The Missing Case of the Clutch
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There is nothing more discouraging than the pain of transferring item after item from one black bag, to another brown bag, to just a slightly different black bag. It is the pain that every purse connoisseur must endure, but, quite frankly, it’s something that I have recently grown exhausted of. I often ask myself: what am I even packing in here? What is so necessary that I lug around 10 extra pounds, distorting my posture and stretching my poor purse’s leather?
After much contemplation and spring cleaning, I pulled the smallest purse I could find from the depths of my closet: my clutch. A black and white Kate Spade clutch with red lining that I had not used since the dawn of time. Inside the small purse I packed my keys, my driver’s license, a small tube of lip gloss, and I went on my way.
Image Courtesy: Etsy
This lightweight convenience became an addiction. I could no longer find it in me to stuff my purses with sunglasses, pictures, makeup, coupons I’d never use, and journals I’d get too distracted to write in. I wandered the streets with nothing but myself and my clutch, my arms swinging freely by my sides, feeling like a child without any of the responsibility that the big, “grown-up” bags come with.
After spending years gathering large purses, pouring money into city bags, tote bags, messenger bags; I finally felt a weight lifted off my shoulders. I was not prepared for anything life could throw at me: if my mascara should run I’d have no way of fixing it; if it started raining I’d have no umbrella. But this is the freedom of the self-limiting clutch. It creates an element of spontaneity and surprise that you cannot find in the overprepared nature of those large purses. I no longer have to stand ready for the unexpected moments, pulling answers from my bag as if I were Mary Poppins. Instead, I can live in these moments carefree, enjoying them for what they are.
As in my obsessive nature, I went searching for more, looking to completely overhaul my closet. I had an entire wardrobe to outfit with clutches, and I would require one in every color, every type, every pattern. Imagine my surprise when I found that everything looked like it came out of a 2011 Macy’s catalogue. No one was mentioning small purses in any “Top 10 Bags You NEED” lists I saw. All I could find was city bag after city bag after city bag.
Image Courtesy: Purse Blog
So where have all the stylish clutches gone? Who do I have to bribe to get a modern take on one of fashion’s earliest staples?
Perhaps we need to set aside the large bags for a second. Instead of constantly trying to stuff ourselves full with things that none of us really need, we should bask in the sweet freedom that comes with the unplanned. Not having to worry if something is forgotten or missing allows us to truly appreciate the unpredictability of life. The clutch forces this sense of absentmindedness; knowing that the keys and ID stored in your handbag are all you have, and all you need, to navigate the world.
On your next outing, I encourage you to resist the urge to pack for a week-long camping trip. Instead, reach for your smallest purse and experience the intrinsic joy of simplicity.
Strike Out,
Writer: Kayla Gamm
Editor: Samantha Goldberg
Graphic Designer: Lexee Baker
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