Timeless Style: Refurbishing My 1994 Louis Vuitton Monogram Speedy 30; Plus My Brown Cardigan, Ruffle Shirt, and Khaki Pants OOTD / Classic Fashion Over 50

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(ABOVE) The Louis Vuitton Monogram Speedy 30 is perfect for pairing with chocolate brown clothing and accessories.


For YouTube Video & Outfit/Makeup Details Scroll to Bottom of Page

(NOTE: Some links that I provide in this post are affiliate links, which means if you follow that link and make a purchase I may possibly earn a small commission, at no extra cost to you. More information here.

October 19, 2024 / Video Post Notes

MY BELOVED LOUIS VUITTON SPEEDY 30, PLUS OOTD

My Louis Vuitton Monogram Speedy 30

The Louis Vuitton Monogram Speedy 30 was the first luxury item I ever thought about wanting to buy.  My mother had carried the bag for years, and I loved everything about it. The honey-colored leather top handles, the wipeable and richly printed chocolate coated canvas, and the bottomless size. (You can squeeze a chunky cardigan and small umbrella into it.)

I was 34 when I felt financially stable enough to make such a major purchase. In fact, I was so excited to purchase my Louis Vuitton Monogram Speedy 30 handbag that I did not notice the rolled-leather top handles on my mother’s Speedy 30 were not sandy-colored untreated cowhide, like mine. Instead, they were a honey-colored treated leather that looked more similar to a lighter version of the dark-brown shoulder straps on the Louis Vuitton Damier Ebene Neverfull.

Looking back, I can’t quite believe 30 years have passed since I acquired my Speedy. It was the fall of 1994, and Louis Vuitton had just opened a tiny boutique inside our Saks Fifth Avenue at Waterside Shops. My mother came with me, and I paid $500 for the handbag and $80 for a separate leather shoulder strap (plus Florida tax).

I was not given a Louis Vuitton dust bag or box at the time (probably because I did not know they were available, so I didn’t ask); but I loved that bag and carried it with me everywhere for the next six years. I carried it to work during the week, and on dates in the evening. I carried it while running errands and while shopping for groceries, and  I was not careful with it whatsoever. I tossed it onto the back seats of cars and SUVs. I placed it on the floors of restaurants, under my chair. I even carried it on rainy days. Then, every evening when I was finished using it, not knowing what could happen if it wasn’t regularly stuffed, I would leave it–unstuffed–folded in on itself anywhere I could find an empty spot.

Years of Wear Beginning To Show

I cringe when I think about all of it, because I now know what caused the leather to spot and discolor the way it did, and the brass to lose its luster, look scratched and pitted and, eventually, to get verdigris wherever it touched the moisture-loving leather.

I was luckier than my mother, because the coated canvas on her bag eventually cracked where it kept folding in on itself. Once that happened, I began stuffing my bag whenever I wasn’t using it. Eventually, I started using a felt insert to help give my Speedy shape, maintain its shape, and also to protect the interior from getting any more stains. (The interior fabric, along with the outer coated canvas, was not replaced and therefore is original to the 1994 bag.)

Should I Buy A New Speedy 30?

By the 2000s, my bag was in such dire condition that I no longer carried it every day. (Scroll down the page for closeups of what my former bag looked like.) I didn’t know then that Louis Vuitton could refurbish my bag. However, once I did learn about the service (in about 2016-1017), I went to my local Louis Vuitton boutique and enquired about it. At that time, Louis Vuitton had a set price structure: $60 to replace the brass rivets, $90 to replace the top zipper, and $300 to replace the four square top-handle rings (total of $450). To replace the leather, the price was $595. Adding it all up, that meant $1,045 to replace both the leather and hardware. Considering a new Speedy 30 at that time retailed for $970, it made more sense to purchase a brand-new bag. Now I was even more unsure of what I wanted to do. Should I replace just the leather? Just the hardware? Or, should I buy a new bag? Since I could not seem to make a decision, I did what came most naturally to me: I procrastinated for another three years.

