Today I wanted to write about a purse that was romantic and pretty, whilst avoiding writing about yet another handbag that is either heart-shaped or covered in the damn things!

And so I came across this glittery little purse from Menbur. It ticks all the boxes, but in an unusual round shape. ...

If you have found a more season appropriate clutch than the Aagaarda, then feel free to let me know!

You see, spring/summer 2011 is all about romanticism. It's about taking florals, and lace, and delicate fabrics, and wearing them in a new and over-the-top way. Think layer upon layer of cream ...

It is always strange to see a Timmy Woods bags that isn't a novelty, and even more so to see one that is affordable too!

Priced at just $65, the Garbo clutch is definitely at the affordable end of the handbag market. However, this doesn't mean that it ...

Evening bags tend to be sleek, chic affairs, so it's refreshing to see Nina Ricci dirty things up with this Tiered purse.

This clutch may be a bit rough around the edges, but I think that only adds to its charms. The exposed ruffles ...

Jessica McClintock releases a frame clutch in her Sequins & Satin range.

The over the top heavily sequined exterior of this clutch matches the original version of this bag, although the color scheme has changed. The old one was blue and silver, and the red and silver edition ...

Classic simplicity can be a hard style to pull off well, but thankfully Stuart Weitzman is an expert at the art.

The Stanza clutch takes what is in essence a midnight black suede purse, and manages to transform it into a glamorous evening bag. An ...

Tortoiseshell style but without the dead tortoises? What's not to love?!

Menbur have taken the idea of a retro tortoiseshell handle, and updated it for our modern times. The frame is bold and beautiful, coordinating beautifully with the peachy satin in that glistening metallic texture. The modern touch ...

BCBG Max Azria brings its geometric mastery to a new clutch bag shape with this luxe gold sequined purse.

Interestingly, I actually prefer the sequined hardware adorning the outside of this evening bag when it is on a slender envelope clutch like this, as ...

Luxury fashion icon Isaac Mizrahi reinvents the bow in this stylish minaudiere.

There is something undeniably 80s about such an over-sized fabric bow. The asymmetric style and slouchy shape just further reinforces this impression. This is clearly a little ridiculous, but thanks to the simplicity of the rest of this leather ...

From the cheap and cheerful label Bebe to the high class design house of Valentino, it seems everyone in the fashion world has fallen for rosettes. Mad by Design is the latest label to offer up a rosette covered purse, and at an ...

Jessica McClintock hits the evening bag jackpot again with this cute metallic purse.

This frame clutch is a clever meeting of tough and delicate. On the one hand the pleated and folded body is made from a soft silky fabric covered with teeny weeny ladylike ...

Luba J looks to inject a bit of edgy style into our evening wardrobes with this Lola evening bag.

She's not quite a showgirl, but this is a purse that demands to be gazed at. Purple is always a head-turning shade, but the crackled ...

Bebe brings pattern and texture together in this cute and affordable leopard print clutch.

A beautifully glossy patent can make the difference between a bag looking cheap and a bag looking luxurious. And, even if the bag costs just $19, a sheen like this will make it ...

Mundi Westport is adding evening bags to its portfolio, thanks to its recent acquisition of R.P.L. Designs' evening bag and accessories division.

The move sees Mundi Westport take the reins of labels including Jessica McClintock.
"The acquisition provides us with a running start into a brand new ...

Get glitzy with this Lodis Haley Gala purse.

There is a strange trend that I am noticing within the handbag world, towards unusual handles and peculiar design. In essence, handbag designers seem to be creating purses that resemble the bags I had in my dressing up box ...

Feast your eyes on what may be one of the most unusual handbags on the market.

Despite the remarkably affordable $44.59 price tag, the structure of this unusual clutch is decidedly high fashion. It is the layer upon layer of rippled satin, wrapped into rosettes, that make ...

Get on trend with this Menbur evening bag.

Velvet may been seen as a traditionally winter fabric, but the decadence of this season's catwalks suggest that you may be able to wear it well into the spring. Team the Elenwe clutch with other luxury fabrics like brocade ...

