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Clutches, oh my! With photo update

unfrumped

Veteran

Just looking at clutches for evening is a head-banger, but fun. To me it's not just the look but the weight, feel, size, inner size which can be deceptive, snag-ability on your clothes. Also don't like these oversized clasps sticking up on some.

I re-posted photo of an option that's also on my gala thread, but some might find it not blingy enough or even consider it for daytime ( I might, but only for church or wedding, not "work"). Since my dress may be very simple, I might be able to use something more ornate or colorful but I haven't hit upon it yet. Also it's probably as large as I would go, and maybe should have something even more petite to leave no question that it's not a working-type clutch.The jeweled tiny box purses I think are still trending well but I prefer a more supple bag to the hard box. I struggle with the very tiny purses (say 5 " or so) because I'm going solo to this event (no DH along) so will have keys, phone, and reading glasses, lipstick. Just don't fit in too teeny purse! Something 7-9 " long and not so flat it won't stay closed, is better. I am drawn more to leathers that might be gilded or somehow dressy than to using the purse as a "jewel".

I'm not so much finding over the years that I can use the same evening clutch with every outfit, although for some of my early years I managed with a jet-black suede clutch with a gold clasp. The good thing is that I can cycle that one into sort of date-night or for daytime dressing if I want to embrace the clutch trend more fully for more casual events.

Then I had several chosen to go with certain outfits and haven't found them as versatile, nor now maybe upscale enough in middle age. Maybe I've made poor choices (should have started with the Chanel!) or the problems of if outfit is shiny, want purse to be different, vice versa, gold or gold tones vs. silver, that whole thing. Also I have several 'vintage" from my mother that I really hoped I might use one day as possibly classic, but they're not fitting in with my outfits. Clearly I am falling right in line as to where the retailers want me!

Have you managed with just the one or 2 basic evening clutches, or have you found yourself collecting a wardrobe of them? Terrible CPW when I have several boxed up and not being used, but saved for "maybe". Partly, I think, because my evening wear is variable over the years and I have not been able to keep a "uniform" that always goes with the same accessories. And do you prefer inexpensive versions you can toss aside after a time or 2, or investment clutches to last for years?

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22 replies

Latest reply was from unfrumped

Louise

Veteran

I have several clutch bags but the 2 i use the most are like this http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Fait.....uhb=1Ihave 1 in black and 1 in cream and I find they go with everything. I also have a hot pink one that gets a fair bit of use x

Aida

Veteran

Ahh evening wear is my biggest wardrobe hole (everything about it). I have a cream and a black clutch that were for proper evening use (pretty rare for me), both simple and patent and small. I haven't worn either in a loooong time, and as they aren't anything special or even real leather I've had them in my "to donate" bag for quite a while now. For evening events where I would have used one of them, I've just been giving my husband a very slim wallet to hold for me, and I hold nothing. Works well enough for me

Recently I purchased a daytime clutch that would work in "nice" but not "formal" evening events, and my mom also recently gave me a lovely sequined vintage clutch that WOULD work for formal events... but the colors are cool and I usually wear warm. If an event came up, I would probably opt for something inexpensive simply because I know it wouldn't get a lot of wear, and I'd probably want something different every couple years anyway. Now daytime clutches, those I would love to get more of...

(Also just remembered that I have a sparkly fuchsia clutch which I haven't worn for anything except a costume once, I should pull that out and see if it's worth wearing.)

Jenava

(website)

Veteran

I have a a small cross-body evening bag that hangs on a long black chain. It's black and metal - sort of chain-mail looking. I chose this because I like to be hands free for a cocktail party and dislike setting my bag down somewhere where I might forget it. The chain is pretty minimal, but it still isn't ideal because it can interfere with "le ensemble." I also have a small beaded bag but it doesn't go well with my evening things (such as they are - mostly brights and black; the bag is teal and brown).

What jewelry will you wear? I would get some sort of theme/meme/style vibe going and then select a bag that goes with that. In the above, this is playing on a kind of slick, 80's vibe. Not sure that plays well with your shoes and the chunky heel? Maybe go for a kate spade style theme? Kind of fun and feminine with bright jolts of color, but also very classic? You could go with a white bag with black beaded dots, for instance...Or you could go with a more goth/romantic theme and do something in a jewel-tone satin with a black lace overlay or velvet? Or go with an asian theme and do a red satin chinese embroidered bag...You get the idea...it depends on your jewelry, as well.

since your dress and shoes are black, I think I'd try to add lots of color and texture with the accessories.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Evening wear is a total hole for me, too; I own next to none. A LBD, a pair of patent pumps, a couple of sparkly (yet very casual) tanks, and a bronze skirt that I can dress up or down (theoretically) but that isn't true evening wear; one lace top that I can wear with a black skirt and jacket. Some costume jewelry.

As for clutches, I have four, all vintage, but NOT high quality, and all gifts from my mother and my mother-in-law.

My mother-in-law's dates from maybe the early fifties. It's a tiny black silk handbag, really, with a sparkly clasp. It is cute and very retro, and has a bit of capacity. I have found it quite useful over the years, but it doesn't make any kind of statement.

