Time Is Right for Budget Evening Bags

Finding the right evening bag is not easy, especially on a budget. But as the holiday season approaches, stores seem to be offering a better-than-usual assortment.

Many nice-looking bags are priced from $30 to $50. There are stylishly small, structured shapes, some beaded, some with faux pearl-encrusted handles. Bright fuchsia, tangerine and royal blue are widely available alternatives to black. Box- and book-shaped evening purses are among the whimsical styles edging out the all-too-familiar clutch and drawstring pouch.

Vintage-looking styles are another option. Some have a ‘20s feeling, some are shoulder and patch-pocket-shaped bags made from antique fabrics. Several high-priced brands are reinterpreted this season in the under-$50 range. Some emulate the woven leather design of Bottega Veneta, but with affordable ribbons replacing the pricier leather straps. Quilted-leather styles reminiscent of Chanel are also widely available.

For an all-purpose evening purse, small, unadorned shapes in black, gold or silver are the most versatile.

Sandra Clark, president and co-owner of Image Works, an Irvine-based consulting firm and boutique, warns against carrying a daytime bag to a dressy evening event.

“You wouldn’t wear tennis shoes with a cocktail dress,” she says. “Carrying a daytime bag with an evening outfit is just as bad.”