I was at Nordstrom’s the other day shopping at their anniversary sale and noticed they had a couple of the crystals clutches on sale. I couldn’t help but pick one up to look at. I’ve always known that they existed, but actually seeing them in person intrigued me. Just looking at it reminds me of a Sex in the City episode, but I went on to think, practically when would a person like me carry such a thing? It just seems so red carpet to me. I went home to investigate.
These ornamental crystal clutches are actually called minaudiere (m n -dyâr ). It’s better known as a French word meaning a small ornamental case used to carry personal items often as a clutch or a small handbag. You can find a range of theses at a range of prices anywhere from $30 to $5000 depending on the designer of course. Most designer minaudieres are either inlaid with Swarovski or Austrian crystals crafted to form some kind of design. The above owl is by Judith Leiber.
While I think they’re great on the mantel for decoration…I’m not sure if it would fit even a special occasion especially if there’s no red carpet. What are your thoughts on this minaudiere?
