Bay Area Fashionista


Flares for winter into spring 2016

bay area style bloggertransition from winter into spring in the bay areasan francisco bay area fashion and style blogsan francisco fashion blogger bay area fashionista cathy obrien chloe faye

Pictured: Sunglasses: Chanel / Earrings: Ippolita / Lipstick: c/o Dolce & Gabbana Dolce Rosa / Blouse: Express / Tank Top: Mossimo / Jeans: Gap (on sale!) / Handbag: Chloe / Bracelet: Kendra Scott / Nail Polish: Dior Bleuette / Booties: Sam Edelman

Spring 2016 is coming! The cherry blossoms are in full bloom, the Magnolia trees are blossoming, and flowering trees around the Bay Area are displaying their wares. It is such a beautiful time of year!

In addition to natural beauty, spring in the Bay Area also means implementing some serious layering skills when it comes to get dressed in the morning. The fog will roll in and out, and the temperatures will swing thirty degrees.

Transitioning a wardrobe from winter into spring in the Bay Area is fairly easy. We don’t have to worry about snow, or any sort of crazy weather; just the occasional spring shower. The main thing to think about is staying warm in the morning, and early evening, when fog is present on the bay, and rolling in from the ocean.

The high temperature tends to hover between 65-75, and the lows hover around 45-55, during the spring months in the San Francisco Bay Area. This means warm afternoons, and cool mornings and evenings. The easiest way to combat these temperatures is to wear layers.

On casual days, jeans are a great bottom to wear since they are comfortable in both warm, and cool weather. This means layering your top is the only thing you have to do in spring weather. Placing a tank top under a spring blouse, and then topping with a light jacket, is the perfect way to warm up, or cool down, on a Bay Area spring day.

I wore a tank top underneath this spring blouse in order to add a little bit of warmth to the blouse. We took these pictures in the early afternoon hours, so my jacket was already off. In the morning I wore a jacket to keep warm, and I put it back on in the early evening hours. It was the perfect layering piece to combat the fog.

Other ways to layer for spring include cardigan sweaters, flannel shirts or denim shirts (both of which can be tied around your waist or stuffed in a purse for easy transport), blanket scarf, or a long sleeve tee underneath a blouse; although with a long sleeve tee you will need to find a way to remove it during the day, and then put it back on in the evening.

What are some ways you layer in order to transition from winter into spring in the Bay Area?


Best saddle bags for spring 2016

top IT saddle bags for spring 2016

The hottest saddle bags for spring 2016 from top left: black bag / cobalt bag (IT bag-sells out fast) / tan saddle bag / blue handbag / soft pink shoulder bag (IT designer bag) / pale blue handbag (hot designer-under $200!)

Saddle bags have been a huge trend in handbags for the past couple of years. For spring 2016, the retro handbag style is still going strong; and looks to continue to go strong into 2017. Love that!

The fabulous thing about saddle bags for spring 2016, is that the style is perfect for everyday wear. Remember when large, daytime clutches were all the rage? Um yeah, how practical was that?! The saddle bag offers style, practicality, versatility, and more! It really is the perfect handbag style.

I am in love with the hottest saddle bags for spring 2016. There is only one IT bag over $1000! The rest are under $1000, and many are under $500; with one being under $200! How often does that happen in the IT bag world?

The six handbags pictured above are from the hottest designers in the marketplace right now. They are all highly sought-after; especially the cobalt blue bag by Mansur Gavriel pictured above. It will sell fast; and the wait list can be long! It is in stock right now, so if you have been eyeing it, now is the time to buy it! I own one in red, and one in tan, and it is a fabulous handbag. It is lightweight, comfortable, and perfect for everyday wear.

The Chloe Drew is also pictured above. It is the only IT bag over $1000. This beautiful bag is in high demand, and since it is offered in several colors and designs, there is a Chloe Drew for every taste! I have one in off-white and love it. If you are looking for a fabulous, luxurious saddle bag for spring 2016, then this is the bag for you!

Saddle bags for spring 2016 offer so much versatility. They are simple in style, and offer a minimalism aesthetic. Saddle bags look amazing with casual attire, but can work with dinner attire, or a outfit for the theater. The only time they look out of place is with a very dressy, or formal ensemble. Saddle bags for spring 2016 are an everyday, power use bag! Plus, who doesn’t love that retro, 1970’s vibe? I know I do!

If you are looking for a fabulous, and perfect, saddle bag for spring 2016, the six pictured above offer the ultimate in IT bag status. Which one is your favorite?

Top and best saddle bags for spring 2016:


Monique Lhuillier fall 2016 runway collection available for pre-order

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Monique Lhuillier sent her fall 2016 collection down the New York Fashion Week runway on February 13, 2016 at the Skylight Moynihan in New York. The collection was “an artistic expression of an eccentric woman that is cool, relaxed, and rock n’ roll.” Lhuillier designed the collection for her customer who mixes unexpected combinations, and experiments with rich textures for that over-the-top elegance. The result is a collection which is both luxurious, fashion-forward, cutting-edge, and downright covetable.

Well guess what?! You don’t have to wait to shop the collection until August, or September, when the fall collections hit store shelves. The hot new concept  of “see it now, buy it now” is in full swing, and Monique Lhuillier has jumped on the bandwagon. You can pre-order her collection online now!

One of the biggest trends at New York Fashion Week was the concept of bringing the runway directly to the consumer; without the traditional, season-long wait. Many designers have adopted the concept and are allowing pre-orders of their fall 2016 designs, and/or making some pieces available immediately. Love that!

Immediately after Monique Lhuillier’s fall/winter 2016/2017 collection went down the runway, select pieces were available on her website in limited quantities. In order to highlight these shopping options, there was a handbag symbol next to each ensemble which was available for sale on her website in the run of show materials left for guests of the fashion show.

This was an amazing concept, since customers were able to shop select styles from the fall 2016 runway as soon as the last model walked off the catwalk. Then, to add to the excitement, at the end of February, Monique Lhuillier announced her full, fall 2016 collection was available for pre-order online for a limited time! How fabulous is that!

With a nod to the early 1970s, the collection is filled with metallic tapestry lame, paisley printed jacquard, watercolor roses, classic shoulder bags, playful sunglasses, thin belts, and ornate footwear. The collection is beautiful, and you can pre-order it now!

I have my eyes on this beautiful green dress I Instagrammed after the show. I am also coveting this pink coat. This pink skirt caught my eye on the runway, I was so sad I didn’t get a picture of it! It would be an amazing addition to my wardrobe. What are your favorite pieces from the collection?

You can pre-order from Monique Lhuillier’s fall 2016 New York Fashion Week runway online here for a limited time.

My favorite pieces from the runway:

My favorite accessories from the runway: