Purse vs. Clutch — What's the Difference?
Edited by Tayyaba Rehman — By Urooj Arif — Updated on March 11, 2024
A purse is a general term for a small bag holding personal items, while a clutch is a specific type of small, handheld bag without straps.
Difference Between Purse and Clutch
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
A purse is broadly used to describe a variety of small bags designed to carry personal items such as money, cards, cosmetics, and keys. It can come with various features like straps, handles, and multiple compartments for organization. Clutches, on the other hand, are a specific style of purse characterized by their small size and lack of handles or straps, meant to be held in hand.
Purses are versatile and can range from casual designs suitable for daily use to more sophisticated styles for formal occasions. Clutches are typically associated with formal wear or evening events, designed to hold only a few essentials like a phone, ID, and lipstick, emphasizing style over functionality.
The term "purse" in some regions, particularly in North American English, can also refer to a woman's handbag in general, encompassing a wide range of sizes and styles. A clutch is always defined by its compact size and the fact that it must be clutched or held in the hand, making it a distinct category within the broader range of purses and handbags.
While purses often feature a closure mechanism such as zippers, snaps, or clasps to secure the contents, clutches may also have similar closures but are distinguished by their sleek and flat design, which is easy to carry.
Choosing between a purse and a clutch depends on the occasion, the amount of items needed to be carried, and personal style preferences. A purse is more practical for everyday use due to its larger capacity and ease of carrying, while a clutch is a stylish accessory for formal events where only a few items are necessary.
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Comparison Chart
Definition
A small bag for carrying personal items
A small, handheld bag without straps
Variety
Wide range, including casual and formal designs
Typically small and sleek, often for formal occasions
Functionality
Designed for practicality, with compartments and straps
Focuses on style, holds few essentials
Usage
Everyday use, versatile
Formal events, evening wear
Key Features
Straps, handles, closures
No straps or handles, must be held
Compare with Definitions
Purse
General term for a small bag for personal items.
She kept her wallet in her purse.
Clutch
Small, handheld bag without straps.
She carried a silver clutch to the wedding.
Purse
Suitable for a range of occasions.
She chose a leather purse for everyday use.
Clutch
Associated with formal or evening wear.
Her velvet clutch complemented her evening gown.
Purse
Can have various features for organization.
Her purse had multiple pockets for her phone and cosmetics.
Clutch
Focuses on style over functionality.
The beaded clutch added a touch of glamour to her outfit.
Purse
Often includes straps or handles.
The purse came with an adjustable shoulder strap.
Clutch
Designed for holding a few items.
The clutch was just big enough for her phone and lipstick.
Purse
Emphasizes practicality and capacity.
Her purse was large enough to hold all her essentials.
Clutch
Sleek and easy to carry by hand.
The slim design of the clutch made it an elegant accessory.
Purse
A usually closable bag used for carrying keys, a wallet, and other personal items, especially by women; a handbag.
Clutch
A clutch is a mechanical device that engages and disengages power transmission, especially from a drive shaft (driving shaft) to a driven shaft. In the simplest application, clutches connect and disconnect two rotating shafts (drive shafts or line shafts).
Purse
A usually closable small bag or pouch for carrying money.
Clutch
To grasp and hold tightly
A child clutching a blanket.
Purse
Something that resembles a bag or pouch, such as a purse seine.
Clutch
To seize; snatch
Clutched the banana from my hand.
Purse
An available amount of money or resources
A project funded by the public purse.
Clutch
To attempt to grasp or seize
Clutch at a life raft.
Purse
A sum of money collected as a present or offered as a prize.
Clutch
To engage or disengage a motor vehicle's clutch.
Purse
To gather or contract (the lips or brow) into wrinkles or folds; pucker.
Clutch
To hatch (chicks).
Purse
A small bag for carrying money.
Clutch
A hand, claw, talon, or paw in the act of grasping.
Purse
(US) A handbag (small bag usually used by women for carrying various small personal items)
Clutch
A tight grasp.
Purse
A quantity of money given for a particular purpose.
Clutch
Often clutches Control or power
Caught in the clutches of sin.
