The Intelligent Consumer: The best clutch: all you need is a wash- bag of a certain poshness

get the look and get it right

There is no "look" this week to get right. Instead, I fancied a round-up of little bags. You know the sort of thing: you're going out for the evening, maybe a little meal with a saucy boy, and you don't want to take a huge bag, but you do need something. It doesn't even necessarily need to be a bag made for that purpose: make-up bags make excellent and cheaper substitutes. The nylon MAC lip-kit is expensive but it comes complete with tubes of coloured stuff that you put on your lips, if you're that way inclined. And, afterwards, you have a clutchie bag/washbag of a certain poshness and you can stuff loads in. I managed a pair of glasses, my mobile phone, lots of cash and cards and ladies' things. This is excellent (although a bit Eighties looking) for when you need to take that bit more. The Beauty Quest make-up bag is gauzy and thus transparent, so perhaps more suited to a less formal occasion - a mobile phone fits snugly inside. My other favourite is the purple velvet zip-bag, which is a proper bag and rather suited to evening cocktails.

Black mesh make-up bag, pounds 6, Beauty Quest. Mail order: 0171 410 1600

Black nylon travel roll, pounds 6.95, Muji, 187 Oxford Street, London W1. Enquiries/mail order: 0171 323 2208

Black nylon lip-kit (with eight lip colours), pounds 70, MAC, 109 Kings Road, London SW3. Enquiries/mail order: 0171 349 0601

Black/gold chinese make-up bag, pounds 10, Warehouse, 19-21 Argyll Street, London W1. Enquiries: 0171 278 3491

Purple velvet zip bag, pounds 23.95, Dollargrand, Fenwick, 63 New Bond Street, London W1. Mail order: 0171 629 9161

Brown woven zip purse, pounds 19.95, The Sak, Fenwick, as before