My mom gave me three: a simple gold one from the 60s, very clean lines (it looks quite current); a silvery lamé one with a chain handle (optional) that also looks surprisingly au courant, and a seed "pearl" one (not real pearls). I use both the silver and gold occasionally but have never used the little pearl one, maybe because it is the smallest of the lot and just feels sort of useless to me.

I'd love to get a bigger leather daytime clutch with an optional crossbody strap. I would use it for less formal evenings, too. When it comes to true evening wear, however, I think what you buy should depend on your budget, your personal priorities, and how much use you are likely to get from the item. Speaking for myself, my (rare) evening events are in the company of people who are likely to dress high/low. So nobody would expect me to have a status bag in my hand, or real jewelry, or anything. As long as I have made the effort to "dress up" and look festive, that's all that is required. But if I were regularly attending charity balls and the like with truly wealthy people, I would make a greater effort to create a genuine "evening" capsule with higher quality items.

bj1111

Veteran

this is not a fave. honestly, looks a bit cheap. i liked several options on the bcbg link shiny provided depending on the vibe. i also think small clutches on a mature woman esp if she is no longer girlishly slim to be a bit twee. of course you may be thin as a whip, so you'll have to filter this advice. generally, i like accessories to scale with body habitus and age. so in this link...

http://www.shopstyle.com/brows.....-MAX-AZRIA

i love the structure of the box clutches, especially the red lucite, the black joni minaudiere, the jett hexagon, the tortois callie and the thea box in a teal reptile print.

i also love reptile for evening, but with a smaller scale pattern than for day esp the croc embossed clutch, the claudette croc embossed in burgundy(!) , the ingrid croc embossed, and any of the harlow envelope reptile prints. the bonus with the harlow is the structue and shape is particularly modern.

anyway, just my two cents.

unfrumped

Veteran

Louise, sometimes I think I could have a similar trio of metals/ color and call it my evening bag capsule. Then like Aida I figure I will end up wanting something new as time goes by.

Jenava, you have also got me thinking about more punch or edge, as did shiny.
I will post another photo tomorrow of a necklace that is sparkly but not colorful . If I wear that, it would be great to have a bag with unexpected pattern or color. Chinese red and purple. Dots! The necklace could be too sedate to go with an edgy bag, or is that the point?
bj, after looking at more bags I began rethinking my jewel- box issue. The MAXAZARIA bags you and shiny have linked have a lot of style. I wish I could play with them IRL. I like several of the Harlows and maybe the Evelyn. I love reptile , but if I do a black and diamond( faux of course) necklace, I'm starting to crave some hot color. Not keen on satin, but the red Harlow would pop. I have a lace over metallic small box bag that mixes gold, silver and black-- not color, per se but does give pattern/contrast. Photo to follow. More twee than the envelopes and more predictable though.
Suz, one of my mom- vintage bags is also a small seed pearl zip bag!

Jenava

(website)

Veteran

Since your dress and shoes will be straight-forward I think you can go all the way with the accessories. Sparkle could lean towards a Hollywood glam theme - maybe a lucite bag? Yeah, prob not practical, but how about metallic and very shiny?

bj1111

Veteran

the harlow red satin looks so fab. simple yet luxe.

satin is a must see item, it can look cheap irl.

Louise

Veteran

Unfrumped, I never thought of it as a capsule but you are so right x

unfrumped

Veteran

Oh how I need to be saved from frumpdom and twee-ness! (Not twee due to size differential, but more to style.) It's like I start of saying, yeah, this looks good, then I begin to see, oh wait, this is too safe, too staid, oh wait, this is more like it, oh...
I just do not have that natural ability to pick the right thing first time out of the gate. But I think I am coming closer to recognizing something that clicks when I finally lumber into it.

First is just a fab clutch IMO, a DVF red snake color block, though maybe I'm off? Pricey though, unless one would wear it regularly for other occasions.

Next, see black dress with a jet and rhinestone necklace and a lace/metallic box bag I have had for several years (not worn--bought for the imaginary life capsule!). At first I really liked this because I was trying to amp up the dressiness for the occasion, I am determined to have bling or sparkle but was open to a variety of ways to do it.
I don't have pierced ears, and I have exactly one pair of clip-ons that I would venture to wear to this event (meaning, I sometimes wear clip-ons for fun for church, dinner out, movies and the like but it's really hard for clip-ons to add to the luxury look) , but then it is harder to wear a great necklace, so I think necklace is better.

Next, not showing very well, is a WHBM necklace with sparkle beads in shades of beige, pewter and almost clear. I picked it up on sale because I love the not-pure sparkle and mixing natural tones with black and so it was "I will find a way to work this in somewhere". I had not intended it for the most dressy of events.

But, when combined with the dress and chunky pump, I think it really creates some kind of outfit integrity that is better than the delicate rhinestone-y thing. Like Jenava said. I can't really explain it and it doesn't even show up well in a photo but something about the cut of the dress, the fact that it's not the dressiest even though is a LBD, and somehow I'm thinking, think of the total outfit and not just, ooh, for a gala I need a very dressy necklace and bag. The chunkier stones look more modern even though less run-way. Admittedly, there is probably a more perfect blending of dressy and modern out there, but I'm leaning toward going with the gut feeling of what looks to me like a more uptodate look than whether it screams super dressy.

