chanel


Ten best IT bags to buy and wear now

mansur gavriel handbag styled with culottes

Every year the crop of IT bags changes. Over the past few years we have seen the Chanel Boy Bag, Celine Trapeze, Louis Vuitton Petite Malle, Chloe Drew, Saint Laurent Sac du Jour, Balenciaga City Tote, Givenchy Antigona, Mansur Gavriel Bucket Bag, Mansur Gavriel Lady Bag, Chloe Marcie, and more enjoy their moment in the spotlight. While these bags still maintain a cult following, as well as IT status, they have moved into a more classic category on the handbag hierarchy. Enter the IT bags of right now, and early 2017.

At New York Fashion Week last month, and at subsequent fashion weeks in London, Paris, and Milan, there was a flurry of fabulous designer handbags on the arms of the well-heeled attending the shows. While I could only judge what was worn through photographs in London, Milan, and Paris, I did see first hand what was being carried in New York; and the bags were fabulous.

There were ten distinct handbags which kept appearing on the arms, shoulders, and clutched in the hands of those fashionable fashion industry insiders at the recent spring 2017 shows. These are the handbags which are hot right now, and will remain hot as we move into early 2017. Get your wallet ready, if you don’t already own at least one of these current IT bags, and you enjoy owning an IT bag du jour, it is time to start shopping!

My favorites from the current crop of IT bags:

The number one most spotted handbag on the streets of New York Fashion Week was the Louis Vuitton Petite Malle. This tiny little trunk has been proving to have IT status for the past few seasons, but it was quietly the stand-out at fashion week last month. I tried to count the times I spotted this bag, but sadly, I lost count. It was everywhere. If you like tiny, structured, trendy bags, this is the IT bag for you.

The next most popular bag on the streets of New York Fashion Week was the beautiful Pierce bag by J.W. Anderson. I might be biased, as the proud owner of this bag, but it was really pretty. If you are looking for an edgy meets classic shoulder/saddle bag for right now, this is the bag to get! The black and white version was the most popular, followed by black, then brown. I chose to purchase the Tangerine hue, I guess I was in a rebellious mood?

jw anderson pierce bag

Here are the other six IT bags that were everywhere during fashion week, and which stood out from the crowd. The Mansur Gavriel Bucket Bag is still hotter than hot, as is the Lady Bag by Mansur Gavriel. The Circle Tote by Mansur Gavriel was also spotted frequently at shows. These were three bags spotted at almost every show I attended. In addition to Mansur Gavriel, the Chanel Boy Bag was everywhere, as were the Proenza Schouler Hava satchel in black (I thought I was unique, apparently not!), the small version of Loewe’s Puzzle bag, the Gucci Marmont, and the up-and-coming Gucci Dionysus shoulder bag. 

new york fashion week street style handbags

So to sum up the best street style handbags from New York Fashion Week, which happen to be the current IT bags du jour, we have the Mansur Gavriel Bucket Bag, Mansur Gavriel Circle Tote, Mansur Gavriel Lady Bag, Gucci Marmont, Gucci Dionysus, Chanel Boy Bag, Louis Vuitton Petite Malle, J.W. Anderson Pierce bag, Loewe Puzzle Tote, and the Proenza Schouler Hava satchel.

I wish I had taken photos of people and their handbags when I was at fashion week. Lesson learned. I will do this in February 2017 so that I can give you a visual of the current IT bags! In the meantime, you can see them in all their marketing glory around the web. Below I have divided up the top ten IT bags of the moment so you can check out the ones you like! Which IT bag will be your bag du jour?

Gucci Dionysus

Gucci Marmont

Mansur Gavriel Bucket Bag, Lady Bag, and Circle Tote

Proenza Schouler Hava satchel

Chanel Boy Bag (pre-loved)

Louis Vuitton Petite Malle (pre-loved)

J.W. Anderson Pierce Bag

Loewe Puzzle Tote

mansur gavriel in stock summer 2016


Outdoor summer fundraiser outfit

how to dress for an outdoor summer fundraiserwhat to wear to keep tahoe blue fundraiser
daytime fundraiser handbag idealeague to save lake tahoe fundraiser outfit ideawhat to wear to league to save lake tahoe fundraiser

Wearing: Hat: Eugenia Kim / Sunglasses: Chanel / Lipstick: MAC Tendertalk Lip Balm / Earrings: Kendra Scott / Dress: Nanette Lepore / Handbag: vintage Chanel (also love SAVE or SPLURGE) / Bracelet: Kendra Scott / Nail Polish: Tom Ford Black Sugar / Ring: Kendra Scott / Shoes: Saint Laurent

Bottom photo: myself, my beautiful twelve-year-old daughter, and my mom 🙂 (I’m not really that tall, these shoes make me tall! )

Earlier in August, I attended the League to Save Tahoe’s annual Tahoe beachfront fundraiser. This fundraiser is presented by Saks Fifth Avenue and features the Oscar de la Renta resort collection which was designed by Peter Copping. This year, the event raised over $860K for lake conservation efforts! That is a staggering, amazing number!

