Whether you buy your Chanel bag from a Chanel store or from a reputable seller on the pre-loved market, a Chanel bag is an investment. You will want to manintain your Chanel bag in the gentlest and most effective way possible.
To store my vintage jumbo black Chanel bag, I protect it the way my mother protected it when she owned it for 20 years. I keep it in its original dust bag inside its original box on a shelf high up in a cubby hole in my closet. When I wear my bag, I do tend to baby it a bit. I try to avoid placing my Chanel, or any other bag for that matter, on the floor. I am aware of the surfaces upon which I place my bag, and I rarely leave it unattended. I try to make sure that the metal on the straps does not hit the smooth lambskin on the purse, and I take care to close and open my bag gently.
Although my jumbo bag is well preserved, with hardly a scratch, and with hardly a sign of wear, I became curious about whether there were ways to further preserve the beauty of my bag.
After consulting YouTube, I came across a video by Nini Girl that has good advice about cleaning brown and black leather Chanel bags. The video recommends that you purchase Cadillac Boot and Shoe Care (white creamy liquid), Meltonian in neutral, and Kiwi Express Shine. You will also need a terry cloth towel, a paper towel and a small white face towel. If you take your bag to the Chanel counter, or a shoe repair shop, the sales rep, or the shoe repair person is likely to recommend these products.
Before you begin the cleaning process, make sure you choose a well ventilated room, and you may want to crack a window. Spread your bag out on a bath towel to prepare to clean it. To begin the cleaning process, apply the Cadillac Boot and Shoe Care to a cloth or a terry cloth towel and gently wipe it on every exterior leather surface of your bag. Let it dry.
To continue cleaning the exterior, condition the bag two or three more times with the Cadillac Boot and Shoe Care. After the last conditioning, and after the purse dries, apply Meltonian to a paper towel and wipe the entire leather exterior of the bag to give the bag a nice sheen. This will help protect your bag from future damage. Do not be alarmed if black marks appear on the towel. This process will not remove the ink from the bag.
After conditioning and polishing your bag, allow your bag to sit for a couple of days out of direct sunlight. After these days have passed, apply Kiwi Express shine gently and directly onto the bag for a finished and polished look.
Warning: This process is not to be used on patent leather bags.
If your bag has scuff marks, you will want to use a black spray paint, which you will dab onto the scuff marks on your bag to camoulflage the damage. Do not spray the spray paint directly onto the bag. Spray a bit of the spray paint into the spray paint can top and then use a towel to dab the paint, and then dab you bag with the paint.
To clean the interior of your bag, you will need a bottle with a misting spray, water, and the essential oil of your choice. Lavendar and Peppermint were used by Nini Girl. Fill your mister three-quarters of the way to the top and then use a dropper to add 10 drops of essential oil to the water. Spray the solution onto a towel and then wipe the inside of your bag. For a lasting pleasant scent, spray old t-shirts with your misting solution and then stuff your bag with the t-shirts for a few days leaving the top of the bag open.
For more information on how to clean and maintain Chanel bags and other luxury bags, consult The Purse Forum website.
Credit to: Nini Girl on YouTube.Com
Who says that trees are only for Christmastime? One Christmas when it was time to take down the tree, I said to myself, “I wish it could just stay up all year!”. No, I was not being lazy, well maybe I was, but I just really like the feeling of Christmas. I did take down the gigantic 9 foot Christmas tree and I left up two pencil trees and a dress form to celebrate every holiday I could think of! Visitors to my home think I’m crazy I know, but my family and I enjoy celebrating everything. It makes us happy and that’s all that matters.
This year I will share my trees with the BeFabDaily family. Hopefully my trees will bring just as much joy to you as they do to us! Cue the Celebrate Good Times, C’mon, Kool and the Gang song!!!
