Eight Tips to Match Your Handbags with Your Accessories

The right handbag completes your look. The right handbag with the right accessories elevates it to a whole new level. Here's how to do it.

Forget the past. 

Matching your handbag with your shoes or belt is passé. Today, fashion is all about combining accessories in new and interesting ways. Fashion influencers are breaking old laws by mixing styles and colors to create contemporary, edgy looks. 

This new reality is liberating, but can also be confusing. How do you find the best combo for everyday wear? 

Here are eight tips to help you navigate contemporary pairings: 

1. Color Play - When it comes to color, you've got three options to play with: 

• Hue: Combine accessories that have the same or a similar hue. This will give you a nice, soft contrast and an understated look. Patterns will also look neat and organized. The effect is simple and elegant without being too traditional. 

• Contrast: Let colors meet their opposites. For example, nude shoes with a purple bag, or electric blue shoes with a yellow bag. It all depends on the occasion. Formal events and weddings are not the venue for this. Brunch and happy hour are. 

• Disruption: Explore combos that neither share a hue, nor obviously contrast with each other. We’re talking about colors from opposite sides of the track that aren’t regularly seen together. Purple and green, for example. It’ll take confidence to pull off but, if it works, you’ll be repaid in compliments for your bravery.

2. Print Pop - If you’re carrying a printed bag, consider wearing a monochromatic outfit, then add an accessory that matches a color in your bag's print. If your bag has a floral print with lots of green, try wearing a white t-shirt with a dark green pashmina or necklace. The colors will echo each other and make each one pop. 

3. Not Too Busy - Just because rules are more lenient now, doesn't mean it's a free-for-all. Don't wear bags and shoes with different patterns. The effect will be too busy. 

4. I’ts The Season - summer bags are for summer. Winter shoes are for winter. Your straw tote or beach hat paired with boots is just confusing people. Likewise with your sandals and heavy leather handbag combo. 

5. Right Place, Right Time - Just like you should avoid blending seasonal wear, you'll also want to avoid blending occasions. Club, beach, date, office, and sport accessories shouldn't meet each other. Your running shoes, in other words, shouldn't be hanging out with your stiff, boxy handbag. They won't get along. There may be times when a 'somewhat' formal handbag can work with 'somewhat' casual shoes, but the shoes should be high-end and in great condition. 

6. Finish It Off - While it's fun to play with colors, prints, and styles for a unique, contemporary look, it's still a good idea to match finishes. So, if the zipper and clasps on your handbag is silver, you may want to make sure any hardware on your shoes is also silver. Pairing silver jewelry with your handbag's hardware is also a good idea, but there are always creative exceptions. 

7. Paint It Black - A black bag goes perfectly with almost anything. If you don't have the time or patience to experiment with all those accessories in your closet, just grab a black handbag and go have a drink. Cheers! 

8. Au Naturel - Natural colors, like tan or saddle, are also a get-out-of-accessorizing-free card. Like black, they go well with almost anything and allow you to focus on spicing up your other accessories instead. 

In short, the matchy-matchy days are over. Now, as ever, accessories are just as important as your outfit, but experimentation is the new chicness. 

At Nantív, we offer designer leather bags in a variety of colors and styles. Visit our online store to see our current collection of bags - EVE, TIV, VINT and VITA - which can be creatively matched with other accessories. We always aim for classic elegance with our designs, but love to see our bags paired with accessories and outfits in ways we never thought possible. 

Surprise, as they say, is the greatest gift. 

Love and flow, 

Nantív

• Text taken from Nantív

How to Limit Your Handbag's Weight and Carry it Without Ruining Your Posture

A heavy handbag can affect your posture. Here are some tricks to avoid excess weight and carry it the right way.

The right handbag can define or transform your look. More importantly, your handbag affects the way you move. Body language, experts believe, is 55 percent of communication. Body language is also a factor in your personal style. Discomfort and doubt is a style-killer. Comfort and confidence enhances every look. 

As the saying goes, it's not what you wear, but how you wear it. Heat, itchy outfits, and uncomfortable shoes can ruin your comfort. Just a few extra pounds in your handbag, meanwhile, can affect your posture and fatigue you, killing your style. 

Here are some tips to limit your bag's weight and to carry it correctly:

1. The Ten Percent Rule: Experts recommend carrying no more than ten percent of your bodyweight in your handbag. So if you're 110lbs, your bag should top out at eleven pounds. More than that and your neck, shoulders, and back could suffer, leading to pain, muscle aches, and headaches. 

2. Favor the Forearm: Physiotherapists advise not carrying your handbag on your shoulder, which is a fragile part of the human anatomy. Constant weight on one shoulder can force the shoulder forward and down. Over time, the muscles in the upper back and neck can begin to stretch, leading to weakness and pain. Instead, look for a bag with wide, padded handles and carry it on your forearm.

