With Spring well and truly under way (and even some sunshine here in London!), there is no more avoiding the dreaded spring clean. One thing I am definitely guilty of over the winter is filling my bags up with an unlimited amount of junk (as you may remember reading about it in this post last year. To quote...
“…collection of beauty products and accessories that I had no idea were at the bottom of my satchel – 2 hair bands, 3 hair clips, a pair of earrings, my mascara and concealer, a huge pot of Vaseline, an empty tube of hand cream and 3 different colours of lip-gloss… …a pen, chewing gum, a sachet of sugar, a dummy (I am a mother you know), some sweet wrappers, tissues, mints, 3 coins (all of different currency) and finally, inexplicably, a pair of socks.”
In an attempt to embrace the (occasional) sunshine, I am trying to downsize my favourite, stuff-everything-in handbag - the medium leather weekend bag for a smaller, more summery bag like the vintage two pocket leather satchel. The main problem with this is that over the winter, my bag filled up with so much unnecessary rubbish that I could barely see inside it (I have just had my second son so I do have an excuse). It needs a proper clear out before I can even think about swapping to a smaller bag!
Spring cleaning my handbag was a tiring process; after emptying its contents onto the floor, the first thing I did was throw away all the rubbish: gum wrappers and receipts, squished cereal bars and empty hand creams. Then the remaining junk was sorted into piles - beauty products, accessories, toiletries, children’s stuff etc. That was when the fun began; I had to decide what I would desperately need in my new (miniature) handbag, my answer, of course, was “all of it!” I found out that I am very good at thinking of scenarios where having 7 lip-glosses and £5 in 3 different currencies by my side was a matter of life or death.
After a lot of deliberation, I managed to get rid of a few bits and bobs and I attempted to fit ‘the essentials’ into my summer bag. It was all going well, but then the bag started to look quite full, and I still had a pile of (very necessary) mascaras, dummies and tissues on my bed. I squeezed it all in but I couldn’t quite shut the bag. It was then that it dawned on me that maybe I just wasn’t made to use a small bag.
I decided that if downsizing wasn’t an option, and the small bag was best kept for when I could go out with no children in tow, I would give my current leather bag a loving refurbishment, and continue using it. I sponged it with rapeseed oil and left it near (but not too close or touching) a radiator for 24 hours to dry. It now looks like a new bag, without the hassle of actually having to cut down on what I carry with me – the best of both worlds! If you have a very well used leather bag, or you just want to give yours a bit of special care, you can use vegetable, sunflower or baby oil as well (test on a small hidden patch first).
For more tips on caring for your leather bag, including if you get it wet or the smell is a little overpowering, just read our full leather bag cleaning guide.
I hope this was useful in motivating you to clear out and revamp your bags – maybe you’ll be a bit more successful than I was! If so, after all that hard work, there is only one thing you can do – treat yourself with a new bag for the summer! You can have a look at our selection of gorgeous leather handbags.
February 14th is Fast Approaching so here is our guide to some of the perfect Vida Vida leather bags, satchels and accessories.
If you have been so busy sticking to your New Year’s Resolution that you’ve only just realised that Valentine’s Day is just under a week away, fear not! For all those times I have been in a similar, rushed situation, I thought I would help you out with my top five Vida Vida presents for men and women, whether you’re on a tight budget, or looking to splurge. Just remember to get your order in by Wednesday to be sure of delivery in time.
1. This Tan Leather Card Holder, £20, is perfect if your man is constantly on the move – the beautiful stitching compliments the suntanned leather so well and its size means it can fit inside a pocket easily. If you’re looking for something slightly more substantial, but you love the gorgeous leather, you can see our leather wallets here.
2. If his iPad is his pride and joy, this Dark Brown Leather iPad Case, £45, is just the thing. It is made of hardwearing buffalo leather and has a soft lining with leather and elastic straps to keep your iPad secure, as well as a zip to keep it shut and even a pop-out stand for when you’re out and about. We have a range of iPad covers as well as a selection of leather satchel style laptop cases
3. If you want to keep the present simple yet practical, this Large Black Leather Messenger Bag, £90, is the right choice. The sleek design can fit a 13” or 15” laptop, along with folders, books and whatever else is needed. The black leather looks great with anything and the whole bag oozes style – just the thing for a fussy recipient. We also have a range of sizes and colours of our leather messenger bags.
