Custom Design

I didn’t get and invitation (lost in the mail somewhere, surely) to the 2010 Emmy Awards, so I’m just going to show you a life-size picture of the Alexander McQueen Crystal-Encrusted Skull Clutch and imagine it in my hand. Since my invitation never came, I was also forced to give back my Marchesa dress and let Heidi Klum wear it, but she didn’t have the clutch to pair with it. So, in that regard, I still win. Except that she’s Heidi Klum, and I’m a blogger who doesn’t actually own this clutch either, technically speaking.

Ok, so maybe I don’t win. Either way, you can keep up with our coverage of Emmy fashion and weigh in on your favorites (and least favorites, because that’s way more fun) over at BagThatStyle.com!

Buy through Alexander McQueen for $2215.

Original post by Amanda Mull

We usually feature bags from Lockheart over on PurseBlog Savvy because of the brand’s very reasonable price points, but sometimes a mid-range bag impresses us so much that it richly deserves to make the jump to and be considered alongside much more expensive bags. The Lockheart Priscilla Fanfare Shoulder Bag is clearly one such occasion.

Lockheart is a master of intricate texture at a reasonable price, and the Priscilla Fanfare bag fits perfectly into the brand’s aesthetic. The use of black allows the pleated, ribbon-accented leather to do all the aesthetic work for the design, and the finished product looks very much like something Valentino would think up. The only difference is that the Valentino version, were it to exist, wouldn’t cost $345.

Not only is the bag reasonably priced for the amount of detailed leather work that went into it, but it’s really two bags in one. The shoulder strap comes off to reveal a perfectly detailed clutch for nighttime use, and at a little over twelve inches wide, the bag is the optimal size for use as either a day or evening option. Black bags can be boring, but this one is anything but. I’m guessing that most women could find a place for this purse in their closets, particularly at such a reasonable price. Buy through Neiman Marcus for $345.

Original post by Amanda Mull

Sure, alligator or crocodile versions of the highly collectable Bottega Veneta Knot Clutches might be enough to satisfty the luxury lust for some people, but for those who want something a bit more unique, the Bottega Veneta Sterling Silver Knot Clutch is just the ticket.

The idea of a sterling silver box clutch is not exactly a new thing, but as far as I can tell, this is the first such iteration of the famous Knot. In classic Bottega Veneta style, it’s styled to look exactly like one of the brand’s intrecciato knot clutches, right down to the raised textured on some of the “woven” metal strips.

Carrying this bag would sort of function like carrying a giant piece of jewelry, although the townside that immediately comes to mind is the unfortunate eventuality of smudgy finger prints on the smooth, shiny metal. I’m already a compulsive glasses-cleaner (I have the little spray in my purse and everything, it’s bad), so I could see myself sitting in the corner of a party with my silver clutch, obsessively wiping it down over and over again with one of those little microfiber cloths. A brushed finish on this bag might have been a wiser choice, but I like the clutch as a showpiece. Buy through Net-a-Porter for $8200.

Original post by Amanda Mull

Chanel (and more recently, Marc Jacobs) has made an empire out of diamond quilting, but even for the most ardent fan of the Classic Flap bags, it can get a little repetitive. Still, quilting is one of the best and most versatile ways to add texture and detail to a handbag, and it shouldn’t be discounted just because so many others have done it in the past.

Alexander Wang has the right idea about how to make quilting unique with the Alexander Wang Isis Frame Clutch. The classic motif reminds me a bit of what another famous Alexander (McQueen) has done for Fall, but Wang keeps the colors dark and the details industrial in order to tie the look back into his brand’s style.

The results of Wang’s foray into quilted texture are great, if a bit expensive for his bags’ usual prices. The clutch is big enough to serve as a suitable shoulder bag with the included chain strap or go without as a hand-held, and either way would be great. The more ways a woman can work a textural, visually intriguing bag like this into her wardrobe, the better. Buy through ShopBop for $1050.