3. Switch It Up: If you can't avoid carrying your bag on your shoulder, like with a leather crossbody bag, look for one with a comfortable strap and switch shoulders every 15 minutes. 

4. No Swinging: Adjust your bag’s straps and position it to avoid swinging your bag while walking. The back and forth motion of a too heavy bag can throw off your gait, causing a posture imbalance and lead to pain.

5. Bare Necessities: Has anyone ever picked up your bag and exclaimed, “What do you have in this thing?!” Sometimes, you're not even sure why your bag is so heavy. What’s adding all that weight?: 

• Charms: Sure, these give your handbag a fun, new vibe, but they don’t need to be there all the time. Remove them if you’re already carrying an extra load. 

• Books and notepads: If you carry these in your bag, look for compact editions and small writing pads. Make photocopies if you just need sections of a book. Better yet, use an app to store and create content. 

• Pens and highlighters: These things have a way of multiplying quickly inside your bag. Do you need all of them? Do you actually use them? Be realistic about how often you use a wide selection of pens. 

• Business cards and receipts: Do you keep old receipts and business cards that end up a tattered mess inside your bag? Small pockets have a way of accumulating clutter. Banish what you don’t need. 

• Makeup: How much makeup do you carry, your whole cosmetic bag or just enough to retouch during the day? Go for the latter. 

In short, clear the clutter and don’t make excess weight a habit. Leather handbag designers consider weight very carefully during the design phase. Every detail — hardware, zippers, layers of leather — are weighed to achieve an ideal weight. Approach your bag the same way. Consider every item you carry. A heavy bag isn’t just bad for your back and posture, it’s bad for your spirit - not to mention your style. 

Nantív makes lightweight handbags for women that are designed to flow with your movements. We study gait and gestures to create bags that are comfortable, functional, and that compliment modern women's lifestyle. 

Check out our current collection, which includes our bags VITA, EVE, VINT, and TIV. Each one is handcrafted by the best Italian artisans, using the softest leather and highest quality hardware. 

Love and Flow, 

Nantív

• Text taken from Nantív

Italian Leather is the Best in the World. Here’s Why.

You found the perfect Italian leather handbag. Its shape, color, and style are exactly what you were looking for. But, how much do you know about the material it’s made from?

Leather handbags are not all created equal. They can be made from cowhide, calfskin, goatskin, lambskin, sheepskin, or a number of other hides sourced from various regions. 

Different hides have different strengths and weaknesses and, therefore, are used to make different products. Italian leather, and especially calfskin, however, is the preferred hide for most high-end handbag makers. 

Why Calfskin? 

Cowhide (from adults) is the strongest and most durable animal hide. It’s commonly used in shoes, belts, and protective gear, like biker jackets. 

Calfskin (from juveniles), while also durable, is thinner, softer, and more malleable. Visually, it has fewer imperfections than cowhides, which can be marked by scars, insect bites, or stretch marks.

Those qualities, and its ability to age beautifully, make it a top choice for high-end accessories like gloves, wallets, and luxury leather bags. 

Why Italian? 

Italy has a tradition of leather-making stretching back nearly a millennium. Florence, in particular, has been the epicenter of the craft. Craftspeople there learn their skills in dedicated trade schools under the direction of old world masters. 

That long heritage and infrastructure has resulted in a wealth of generational knowledge about raising cattle and hide selection. Tanneries in the country, meanwhile, use precise, time-tested manufacturing techniques to guarantee hides will have a smooth, even thickness, to allow for straight, neat stitching. 

Most importantly, while the global leather industry today is increasingly technology-driven, Italian artisans rely on a blend of high-tech innovations and human expertise and instinct. That leaves their leather with a soft, pliable quality and a signature earthy scent, making it perfect for the intricate handcrafting of luxury products, like women’s handbags.

Sustainability 

Environmental sustainability is more important than ever. For that reason, leather substitutes have recently hit the market. Bamboo, cactus, and pineapple are just some of the new “vegan leathers” to appear. 

While these new options are a great development, they don't replicate the experience of real leather. The feel and smell is different. And vegan leather doesn't develop the same beautiful patina that real leather does as it ages. The ability to recreate realistic-looking pores and other textures, meanwhile, is limited due to the material's lower pliability. 

Vegan leather is also not entirely without environmental concerns.

Faux leathers are reinforced with additional materials to give structure and malleability. Those materials are often synthetic films that make up as much as fifty percent of the overall product. 

Genuine leather, in our view, is a better environmental choice because, unlike synthetics, it’s biodegradable. A new technology, patented last year in Italy, allows for 75 percent biodegradability of leather. Ongoing research is aiming to make the remaining 25 percent biodegradable, too. Still, that remaining portion is not nearly as harmful as synthetic waste. 

Certainly, there’s still work to be done in the leather industry to ensure better environmental sustainability. But investing in quality leather products that last decades, or even a lifetime, is one of the best ways to reduce waste. 

