Display Your Vintage Purses

Here’s an idea that combines your handbag couture and your home decor: display your vintage purses!

From top to bottom, I’ve hung my vintage bags by Bueno, Gamins, and Aigner.

The pretty knobs on which the purses are hung were found drastically marked down at Anthropologie. Also, check out Amazon for some of the same or very similar knobs. In fact the knobs that I happened upon in Anthro’s back sales room are what inspired me to display some of my favorite vintage purses. That, plus I recently “Konmaried” all of my clothing, shoes, and purses, (which I’ll be posting about soon!); that cleaning made me take notice of my almost-forgotten lovely vintage handbags.

Plan Ahead

Just as I mentioned in my post about hanging a picture gallery, you need to plan ahead if you want to display your vintage purses.  If you just try to estimate where the handbags should be hung on the wall, and where their knobs should be placed, then you’re likely to make mistakes that will leave unneeded and unsightly holes in your wall! Here’s what to do:

Step 1

The very first thing is to lay out the purses to decide in what order and distance from each other that they look the best.

Step 2

The second step is to lay out each purse on some paper (I used a cut-up grocery bag), and outline the purse in ink. Mark the point in ink where the purse’s knob will be.

This takes just a little bit of time, but is sooo worth it.  Remember that you’re doing this to to avoid drilling multiple holes in your wall, which would take far longer to repair and paint over!

Step 3

Next, cut out paper outlines of the purses.

Step 4

Next, tape the purse paper cut-outs onto the wall, moving them around on the wall until they are positioned the way you like them.

Step 5

Now you can get your drill out and drill holes through the spots marked on the paper showing where each purse’s knob goes. Remember that the width of your drill bit should be a tad narrower than the width of knob’s long screw. I also recommend using wall anchors to hold the screws tightly in place.

Step 6

After the holes are drilled and anchors screwed in, screw in some pretty knobs (or hooks) that will complement the purses that will be hung.

Step 7

Before you hang and display your vintage purses, be sure to stuff them with clean rags or tissue paper to preserve and enhance their pretty shape. For example, in the photo above, you can see this thrifted black Bueno bag before I stuffed it. Below is the same bag after I stuffed it…much better!

I also stuffed this classic Aigner bag, a gift from my parents while in college over thirty years ago. I modeled the Aigner in this post a couple of years ago.

I had to bring this vintage Gamins purse, found at an estate sale, back to life. The original purse strap was missing, but I had a long chunky necklace that I never wore, so I fashioned it into a new purse chain handle. I can also undouble the necklace to make a longer “strap.”

Occasionally, I might switch in this adorable black velvet Garay handbag, also found at an estate sale. Note the pretty mother-of-pearl detailing at the top. Of all the knobs shown, the whimsical Eiffel Tower knob is my daughter’s favorite.

Here’s the display with the Garay purse on the bottom…

…and here’s the display with the Aigner on the bottom. Both arrangements are pretty, wouldn’t you agree?

Display your vintage purses!

To display your vintage purses is to feature a part of your fashion sense as artwork. If you’ll pull out those forgotten handbags from the back of your drawer or closet, then who knows? Maybe you’ll even be inspired to carry some with outfits!

–G

*Please note that all opinions are mine alone, and that I received no samples, payments, or financial incentives from Anthropologie, Amazon, Aigner, Bueno pursesa, their affiliates or any other person or entity for comments or links in this article.