This is my Mardi Gras tree. In my neck of the woods, we celebrate the Carnival season which starts on January 6th, the Feast of the Epiphany and ends at midnight on Mardi Gras Day or Fat Tuesday, which is the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday. During the Carnival season, we eat king cakes, attend parades, debutante balls, other balls and we have a ball! It’s an exciting time to an otherwise boring time of year in other parts of the country. The Mardi Gras tree is popular in these parts and the ornaments are plentiful. My tree is adorned with fleur de lis’, king cakes, babies, crowns, musical instruments and the colors purple, gold and green.
I couldn’t just stop there because I am so extra, as the kids say. I also style my dress form, who I affectionately refer to as Joy, for a Mardi Gras Ball. Joy’s décor pays homage to the Krewe of Muses, an all-female Mardi Gras Parade whose signature throws are hand-decorated shoes! How fabulous is that!
Now since I have already established myself as extra, I can’t forget about Valentine’s Day! That’s right folks, I have a Valentine’s tree too. How stinking cute is this tree with pink and red hearts everywhere!
If you feel inspired, start small. Find a decorative tree with branches, dress form or pencil tree and get started. If you decide to put one up, you know the drill: tag us on Instagram!
This is the final look of this week’s Outfit of the Day (OOTD) – Pearl Edition. If you haven’t already, please check out the two previous posts.
Outfit #3 features faux pearls scattered on a white blouse with bell sleeves draped over green trousers with tapered legs. The pearl details dress-up an otherwise casual outfit that can now be worn to the office or out to brunch with the girls.
The white blouse is by a.n.a, another JCPenney find. The green straight-leg slacks are from Banana Republic in the Ryan fit.
The pointy toe leopard calf hair flats are the Rodney flats by Sam Edelman which can be purchased from Nordstrom. They finish off the outfit with a casual, yet sophisticated flair. The handbag is the Neverfull MM in the Monogram Canvas print by Louis Vuitton. I have dressed my bag with a luggage tag and a pink, fox pom-pom.
For a more relaxed, quick-errand-running chic look, ditch the work bag and use a clutch or a wristlet. Above I chose the pochette from my Neverfull MM which holds my driver’s license, debit card, phone and key pouch perfectly.
I hope you enjoyed my first OOTD series. If you find pearls adorning your outfit, please tag us on Instagram @BeFabDaily. Until next time, continue to Be Fab Daily!!!
What began as a hobby and extra income evolved into a dream come true. Tia Whittington, a graduate of St. Joseph’s Academy in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and Louisiana State University, also in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, was working as a teacher when she came to work one day in one of her own designs. Tia had a talent for monogramming and embroidery, and wore one of her shirts, monogrammed by her, to the school where she worked. Tia’s co-workers loved Tia’s shirt so much that many of them put in orders for themselves. By the end of the day Tia had taken $500.00 worth of orders, and this was just the beginning. She continued monogramming and embroidery for others in addition to her day job, until one day she decided to make the dream she and her mother shared of owning a boutique a reality. Sadly, Tia’s mother has since passed away, but would be proud of the manifestation of their common dream.
Mel and I dropped in on the H-Kyle boutique in Prairieville, Louisiana, to check out its wares. We were pleasantly surprised to find its super stylish owner, Tia Whittington, behind the counter when we arrived.
H-Kyle, named after Tia’s oldest child, her daughter, Harper Kyle, has been open for business for three years. It is a chic clothing boutique that offers body conscious dresses, designer jeans, casual chic attire, ball gowns and more. Some of the featured designers are Z Supply, Domb and Buddy Love. H-Kyle also offers personalized monogramming and embroidery of shirts that you can buy on site, and you may also bring in your own clothing or other items for personalization. Turnaround time for monogramming is approximately 2 days depending upon demand.
H-Kyle has flourished by word of mouth, but has also gained recognition through its blog http://www.shophkyle.com/tia/, Instagram @tiawhittington and Tia’s pop up shops.