Original post by Amanda Mull

If someone were to tell me that they were going to design a bag based on an oversized jewelry box, that might sound like kind of a bad idea. Surprisingly (or not so surprisingly, depending on how much you follow the brand), Maison Martin Margiela was able to do so with a signature minimalist flair. The Maison Martin Margiela Jewelry Box Clutch might look like it’s supposed to hold a pair of very, very large diamond studs at first, but it’s really meant to hold your night-out necessities. Personally, I’d prefer the giant pair of earrings…

This little bag packs a lot of wit into a small package. The interior looks just like the cases that you get when you actually buy a piece of jewelry, as does the domed, sueded exterior. Not only that, but the design seems totally functional as well – it would hold anything that your average box clutch could contain. My initial reaction to this bag was somewhat dubious, but the more I looked at it, the more I warmed up.

Until, that is, I got around to reading the description of the materials. As it turns out, the exterior material isn’t real suede – it’s the same fake suede that covers actual jewelry boxes. Although that design choice perhaps scores another point for witty realism, if Margiela wanted to transform a jewelry box into a luxury handbag, the editorial decision to use real suede should have been made. With the fake stuff, the price just doesn’t seem justifiable. Buy through Net-a-Porter for $1375.

Original post by Amanda Mull

It’s not often that a bag review requires me to gather my personal technology and a ruler, but the Christian Louboutin Eden Pompom Clutch is clearly a special little bag. Whether you take that to mean special! or “special” is, of course, up to you.

But when my very scientific measuring was done, I found a problem. At its very widest point, this clutch is barely five inches wide. Since it’s a sphere, the width of the clutch starts decreasing immediately as you move away from that narrow point. My phone, a relatively new Blackberry, is four and a half inches tall and almost three inches wide without a case. That’s a problem – smart phones are now more or less de rigueur among people with expendable income, and you certainly have to expend a lot of it to buy this clutch. Sadly, it seems as though never the two shall meet.

From an aesthetic standpoint, I don’t actually have many problems with this clutch. Sure, it’s kind of odd, but I’d rather carry something unexpected like a round clutch than the same basic envelope that every single one of your girlfriends probably pulls out every weekend (or maybe that’s just my girlfriends).

Any aesthetic interest I have in a clutch ends with the inability to pack my phone along for the night, however. I’m a 24-year-old single woman living in a large, at times unsafe city, and a cell phone isn’t a luxury item for me – it’s a necessity. I’ve had one since I could drive, and I’m not going to start leaving it at home in order to carry a (more-than-slightly silly) designer clutch. If you’re on a date and can slip your phone into your boyfriend’s or husband’s pocket, it might work, but I couldn’t see myself spending so much money on a clutch with such severely limited functionality. Buy through Saks for $1195.

Original post by Amanda Mull

It’s not often that a bag review requires me to gather my personal technology and a ruler, but the Christian Louboutin Eden Pompom Clutch is clearly a special little bag. Whether you take that to mean special! or “special” is, of course, up to you.

But when my very scientific measuring was done, I found a problem. At its very widest point, this clutch is barely five inches wide. Since it’s a sphere, the width of the clutch starts decreasing immediately as you move away from that narrow point. My phone, a relatively new Blackberry, is four and a half inches tall and almost three inches wide without a case. That’s a problem – smart phones are now more or less de rigueur among people with expendable income, and you certainly have to expend a lot of it to buy this clutch. Sadly, it seems as though never the two shall meet.

From an aesthetic standpoint, I don’t actually have many problems with this clutch. Sure, it’s kind of odd, but I’d rather carry something unexpected like a round clutch than the same basic envelope that every single one of your girlfriends probably pulls out every weekend (or maybe that’s just my girlfriends).

