Handbags

Valentino VSling handbag review

2 Oct, 2019 in General Fashion / Handbags tagged handbag reviews / shoulder bags / valentino by Bay Area Fashionista

Pictured: Valentino VSling handbag / snakeskin boots / original post here /

There’s a new IT bag in town! The Valentino VSling has all the makings of an IT bag, and it is already being sought by supermodels, celebrities, and handbag fans everywhere. I was on a wait list for the bag in black; and it was worth the two month wait! Of course, if you would like one of the seasonal colors, you can snap one up right away!

The Valentino VSling is a fun little bag which offers a convertible strap. You can wear the bag long or short. See below for how it looks both ways when worn:

In the photo on the left, I am wearing the bag with the strap long. In the photo with my Mom on the right (isn’t she cute!), I am wearing the strap short. I prefer wearing it long, but for certain outfits, the shorter strap looks better. It’s a matter of preference, and I love having the option.

In order to shorten the strap, there is a hook which surprisingly stays snugly in place.

As you can see in the photos above, the hook latches on to the rectangular loop, and it stays snugly in place throughout the day. The reason I prefer the longer strap, is due to the fact that it gives my hand a resting place, haha. When the strap is shorter, I don’t have a place to rest my hand while I am walking. You can see how I like to rest my hand on my bag while I walk in the full photo a little ways up in this post.

The bag appears larger than it is. The interior is quite small, so I switch to a smaller wallet when I wear it. With the smaller wallet, I can still fit my phone, lipstick, keys and sunglasses inside the bag.

The sunglasses go on top of everything in the bag, which is why I am showing two photos of the interior with my items inside. You can see in the first photo what is on the bottom, and the second photo shows everything inside with the sunglasses placed on top.

The exterior lock is really easy to use. The logo flips down and the flap is secured by a magnetic snap. Although it’s a two step process to get in and out of the bag, it makes it really secure, plus it’s actually quite easy to use.

I am in love with my new Valentino VSling shoulder bag. It’s a great bag to use during the day when you want to carry a light amount of items. It is also great to use as an evening bag. The leather covered logo makes it versatile enough to move from day into night. The brass hardware on the strap isn’t overpowering either, so you can wear silver jewelry without clashing with your bag. Although mixing metals is a thing, and looks amazing when done right, sometimes handbag hardware can overpower jewelry; this bag will not compete with your baubles. Love that!

All in all I rate the Valentino VSling handbag five out of five stars. No complaints! This is a chic bag to invest in. It is projected to hold IT status this year, and well into 2020. Plus, it has a classic look to it which might help propel it into classic bag territory once another IT bag moves onto the scene. There isn’t anything gimmicky about this bag. It offers a timeless vibe.

Shop the Valentino VSling handbag online:

What do you think of the Valentino VSling bag? Will you invest in one?

Thanks for stopping by!

XOXO

Cathy

valentino vsling convertible handbag review

Fall 2019 IT bags you need now

26 Sep, 2019 in Handbags tagged bottega veneta / chloe / fall 2019 / mansur gavriel / saint laurent / valentino / ysl by Bay Area Fashionista

chloe aby handbag fall 2019

pictured: Chloe Aby in black / original post here /

Drumroll please . . . the fall 2019 IT list is here, and there are four distinct bags on the list. These four IT bags for fall 2019 were spotted on the streets of New York Fashion Week, and they were favorites of street style photographers. In addition, celebrities and style stars across the country are reaching for these bags; you may find a few are already backordered, or waitlist only.

Let’s start with the biggest IT bag of fall 2019, the Bottega Veneta Pouch. This slouchy, daytime clutch was spotted the most on the streets of New York Fashion Week. It is the bag every style star is wearing. This is the number one IT bag of the season; and classic black is in stock as I write this! Fingers crossed it still is when you read this. This soft and fabulous clutch is priced just shy of $2500, so if this is way out of budget for you, there is an alternative. Mansur Gavriel has a similar soft, and slouchy clutch, priced just under $400. You can get on the waitlist here. Whichever style you choose, you will be the style star of the season.

Next in line is the cross body, or shall we say, small shoulder bag, of the season. If small bags are your jam, this is your IT bag of fall 2019! The Valentino VSling is a convertible bag which offers a strap that can be worn long or short. This enables you to wear this bag cross body, or “slinged” over your shoulder. I just picked one up in black, and will post a review next week; so stay tuned!

Are you looking more for a workhorse bag? Yeah, I love having one too. The Chloe Aby was also spotted on the streets of New York, and it is the ultimate workhorse bag of the fall season. It comes in small, medium, and large; so there is a size for you! I have one in black and have been wearing it non-stop since the summer season. It can be worn cross body or over the shoulder; and also on your forearm. It’s a great everyday bag; and it has an IT factor. Love that! You can read my review here.

Lastly, we have the fabulous YSL LouLou Puffer bag. This is a puffier LouLou than we have seen in seasons past. It also has a slightly slouchier silhouette. If chic shoulder bags with a classic vibe are your jam, this is your bag! Black is currently in stock, so grab one while you still can!

Shop fall 2019 IT bags online:

If I could afford all four bags, I would splurge on them all! Alas, I had to choose two which would be the most practical for me. Which IT bag of fall 2019 is your favorite?

Thanks for stopping by!