Currently you can visit H-Kyle Boutique at 17188 Airline Highway in Prairieville, but in four weeks the shop will relocate to 14601 Airline Highway, Suite 106 in Gonzales, where Tia says she will be close to another boutique and a new Bumble Lane.
In the meantime you can shop Tia’s boutique in Prairieville, at pop up shops, and online. You may also spot her at her alma mater, St. Joseph’s Academy, dressing models for the annual mother/daughter brunch.
As promised in my last post, Girls Love Pearls, I have styled another Outfit of the Day (OOTD) featuring pearls.
Today’s look can take you from a hectic day at work to a fabulous Happy Hour by the pool. The faux pearls lined on the cuffs add a touch of elegance to an otherwise boring black turtleneck.
The multicolored tweed skirt with the black-outlined gold zip pockets coordinates well with the black turtleneck and the black boots. The skirt also adds a pop of color(s) and nicely interrupts the black.
The turtleneck is from Zara. The skirt is from the Loft (no longer available). The wine-colored Co-Lab (Canadian brand) handbag is my audition bag for the Chloe Nile bracelet bag. This handbag is a very versatile piece that can be used as a shoulder, hand-held, wrist or cross body bag. The wine color brings out the similar color in the tweed skirt.
Speaking of audition pieces, these boots are a great dupe for the Stuart Weitzman boots that have been so popular for the past two winters. Since I live in a climate that is warm 95% of the year, I don’t think it would benefit me to invest in the pricey Stuart Weitzman boots.
Stay tuned for my last pearl OOTD post later this week! If you’ve been inspired, tag us on Instagram @BeFabDaily.
I came across a picture of myself taken twelve years ago and thought, “I like this girl! I think I want to be her again!”
I usually exercise pretty regularly, and have tried everything from hot, hot yogalates to insane crossfit workouts, but ultimately I know that 80% of weight management is what you eat. I even do pretty well with the eating part when I am concentrating on it, but in the past five years I have only been concentrating hard enough just to drop ten pounds or so, and then comes the fun when I eat it all back on….and then REPEAT.
This time I thought I’d try to concentrate a little bit harder and try to make it all the way back down the scale, and stay there. My usual lifestyle change that cuts out carbs and sugar usually works pretty well, and so I resolved to get back to planning meals and meal prep, but this time I thought I’d give myself a bit of a challenge. Off I went to Amazon Prime to order the 10 day Green Smoothie Cleanse by JJ Smith to give myself a jump start. The shiny new book arrived, and my husband agreed to take the challenge with me. Then I read the instructions that included 10 days with no chewing. I know. I should have known. Actually, I suppose I did know, but was temporarily lulled into fairytale thinking.
After deciding that 10 days of no chewing was not for me, I began my journey with my faithful plan, coupled with the resolve to make it all the way back down the scale. And then I ran across the hilariously incomparable Tabitha Brown. It was a pseudo-snowy/icy day in Southern Louisiana. I think it may have snowed half an inch and the whole city shut down. The courts were closed, the schools were closed, and my daughter was on a marathon play date down the street! So it was just my computer and me alone for hours. As I scrolled through my Facebook feed, I happened upon a shared post of vegan actress Tabitha Brown in her live video reviewing the TTLA sandwich, a new vegan sandwich created and sold at Whole Foods. After witnessing Tabitha’s commentary on the TTLA, I knew I had to try the sandwich for myself. The snow and the ice melted away, south Louisiana reopened, and I was on a mission to taste the TTLA. True to Tabitha’s description the sandwich was divine, and my life did change right before my very eyes. I began to wonder about the possibility of enjoying vegan fare. I started follwing Tabitha and saw that she is a fan of VeganSmart, a tasty meal replacement sold on Amazon and in Whole Foods, Wal-Mart and other stores across the country. And it just so happens that my brother and his business partner own the company that produces VeganSmart, and VeganSmart is their number one product. Tabitha was showing love to my brother’s company so I liked her even more!
