In an episode of “Sex and the City,” Big presented Carrie with a tiny crystallized Judith Leiber purse shaped like a bird. Carrie was horrified - did he not know she was a cool downtown girl and not an Upper East Side Matron? Did he want her to (gasp!) be an Upper East Side matron? The relationship didn't recover until at least the next season. I'm too clumsy to deal with minaudières or tiny clutches, let alone tiny clutches that are cuter than I am and do not need to have a purpose in life, even if that purpose is only holding some change and some emergency equipment (see this post on the wherewithall for very tiny emergencies), but I was hurt that Carrie would disparage the Judith Leiber clutches as not cool. To my mind, there are few things cooler than not needing to carry stuff. One would have people for that. Including people to hold the precious clutch if I wanted to dance or dash over to another table, so I wouldn't have to leave it on the table, and other people to bring the clutch its "sleep bag" so it wouldn't get dinged when I wasn't making an entrance. After all, these things cost between $2000 and $5000. American.
Other cute clutches are the Kate Spade themed clutches, which cost about one-tenth of the Judith Lieber minaudieres, depending upon whether or not you strike it lucky at a sale.
At the last Kate Spate once-in-a-lifetime
sale, the one before the one that was going to end on Tuesday but was mysteriously extended, I showed myself my appreciation for my infinite patience and tolerance by purchasing the Woody. It is not small. It holds a lot of small things. It is exceptionally well-constructed. OK, this is starting to sound like the IMDB of a porn star. I will start over. It has a full-length zipper along the ...Let's change the subject and look at some Judith Leiber minaudières.
Awwwww.
These are maybe 4 and 7 inches in one direction or another, I confess I've never been close enough to a real one to run the first joint of my thumb over it - you knew about the thumb, right? On most people, the first joint (not including any part of the fingernail that extends past flesh) is one inch long. The non-metric measurements add so much color to life!
Now, for the People's Answer to Minaudières - the cute clutches which (1) can actually hold stuff, and (2) will not require you to sell body parts to someone who won't tell you who he's acting for:
These are maybe 4 and 7 inches in one direction or another, I confess I've never been close enough to a real one to run the first joint of my thumb over it - you knew about the thumb, right? On most people, the first joint (not including any part of the fingernail that extends past flesh) is one inch long. The non-metric measurements add so much color to life!
Now, for the People's Answer to Minaudières - the cute clutches which (1) can actually hold stuff, and (2) will not require you to sell body parts to someone who won't tell you who he's acting for:
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| ok, full disclosure, this is the Sunglasses Clutch and there was also a Sunglasses Change purse which was too cute to leave alone so I bought it (change purse, not clutch) at the previous sale. |
The "book" clutches have gotten a lot of blog-love, so I won't be repetitive (about those, anyway). Also beloved and hunted is a rather large creation known as the Typewriter Bag, which appeared and disappeared on the KS sale site the other day. I restrained myself. But ooohh, is it adorable (or it would be adorable if it were smaller).
I'm patting myself on the back for having resisted still another bag on the Kate Spade sale. But the sales keep coming, and as I said in my previous post, I don't make real-life predictions involving real-life people. Especially me.
Oh Darn you Fred! i do still love the Woody! I was furious at them this week - they would not ship to Canada - I really wanted the pool and pride and prejudice clutch! So frustrating! Well at least someone I like got something I like! :-) Good restraint on the rest!
ReplyDeleteHi, WMM, there's a pool clutch? well, I'm glad I didn't catch it. wondering if any of the larger stores carry KS in Canada?
DeleteThey are charming....
ReplyDeleteyes, like toys for the little kid in me, or maybe accessories for the little Barbie in me.
DeleteI must admit I've never heard of Judith Leiber before, but I do like the look of the beehive one. I have a beehive 'thing'.. my favourite building is the Beehive/La Ruche in Paris (where friends of ours are v v v lucky enough to live).
ReplyDeleteWell done for resisting the sale. I have resisted J Crew for 3 weeks and counting....
Luuvvv La Ruche!
DeleteI'm trying to get with the Crew Resistance Movement here.
Sleep bag. I haven't heard the term, but it makes perfect sense. Judith definitely has her day at all of the award shows. And people to hold STUFF when needed. Another hilarious post. lol
ReplyDeleteOh, I've seen whole teams of People out for a walk, Mom carrying nothing, PA with phone and pad, nanny with $$$ stroller and babe, untitled others with dog, shopping bags... capitalism at its silliest.
DeleteI am going to confess I own three of the clutches you pictured and about to receive the fourth bag.
ReplyDeleteBTW, I still see the Kate Spade newspaper journal clutch auction for around $500 on the rare occasion they show up, which is a crazy price for something practically disposable.
Hi, tr! the Woody may not be my last.
DeleteI have the newspaper ipad cover and after the first thrill, it really did not wear well. Clumsy, actually.
This is a rule to love by-- nothing cuter than oneself! The corollary would be -- do not marry someone prettier than oneself.
ReplyDelete2 bigones for JLieber bags-- had no idea; they also appear far too glamourous for someone as un- glam as me, but I do love that beehive one(my beehives this year are purple and green).
The woody is darling-- good catch!
or as my pal BB used to say, "You're not wearing it, it's wearing you. Put it back."
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