The perfume clutch. An accessory that I initially thought to be too campy became an obsession. Seen above, Nicole Warne from Gary Pepper rocked the Charlotte Olympia clutch and subsequently rocked my world. The clutch retails at $1,200….a price I’m NOT willing to pay for an accessory that may or may not stand the test of time. DIY time!
I decided to use the Chanel n.5 bottle as my inspiration, as it’s cult status and clean lines lent to an easy DIY.
Tools needed:
- Acrylic soap dish (I found mine at Winners, but I’ve seen similar clean shapes Home Outfitters or other home decor shops)
- If the soap dish has a lid, SCORE! I took my soap dish into Industrial Plastics and Paint (one of my favourite stores!) and had them cut a piece of acrylic to size. It cost me about $3 and was ready later that day. Look for a local plastics provider in your area.
- Acrylic cube card holder (I found mine at Michaels and simply pulled out the wire)
- Small door hinge
- Magnetic door clasp (my clasp came in a plastic case, which I popped right off to expose the bare metal and magnet. Feel free to leave the plastic on)
- E6000 glue. This stuff is amazing, just make sure to leave it for 24 hours to dry before handling.
This seems like quite a few supplies, but the total cost of the project was around $30, which compared to $1,200 is a HUGE savings!
1. Apply the E600 directly to the hinge, place on the acrylic piece. Do the same for the acrylic cube and the magnetic clasp.
2. Leave these overnight to ensure the glue has dried. It doesn’t dry instantly, but the hold is worth the wait!
3. Place the acrylic piece on top of the dish, make sure everything is lined up, then glue the other face of the hinge to the soap dish and glue the metal clasp to the acrylic piece.
4. Print and cut out your label (I found matte photo paper looks the best.) Spray the back with adhesive and carefully place it on the clutch.
5. Let everything dry for 24 hours.
I can’t wait to use my clutch for fancy events where you only need your phone, some money and a lipstick!
Have fun with the different bottle shapes, different toppers (vintage tea light holders work great), and different labels. I’ve attached the label I used plus a blank template to customize your own label!
Let me know if you like this or if you try it out!
xox Alana
