An anonymous emailer asks: I’ve got a leather shoulder bag that I use a lot. how should I be maintaining it? Does it need to be polished, too?
Generally speaking you won’t need to polish a bag – shiny isn’t the adjective you usually want attached to your luggage.
For the most part, care for a leather bag is simple. Once a year or so, clean it with some saddle soap. If you feel like it, or it seems to be drying, rub it down with a bit of leather conditioner. Be aware that this will likely darken the leather at least a little, but it’ll be in a nice way. Enjoy it.
If your bag scuffs, a bit of polish can help cover it, just remember that there’s no need to buff. If your bag gets damaged, a shoe repairman (who does purse repair) is the man to see.