fall 2016

Ten best IT bags to buy and wear now

 in Handbags  tagged balenciaga / chanel / fall 2016 / gucci / jw anderson / loewe / louis vuitton / mansur gavriel / proenza schouler / shoulder bags / street style trends by

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

Understated ruffle blouse for fall 2016

 in Bay Area Fashion / General Fashion  tagged banana republic / fall 2016 / gap / kendra scott / outfits / proenza schouler / rebecca minkoff by

ruffle blouse and denim understated ruffle blouse casual outfit idea ruffle shirt how to wear a guitar strap on handbag fall 2016how to wear ruffle shirt office work

Wearing: Chanel sunglasses / bold mother of pearl earrings / understated ruffle shirt (on sale!!) / frosted pink lipstick / Larimar ring c/o / Kendra Scott nail polish c/o / black top handle satchel / fall guitar strap / dark wash boot cut jeans / pewter high heel loafer pumps

Do you love the current ruffle blouse trend, but would like to rock it in an understated way? Me too! I was thrilled to find this blouse which featured ruffles, yet a conservative shirt silhouette. It is perfect for my personal style, and can easily be worn to the office, church, or for day to day activities; like how I wear it!

Ruffle blouses and ruffle shirts were everywhere when I attended fashion week last month. There were bold off-the-shoulder versions, revealing cropped versions, and avant-garde ruffles which were eye-catching and downright fabulous. I loved them all! While these bold ruffle shirts looked amazing on the streets of New York, and I bet they look amazing in the South, and in Southern California, they don’t really fit into our style here in the San Francisco Bay Area. We are an understated bunch in Silicon Valley.

This does not mean we cannot rock the ruffle shirt trend here in the Bay Area, we just need to do it our way. So when I spotted this shirt with ruffles, a crisp collar, and modest bell cuffs, I knew it was the perfect way for me to wear the ruffle trend; while still fitting into our San Francisco Bay Area style. Love it!

This ruffle blouse is super comfortable, and I love the blue stripes. It was also priced well under $100. Loved that! While it is super cute, and comfy, it does wrinkle quickly. I think most people understated this type of fabric wrinkles, and can be forgiving when you are walking around, or you are at work with a few wrinkles. My daughter took these pictures of me after I had been sitting in the car, and shopping with my daughter, so you can see the wrinkles that accumulated after driving and running errands. They are there, but not too bad.

I would also like to give a shout-out to this guitar strap! Fendi introduced this trend a few seasons back, but I never wanted to spend an-arm-and-a-leg for a novelty strap. I was thrilled when more designers and brands came out with whimsical guitar straps priced under $200, and under $100. You can see all my favorites this season online here. I picked out this strap for under $100. Since it is a trendy item, I didn’t want to overspend on it, and I am thrilled with my choice! I love being able to wear trends without breaking the bank!

What do you think of the ruffle shirt trend? Will you be rocking a ruffle blouse this season? How do you wear it in your part of the globe?

You can find my ruffle blouse on major sale online here. Pink version, also on sale, online here.

Thanks for stopping by,

XOXO

Cathy

Shop the look:

office approved ruffle blouse

Breast Cancer Awareness products

 in Beauty  tagged breast cancer / fall 2016 / products with a cause by

breast cancer awareness products give back

From top left: make-up palette / fleece zip-up jacket / la mer lip balm / bobbie brown duo / hair dryer

October is Breast Cancer Awareness month. This means it is a great time to find a breast cancer charity and make a donation to help find a cure for breast cancer. In addition to making a cash donation, this is a great time to purchase products you might already purchase as needed, which help benefit breast cancer charities!

I have rounded up a few products from around the web which are necessities in every Fashionista’s life, and assembled them into this article. All of these products donate a portion of the purchase price back to a charity or non-profit which is helping find a cure, or to fight, cancer. Love that!

Since we are on the topic of breast cancer, I think this is a good time to talk about how breast cancer has affected all of us. I think anyone reading this can think of at least one person they know who has been affected by breast cancer, if not directly.

Breast cancer ha always been something in the front of my mind. I am at high risk for the disease; and frankly the thought of contracting it frightens me more than anything else on Earth.

My grandmother died of breast cancer when my mom was only a small child. She watched her mother suffer for five years before passing away. Knowing how this affected my mom’s life, is devastating to me. It also makes me acutely aware of how much breast cancer can adversely affect one’s own life, as well as the lives of others.

In addition to my grandmother, I watched one of my friends battle stage four breast cancer, and survive. She beat all the statistics and odds. She really is inspirational to her beautiful children, her entire family, and our community. I am in awe every time I see her. She is a fighter, and she won the fight. She is truly blessed.

Lastly, I had my own scare last year when I had a mammogram show a large mass. Knowing how high risk I am for breast cancer, this was the scariest thing I have faced in my life. I have three beautiful children between the ages of eight and twelve. I have an amazing husband, and I have a whole life ahead of me. Until my follow-up appointment, I couldn’t sleep, or function. I had never been so scared in my life.

Thankfully it turned out to be nothing; literally nothing. I was extremely thankful it was nothing, at the same time a little upset that the machine wasn’t accurate the first time and it put me through so much anguish. I can only imagine how horrible it must feel when a detection is actually true.

My heart goes out to anyone who is currently suffering from, or has suffered from, breast cancer. It is a devastating disease, and we need a cure.

If you would like to help fight breast cancer, here are two charities I like which are working hard in the fight against breast cancer. Please visit NationalBreastCancer.org or bcrfcure.org

To help fight breast cancer while shopping for everyday necessities, visit the products with a cause listed below. I am getting the hair dryer!