How to Dress Up a Handbag for Prom

Learn how to make a hand bag for prom with 2 great DIY fashion projects you can make at home, courtesy of ELLE Girl. Save money on your prom outfit with a personalized creation of your own.

The first bag is a black satin clutch you can adorn as you like; the second is a studded chain purse for a rocker edge.

Steps

Purse 1 - Classic Clutch

  1. To create a simple yet stylish black satin clutch, inspired by the over-embellished designs of Vera Wang, look for some second-hand simple and basic clutches. You can find a large variety at second-hand stores, vintage boutiques and even Goodwill and Salvation Army shops. Look for smooth fabrics which you can use glue and adornments on, and aim for a sturdy silhouette.
  2. You may want to dry-clean your purse first, or, depending on the fabric and materials it is made of, clean it with a moist cloth. Leather clutches can be cleaned with a special cream intended to revive and brighten leather, while knit materials may need to be cleaned off with a lint-roller first, to remove excess fibers, threads, pilling and strays.
  3. For the embellishments, look for large beads, faux gems, buttons and rhinestones at your local crafts or hobby shop, or even better, score some old junk jewelry or costume pieces at a neighborhood garage sale.
  4. Choose a smooth area of your bag to adorn, and begin placing the embellishments, one at a time.
  5. To adhere the embellishments, spread a thin layer of fabric glue both on the piece you wish to adhere, and on the clutch's fabric, then press together in order to set, and let dry.
  6. Start with the center piece, making sure not to put on too much glue.
  7. Glue the remainder of your pieces to the clutch.
  8. Optional: for extra flair, you can use metallic fabric paint as well, for finer details.
  9. Let everything dry overnight before taking your new purse out for a test-drive.

Purse 2 - Rock Star Chain Purse

  1. To create a chic chain purse with a heavy metal edge, look for an old bag or purse with a sturdy build, that could handle the additional weight of studs and metal adornments.
  2. Buy metallic studs from your local hobby store, or even coins, to use for embellishing the bag.
  3. Find your center in order to begin placing the studs.
  4. Fill in your rows of studs, and glue with fabric glue or glue intended for metals.
  5. After you finish the rows of studs and these have dried, you can trade the purse's existing cord for a sleek metal or chain-mail version.
  6. Begin by cutting the cord in half using strong fabric scissors, and then threading the cord through the new metal chain on each side. Set to desired length, and double-knot for security. Cut off the excess cord and seal each knot with superglue.

Tips

Warnings

Things You'll Need

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