My mother made a big mistake showing me this clutch. She found it while helping my grandmother clean out the closet. I told her I was borrowing it (along with a number of other vintage goodies to be posted later) to photograph it and put it up on Spork Fashion. Little does she know it is an extended borrow.

I don’t know what era this is from. The style looks 1950s, but the ingenuity and some of the materials look like they came from the 1970s. Either way, this clutch is rockin’ my world. With five different looks (black velvet, black patent leather, gold brocade, tweed, and default black nylon) this bag can literally go from day to night. A hidden snap beneath the black flap on either side of the bag allows for the covers to be attached and appear nearly seamless. If you look closely (and yes, I always do) you can see that the covers don’t line up entirely symmetrically. However, I’m sure most people wouldn’t even notice this. In fact, unless you examine the bag closely, you probably wouldn’t be able to tell that the bag can, essential, shed its skin.

I think my favorite is the tweed cover. I love the contrast between the off-white cover and the black trim. This shell feels the most 1950s vintage to me, and my favorite vintage eras are the 1940s and 1950s. I also love the brocade cover for a dressier look, but that definitely feels a little more 1970s to me. The velvet cover is probably my least favorite (well, and the nylon, but why would you leave it uncovered when you have four other fabulous looks?) because it somehow reminds me of junior high dances. I must have had a velvet purse back then.

If my mom asks where this bag went, don’t rat me out!