Only recently has the existence of something called the handbag hook come to my attention. As the name suggests, the handbag hook is a hook for your handbag. You can carry it around with you and slip it onto the table at bars, restaurants and other places with tables and floors of unknown cleanliness to protect your handbag from dirt and damage. Not to mention it makes life a lot easier - your bag is literally right in front of you.

If you browse around your local shops, there are plenty of specialty and gift stores who sell variations of the handbag hook. There is also a heap of sites, including one local site that specialises in them, Hooked on Accessories.

This site is actually really cute - I love the vintage look hooks here, and the crystal hooks should appeal to anyone who loves bling.

If only I had discovered these ingenious “handbag hooks” before I systematically ruined my Balenciaga city bag over the course of two years.

Image from Silvias Shop

By Caroline Warnes