How To: Wear & Care for Patent Leather

--By Kim Moshtaghi

Orla Kiely Patent Leather Bag
$325.00 (was $452-- save 28%!)
Available at: edressme.com

Patent leather has always been eye catching to me because of its obvious shine and formal look. Although patent leather can look cheap, the key is to wear it with other small accessories. It looks good when you can find dainty patent leather shoes and pair them with a matching belt and purse.

Besides wearing patent leather correctly, the next dilemma seems to be how to take care of it. The best way to maintain the shine on patent leather is to clean it with a damp cloth, using a mild soap. I recommend cleaning the item after using it to keep it from getting marked or scuffed up. To get out scuff marks it’s best to use a professional patent leather cleaner that can be purchased at the store. Also, shoe/handbag repair stores usually have the best products to remove bad scuff marks.

I found three beautiful patent leather items that would look great together without looking tasteless and overwhelming. All three items would look great as an accent to one another or as part of an outfit.

Tory Burch "Miller" Thong
$195.00
Available at: nordstrom.com

The first item is a unique patent leather purse by Orla Kiely. She’s known for her bold color combinations, and this is a perfect handbag to show off her expertise! This handbag is a two toned blue color with white. I love the colors she chose-- they flow so smoothly. I think the style of the handbag is lovely because it looks so classy, and at the same time it is a very spacious bag. The Tonal Patent Leather Vintage Bag by Orla Kiely is on sale for $325-- great for a timeless handbag.

Next on my patent leather list are some rockin’ Tory Burch white patent leather ‘Miller’ logo shoes. These thongs are so hot, and they would great along with the Orla Kiely handbag. Not only would they look nice with a maxi dress, short dress or some shorts, but they are also one of the few sandals that are night time appropriate. Trust me, it’s soothing to know that you don’t have to feel uncomfortable wearing sandals at a dinner party. There’s nothing like feeling confident and comfy in some sexy flats.

Lastly, there is the fun white patent Lauren by Ralph Lauren belt that will go with the purse and the Tory Burch thongs, or solo to show the shine off! This is a polished, sassy looking belt that compliments most wardrobes. Go on and be the shiny diva of the night, combine all three items or flaunt them individually as an unforgettably sexy accent piece.
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Kim Moshtaghi is a contributing writer for Adventures in the Stiletto Jungle. Born in Germany, Kim is currently based in sunny Del Mar, California, where she also serves as Stiletto Jungle's Director of Sales and Promotions. Kim has a communications degree, a third degree black belt, and a totally covetable Gucci handbag collection.