Shoes

[vac]

Question -- if you use a leather protectant when you get a new bag, does that change the way you need to clean it later? Can you use saddle soap over a leather protectant and will it still work?

[IEscapedLosAngeles]

On 1/11/2015 vaccinia said:

Question -- if you use a leather protectant when you get a new bag, does that change the way you need to clean it later? Can you use saddle soap over a leather protectant and will it still work?

I would think so yes. I'd ask a Shoe guy if you want to be positively sure. But with the Kiwi can of really good leather conditioner/waterproofer I'd say you are way less likely to need to clean it much. Mine are all dark colors so unless its something huge I'm not sure I'd need to do more than a bit of Saddle soap. Even the Grey Ostrich looked good with it on. A little Richer color and maybe a touch softer. I stayed away from the Mink Oil as I found most of the stuff is not real Mink fat created Mink oil. Its basically like lard. Pig fat. Who wants to smear Lard on Leather? Yuck. Look for the Kiwi in a Beige Tin that is fairly clear like Beeswax. It will specifically say Conditioning and Waterproofing on the lid.

[vac]

On 1/11/2015 WillEscapeCAsoon said:

On 1/11/2015 vaccinia said:

Question -- if you use a leather protectant when you get a new bag, does that change the way you need to clean it later? Can you use saddle soap over a leather protectant and will it still work?

I would think so yes. I'd ask a Shoe guy if you want to be positively sure. But with the Kiwi can of really good leather conditioner/waterproofer I'd say you are way less likely to need to clean it much. Mine are all dark colors so unless its something huge I'm not sure I'd need to do more than a bit of Saddle soap. Even the Grey Ostrich looked good with it on. A little Richer color and maybe a touch softer. I stayed away from the Mink Oil as I found most of the stuff is not real Mink fat created Mink oil. Its basically like lard. Pig fat. Who wants to smear Lard on Leather? Yuck. Look for the Kiwi in a Beige Tin that is fairly clear like Beeswax. It will specifically say Conditioning and Waterproofing on the lid.

Thanks for your help!

[cosmic1]

I am still carrying my Joy & Iman Domed Satchel that I bought before the holidays. That bag is wearing like iron! I've dropped it and scraped it and gotten it wet and cold and it still looks like new. The zippers are still working just fine and it's holding up to all my abuse. I have to call this a winner.

I plan to switch into my D&B zip zip satchel around the beginning of February. I made a rule for myself, that if I want to own handbags, I have to switch them out regularly so they get used. I have a bad tendency to use the same one until I either get sick of looking at it or it falls apart. Switching them out also keeps the flotsam and jetsam that accumulates down to a minimum.

[1Professor]

This lovely Dooney Toledo leather hobo has been begging to play, so finally brought it out. The leather is SO soft. It's a bit on the medium side, and I'm a Big Bag Gal, but everything fits with space to spare and I just love the colors, rich saturated:

[stevieb]

On 1/11/2015 WillEscapeCAsoon said:

I came late to the party Early in December to Pick up the G.I.L.I. Roma's. One large grey ostrich and I'm not telling how many Roma 2. Just a suggestion for anyone who read some of the reviews for some of the G.I.L.I. Bags having cracked leather. I slapped some really good Kiwi Leather Conditioner/Waterproofing stuff that looks almost like Bees Wax. The leather really eats it up. I think maybe they lose some natural moisture when sitting in a warehouse for awhile. So far so good.

I love the Roma totes and for me, so far, these are the only clear winners from GILI bags... I'm currently carrying the 'original' Roma 'medium' in brown-black snake and it has to be one of the prettiest bags I own. It's also well-made and although organization isn't great with this bag (the inside pockets were very shallow in this one) I love the bag.

[stevieb]

On 1/10/2015 EdithEllenLily said:

On 1/10/2015 stevieb said:

On 1/9/2015 EdithEllenLily said:

On 1/9/2015 stevieb said:

On 1/8/2015 EdithEllenLily said:

On 1/8/2015 stevieb said:

On 1/7/2015 tough_kitty said: Some of us are counting I'm trying to stick with less than 20. I talked to a district office supervisor today and might be considering relocation to San Diego, CA in the future, so I have a new goal - start saving up money from now on.....after I am done paying off the tons of stuff I bought on "easy" pay....

San Diego is beautiful... I like having seasons, but were I to relocate anywhere strictly for the weather that would be it... Expensive place to live, though, and good shopping... so proceed at your own risk...

ITA on all counts, stevieb!

Perfect weather = $$$$$, though, TK. If you move to San Diego, Mr. Lily and I would enjoy vacationing there and meeting you for dinner. One time when I was in SD, I dined at an outdoor restaurant with little heaters near your feet to keep you warm when the sun went down. It was so fun!

It's so pretty there... Usually a tad overcast in the AM until the sun burns it off, glorious during the day with warm but not hot temperatures, low humidity, and then cool at night... I don't recall ever needing AC there... which is just SO different from here...

But now TK, as for that visit from EEL once you relocate, assuming you do, well, don't plan on it anytime soon... You see, while she and the good Mister are paying off her handbag and gem day purchases, they'll be lucky to make it as far as Wrigley Field...

That would be unlucky, stevieb! We're White Sox fans!!!

Plus, you know how picky I am...these new baubles better not have any defects!!!

Oh EEL, how COULD you... I'm sorry, EEL, but I'm afraid this just about tears it... You should never have admitted this to me because you see, I do not like the south-siders one little bit... and, in fact, the entire American League can go swan dive, en masse, into Lake Michigan as far as I'm concerned... Oh my, well, this really does put a serious damper on things...

I see, EEL, that you deleted your comments, which I read yesterday, but didn't take the opportunity to reply... For the record, I'd not base my 'friendships', on-line or otherwise, on personal preferences related to sports teams, nor, for that matter, would people's reasons for choosing as they do necessarily be a factor...

That said, my team is the Nationals, but before Washington had a team, I was quite a fan of the hapless but still lovable, for some anyway, Cubs, and like the tradition associated with Wrigley Field. I too somehow doubt they'll ever win a World Series, and at this point, it would almost be blasphemous if they did...

[HighL]

On 1/11/2015 1Professor said:

This lovely Dooney Toledo leather hobo has been begging to play, so finally brought it out. The leather is SO soft. It's a bit on the medium side, and I'm a Big Bag Gal, but everything fits with space to spare and I just love the colors, rich saturated:

VERY pretty, and hobo's are my fav style. Love the whipstitching on the handle! The colors of these Toledo's are very vibrant, your blue is nice and I also liked the green.

[stevieb]

I loved the Toledo leather in all the color choices... Wanted something in black, chestnut and turquoise... but will probably have to be content with natural and navy. That is a pretty, vibrant blue.

[athenian]

I can't seem to switch out of my Dooney gray saffiano zip zip because the weather has been so awful and I think I could drop it in a snowbank and it would be fine. Little tired of the gray which matches the sky today. The toledo leather looks in the picture to have a sheen compared to the regular pebbled leather--is that true in person? That blue is soooo pretty.