I have considered being vegan-ish before chiefly because my brother is always pushing his product, which I can confirm is a tasty and satifying meal replacement. But Tabitha’s spin on VeganSmart and the vegan lifestyle made it even more appealing. I also follow LSU student Emilie Hebert @emilieeats on Instagram for amazing vegan meal ideas. She has over 60,000 followers and her vegan pics are amazing!
Well, it has only been a couple of weeks that I have been following Tabitha and Emilie for vegan meal ideas, and while I cannot say that every meal has been vegan, many meals have been. My plant based meals and snacks have increased, I have dropped weight, and I feel pretty, well, FABULOUS!
I am not sure where my love for Tabitha Brown, Emilie Hebert and my vegan-ish lifestyle will take me (because I really love short ribs and fried chicken), but it has me on my way down the scale and feeling pretty satisfied. So if you think you’d like to eat well and feel fabulous with me, follow me on my vegan-ish journey, and don’t forget to follow Tabitha Brown, Emilie Hebert, and VeganSmart along the way!
Is it just me or have you noticed that pearls are everywhere this season? I mean everywhere! I’ve seen them from head to toe, literally! From beanies to the heels of shoes, designers from Steve Madden to Stuart Weitzman to Gucci have chosen to feature pearls on their merchandise. They’re on sweaters, shirts and even jeans. You can find them at just about any store from Target to Saks Fifth Avenue. There is something about pearls that are both classic and timeless. They add that bit of femininity to an outfit like no other adornment. This week for my first Outfit of The Day (OOTD) series, I will focus on these tiny, white opulent orbs.
OOTD #1
My first look is a casual outfit featuring a satin bomber jacket, distressed jeans with pearls adorned on the left thigh only and Adidas sneakers. This easy, but pulled together look can take you from running errands to an evening movie. In honor of my Frugal Fashionistas, this entire outfit, sans the sunglasses and the handbag of course, was purchased at JCPenney.com!
Handbag: Louis Vuitton Speedy Bandouliere 25 in Damier Ebene.
Pink Bomber jacket by a.n.a – sold out. Jeans by JCP Project Runway Embellished Pearl Boyfriend Jeans. Sunglasses Jackie Ohh II by RayBan.
Footwear: Adidas Advantage 3 Stripe Women’s Sneakers
Lipstick: Shea Moisture Shea Butter Luscious Lipstick in Tea Rose.
Show us your version of this look by tagging us on Instagram @BeFabDaily.
When I was a little girl I loved to play in my mother’s designer laden closet. I loved to walk around in her shoes, model her clothes in the mirror, and play make believe with her handbags. When I grew older and I was able to wear some of her things, she practically had to fight me off with a broom to keep me out of her closet. And when she wasn’t looking I’d swipe a sweater or two and wear it to school, only to rush home and put it back in its place before it could be discovered missing.
As an adult I have been able to buy my own things, and my mom and I are no longer the same size in clothes. After I had my daughter, my feet grew, and although her heels are getting shorter and mine are still pretty steep, there has been a Prada loafer here or a Chanel flat there that she has ordered that did not work out to which I then became the beneficiary.
I thought the days of my mom fighting me off with a broom to stay out of her closet were long behind us until I picked up a passion for vintage Chanel bags, and discovered that there was a nice little collection right under my nose.
My mom, who I affectionately named Flossy when I was about 20 years old, began collecting Chanel bags perhaps in the 1980’s when we still lived in Maryland. And when she and my dad moved to Louisiana in 1990, when I was a freshman in college in Washington, DC, it appears that she kept collecting. I have always loved the Chanel brand, but I don’t remember caring much about Flossy’s Chanel bags until recently. One day we were in her closet chatting, and I decided to unbox a few of her treasures. Her closet is very well organized with a section for each designer, so I went to the Chanel section of handbags stored in boxes and began the “unboxing.” Some were regulars that I recognized that she wears with certain outfits. As I continued to dig I dusted off boxes that had not seen light for years. The first one I talked her out of was a beautiful black jumbo bag from circa 1997 with gold hardware and smooth lambskin leather. The second was a small rectangular beige caviar bag with a single strap and also had gold hardware. And the third is a more recent patent leather bag with a short strap, silver hardware and the double “C” logo stitched into the front flap.
