Spring 2018 shopping strategy

Pictured: polka dots and yellow on Nina Tiari’s spring 2018 runway at New York Fashion Week

Spring 2018 is starting to hit store shelves. This means it is time to create a spring 2018 wish list, and strategize for the upcoming warm weather season.

When shopping for the spring season, it is important to keep the hottest spring trends from the runways in mind. This spring, we all need to look for shades of purple, polka dots, street sneakers, exaggerated sleeves, cold shoulder tops (shop your closet for this one!), menswear inspiration, clutches, florals, white handbags, bold silver jewelry, anklets, shades of yellow, stripes, and mules.

taoray wang ss18 nyfw

pictured: stripes on Taoray Wang’s spring 2018 runway at New York Fashion Week

There are a lot of fabulous trends for the spring 2018 season. Thankfully, we can shop some of them from our own closets! Here are the trends from last year, which we can find in our closets already:

Exaggerated sleeves: Big “notice me” sleeves are back. Chances are you have puffy, layered, tiered, or interesting sleeves on a blouse or two from last spring. Pull them to the front of your closet, and get ready to rock it them spring with cropped jeans, camo pants, joggers, or skinny jeans.

Cold Shoulder: This trend can’t, and won’t, stop! Show off those fabulous shoulders this spring. Chances are you have a few peek-at-my-shoulders tops and sweaters in the back of your closet. Pull them out, and pair them this spring with a pencil skirt, menswear trousers, camo pants, or jeans.

Menswear Inspiration: The power suit remains all powerful. Pair your blazers with jeans, or make a full suit. It’s up to you how you want to rock your power. You should have some menswear pieces in the back of your closet. Pull them out and wear them often. If not, this is long-term trend. Invest a fabulous blazer, a pair of trousers, and a pair of serious loafers.

Mules: Keep those mules and slides from last year, they are still fabulous this year! If you wore yours to death last spring, invest in a new pair. You can’t go wrong, this is a comfortable trend to wear!

Florals: Groundbreaking right? Love that joke 😉 floral everything is hot this spring. Pull out your florals from spring seasons’ past and wear them now. Also, add floral sneakers, handbags, and accessories to your floral wardrobe.

Stripes: This is another continuing trend from last year. Pull out last years stripes and mix them together. Or, add a new striped piece to one from your closet and create a whole new look. Stripes on stripes on stripes!

What we need to shop for this spring 2018 season:

Shades of Yellow: Yellow is almost as hot as purple this season. Look to add at least one yellow item to your wardrobe this season. If you are afraid of wearing yellow, try a pair of shoes, a belt, or a handbag for a cheery pop of sunshine. You’ll love it!

Purple: This is the color of 2018. Invest in anything purple you can find! It will carry you through all four seasons this year.

Clutches:  This is a classic handbag style which is an emerging trend. Look for daytime clutches which are small to medium in size. You might have one in the back of your closet from the last time this trend was hot; roughly five years back.

Anklets: This 90’s trend is so hot! Find an unique anklet to wear everyday, or seek out a vintage piece. This was my favorite jewelry trend in the 90’s and I can’t wait to rock it again!

Bold Silver Jewelry: Big, bold, silver jewelry is hot this season. Look for statement pieces which will catch people’s attention.

Polka Dots: Polka dots are so much fun this spring! Look for polka dots on everything, and buy it up!

Street Sneakers: Well, this trend is has been around for awhile; after all, it is what makes athleisure so comfortable! This season street sneakers get a facelift. Look for glitter, metallic hues, wedges, platforms, rainbows, extra velcro, and patterns. The understated street sneaker is so last year.

White Handbags: I wrote about this last week, this is one of my favorite spring trends. White handbags are hot this season. Look for shoulder bags, lady bags, and satchels in white crisp hue.

Looking at all of these spring 2018 trends can really help us make our shopping lists for spring. It also helps us shop our closets so we can save some money! Love that!

Here is my wish list for spring 2018, now if only I had a money tree growing in my backyard so I could have it all! A girl can dream. . .

