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Unexpected accessory "hole"

Anonymous

How much $$$ do you have to spend to get a quality leather handbag that won't tear up after a couple of uses? Seriously, I'm so frosted right now I can barely think straight. I've been carrying around a not-so-inexpensive (even though I got it on sale) Barr & Barr handbag, and now the leather is literally peeling off the handle. Grrrrrr! I'm gentle with my gear, so there's really no explanation for this.

To top it all off, I was thinking no worries, I'll just use the B. Makowsky handbag I bought for my daughter. She rarely uses it, and it's still in good shape, I thought. Wrong. No sooner did I change handbags until I realized that the stitching was coming apart on the handle. It's stitching that holds the decorative buckles in place, so no big deal. I took my trusty needle and thread and managed to sew the buckles back on. I used the needle holes that were already there, as it would have been impossible to get a regular sewing needle through such thick leather.) I plan to carry this handbag around for everyday use as long as it looks good, but I'm not the type of woman who likes carrying beaten-up handbags.

I will certainly be keeping an eye out for a replacement handbag. The problem is, I shudder to think how much I may have to shell out for something that will last more than a year. At this rate, I'm now thinking I'd be better off to buy cheaper handbags and replace them frequently. UGH! Any suggestions?

Shopping

21 replies

Latest reply was from biscuitsmom

christieanne

Veteran

I switch bags a lot so not sure how long mine would last with everyday, 365 day use. But I have been so very happy with Charles David (after four years I did have handle stitching repaired and I trash that bag to death) and Coach (all my Coach are many years old - not sure how current quality is) and Cole Haan.
For a barely used bag, there should be some quality control. If it is still pretty new, I would email the company and let them know - you may be able to send to them for repair.

Bianca

Veteran

I am not sure of which brands to go for. It has happened to me too. I feel like if I rotated my bags more frequently, I would get more longevity out of them. But truth is I get into the habit of using the same bag everyday.

Don't know if this helps, but I had a dark purple bag in which the leather handles were beginning to crack and peel off. I know it sounds kind of silly, but I got this idea from a shoemaker: I put purple nail polish on the cracks. It was a close match and it covered up the spots for otherwise a good hand bag.

Good luck!

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Ruth, I've found that if you stick to one bag most of the time - it wears out pretty quickly. I have clients who stick to one bag a season - and their bags take a beating, especially when they are inferior quality and overly full.

The more bags you buy, and swap out frequently, the longer they last and continue to look pristine. I have over 40 bags. Use most of them quite a bit. Some are over 20 years old. Still look very good.

Not trying to make you purchase lots of bags!!! But bags do wear and tear.

Mo

(website)

Veteran

My Fossil crossbody bag is holding up great!

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Anonymous

The B. Makowsky bag I just repaired has been carried a grand total of maybe 3 times, including today when I brought it to work with me. The Barr & Barr handbag has been used every day for a year, but I am still angry about the leather peeling off on a bag that costs around $400. I have some old Fossil and Dooney & Bourke bags in my closet that have been used a lot longer and still look great. The problem is that they're black and small. I now want to carry larger bags and use color instead of black. I have a wine-colored Barr & Barr handbag that's a great size and style, but the hardware is breaking. Again, an expensive bag with problems. How long was the wine-colored bag used? Only on my first trip to Nicaragua, which was for 2 weeks.

Oh, how annoying this is!

Mo, I like your Fossil handbag. I just ordered a Fossil handbag for my daughter (she picked it out) so she'd let me have the B. Makowsky bag. I love the looks and size of the B. Mak bag, esp. the blue denim color of the leather that makes it a great neutral for me, but wonder how long it will hold up. It will be interesting also to see how long my daughter's new Fossil bag lasts. She's not nearly as gentle with her stuff as I am with mine.

modgrl

(website)

Veteran

Well that is annoying!! Perhaps you can write to the manufacturer. I have a black MK bag that I used every day for a year. It took a beating. I frequently overstuffed it and subjected it to my daily train commute, through rain, snow and sun. It looks a little bit distressed now but it is still a beautiful bag and I wouldn't hesitate to use it any day.

christieanne

Veteran

Handles in particular show wear and tear faster than other parts of bags - I don't think you can get away from that totally in even the best bags. I do try to pick bags that don't have a painted edge - you know how sometimes the handle will have a contrasting color on the lip of the leather? That always seems to come off.

If you do plan to wear your bag for months at a time, take it for weatherproofing (or DIY) before you use and also use a good leather cleaner/treatment every few months to keep looking good.

Victoria

(website)

Veteran

In my experience, there are expensive brands that go to hell after only few wears and B Makovsky is one of them. If you are looking for classic styles, try Tignanello brand-I have two of their handbags and these are holding up pretty well. Have both for 2 years, use them at least twice a week and nothing unraveled yet. I also had good luck with Coach and Cole Haan as well as Dooney and Boorke which is very durable. Not sure what your price point is but if you are looking for leather, check the Tignanello brand as its the cheapest I found(although the handles are PVC which bugs me but I haven't had any issues with these yet). I like Fossil but their bags are way too heavy for my taste

Anonymous

I do treat the leather. I also store my handbags, when not in use, in the cloth bags they came in. I don't know how much gentler I can be. When it's stitching coming undone, metal hardware breaking, and leather peeling, I think there's a serious problem with quality. The only common denominator I see in all this is that 2 of the affected bags are Barr & Barr. I will not buy that brand again. I've owned one Fossil bag that was not very good after a few months of use, but all of the others I've owned and used regularly have been fab. Since I only own one B. Mac bag, I'm not yet sure what to think of the brand. Stone Mountain has been another brand I've found to be long lasting. If I'm not overstuffing my handbags or exposing them to rain and/or snow or tossing them around, I expect them to last a while. I certainly don't expect them to have the above-mentioned problems, esp. if they cost $200 to $400 each.

