Plastic protector on hardware

[Israeli_Flava]

Hi Liz, the stickes on your K look discreet. I am seriously consider buying the sticker for my new Constance mini bag as the GHW buckle is quite big and for sure the scratche will show more visible if I ever get one or two (or three) on later , not sure how the sticker will look on the C buckle or if I will end up using it. My one year old C24 with enamel buckle does not have one scratch and I have used the bag often, I am surprised how tough the enamel metal is....

IF dear I may also consider the stickers set for my upcoming SO and I am not apologizing either....I have come to realization that happiness is to love and accept who I am and be myself...heehee .

OMG YES!!!! I love your thought process!!!! Twinzzzzz
Also, I will definitely have one for (my future) Constance as that H will get super scratch with me!!! I can see it now and I will cry hahahaha

 

[Israeli_Flava]

I don't think you did imply anyone has to fall into anything, it's all observation and expression of what we all feel. I can identify with what you said about childhood, I had a lot of disruption and chaos growing up so I like to keep things forever because I cherish familiar things and relish making things my own because then I know they are MINE and will hopefully stay with me. We all do things our way!

Being super careful with things makes me anxious and honestly usually means I will drop something or fall off something so it's probably safer for my bags that I don't feel I have to be super careful with them, I'd probably kill them if I tried!

Enjoying learning about my fellow Hermeseezzzzzz...
Interesting how our unique childhood affects so many aspects of our lives.
I come from extremely humble beginnings and my mother was a downright SLOB.
I cleaned everything.... the house... my room... the car... on my own accord from a very young age and was PISSED when my mother would allow one of her dogs in MY ROOM... I had no control over that unfortunately... and it meant so much to me to have my own space... free from dog hair and dirt. NOWADAYS, you can imagine how clean my home is, however, I enjoy and allow my son to eat in the living room (gasp). I'm also a self-made woman (or so I'd like to think) and my spending money goes to things that bring my joy.... but I also take care of my things (to keep them new-ish) for as long as I can. I do not, however, allow "keeping them pristine" to bleed into my pleasure of owning or using the items. It's a balance. I work hard, enjoy the fruits of my efforts, be it a bag or a car or an expensive pair of shoes, but I won't only walk on carpet in order to keep my shoes new, for example. Quite the opposite. I wear them all (bags/shoes) on the dirty streets of DC/NYC... and enjoy =) That's my story and I'm sticking to it.
p.s. I don't own any plastic protectors, but I do plan on buying some, thanks to these threads hahahahahaha

 

[juzluvpink]

I've actually spent couple of hundreds to seal the hardwares of some of my bags. These seals are almost like laminates all the hardware on the bag including the lock. Now that I've found OS, they are my goto stickers.

I am a believer of protecting my bags. Not just Hermes.. all my designer bags I've owned over the years. As far as possible I don't put my bags on the floor, they are either on a chair on its own, on my lap or share a chair with me.

I do sell my bags after a few years as taste and needs change, coupled with limited wardrobe space. So by taking care of my bags, I try to maintain a certain level of resale-ability.

Having said that, I enjoy my bags. I used them, rotate them. Some more than others due to needs. Just because I put bit more efforts into taking care of it doesn't take away my pleasure of using them.

Just my 2 cents worth.

 

[nadineluv]

I may be flamed for this (and please, it's just my opinion, my observations also apply to me, and I am NOT assigning more legitimacy to any particular attitude) but I think there are several reasons for buying Hermes that influence questions like, "Do you leave the plastic on the hardware?" I personally have experienced, at various times, all of these motivations: (1) The object's quality and design. (2) The object's rarity (however artificial the scarcity may be) and resultant desirability. (3) The object's cost; i.e., "I can afford this insanely expensive handbag! I have serious MONEY!"
Differing buyer motivations can lead, I think, to a different standard of care for one's H belongings. If you subscribe mostly to the first, you probably don't "baby" your bags, because you see them as functional objects whose value lies primarily in their fitness for purpose. Alternatively, there may be a perverse "showing off" involved in using an Hermes bag in a casual manner, as in "I am so well-off that this insanely expensive bag's condition just ain't no thang to me!" If the second or third motivation is primary, the bag is being used as a social "signal" to indicate that its possessor has rarified aesthetic taste, sufficient social influence to be able to obtain the item, and high enough economic status to afford it. In these cases, and particularly in case (2), the condition of the bag looms larger and it is more likely that the owner will want the bag to remain as pristine as possible.
Concerns about a bag's perfection, and occasional exclamations of distress that Birkins are "too readily available," are clues that the speaker is more motivated by (2) and/or (3). An expressed love for floopy, patina'd bags and a hardy tolerance for wear and tear suggest motivation (1), including its "ain't no thang" corollary.
Anyhow, when interrogating myself about why I "need" Hermes products, this is what I've come up with. I take the plastic off my hardware, but sometimes have forgotten to take it off the feet. I will now retire to my corner and face the wall.

