Monday, July 27, 2009

DOING A CLUTCH THE CLASSY WAY: How to pick it and pack it.


Truth: Clutches are always classy for a night out on the town.

If you are anything like me then you carry around a massive purse. Why do you need an oversized purse? Well, that is simple. You never know when you are going to need something so you might as well lug everything around with you everywhere you go.

Now, I am notorious for my big purses and I am okay with that. But, there comes a time when you can’t drag your gigantic purse with you. And when is that time? Most notably, you don’t want to have your purse with you when you go out for a night on the town. This is when clutches come in handy.

(Guys often associate a women’s oversized purse with her personal baggage. I can object to that. I have no personal baggage ;). However, a bar or club is not the place for a purse to be.)

Let us get down to some clutch basics:

Rule 1: You never want to spend a large amount of money on a clutch. My fellow classy chicks might disagree, but I would never spend more than $25 on a clutch. In fact, I have never spent more than $10 on a clutch. These things take some abuse! I guarantee you will drop your clutch and it will see its fair share of spilt drinks. Do yourself a favor and opt for the less expensive clutch.

Rule 2: Look for a clutch that is weather proof. Like I said before, your clutch will see its fair share of spilt drinks. You don’t want soggy money or soggy anything for that matter. Opt for a patent leather clutch or another water friendly fabric.

Rule 3: You can’t go wrong with a black clutch but take the opportunity to bring a little color into your life. Since you aren’t spending an arm and a leg on your clutch (clutches are not purses people!), go for a handbag with some pattern or color! Come on; show your personality a bit. You can never go wrong with a red, blue or purple handbag.

Rule 4: Your clutch needs to securely hold its contents. If you are anything like my friends, you are a party sista! You like to dance and flail your arms around. You, my friend, need some extra protection. Opt for a clutch with a zipper, strong magnetic hold, or button closure. Trust me, if you don’t have a secure clutch, you will wish you did when your iPhone flies across the dance floor.

Now that we have gone through the basics of picking out your clutch, let’s start talking about contents. Don’t have a panic attack when going from an oversized purse to a teeny tiny clutch! It will be ok! Actually, I do this quite easily. You would be impressed with the bare essentials that I need.

My top 5 clutch contents are as follows:

1. iPhone: I like to document my nights out and would not be caught dead without this valuable form on communication.
2. ID: I know this is an obvious pick but it is truly an essential. We don’t all look like mature glamazons. In fact, SS had her ID poked and prodded just last week! (SS, you are a mature glamazon…just not to the bouncer at Blueberry Hill.)
3. Money: Yes, yes I know. Money is another essential. Hopefully fellas will be buying your drinks but you always need a back up.
4. Lip gloss: I always like to have some options floating around in my bag. I will have to defer to LL as to how to keep your lips always looking glossy. She has a secret. Maybe she will share.
5. Mini brush: Let’s face it. Things can get a little crazy and your hair can look downright jacked up once you get off that dance floor.

Now, I am never caught dead without my top 5 clutch contents listed above, but there are a few other items that you might want to make room for, or at least consider, on your night out.

· Gum: Someone always asks for it.
· Passport: (Or another form of ID.) For some reason, I always leave my driver’s license in my pants from the night before. I have learned to always keep my passport in my purse for emergency ID purposes.
· Camera: You never know when someone makes a fool of themselves and the camera on your phone does not do the situation justice. However, cameras can be quite balky.
· Powder: Powder comes in handy when it is hot outside. Especially in the STL humidity.
· Keys: We are classy ladies and always have a designated driver. There is no shame. We trade off and on. So, depending on the night, don’t forget your keys!
· Hair ties: Someone always needs a hair tie (or you are just not partying hard enough.) It is good to have them handy.

Now that we are clear on what to consider when selecting your clutch and how to stock it before you go out, I will leave you with some parting advice. If you are an oversized purse lover like me, then you, my friend, have enough room to keep a clutch in your oversized purse! I have at least one clutch with me everywhere I go. This is perfect for impromptu nights out.

Now go out with your clutch and keep it classy.

SH



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Getting to know us....

1. Describe yourself in five words

2. Describe your sense of style

3. Why did you get into your field of work / why are you studying to get in your field of work?

4. What is on repeat on your iPod?

5. What is your favorite drink?

6. What is your idea of a great night out?

7. Who is your hero?

8. Who is your style icon?

- - - - -
SS

1. Spunky, feisty, spontaneous, artistic, and baller-outrageous (look it up in the dictionary--it's one word...right next to MY picture).

2. Kitschy, hipster, funky, and a splash of Sex & the City chic (even though I LOATHE those girls...you'll find out why eventually).

