I Never Hang My Bag Over My Chair and Here's Why

It Has To Do With Safety, Whether You're At Home Or Traveling. Also, Scroll To The End To See Where I've Been.

Hi everyone! Travel season is coming up, here’s how I keep my handbags safe, even when I’m at home. Here’s a YouTube video I just posted on the topic, but if you want the basics just scroll down for the details.

I’d also love to hear from you so do drop me a comment with your best tips, either here or on my YouTube video.

Never Hang Your Bag Over Your Chair

Watch out for DISTRACTION. One of the key places you might be distracted is restaurants and cafes. Your purse is very vulnerable in restaurants, and more so if you’re in an open air setting. Consequently I never hang my handbag over the back of a restaurant chair. This is just asking for someone to lift it off and carry it away while you’re digging into your entrée. It is in no way tethered to your body and you will not even know it’s gone.

Instead, put your handbag on your lap and cover it with your napkin.

Not only does it keep it safe, this is the correct etiquette for dining out with your (hopefully small) handbag in tow.

Not only that, handbags on the backs of chairs can be hazards for your server and passersby, as they are easy to clonk into. And how easy would it be for a thief to stroll by while you’re distracted, lift it off, and walk away? You may not even notice it until you’re about to leave the restaurant.

Choose a Bag With The Right Pockets To Travel With

If you’re using a subway system, it’s probably good to bring a bag that has an outside compartment so you’re not cracking open your entire handbag to get on and off the metro. Keeping these cards in your pocket is not great, and your back pocket is the worst idea of all in terms of pickpocketing. If you’re a lip balm addict, keep it in a outer purse compartment or your pocket instead of going inside your bag ten times a day as nothing will make you feel more vulnerable than splaying open your bag all the time.

Lay Your Hand *On* Your Handbag

If you’re in a place of high distraction: big crowds, busy subway systems, it’s a good practice to keep lay your hand on your purse. I’ll often wear a cross body bag under my coat if it’s roomy enough to do so, otherwise I’ll rest my hand on the top of my purse while I’m wearing it.

Don’t Pack Your Luxury Purses In Your Luggage

In fact, I pack them inside my Longchamp Le Pliage tote bag, I wouldn’t even put it in my carry on luggage. But I make them do double duty inside my tote, watch the video for more tips on this.

Planning a Luxury Handbag Purchase? Buy It Right Before You Go Home or To Your Hotel

You’re very vulnerable when you have a new expensive purchase, whether you are on a trip or at home. Fast forward to the 5:37 mark of the video for WHY you should go right home after you buy luxury goods, don’t buy them and shop around more. It’s not the reason you think. I’ve tried to queue up this video for the 5:37 minute mark but if it starts at the beginning, just fast forward if you don’t want to watch the other tips.

I’ve got more tips in this video, so go ahead and watch it! I’d love to see you over on my YouTube channel and I’ve got some great videos planned for the weeks to come.

Where I’ve Been

Friends, I’ve been a bit burned out from juggling all the online balls, so I’m on a spring/summer hiatus from weekly newsletter missives. However I think there is a public service announcement aspect to the YouTube video that I made (normally I don’t cross post them here) so I thought I would share them with you in the hopes you and your handbags stay safe this summer.

Oh, and Happy Mother’s Day to all moms out there, hope you had a good one. Moms make the world go round.

Warmly,

Helen