a shoulder strap for longer trips. Not a messenger that you’re always having to sling over your head. Not a single handed brief that’ll make you hate life if you can’t clip on a strap to throw it over your shoulder in an airport. But something instead like Filson’s Original Briefcase, or Saddleback’s thin brief. The latest box from Bespoke post is sorta like an extremely wallet friendly version of the prior.

Made from 16 oz “lightly” waxed canvas, it’s 16″ wide, and walks that line between casual and refined ruggedrey*. The leather handles are a basic shade of medium brown, and riveted to the interior. The gold tone, large toothed zipper goes with the brass finish accents, and the interior has a padded laptop compartment, and two other side pockets for smaller stuff. Shoulder strap is a basic, unpadded cotton webbing. Nothing to get excited over, but you have it if you need it.

It’s cheap, yet it doesn’t feel all that cheap. It’s a solid, sub $100 briefcase. That costs under fifty bucks. And it looks terrific for the price.

About the Cards

And it’s not just the bag that’s in the box. Bespoke Post also included four correspondence cards along with envelopes. Whether it be a thank-you note, a birthday wish, or just something to send a friend you haven’t seen in a while, correspondence cards like these have purpose behind them. Hallmark cards are the ill-fitting rental tux of the communication world. The effort is hugely appreciated, but you almost feel bad for the person on the other end. Like they’re being forced to wear it, or write.

Pen and blotter not included.

The cardstock feels good in your hands, and each card has a not-overly-manly, retro-motif in the lower left corner (light bulb, telescope, etc…). Not a bad addition to the box in the least, and it might even spur a few guys to pick up a pen and set down the smartphone every now and then.

UPDATE: Congrats to J. Stewart who won the random drawing for the Bespoke Post “Dispatch” box of awesome. As always, many thanks to Bespoke Post for providing us with a box for not just review, but for giveaway as well.

Enter here to win this “Dispatch” Box from Bespoke Post. NOTE: The Grey Option for the brief is sold out at post time. Navy, tan, and olive are still available. But if you want grey, and didn’t get in on one yet, you’ can win this one.  Deadline for entry is 12:59 PM ET on 8/25/15. Many thanks to Bespoke Post for sending along their latest box for review & giveaway.

*Not a word. Still sounds better than ruggedness.