Soft, slouchy and utterly divine, this is one clutch that just begs to be clutched!

Whilst many Mary Frances handbags can be too over-the-top, I think the Ocean Drive clutch manages to stay just the right side of decadent. The dramatic tribal ...

Orciani may be a little known brand, but it is certainly making fashion waves with designs like this studded clutch.

Whilst normally bags are decorated on the front, Orciani has turned the principle on its head by instead putting the studs on the sides. Not only does this ...

Mmm, metal mesh and ruffled leather. It's a combination that makes even the toughest bag look positively weedy, at the same time as making pretty purses look kind of dull.

OK, so the mix may also be rather over the top, and ...

The name of this Kate Spade clutch suits it, because it does look kind of like someone combined a Scottie dog with a swan. Still, somehow this manages to be pretty cool even with this seemingly inauspicious beginning.

There is something about feathers that always manages to look ...

January is a hard month all round; everyone is skint, depressed and downright miserable. The best thing to cheer you up would be to buy something, were it not for the fact that you have no money at all.

Thank god, therefore, for affordable handbags like this brocade clutch from Red ...

Shimmery rainbows may sound like the stuff of fairytales, but in this BCBGeneration clutch it is actually reality!

So, as already established, this main body of this Violet clutch is a metallic rainbow of colors on a textured leather-esque fabric. That shimmering glamor is contrasted by that uneven pitch black lattice work, which ...

A purse from Timmy Woods that isn't shaped like an animal or a famous landmark? Remarkable! The novelty handbag specialist has abandoned her somewhat crazy roots with this design, although she definitely still achieves a modicum of ridiculousness!

The wooden base for this scrolled clutch makes for a luxury handbag ...

OK, so Kate Spade may not be great at giving her handbag designs short names, but she certainly is talented at coming up with the designs themselves!

There isn't as much of a retro vibe to the Peacock Lane clutch as there is to the other designs in ...

If you are looking for a party clutch, then this metallic creation from Nine West is sure to be tempting.

Silver is always a winner for winter, and the crackled pattern gives it a certain modern feeling without being too over the top. Add to that a seemingly ...

When every bag seems to be covered in sequins or glitter, it is sometimes nice to come across a simple black evening bag.

Of course, this clutch is by Hobo International, and that means that you aren't just getting a black leather purse. At first glance it looks like a ...

Evening bags need a little glitz and glamor, and this BCBG Max Azria clutch offers plenty of both.

The glitz comes in the form of that metallic silver body, the satin of which is enhanced brilliantly by the unusual geometric plates that cover the front. They give a hint ...

Mary Frances bags are never short on bling, but this Teal Time evening purse takes glitz to the next level.

There is no shortage of decoration here. Large polished stones are surrounded by faceted jewels, and shimmering sequins are nestled between them. Every square inch is ...

Handbags this pretty are rare to come across, and this one is a cracker!

This vintage style purse embraces the decorative, delicate and antique all the way through. From the adorable embroidered country scene that shines brightly on the front, to the cute sculpted acrylic handle and clasp. Even ...

Mary Frances Accessories has finally managed to combine decorative detailing with a purse that isn't too over-the-top in this Turkish Nights minaudiere.

Perhaps the rather simple color scheme is what sets this beaded clutch apart from the other eccentric purses in Mary Frances' collection. Instead of a multicolored cacophony, this handbag ...

Although pretty, this layered satin clutch from Menbur reminds me somewhat of a roof tiled in slate. I think it is the pattern, and the way those folded ruffles slope out from the curved metal clasp. Still, no matter, because as it happens that is an effect I really enjoy!

Satin evening bags are ...

The synthetic patent leather of this Delisa clutch comes in a beautiful shade of midnight blue, and it is this that takes a relatively typical purse into evening bag territory.

Whilst the color is elegant, the detailing is more about the attitude. Many people will avoid an evening bag with grommets, as ...