All three bags were carefully stored in their original dust bags with their original code cards in their original boxes, not a scratch or sign of wear in sight. In preparing to begin this blog I began to research the value of the bags and watch unboxings on YouTube. The vintage bags in excellent condition are sought after and have a large following on luxury resale sites and YouTube channels. While the demand is fascinating to me, I covet my vintage darlings that I acquired from Flossy’s closet, and they have found a permanent home with me.
I have now begun the daunting task of obtaining the information on each Chanel bag in Flossy’s closet, and on the vintage Chanel Bags in my closet. YouTubers and luxury sites such as the RealReal and Fashionphile are good resources. If you are interested in the history of the bags pictured here and how to get the most for your money on the Chanel pre-loved market, stay tuned. Buying authentic Chanel bags from the pre-loved market is a great value if you are not willing to drop $6,000 plus on a new Chanel bag. And the sport of it seems to be intoxicating.
It’s obvious by now that Louis Vuitton is my favorite fashion house based upon the number of posts on the subject. I’m attracted to the brand’s aesthetic and vintage appeal. I enjoy the old stories of how a poor French boy moved to Paris and started a small luggage company in 1854 that grew into an empire! In this post, I will discuss little known historical facts about this famous brand.
Did you know that the first print was not the Monogram Canvas? The Monogram Canvas is the famous or infamous (depends on who you ask) print which is a brown print with tan LV’s. Considered to be ostentatious by some and fabulous by most, it is by far the most recognizable pattern of all LV prints. Contrary to popular belief, the Damier Ebene print (dark checkerboard pattern) was the first print. Louis Vuitton himself created the Damier Ebene pattern in 1888. The Monogram Canvas print, which is now synonymous with the brand, was created by Louis’ son Georges Vuitton in 1896. The Damier Ebene pattern was reintroduced for the centennial anniversary in 1988.
Did you know that the Alma bag was a special commission bag? The Alma bag, one of the top three iconic LV bags, was originally named Champs of Elysees for a street in Paris in the 1930s. The name was subsequently changed to the Alma for a bridge in Paris. Rumor has it that Gaston-Louis Vuitton created the bag as a special order for the famous Coco Chanel!
Did you know that the Speedy bag, another LV icon, is also linked to another famous dame? The first bag was 30 cm in width and considered too large by a well-known actress. Guess who? It was The Breakfast with Tiffany star, Audrey Hepburn! She decided that the Speedy 30 was too big for her so she requested a smaller bag which is now known as the Speedy 25 (shown above in Damier Ebene pattern). The bag is now available in multiple sizes usually referred to by its length in centimeters (20, 25, 30, etc). I suppose we should thank Audrey for providing us with variety!
Show us your Louis Vuitton prints by tagging us on Instagram at BeFabDaily!
Reference:
https://www.yoogiscloset.com/louis-vuitton/guide
I believe gray hair is quite beautiful on men and women. There are plenty of people rocking their gray hair and they look fabulous, at least in my opinion. There is even a trend now where younger people are purposely coloring their hair gray because it’s current and they obviously can’t wait for it to come in naturally, LOL! But for those of us who are graying and aren’t quite ready to commit to a full head of gray, there is an alternative to traditional hair dye —Henna!