3. I have always been an artistic old soul trapped in a little girls body and I think that is who I truly am as a person. Ever since I was a little girl and painting (not just drawing -- PAINTING) on my bedroom walls I knew that I was destined to do something art-related in my life. The choices I've made and the path I've followed have led me to a place that is exactly where I want to be at this point in my life.

4. My absolute FAVORITE of all time is The Beatles. Beyoncé, 3OH!3, and Lil' Wayne. And Britney. No shame.

5. Its a tie between Captain and Diet or Sex on the Beach. Which, when you think about it, totally makes sense. I mean, who WOULDN'T want to have sex with a pirate on the beach?

6. Going bar hopping with my two favorite ladies -- SH and LL. Duhhhh.

7. My grandmother. She single-handedly raised 12 children in a one bathroom house. If that's not worthy of sainthood, then I don't know what is.

8. I would say that I adore Grace Kelly's classic elegance but I also LOVE the fierceness of Beyoncé (the woman is AMAZING). I like to mix it up so I guess my style icon changes pretty frequently.

SH

1. Quirky, dorky, nurturing, lucky, and driven.

2. I am definitely a mixture between elegant-chic, comfortable casual, and city-country. I love nice fabrics, ruffles, plaid, jeans, and cowboy boots. (My favorite things that I don't wear enough of are unique pieces of jewelry. My mother bought me a beautiful jade and gold elephant necklace for my 21st birthday; I will covet it for the rest of my life. I am also hopelessly in love with my impromptu koi friendship necklace.)

3. I realized early on that math and science were not for me. That pretty much eliminated a lot of career choices right off the bat. What it came down to was my love for communication. (My dorky side is about to come out so be prepared.) I love the art behind good communication. It is amazing how powerful words can be. I love the planning and strategy behind marketing and I am always astonished by the time and effort it takes to nurture productive relationships. Most importantly, I want to make a meaningful contribution to an organization that I believe in while being challenged at the same time. Communication may be simple, but it is not easy.

4. I must confess that the only music on my iPhone consists of We the Living, Parachute, and Taylor Swift. I love all music. I am just obsessed with the artists formerly listed.

5. Everyone that knows me knows that I detest the taste of alcohol. (I am also a light weight which makes me a cheap date.) I however have two FAVORITE drinks. You could pump UV Blue and Lemonade through my veins and I would be set for the rest of the night. I also cannot pass up Sex on the Beach from my favorite bar tender, Sean, at Morgan Street. (I don't like anyone else's Sex on the Beach.)

6. A great night out would be getting dressed up for a delicious dinner and spending the rest of the night out on the town with my very best of friends (LL and SS. My sweet honey can be there too...haha.) The most important ingredient to the night: we have to wake up laughing about the night before in the morning (or afternoon).

7. Oh geez. You will soon realize that Taylor Swift is my long, still-lost best friend. I absolutely adore the girl. I love her music, her style, and her endearing appreciation for all that she is blessed with in life. She is as real as it gets.

8. Anne Hathaway is by far my favorite style icon. She has beautiful features and always gets it right. I love how daring she is on the red carpet. She gets an A+ for elegance in my fashion book.


- - - - -

Let us get to know you! Send us your answers or some of your questions! We'd love to answer and share our thoughts!

Stay classy,
The Classy Chicks


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Here's the story...

So, here's the deal. We (and by we, we of course mean the three most fabulous chicks you'll ever meet. EVER. True story.) decided, "Hey, why don't we start a blog so we can be rich and famous just like the people on TV and in movies?!"

Okay, not really, but we did think "Hey, why don't we start a blog so that we can share our vast array of knowledge on how to live fabulously and still maintain a pretty amazing drinking resume, all while balancing work, school, boys, and shopping?"

We figured that while we master the ins and outs of what else life has to offer us, that we'll share that info with you, the amazing reader (because, let's face it, if you've stumbled upon this and are still reading up to this point, you're freaking awesome).

So here's our story; we are three college chicks (well two college chicks and a recent grad -- the grown-up) who are best friends and some classy ladies. And although we have an impressive amount of expertise on a variety of subjects, we still have a lot of figuring out left to do.

That is where you come in. As we update the blog with tips and tricks, and just general rules to live by, we expect input, questions, and requests from you! We should all figure this out together. So send us a shout out.

Stay Classy,
The Classy Chicks


SH, SS, and LL demonstrating the proper way to maintain balance
while looking fabulous for an impromptu photo session.


PS - Never mind SS's wonky arm. She is double-jointed...but oh, so classy.

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