Sunday, October 12, 2014

DIY: A flowerly phone purse

I used to do a lot of DIY projects as a kid and during my early teenage years, but since then, more focused on the writing and learning, I completely neglected my skills. One of the last days, before Rosh Hashana, with the long nights of winter in mind, I decided that it's about time to go back to my very old not-practised habits. Thus, I paid a visit to my local Idee shop branch and left with a lot of small little colourful packages. 
For warming up, I decided to start with the building of a phone purse. There are many small little pieces that I needed to put together, but everything is logically explained and did not have any hard time to arrange it. My only big issue was the thread which was not enough. 
The purse is made out of symmetrical small pieces, that should be attached on the clearly marked spaces. 
I loved a lot the colourful mood and the combination between butterflies and flowers, as well as the pastel colours of the purse. Inspired by all those elements, the work went pretty fast and without any significant problems. The material is very fine and should be careful to always follow the little holes and not somewhere else.
Although I haven't practised for a long time - except some basic home reparations, I succeeded to finish everything within one hour. The final result looked good and is very practical. Encouraged by this first success, more visits to the Idee followed. More DIY projects to be shared on the blog soon. 

Sunday, October 5, 2014

Clutches for any occasion all around the year

Now, that Sukkot is getting closer, it's time to think to some fancy outfits for the (almost) end of the autumn. My today passions are the clutches, whose diversity - both in terms of prices and shapes - might be very challenging for my budget.
One of my top choices on the list are the following:

This Edie Parker flamingoes clutch is very elegant and besides featuring my favourite birds, also has mild pastel colours that can easily go with various types of outfits. Handmade in the USA and available for 1,403 EUR. it is inspired by the fashion of the 1950s. The ball clasp top fastening looks very discrete, but after a while, can be a bit problematic, especially after repeated use. 
Kotur Clutches are too beautiful to only pick up only one. Mostly suited for evening, with prices from 500 EUR. they have different shapes - found the rectangular ones the most stylish - and do have various signature linings. At the first sight, they look like elegant perfume bottles or maybe some precious jewellery boxes. Many do also have shoulder chain which made them even more comfortable and practical for various social encounters.

From the fall/winter Dolce Gabanna collection, this shine and sleek stable clutch took my breath away. And so did the price - 1,650 EUR. But if you have a look at the special features, the lizard leather, with clasp fastening, satin lining and internal slot pocket, you might consider worth a serious investment. As it is a quite pretentious presence, you should also consider a matching pair of shoes, maybe from the same collection.


Most clutches by Nina Ricci are elegant, simple, practical and provided with a lot of interesting feature, like for instance zip or magnetic fastening tab. The good news is that they are also affordable, with prices around 300 EUR. Perfectly sized for various needs and mostly provided with internal patch pocket, they add a line of distinction and joy to the any outfit.
Those who dare to be a bit more special, the new version of the iconic Fendi Baguette Bag - launched at the end of the 1960s - in the version of edge trimmed with red fox fur. It looks funny yet ingenious and goes well as a strong fashion statement. The combination of various symmetric colours of leather require a matched pair of shoes. The price for the bag goes to around 1,978 EUR.

This black Valentino Garavani clutch is very simple, yet elegant and stylish, with a bit of rock fever. It's quite big, enough for more than a small phone and some make-up. It goes mostly with any kind of outfit, especially for evening events, but also for various special events held during the day and during the week. It has wrist strap. It can be purchased from 849 EUR.

A less expensive investment - only 99.95 EUR. by Zalando - this leather imitation clutch by Tosca Blu can be a good choice as well. It's a bit shiny for my taste, but looks practical - 19 cm. long - and has interior textile lining.
YSL is always a classical choice for classy persons and outfits. Branded with the elegant logo, this Bordeaux-clutch is made of calf leather and has magnetic fastening. The interior space is well organized, with an internal pocket. It's available for 795 EUR. 

In the mood for some extravaganza? This Alexander McQueen clutch is not only affordable - 350 EUR - but also a very creative version of a classical fashion icon. It's made 100% of fabric, with 2-way zipped top and magnetic folded corners. It also has a zipped pocket and satin-twill lining. 
This wrist strapped clutch by Marni has my favourite blue colour. The combination of cobalt blue feathers with pitch black beads added on leather is very elegant and goes very well for every season and a diversity of occasions - from clubbing and bar hopping, to some interesting and sophisticated reception. It's made of a combination of calf, lamb leather, wool and polyester. It has a safe zipped top and leather lining. It's available for 560 EUR. 


With this Ming Pandora clutch by Charlotte Olympia my head is over ears in love. Inspired by the fine Chinese porcelain, it has exquisite elegant details, such as the magnetic fastening with crystal embellished spider. It has fabric bag insert. It's 915 EUR. worth. It can be a stylish company in the mornings, eventually with some denim and high-heels sandals, or in the evening, together with a special satin dress. 
For elegant city travel adventures, this 195 EUR. worth Salvatore Ferragamo clutch is the perfect company. It is available in different colours, but I love this soft pink nuance. Made of calf leather, it has a handy wrist strap and a zipped top. 
Sparkle sparkle little star...or, in this case, little clutch. Created by Roger Vivier, part of his disco-chic collection, it has row after row of colourful sequins, that are eyes-catching especially when on the move. It matches well a complete black outfit as well as a light blue or pink one. It has a push clasp fastening and chain shoulder. The purchase price is a well deserved 1,700 EUR.
Back to some affordable urban look and price, this Wood Wood 200 EUR. black and grey Suede clutch suits a dynamic playful modern urban woman. It has a back patch pocket and magnetic fastening with added elastic band. 

This Miu Miu satin clutch is bubbling. With a wrist strap and zipped top, it goes especially in the evening, but equally makes a strong fashion statement when matched with a denim dress or some short pink or flowerly dress for the day. High-heels sandals are a must, as a very pinky make-up - at least the nails polish. It's available for 590 EUR.
This crisp packet metal clutch by Anya Hindmarch is very pretentious and a bit shocking at the first sight, but it's definitely the choice of highly sophisticated people. It is made of exquisite Suede lining and gold metal edges. It has push clasp fastening and detachable shoulder chain. Available for 1,195, it suits a late evening date necessarily matched with some golden high-heels sandals and a special satin dress.
Victoria Bekham's clutches are affordable and relatively simple as design yet chic. This large zip leather clutch, for instance looks very modern and can be purchased for 450 EUR. It has a snap zip fastening tab, linen lining and two internal slot compartment. It suits every season and occasion as well as outfit. 
Jil Sanders has a lot of interesting models of clutches, available in different colours, but this blue grained leather-three compartments took my breath away. It's very practical, with accordeon style sides which allows to bring a lot of useful items. It has two magnetic snap compartments, with one center zip compartment. It can be purchased for 1,000 USD.

That's almost all for today. Although I bet that in less than one hour time, I will find even more clutch temptations.

Some of the products presented are available at MyTheresa.com.