The handbag is our faithful daily companion! There are those who carry it by hand, others on the shoulder or over the shoulder, some only imagine it in XXL size to put all their gear in and others swear by the mini format in which they knew how to choose the essentials. There are the fashion victims who accumulate them and change them according to their outfits and those who seek above all practicality. However, all of them have the same wish, that their handbag resists over time, even if it is abused!
So here are our 5 tips for finding a handbag that you will keep for years!
Leather, a safe bet for handbags
To accompany you on a daily basis, if you want a resistant handbag for women , the first advice is to choose a leather handbag. Indeed, leather is the most qualitative and resistant material. Leather ages very well provided you nourish it from time to time by first waterproofing it . It will retain its suppleness for a long time and will acquire a patina over time.
There are different qualities of leather. Full-grain leather means that the original thickness of the skin has been retained. It is therefore more resistant and of higher quality, it is also the most noble leather of the leather family. Nubuck is a leather with a velvety appearance obtained by sanding the grain for a “peach skin” effect, while “grained leather” has undergone a graining operation by a tanner.
The leather is also of different quality depending on whether it is lamb, cowhide, pig or buffalo leather.
lamb leather is the most qualitative, both supple, light, soft, but more fragile than other leather,
cowhide leather is smooth, supple and resistant, it can be thick or thin depending on its treatment,
pigskin is thick, tough, and considered lower-end.
Thus, a bag in cowhide or full-grain lamb will be a guarantee of quality, the one in cowhide being more resistant. Budget level, your leather bag is certainly a higher budget than a fabric or imitation leather bag, but it will last you for years when the fancy bags will only last you one or two seasons. Because let’s face it, imitation leather has nothing to do with the quality of the leather. Very quickly, if you use your bag on a daily basis, tears or cracks may appear. Impossible to repair, all you have to do is throw it away!
Maintain your handbag regularly
dust and clean it regularly , first with a small soft brush, then by applying a special leather cleaning product with a cloth and leaving to dry,
once dry, nourish it with a special leather nourishing milk that you apply on your cloth or on a chamoisine and by making circular movements without putting too much on,
avoid shoe polish reserved for shoes (in the event of a stain, contact a leather cleaning specialist),
take care of your leather bag
If your handbag is made of nubuck or suede, you will need to protect it with a special suede waterproofing agent, brush it regularly with a clean special suede brush and give it a new lease of life by rubbing it with an eraser.
A bag with reinforced seams
To make sure that your handbag will withstand your daily life as an active woman, who juggles between children, work, home, trips inflicting a rough life on her faithful companion, check at the time of purchase that its seams are of high quality and if possible reinforced in sensitive areas such as corners.
The stitching of your handbag should be solidly done, consistent throughout, with no loose threads. Do not hesitate to pull at the junctions to assess the solidity and firmness of the seams without forgetting the junction with the handles, handles or shoulder strap.
Zippers and other hardware designed to last
Similarly, it is important to be vigilant about the quality of zippers and clasps. To check that a zipper is of good quality , open and close the bag quickly.
Make sure it’s sturdy, as is its slider and the pull tab, which should be both sleek and wide enough for you to easily open and close the zipper. The clasps must also be firmly attached.
choose the right leather bag
Finally, if you want to keep your handbag for a long time, it must be timeless . You can thus adopt a good basic in a color that will go with all your outfits, like black of course, beige, natural or even a nice cognac or why not a more original color like red, burgundy or nude pink for the summer.
If you need to carry half of your house in your bag, the tote bag to carry by hand or on the shoulder will be very suitable . If you like having your hands free, choose the shoulder bag or the small bag with its metal chain. And if you can’t afford to buy your dream bag, I have 2 tips: first, have it offered to you as part of a common gift. The second, put an amount each week (€5 or €10) for example in a kitty which will grow over the months until it reaches the amount of the dream bag, even if it means waiting a year or two!
And to keep your bag as beautiful as the first day, store it properly, lined with newspaper to keep its shape and put in a dry place away from light.