Alexis Hudson understands what makes an evening bag sing. She has done it before, namely with the Champagne and Tango clutches, and now she has really raised the bar with the spangly Ciara clutch.

Whilst sequins can look overdone, this evening purse avoids the issue through using tiny and really classy ones. ...

Plaits are big in the accessories market this winter, as they seem to be popping up all over the place. They add a simple glamour without having to over-embellish.

This Treesje clutch uses the plait decoration in quite an unusual way. The coordinating leather loops around the curved handbag, and actually has a strange belting effect. ...

When my parents welcomed me into their family, their first born, there was only one name they could think of to give me: Lauren. They'd long admired Lauren Bacall on the big screen, and thought if their daughter could inherit a little of her beauty, strength, and ...

The little black bag gets a stylish makeover here with the Black City Sequins Bag from Balmain.

The Parisian fashion house has taken a rather simple classic square clutch and added some serious wow factor by covering it in sequins. Black leather trim and ...

Get glamorous with this Menbur Serpol purse.

Believe it or not, this purse isn't a combination of metal and fabric. Instead, the fabric is actually more hard brass, formed to look like a gathered pouch. I like this; you get the reinforcement of a hard cased clutch, but with the aesthetic qualities of ...

Smart yet affordable clutches that easily make the transition from day to night; these are Prezzo's specialty!

For the daytime, this patent clutch is a smart and simple purse, jazzed up with a little touch of metallic snakeskin. It will fit demurely in with a smart business outfit, although ...

It isn't often in the handbag industry that you see a box clutch that quite so much resembles ... a box! However, that is exactly the look that La Regale have gone for with this unusual minaudiere.

First let me start by pointing out the obvious; this square purse ...

Bring some bling to your outfit with this Jessica McClintock clutch.

There is nothing "daytime" about the East/West clutch. From the gathered and pleated satin body to the big bold gem decoration, this evening bag would look as out of place in the sunlight as a fish ...

Roger Vivier embraces its whimsical side with this playful suede shoulder purse.

I must admit, this is the last accessory I expected to see from the fashion house known for its sleek, retro designs. I imagine a young girl might make something like this if someone ...

Prezzo channels vintage style with this elegant metal mesh snap bag.

Metal mesh has made a comeback in recent years, but with mesh innovators like Whiting & Davis pushing the envelope it's refreshing to see a brand going back to basics. Paired with a ...

J. Furmani is the undisputed expert on all handbags puffed, quilted and otherwise enhanced by layers of affordable  texture. This puffed satin evening bag is the oddest pattern I have seen him do, but it definitely still fits in with the theme.

If you ignore the fact ...

Opening this elegant envelope clutch will be like winning an award every day, thanks to the glossy luxury design and the cute package shape.

The Prunella purse should look luxurious, because Kara Ross is charging you a painful $975 to own it. The last thing you want when talking about that ...

No prizes for guessing why this Mary Frances clutch is called the "Crystal Palace"! This little evening purse is lavishly encrusted with all manner of crystals and gems, making it quite the eye catcher!

OK, so Mary Frances is never, ever, subtle. She is all about the bling ...

Wow. This spotty furry purse isn't what I am used to seeing from the usually sophisticated Kate Spade brand! The cutely named "Cat's Meow" cross-body is the brand's nod to this season's fur obsession, and a fun one it is too.

I don't hate this. This fact shocks ...

Winter is here (well, almost), and with it comes the warm, heavy and gorgeous fabrics that cold mortals know and love. To accompany them, you need a gorgeous handbag, and this beautiful velvet purse form Menbur meets the bill.

Despite the simple shape, this bag is thoroughly decadent. The rich plum ...

Some people may say that the delicate lace and gentle nude coloring is too last season. However, I maintain that the Brussels evening bag from Inge Christopher can actually work really well with this A/W's catwalk of leather and sheepskin.

You see, there is nothing prettier than a delicate girlie fabric ...

I do like a good box clutch. There is something about a strong shape and unusual pattern than can make me feel more like a princess than any other bag could ever hope to. This Jessica McClintock plastic clutch ...