Purse
(historical) A specific sum of money in certain countries: formerly 500 piastres in Turkey or 50 tomans in Persia.
Clutch
A device for gripping and holding.
Purse
(transitive) To press (one's lips) in and together so that they protrude.
Clutch
Any of various devices for engaging and disengaging two working parts of a shaft or of a shaft and a driving mechanism.
Purse
To draw up or contract into folds or wrinkles; to pucker; to knit.
Clutch
The apparatus, such as a lever or pedal, that activates one of these devices.
Purse
To put into a purse.
Clutch
A tense, critical situation
Came through in the clutch.
Purse
To steal purses; to rob.
Clutch
A small, strapless purse that is carried in the hand.
Purse
A small bag or pouch, the opening of which is made to draw together closely, used to carry money in; by extension, any receptacle for money carried on the person; a wallet; a pocketbook; a portemonnaie.
Who steals my purse steals trash.
Clutch
The complete set of eggs produced or incubated at one time.
Purse
Hence, a treasury; finances; as, the public purse.
Clutch
A brood of chickens.
Purse
A sum of money offered as a prize, or collected as a present; as, to win the purse; to make up a purse.
Clutch
A group; a bunch.
Purse
A specific sum of money
Clutch
Being or occurring in a tense or critical situation
Won the championship by sinking a clutch putt.
Purse
To put into a purse.
I will go and purse the ducats straight.
Clutch
Tending to be successful in tense or critical situations
The coach relied on her clutch pitcher.
Purse
To draw up or contract into folds or wrinkles, like the mouth of a purse; to pucker; to knit.
Thou . . . didst contract and purse thy brow.
Clutch
To seize, as though with claws.
To clutch power
Purse
To steal purses; to rob.
I'll purse: . . . I'll bet at bowling alleys.
Clutch
To grip or grasp tightly.
She clutched her purse tightly and walked nervously into the building.
Purse
A bag used for carrying money and small personal items or accessories (especially by women);
She reached into her bag and found a comb
Clutch
(video games) To win in a 1vX (one versus X) situation.
Purse
A sum of money spoken of as the contents of a money purse;
He made the contribution out of his own purse
He and his wife shared a common purse
Clutch
To unexpectedly or luckily succeed in a difficult activity.
Purse
A small bag for carrying money
Clutch
(transitive) To hatch.
Purse
A sum of money offered as a prize;
The purse barely covered the winner's expenses
Clutch
The claw of a predatory animal or bird.
Purse
Contract one's lips into a rounded shape
Clutch
(by extension) A grip, especially one seen as rapacious or evil.
Purse
Gather or contract into wrinkles or folds; pucker;
Purse ones's lips
Clutch
A device to interrupt power transmission, commonly used to separate the engine and gearbox in a car.
Clutch
The pedal in a car that disengages power and torque transmission from the engine (through the drivetrain) to the drive wheels.
Clutch
Any device for gripping an object, as at the end of a chain or tackle.
Clutch
A fastener that attaches to the back of a tack pin to secure an accessory to clothing. Clutch (pin fastener).}}
Clutch
A small handbag or purse with no straps or handle.
Clutch
A brood of chickens or a sitting of eggs.
Clutch
A group or bunch (of people or things).
Clutch
(US) An important or critical situation.
Clutch
A difficult maneuver
Clutch
Performing or tending to perform well in difficult, high-pressure situations.
Clutch
A gripe or clinching with, or as with, the fingers or claws; seizure; grasp.
An expiring clutch at popularity.
But Age, with his stealing steps,Hath clawed me in his clutch.
Clutch
The hands, claws, or talons, in the act of grasping firmly; - often figuratively, for power, rapacity, or cruelty; as, to fall into the clutches of an adversary.
I must have . . . little care of myself, if I ever more come near the clutches of such a giant.
Clutch
A device which is used for coupling shafting, etc., so as to transmit motion, and which may be disengaged at pleasure.
Clutch
Any device for gripping an object, as at the end of a chain or tackle.
Clutch
The nest complement of eggs of a bird.
Clutch
To seize, clasp, or grip with the hand, hands, or claws; - often figuratively; as, to clutch power.
