Custom Design

Hey, Jimmy Choo, the 80s called, they want their Jimmy Choo Candy Acrylic Clutches back. Except I don’t think I can stand to let them go…

We all know at this point that 80s fashion and neon colors are, like, totally a thing. Not everyone’s a fan, of course, but most people can at least agree that the trend is relentlessly silly and fun. In the relentlessly self-important fashion industry, it feels like a breath of fresh (if slightly retro) air.

These neon plastic clutches look like they could be particularly lucky vintage finds, but you don’t have to pour over the racks of stale-smelling old clothes to find them – bonus! Because, really, old clothes are stinky. The sorts of places you buy Jimmy Choo? Not stinky. Not only that, but the clutches themselves are somewhat reasonably priced, something I rarely have the pleasure of saying on this blog. Buy through Net-a-Porter for $495.

Original post by Amanda Mull

Do any of you guys watch Dexter? I’m utterly obsessed with it. I can’t recap it because it’s not at all fashioned-related, but if I could, I would. Also, I would marry Dexter and I wouldn’t be nearly as annoying and self-righteous as that a-hole Rita. Ahem.

I also really love the aesthetic that they have for their advertising and promotional materials – a bit minimalist, a bit comic book, a bit blood-spattered macabre – and when I saw the Giuseppe Zanotti Red Sequin Clutch, I couldn’t help but be reminded of America’s favorite serial killer.

For the uninitiated, Dexter is a killer than only kills other killers, and his day job is as a blood spatter analyst at the Miami Metro police department. The red-on-white, scattered visual that this sequin clutch creates remind me a lot of the blood spatter pictures that you see throughout the the series, although I’m sure that that probably wasn’t the inspiration for this clutch.

It’s merely a coincidence, but it makes me like this clutch a lot more than I probably would otherwise. It would be the perfect thing to wear to a Dexter-themed party, were you to have hundreds of extra dollars sitting around to spend on your themed outfit. Buy through BlueFly for $712.

Original post by Amanda Mull

Now this? THIS is how you make a unique clutch! Forget the mess of paillettes that we saw earlier this morning – the Chloe Leather Bow Clutch is head and shoulders above that bag and most others that I’ve seen lately.

First, the color. Dove grey is the perfect shade to accent the rhinestone-studded bow detail and bring out its glittering, vintage-inspired beauty. It’s hard to make a light-colored clutch look appropriate for cold weather, but this is exactly the sort of thing that I would love to pair with a sweater dress and 1940s-inspired retro coat.

And then there’s the matter of the materials used. The leather is so smooth and perfect-looking that I wouldn’t have guessed that it was actually leather on first inspection, and that’s exactly the kind of leather that needs to be used if it’s supposed to be evening-appropriate. The types of rhinestones that were chosen are also perfect for the look – they don’t look brand new and sparkly, but slightly gritty and old-looking (in a good way). The bag could pass for an exquisite vintage piece, but it looks just as appropriate on the store shelves today. Plus, when you open it, you get a great surprise – it’s lined in bright gold leather. Buy through Net-a-Porter for $1095.

Original post by Amanda Mull

Ombré is, admittedly, a really difficult thing to pull off. It has to be the correct color transition, done in the correct shades, and with the correct depth of color. I’m not sure why the good people at Miu Miu thought that this would be a good thing to try and do with giant sequins on a tiny bag, then, but I can tell you that the Miu Miu Ombré Paillette-Embellished Clutch does not work out as well as they probably intended.

It’s not that I don’t see what they were trying to do here – I do. But on a super squat bag, three colors of sequins does not ombré make. It just makes six rows (two of each) of similarly colored paillettes. The effect is completely lost because there’s no slow and gradual transition, and the paillettes themselves are all solid-colored. If they had had an ombré effect as well, things might have gone more smoothly.

Not only that, but the paillettes look rather sloppily attached and arranged. Forming a larger overall pattern with movable objects relies pretty heavily on the ability of the designer to keep them looking neat and organized, and that doesn’t really happen here. Plus, when a sequin moves out of turn, it reflects light different than the rest and further hinders the ability of this clutch to look ombré in the least. Overall, this is not an evening bag I would actually pay money to own. Buy through Net-a-Porter for $950.

Original post by Amanda Mull

Now, look at what we have here. We’ve been covering Proenza Schouler bags for quite some time now. This is nothing new. But, I feel the need to hash out the Proenza Schouler clutch again. I was reminded of this when I came across the Proenza Schouler Patent Double Strap Clutch today. It was as if someone snapped their fingers in front of me and said, “helllloooooo, you should have written about this already, what are you waiting for?” So here I am, awakened and loving what I see. Amanda wrote about the clutch in a yellow shade a while ago, but I am loving the dark green and feel as though it deserves some more attention.

This clutch is calling out to me – no, no – more like screaming out to me. I love it. I love it so much that it hurts. Well, what hurts is that I have yet to see anyone carry it. I’ve seen nobody in my area carrying it nor have I seen a celeb carrying it. What’s the deal with that? You can see so many aspects of the ever popular Proenza Schouler PS1 on this clutch that it continues to amaze me that this clutch isn’t more widespread. I love the classic components of the larger bag that have been transposed onto the smaller one. In this case, I am all for the saying, “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”. Needless to say, I am a fan. Buy through LUISAVIAROMA for $1349.

