Here at Ballymena Toady it is time to have a spring clean of our wardrobe and invite in some lovely new items to take us through to summer. We absolutely love handbags and we love leather so put them both together and we are happy. Here is our favourite designer bag to hit the store recently – the lovely Loewe Puzzle shoulder bag.

The bag can be worn several ways as showcased here by the Sartorialist. The only problem is the expensive price tag! EEKK!

For now we are happier to look after the leather bag we already have. Here are some tips which will freshen up your handbag ready for spring.

  • If you are lucky enough to have a designer bag try to keep it in it’s dust bag when you aren’t using it. This reduces scuffs and dirty marks.
  • Keep your hands clean if you are handling light coloured leather of suede. One greasy mark could ruin it forever.
  • If you have a greasy mark on your bag act immediately by sprinkling chalk on it.
  • Don’t put too much in your bag. The latest trend for ‘What’s in my bag” vlogs may be interesting but we don’t believe for a moment that some people could even lift their bag because of the sheer amount of stuff they keep in there. Pare your belongings back to the essential and stick to that. If you need a notebook, umbrella etc. seek out small versions that wont cause your bag to become misshapen.
  • Be careful with the hardware. If a zip stats catching take a close look to find the problem before it breaks. Some cobblers can help you to repair a zip or push stud on leather it you have had a disaster.
  • Keep an eye on your straps. Cheaper bags may start to strain and break, when you notice that is happening start carrying less or try to get it repaired.
  • Try not to get your leather bag too wet. The occasional shower of rain is fine but avoid getting it soaked.
  • If your leather bag has cracked it need to have moisture applied to those areas. a specialist shoe/ leather cream could be the answer.
  • Don’t wrap your leather bag in plastic – leather needs air to breath in between outings.

If you are treating yourself to a new leather bag (designer or otherwise) or just need to freshen up the one you have hopefull ythis advice from Ballymena Today will help.