Florine

How to style your belt bag?

20 September 2018

I hope you’ve all made like 5 DIY belt bags since last Tuesday. Since I am actually starting to like this crazy little bag. The only question I ask myself each time is … “How do I style my belt bag?” (and not the other way around haha). I dived into pages and pages of Pinterest images to collect the most amazing Pinspiration.

New Pinterest board

With this post, I want to introduce a new Pinterest board on my Pinterest account. I want to save all amazing outfits where the bag is the most important item or to see how a bag can enhance your look. But let’s keep on topic, how to style your belt bag?

Apparently, there are so many possibilities with the belt bag, so I’ve collected my favorites:

Over your coat

We’ve seen the belt bag become trendy since this spring/summer. Don’t be afraid, it isn’t just a summer item. As you can see, even in the Fall and Winter you can just wear it over your coat!

As an actual belt

My second favorite is to wear it actually as a belt. Often the bag is worn over clothes. I think of the belt bag as a little more sophisticated look compared to the fanny pack look and therefore makes perfect sense to wear as an actual belt!

In combination with a blazer

My ultimate favorite look is in combination with a blazer. For fall temperatures, the blazer is the perfect item. Wear it during the morning and later in the evening when it becomes chilly (or inside due to the air-condition at the office). Oh, and could you imagine, if my laptop would fit in my belt bag I would definitely wear it to the office hahaha.

Three easy looks to copy and to style your belt bag with! How do you wear yours? Please, share them in the comments below!

DIY – Croco belt-bag: bag (Part II)

18 September 2018

Time to continue with this oh-so-trendy project; the belt-bag! In the previous DIY you’ve learned how to make a simple crocodile embossed belt and to turn it into a belt-bag we will continue today with the second and last part, the bag! So much to do, let’s start quickly!

What do you need:

A rectangle piece of leather (mine was 44 x 22 cm)
Two leather gussets (rounded rectangle pieces with a little dart cut out)
Leather Back loops (at least the hight of the belt + 0.5 cm on each side)
Optional: two D-rings if you also want to carry your bag with a shoulder strap
Optional: a magnet to close the bag, different closures are possible
Pricking irons
Mallet
Waxed thread + (harness) needles
Cutting mat

Step 1: Prick stitching holes in gussets

To know the number of stitching holes you need in the main body of the bag, you need to know the number of stitching holes in the gussets. Prick around the gussets and pay attention to the little darts (for a clear corner).

Step 2: Glue glue glue

The next step is to put glue on the gussets and the edges of the main body. Leathercraft glue can be applied on both sides, dry for about 5-10 min and then stuck together.

Step 3: Attach back loops

Before you glue and sew the second gusset into place, attach the back loops. Trust me on this, you will need the room haha. Almost, made my day a lot harder. I’ve added a D-ring to create the option to also wear it with shoulder straps. Since I wrote this post of timeless or trendy bags, I try to add multiple handle/strap solutions in most of my designs.

Step 4: Sew the gussets

Next up, sewing the gussets. Whether you’ve sewed the first one already or none, it is time to give this bag some shape! How to sew leather together is explained in this post.

Step 5: Front flap + Optional closure

First I thought, I wanted a straight flap, but once the bag got into shape I decided to cut off the corners. Way better! To close the bag, I took a magnet and sewed a little piece of leather on the back of the flap to hide the magnet attachment.

Step 6: Finishing touch!

The last step as always is, to finish the bag. In this case, I chose for a black edge paint I used for the leather crocodile belt as well. All done? Time to rock this bag!!

I hope you’ve enjoyed this DIY of the belt-bag. If you do love the belt-bag but don’t feel like making it yourself, let me know if I should make some to sell!

DIY – Croco belt bag: belt (PART I)

13 September 2018

This trend, the belt bag, it just shouted for a DIY. Not only could you make a really simple version of just a small envelop clutch on a belt but in our case, we are gonna make the real deal! To make it even more awesome, it will actually be two DIYs, since we first start with the belt. It’s been a DIY I’ve wanted to make for quite a long time, and today is the day!

What do you need?

This list is for just the belt, the bag for on the belt will be discussed in the next DIY post.

A buckle (that will determine the width of your strap)
A strap of leather (mine was 3 cm wide and the length is according to your waist/hips)
Two strips of leather, for the loops around the belt
2 x Saddlers needles
Matching of contrasting thread
Leather glue
Optional: safety beveler or skiving machine/knife

Step 1 : optional – skive one end to half the thickness

The first part is optional. If you want you can skive the buckle side down to half the thickness. Since if you will fold it over and glue it together, it will not be double the size.