It is the most enjoyable fundraiser I attend every year! Although the event is held at a private estate on the beach in Incline Village, NV, the majority of attendees are from the Bay Area. It is really fun to meet people, and find out they live close-by, or have a common ground with me. The crowd is both philanthropic, and into fashion, so conversation focuses around helping the community, saving the lake, and fashion! It is my people 🙂

This was the first time my daughter attended a grown-up fundraiser. She has modeled in the Junior League fashion show before, but has never attended a fundraiser as a guest. She did really well! She enjoyed looking at the silent auction, the view, and the fashion show. She even ate the very grown up food! I was so proud of her!

She really is growing into a nice young lady before my eyes. Oh I wish she would stop growing up! My baby is almost taller than me, and she is one shoe size away from me! It seems like just yesterday she was a little baby girl, now she is a young lady! Thankfully the braces keep her looking young 😉

When deciding what to wear to the League to Save Lake Tahoe annual beachfront fundraiser, there is a strategy involved. The event is held outside, on the beach. When you are in elevation, the temperature may be seventy or eighty degrees, but the sun is more potent than at sea level. This means sunscreen, a hat, and sunglasses are a must! When choosing a hat, it must be low lying so as not to block other guests from properly viewing the live auction and the runway show. This is usually easy to accomplish, but something to keep in mind while deciding on a hat.

The first time I attended the event, I wore a brown and white cotton dress. This kept me cool, but since you are sitting in part shade during the event, you can perspire a little bit. I do not recommend wearing white cotton to this event. I don’t need to explain. 😉 The best type of dress to wear to the League to Save Lake Tahoe fundraiser is one which is lightweight, offers a print or dark color, and does not show perspiration.

Shoes are an important factor in deciding what to wear to an outdoor, beachfront fundraiser. They must have a flat sole or you will find yourself sinking into the sand. My favorite type of shoe to wear is an espadrille, but any flat or wedge, which is not too narrow, will do.

If you love the environment, and Lake Tahoe, as much as I do, please check out The League to Save Lake Tahoe’s website online here. To see all the beautiful designs on Oscar de la Renta’s resort 2017 runway, please click here.

Thanks for stopping by,

XOXO

Cathy


My current lipstick favorites

best lipsticks for Italian skin

Clockwise from left: Christian Louboutin Private Number / c/o Dolce & Gabbana Dolce Rosa / Chanel Melancholie / Charlotte Tilbury Kidman’s Kiss / MAC Fabby

Happy National Lipstick Day 2016! In honor of lipstick everywhere, I thought it would be fun to share my favorite lipsticks of the moment, as well as one fun fact about lipstick!

Fun fact: “Egyptians like Cleopatra crushed bugs to create a colour of red on their lips.” (Source Google via Wikipedia)

Can you imagine wearing crushed bugs on your lips? I can’t. Ew! It is incredible to learn what women did for fashion in ancient times. Who knows, maybe someday future humans will look at our high heels as some sort of weird torture device. Ha! But I digress. . .

I am a huge fan of pink lipstick, and soft brown lipstick. I prefer matte, and sheer lipsticks, over cream; and I always look for a blue based shade, they help make teeth look whiter. Love that!

Fall 2016 is all about red nail  polish, and red lipstick. I am not a big red lipstick person, or red nail polish fan, so I will be skipping this trend in favor of my tried and true pink or brown lipstick hues. For the end of summer, and early fall, the lipsticks pictured above will be my go-to shades.

I definitely reach for Dolce & Gabbana Dolce Rosa the most, with Chanel Melancholie being my next go-to lipstick. Chanel Mighty, and Energy, were my go-to lipsticks earlier in the spring season, but they have both gone missing! I suspect my daughter has snatched them up; she is famous for stealing my nail polishes. I need to watch her more closely. .

Last week, I bought MAC Fabby, and Charlotte Tilbury Kidman’s Kiss for transitioning into the fall season. Watch for upcoming reviews of these two lipsticks. I’m really excited about these two colors, and the formulas are fabulous!

What are your favorite lipsticks? Happy National Lipstick Day 2016!

My favorite lipsticks: