Tag: clutch

Kate’s New BFF: Nina vs Natalie in the Battle of the Clutches

2 Comments

Move over, Natalie. There’s a new girl in town. Her name is Nina, and she comes in trench…

Nina Trench 3.jpg

The Duchess of Cambridge recently debuted a new L.K. Bennett clutch during her royal tour of India, and it sparked a bit of a buzz, not least because it wasn’t even available to the public yet. Teamed with matching high heels (in two heel heights, no less), the Nina in trench looked to be Kate’s new favourite clutch. L.K. Bennett released the item for sale yesterday, and as I find myself with nothing else better to do on a Friday afternoon, I thought I’d take time out to compare it to an old favourite, the Natalie clutch in straw.

Nina vs

Now, I have a massive soft spot for the Natalie, because during the summer months it really feels like it goes with everything. Kate most often wore it with her trusty L.K. Bennett sledges in taupe, but it also went with the Minx Wedges from Stuart Weitzman, her L.K. Bennett sliver sandals (still only seen once on Kate!), also in taupe, and arguments could be made for it matching any number of her other wedges and espadrilles. However, since Kate’s recently switched from the Sledge to the Fern / Floret in trench, she seems to have ditched the Natalie as her working horse summer clutch in favour of the new Nina.

Tops

Size-wise, there’s not much in the way of difference between the two. The Nina is slightly longer and wider, but the Natalie is fatter. Style wise, the Natalie’s puffy stuffed exterior gives it a pleasantly plump hand-feel, whereas the Nina is much less forgiving and easily marked (mine arrived with a dent in it!). I can imagine the leather becoming damaged from a sweaty palm print or a snagged fingernail very easily, whereas the Natalie really feels fairly indestructible. Natalie has a chic dark taupe satin trim around the edges, like a ribbon, and the Nina is the same trench-coloured leather all around. Finally, while the Natalie has the brand name embossed on the latch, the Nina latch is bare.

vs

In terms of internal chain, the Nina beats Natalie hands down. I never was too happy with Natalie’s puny, silver-esque chain, but Nina’s is long and elegant, and a pretty pale gold shade. It’s far easier to sling it across your shoulder, and the slightly longer look gives it a sleek mini shoulder bag feel. Despite having several bags with this feature (off the top of my head, the Mulberry Bayswaters, the Jaegar Kates, and the Oroton Odeion snake clutch), Kate never seems to use the chains on her clutches, and in fact rarely appears with a shoulder bag at all.

Inside

Inside, the bag is very similar to the Natalie – lined with a satin type fabric that has an internal pocket for credit cards, with the metal L.K. Bennett plaque attached.

Inside original

In the original, the plaque is attached with fabric, but the Nina has its plaque glued on. I also found it really difficult to fit my cards in the pocket, whereas the Natalie’s pocket was easy to get in and out of. Finally, perhaps a fault with my Nina, but the fabric was not glued rigidly to the corners of the bag, rather it had a smoothed effect where it felt like the fabric wasn’t reaching the edges, making the internal space a lot smaller than it should have been.

Fit inside

That said, what can you fit inside? Pretty much the same as the Natalie, to be honest – except the Nina is slightly better suited to the slimmer, longer phones of the current gen Samsungs and iPhones. You’ll be able to fit a phone, some credit cards, a lipstick and some change, but not a whole lot more.

Nina Trench 2

Overall, my impression of the Nina is that it’s an expensive bag considering it’s not as versatile as the Natalie – and considering the Natalie originally retailed at £140 (then £160) and the Nina starts at £185, the price per wear is going to be pretty high for me… Of course, the Nina is going to be a year-round clutch, whereas Natalie’s straw effect means it’s best used in spring and summer. And finally, the big question is going to be, does this new season trench match the old season’s taupe? The answer… No.

Trench vs Taupe

Trench is a much pinker-based nude than taupe’s yellow-based one. You can probably wear both together as they’re a close enough match, but they’re certainly not the same colour when you look closely. If you’ve purchased a pair of shoes from L.K. Bennett in trench, the Nina is probably going to be your best bet to match the colour!

Nina Trench

The Nina clutch is available here from L.K. Bennett for £185.

What do you think? Are you going to purchase one? Wait for a sale? Or skip this one all together? I’m still wondering whether or not to return mine…

Square logo initials

 

Friday Lust List: Alexander McQueen Reptilia Print De Manta Clutch

Leave a comment

I’ve mentioned on this blog before how much I love McQueen’s De Manta clutches, which debuted in his final collection, Plato’s Atlantis in 2010. One of the final items designed by McQueen himself before his death, the python De Manta bag holds a special place in fans’ hearts, and was subsequently difficult to come by. However, thanks to the launch of Savage Beauty (the exhibition of McQueen’s work) at the V&A (going tomorrow, so excited!), the piece has been resurrected once more.

