Bay Area Fashionista

BAF Weekly IT List

BAF Weekly IT List from top left: black shoulder bag / holiday nail polish / large hoop earrings (under $100, great gift idea!) / tweed blazer (under $100) / chocolate brown chain pouch / flare jeans (avl in short, reg, tall lengths, under $100) / green woven handbag / moon shaped handbag / suede western style boots /

Well, this week has been interesting! Normally I would sit here and share why all of the trending products above are in fact, trending, but today I want to write about another issue in the fashion industry.

If you are on social media, you have likely heard about Balenciaga. In fact, social media is the only place I have heard about Balenciaga. This story has not been on the TV news shows I watch, nor have I seen it on the top page on online new sites. It may have been highlighted on the news shows I don’t watch, or online sites I don’t read, but in my experience consuming news, I have not seen it highlighted. While online news sites have written about it, I feel like the story has not been given enough attention.

I am absolutely disgusted by what Balenciaga’s recent ad campaign portrayed. The handbag collection is the only thing I ever paid attention to from Balenciaga, so I didn’t look closely at their themes or inspiration. I will be more careful in the future to look at these things from other designers. I don’t want to purchase anything from a design house or brand that is dark.

That being said, I will not be featuring anything from Balenciaga in the future. I will be more diligent to ensure any designer or brand I recommend to you, and purchase from, features inspiration that is not dark, etc. If you have any thoughts on this, I would like to hear them in the comments below.

Thanks for stopping by, and let’s move forward with the joy of the holiday season!

XOXO
Cathy

Cozy sweater coat and flares

flare jeans under $100 short regular tall

wearing: large hoop earrings (under $100) / sunglasses / long sleeve stripe tee / black sweater coat / holiday nail polish / classic bucket bag / G buckle belt / flare jeans (under $100, avl in short, reg, tall) / golden boots (on sale!) /

When the weather behaves, it is nice to be able to wear a cozy sweater coat instead of a bulky coat. I love this cozy sweater coat since it is really soft and comfortable. It makes it so easy to wear while running errands, shopping, or grabbing lunch with the girls. I definitely plan to live in this sweater coat during the winter season! As it gets colder, this sweater coat will look fabulous with a scarf and thicker shirt underneath. Love!

If you have been following along, you are aware that these jeans are under $100 and available in short, regular, and tall lengths. I am wearing the short length. I love being able to find flare jeans in my length. It is really freeing to not have to shorten them!

I wore this cozy outfit the other day while Christmas shopping with my Mom. We enjoyed a warm lunch at Maggiano’s and then strolled around Santana Row getting ideas for Christmas gifts.

I love Maggiano’s classic pasta with meat sauce. It is an oldie but a goodie! Since I had a classic pasta dish, I was able to bring home another pasta dish, which I gave to my husband so he could enjoy baked ziti during lunch at work. Love!

What is your favorite comfort food when the weather starts to cool off during the holiday season? Mine is definitely pasta and soup!

Shop my cozy sweater coat and flares outfit online:

Thanks for stopping by, and I hope you are having a fabulous holiday season!

XOXO

Cathy

Ballet Flats for 2023

Shoe trends 2023: Ballet Flats /

Ballet flats are back! They are already starting to hit the streets, and for 2023, they will be on fire! This means it is time to dig into the back of your closet and pull out every pair of ballet flats you can find. If they are in good condition, great! If not, see if you can polish them up and make them good as new. If they are beyond repair, recycle them and look for at least one new pair for 2023.

The pair pictured above, I recently purchased for my daughter. They are black and classic, plus they are priced under $100. Love that! If you don’t already own a pair of black or neutral ballet flats, I highly recommend starting off with a black or neutral pair you can wear often. When the spring season hits, if you want to add a fun color or pattern, go for it! Ballet flats will be hot during the spring and summer seasons, you may want at least two pairs!

If you have foot issues like me, there are ballet flats out there with arch support. You can also add your own arches for support. When the spring season starts to roll onto store shelves after Christmas, we will start to see more ballet flat options. So, if you don’t already have a pair, or you want to invest in a new pair but cannot find what you want, it is ok. Sit tight, and wait for the new year, there will be plenty of choices!

Do you like ballet flats? If this a trend you plan to rock, or skip?

Thanks for stopping by!

XOXO
Cathy

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