A man may set the poles together in his head, and clutch the whole globe at one intellectual grasp.
Is this a dagger which I see before me . . . ?Come, let me clutch thee.
Clutch
To close tightly; to clinch.
Not that I have the power to clutch my hand.
Clutch
To reach (at something) as if to grasp; to catch or snatch; - often followed by at.
Clutch
To become too tense or frightened to perform properly; used sometimes with up; as, he clutched up on the exam.
Clutch
The act of grasping;
He released his clasp on my arm
He has a strong grip for an old man
She kept a firm hold on the railing
Clutch
A tense critical situation;
He is a good man in the clutch
Clutch
A number of birds hatched at the same time
Clutch
A collection of things or persons to be handled together
Clutch
A pedal that operates a clutch
Clutch
A coupling that connects or disconnects driving and driven parts of a driving mechanism
Clutch
Take hold of; grab;
The salesclerk quickly seized the money on the counter
She clutched her purse
The mother seized her child by the arm
Birds of prey often seize small mammals
Clutch
Hold firmly, usually with one's hands;
She clutched my arm when she got scared
Clutch
Affect;
Fear seized the prisoners
The patient was seized with unberable pains
He was seized with a dreadful disease
Common Curiosities
Is a purse only for women?
While purses are commonly associated with women, men also use smaller bags for personal items, often referred to as pouches or men's bags, depending on the style and design.
Are clutches practical for daily use?
Due to their limited capacity, clutches are not typically practical for daily use where carrying more items is necessary. They are better suited for events where only essentials are needed.
How do you secure items in a clutch?
Clutches usually have a main compartment with a secure closure like a zipper, snap, or clasp to keep items safe.
What materials are commonly used for clutches?
Clutches can be made from a variety of materials, including leather, satin, velvet, and synthetics, often chosen for their aesthetic qualities to match formal attire.
Is there a size limit for what constitutes a purse?
There's no strict size limit for purses; they can range from very small, like coin purses, to larger sizes that can carry numerous personal items, but they are generally smaller than a tote or a handbag.
Can a purse be considered a fashion statement?
Absolutely, many purses are designed with fashion in mind, featuring unique materials, colors, and embellishments that complement personal style and trends.
Can a clutch have a small strap or chain?
Some clutches come with a detachable strap or chain for versatility, but they are primarily designed to be carried by hand.
Can a clutch be casual?
While often associated with formal wear, clutches can also be designed in casual styles, using materials like canvas or simple leather, suitable for less formal outings.
What's the difference between a clutch and a wristlet?
A wristlet is a small, handheld bag similar to a clutch but features a wrist strap for carrying, making it slightly more practical for hands-free use.
How do you care for high-end clutches and purses?
Care instructions vary by material, but generally, it's important to store them properly, avoid overloading, and clean them according to the manufacturer's guidelines to maintain their appearance and longevity.
Can a clutch be part of a day-to-day wardrobe?
While less common, a casual-style clutch can be incorporated into day-to-day wardrobes, especially for outings where carrying many items isn't necessary.
Can the same design be considered both a purse and a clutch?
Some designs can blur the lines, especially small purses with removable straps; they can function as a clutch when the strap is removed, showcasing the versatility of some designs.
How do you choose between a purse and a clutch for an event?
The choice depends on the event's formality, the required capacity for personal items, and personal style preferences. A clutch is more suitable for formal events, while a purse is better for everyday use or when more items need to be carried.
Do purses always have a closure?
Most purses have some form of closure to secure items, such as zippers, clasps, or magnetic snaps, but some open-top designs might only have a partial closure like a button or tie.
Are there eco-friendly options for purses and clutches?
Yes, there are eco-friendly options made from sustainable materials like organic cotton, recycled plastics, or vegan leather, catering to environmentally conscious consumers.
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Written by
Urooj ArifUrooj is a skilled content writer at Ask Difference, known for her exceptional ability to simplify complex topics into engaging and informative content. With a passion for research and a flair for clear, concise writing, she consistently delivers articles that resonate with our diverse audience.
Edited by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
