| Handbag Glossary |
| |
|
Braided Handles
|
|
Handles made of braided strips of leather or cloth. Often braided around a soft foam or rope core. |
|
|
Brushed Hardware
|
|
Hardware that looks as if it was brushed over leaving streaks. This yields a slightly duller look than the more typical polished hardware, which is glossy or shiny. |
|
|
Center Divider
|
|
A thin, vertical center section which divides a bag interior into two or more sections. The divider itself usually offers an additional zippered pocket. |
|
|
Cinched
|
|
A cluster of material tightly bound together. |
|
|
Drawstring
|
|
String or rope made of leather, nylon, cotton or other material strung through around the top of a bag like a belt. Can be drawn tight to close the bag. |
|
|
Dust Bag
|
|
Cloth bag provided with many, but not all, handbag brands to hold and store the handbag when not in use in order to maintain it. Storing the bags in dust bags prevents dust and dirt buildup as well as prevent other objects from touching the bag and causing damage to the leather and/or leather treatments. |
|
|
E/W (East/West)
|
|
A bag that is wider than it is tall, thus East/West. |
|
|
Flat Bottom
|
|
A fairly stiff bottom suitable for storing a larger number and a more orderly storage of those items |
|
|
Inside Zip Pocket
|
|
A pocket on the inside of the bag closed off by a small zipper. Typically located at the back of the bag. |
|
|
Magnetic Closure
|
|
Closure formed by two attracting magnets. Often, the magnets are covered by leather. |
|
|
N/S (North/South)
|
|
A bag that is taller than it is wide, thus North/South. |
|
|
Open Top
|
|
The top is usually open so that it can be easily reached into. Often closed off by only a magnetic closure. |
|
|
Pleated
|
|
Material folded onto itself and held in place. Normally, it is folded many times to form a series of pleats. |
|
|
Protective Feet
|
|
Studs or other material placed on the bottom of the bag to protect the bag from damage. |
|
|
Ruched
|
|
Trim along the edges that is ruffled or pleated. |
|
|
Sequin
|
|
Collection of small disks sewn onto cloth to form patterns or completely cover the bag. Disks can be different colors yielding different patterns. |
|
|
Smokey Hardware
|
|
Hardware with a dark gray/silver hue resembling smoke. |
|
|
Top Zip Closure
|
|
The bag's top is closed by a zipper. |
|
|
|