Recently, my husband and I were at a party for his team at work. One of our friends arrived looking glamorous, as usual, and carrying a Coach clutch which perfectly completed her outfit. Clearly, the bag was not an afterthought. However, when she arrived, she needed to find just the right place to set it down so that should could eat, drink and enjoy the party.  

Tragic. The clutch completed the outfit. But, in order to enjoy herself, she had to put it somewhere else.

This is when I was reminded of a trick of the trade: coordinating your cocktail and your clutch at a party. 

The key: put your clutch under the same arm that you are holding your cocktail. If you are right handed, this should be your left hand. Then, you are still able to shake hands with other people using your right hand without needing to find a table to set everything down.  

Equally important to the quintessential Seattleite, this technique can also be employed when carrying your morning coffee. Hold your clutch under your left arm with your coffee in your left hand while opening your car door (or sliding your bus pass) with your right hand.  

Now, all you need is the right clutch. Here are a few ideas to get you started.