chloe


Flares for winter into spring 2016

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Pictured: Sunglasses: Chanel / Earrings: Ippolita / Lipstick: c/o Dolce & Gabbana Dolce Rosa / Blouse: Express / Tank Top: Mossimo / Jeans: Gap (on sale!) / Handbag: Chloe / Bracelet: Kendra Scott / Nail Polish: Dior Bleuette / Booties: Sam Edelman

Spring 2016 is coming! The cherry blossoms are in full bloom, the Magnolia trees are blossoming, and flowering trees around the Bay Area are displaying their wares. It is such a beautiful time of year!

In addition to natural beauty, spring in the Bay Area also means implementing some serious layering skills when it comes to get dressed in the morning. The fog will roll in and out, and the temperatures will swing thirty degrees.

Transitioning a wardrobe from winter into spring in the Bay Area is fairly easy. We don’t have to worry about snow, or any sort of crazy weather; just the occasional spring shower. The main thing to think about is staying warm in the morning, and early evening, when fog is present on the bay, and rolling in from the ocean.

The high temperature tends to hover between 65-75, and the lows hover around 45-55, during the spring months in the San Francisco Bay Area. This means warm afternoons, and cool mornings and evenings. The easiest way to combat these temperatures is to wear layers.

On casual days, jeans are a great bottom to wear since they are comfortable in both warm, and cool weather. This means layering your top is the only thing you have to do in spring weather. Placing a tank top under a spring blouse, and then topping with a light jacket, is the perfect way to warm up, or cool down, on a Bay Area spring day.

I wore a tank top underneath this spring blouse in order to add a little bit of warmth to the blouse. We took these pictures in the early afternoon hours, so my jacket was already off. In the morning I wore a jacket to keep warm, and I put it back on in the early evening hours. It was the perfect layering piece to combat the fog.

Other ways to layer for spring include cardigan sweaters, flannel shirts or denim shirts (both of which can be tied around your waist or stuffed in a purse for easy transport), blanket scarf, or a long sleeve tee underneath a blouse; although with a long sleeve tee you will need to find a way to remove it during the day, and then put it back on in the evening.

What are some ways you layer in order to transition from winter into spring in the Bay Area?


Studs on studs for spring

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Pictured: Sunglasses: Chanel / Earrings: Stephen Dweck / Lipstick: Chanel Mighty / Top: Banana Republic / Cuff: Compass Rose Design / Leather wrap bracelet: Tory Burch / Jeans: COH (petite)/ Handbag: Chloe / Nail Polish: Chanel Sunrise Trip / Booties: Sam Edelman

There is something a little bit rock and roll about studs. When I spotted this top at Banana Republic with tiny little studs, I thought it would be fun to wear with my Chloe Inez bag; after all, who doesn’t love studs on studs for the spring season!

A few years ago, studs were all the rage. Then, they disappeared for a hot minute from the fashion scene. It appears no-one really wanted studs to go away! They have quietly been on the runways, and store shelves, ever since. Since I love me some rock and roll, it is only natural that I love studs!

This little pouchette from Chloe is a fun bag to wear casually, or for a night out on the town. I love it as an alternative to a clutch for dinner, or an evening show. With the strap adjusted as a single shoulder strap, the bag has a more casual feel. When I adjust the straps into a double shoulder strap, it has a dressier, evening feel. Love that!

I love how the handbag looks with this studded top. The studs on the bag are large, and vary in size. The studs on the top are small and evenly distributed. I feel like the two pieces compliment each other, and add a little dimension to a casual look. Of course, this top could be paired with leather legging or pants for a chic, evening look. Oh! New outfit idea!

The combination of studs on studs in this outfit makes me smile; and makes a few AC/DC songs roll through my head. What do you think of mixing studs this spring? Are you up for a little rock and roll in your wardrobe?


Floral booties for spring

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Pictured: Sunglasses: Chanel / Earrings: Kendra Scott / Lipstick: Chanel Mighty / Blouse: Banana Republic / Handbag: Chloe / Nail Polish: Chanel Sunrise Trip / Jeans: Gap / Ring: c/o Official Larimar Shop / Booties: Sam Edelman

Have you ever spotted a pair of shoes online, or in a store, and they spoke to you? When I first spotted these embroidered floral booties for spring online, I heard them call my name! They said: “Cathy, you need me in your life, buy me in black right now and you will have good fortune!”

Well. . .not really . . . but I placed them in my shopping cart, walked away for two days, couldn’t take it anymore, and clicked “checkout.” The rest is history! They arrived two days later, and it was love at first sight.

I always thought I was too conservative to wear embroidered floral booties for spring. I thought my style was more classic; staying on-trend through colors, and the way I put pieces together, rather than bold pieces which call out a specific year and season. But when I saw these booties, all of that flew out the window.

Whether or not these booties keep their cool factor in 2017, remains to be seen. As for spring 2016, it was worth every penny to experience their current cool factor. After all, they are perfect for transitioning from winter into spring, and they are comfortable too! Doesn’t that qualify as a practical purchase? I think so 😉

 I am looking forward to pairing these embroidered floral booties for spring with leggings, skirts, and dresses, as the season progresses. They are definitely my obsession of the season!

This blouse from Banana Republic needs a shout-out too. I love the pale pink color, and the feminine flow of the blouse. Although I am wearing it on a casual day in the photos above, it looks better with a skirt, or trousers. I will definitely wear it with a skirt on a warmer day, and photograph it for the blog. I plan to wear it during New York Fashion Week later this month too!

Have you ever had a pair of shoes, or other item speak to you? If so, please share in the comments below!