It is interesting how strongly we all feel and our opinions can be sooo different. I truly believe a women who is gravitated towards and shops at H has a strong personality to begin with. That's been my experience while shopping at the boutique and on this forum.
Anyhow I don't fit in either of your 3 categories. Number 3 is quite silly. H is not cheap and for someone to buy to show off and not love, that to me is a waste and beyond foolish.
1 can work for me but there's more depth to it for me, not just quality and design. That's too boring for me. [emoji28] There's more passion behind my desire for H. The colors, the experience shopping at the boutique, the chase, the beauty of the bag, it's handmade by one person in Paris! Then on to an SO, it's made just for YOU!!!
Onto childhood, I have always taken really good care of all my items. For example, I loved Hello Kitty as a child and my mother taught me to care for my items and appreciate them, so I always kept all my items organized and tidy. Yes I did play with and enjoy them, but because of how I cared for them, I still have some of those Hello Kitty items that I have been able to pass onto my daughter. It is such a great feeling to do so. I have always taken pride in what I own. I use my all my H bags. I don't baby my bags but I don't want them to look beat up either. I have three young children who I allow to touch and carry my bags when they feel like it. They try to do that often actually and I'm ok with that. Bags that get beat up and placed on the floor come across to me that the person either doesn't take pride in their items or they just have money to burn.
As for protecting hardware I never use to, but now this thread has me thinking twice about it. [emoji38]

 

[LovEmAll]

This is such an interesting thread....I usually peel off that plastic and let my hardware shine! However, reading this is quite informative and now I am intrigued. Can someone post pics of how this looks on the hardware? I went to the OS IG page to check them out and to me it just looks like the plastic that comes with the bags. Part of why I take off the plastic is because it makes the hardware look dull. Another reason is that I have a vintage K where the hardware has developed a stunning patina so you don't see any scratches at all. I figured that in 20+ years that is what my newer bags will look like and it actually looks pretty stunning. Nonetheless, I love to learn about all that is out there and I am curious to see how these protectors look. Thanks!

 

[tonkamama]

Yes dear we are twinzzzzz, we are so much alike . One exception, I let my little furry kids sleep with me on my bed , cannot stand their cute and innocent eyes staring at me and my bed heehee...

Not just handbag, shoes and cloth, I enjoy the process of keeping everything neat and organized after I am done with the "items" so next time is a brand new experience for me. For example, one of my happiest times of the day is waking up, walking into a clean kitchen and starting preparing breakfast every morning.

Enjoying learning about my fellow Hermeseezzzzzz...
Interesting how our unique childhood affects so many aspects of our lives.
I come from extremely humble beginnings and my mother was a downright SLOB.
I cleaned everything.... the house... my room... the car... on my own accord from a very young age and was PISSED when my mother would allow one of her dogs in MY ROOM... I had no control over that unfortunately... and it meant so much to me to have my own space... free from dog hair and dirt. NOWADAYS, you can imagine how clean my home is, however, I enjoy and allow my son to eat in the living room (gasp). I'm also a self-made woman (or so I'd like to think) and my spending money goes to things that bring my joy.... but I also take care of my things (to keep them new-ish) for as long as I can. I do not, however, allow "keeping them pristine" to bleed into my pleasure of owning or using the items. It's a balance. I work hard, enjoy the fruits of my efforts, be it a bag or a car or an expensive pair of shoes, but I won't only walk on carpet in order to keep my shoes new, for example. Quite the opposite. I wear them all (bags/shoes) on the dirty streets of DC/NYC... and enjoy =) That's my story and I'm sticking to it.
p.s. I don't own any plastic protectors, but I do plan on buying some, thanks to these threads hahahahahaha

 

[ehy12]

Yes dear we are twinzzzzz, we are so much alike . One exception, I let my little furry kids sleep with me on my bed , cannot stand their cute and innocent eyes staring at me and my bed heehee...

Not just handbag, shoes and cloth, I enjoy the process of keeping everything neat and organized after I am done with the "items" so next time is a brand new experience for me. For example, one of my happiest times of the day is waking up, walking into a clean kitchen and starting preparing breakfast every morning.

I am exactly the same way. Even go so far as taking apart my sonicare toothbrush after each use and wiping it down. I love when my things feel new for as long as possible.