Original post by Shannon Mahoney

The leather on this handbag looks very similar to another bag we covered this week. Ah yes, the Bottega Veneta Boudoir Knot Clutch, with its chunky visible woven leather. Some of you did not like it on the BV clutch, but I am digging it on this Miu Miu bag.

There are a few reasons why the Miu Miu Plisse Leather Clutch works out so well. First off, the Indigo leather is offset with contrasting plisse detailing. The color pops beautifully. Next this clutch has a wristlet zip pull, which makes the bag handbag holder friendly. Also, the clutch will transition from casual day wear to after-hours style.

The only con to this clutch for me is the price. I always relied on Miu Miu to bring us fresh ideas for a better price than Prada. A clutch for $850 from Miu Miu, even with its large dimensions, is far too pricey for me. What do you think? Buy through Net A Porter for $850.

Original post by Megs Mahoney Dusil

In the immortal words of Carrie Bradshaw: “Hello, lover.”

I’m a complete sucker for the Alexander McQueen skull clutches. After years of handbag loving, it’s impossible to not find a line of little evening bags that find yourself drawn to over and over again. For Megs, it’s the Bottega Veneta Knot Clutches; for me, it’s McQueen’s macabre and lovely punk rock skulls.

Anglo references have always been a McQueen staple, and this isn’t the first Union Jack we’ve seen from him, but it might be the best. The red and black patent motif perfectly mixes the traditional flag with the brand’s goth-glam aesthetic and creates something distinctive – anyone else think that a industrially remixed British flag would be a really appropriate brand logo for the McQueen nation? I’d renounce my US citizenship and move there any day. Buy through Net-a-Porter for $1650.

Original post by Amanda Mull

With the onset of fall comes cooler weather and many more social occasions. Now through New Years the number of occasions to wear my little black dresses increases dramatically. Dressing for evenings out on the town require a bit of advance planning. This year my LBD du jour is from Alexander Wang. The Alexander Wang Spider lace bandage dress ($775 at Net-a-Porter) has cocktail party style wrapped up with an asymmetric shoulder and bandage style detailing. The dress is super stretchy and body hugging as well. I’m going to need to do a few extra sessions of Pilates to look great in this dress! A spectacular black clutch is required for this Alexander Wang dress.

The Michael Kors Python Bracelet Clutch (upper right, $995 at MichaelKors.com) would add a bit of golden glow and make this look really special. The cuff bracelet is a unique accent to this python clutch. The bracelet clutch a fantastic conversation opener and there is no way I can loose this bag with it attached to my wrist. From Donna Karan, the Zipped Leather Shoulder Clutch, (middle right, $895 at Net-a-Porter) is embellished with silver-tone zippers. It comes with a detachable silver-tone chain handle to convert to a shoulder bag, although I prefer it as a clutch style. I love the texture of the zippers against the grain of the black leather. From Kooba, the Mandy Clutch in Black Patent (bottom right, $201 at RevolveClothing.com) would perfectly complement the asymmetric style of the Alexander Wang dress with its asymmetric zipper accent. Lastly, Dior’s classic Lady Dior Large Clutch (bottom left, $1,090.00 at Saks.com) would add a touch of ‘charm’ to my LBD. The quilted lambskin is as soft as butter and this clutch would work nicely for daytime looks as well.

Original post by Guest Blogger

Get ready to vote! I’ve been hung up on the Emanuel Ungaro Studded Leather Clutch for over a week now. Net-a-Porter is one of my favorite sites to peruse. I love all of the amazing designer bags that the site consistently has in stock. Oh, and when I say “has in stock” I really mean tempt me to the point of Carrie Bradshaw spontaneous shopping sprees. Anyways, this clutch has got me all twisted around and I cannot decide if it is an edgy unique hit or a disastrous miss.

I’ve always resorted back to making “pro” and “con” lists when I find myself in this kind of predicament. So, I am going to do virtually the same here except it looks like my “pro” list is much shorter. I have total appreciation for the edginess that seems to ooze from this clutch. Black textured leather and brazen silver-tone stud embellishments all over the front, and just a splash on the back of the bag. The detachable chain handle shows how a bold statement can be carried from the bag through the shoulder and back. Chain detailing everywhere you look and bright fuchsia satin lining rounds out the bag.

So what do I not like? Pretty much all of it. I don’t think this is a look I can pull off, it is far too much. If you have that pushing the envelope side to you, then this could be a great addition to your closet. Oh and one more thing, it is uber expensive. Buy through Net-a-Porter for $2210.

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post’s poll.

Original post by Shannon Mahoney

I am constantly looking for a great black clutch. I am sure you are all too familiar with my absolute adoration for clutches. However, when I was looking in my closet over the weekend, I realized sadly enough, that I don’t have a good black clutch.

Of course my next thought was, do I need a fancy one or more of a casual one? Well, clearly the answer is I need both, but I think I’ll get more use out of a casual black clutch than a fancy one right now. Ask me again around the Holiday season and you are sure to get a different answer. So, going with the casual idea, I want to make sure it is fun and not boring.

This Tylie Malibu Runway Clutch is just what I need. Durable yet luscious black leather and hand laid pyramid embellishments play off of one another just as I would like them too. In fact, this is one of the few bags I’ve come across that has studding that isn’t a huge contrast against the leather. Certainly the studding is noticeable, but the idea of using dark colors adds a bit of mystery and intrigue. It is great to see a rocker vibe that is different from others that try to obtain the same look. Buy through Tylie Malibu for $564.

Original post by Shannon Mahoney