Question for fellow Coachies...

[anglarry04]

Thanks everyone. This bag is one of my ultra faves...i've had it since 08 and got it during a rough time in my life. I doubt i will ever get rid of it. I don't tend to get rid of anything easily.
If and when i do make the "alterations" i will post before/after pics....

 

[theFlip#2]

Warning! You might want to brace yourself, someone got a little scissor happy!
I saw this on the 'bay and was shocked by the horror...

nma: http://www.ebay.com/itm/27145427794...l?_sacat=0&_from=R40&_nkw=271454277947&_rdc=1

 

[Oneforme]

Warning! You might want to brace yourself, someone got a little scissor happy!
I saw this on the 'bay and was shocked by the horror...

nma: http://www.ebay.com/itm/27145427794...l?_sacat=0&_from=R40&_nkw=271454277947&_rdc=1

Ouch! Someone needs a good bop upside the head.

I haven't done anything that radical but I did take the long strap off of my black Sophia to use with my Madison Pinnicale Drawstring. Wasn't a fan of the cross body look with this bag and I'd rather not wear it on the crook of my arm. I absolutely love it now! The best part is when I switch to my Sophia, I just reattach the strap and I'm good to go.

 

[pbnjam]

I had to use a pair of pliers to remove the shoulder strap on my Coach Madison Audrey satchel. Then I replaced it with a longer crossbody strap. If I hadn't replaced the strap, I'd probably won't use it as much. So do whatever makes you happy. Good thing I don't have to do this to my other bags since they are usually easy to detach.

 

[ShaNayNay]

I had this same delima several weeks ago. I decided to take the plunge and do the altering. I gotta admit that chopping up a brand new purse is kinda scary
(and maybe crazy but I've never claimed to be sane LOL )

I had great results and was so happy that I redid a MK as well. (I better not make it a habit though LOL). I also understood before the altering that these will be my forever bags and I won't want to resell. But I do enjoy using them altered alot more than using them not altered....It's my bag, it's my money...I can do want I want!
The first one I did was the madison mini north south tote. I wanted the color and size but wanted the longer strap as a shoulder and not crossbody. I am short and the shortest setting was still way too long. I cut the strap, took off a few inches, punched new holes and cemented everything back together.
As you can see, the crossbody is alot shorter now.




Looking at the work, you can't really tell anything has been done.




The strap is still adjustable from one hole to another because the parts that are cemented are the end and the bottom loop (making everything moveable and functioning).

 

[tamy1965]

I switch straps between two bags, but it is not permanent alteration, i can always switch back.

 

[bunnycat]

One of the things I have done to alter without doing anything physical (like cutting) is with the very long crossbody straps. I almost never wear crossbody, and there's only so much adjustment you can make. So what I do to make them shorter without damaging the strap is double it up by unhooking, unbuckling, feeding the longest leather part through a ring to double it and hook both clips on one side and rebuckle. This usually makes something short enough for shoulder wear and only causes minimal creasing of the strap at the doubling point. This takes a strap that is too long for me (hip length) to something I can put on my shoulder.

 

[zaara10]

I think if it's your bag, you can do whatever you want to it. I'm too chicken to alter any of mine. Look at this person's bedazzled duffle! This is craziness to me, but if it makes her happy, then go on...

 

[kcoach]

People will probably scream "blasphemy" at me for this but... I recently bought a wristlet to use as a cosmetic bag (in place of a Vera Bradley cosmetic bag I had). I found that the strap attached to the zipper was annoying me to no end, and was always in the way in my bag, so I cut the strap off, took the little leather hangtag off and put it on a jump ring, and attached the jump ring to the zipper pull, to use to open and close the wristlet. I love it now!

 

[EGBDF]

People will probably scream "blasphemy" at me for this but... I recently bought a wristlet to use as a cosmetic bag (in place of a Vera Bradley cosmetic bag I had). I found that the strap attached to the zipper was annoying me to no end, and was always in the way in my bag, so I cut the strap off, took the little leather hangtag off and put it on a jump ring, and attached the jump ring to the zipper pull, to use to open and close the wristlet. I love it now!

Ooh, thanks for the idea!!

 

[kcoach]

Ooh, thanks for the idea!!

You're welcome! I never carry a wristlet, so I hated having that strap on there! I did cut it off such that I could always reattach it if I needed to (for myself, not to sell to anyone else).

 

[hitt]

I've switched out straps of same colored bags. For example, a short shoulder bag transforms into a crossbody bag. The strap may not be the same width but it fits through the buckle!

I've also had a family member cut the handles of a bag to make it an exclusively a crossbody bag. She also didn't like how the handles stood up and didn't rest against the bag. I cringed at the thought of her doing that but it is her bag and she can do whatever she wants with it.

(Oh, I've also sent a Cole Haan strap to the company to cut and they did it wonderfully.)

 

[pianolize]

Huh!!! This would NEVER occur to me, since there are SO MANY bags to choose from!!! I admire your drive to 'get' your bags how you need them!

The biggest thing I've ever done is knotted my reeeeeally long Liesbeskind crossbody strap around itself, back through the shoulder strap rings to make it land better. Surprisingly it worked, but didn't occur to me until recently to do. Ultimately I decided it wasn't worth the 'rig', with the gazillions of already-designed bags out there! Granted, if it's a crazy (good) price, all bets are off..

 

[obscurity7]

Because I don't buy bags with the intention of reselling, I have no problem modifying them to meet my needs. I haven't done it with my Coach bag yet, but I did permanently remove the heavy chain from a Mulberry bag and replace it with a guitar strap. It took the bag from Lovely But Impractical to something I could bring with me on holiday and wear all day.

 

[DISObags]

I stripped this beauty of her finish to dye shamrock green. I can’t stand how this color looks with yellowing and I imagine the green really making that hardware pop. Anyone ever recolor a bag ?????