This is where my avid collector’s itch begins to bother me – although there’s absolutely no reason for me to own this clutch, as it’s not my style and doesn’t fit with anything in my wardrobe, I still really want to get my hands on a piece of McQueen history. I’ll have to reluctantly pass on this one, but if you’d like to partake, you can pick it up from the V&A’s own site here (priced £465). They have a whole range of Plato’s Atlantis goodies (in my humble opinion, the De Manta is the crown jewel of the entire range) here, as well as some gorgeous skull pieces here – which, as we know, is one of the things McQueen is most famous for. (I’m resisting the urge to purchase the skull bracelet here, considering I’ve just recently bought new Kate Spade and Stella & Dot bracelets!)

Anyway, I’ll leave you with my two favourite McQ accessories which I’ll be wearing with pride at the exhibition tomorrow – my ocelot print De Manta in twill, and some black suede pointed flats. If you want to find out more about how to see Savage Beauty at the V&A, follow this link for more info, and book tickets here!

Like my posts? Find me on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram and Polyvore for even more content!

Square logo initials

Bag ‘n’ Shoes: Modalu Dickens Clutch and McQ Suede Pointed Flats

12 Comments

20140706-221408-80048659.jpg

Remember the big black leather Modalu Dickens tote I bought in the sale earlier in the year? The cute horse head envelope wallet is detachable, so I couldn’t resist taking it out with my suede McQ flats, also from the winter sale!

Continue reading →

An ode to the De Manta Clutch

1 Comment

Ever since I booked my tickets for the McQueen show at the V&A museum next year, I’ve been thinking a lot about what to wear. Yes, it’s shallow on one level, but at the same time, as a fan of McQueen, I feel like it only makes sense to take something from the label with me when I go to view the exhibition – as a sign of respect more than anything. However, I have a couple of pairs of McQueen shoes, a skull scarf, my Swallow bracelet – but no bag. Like many people, I really love the knuckle duster box clutches, and I also have a soft spot for the Heroine bags, but they’re both out of my price range! When browsing through the collections online, though, I came across the gorgeous shape of the De Manta clutch, and decided that it would be the perfect bag to accompany me on my trip!

An ode to the De Manta clutch

 

The De Manta bag made its debut in Alexander McQueen’s final show, Plato’s Atlantis, in spring/summer 2010. The collection was inspired by the concept of mankind returning to the sea following an environmental apocalypse, and many of the most striking designs showcased silk screen snake prints. The python clutch in the top left is one of the final items designed by McQueen, and as such it’s a pretty special piece. The shape of the clutch is unique indeed – it’s inspired by the shape of the manta ray, and the two folded corners are held in place by magnets. To open the clutch, you fold the flaps out and the zip is free to open completely. I just love how simple this is, yet how elegant it looks!

On the right hand side is the ocelot print clutch in twill from 2012, which is much hardier and therefore more fitting with my lifestyle! Perhaps my favourite two clutches are the middle two (all of the final four are current season), which are perfect for spring and summer – the lace/crochet print (yes, that’s a print!) silk bag on the right is sublime, but the floral print bag is the one that really caught my eye. At the bottom, we have on the left a feather print design, and on the right, a patchwork design, both in a heavy black and red which suits a bolder colour scheme! All of these clutches are the large size (there are also ‘mini’ sized De Mantas) and retail at £325.  However, I may have located a cheaper, second hand ocelot clutch… More on that if/when it arrives!

What do you think of the De Manta clutch? Which one would you carry? And, do you own any McQueen bags?

Like my posts? Find me on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram and Polyvore for even more content!

Square logo initials

 

Nautical and Nice

1 Comment

It all started with those pointed Dale flats from L.K. Bennett… And then the French Sole nautical collection. And Modalu’s nifty fabric Riviera tote with that amazing navy and white stripe… Pretty soon, I was obsessed with all things nautical, and, well, it was pretty much only a matter of time before this happened:

Nautical and nice

On the top row we have the aforementioned Modalu tote (£75), and next to that, the Soho grab, also from Modalu (£89). If leather is more your thing, Modalu also do this amazing azure blue Artemis shopper, which is one of my favourite colours this season (£199).  L.K. Bennett also have a couple of really cool nautical totes this season – at the end of the top row is the Hoxton canvas tote (£175), and the cool and quirky Lytham St. Anne’s canvas beach bag (£95, one of a series of three) starts off the second row on the left. Save your pennies with the simple chic of this navy striped tote with rope handles from Next (£20), or treat yourself to Kate Spade’s Welcome To Brighton bag (£130). Rounding out the bag selection are two clutches – on the left is L.K. Bennett’s embellished straw Evie clutch (£225), and the right is Kate Spade’s nifty Terrace Drive Abbett clutch (£245).

On to the shoes! On the top row we have French Sole’s red pointed Penelope flats (£180), then L.K. Bennett’s azure Connie espadrille wedges (£160). The L.K. Bennett team are mad for gosgrain this season, because they have several offerings that make use of the striped ribbon in a variety of colours – each of my selections is available in various bold striped patterns. Next to that on the end of the top row of three is another nifty pair of French Sole flats, Henriettas with a rope pattern that dances across the toes (£160). On the bottom row on the left are a pair of slingback pointed toe flats from Next (£26), another pair of simpler Henriettas from French Sole – I couldn’t resist the rope bow! – (£150), and then a peep-toe espadrille wedge from Next (£34). Finally, a Marlene block heel sandal from L.K. Bennett (£175), and those shoes that started it all, the Dale pointed toe flats, from L.K. Bennett (£150) – available in navy and white, azure and white, and raspberry and white, and all in that gosgrain finish I love so much!

