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| Bags Of Tips |
| from Nina Ess of www.ninaess.co.uk The handbag you choose can say so much about you - and who wants to see you as some scuffed up, knocked about old thing? The handbag expert Nina Steele give us her tips for caring for your leather bag.  Buying a new handbag? Don't let a poor lining let you down. Some people may take their handbag for granted. But think about it, a bag is no ordinary fashion accessory. It's a vital piece of equipment you use to carry all your most important possessions. So choosing the right bag and the right things to put in it is extremely important to help make your day-to-day life more comfortable. A good bag can cost a lot and the wrong choice can be a very expensive mistake. In "Bags of tips" I will be sharing some tips and ideas to help you make the right handbag buying decisions and get the best value. Like some of you, I never gave the lining second thought; all that changed when I purchased a certain designer bag (for a little fortune of course!) and not before long, the lining came undone. I felt cheated, and rightly so. When you pay £200 plus for a handbag, you want it to last forever and in some cases, be able to past it on to the next generation, not to see the inside disintegrate in front of your very own eyes, within a couple of months of buying it. The worst culprits in my experience are cotton linings; they tend to fall apart very quickly. There is nothing like a lining that remains intact no matter how much you carry inside your bag. So next time you are about to purchase a handbag, make sure you take the lining into account and if possible, please stay away from cotton!  Caring For Your Leather Bag "Finding the perfect bag is a little bit like finding the perfect husband: when you see it, you just know", Tifani Wilt, fashion director for Macys West in San Francisco. Treated well, a leather handbag can last indefinitely, that said, accidents do happen. So here are a few tips to help you care for your handbag. Leather is durable, ages well, and is easy to care for. A good quality leather protector spray applied to clean, dry leather can keep the leather from drying out and cracking over time and it will also reduce (but not eliminate) the tendency of the leather to stain. To clean your bag if it gets dirty, simply wipe it with a soft, damp cloth. Clear saddle soap can remove some of the deeper dirt, but be aware that it may temporarily darken the leather. Do not use a leather cleaner that contains oils to clean natural leather (leather that is dyed rather that painted) as cleaning oils can trap moisture and dirt, and can stain the leather. Ink marks, grease and oil stains are unfortunately not removable and should be left alone. Pickpockets  "Every woman's handbag is a lost and found department in itself. It is strange, but things actually disappear there, as by magic. They finally reappear on the surface after three or four investigations and complete pell-mell of the contents." Anita Daniel, New York Times, 1945. Items disappearing inside one's handbag and reappearing by magic is less stressful than being the victim of the countless pickpockets who walk our streets. To avoid yourself weeks if not months of anguish, I thought I should share these few tips. Most women know they should keep their handbag shut when out shopping in a busy street or market, to discourage pickpockets from helping themselves. But to make your bag even less vulnerable, ensure the side on which it fastens is kept close to your body (never mind making the fashion statement with the buckle facing outwards!). If possible put the bag handle/straps over your arm or shoulder rather than hold it/them in your hand. And if the bag fastens with a zip, turn your bag so the zip's tag is at the front, where you can see it. In addition to carrying my handbag with the straps on my shoulder most of the time, I also make a point of having a firm grip on it too, as I believe you can never be too careful! You can see Nina's huge selection of gorgeous hand-made bags at www.ninaess.co.uk Back to more articles |
| Posted: 19/04/2005 12:07:06 Last Updated: 23/04/2005 10:24:16 |
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