Any aesthetic interest I have in a clutch ends with the inability to pack my phone along for the night, however. I’m a 24-year-old single woman living in a large, at times unsafe city, and a cell phone isn’t a luxury item for me – it’s a necessity. I’ve had one since I could drive, and I’m not going to start leaving it at home in order to carry a (more-than-slightly silly) designer clutch. If you’re on a date and can slip your phone into your boyfriend’s or husband’s pocket, it might work, but I couldn’t see myself spending so much money on a clutch with such severely limited functionality. Buy through Saks for $1195.

Original post by Amanda Mull

A evening bag is hard to find, and it’s even harder to find at a reasonable price. Most people won’t use a tiny clutch multiple times a day like they might use a shoulder bag or tote, so spending big bucks for a glittery little minaudiere usually isn’t a particularly palatable option. Bottega Veneta’s knot clutches and Alexander McQueen’s skull clutches may be totally covetable (not to mention collectable), but the prices for both start in the four figures and climb steadily from there.

If the thought of spending that much makes you uncomfortable but you’d still like a similar bag (or maybe several), then Diane Von Furstenberg’s recently launched line of box clutches is perfect for you. Prices vary depending on size, but this oh-so-current version of the Diane Von Furstenberg Lytton Minaudiere rings up at a very reasonable $300.

I like so many things about this clutch that I barely know where to begin. The color scheme works perfectly with the pattern – zebra is a strong statement for any bag, but rendering it in black and charcoal dials down the volume just enough to make it modern and sophisticated. The signature twig closure provides a perfect compliment. Not only do the colors and tones work together seamlessly, but the choice in material compliments them very well. Stingray embossing has an almost glittery effect, without the shedding hassle and extreme shine of actual glitter. This larger size is big enough for all of your nighttime essentials, and the price is an absolute steal. Buy through Net-a-Porter for $300.

Original post by Amanda Mull

We first caught a glimpse of Prada’s knitted leather during the brand’s Fall/Winter 2010 runway show in March, and I’ve been hungrily awaiting their arrival at retail ever since. Well, they’re here! Almost. Prada has close-up pictures of a few styles and colors on its website, and these Prada Knitted Leather Clutches in particular do not disappoint.

Sadly, my favorite color combination isn’t pictured, but if you imagine the one on the right with red instead of tan, you get the idea. The main thing that I’m taking away from this first look, however, is that I’m surprised by how much I like the black version – you don’t lose as much of the sense of texture as I had assumed when the design is rendered in a single, dark color. The clutch will retail for $2600 once it arrives in store. Larger pictures of both, after the jump.

Images via Prada.com
Shop curent Prada bags via Saks!

Original post by Amanda Mull

I’m so relieved that Alexander McQueen (the brand) will continue to function after the death of Alexander McQueen (the man). He was a visionary, and his legacy deserves to be continued in the wake of his passing. By all indications, the McQueen clothing and accessories that we will see in the near future owe a considerable debt to the founder’s aesthetic, just as it should be.

Skull clutches have been a McQueen accessory signature for some time, and the brand looks to continue that tradition with the Alexander McQueen Union Jack Stud Clutch. Skulls, studs and Anglophilia were all motifs which McQueen embraced, and if this bag is any indication, they’re not going anywhere in the brand’s forthcoming work.

Before we go any further, however, it’s worth mentioning that the clutch in this photo appears to be damaged. Samples undergo a higher amount of stress and abuse than the average bag, but it still strikes me as odd that Neiman Marcus would photograph a damaged bag to be featured on their website, thereby possibly exacerbating whatever quality control concerns one may have when buying bags online and sight unseen.

From a design perspective, though, I really love this iteration of the skull clutch. The color combination of cream and gold is classic and a bit regal, but the twinkling skull eyes and punk motif create a nice aesthetic juxtaposition to any perceived conventionality. We may have seen a lot of studded bags lately, but the use of multi-sized studs to create a larger whole keeps the design fresh. Buy through Neiman Marcus for $1495.

Original post by Amanda Mull