How to Decorate Leather Bags

A simple leather bag is the perfect accessory to carry to school, work or out. However, if your bag seems a bit monotonous, there are a few decorations that can help bring the bag to life. Choose one (or several) DIY tips below to refresh your old leather bag.

Table of Contents

Metal chain

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Add some sparkle to the front of the bag with a metal chain. Find a gold or silver metal chain that attaches to the clasp of the leather bag. If your bag doesn’t have a clasp, you can hook the chain to the hardware of the strap. ^{[1] X Research Source}

This is the perfect way to repurpose an old or unused necklace.
If the bag has a detachable strap, remove the strap and thread the chain around the bag for a nice look.

Charm beads or tassels

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Attach a few 3D ornaments to hang on the outside of the bag. Choose charm beads and/or tassels in your favorite color or engraving. Hook a tassel or charm cord to the bag strap to dangle on the front of the bag for an eye-catching decoration. ^{[2] X Research Source}

If you have a tassel attached to your graduation cap, this is also a way to show off the school you attended.

Stickers

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Use stickers to give the bag a vintage look. Apply a thin layer of leather or suede glue to the back of the sticker. Press the sticker into the bag and wait for about 30 minutes for the glue to dry before using the bag. Paste 1-2 pictures if you want the bag to look elegant, or paste multiple pictures on the surface of the bag if you want the bag to stand out. ^{[3] X Research Sources}

You can find leather or suede glue at craft stores.
Glue is not easy to remove, so you should only use it when you want the sticker on the bag to be permanent.

Pins

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Combine decorations anytime you want. Pick up some pretty pins to attach to the leather bag. Attach the pins in a cluster for a sophisticated design, or attach them all over the bag for an eye-catching look. ^{[4] X Research Sources}

Pins will leave small holes in the bag, so you should not use this decoration on expensive bags.
Try going to a craft store or looking online for pins that you like.

Diamond imitation stone

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Glitter rhinestones all over the surface of the bag to make the bag stand out. Buy a jar of rhinestones glue and apply a thin layer to the areas where you want to attach the stones. Cover the top with rhinestones and rhinestones available at craft stores for a feminine look. ^{[5] X Research Sources}

Wait for the glue to dry for at least 1 hour before using the bag to prevent the crystals from falling off.
This is a fun way to decorate a bag if you don’t like a lot of colors or textures on the bag.
If you don’t want to put stones all over the surface of the bag, you can try decorating the bag with monograms at first.

Fabric

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Bring new life to the bag with patterns and drawings. Find a pattern you like and cut out a pattern or pattern of the fabric. Apply a layer of Mod Podge all-purpose glue to the surface of the bag, then carefully press the fabric on top. Cover the fabric with another layer of Mod Podge and wait for it to dry before taking the bag out. ^{[6] X Research Sources}

There are tons of interesting fabric patterns that you can find at craft stores. Find patterns that draw animals, angels or plants to make the bag more lively.
Mod Podge Multi-Purpose Glue is available at most craft or home supply stores.

Paint

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Decorate the bag with shapes, textures, even words! Use a paintbrush and acrylic paint to freely paint your patterns onto the bag. If you have a special idea, you can make a decorative mold out of cardboard and use a sponge to paint the surface of the bag. Stripes, polka dots or waves are simple and easy patterns to decorate the bag. ^{[7] X Research Sources}

Choose contrasting colors to make your drawing stand out. If your bag is black, choose white or basic colors. With brown leather bags, the red and black colors will be very popular.

Guitar Straps

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Give new life to an old leather bag strap. Cut out the bag strap and replace it with a patterned guitar strap. This works great with large bags, but it also gives a very cool rock and rpl look to small purses. ^{[8] X Research Sources}

If you don’t want to spend a lot of money, you can find used guitar straps at thrift stores.

Bib

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Choose a striking colorful scarf to add pops of color to the bag. Wrap the scarf tightly around the bag straps and let the top hang freely. Silk scarves are great, but cotton ones are good too! ^{[9] X Research Source}

Another advantage of this decoration is that you always have a scarf on hand when you need it.
You can also use a fun bandana if you have one!

Ribbon

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Cut out worn out straps and replace with ribbons. Choose a thick ribbon of your favorite color and cut off the bag straps. Tie the ribbon 2 times around the metal hook that attaches the bag strap and cut off the excess ribbon before taking the bag out. ^{[10] X Research Source}

If you want to make sure the bag straps don’t slip off, you can thread a needle through the knots a few times to keep them in place.
If you are afraid that the ribbon will bleed, you can use a paintbrush to apply super glue to the edges of the fabric at both ends of the ribbon.

Advice

Don’t forget that glue and paint can’t be removed! If you don’t want to change the bag permanently, you should choose decorations such as charm beads, tassels and scarves.

Steps