There was a time not that long ago when the question of whether to baby or not to baby our bags was a topic of much discussion.
Some collectors would go to great lengths to protect their bags with the intent of keeping them as pristine as possible for as long as possible. From buying a bag raincoat and using a purse hook to carrying a spare canvas tote for all of eternity in case of emergency, trust me, I’ve heard it all.
Lived-in bags have always been a topic of conversation. Who could forget one of the most iconic handbag moments of the 2010s: Mary-Kate Olsen toting an Hermès Kelly bag that was so distressed you could barely tell if it was once navy or black.
Say Yes to Distress(ed)
The fashion side of the internet did a collective gasp. Olson’s nonchalance actually was a catalyst of sorts, smashing the idea that handbags are meant to be in mint condition. Our bags are an extension of our lives, and our lives, like our bags, can be messy.
As the trend towards beat-up bags thrives, distressed and aged leather bags are, of course, being added to your favorite designers’ line-ups. And if you’re the type of person who still struggles to use your bags with ease and without anxiety, a bag that arrives pre-distressed is the perfect gateway.
Besides the fact that who really has the time anymore to obsess over a bag’s over-the-top care, aged, distressed leather offers that exact air of “no fucks given” that every Millennial ever hoped to exude after that viral beat-up bag moment.
They offer a dress-down, casual appeal that’s effortlessly chic at the same time. Not to mention, no babying is required.
Love It or Leave It?
