If you're going to a party, especially to formal ones, it's not quite chic to sling a tote, shoulder, or hand bag with your cocktail dress. It destroys the mood of your outfit as well as the occasion. It's recommended to bring a clutch bag instead since it's compact, streamlined, and formal.

But of course, clutch bags don't necessarily have to be used only during evening events! You can wear them with casual clothes too, if they're big and roomy enough to function. You may as well have the clutch in black to max out the versatility.

I picked up this gift from Dorothy Perkins yesterday (thanks Michelle!). It's exactly what I need!

The clutch is plain, sleek, and most importantly, roomy! It can easily fit my phone, foundation, and lipstick with lots of room to spare for a wallet and camera. I promptly wore it last night to a dinner date with Marco at 101 in Enderun.