Henna is a plant dye used in ancient Indian ayurvedic medicine. Henna dye comes from the leaves of the Lawsonia inermis plant. If you are concerned that traditional hair dye is damaging to the hair and/or contains potentially harmful chemicals, henna may be a viable option. Henna is believed to be beneficial to hair by stimulating hair growth, conditioning the hair and coloring the hair red. If your hair is dark, henna is barely noticeable in regular light. In the sun, dark henna-treated hair emits a beautiful reddish tone. For gray, blonde and other lighter hair colors, henna colors the hair a vibrant red.
Don’t dismiss henna because of an aversion to the color red. There are mixtures sold at major chains such as Lush that are mixed with indigo, amla, etc. that can create different shades of brown. Take caution with the brand of henna as there are some mixtures on the market that contain heavy metals that may cause skin irritation. Also make certain to choose henna that is body-art quality such as those approved for tattoos or mehndi. Regardless, patch-testing prior to use is recommended to to make sure there are no adverse skin reactions.
Henna is sold online and in stores, such as your local Indian grocery or health food store. It usually comes in powder or solid, bar form. The powder can be mixed with water and/or an acidic product such as lemon juice. I usually mix my henna batches with coconut milk because it is less drying to my hair. Henna also has to sit for hours so the plant dye can be released. I mix my batch the day before I plan to use it (If your plans change, it can be safely frozen). Henna should be applied to the hair in the shower or on a plastic-lined area so as to not stain the floors and surroundings. Henna has to remain in your hair for 30 minutes to several hours for the hair dye to take. Some people sleep in it overnight with the hair covered in plastic of course! Afterwards, the hair has to be rinsed for a extended period to remove the henna. Use a moisturizing deep conditioner after rinsing because henna can leave the hair feeling dry initially. When you are finally done, you are left with colored, strong and well-conditioned hair. I believe that it is worth the time and effort.
Also, if you are planning to chemically lighten your hair with commercial dyes, do not use henna. Henna dye is permanent and almost impossible to lift for hair lightening. If you haven’t been spooked by all of the rules and warnings, it may be worth a try. It is relatively inexpensive and it does not take a certificate in cosmetology for effective use. If you want to cover your grays and decide to take the henna plunge, please post your results on Instagram and tag BeFabDaily. Good Luck!
Since my last Clapton post, the new bag finally made it to the Louis Vuitton website https://us.louisvuitton.com/eng-us/products/clapton-pm-damier-ebene-nvprod800062v and they are going fast! The official names of the colors are Noir (black), Raisin (maroon) and Magnolia (pink). The Noir color is no longer available online, but you can call the 1-866-VUITTON or your local boutique for availability. As of this posting, the Magnolia and Raisin colors are still available online. The price is hefty at $1950, but obviously not hindering the sale to the LV obsessed! If you decide to purchase one, please take a mod shot of yourself carrying the bag and tag us on Instagram at BeFabDaily.
The internet has been all a buzz about the new Clapton recently released by Louis Vuitton. Since it is so new, it is not even listed on the LV website and many people have only been able to see it on social media. Only a few boutiques, such as The LV store in Atlanta’s Lenox Square Mall, have the bag in stock. The bag is comparable to the highly sought after Pochette Metis in shape and its cross-body options. Both are rectangular with a detachable, adjustable strap or bandoulier; however, the Clapton is a combination of the Damier Ebene Canvas and leather! This is a welcomed change from the nearly all Monogram Canvas Pochette Metis (there is a top handle with vachetta leather). Similar to the Pochette Metis, the Clapton has a very fancy gold hardware clasp entry embellished with gold rivets. There is a back slit pocket made of leather instead of the zip pocket of the Pochette Metis. The Clapton does not have the Pochette Metis’ top handle, but it does have 4 adorable gold metal feet! The leather color options include a pale pink (magnolia), maroon (marine rouge) and black. The Clapton’s price point is comparable at $1950; the Pochette Metis is $1830. Do you think this will be the new “it” bag? I predict that the Clapton is definitely the one to watch!!!
Above: The Pochette Metis
Above: Thanks to AzlinaLV for the Clapton photos.
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