Bay Area Fashionista

Casual New Years Eve outfit

 in Fitness / General Fashion  tagged casual style / fitness / gap / H & M / jill milan / new years style / outfits / swarovski / valentino by

new years eve outfit idea casual new years eve outfit idea vegan handbag on sale casual holiday outfit

Pictured: Sunglasses: Chanel / Lipstick: Chanel Melancholie / Earrings: Kendra Scott / Necklace: Tasha (on sale!) / Sweater: H & M / Jeans: Gap / Handbag: c/o Jill Milan (on sale!!) (vegan!!) / Bracelet: Kendra Scott / Nail Polish: Chanel Vamp / Shoes: Valentino

 New Years Eve for me, over the years, has gone from full blown formal party, to casual New Years Eve for me. When I was in my 20’s and single, my friends and I used to wear sparkling dresses, and attend parties or events to ring in the New Year. Now, as a Mother of three, I keep New Years low key by either spending it with family, or attending a casual house party.

It can be hard to navigate that fine line between over dressed party attire, and too casual, daytime attire; when putting together a casual  New Years Eve outfit. I was thrilled when I found this sparkling sweater at H & M, Santana Row. It is a basic v-neck sweater with side slits that can be worn with jeans, leggings, or a slim black skirt. I decided it was perfect for the holiday season!

In addition to being perfect for casual holiday gatherings, I plan to wear this sweater on Christmas, and also as my casual New Years Eve outfit to celebrate 2016! It is a thin sweater, so it is easy to wear in a heated home with a simple tank top underneath. Love that!

As we head into 2016, I want to share with you my New Years Resolution! Now this may sound cliche, and I guess it kind of is, but my New Years Resolution is to lose fifteen pounds.

I never shared this struggle on the blog when it happened because this blog was still a hybrid online magazine slash blog. Now that I have transitioned it to my personal fashion, style, beauty, and runway report blog, I want to share with you more personal aspects of my life.

In 2012, I was sick and placed on bed-rest following a miscarriage, for three months. I was depressed sitting on the sofa over the beautiful, warm summer months. While my children played in the pool, I sat on the sofa inside watching them. The only time I got up from bed, or the sofa, was to sit at my desk and write a blog post.

Bed rest was difficult for me. I am used to working out at the gym five days per week, playing tennis with my friends, swimming for fitness and fun, and running around with my children. So, to ease the pain, I ate ice cream. A LOT of ice cream. Well, thirty pounds in three months later, I was on a mission to regain myself.

I counted calories, and worked out diligently. I lost the thirty pounds and was back into a size four. It was fabulous! Then, in the fall of 2013 I started homeschooling my middle child. She has ADHD, DMDD, Dyslexia, and a 170+ IQ. Needless to say, a traditional public school is not the right environment for her.

There are schools out there for kids like my daughter, but they all start at sixth grade. So, I decided to homeschool her until sixth grade, at which time, we will decide where to send her for school, or if we should continue homeschooling her.

She is extremely artistic and would like to be a fashion designer when she grows up. She already has a sketch book, and a business plan!

Since I started homeschooling my daughter, I have not been a regular visitor to the gym. Instead of five to six workouts per week, plus tennis and swimming, I am down to three workouts; if I am lucky. Due to this change in my activity, I have gained fifteen pounds, and gone up to a size six. I believe most of this weight is in my thighs. Ugh!

In my quest to get back to my normal weight, I will be talking about fitness routines, and fitness gear here on the blog in 2016. This will not reduce the amount of fashion, style, and beauty posts I publish each month. The fitness articles will be in addition to my current content; and an added bonus!

If you are working on losing weight, or you are a fitness guru, I would love to connect with you! Please let me know in the comments below or on social media. Thank you so much for all your support over these past few years, and I look forward to bringing you the trends from the runways, beauty reviews, and Silicon Valley style, in 2016!

Thank you for reading, and stay fabulous 😉

Tory Burch Robinson Mini satchel review

 in General Fashion / Handbags  tagged classic style / handbag reviews / rain gear / satchels / shoulder bags / tory burch by

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Pictured: Tory Burch Robinson mini satchel in iceberg (color on sale now!) / ring / book / sunglasses / lipstick / wallet

The Tory Burch Robinson mini satchel is a smaller version of Tory Burch’s wildly popular Robinson satchel. This cute little handbag offers the same functionality as the larger version, at a smaller yet practical size. Love!

When one thinks of a mini satchel, one thinks of an extremely tiny handbag which can carry a set of keys, small wallet, and smart phone. Not the case with the Tory Burch Robinson mini satchel! This cute little handbag has the interior capacity of a regular,  medium sized handbag.

