Here's a great summer clutch (if summer would ever come...) - the Celine Patent leather clutch. The bright turquoise patent leather is blended with tan leather trim and the combination looks stunning. Silver hardware edges the flap closure which also features a turnlock fastening. A silver chain handle can be tucked in or carried on the shoulder. I love that it looks dainty but it's really an oversized clutch that you can cram all your stuff inside.
So, it turns out that yellow isn't as big as predicted this season. I've seen yellow fashion being sold all over the internet and in the mall but not so much on human beings. The reason? It's hard to wear, and hard to pair. Yellow is a bright, somewhat harsh color for most skin tones, but if paired the right way with another color, it can work. The pairs a softer yellow tone with surprising light tan leather trim. I would have never thought to combine the two colors but the result is fabulous. This nylon rectangular clutch features center ruching and a center tunrlock closure. The bag is soft and pretty and is a ray of sunshine in these gloomy May days!
I'm in love with python. Some people don't like the scaly feel of snake skin but python is just so luxurious to me, but pricey. So anytime I can get my hands on an affordable python piece, I grab it! LuxCouture has one of the best selections of luxury bags (thus the name LuxCouture!) and they have an enviable selection of python bags. This one in particular caught my eye. I was surprised to discover it actually isn't python but looks so much like it I love it anyway! The Ultra in Printed Leather is by Minority and it's a brilliant bronze-y oversized clutch with scalloped, snakeskin-like leather detailing. $725 is a price typically reserved for authentic python skin but this bag is so gorgeous it might just get a pass! And for those of you who don't like snakes, this one's for you!
Even though I'm not much of a clutch girl (I carry way too much stuff and prefer larger bags), I still admire them from afar....while wishing I wasn't such a pack rat! If I could part with some of my stuff that I carry every day, I would snatch up both of these clutches by Roberto Cavalli.
The Roberto Cavalli Runway Suede Leaves Clutch is the perfect shade of pink (actually it's lavender but it looks like pink to me) - not hot pink and not salmon, but a pretty pastel pink that's just right for Spring. The suede material gives it a softer side and the leaf-like fringe detailing is amazing. This is quite different from Cavalli's usual cheetah/leopard prints (for those of you who like that, don't worry, it has an animal print lining) - less tacky, more feminine and sweet.
The Roberto Cavalli Runway Suede Fringe Clutch is a 70's style fringe clutch but doesn't look too hippie. I love that the fringe is various lengths and widths - there's string and petal-like fringe all over. It's also made from a neutral beige suede (and lined in animal print).
Check out more Roberto Cavalli at eLUXURY
Celebs love the limelight - ever go a day without hearing about ParisLindsayBritney? If you don't want the paparazzi stalking your every move but still want to live in the limelight, you can rock this Maison Martin Margiela Spotlight Clutch. Smooth black leather is screened with a spotlight on the front flap which has a magnetic snap closure. This oversized clutch (on-trend) is $995, which is pricey for a clutch, but it is lined in leather which is truly luxurious star style.
The little black clutch may be perfect for fall and winter but a chic white clutch is always what's haute for spring and summer. Botkier has perfected the clutch with the 'Marysia'. This clutch incorporates snake embossed leather, weaving, knotting and hardware without looking like there's too much going on. This clutch is simply gorgeous and perfectly chic. Available at shopbop.com.
If virtual drooling were at all possible, it would be happening right now as a result of adoring this amazing Zac Posen Rose Pleated Leather Clutch ($950 at shopbop.com). This is one of those bags that at first glance leaves you speechless. It's beautifully constructed, which is Zac Posen's forte. The quilted tan leather flap provides a perfect contrast to the soft, pleated, glazed leather body. To add to the luxuriousness, the front flap has trapunto logo detail and the bag is lined in suede. There aren't many clutches that I'd drop almost $1000 on but this one is definitely worth the price. It's beautiful, extraordinarily unique, and made by Zac Posen!
Women love Michael Kors, especially his handbags since the styles are classic and clean, much like his clothes. The Michael Kors Sutton Clutch is the 'It' clutch for summer, already having been carried by celebrities, including Eva Longoria (pictured above with friend, rapper Eve with her Zagliani Flash Python Clutch). The clutch comes in a variety of colors, including the color for summer, yellow, along with royal blue, white, red, and black patent leather, and gold metallic and coral kidskin. It's fastened with an oversized gold buckle that adds some flash while staying simple and understated. At $395 each, you can pick up a few for the Spring and Summer! Paired with a dress, suit or tank top and jeans, the Sutton clutch adds class to any look.