4. Our laptop bags come in different sizes, but the Extra Large Special Leather Laptop Bag, £120, might just be the best; with room for a change of clothes, lever arch files and even a 15” laptop, it can be used for practically any situation. With so much room inside, it will soon become your loved one’s favourite travelling partner (apart from you of course!). We have a huge array of men’s laptop bags
5. Finally, this Leather Duffle Bag, £170, really is the perfect bag. Whether used on a short holiday, a weekend away or even as a large gym bag, it is guaranteed to bring envy to everyone who lays eyes on it because of the beautiful suntanned leather and the detail and care put into the stitching. As well as this, the more it is used, the better it looks (if that’s even possible!) because the leather becomes softer and suppler until he won’t even think of leaving the house without it. See our other leather duffle bags here.
1. These Glass Earrings, £10, are perfect as a smaller gift. They go with practically everything and also have a matching ring. There is a large range of other jewellery available too.
2. Another great gift is this Small Ball Silver Ring, £30. It is sterling silver and comes in a range of sizes and looks great alone or with other rings – definitely a good one if you want a smaller present, but equally one that your partner will continue to wear. We have a large range of silver rings.
3. This Vintage Two Pocket Large Satchel, £65, is beautiful and brilliant. It can fit all your daily essentials; a bottle of water, mobile phone, iPad etc. and looks great with everything! From the beach to a muddy music festival, this is a great gift to give.
4. Another perfect present for your loved one could be this Black Padded Leather Laptop Bag, £120, which is fantastic if she’s constantly on the move with her laptop in tow. Fitting plenty of A4 documents and a 13” laptop in a bag has never been this stylish! We also have a variety of tan laptop bags.
5. Last but certainly not least is the Extra Large Leather Weekend Bag, £195. I could go on about this bag for days (as you can see from my blog post about it ) as could just about every newspaper or magazine who have reviewed it! From Vogue to The Telegraph, this is one popular bag, and coincidentally it would be an absolutely fabulous Valentine’s gift, whether she would use it as hand luggage or just for a romantic weekend away.
With Valentine’s Day just a week away, you may be wondering what thoughtful present your partner has carefully selected. If you, on the other hand, know that he is utterly useless when it comes to gift-giving and are trying to accept that he has inevitably bought you the fuzzy socks ‘you’ve always wanted’ then fret no further. Below are five of the best ways to hint subtly what you want as your valentines day gift, whether it is a diamond ring or a new leather bag.
1. This trick involves patience. While on your computer, open up a tab with whatever you are aiming to receive and then go about your daily business, waiting for him to use the internet and voila! Job done, he will see what you have been looking at and even where he can buy it from, and almost definitely order it then and there! (TIP: this also works on tablets, laptops and phones, maybe even try them all! He’s bound to get it if he sees it every time he goes to Google.)
2. A fool proof way to let him know what you want is to show him, without him knowing. Do this by planning your route to pass the shop (e.g. a jeweller’s) and as you go past it, glance in the window, long enough for him to see, but not long enough that you stop. He will hopefully look where you are looking, and buy you what you want! Sometimes a glance just isn’t enough, in these cases the only thing left to do is to cast aside all subtlety and full out stare, maybe point, and in desperate circumstances even say ‘that’s nice!’.
3. Another great way to use the internet to get what you want is to post said item on social media. From tweeting the company to posting it on a friend’s Facebook wall, he will see that you’re interested in the brand/object, and hopefully get the idea! Another benefit of doing this is that even if he doesn't get the hint, maybe one of your friends/family might!
4. You should also mention what you want around him as much as possible, just not directly at him. If you have friends over, go into the next room and loudly proclaim that ‘there is this one thing’ that you’d really like, or, even better, pretend to be on the phone and say something along the lines of ‘He’ll never guess that I want a new [insert ideal gift here]!’
5. It’s the oldest trick in the book but it still works; leave a magazine or catalogue somewhere in his view with the item you desire circled in thick black pen – he won’t be able to miss it. Better yet, leave a few scattered around the house – if he doesn’t get this hint he certainly won’t get any of the others!
Hopefully these tricks will come in handy but remember, the most important thing is that he must think it was all his idea – as soon as he thinks you’re telling him what to get you, he may just decide that you’d love those fuzzy socks after all!
