handbag care

Where to place your handbag at a restaurant

 in General Fashion / Handbags  tagged handbag care / tips by

winter outfit ideas

Where do I place my handbag at a restaurant?

Have you ever asked yourself this question? Do you constantly wonder where a good spot for your bag is when you go out to eat? Do you cringe at the thought of placing your bag on the floor? Well, stop wondering, and start reading!

One of the trickiest things we all face when we sit down at a restaurant is where to place our handbag. Sometimes we get lucky, and there is an extra chair at the table where all the ladies can place their handbags, and other times, we are left utterly confused.

Thankfully, there is etiquette in place for this very problem! There are three acceptable places to place a handbag while dining out at a restaurant.

1. Place your bag under your napkin.

where to place your handbag at a restaurant

If your bag is small to medium in size, you should place it on your lap, and put your napkin over it. This is the safest place to put your handbag at a restaurant. No-one can grab it, since it is covered on your lap. Genius!

2. Place your bag on the chair behind you.

where to place your handbag at a restaurant

If your bag does not fit underneath your napkin, or you find it uncomfortable, you can safely place your bag behind your back, on your chair. If you have a coat, jacket, or wrap which was not checked in at the coat check, you can sit on it and have it cover your bag behind you.

3. If you are sitting at a booth, place your bag next to you.

where to put your handbag when sitting at a booth

Lucky you! Your party got a booth! The booth is the most coveted spot in the restaurant, and you snagged it! Not only are you very comfortable, but you can safely place your handbag on the seat next to your hip. Love that!

Where to place a tote bag at a restaurant.

OK, I don’t have a picture for this one. Always carry the smallest bag possible when eating out, but if you must bring a diaper bag, shopping tote, laptop case, or other large bag, you should also bring a napkin or plastic bag for it. First, find a spot on the floor next to you, by your feet. Then place the napkin or plastic bag on the floor. After you have safely placed the napkin or bag on the floor, you can safely place your large bag or tote on top of it. This is the only acceptable time for using the floor to store your bag while dining out.

Handbag don’ts at a restaurant

  1. Do not place your handbag on the floor unless it is a large bag or tote. See above.
  2. Do not drape your handbag on the back of your chair. Not only could it easily be stolen, it can get in the way of your server who is trying to balance food, drinks, and other items.
  3. Do not place your handbag on the table. It’s gauche. It is also a good way to get food on your bag. Plus, your bag could get in your way, or the way of other people sitting at your table. Just don’t do it, no matter how small or precious it is.
  4. Do not ask another person at your table to put your bag on their lap or chair. Take care of your own bag!
  5. Do not check in your bag at the coat check. This is a great way to get pick-pocketed.

There you have it! Tips on where to place your handbag at a restaurant. Now you won’t have to wonder where to put your handbag at a restaurant when you eat out! Love that!

Great bags for dining out:

Thanks for stopping by, and have a fabulous time eating out

XOXO
Cathy

How to store a handbag

 in Handbags  tagged handbag care by

how to store a handbag

If you are like me, you own several handbags. Perhaps you like to store certain handbags for specific seasons, or dressier occasions. In this case, you need to know how to store a handbag in order to protect it from damage which can occur in a closet.

The handbag I am using as an example in this post is my go-to dressy handbag. I wear it whenever I go out to dinner, or attend a special event; unless of course I am attending a formal event, then I use a formal bag, but I digress. I purchased this handbag back in 2007, and it still looks shiny and new! The reason it looks so good, is because I go the extra mile to properly store my handbags. Handbag storage is really important!

How to store a handbag: dust bag or box

How you store your handbag can have a lot to do with the type of closet you have. If you have a large walk-in closet, you may have special shelving for your handbags. In this case, you will only need a dust bag. If you have a wall closet, or are pressed for space, you might consider stacking your handbags. In this case, you will need a box.

Many handbags come with a box, but when they don’t, you can easily use another box and then label the outside so you know what is inside. A sturdy box is key since you don’t want the weight of other handbags bending the box and potentially smashing your bag. This will cause it to lose it’s shape.

My house was built in the 1950s, so my closet is small. I store my handbag at the foot of my bed in stacks. This means all of my handbags are stored on their back, inside of boxes. I have to make sure the boxes are strong so my bags on the bottom of the pile don’t get smashed.

If you are lucky enough to have shelving for your handbags, all you need is a dust bag. Most handbags come with a dust bag, but if you have bags which didn’t, or the dust bag has been misplaced, you can find them online here.

How to store a handbag: protecting it with felt

how to store a chanel handbag

Once you have your dust bag and/or handbag storage box, it is important to place your handbag inside without damaging it. Many bags have metal hardware which can damage the leather or fabric of the bag. The best way to keep a bag’s hardware from damaging it is to use felt. Felt is really inexpensive, and can save your handbag! I use black felt on black bags and white felt on all other colors.

You should cut the felt into the right size piece to fit between the leather or fabric, and the hardware. There should not be any hardware touching your bag when it is stored. Hardware can discolor your bag, dent your bag, or tear your bag. You must use felt to keep your bag safe!

How to store a handbag: proper placement of a chain strap

how to properly store a handbaghow to store a designer handbag

Once your bag is inside the dust bag, be sure to store any metal strap outside the dust bag. This helps to keep hardware off the bag, and also help your bag keep it’s shape. It is important to make sure a metal strap is stored on the side of the bag, and not underneath. You don’t want the weight of the bag on top of the metal strap. Your bag will dent.

How to store a handbag: maintain shape with tissue

how to store a handbag

One of the biggest mistakes we can make while storing our handbags is to not stuff them! You can use white tissue to stuff your handbag. The tissue not only helps your handbag retain it’s shape, and prevent drooping, it absorbs any moisture in the air. This helps protect the leather on your bag so that it lasts longer.

Moisture from the bathtub, shower, and sink in your master bedroom can wreak havoc on your handbags. The tissue helps absorb that moisture, as well as high humidity in the air from weather. This was told to me by the designing duo Lamberton-Truex over lunch at Neiman Marcus almost fifteen years ago. If a handbag designer tells you to use tissue inside of your bags-you do it!

Lastly, always store your handbag on it’s back. If you store it standing up, it will eventually droop; even if it is properly stuffed. Storing your bag on it’s back is the best way to help it maintain it’s shape, and last a lifetime!

How to store a handbag: what you need:

Now that you know how to store a handbag, why not treat yourself to a new one! 😉

Thanks for stopping by!

XOXO

Cathy

how to store a handbag