That’s why, at Nantív, we source only the best kind of leather from reputable Italian tanneries that adhere to cruelty-free animal practices, strive to improve biodegradability, limit chemical usage, and conserve water. 

Meanwhile, we have faith the industry will continue to evolve and that Nantív will be a part of that evolution. We’ll continue to tweak our processes and sourcing based on new research and developments.

Those values are reflected in our current handbag collection. Each bag is meticulously designed and handcrafted in Florence by old-world artisans who obsess over the smallest details. Our bags serve a variety of needs, lifestyles, and body-types. The VITA is a large leather tote; TIV is a medium-sized crossbody; EVE is a sweet, little satchel; and VINT is a one-of-a-kind bucket bag. 

The leather, of course, is Italian. 

Love and flow, 

Nantív

• Text taken from Nantív

Designers Need These 4 Things to Create a Fashion Masterpiece

Iconic designs are not the result of logic or marketing. They're born of near-spiritual elements that fuel originality.

Great art is timeless. It feels fresh and relevant no matter how many years have passed since its creation. Great fashion is no different. Some items remain wearable for decades. 

We call these works 'masterpieces.' 

What, though, goes into making a masterpiece? More specifically, what does it take to create unique designer handbags that won't fade with the season? 

Here are four essentials to making both great art and great handbags: 

Inspiration 

Inspiration is transcendence. It's a moment of clarity when you discover a new approach or fresh way of looking at something. 

You can't conjure inspiration on cue, but there are ways to summon it. 

Designers look for diverse founts of inspiration. Common sources are the visual arts, ethnic and historical fashions, nature, and everyday materials. Social and political issues can inspire designers, too. 

Wherever the spark comes from, inspiration is both the starting point of a masterpiece and the force that brings coherence to its various elements—its material, texture, shape, color, and (perhaps) its message. 

Meanwhile, be aware that inspiration sometimes yields concepts that have already been used or are cliché. Often, in fact, several designers will independently arrive at the same, or similar, vision. That's because, within cultures, we're all frequently exposed to the same influences. 

Don’t be afraid to discard those ideas. Inspiration will return if you’re passionate enough about your work (more on that later!). 

Ultimately, great art is measured by how much of an emotional response it creates. Your art, whether it’s a painting or a designer leather handbag, must generate a reaction. Customers should feel moved and connected to your work. 

Maybe even inspired.

Creativity

Creativity is the tangible result of inspiration. It’s the motivation to express and actualize your new vision. Not everyone who is inspired, acts on it. Perhaps because they don’t have a talent, or medium, through which to channel their vision.

Great artists and designers, on the other hand, know how to act on their inspiration. They’ve built their creative muscles over many years and developed an instinct for what works and what doesn’t.

Throughout the day, working designers are faced with a multitude of issues, problems, and dead ends. They deal with material, manufacturing, and production rules. Specifications are very precise and often funnel creativity into specific results in order to make a bag.

Yet, great designers adapt and surmount these challenges. How?

Read on…

Passion and Love 

Passion is an intense, but temporary, desire. Love is a deep, long-lasting feeling of affection and attachment. 

To make great art, or be a bag designer, you need both. 

Inspiration is the brief, passionate thrill you feel when a new idea takes hold of you. Love is the affection that motivates you to bring that idea to life and do your best work. 

Notice how most fashion and accessories in retail stores look similar? Those designs are manufactured for profit. They’re the result of marketing studies and sales projections. 

Great designs, as we discussed, transmit emotion. A designer must feel that emotion first in order to convey it. Love and passion for one’s work often leads the best designers to start their own brands, so they can commit to the creative process, instead of working for large companies and investors. 

Supporting these small, independent brands helps diversify the industry and encourage the production of unique, love-driven work—and, of course, beautiful leather handbags! 

Innovation

Inspiration has found you. You’re motivated to create. You’re passionate about your idea and love your work. 

The stage is set to innovate! 

But what is innovation? It’s the introduction of a new idea, thing, or method. In other words, it’s originality. 

The bad news is that originality is the hardest quality to achieve in art, business, and life. In the world of fashion, especially, trends are evolving faster than ever. 

The good news is that great designers don’t let the speed of change frighten them. Rapid change, they know, offers even more opportunities to introduce new designs and concepts. 

As we write this, the Corona virus is reshaping fashion as designers look for ways to create stylish, protective garments that can be worn comfortably every day. 

Global pandemics aside, the opportunity to innovate presents itself all the time. Even classic designs that have been around for decades can be improved by introducing new fabrics and materials or improving their function and performance. 

That, in fact, is what we do at Nantív. We’re continually inspired to create handbags we love and are passionate about. We innovate on timeless classics by studying women’s body movements and lifestyles to make beautiful, more functional, handbags. 

Visit our online store to see our current collection of...ahem...masterpieces. 

Love and flow, 

Nantív

• Text taken from Nantív