Do you like to channel a bit of nautical style in your wardrobe come the sunnier seasons? Without doubt, nautical style is always in fashion during spring and summer, and I’m a sucker for it every time! Considering that it always makes an appearance on the shelves, it’s a smart investment to pick up a few nautical accessories to mix and match – you’ll probably find you end up using them year after year. Do you have an old favourite you like to bring out?

Like my posts? Find me on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram and Polyvore for even more content!

Square logo initials

Bag ‘n’ Shoes: French Sole Silver Sparkle Henrietta Flats and Wilbur & Gussie Navy Charlie Clutch

Leave a comment

Finally, there’s time to post about last week’s bag and shoes combo (don’t worry, I have a special one lined up for this week!). Again, this continues the saga of the French Sole Factory Shop visit last month (read about it here)!

Sparkle French Sole and Navy WG 640

These are the third pair of my epic haul, and they are very slightly translucent, with a reinforced area around the toes for added strength. The shoes are dotted with gorgeous silver sparkles, and have a muted navy trim. Because they were samples, and had no box, they were actually £20 instead of £25! I paired them with my favourite Wilbur & Gussie clutch (although it has plenty of competition, I LOVE W&G!), the raw navy silk with the beautiful ship fastening! (This style is currently unavailable, but you can browse the Charlie clutch range here.)

Montage 1

Because of the diamantes on the clutch’s ship clasp, and the gold edging, you can match it to silver or gold accessories, which is handy! As you can see, I usually carry it by the strap handle, which allows you to dangle it off one wrist at a jaunty angle…

I love these silver strips on the heel of the flats too.

Sparkle French Sole and Navy WG end 640

I also love the way the muted colour scheme creates a really subtle look for the Henriettas – the opaque material is also really unusual and great fun. Although the sparkles work well for the holiday season (indoors, of course!), this kind of look would also be terrific for a balmy summer night too!

The clutch – well, what can I say? The Charlie clutch in gold was carried on tour by the Duchess of Cambridge, and her sister, Pippa, is often spotted with a W&G clutch under her arm. Given my fondness for nautical accents, how could I resist this one – especially when it combines two of my favourite colours, navy and red?!

Square logo initials

Related articles

Bag ‘n’ Shoes: Primark Snakeskin Clutch and Jonathan Kelsey for Mulberry Cropped Booties

2 Comments

I accidentally did a bit of high/low fashion melding for this week’s Bag ‘n’ Shoes post, pairing a cheap as chips Primark foldover clutch with some gorgeous Jonathan Kelsey boots. These were part of Mulberry’s first foray into the shoe market in 2008, where they teamed up with Kelsey to create a capsule collection that included these rather beautiful cropped, polished, gunmetal booties.

Mulberry shoes and Primark bag

(This was actually for my Medusa outfit for Halloween – which was pretty uninspiring, to be honest, but I did go all out on the accessories!)

Mulberry and Primark montage

I have to say, the more I look at these shoes, the more I love them. They’re not so high they’re impossible to walk in, and the colour is phenomenal, but they are a tad battered, poor things! In the end, I thought they went pretty well with the snakeskin clutch – I’m not a huge fan of snakeskin, so I wasn’t prepared to spend much at all on the bag. Primark to the rescue – this was just £6!

Square logo initials

Duchess Style: Great Plains Cezanne dress

Leave a comment

I have a bit of a thing for the Duchess of Cambridge’s wardrobe. Who wouldn’t want to dress like a future queen, after all? I love finding out what she’s wearing and then tracking down the item myself! When Kate appeared in Grimsby wearing a new dress last week, I logged onto the amazing Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/WhatKateWore, where the community had located the dress within minutes of her appearance. So, I had to bag one for myself (on sale at www.greatplains.co.uk). Here’s the result!

Cezanne

I decided to pair it with a couple of other Kate-related items, my L.K. Bennett Sliver sandals in taupe (bought from the outlet store in Portsmouth, now renamed as the Sandy) and my L.K. Bennett Natalie clutch (still available from the site).

Sliver shoes 2 Sliver shoes

I love these shoes – had them resoled as the leather soles are pretty delicate. It’s sooo cold here at the moment though that it’s impossible to wear them out anywhere, so for once I’m actually looking forward to the warmer months!

Natalie clutch Natalie clutch 2

The Natalie clutch is an item I’ve been lusting after for a long time, so I decided to break down and treat myself last month. I’m glad I did, because it goes perfectly with my sandals, and my nude heels that I bought from M&S. I did try on a pair of Kate’s beloved Sledges, but sadly they are too dark a shade to really be ‘nude’ on me, so I bought the much cheaper pair from the Autograph range – practically identical in every way, expect a better match for me! (And comfy too!)

Clutch and shoes

Do you follow Kate’s fashions? Ever bought anything she was seen wearing? Ever replicated one of her looks? I’d love to hear from you in the comments if so!