Thursday, September 08, 2016

Top tips for keeping your bag look fab

Maybe you've read my extended interview with Shian, owner of the legendary Naughtipidgin's Nest. Maybe you've read her guide on how to prep your bag for sale. Fact is: Shian knows a thing or two on how to keep designer bags beautiful, so here some more useful hints and tips! (And a couple of my favourite bag shots - just... because...)

 Oh, and don't forget that the Nest has just re-opened after the looong summer break!

Exquisite, luxury handbags—the product of painstaking, sublime craftsmanship—deserve to be treated with the utmost care. Expensive handbags are an investment worth taking care of, and with the right care and maintenance they will stay immaculate for years to come.

 It’s incredibly important to remember that if your luxury handbag is made from leather, it’s essentially an organic material and need to be treated as such.

 Understand Your Bag’s Finish
  • Most leather bags are vegetable tanned with tannin. Leather that is tanned this way can be susceptible to discolouration and may also be cosmetically damaged by water. 
  • Chrome tanned skins are more water resistant and are referred to as being ‘wet blue’ due to their steely grey tinge. 
  • Full grain is premium-grade hide that has not been buffed in order to showcase the skin’s natural texture and grain.
  • Top-grain leather is thinner and has had its natural grain augmented by sanding. 
  • Coveted exotics from non-cattle skin, such as alligator, crocodile, stingray, ostrich, snake, lizard and patent leather, achieve their high gloss finishes from oils and resin.

Care and Protect
  • When not in use, store your bag in its dust cover (or a pillowcase) as this will protect it from fading, dusts and even moths. 
  • Stuff lightly with tissue paper in order to retain its shape and prevent wrinkles, indents or creases. 
  • To prevent mildew, store your bag in a dry, cool environment. 
  • You may wish to invest in silica gel sachets to keep in your stored bags, in order to protect them from damp. 
  • When you’re out and about, use a portable handbag hook so you don’t have to put your handbag on the dirty floor. They are carefully weighted and designed to hang from the edge of a desk or table and you can find some beautiful styles in lots of designs. 
  • Lightly wipe your handbag after every use, with a soft, microfibre towel in order to get rid of any dampness, dirt or dust. 
  • Leather may need a wax dressing and a suitable rain protector, such as Colonil, to keep it stain and watermark free. Wet leather should be wiped down carefully; however, this is not always practical, in which case the leather should be left to dry naturally away from any sources of heat. 
  • Never use household cleaners or chemicals to clean leather.  Use cleaners that are designed especially for leather materials.  Purchase a high-quality leather cleaner and follow the directions exactly. 
  • Remember to test any topical products on an inconspicuous area of the bag before applying it properly.  This way, you can be sure that it will not harm the material. 
  • Use a zipped make-up bag to prevent cosmetics from spilling onto the lining of your luxury bag. 
  • Be wary of carrying pens in your handbag, as they can break and cause ink to stain your expensive bag’s lining. Use retractable point pencils if you need a writing implement.
It’s important to look after your bag in order to ensure that it will look beautiful for years to
come, however, you mustn’t be afraid to enjoy using your bag. After all, luxurious handbags are made to be worn and shown off!
 
So there you go: protect it and use that beautiful bags you have stashed away in your wardrobe because you're worried that it might get wet! 

 Thanks again for Independent Fashion Bloggers for selecting one of my posts for their Links a la Mode - for last week it was this one! Do check out some of the brilliant posts below!
SPONSOR: Shopbop, KENDALL + KYLIE, Loeffler Randal Booties, Elizabeth and James Jewelry, The Laundress, Hilfiger Collection, Quartz Co., Black Jumpsuits, Winter Boots, Gold Earrings, Men's Velva Sheen
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