It was not until 2020–during the pandemic–that I finally decided I wanted to keep my original Speedy 30 and have it refurbished. I still don’t know what possessed me to do it then, but with mask on face I marched into our local Louis Vuitton to finally get my Speedy fixed. However,  now Louis Vuitton no longer gave in-person verbal quotes at stores –everything was done on line.

Back home, on line, I was directed to submit multiple detailed photographs of my Speedy 30, inside and out, and also to explain what I wanted accomplished. I requested that they replace the zipper and all of the leather, inside and out, and to clean/remove the verdigris substance from the brass hardware. Eventually (I don’t remember how long this took), I received an email with a quote of $720.

Nicely stuffed and tucked inside a Louis Vuitton dust bag I had acquired several years earlier, I sent my bag off to Louis Vuitton in France (they provided a postage-paid label but not a shipping box). When my bag returned a month or two later, it was folded flat (even though I had included written instructions requesting that they keep it stuffed); there was a strange, unremovable white cast all over the brown monogram canvas; and the leather had not been replaced inside the bag. However, I was happy to see the brass had all been replaced, rather than just cleaned. I called Louis Vuitton to explain my issues, so they emailed me another postage-paid label, and I sent my bag back to them again.

My Newly Refurbished Speedy 30

About another month later, it came back to me in a brand-new dust bag, the white cast had been removed, and the leather, zipper, and hardware had been replaced. What’s more, the final charge was $660 (plus tax), rather than $720. I presume the deduction in price was due to the errors and inconvenience of having to send it to Louis Vuitton twice, but I really do not know.

In total, the process took about three months, and even with the initial setbacks I am thrilled with the final results and very much recommend the service. I decided to also apply Apple Garde to all of the bag’s leather surfaces. Scroll down the page to that section of this post if you want more details.

Would I Buy The Speedy 30 Again?

Would I recommend the Speedy 30 today? Yes. Would I recommend it as your only daytime handbag? Yes again–but only if you wear mostly brown leather accessories and your style is casual. Do I recommend the Louis Vuitton Monogram Speedy refurbishing service? Yes. Was it a good first luxury purchase for me? Yes. Do I still love this bag? Yes.

My Chocolate-Brown OOTD

On this particular day, I purposely planned my khaki-pants outfit around carrying my Speedy 30. I enjoy bringing out chocolate-brown clothing and accessories at this time of year in Florida. Our weather is still warm, but I at least feel a little bit more like fall, because of my color choices.

For more details and photographs, simply scroll down the page.

Thank you so much for visiting my blog. Wishing you a lovely weekend.

~ Janis

Janis Lyn Johnson
Classic-Style Lover. Happily Married. Born in 1960. Fan of Understated, Timeless Fashion and Healthy Living.
Editor
JLJ Back To Classic

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Scenes From The Video

What I Wore

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(ABOVE, CLOCKWISE LEFT TO RIGHT) Brown Cashmere Cardigan; Cotton Ruffle-Neck Shirt (JLJNOV, 10% off for new buyers, valid Nov. 1-30, 2024; BFJLJ, Buy 3 items, get 20% off, valid November 1-6, 2024); Brown Cable-Knit Cardigan; Gold-Bridge Tortoise Sunglasses; Brown Suede Kitten-Heel Slingbacks (JANIS10 for 10% off your first purchase; more colors available; Stretch-Cotton Chinos; Louis Vuitton Monogram Speedy 30 (purchased at Saks Naples in 1994).