As you can see in the photos above, the Tory Burch Robinson mini satchel can easily fit a wallet, keys, lipstick, sunglasses, phone, and a novel with room to spare. I have also carried three iPad mini’s for my children inside of my Tory Burch Robinson mini satchel along with my wallet, keys, sunglasses, lipstick and phone. Now THAT’s interior capacity at it’s best!

The Tory Burch Robinson mini satchel is made from sturdy saffiano leather. This type of leather is a life-saver during the fall and winter months. Since we are experiencing an El Nino year here in Northern California, we have been getting a ton of rain. The saffiano leather is fabulous in the rain! It repels the water, keeps everything inside dry, and does not get ruined. In fact, you cannot tell my satchel has been in a downpour. This is perfection!

The Tory Burch Robinson mini satchel is also lightweight; so you can stuff it full of things you need without it already weighing a ton. This beautiful handbag can be worn three ways; as a shoulder bag with the two top handles down, carried by hand, or draped over the forearm for a chic look which displays your handbag. As a handbag addict, I prefer to wear mine on my forearm; but since I have three kids, I find myself throwing it over my shoulder often. I love the versatility!

The interior of the Tory Burch Robinson mini satchel offers ample organization. Unlike most mini bags which usually have one pocket or less, the mini Robinson offers a three tiered pocket on one side, and a zipper pocket on the other side. This allows a place for your phone, receipts, keys, or anything small you want to keep separate from the main compartment of the handbag.

There is also a detachable shoulder strap on the Tory Burch Robinson mini satchel. This detachable shoulder strap can be left on to give you the versatility you need on the go, or removed for a dressier, classic satchel look.

If you are looking for an IT bag, the Tory Burch Robinson satchel in both the regular, and mini sizes, is an IT bag on the handbag world. This beautiful handbag is carried by Tory Burch every season in both classic colors, as well as seasonal hues.

I absolutely love my Tory Burch Robinson mini satchel, and am currently eyeing the larger version. My Robinson satchel is Iceberg, a seasonal color for winter, and is currently on sale here. You can find the Tory Burch Robinson mini satchel in a variety of colors online here, here, here, and here.

I hope you love your Tory Burch Robinson mini satchel as much as I do!

Shop Tory Burch Robinson mini satchels online:

Shop Tory Burch Robinson satchel in small and medium sizes:

Poncho for winter

 in Bay Area Fashion / General Fashion  tagged asos / gap / givenchy / kendra scott / outfits / poncho / rag and bone / sweaters / winter 2016 by

burgundy poncho outfit casual poncho outfit for winter givenchy antigona small sugar black handbag poncho for winter poncho outfit idea

Pictured: Sunglasses: Chanel / Lipstick: Christian Louboutin / Earrings: Kendra Scott / Poncho: ASOS / Necklace: c/o Kendra Scott / Handbag: Givenchy / Nail Polish: Nars Black Fire / Ring: Kendra Scott / Jeans: Gap / Tee: Vince (old, also love this one) / Shoes: Rag & Bone

There is something about a poncho for winter which is both chic and cozy at the same time. I love how a poncho instantly elevates a casual look into an effortless, yet very put together, ensemble.

I am thrilled I bought this poncho for winter since it is comfortable, and very warm! Ponchos normally seem semi-warm when I view them on the hanger at the store, or in a photo online, but this poncho defies all logic. It has hidden sleeves! Love that!

The hidden sleeves allow this poncho to act like a sweater, yet look like a poncho. Most ponchos are wide open, allowing the cold air to circulate underneath, which results in a cover-up which is for looks only; no warmth. Not this poncho! This poncho is warm like a sweater, because it has hidden sleeves!

The colors on this poncho for winter are perfect too. I love the burgundy, purple, and green yarn mixed together. It creates a cool looking color which works well with blue accessories, burgundy accessories, or classic black, which I chose to pair it with in the above photos.

I would also like to give a shout-out to these booties by Rag & Bone. If you have been following along, you may have noticed I wear these booties a lot! I purchased them last year, and have found myself wearing them during the fall, and winter seasons quite often. They have a lot f cushioning inside, as well as ample arch support. This makes these booties extremely comfortable. I wear them from 7am until 9pm without any foot pain. I have even chased ( I mean RUN) after my kids while wearing them! How often can you say that about a heeled bootie??? If you are looking for a comfortable bootie, I highly recommend this pair. They can be found online here.

Thanks for stopping by, and stay warm this season!

XOXO

Cathy