In the spirit of today’s Ohio State versus Michigan football game, we indulge in this Scarlet and Grey medley. Composed of the Grey Glossy Ostrich Westbourne bag by Notting Hill Design and an artsy red chair in downtown Fort Lauderdale, this Shutterbag edition prepares us mentally for the classic showdown between the two rivaling teams.

Beat Michigan.

What would be more becoming at a holiday party than a decadent gold metallic clutch paired with these dramatic DKNY “Dotty” snake print metallic gold sandals and your favorite little black dress? The accessories can make or break your look.

An eye catching evening clutch for a holiday party will definitely put you in a party mood. Add some sparkle, just a touch. Moderation is the key to not looking like you are trying too hard. Pair the gold accessories with solid colors such as black, charcoal gray or perhaps even fuchsia if you dare. But most of all, have fun with it and rotate your gold toned accessories with various outfits, perhaps add some classics to your handbag collection in shades that are hot right now, including a shiny metallic gold, an antiqued gold and even a bronze finish. This would make a great statement piece though!

Where were the fireworks last night? Where was the drama? Was it hiding in new housewife Alexis’s cleavage? Was her creepy, weak-chinned husband keeping it from the watchful eyes of the Real Housewives of Orange County viewership?

Wherever it is, we didn’t see much of it. Tamra copped to having jealousy issues, all of the housewives tried on lingerie without punching each other in the face, Gretchen got up on a pole but managed to stay clothed, and Jeana exited the show with little fanfare and a dinner where both of her sons managed to not be total douchebags.

Where was the wig-pulling? The bad, auto-tuned dance songs? The glasses of white wine with straws in them? Oh yeah, wrong housewives. Darn. I kind of miss those other ones.

Back when I wrote about the fantastical, confusing, reptilian shoes that Alexander McQueen showed for his brilliant Spring 2010 runway show, I remember thinking that the only person that I could see actually trying to wear the shoes in any serious way was Lady Gaga. Apparently I can predict the future, so if any of you would like to know if you should dump your current boyfriend, you know who to ask.

I can’t tell you for sure whether or not female alt-hip-hop artist Santigold (who spelled her name Santogold as recently as last year) had a hand in the making of this bag or if it’s even named after her, but if either of those things is true, then bravo to the Matt & Nat Santogold Bag.

I haven’t heard all that much of her work, but I do know that she’s a solo female artist doing her own thing, which is incredibly difficult in the male-dominated music industry where female solo artists are expected to look, act and sound a certain way in order to be viable artists. And not only does Santigold march to the beat of her own drummer stylistically, so does Matt & Nat.

This is my first holiday season doing the ol’ full-time PurseBlogger gig, so I don’t have a previous party season with which to compare it, but it certainly seems like there are so many shiny, glam, wonderful little clutches surfacing for our holiday enjoyment lately.

I’d imagine that at least part of the uptick is based on the season and part of it is just me paying increased attention to them because I love the holidays, but either way, you’ve got to admit that the Franchi Feather Frame Clutch is kind of adorable.

I’m usually a bit dubious when Bottega Veneta decides to layer a pattern on top of their signature intrecciato woven leather. The material itself is so beautiful and luxurious that it seem a waste to mask it, and often the extra patterns compete with the weave’s natural lines.

This time, though, I think they got it right – the argyle pattern of the Bottega Veneta Argyle Veneta Intrec Argyle Boston Bag works on its own and with the weaving.