Just as essential as the LBD (little black dress) and basic black pumps is the little black clutch. There are so many clutches to choose from but a select few stand out from the crowd. The Marc Jacobs Collection Small Woven Hutton Clutch is one of those standout pieces, especially since weaving and oversized clutches are hot trends this year. The grained leather body of the clutch has large weave detail with a smooth leather flap closure. The gold logo-etched turnlock closure and front and back pleating gives it a fun touch.
Forward-looking faces on paintings kinda scare me (don't you feel the eyes following you around the room?) but on this bag I love them. Inspired by the New York-based artist Richard Phillips, the Jimmy Choo Polly glazed canvas bag incorporates several of Phillips' paintings chosen by himself and Tamara Mellon, which he says "completed a perfect conceptual ellipse where the painted image traveled in and out of fashion and then back again." The bag is a multicolored glazed canvas print tote with black straps and a zip closure. If a tote's not your style, then check out the vintage-look limited edition Richard Phillips/Jimmy Choo clutch.
Kara Ross Ring Lizard and Seafoam Ostrich Clutches
When Kara Ross first debuted her line of clutches, I have to admit, I wasn't a fan. But her Spring 2008 clutch collection caught my eye. These are some of the most gorgeous Spring clutches I've seen! The bags are made of
Ring Lizard and Seafoam Ostrich with resin and small stone details. The main part of the bag has an interesting effect with off-white on the edges and grey in the center, and the flap closure comes in multiple colors of ostrich skin. With the skins and stones, it may sound like a lot's going on with the bag but the result is absolutely stunning.
I'm seriously thinking about starting a Weekly 'WTF' category on What's Haute because for every six gorgeous bags, there's one that makes you scratch your head, turn up your nose and say, "What the f--k?" This Chloe Saskia clutch (€ 995) fits into that category perfectly. I give Chloe credit for originality but this bag is comical at best. It looks cartoonish, and the soft leather colored flaps resemble some sort of impressionist art piece, like the soft clocks in Salvador Dali's " The Persistence of Memory". Dali is one of my favorite artists so Chloe might take that as a compliment but it's not. The multiple, multicolored flaps are ugly, out of place and simply pointless. And the boxy shape with that thick leather handle is just weird. I don't know what else to say Chloe, this is one strange bag.
It always amazes me to see that a simple design and the right color can equal an incredible bag. Zagliani first won me over with their Puffy Python Metallic Bag, and then with their Queen of Barcelona Bag, and now this, the Lotus Python Clutch. This clutch is so dainty and so pretty I could carry it all Spring and Summer! The lilac python skin is gorgeous and ultrafeminine, and the brown trim and top-stitched seams are a nice contrast. Zagliani truly knows how to transform python skin into beautiful luxury investments.
Gray might typically look bland but can be surprisingly chic, like this clutch. The MARC BY MARC JACOBS 'Dr. Q. Patchwork' Convertible Clutch is a sleek tonal patchwork clutch with a metal Marc Jacobs logo tag on the front. The pebbled leather actually looks soft to the touch and the hidden patchwork seams are smooth. The bag actually converts to a shoulder bag with a detachable strap and the interior has a hidden magnetic closure allowing it to expanding into 3 compartments. You get several bags in one and at $328, it's worth it!
OMG, I'm in love...
Right now I'm lusting for, drooling over and simply coveting these bags that are so gorgeous you'll want to spend your entire paycheck on them. Phillip Lim, of 3.1 Phillip Lim has a new collection of bags at eLUXURY that rival his amazing clothes.
The 3.1 Phillip Lim Gigi Woven Clutch is one of the most gorgeous, summery clutches I've seen in a while. The body is beautifully woven and well-made, and the yellow, balck and white colors combined just pop! The black flap closure adds a really nice contrast to the yellow and it's truly a versatile clutch.
The dome shape of the 3.1 Phillip Lim Wendy Expandable Weekender is perfect since it can expand without looking stuffed or bulky like many big bags. The clean lines are very characteristic of Phillip Lim. It's such a basic and practical bag but it has a sophisticated appeal to it.
Ruching is one of those trends that never seems to get old, especially on a bag like this 3.1 Phillip Lim Omai Pleated Shoulder Bag. I like that the front pocket is ruched rather than the bag itself. And the camel leather looks so buttery soft yet structured so you get the best of both worlds.
Check out more 3.1 Phillip Lim at eLUXURY.com!
I'm finding that red accessories are the new black. It used to be that you could wear a black bag, shoes or scarf with anything but red is the way to go now! This Bottega Veneta Intrecciato leather clutch is the perfect shade of lipstick red with a hot metallic red 'liquid' strip down the center. Bottega bags sometimes look cheap to me (thanks to all the bootleg knockoffs I see all over New York city), but when you actually feel the bags, the leather is incredibly soft yet durable. And this bag has a nice sheen to it. This clutch is smokin' hot!