@Victoria: Thanks. I'll take a look at Tignanello. I guess it's a good thing I only have one B. Mak bag!

biscuitsmom

Veteran

I have 2 Brahmin leather (faux croc) bags that Ive used nearly daily for almost 3 years now (one I use May-August, the other September-April) that still look and feel like new! I paid about $175 for each (ouch for me!) but I believe it was the best money I ever spent.... and Im rough on my bags. Highly recommend you check into this brand

Anonymous

Since I have a B. Mak bag to use until it starts tearing up (with luck, maybe it won't; let's be positive), I have time to look. I already have some really nice, leather-lined, genuine crocodile and snake bags I bought during my recent trip to Nicaragua. They are a smaller size, and I use them for going out in the evening and such. The croc bag is navy, while the snake (boa) bag is various shades of gray.

I decided not to carry an exotic bag to work because of the type of work I do. For every day, I need something that's made of leather, is well made, and is fashionable without being OTT flashy, if that makes sense.

Sylvie

Veteran

I'm hard on my bags.

My Fossil crossbody wore out in less than 6 months (in all fairness, I did stuff it to the gills almost every time I wore it)

My coach bags have held up pretty well in the short time I've had them. One of them has been used 41 times and the only sign of wear is some scuffing of the leather underneath the clasp.

I hear really good things about Brahmin - the bags are supposedly indestructible. I find the croc texture too showy for my lifestyle, otherwise I'd probably own one by now.

Anonymous

Hmmmm. This happens to my bags as well, very frustrating! The only bag that has never given me a problem is my Coach. I've had it for 3 years and it's gotten a lot of use, still looks as good as new. Was nearly $400.

Kate

Veteran

I like Tignanello bags too—have several—and they hold up very well. My Coach bag is over 25 years old and still going strong, and Furla bags are rugged too. My Furla is about the same age as the Coach bag, and has not a stitch out of place, and that bag was been well used over the years.

Aziraphale

Veteran

Hi Ruth. OK, you can take my comment with a grain of salt, because saying I'm not a bag girl is a massive understatement....but I've been using a Roots dark brown crossbody leather handbag for four years, and it's only just getting to the stage where it's looking worn and needs to be replaced. The strap is attached to the bag with silver metal hooks and grommets, and the hardware consists of zips and a twist lock, and it has proven to be nearly indestructible. I use this bag exclusively, and I don't baby it. I needs to be replaced because the leather is starting to look worn, not because any of the stitching is coming loose or any of the hardware has broken. And I think it only set be back about $150 CAD.

I don't know where you live and if Roots merchandise is available to you (and even so, perhaps it's not your style), but I can fully vouch for the quality of their handbags!

Jjsloane

Veteran

I use one bag at a time and have gotten the most longevity from Tignanello and Cole Haan bags. By longevity I consider I have had to clean a few (lighter colored) with saddle soap, but have not had any stitching issues. I have had issues with BCBG (zipper broke), Max Azria (hardware broke) which were both gifts, but not inexpensive ones. I do take specialized hardware into account when purchasing (if it broke would the bag be a goner?) but generally just hope it remains functional and presentable. Minor stitches I would snip if I still liked the bag and they didn't affect the wearability (but I always buy on deep discount so it's not as big of a heartache if it doesn't work out well)

annagybe

(website)

Veteran

It happens even at the very high end. My Lanvin bag had the hardware literally fall apart after less than a year. It was nightmare getting it repaired. And that bag was not used every day. My Alexander Wang bag (not as expensive as the Lanvin) had the zipper break after about one year, and the handle stitching came undone a bit. I will never buy those brands again.
Old school Coach was good, I'm not as impressed with their current quality.
My Givenchy is great, but you don't want to know the price.

Anonymous

That is a crime! I would be hopping mad if I paid that much for a bag and it didn't hold up. Vintage Coach bags were built to last. I've had a few for over 20 years that I got sick of and finally gave away, but they never wore out! You could pick of one of those inexpensively on Ebay and they certainly aren't too showy for work.

ramya

Veteran

Not sure.... but here i have heard people working with leather say that inferior and man made leather peel over time or if stored for long periods

Anonymous

Thanks, everyone. I think what bothers me more than anything else is that these bags were pricey for me, even on sale. I expected them to be better quality than the less expensive bags I used to buy. They aren't. Hard lesson learned!

@ ramrrr: I also think there must be a problem with the leather that would cause it to peel like that. It's also possible that the handle of the bag is not genuine leather. I think it is, but who knows? The rest of the handbag is okay... for now.

@ elisabeth: Thanks for the rec. I found the Roots website, and they offer free shipping in the U.S. They have some nice bags at very reasonable prices. I will keep that brand in mind as I shop.

Again, I don't want anything fancy for work. I just need a quality bag that looks nice, is functional, and will hold up well for a few years.

Stylewise, I do like some of the Tignanello and Coach bags. I plan to look at the other recommended brands as well. At least I have time to shop. It's not like I don't have a handbag to use in the meantime.

biscuitsmom

Veteran

Sylvie, there are many styles of Brahimin bags that arent 'croc'! I just cant say enough good things about that brand for holding up and looking sharp after yrs of heavy use....Ruth, I am keeping my fingers crossed you find what you want!