I also found a small clutch in the same type of fabric as the rectangular black clutch but is a different color--a sort of pewter with rose and/or bronze undertones. It is not the fabbest one for this outfit, but I may keep it on hand due to the unusual but neutral color which contrasts with a lot of things. The black one goes back for sure.
Not sure if I can or will express ship a couple of fabber bags to try out.

Hang on-- a couple of my photos are sideways so I will re-orient them.

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unfrumped

Veteran

#1 is LBD with jet and rhinestone necklace and fancy box bag. #2 closeup of the accessories. #3 is jacket and skirt--I would replace the rhinestone closure for a neutral frog of some kind. I think it looks okay but is definitely a more mother-of the-bride kind of jacket, but a good color and good coverage for chilly times, and so I think I will keep it but use for other occasions and be thinking of how to accessorize it to be more modern and edgy than so sedate. # 4 is the WHBM necklace that seems to fit the style of the dress better though is less dressy and since is pretty neutral, leaves the clutch options wide open. It does have a good sparkle effect in the light.

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Gaylene

Veteran

The first picture is a lovely cocktail/theatre look for an older woman. It is simple and sophisticated. I'm not as fond of the second outfit (picture #3) because it does tend to remind me of that "mother-of-the?" look that is pitched to so many older women as "dressy". I think that top could work, though, if it was paired with a skinny, cropped velvet pant or a sexy, long, straight skirt with a slit up the side--anything that a "mother" WOULDN'T be likely to wear on the bottom half!

Transcona Shannon

Veteran

I am totally on Team Clutch these days - I have a grey faux snakeskin larger one, a pearl encrusted vintage one, a red leather snakeskin one (smaller size), my new red/animal print one, my yellow/cobalt leather one - and would love to have more!

modgrl

(website)

Veteran

I like the gold lace one, it seems the most festive of the 3.

catgirl

Veteran

I agree with Gaylene's assessment. Impressed that you're putting together outfits already!

unfrumped

Veteran

Gaylene, I hear you! The jacket has to go in the separates capsule waiting for its perfect partner. I think it can go with a variety of pants which is why I am viewing it as one of those reserve items.

alaskagirl, what do you think about more edgy vs more predictable? I am torn between the safe look in #1 and something more mod. So many accessory options (well, in theory, but maybe not by Saturday!) , so little time to figure them out!

modgrl, thank you. The gold/black/silver combo caught my eye at TJMaxx a couple of years ago because I am always on the fence about what metallic I'm going to use!

Shannon, you are the queen of clutches! Evening bags are kind of hard for me thought because it is less likely they will translate, except for outings with DH when I don't have to carry much if I don't want to.

Thanks for all the feedback!

Jenava

(website)

Veteran

Oh, I LOVE that DVH bag! that would look so awesome with those heels. And a pair of diamond patterned sheer black hose, maybe a chrome collar necklace...But maybe not as formal is something with lace, velvet or sequins. Personally i love it, though.

The lace bag is nice and very appropriate. And I like the necklace with it. I think this outfit with a pair of sheer black or lace hosiery would be lovely. I can't see the photo of the other necklace, but I like the sound of it...I would like to see more of a statement necklace with the dress...and the black might get lost in the black background of the dress.

bj1111

Veteran

chant with me...dvf, dvf, dvf

you will wear this clutch all the time, my crystal ball tells me.

unfrumped

Veteran

Bad bj, bad.

It's on sale for a mere $350 or so. I am almost crazy enough to buy it. However, my problemo is not "just" the $$ and the fact that I may not use such a small clutch much for practical reasons; it's almost more that my wardrobe colors are not skewed toward these colors on a regular basis. (Hmm, might have to rethink that!).

I'm having fun being surprised at how luscious it looks to my eye when I've not been a "bag lady" nor especially a clutch lady. Soemthing about the richness of the colors, as appear on the monitor, anyway. Gala frenzy!

annagybe

(website)

Veteran

One of my most used evening clutches is white leather.

Mine's by LAMB but this is a similar vibe

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B007E.....=579704064

Gaylene

Veteran

Unless you are a true bag lover, I'd put the $$$ on a fabulous piece of jewelry to dress up a LBD. But take this with a grain of salt because, while I love to look at evening bags, I stick to my workhorse 40-year-old black beaded clutch that comes into play once or twice a year. I find that going for a higher end piece of jewelry, though, gives me more bang for my buck. I love my Alex Bittar pieces that I bought at Nordies. Bags can fall apart but jewelry lasts forever.

unfrumped

Veteran

Gaylene, in this case you are right. I toyed with the bag because I was trying to think, do I spend just as much on 4 or 5 so-so bags when this would be The One? Say, it it were my signature dress-up clutch for several years. So I could if I really wanted to, I guess. It just isn't the right place to put my fashion $, though. Now, if I found something like killer black velvet jacket that I'd dress up or down, or the Perfect Black Pants, that would be different.