Step 2: buckle pin hole

The next step is to create a hole for the buckle pin. I often use a hole punch on both sides and cut the middle in between with a Stanley knife. In this case, I started off with quite a small hole, which eventually needed to be double the length. The buckle pin also needs to be able to move so, the hole needs to be at least as large as the diameter of the bottom of the pin.

Step 3 – place the buckle

The next step is not that difficult although there are a few minor remarks. First, check if the buckle is placed with the right side up ;). And next, is the pin on the right side?

Step 4: Create the loop keepers

I had to google it actually, but apparently, the little loops on the belt are called, loop keepers. By now, it is time to create two (or more if you wish) loop keepers. I finished the edges already of those little things before it is too late. The first one will be sewed together with the folded buckle end while the other can be loose on the belt. Mine was about 0.7 mm wide.

Step 5: Sew buckle end

There are different techniques to secure the buckle. First, you could just glue it together. Secondly, you could use a Chicago screw to alter the size of the belt later on. But lastly, you could also sew it all together. This latter method is the one I choose. Together with the loop keeper, the buckle would be secured.

Step 6: belt end shape?

There are many options for the belt end shape; a V-shape, U-shape, tapered or cut in, well whatever you like. I choose a cut-off V-shape. It is a simple shape and a little bit more modern, and perfect for the belt bag, compared to the classic tapered shape.

Step 7: belt holes

Final I can use all the tips and tricks I found online and summarized in this post. Since you can read all about it there, I won’t go into much detail. The only thing I wanted it to be able to wear it around my hips (just as belt) as well as around my waist (as belt bag) and therefore added some extra holes. I looked at a belt of me and found an ideal spacing of 3 cm between the holes and ofcourse lined in the middle of the strap.

That was already the last step of the belt for now. It’s not the most durable or ‘fancy-pancy’ belt with beautiful double layers and sewn along the edge but for a first time belt… I am quite happy. Let’s continue quickly to the bag since it is the belt bag after all!

Fashion Week Month has started!

11 September 2018

You might say it’s the most wonderful month of the year… but what about December with Christmas and NYE. And let’s not forget about February, the other fashion week month. Oh well, just in case you’ve missed the first few shows… the fashion week month has officially started.

What, when and where?

As always the first week to check out is in New York City! This week and the rest of the month is planned according to this schedule:

First up: September 6 – 14th – NEW YORK FASHION WEEK
September 14 – 18th – LONDON FASHION WEEK
September 18 – 25th – MILAN FASHION WEEK
Last but not least: September 24 – 2nd of October – PARIS FASHION WEEK

I can’t wait for all the amazing shows, and trends for the upcoming spring-summer season. So let’s get started and see if we can spot some trends! (Click on the links above to see the full schedule of the week and pick your favorites!) At the end of the fashion week month, I will come back to you with a little overview of the most interesting styles for next spring-summer bags!

Is it a little bit too early for you to check on the seasons for over half a year? Check out my latest post on the bag trends update for this fall/winter.

Bag trends Fall/Winter 2018 – update

6 September 2018

It’s been quite a while since the fashion show for this fall/winter season has been held. What happened in the meantime to the latest bag trends? Well, let’s do a little update!

Still on track!

I find it so mesmerizing how it is truly possible to set trends about a year before and the year after it just works out… So which trends could be found in the fashion shows (and in this post) and are still on track to become a trend this fall/winter.

The box bag: the cute little (lunch) box looking bag with quite some structure is available by the bigger names in fashion. But also the retail fashion brands are implementing them in their collection. Which one would you choose? This leather one beauty or are you still a fan of the basket trend? I personally love this trends since it could contain so much craftsmanship! A true inspiration and challenge at the same time.

Belt-bag: I called in in the previous the not-so-handy trend but the neck bag seems to have been banished since there was only room for the belt bag. Well, you can use this trend for all the other lovely bag trends, such as the bucket bag on a belt, the circle bag on a belt, you name it!

What else?

Over time new trends emerge, not only from the catwalks but nowadays more and more from social media. A few new trends for the upcomming winter are:

The fluffy bag: fall or winter, who doesn’t love a good fluffy sweater, fluffy coat (!!) but let’s make the look complete with the fluffy bags!
Top handle bag: a single handle to carry your lovely bag. Bucket bags are great but if you want to hold in in your hand you want some sort of handle on the top ;)!
Animal print: we’ve seen it for quite some seasons already but the leopard and python prints are still hot hot hot this fall/winter!

Homerun bag!

So if I make one bag, a true homerun bag, would it be a box bag on a belt, with the perfect combination of fluffy parts and animal print, that could also be carried with a top handle? Well, that sounds like quite a challenge haha. Well, why not? (or should I stick to some of the trends instead of all of them?) Let’s get our sketchbooks out and start on our final fall designs ;)!