12 Rather Fun Clutches To De-Boring Your Outfit

Items tagged accessories:
Ehhhh, no. As if the Brad-Pitt-and-Angelina-Jolie-designed jewelry line wasn’t, um, hideous enough, now Alicia Keys, whom I love (as a singer), has launched her own jewelry line, which is called The Barber’s Daughters, and is also totes heinous. It’s so CRAFTY. [Pipeline]
It’s all about the 3-D, baby! These rings have got loads of wow-factor, for zero karats. Choose between a beer pouring (above) or gravy boats, a tea cup, sushi and chopsticks, and more—all curiously perched atop your ring finger! Could it be the perfect gift for that pesky, never-have-something-good “Secret Santa” situation? [Trendhunter]
Well, or so we thought. Olympia Le Tan’s canvas, brass, felt and silk thread clutches feature first-edition covers of 21 different classics are certainly “different” and chic in the nerdiest way possible. (In fact, Tilda Swinton reportedly scooped one up.) Then we found out they cost $1500.00 each, and our collective jaws dropped. So, um yeah. [Inventor Spot]
While some clothing companies sew sequins on a sweater and call it holiday attire, Kate Spade takes a more original approach, turning the classic bows that get stuck on top of presents into hair accessories, ballet flats, necklaces, and, our personal favorite, rings. These aren’t accessories you’d wear year-round, but it sure would be fun to bring them out every November through New Year’s—and maybe on our birthday, too.
In the wake of last week’s belts slide show, we had a lot of readers asking exactly how to add a belt to an outfit without messing it up. The biggest issue seemed to be the “scrooching around” that can be rather difficult to avoid when pairing a belt with certain items. Because we’ve been there and we love you, dear readers, we’ve got a few tips and tricks ...
Designer Eryn Brinie is a fave of Rachel Zoe, Cameron Diaz and Jessica Alba—she’s got this vaguely Euro style going on with her clothes and focuses on basics. Well, I’m not sure if this is one basic or a combo of basics, but Eryn’s sleeve muffler scarf, with its multifunction personality, can be worn as a scarf, shawl or cardigan. It sort of looks like the travel-sized version of the Snuggie, but in a good way. I’m always finding that my arms are the body part that let me down; they get quite a bit colder than the rest of my body (must be that whole core versus extremity thing). But things change once I get inside whichever overheated place I’m headed. At that point, I don’t need the extra arm coverage anymore and I just want a scarf—which is my security blanket in the winter; I wear one every single day. (I don’t care if the pashmina is uncool. I still have a giant collection of them I use as scarves!) But, perhaps, my pashminas have seen their last days? This multi-use scarf/cardi solves all temperature problems. Is it fugly? I can’t tell. Would you wear it? I should say it costs a C-note, so it ain’t cheap. [Eryn Brinie]
Maximum Fringe Necklace, $59, Supermarket
Hawaiian Bracelet, $85, Jennifer Elizabeth
Fringe is having a bit of a moment in accessories, and while the flapper look is quite chic on dresses, we’re torn over hairy-looking jewelry. The necklaces would be great statement pieces, though they might not hang very well on a busty chest. And the bracelets? We’re not sure we’d want a bunch of stuff dangling all over our hands; typing would be a challenge. Click through to see four more pieces of fringe jewelry and judge for yourself.
Office temperatures are spastic. During the summer it’s like an arctic chill of air conditioning, and come winter, you’ll do anything for more heat. I’m certainly the first one to snuggle under piles of sweaters and scarves, but these gloves might be just a little too much. Hook them up to a USB cord, and they heat your hands—sort of like the butt warmers in cars. A pair of hand-warmers with faux fur trim will cost you $27.75, but if your fingers are consistently freezing, this may be a great option. I’m not sold yet, but ask me again in a few months when the wind chill in Manhattan is below freezing. [CNET]
In today’s busy world, even shopping can sometimes feel like a chore. So why not put those hours spent sitting at a desk in front of a computer to better use? Former Lucky staffer Francine Ballard saw the need and created DesignerSocial.com, which serves as a hub for those who want to sell or swap designer handbags or jewelry. It’s like Bag, Borrow or Steal in a more permanent form, kind of like eBay though you know your loved pieces are going to a good home, and sort of an extension of ThredUp but you can buy AND sell. The best part about the site? There are no fees for pick-ups. So basically if you want to sell an item, zero stress is involved for you. You’ll even receive 70 percent of the money your bag or accessory sells for. “I felt that there was a void in the marketplace for fashion-conscious, time constrained professional women like me, so I modeled the site after the way people I know shop the Internet. Bags and accessories are great,” says Ballard, “because you don’t have to worry about fit.” It’s also pretty perfect timing, as the site launched just in time to participate in Lucky Shops. [Reuters]
How cute! Twitter jewelry! Do we think Demi Moore has bought herself this @mrskutcher necklace to show off her Twitter pride? Whether Demi wears her Tweeting handle around her neck or not, I’ll be ordering one for myself so all the folks I charm at parties know they should follow @jessicawakeman on Twitter for more. Besides, it’s totally like Miss Bradshaw’s “Carrie” necklace from “Sex & The City,” only with a 2009 twist. Prices vary. [Survival Of The Hippest]
Tired of walking past buildings when you’d rather wear one? Joshua DeMonte steals architectural elements to create totally out-there accessories. A banister winds around a wrist. A staircase adorns a neck. A curtain-billowing window becomes a bracelet. Surely not for the fashionably shy, one imagines how long it’ll be before we see Lady Gaga wearing one of these creations. [NOTCOT]
If your dress or top is looking a little plain, follow Drew Barrymore and First Lady Michelle Obama‘s lead by spiffing up an outfit with a sparkly brooch. Most of us only think of adding a pin to a jacket lapel, which looks cute, though a little businesslike. But adding a decorative piece to a simple dress—especially near the neckline—will make your outfit unique; in a sea of black cocktail dresses, you and your gems will stand out.