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Leather Skinny Belt,  Brown

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Light Brown Scrunchie

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Gold-Bridge Sunglasses, Tortoise

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Gingiberi 18k Gold, Diamonds, and Pearl Rainline Earrings (JLJ15 for 15% off)

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Gingiberi 18k Gold and Pearls Station Necklace (JLJ15 for 15% off)

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David Yurman Crossover Bracelet, 18k Gold and Natural Diamonds

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Roberto Coin Bangle, 18k Gold and Natural Diamonds

christian dior miss dior eau de parfum, .7 oz roller pearl

Christian Dior Miss Dior Perfume (also Bloomingdale’sSaksNeiman MarcusNordstrom)

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Boucheron-Quatre-Classique-Large-18k-Yellow-White-Rose-Gold-Ring

Boucheron Quatre Large, 18K Gold and Diamond Ring (preloved Fashionphile)

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 Cartier 18k Gold Tank Watch, Small (preloved, Fashionphile)

seiko classic tank watch, black leather strap

Seiko Classic Tank Watch

 

My Handbag & What’s Inside

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(ABOVE, CLOCKWISE LEFT TO RIGHT) LV Monogram Speedy 30 ; LV Kirigami Monogram Bag Charm and Key Holder; LV Monogram Cosmetic Pouch; LV Monogram Mini Pochette; Glass Perfume/Hand Sanitizer Spray Bottle; ZuZu Luxe Lipstick, Golden Bronze; ZuZu Luxe Lip Gloss, Crystal/Clear; LV Monogram Recto Verso Card Holder; LV Monogram Key Pouch; Gold Double-Bridge Tortoise Sunglasses.

black faux pebbled leather tissue pouch for purse

Faux Pebbled-Leather Tissue Pouch for Purse (more colors here)

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Chanel Dual-Sided Mirror with Pouch (pouch not shown in this photo)

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Retractable Dual-Ended Lip Brush

20-pack glass 10ml refillable spray bottle

10 ML Glass Hand Sanitizer/Perfume Spray Bottle (I put hand sanitizer in one of these bottles for my purse)

My Refurbished 1994 Louis Vuitton Monogram Speedy 30

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(ABOVE) I purchased my Louis Vuitton Monogram Speedy 30 at Saks Fifth Avenue, Naples, Florida, in the fall of 1994. By the 2000’s, unfortunately, it was in dire shape. The monogram canvas still looked brand new, but all of the brass had scratched and tarnished; and the leather was discolored and spotted. Also, wherever the leather touched the brass hardware, both the leather and hardware were covered in a gooey verdigris substance. In 2020, during the pandemic, I decided to send it to Louis Vuitton for refurbishment, and I am so happy with the results. They replaced the leather and hardware, inside and out. They also gave me two new zippers (top zipper and interior pocket zipper). The total cost charged by Louis Vuitton for this service was $660 plus tax. This was during the pandemic, so perhaps that is why there were several hiccups during the three-month process–I had to send my bag back to them again. However, all was remedied in the end and I am quite happy with the results. For more details on what happened, watch my video at the end of the blog post.

P.S. After receiving the newly refurbished bag, I applied Apple Garde to all of the leather surfaces. I did this to protect the stain-prone leather from getting water and grease spots.  Although directions say to spray the surface, I sprayed a white cotton cloth and wiped all of the leather parts with it, soaking all the leather well. Then I let it dry for about half an hour and repeated this step. This was four years ago, and I am still very happy with how the bag looks.

P.S.S. I now always carry my Speedy 30 with a Felt Insert (see photograph below). I do this to protect the interior of the bag, to give shape to the bag, and to maintain the shape of the bag. Most importantly, I use an insert to keep the canvas from folding over on itself and potentially cracking at a fold, like my mother’s Speedy 30 bag. I also stuff it whenever I am not using it.

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Apple Garden Rain/Stain Repellant (I applied this to leather on my Speedy 30)

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Felt Insert For Speedy 30

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(ABOVE & BELOW) Purchased in 1994, my Louis Vuitton Monogram Speedy 30 had many issues by the 2000’s.  Here, you can see two of the photographs I sent to Louis Vuitton in the winter of 2020, which clearly showed the problem areas. The monogram canvas still looked brand new, but all of the brass had scratched and tarnished; and the leather was discolored and spotted. Also, wherever the leather touched the brass hardware, both the leather and hardware were covered in a gooey verdigris substance. 