What are you wishing for this spring season? Which trends so you love or hate?

Happy shopping, and stay fabulous 😉

XOXO

Cathy

francesca liberatore spring 2018 new york fashion week

pictured: yellow, sheer fabrications, and floral details on Francesca Liberatore’s spring 2018 runway at New York Fashion Week

A touch of resort during winter

how to wear resort clothing in winter tart collections resort 2018 dresscult gaia luna bag reviewhow to wear resort clothing in winter

wearing: bold gold and purple earrings / Bobbie Brown “Lilac” lipstick / resort 2018 sundress c/o Tart Collections (save 20% off your purchase with code BAFASHIONISTA20 now through Feb. 23, 2018)  / denim jacket / round bamboo bag / Chanel spring nail polish / wedge espadrilles

This is the time of year when it is just plain cold! In addition to being cold, the trees are bare, and the sky is dreary. What we all dream about is a sunny vacation, in eighty degree weather, at a fabulous resort. Unfortunately, not all of us can break away from our kids activities, or work, at this time of year and go sleep on a beach. <sigh>

Thankfully, we can bring the look of the resort to our wardrobe! Love! If you haven’t noticed, Tart Collections has released their fabulous resort 2018 collection, and it can instantly transport you to the resort of your dreams! The collection is filled with beautiful prints, and designs, which are perfect for an exotic beach getaway.  Of course, we have a trick for taking those resort designs to city streets when we can’t actually be on a beach!

This beautiful dress for the resort 2018 season by Tart Collections instantly caught my eye. It has a flirty tie back, and empire waist; making it ideal as a swimsuit cover-up, or beach-side dress, for an exotic getaway. Since I can’t get myself to a beach getaway at the moment, I brought the look to my local city street.

You can wear resort-wear in the winter! I paired my resort 2018 dress from Tart Collections with my classic go-to denim jacket, and city-street-worthy wedge espadrilles. The espadrille portion of the shoe matches the vibe of the dress, while the wedge adds instant street cred. To complete the look, I paired the dress with this vacation-ready bamboo circle bag. It adds the perfect vacation vibe to the overall look!

Since it was forty-seven degrees out when I wore this dress over the week-end, I had to keep my jacket on. I cannot wait for our spring weather to start in the middle of February; this jacket will come off, and this dress will be perfect alone! Now. . .about that beach resort getaway I am currently dreaming of. . . <sigh> At least I have a dress which gives off a beach resort vibe!

You can grab your own piece of a beach resort online at TartCollections.com. You can also save 20% off your resort-ready look with coupon code BAFASHIONISTA20 now through 2/23/2018. Their fabulous resort collection will transition seamlessly into spring 2018. Love that!

Did I mention Tart Collections is based right here in the San Francisco Bay Area? Love!!!

Thanks for stopping by!

XOXO

Cathy

*sponsored by Tart Collections. all thoughts and opinions are my own

winter into spring outfit ideasresort into winter outfit ideas

Designer handbag capsule wardrobe

designer handbag capsule wardrobe

From top left: Daily bag: drawstring bucket bag (under $1000!) / Formal gala clutch: black clutch / Work bag: classic black satchel / Dinner bag: Gucci shoulder bag (under $2000!) / Daily satchel: black doctor-style satchel / Cross body bag: off-white cross body bag  / Workhorse tote: blue simple tote (under $1500!)

Everyone is always talking about creating a capsule wardrobe which is simple, and exudes minimalism. This can be achieved with handbags too! If you are trying to buy the least amount of handbags you need to get through life, yet still want them to be fabulous, you are in the right place! This is an example of the perfect designer handbag capsule wardrobe.

