IW Book Bag Repair

This post is part of Biblioteca’s prompt for May! If you’d like to read how the other bloggers who are a part of this blog circle interpreted this theme, you can check out their website for links to all those who participated. 

It’s happened to all of us: we find a cute bag in pleather. We try our best to care for it, but inevitably it starts to fall apart. 

But alas, I am weak and human. I bought an Innocent World book bag because it was really cute. A few years later, this bag had begun shedding brown flakes on me every time I used it. Not very kawaii. 

DIY is kawaii

Rather than trash the bag, I purchased a set of replacement handles online. My original handles were sewn to the hardware, but I found some that used snaps instead. The style is close enough that I don’t really mind the difference. I opted for real leather, but you can find pleather ones as well.  You can also take your purse to a cobbler and they’ll be able to help you find a new handle. 

Angelus to the rescue

When my new purse handles arrived, there was one problem: they were the wrong color brown. Not one to be deterred, I gathered my handy Angelus leather paints and got to work. If you’re not likely to use these paints in the future, you can probably just purchase a few colors to mix together. However, I spend a lot of my spare time crafting, so I opted for a set of 12 colors that I got to chose. Now, when I need a pair of shoes in a specific color (or maybe need to replace another purse strap) I’ve got a whole rainbow at my disposal. 

I mixed my colors in a plastic palette and tested it on the old handles until I was happy that they matched. I painted both handles until they were a uniform color. Now I can confidently carry my purse without getting brown flakes all over my arms or clothes. 

What’s in my bag?

As a little bonus, I also figured I’d close out with a quick “what’s in my bag”. I have the basics with me at all times: wallet, keys (with Pretty Princess Club keychain!), and headphone. These days, I’m not going anywhere without a mask (mine is from Mossbadger!) and some hand sanitizer. I also have lots of small reusable totes so I don’t need to get plastic bags if I’m shopping. I also have at least one lipstick (this one is from LimeCrime). And as any good writer has, I’ve got a notebook to jot down blog ideas, shopping lists, etc.

Closing thoughts

Though it was tempting for me to just throw the whole purse away and buy a new one, I’m so satisfied with how this project turned out. While I still think that leather purses are a better investment for me, I’m glad to know that if I find a Japanese brand purse that needs a little TLC, I have the skills to breath new life into it. Have you had a chance to rehab a pleather piece? I’d love to hear how it went!

Jenna

By day, Jenna is a legal professional living in Los Angeles, California. By night (and weekends), she is a frill wearing monster who loves Innocent World and lolita indie brands. When she isn’t taking mirror selfies of her coordinates, she enjoys reading comic books, playing board games, and snuggling with her pup, Lily. You can see her mirror selfies on her instagram @lovelylaceandlies and contact her at lovelylaceandlies@gmail.com.