Bay Area Fashionista

The Lady Bag is the new handbag for Fall 2010

 in General Fashion / Handbags / Trends  tagged fall 2010 / runway trends / satchels / vintage styles / winter 2011 by

The Lady Bag is the new handbag style for Fall 2010. There are two versions of this handbag which Fashionistas in the Bay Area will be carrying this Fall. The small tote version and the shoulder bag version. The small tote version is similar in style to classics such as the Louis Vuitton Speedy, Hermes Kelly and the Gucci 1973 Tote which is the double top handle tote version of the 1973 shoulder bag. The shoulder bag version reminds Fashionistas of the popular handbags worn roughly five years ago. Handbag lines are simple with a flap closure, minimal hardware and a medium length strap which allows the handbag to hit at the top of the hipbone when hung on the shoulder.

Fendi has a fabulous handbag collection for Fall. The famous peek-a-boo tote satisfies The Lady Bag trend. There is one version of the peek-a-boo bag with leopard print interior. There is also a military green peek-a-boo tote  that is to die for! Fabulous! The classic Fendi baguette, in any size, is the right silhouette for The Lady Bag trend. If you have one from a past season, this is the time to shop your closet and wear it for Fall. With the money you save, you can buy a red clutch! Christian Dior, Marc Jacobs,Chanel, Gucci, Hermes, Prada, Proenza Schouler and Yves Saint Laurent have clean and classic Lady Bag styles for Fall 2010.

The Lady Bag this season is more structured than it has been in past seasons; even as recent as Spring 2010. There is a simple way to update your Lady Bag and take it from relaxed to the oh-so-of-the-moment structured. If you take a piece of cardboard and cut it to fit inside the walls of your handbag, it will instantly stand straight and appear just as structured as this Fall’s Lady Bag.

This is definitely a handbag trend to follow. The Lady Bag is a classic and clean handbag style that circulates in and out of fashion every few years. The best investment handbag in this style should be a neutral color that will withstand the test of time. Look for black, chocolate brown, khaki, tan, red, cream or white. If you are interested in mixing this trend with the military trend and picking up the Lady Bag in army green; proceed with caution. Army green handbags are not always en vogue and you could end up with a white elephant next year. If you plan to sell the handbag after wearing it for a couple of seasons then go ahead and Go Army. After all, fashion is all about what you feel, like and are drawn to. Try to be practical, but never deprive yourself of what you are in love with. Happy shopping and stay fabulous.

Fall 2010 Fashion Trends: Leopard Print

 in General Fashion / Trends  tagged fall 2010 / leopard / prints / winter 2011 by

Leopard print always seems to make an appearance in Fall fashion. Here in the San Francisco Bay Area, leopard print, and animal prints, are shied away from by Fashionistas. Leopard print always seems to be on the flashier side of fashion which, here in the understated Bay Area, can be frowned upon. This Fall, leopard is coming back with a vengeance, which could signal a softening here in the Bay Area, where Fashionistas may ponder the thought of adding a touch of animalistic va-voom to their Fall ensembles.

This year leopard print has taken on a whole new life. There are traditional leopard print designs on everything from Christian Louboutons to Tory Burch Booties to Dolce and Gabbana handbags to full and fabulous cheetah print dresses. Dries Van Noten is showing a beautiful jacket in full leopard print and of course Roberto Cavalli is showing everything animal print; cheetah and leopard. Ralph Lauren, who traditionally shows conservative styles has a bold cheetah print clutch for Fall in his collection.

There are some designers who have taken the animal print to new levels. Dolce and Gabbana has a fabulous blue leopard print handbag and Yves Saint Laurent has an amazing traditional leopard print hobo. Blumarine has opted to go Zebra with a fabulous pair of booties for Fall. Philip Lim has combined Minimalism with leopard print by creating a mini, crossbody handbag in grey leopard print.

This Fall, the animal print trend, which is heavy on the leopard, is a great way to liven up a neutral, 70’s silhouette or for adding pop to a Minimalism outfit. Here in the San Francisco Bay Area, it is a good idea to shy away from the head-to-toe leopard look; although it works if you are going to Vegas for the weekend. Bay Area Fashionista would like to recommend sticking to an accessory such as leopard shoes, a leopard handbag or leopard print scarf. If you feel that is not animal enough for you, a leopard print jacket will suffice with a solid, neutral outfit. This is a great trend which will add the right amount of va-voom to any outfit. So if you have shopped your closet and there are no wild animals to be found, it is time to hit the mall. Happy shopping and stay fabulous.

Military Trend Continues into Fall 2010

 in Color Trends / General Fashion / Trends  tagged fall 2010 / green / winter 2010 by

The military trend from Spring 2010 is continuing into Fall with army green, double breasted jackets, cargo pants, army fatigues and Camouflage. Military style clothing is perfect for Fashionistas in the San Francisco Bay Area since the thick cotton twill that the majority of the garments are made with allows bay area Fashionistas the ability to wear the styles throughout the year. Military style jackets , blazers, pea coats and fatigues can carry us from cool summer nights when the fog rolls in to breezy Fall afternoons and cool Winter days.

Camouflage is popping up on Prada and Dior handbags, shoes and accessories. Prada is showing a platform camouflage pump along with a darling clutch and bowler style handbag. Christian Dior has altered the fashion house’s famous Lady Dior handbag by adding a long, camouflage strap and wrapping the top handles in camouflage leather. The body of the Lady Dior handbag is a solid, army green. Dior also introduced a 1970s style handbag  with a long, thick strap and lattice design on the front. This beautiful handbag is a nod to the 1970s trend  that trickled onto Fall runways. Burberry is showing a to-die-for trench coat in a dark army green as well as a satiny shirt dress in light army green. Stores such as Banana Republic and JCrew are showing more affordable versions of the military trend with fabulous jackets and pants.

The military trend comes in and out of fashion every few years. This is definitely a trend worth investing in, if not for the total look, at least one military style jacket . This is also a key time to shop your closet  for military style items you have stored in previous seasons. Although there are many high end designers and labels showing the military trend, there is no need to go broke trying to buy everything you would like from this trend. Carefully choose which items you are interested in purchasing for the upcoming season and look for items which are timeless. There are plenty of stores featuring the military trend at more affordable prices such as Banana Republic, JCrew and even Target. Happy shopping and stay fabulous.

dg1