 

[Israeli_Flava]

Yes dear we are twinzzzzz, we are so much alike . One exception, I let my little furry kids sleep with me on my bed , cannot stand their cute and innocent eyes staring at me and my bed heehee...

Not just handbag, shoes and cloth, I enjoy the process of keeping everything neat and organized after I am done with the "items" so next time is a brand new experience for me. For example, one of my happiest times of the day is waking up, walking into a clean kitchen and starting preparing breakfast every morning.

Actually, I let my cat sleep with me and go wherever he wants =) He is my second son.... Twinzzzzz again hahahaha

*(But he's a strictly indoor cat and doesn't bring any of the nasty back yard junk in with him on his paws. ew.)

 

[catsinthebag]

I don't think you did imply anyone has to fall into anything, it's all observation and expression of what we all feel. I can identify with what you said about childhood, I had a lot of disruption and chaos growing up so I like to keep things forever because I cherish familiar things and relish making things my own because then I know they are MINE and will hopefully stay with me. We all do things our way!

Being super careful with things makes me anxious and honestly usually means I will drop something or fall off something so it's probably safer for my bags that I don't feel I have to be super careful with them, I'd probably kill them if I tried!

It's interesting to read how people's experiences growing up has affected them. I grew up with no extended family nearby -- I rarely saw my grandparents, aunts, uncles or cousins. I have very little sense of family or family history, which is probably partly why I'm drawn to Hermes history, love the idea of things lasting forever and have a couple of vintage bags.

I love your use of the word "cherish," MrsOwen. I think if we asked if we all cherish our bags (and scarves, and jewelry, etc.), the answer would be uniformly yes! But how we use or protect those things varies, depending on viewpoint and background. One of the few things I have from my paternal grandmother is her diamond stud earrings. They are in my ears almost every single day, regardless of where I'm going or who I'm seeing. Do I baby them? No. Nor am I careless with them. But I cherish them, absolutely.

 

[HavLab]

Fun thread! From plastic on the hardware to how our upbringing impacts bag behavior!

I grew up with a fashion influence. I think sometimes a case of liking nice stuff and a bit of confidence seeking. My dad was a guy from the streets basically who made it as a professional athlete. In that culture there is a lot of fashion influence. I also think my dad wanted to look good in those days because he thought people would accept him. My mom was a fashionista but in a very specific way. I was really into fashion from a young age, even though we didnt have that much money. I was an excellent shopper, somehow always able to find a deal. I think fashion helped me get through feeling different and a bit of an outsider. I got a lot of attention for my wardrobe and overall style. I used to read Vogue in class. This is not the case now, as I spend the bulk of my time wearing sports clothes or jeans. Not sure if my early life impacts taking plastic off my hardware though to try to stay on topic!

 

[cdinh87]

Well some people when they purchased their bags don't have plastic on the hardware as not everyone can get them from the boutique. Also, not everyone lives near boutique where they can have their bags sent in to have the hardware replaced plus it can take 3-6 months to get your bag back so putting the plastic on it help to keep it from scratches and rubbing wear.
This protection for your hardware is different then the stores plastic protection. The hardware protector by orange shields is very transparent and hard to tell it's on. I don't find plastic on hardware comparable with plastic on a sofa.

I heard about Orange Shield but wasn't sure how it's different than the plastic that comes from the store. Thank you for sharing the info, I'm going to look into it now.

 

[golconda]

At the time I was able to buy Birkins easily, there was so much reselling going on that I wanted my SA to realize I was buying for myself. I would pull the plastic off in front of the SA and put the stuff from the Birkin I carried into the store into the new one and put the old Birkin into the box. Anyway, I never wanted plastic on my hardware. I stopped buying Birkins years ago.

 

[bagnut1]

I recently acquired an H bag from a reseller (first time I have done this) and the plastic was still on the strap hardware. It was a 5-year-old bag, in great shape, but the strap hardware seemed a bit darker than on my other bags (which are newer and had their plastic removed as soon as I bought them). I am guessing that the plastic had an effect on the gold plating.

 

[Dluvch]

I heard from Hermes SA that the plastic should not be left on the hardware as it can cause it to change color.

 

[MSO13]

I recently acquired an H bag from a reseller (first time I have done this) and the plastic was still on the strap hardware. It was a 5-year-old bag, in great shape, but the strap hardware seemed a bit darker than on my other bags (which are newer and had their plastic removed as soon as I bought them). I am guessing that the plastic had an effect on the gold plating.

I heard from Hermes SA that the plastic should not be left on the hardware as it can cause it to change color.

Yes, leaving the plastic on can cause issues. Sometimes it depends on the climate, sometimes it seems to happen if they are left on for too long.