Summer dress and boots

wearing: gold hoop earrings / lipstick / blue print dress / summer nail polish / black handbag / black boots /

I am twirling for summer vacation! Two of my three kids had graduations this spring, and one of my kids is away for summer abroad. This is a great summer for all three of my children, which makes it a fabulous summer for me! Love!

In addition, my fabulous friend Dawn from Fashion Should be Fun has retired, so this twirl is for her too! To celebrate, we decided to meet up and enjoy lunch from the new Sushi Burrito window inside the food court at Valley Fair. It is similar to Sushirrito, so I definitely loved it! The fusion between sushi and burritos is the combo we didn’t know we needed but actually need! Yum!

I originally purchased this dress to wear to my son’ graduation, which was held outside on the football field. But, I have found I love reaching for it and styling it in different ways. For outside events, it’s great with sandals and my straw handbag. For a lot of walking, boots and my Chloe Marcie offer the perfect casual look combined with practical comfort. Since this dress is available in other prints and colors, I might have to pick up a second one for the summer season! Love that!

Shop my summer dress and boots outfit online:

So, if you are local, check out Sushi Burrito at Valley Fair for a yummy meal!

Thanks for stopping by!

XOXO
Cathy

BAF Weekly IT List

BAF Weekly IT List from top left: neutral sweater / lipstick / Hermes summer nail polish / Chanel summer nail polish / Dior summer nail polish / blue print dress / straw bag / caramel handbag / suede high heels / canvas tote / black boots / belted tote /

Summer is moving along! We are enjoying a mix of neutrals alongside pops of color as well as fun summer prints. It’s a cheery summer when it comes to personal style.

Speaking of personal style, did you read my post on Wednesday? It seems to be the end of the IT era as we currently know it. This doesn’t mean the end of the BAF Weekly IT List. This weekly article is more about what’s trending in general and my top sellers here on the blog as opposed to IT items you see on a celebrity which have the general public clamoring after them. So never fear, this list is not cliche nor will it break the bank for a fleeting item.

Back to style! We are still enjoying the anonymous handbag, oceanic hues for nails, and pops of color mixed with joyful prints. Have some fun with your style this summer season!

Shop the BAF Weekly IT List online:

Thanks for stopping by and stay tuned for more summer coverage!

XOXO
Cathy

The end of the IT era

Current go-to casual outfit: gold hoops / lipstick / oversize tee / belt (old, similar here) / jeans / handbag / summer nail polish / boots /

There have always been trends when it comes to fashion and style. That being said, we entered an era in the early 2000’s when certain items were more than just mere “must-have’s,” they were necessities in life.

We saw fashion items such as the Burberry Trench, and  the Gucci belt turn up in almost everyone’s wardrobe. In addition, we saw handbag after handbag become the IT item bag of the month. We cycled through the Balenciaga City, the Chloe Faye, the Fendi Spy, the Fendi Baguette, and many more. Several of the IT bags were often hard to find, such as the Mansur Gavriel bucket bag in black with flamma interior. They were hotter than hot alongside classic IT bags such as the Hermes Birken, and the Chanel 2.55; both of which will forever be on the desirable IT list. The question is, are consumers still on the hunt for the ultimate IT bag or IT item du jour in the year 2026?

Recently fashion journalists have been trying to declare the handbag over. The handbag will never be over. It is a necessity of life as we need something to carry all of our stuff around. That being said, the past few years we have watched consumers shy away from the IT bag and logos in general. The current style vibe is quiet, and consumers are looking for quality over status symbols. Some say it’s the economy, but it’s not that; people are tired of keeping up with IT items and ostentatious style. The hunt became boring and cumbersome.

I have never been a logo person, so when logos went out of style, I jumped for joy! It’s always been an open secret that walking around with a bag or clothing item which flaunts a logo is gauche and shows no sense of style whatsoever. It’s just someone trying to show the world how much they paid for that item. It’s nice to see personal style instead of logos roaming the streets.

Consumer fatigue is the main reason the IT era seems to be coming to an end for now. People are reliving old IT items, and we are watching them circle back into style, but as for new IT items, we might have to wait awhile. The pendulum is swinging towards buying what we love instead of trying to own every IT item known to mankind.

This is actually a breath of fresh air for me. I have always been a mix of classic style and seeking the latest IT item. For the past few years, I became burnt out seeking the next IT item and concentrated on building my capsule wardrobes and going back to my personal mantra of timeless style; which was my whole style concept in the 1990’s. It feels good to seek items I love, rather than hunt for the latest IT item. I believe this will continue for quite some time.

What are your thoughts on the end of the IT era? Do think the IT era will return? Or do you believe it has run it’s course in modern times?

Thanks for stopping by!

XOXO

Cathy