Bay Area Fashionista


Talaria flats

talaria flats in champganetalaria flats in champgane 1

talaria flats in champgane 2talaria flats in champgane 3talaria fold up flatstalaria flats

Pictured: Travel flats: c/o Talaria flats

How many times have you worn heels all night long, only to dread the walk back to the car? Have you ever been out somewhere, and the strap on your shoe breaks? How many times have you met your BBF wearing your favorite pair of killer heels, only to find her wearing flats, and up for a walk? I bet you answered yes, yes, a thousand times yes to all of these questions!

The first time I went to New York Fashion Week, I killed my feet! I tried to wear high heels all day long. I had no idea fashion week involved standing in lines, walking-sometimes running, to catch a cab (this was before Uber), and walking; lots and lots of walking. I envied my smart friend Rita who would quickly slip off her killer heels for a pair of black fold-up flats hidden inside her handbag. Why wasn’t I aware of this trick?!

“Cathy,” she told me, “You have to carry flats with you for fashion week; or any time you are in New York. This is a walking city.” She was right! For the next few fashion weeks, I tried to carry flats in my bag, or wear flats during the day which did not really look right with my carefully put together ensemble. None of these options really worked. The flats I tried to stuff in my bag did not fold up, so they took up all the space. Where would I put my wallet? Better yet, where could I find a fabulous pair of fold-up flats like Rita’s?

I was thrilled when I found out about Talaria flats. They were exactly the fold-up flats of my dreams! They arrived in a cute little bag which fits nicely inside my go-to handbag for fashion week. I can still fit my wallet, iPhone, and camera inside my purse; even with the Talaria flats folded up inside. Love that!

Of course, my sparkling Talaria flats are perfect for many more occasions than fashion week. They are perfect for evenings out on the town when my sky-high heels start to pinch. They are also perfect to keep in the trunk of my car, just in case. Sometimes a heel can break (like last year when my 4″ heel snapped off my shoe while I was walking at church-embarrassing!), or a strap can snap off, rendering an otherwise fabulous pair of shoes useless. By having Talaria flats stored in my trunk, or tucked neatly inside my handbag, I am prepared for the worst shoe disaster!

I cannot wait to bring my new Talaria flats with me to New York Fashion Week next September. I am also looking forward to keeping them close-by when I am wearing my favorite high heels. Comfort is key; and being prepared is everything. 😉

You can find your own fabulous pair of Talaria flats online at TalariaFlats.com.


MAC Moonday nail polish for summer 2016

mac moonday summer 2016 nail polish swatch

Pictured: MAC Moonday nail polish for summer 2016

MAC Moonday nail polish is a sleek, ethereal color from MAC’s summer beauty collection. This sparkling, sheer white nail polish is clean, sleek, and easy to wear everyday. Love that!

I had never tried MAC nail polish before. When I was browsing the nail polishes coming in for the summer season, Moonday by MAC instantly caught my eye. I am always weary of trying new nail polish brands; I never know if they will be chip resistant, or if the color will paint on evenly. Since the color was so captivating in the bottle, I decided it was worth trying out MAC’s summer 2016 nail polish. I am so glad I did!

MAC Moonday nail polish glided on smoothly. The color was even on the first coat; making the second coat more of a coat for color saturation purposes rather than filling in the blanks. I love how perfectly even the polish sets and dries.

The brush is just the right size. It was incredibly easy to use, and kept the mess down to a minimum. The small handle is easy to hold, making polishing a breeze. Love that!

I tested out MAC Moonday nail polish with one base coat, two coats of color, and one top coat. It is extremely chip resistant. I was able to wear the polish for a full week before needing to remove it due to nail growth. I was thrilled!

Moonday by MAC is a really easy nail polish color to wear on a daily basis. Since it is a sparkling neutral, it matches everything! It is the ideal color to wear on toes during the summer 2016 season since it will not clash with any open toe shoes or sandals. It will also enhance a tan. This is how I plan to wear it this summer. Love that!

I am really happy with MAC’s nail polish, so I am looking forward to seeing what colors they come up with next season. Have you tried MAC nail polish before? If so, what were your thoughts?

MAC Moonday nail polish for summer 2016 can be found online here, and here.


Weekend casual summer outfit

casual summer outfit idea

mansur gavriel with casual summer outfit

casual summer outfit idea

summer 2016 bracelets

weekend casual outfit idea for summer

tory burch espadrille wedges

Pictured: Sunglasses: Chanel / Earrings: Kendra Scott / Lipstick: c/o Dolce & Gabbana Dolce Rosa / Top: Calypso St. Barths / Handbag: Mansur Gavriel (in stock!) / Bracelet: Kendra Scott / Nail Polish: Chanel Mariniere / Pants: Banana Republic / Shoes: Tory Burch (super comfortable and under $200!)

Every summer season, I have a casual, go-to outfit. My weekend casual summer outfit for this year is definitely the one pictured in this post! The pants are comfortable and cool, the top is soft, and more interesting than your average tee, and these shoes! We have to talk about these shoes!

Espadrilles are fabulous in the summer months. They are comfortable, and make walking on the beach a breeze. I cannot go through a summer season without a fabulous pair of espadrilles, or two, or maybe three! Ha!

These Tory Burch espadrilles offer a small wedge, so they are comfortable. I love small wedges or heels because they offer just the right amount of arch support. I have worn this pair several times already and they are so comfortable for walking, and wearing throughout the day. They have become my go-to pair of shoes on casual days. Love them!

This top has quickly become one of my favorite casual shirts. I love how it looks with these cropped twill pants, as well as jeans, cut-off shorts, twill short, and denim skirts. It is a really versatile, casual top for the spring and summer months. It will easily be a part of any weekend casual summer outfit no matter which bottom I choose. Love that!

The bracelet I am wearing is from Kendra Scott’s summer 2016 collection. I love this bracelet because it is convertible! The tassel is removable, so the bracelet can be worn as-is with the tassel, or as a chunky chain bracelet without the tassel. I prefer wearing the tassel, I love how fun it is! I am tempted to pick it up in gold-tone too. Kendra Scott’s entire summer collection is to-die-for. You can check it out online here.

Weekend casual summer outfit:


weekend casual outfit idea