Wedding season is edging closer and we often focus on finding the best wedding guest dresses and forget that accessories are just as important. An occasionwear look can be taken to new levels of elegance depending on your choice of bag and shoes.
No one knows this better than the royals and when in doubt, we always turn to the Princess of Wales for style inspiration. After all, as the future Queen she’s an expert at dressing for formal events and her go-to bag style for everything from weddings to garden parties is always a clutch.
We can think of plenty of clutches that are amongst Kate’s best handbags ever – particularly her Emmy London suede Natasha clutch. The senior royal owns this design in a huge array of colours, from blush to navy, forest green and pale blue.
(Image credit: Image 1:photo by Mark Kerrison/In Pictures via Getty Images // Image 2:Photo by Karwai Tang/WireImage via Getty // Image 3:Photo by Samir Hussein – Pool/WireImage via Getty)
Shop Kate’s Clutch Bags
Emmy London Natasha Clutch
The Princess of Wales loves this Natasha suede clutch bag so much she owns it in multiple colours, including this subtle blush tone. It’s hand-crafted, has a neutral suede lining and zip pocket and fastens with a secure magnetic popper. It comes with a detachable chain strap so you can wear it in several ways.
Strathberry Multrees Chain Wallet
The Multrees Chain Wallet will take you effortlessly from daytime to evenings out as it can be worn as a crossbody bag or as a timeless clutch. It’s handmade in Spain and has Strathberry’s iconic Music Bar. The interior is spacious and has eight card slots and a zipped pocket.
Hobbs Evesham Suede Clutch
The mint green Evesham clutch bag that the Princess of Wales owns is now sadly out of stock, but this pale blue version is also gorgeous to pair with a wedding guest outfit. It has a detachable strap with a chain detail, a barrel shape and a soft suede outside.
Shop Clutch Bags For Wedding Season
M&S Cream Pearl Clutch Bag
Elevate your evening and occasionwear outfits with this clutch bag. It has a beautiful pearl-effect design that brings a glamorous feel and it comes with a detachable gold-toned chain strap. You could use this as a wedding bag too as it’s understated but elegant.
Nina Zoey Platino Metallic Clutch
Featuring a magnetic closure, removable chain strap and angled silhouette, this metallic clutch is big enough for all your essentials. It’s also available in a variety of other colours, including black and silver. With matching metallic shoes and your favourite jewellery, this would be especially superb.
Phase Eight Knot Front Clutch
This pretty pastel pink clutch bag would be a stunning finishing touch for any special outfit. It’s made from suede and has the feminine knot bow detail across the front. If you want to coordinate your accessories like the Princess often does, then wear this with Phase Eight’s matching knot block heels.
It’s a testament to their timelessness that she has invested in so many shades and brings them out year after year. This is what Kate’s clutches generally have in common: they’re actually quite plain.
Although she does have a few embellished clutches in her collection, the ones she wears most to special occasions are generally unadorned and have a flapover style. We’d recommend taking a similar approach when you’re choosing a clutch bag as it’ll make it much easier to style with a variety of different outfits.
Neutral colours like pinky-beige, cream, taupe or even metallics will also work very well with any other shade. This means you don’t have to have an array of different clutches in your collection unless you really want to.
(Image credit: Photo by Dominic Lipinski – WPA Pool/Getty Images)
Instead, your carefully selected bag can be re-worn for plenty of weddings, parties and even with fabulous date night outfits without you worrying about colour clashing.
Alternatively, if a particular hue is a big part of your signature style or complements an occasionwear outfit you love wearing, go for a clutch bag in this shade. The Princess of Wales famously loves dressing head-to-toe in one key colour.
We regularly see her stepping out with a clutch bag that coordinates perfectly with her outfit. This includes a Buckingham Palace garden party in 2022 where she wore a gorgeous mint green midi dress with matching court shoe heels and a Hobbs Evesham clutch.
(Image credit: Photo by Pool/Samir Hussein/WireImage via Getty)
Kate also chooses different Natasha clutches depending on her outfit and in 2023 she attended the Order of the Garter service at Windsor Castle holding a cream Strathberry clutch for a subtle contrast against her white polka dot Alessandra Rich dress.
Whether you like a matchy-matchy look or not, the Princess of Wales has shown how classic and sophisticated this bag style is for formal events. A clutch feels more polished than a handsfree crossbody bag and is big enough for your essentials without being too bulky.
It’s a bag style you’ll find yourself reaching for year after year – just like the future Queen does. We’re expecting her to attend the Easter Sunday service with her fellow royals this month and wouldn’t be at at surprised if she steps out holding a pared-back clutch bag to tie in with her dress.
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