XOXO
Cathy

Fall 2019 trends to watch

20 Aug, 2019 in Color Trends / General Fashion / Handbags / Jewelry / Shoes / Trends tagged fall 2019 by Bay Area Fashionista

chiara boni le petite robe fall 2019 nyfw

Chiari Boni le petite robe fall 2019 runway NYFW

The fall 2019 season is starting to appear in stores, and we are catching a glimpse of what made it from the runways to the streets. The fall 2019 runways included menswear, vintage vibes, texture, and darker colors than previous fall seasons. We saw influences from the 1940’s through to the 1990’s. The looks included athleisure, power suits, slim silhouettes, and a return to ladylike, feminine dressing. Stores shelves are almost in the same place for fall.

Store buyers went big on atheisure, power suits, blazers, anything plaid, animal prints and vintage inspiration from the 1980’s and 90’s; with a few 60’s hemlines thrown in, just to mix things up. Here is what to expect on the streets for fall.

Menswear inspiration:

laurence and chico fall 2019 nyfw

Look for power suits, blazers instead of jackets, plaid on anything and everything, trouser pants on casual days, and clunky, chunky shoes. Think 1980’s Wall Street power suit. That’s your new look for the office, and anytime you want to exert your power.

Get ready to roar!

chloe aby handbag fall it bags

Any type of animal print is hot for fall. Look for animal prints on all of your clothing, and grab yourself a pair of snakeskin boots. They are the IT boot style for fall! Meow! Roar! And any other noises animals make. Haha Grrrrr!

Where’s the big hair?

Everything 80’s is hot for fall, except the big mall hair. Leave your Aquanet under the sink this season, you can rock those exaggerated shoulders and sleeves without it. Look for giant puff sleeves, big shoulders, inverted triangle silhouettes, and neon hues mixed among the racks of dark, autumn hues. Think neon yellow, two different earrings, scrunchies, big bows, secretary blouses, and pencil skirts.

Smells like the 90’s

Who said the 90’s were dead? Obviously they live under a rock. Doc’s are back, so whip out your Mod look from the early 90’s and rocks those combat boots with your head held high. Also, be sure to pair them with a tight, black bodysuit underneath paprbag waist pants. Your rave is ready for you; and so is The Cure.

The great hemline debate

I have missed the hemline debate. It seems as if hemlines haven’t mattered in more than a decade. I remember when your hemline showed the world what you knew about fashion. No-one would dare wear last year’s hemline! The horror! Well guess what peeps! Hemline significance is back. For fall 2019 look for 60’s a-line mini-skirts, 90’s rocker postage stamp mini skirts, knee length pencil skirts, and pleated t-length skirts. Maxi’s are always accepted. Those are the hemline rules! Will you follow them?

Fall 2019’s color palette

fall 2019 color trends nyfw pantone pantone colors fall 2019 color trends fall 2019 nyfw fashion trends

Colors speak for themselves right? I don’t need to try and be witty? 😉

Athleisure / street style

pony x harbin fall 2019 nyfw

Athleisure is the trend that keeps on giving. Look for adidas logos everywhere, and make sure you have a pair of Superstar’s in your wardrobe. Funky sweatpants, exaggerated sole sneakers, and workout clothing you wouldn’t wear to the gym because it’s too nice. That’s what falls athleisure trend is all about. Get comfy-just make sure you don’t actually sweat in that look, um-kay?

Sparkle and shine, it’s Studio 54 time! Again.

son jung wan fall 2019 nyfw

Yes, sparkles are back, and they were not gone long. Chances are you have sparkling fabrics and sequins hanging in your closet. Grab those sparkles and pair them with jeans, wide-leg trousers and pencil skirts. Shine like the star you are!

Shrink to fit handbags

Ditch the oversize bag, this season is all about medium and small, not mini or nano, top handle satchels. One top handle please. Look for snakeskin, metallic, and smooth, structured leathers. Logos are over; so store or consign your Louis. A logo on the clasp of a bag doesn’t count. Those are always there, they are not a trend. Your handbag should whisper; if it flashes, it’s so two years ago.

Also, dressy bags should sparkle-not whisper, (confused yet?), and quilted bags are gaining momentum and could explode in 2020.

More trends to watch:

noon by noor fall 2019 nyfw

wide leg pants on the Noon by Noor fall 2019 NYFW runway

Pants this season are slim and cropped, paperbag waisted, or wide legged. Nothing else. That’s all.

Ruffles have rrrrrrrrridges! It’s “Little House on the Prairie” time people! Make sure you have too many ruffles on your blouse or dress, that way no-one can count them. Ruffle up!

Mock turtlenecks. No-one said you had to rock every trend. Um. . .yeah. . .

Denim trends follow pant trends. Look for wide legs, slim and cropped, dramatic side slits, and also, bootcut is back.

Your shoes should be metallic, snakeskin, a pair of Doc’s, or funky street sneakers. Also look for combat boots, lug soles, almost-platform soles, and any kind of tread. No-one has any excuse to slip on ice this year!

Did you lose an earring? It’s OK, wearing two matching earrings is so last year. Rock those mis-matched earrings like it’s 1986. Also, pearls are hot. That’s all.

Well, that’s the summary of the fall 2019 fashion trends which made it from the runways to the streets. As the fall season progresses, I will dig deep into trends which really work well on the street, and that I approve of. You won’t catch me in a mock turtleneck. Ew.

My current fall 2019 obsessions:

Which trends for fall 2019 do you like or dislike? Let me know in the comments below!

Thanks for stopping by!

XOXO

Cathy