memory lane

I have an affection for the nostalgic-evoking,
whether it be the abstract or the tangible.

Yesterday, my husband & I went on an antiquing excursion but really just a day of wandering together. The drive, listening to the radio, meandering around spaces overflowing with treasures of the past all evoke warm thoughts of our times “just married” to chasing after young ones to still enjoying each other’s company after so many years. 

Continuing with my walk down memory lane, I was carrying a Coach Stewardess Bag which I remember as the first style of Coach bag I found thrifting back in the day. This is the smaller version with less hardware to reduce weight & an ID holder window under its flap for credentials. Some have a strap with the UA embossed logo stamp that were for United Airlines Stewardesses. This classic beauty sweetly reminds me of where I began with my handbag thrifting adventures.

vintage Coach Stewardess Bag, 11 x 8 x 4.25.

lost in time

 

Some handbag styles feel especially vintage, evoking the simplicity of days long gone by. The Coach Crescent Bag is one of those bags for me. Today, I threw it on with a flowy dress with sandals & felt a bit like I was lost in another time. And much like the carefree days of childhood, after some earlier things didn’t go as planned, I simply let those little disappointments go & enjoyed the brightness of the day!

This lovely New York City bag has a body-hugging profile like that of the Pony Express Pouch at a more accessible price point & availability. It is among my favorite vintage Coach styles.

Coach Crescent Bag, Style #9235, 10 x 10 x 3.

refurbishing vintage Coach leather

Vintage Coach leather is awesome. Coach has described it as “a completely natural, unaltered, rugged leather that has been especially tanned to render it soft and supple to the touch”, “never seems to wear out and actually improves with age.”

While Coach also said the aging process “cannot be reversed so there is no way to restore a Coach bag to its original appearance after it has been worn”, a bit of care can breathe new life back into much-loved bags.

rediscovering & refashioning

In recent months, I’ve seen some great reviews of the Coach Dinky 24 so imagine my delight as I realized I already have something similar in my collection....

My BOTD: vintage Coach Convertible Clutch, Style #9635. This burgundy one was made in New York City. At 11” x 7” x 2.5”, it’s close in size & look to the Dinky 24. I’ve refashioned this classic piece with a metal chain/leather strap from a newer Coach 1941 Tea Rose Dinky giving me the option to wear it 3 ways: crossbody or as a shoulder bag with either a shorter doubled or longer single strap.

How exciting is it to rediscover an item in your own closet & simply restyle it to make it feel like something current & new again to you?!

This bag also dresses up wonderfully with a new Outlet novelty strap. Stay tuned for that future look!