There are seven types of handbags you need in your designer handbag capsule wardrobe to cover every occasion in life. These bags should be classic, and in a neutral hue, which will never clash with your attire. If you are building a designer handbag capsule wardrobe, it is best to stick with black, grey, white, beige, and tan. Why is there a blue tote pictured? Well. . .we will get to that 😉

When building the perfect designer handbag capsule wardrobe, it is important to pick styles within each handbag category which are classic and will not immediately go out of style after one season. These bags need to have longevity so that your hard-earned money isn’t wasted on a trendy item. Capsule wardrobe handbags should be simple, free of adornments, and offer clean lines. I have chosen my favorites in each category, and included them in this post.

Without further ado, here are the seven bags we all need in a designer handbag capsule wardrobe!

Daily Handbag: This is the bag you want to be able to reach for everyday. Your daily handbag should be sturdy, sleek, easy to wipe down, and have room for extras. A bucket bag or hobo bag is perfect for grabbing to run out of the house. It can take you from errands to a little league game to the mall. This is the bag you will use all. the. time! I own the Mansur Gavriel bucket bag pictured above and love love love it! It is perfect for everyday use, and fits all the extra things my kids always want me to hold for them. This bag offers sturdy construction, and can handle heavy weight inside of it; such as five water bottles, an iPad, and a DSLR camera. Yes, I have stuffed those items inside, and it worked like a charm!

Daily Satchel: Sometimes you want a more structured look for everyday wear. A hobo or bucket bag might not have the right look for running from a ladies lunch to the supermarket. A structured, daily satchel made from a sturdy fabrication which offers an understated look is perfect for days when you want to look put together, but still have a hectic schedule. I own the Givenchy Antigona daily satchel pictured above and love it! I have had it for several years and always stuff it with heavy items. The leather is sturdy and can really take a beating. It cleans off nicely, and keeps on working hard for me! I highly recommend owning one as part of your designer handbag capsule wardrobe.

Evening Clutch: This Bottega Veneta clutch is on my wish list! Everyone needs one classic, formal evening clutch in their wardrobe. This clutch is ideal for gala events, cocktail parties, and anything formal. I recommend getting one with a hidden shoulder strap for when you want to be hands free. If you like to hold a drink, and grab passed appetizers-you need a hidden strap!

Dinner Bag: This is your go-to semi-formal bag for dinner, the theater, and going out in general. I love the Gucci bag pictured above, or you could invest in a classic Chanel 2.55 or Chanel classic flap.

Cross Body Bag: Everyone needs one cross body bag in their handbag capsule wardrobe. This is the bag you will use at amusement parks, for travel, and anytime you go somewhere you want to be hands-free. This Chloe bag is a classic, sturdy workhorse bag. It is also roomier then it looks!

Work Bag: Whether you work in an office, or volunteer your time, you will need a work bag in your designer handbag capsule wardrobe. This is a bag you can fit files into, looks structured, and offers a professional vibe which demands instant respect. You may even be able to fit a small laptop inside! I own the Fendi recommended above and love it! It is my go-to meeting bag and fits files, a tablet, and additional odds and ends. It is sturdy and perfect for daily use if you work outside the home. Love it!

Workhorse Tote: So, you may have noticed I advised you to look for neutral colors when it comes to creating a designer handbag capsule wardrobe. You may have also noticed the Fendi tote pictured above is blue! Your workhorse tote is the one bag where you can have fun with color. A good workhorse tote bag can act as a beach bag, a carry-on bag, a park day bag, a shopper tote, and more! You may not reach for it everyday, but your workhorse tote bag will be the large, roomy tote you reach for on weekends, when you travel, need a diaper bag, and whenever you need to bring a lot of stuff with you! Have fun with your tote, and choose a color which reflects your personal style. Mine is blue, what’s your hue?

Well, that’s it! These are the seven types of bags you need to create a classic, durable, designer handbag capsule wardrobe. To be frank, we don’t need more then seven bags, although owning more is fun! If you are limited on closet space, simplify your wardrobe, or want to maximize your dollars, seven bags will do it! I hope you like the ones I recommend, I either own them, or have been eyeing them.

Which types of handbags do you need in your handbag capsule wardrobe?

Thanks for stopping by!

XOXO

Cathy