When I go out with a "purse" I've got the womens' attention.
Though I'm in kilt and the "purse" is that pouch called a "sporran" (which is Gaelic for... purse). Women just love men in Highland kilts...
It's interesting, though. In other cultures, European (somewhat) and Asian men carry handbags -- I think they called them "manbags" when they tried to introduce them here.
I have a very nice gift of an Asian man's handbag. But I still like my pockets (or sporran) better, for all that I carry less.