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(ABOVE) My Louis Vuitton Speedy 30 in 2020 and (BELOW) in October 2017.

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My Makeup & Jewelry

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(ABOVE & BELOW) I have been wanting a less expensive version of the It Cosmetics Dual-Sided Brush I’ve seen in ads, and I am so happy to have finally found one. This Dual-Sided Makeup Brush is much less expensive and works beautifully. I have very sensitive skin and even the gentlest brushes can cause my face and neck to turn red and inflamed when I use them to apply my makeup. This one is so gentle; my skin loves it. I definitely recommend this brush. I use it to apply my foundation. It works with both powders or creams/liquids.

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Dual-Sided Makeup Brush

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It Cosmetics Dual-Sided Brush

classic-clean-beauty-over-60-zuzu-luxe-lipstick-janis-lyn-johnson

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Gold-Bridge Sunglasses, Tortoise

gingiberi-18k-gold-and-diamond-pearl-drop-earrings-2

Gingiberi 18k Gold, Diamonds, and Pearl Rainline Earrings (JLJ15 for 15% off)

gingiberi-starry-night-18k-gold-pearl-station-necklace

Gingiberi 18k Gold and Pearls Station Necklace (JLJ15 for 15% off)

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ZuZu Luxe Lipstick, Golden Bronze (also here)

zuzu-luxe-lip-gloss-crystal

ZuZu Luxe Lip Gloss, Crystal Clear (also here)

gabriel dual powder fundation, bamboo, a light to medium beige:neutral undertones

Gabriel Powder Foundation, Bamboo (also here)

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Dual-Sided Makeup Brush

Classic-Beauty-Over-40-Gabriel-Apricot-Powder-Blush

Gabriel Powder Blush, Apricot (on bridge of nose, cheeks, chin, forehead; also here)

lylpro-gold-dual-ended-retractable-lip-brush-jljbacktoclassic

Gold Dual-Ended Retractable Lip Brush (for lining and filling-in lips with lip color)

RMS-Beauty-Un-Powder-No-Color

RMS Beauty Unpowder Powder (applied to eyelids before shadow or liner as primer; also QVCAmazon)

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Honest Beauty Get It Together Eyeshadow Palette (applied 3 brown shades from palette’s lower left corner; also UltaTarget)

Zoreya 13-piece pink makeup brush, sponge set with faux leather case

Makeup Brushes/Sponge/Case (to apply my face, eye, and cheek makeup)

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Pacifica Mascara, Black/Supernova

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Set of Four Portable Eyelash Combs, Pink (to comb out mascara)

 Vaseline-Original-Triple-Purified-100-Percent-Pure-Petroleum-Jelly-Clean-Beauty

Vaseline Triple Purified, 100% Pure Petroleum Jelly  (applied to cheeks and cheekbones as highlighter; also Target)

set-of-6-one-ounce-glass-jars-white-lids

1-Ounce Glass Jars (set of 6, for storing Petroleum Jelly, Shea Butter, etc.)

HAIR OIL Aura Cacia Organic Argan Oil

Organic Argal Oil (EWG-rated well/low toxicity/low allergies)


 

YouTube Video

(ABOVE) If you are seeing this message, then I have published the video and it should be appearing above. However, if for some reason the video isn’t appearing above–and you have refreshed your page and cleared your cache–you also can view the video at my JLJ Back To Classic Channel on YouTube.

By |2024-11-01T03:17:16-04:00October 19th, 2024|What I Wore|2 Comments

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About the Author:

Janis Lyn Johnson is a happily married, 1960-born fan of timeless style and healthy living.

2 Comments

  1. Connie Murray October 19, 2024 at 1:34 pm - Reply

    My favorite part of the Louis Vuitton story was your solution to when deciding what to do was procrastinate for another 3 years. That would be my solution too!

    • janis johnson October 20, 2024 at 7:28 am - Reply

      Thank you for making me smile this morning, Connie. You are such a sweetheart😌💕 Also, thank you for reading my blog post🌸 ~ Janis

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