investment dressing

Handbag trends 2025

 in General Fashion / Handbags / Trends  tagged cruise 2025 / fall 2025 / investment dressing / spring 2025 / summer 2025 / winter 2026 by

Handbag trends 2025 from top left: hobo bag / belted tote / boxy bag / doctors bag / slouchy bucket bag / east/west satchel /

The handbag trends for 2025 are here! Thankfully, the 2025 handbag trends aren’t much different than last year. This means we are in good shape for the new year. Love that!

In 2025, we are seeing a continuation of many handbag trends from last year. The anonymous handbag, suede, east/west satchels, hobo bags, slouchy bucket bags, boxy bags, and doctor bags. In addition to these continuing handbag trends, we are seeing an emergence of the belted tote bag, and more studded handbag styles.

While nothing new, the belted tote bag is a classic style which happens to be gaining popularity as we move into the new year. The belted tote bags which are hot on the street are being shown in small and medium sizes, as well as hybrid bucket styles; such as this one from Tory Burch.

Belted tote bags are mainly shown in classic or neutral hues as well as smooth leather, exotics, exotic stamping or printing, and suede. This keeps them in the classic category making belted tote bags prime candidates for investments. Love!

When it comes to color, we are seeing neutrals, black, light yellow, pink, and blue are being shown throughout the year. In addition, we are seeing all shades of green and red, including fall reds, throughout 2025. These shades are transcending season. So, keep rocking your fall reds and greens! They are hot all year long!

Designers are also doing collabs and re-issues of IT bag from past eras. These are a little gimmicky so try not to fall for the hype. Logos are still out and past IT bags, designers are trying to push, have a short shelf life. If you want a fun bag you will only wear for a month, go for it. But, I would recommend spending your hard-earned cash on investment handbags which transcend trends. Thankfully, the handbag trends of 2025 are exactly that; investment handbag styles.

Also, spending thousands on a handbag is out. In 2025, look for high quality handbags with style which won’t break the bank. Smart purchases are definitely IN! Our wallets love that!

What are your favorite 2025 handbag trends? Or should I say, investment handbags?

Thanks for stopping by!

XOXO

Cathy

How to shop your closet for fall 2024

 in General Fashion / Shopping / Trends  tagged fall 2024 / investment dressing / outfit ideas / outfits / tips by
sweater trends

wearing: turtleneck sweater / flare jeans (old, love these wide leg jeans) / G belt (old, also love this belt) / caramel handbag (current version here) / hoop earrings / suede boots (old, also love these) /

It is time to start shopping for the fall season! But, before spending money on all those shiny new things at the store, let’s dive into our archives and find items which can have a new life this fall season. Your bank account will thank you.

The fall 2024 season is a continuation of chic dressing. Your logo items can stay stored in the back of your closet for later use. Right now, pull forward solid-colored sweaters, striped sweaters, polo style necklines or “Golf Shirts,” and neutral hues.

When it comes to denim, these pants are our seasonal workhorses. Your skinny jeans can stay stored. The fall 2024 season is about the classic cut and wide leg denim. Flares are OK, but classic and wide leg is where it’s at.

Despite logo’s being a no-no, the Gucci GG belt is making a resurgence. I am not sure why, but hey, let’s pull those back out and rock them! I sold mine, and now I have a few regrets. Haha. That being said, I wouldn’t buy one just yet, if you have it great, if not, continue to rock your logo-less belt.

Handbags are continuing to be anonymous. Keep wearing your timeless bags. In addition, bags from the early 2000’s are making a mini-resurgence once again. If you have them stored in the back of your closet, great, pull them out. If not, I wouldn’t invest in a brand new re-make of a once famous IT bag. If you have always loved a bag from twenty years ago, look for it on the vintage or resale market. I wouldn’t spend top dollar for a re-make. This will be a fleeting trend and these bags will end up in storage again next year.

Wondering which handbag silhouettes are hot for fall 2024? Look for slouchy hobos and totes as well as east/west silhouettes. Love them!

Unknown designers are hot. There have been so many scandals lately with some of the most iconic designer brands, fashionistas everywhere are gravitating towards new, emerging designers and unknown brands. Look for style, quality, and wearable colors. This is the time to invest in quality not someone’s brand name.

Here are some of my favorite anonymous handbags, in case you don’t have one in your closet:

Let’s talk shoes! Western boots are still hot, so pull them back out and rock them with your favorite dresses, skirts, and denim. In addition, the Mary Jane is hot; as well as ballet flats, and flats in general. Ankle breaking heels are not hot. When it comes to sneakers, we are in transition. Look for styles and colors which fit into your wardrobe, there isn’t an IT sneaker right now. So, pull your favorite street sneakers out of your closet and rock them this fall. Do they need a refresher? Check out my post about cleaning white sneakers.

Jewelry is still chic. Again, keep your logo baubles in the jewelry box and wear timeless jewelry. Look for your favorite pieces in your jewelry box and rock them this fall. There is no need to buy jewelry this season unless you have a hole in your wardrobe. I recommend investing in beautiful jewelry from Louis Hill or affordable, fun jewelry from Kendra Scott.

Well, those are the things to pull out of your closet for the upcoming fall season. After you shop your closet, you can make your fall shopping list. I bet you just saved a ton of money shopping your closet! I know I did! Love that!

Thanks for stopping by, and happy shopping!

XOXO
Cathy

Price does not equal luxury for handbags

 in General Fashion / Handbags  tagged investment dressing / street style trends / thoughts by
mulberry handbags price does not equal luxury bay area fashionista

Pictured: my favorite mini tote by Mulberry /

Have you noticed a backlash on social media as well as the streets against spending a ton of money on a so-called luxury handbag? The current trend is to steer clear of logo embellished handbags, as well as handbag styles which are over-saturated. There are some handbags out there which are too recognizable and have been over produced lately. Those seeking luxury handbags have started to steer towards high quality and thoughtful handbag brands and styles. Gone are the days of the so-called “status” bag, which right now, looks tacky. The chic handbag look is high quality, quiet branding, and feeling like you scored a beautiful investment bag that didn’t break the bank.

While we have been talking about the anonymous handbag here at Bay Area Fashionista over the past several seasons, there is more to this discussion than just a mere street style trend. It goes deeper than a trend. The anonymous handbag is intertwined with what consumers deem to be luxurious in both perception and reality.

There are so many brands in the world which have superior advertising and marketing strategies. They have made us believe through imagery, celebrity and tastemaker endorsements, lifestyle images, and more that luxury is something which can be bought. I assure you; luxury cannot be bought.

Let’s take designer handbags for instance, since “handbags” is a favorite topic of mine. Many “IT” bags can be thousands of dollars while many mid-market brand handbags are in the hundreds. Is there a difference in quality? Well, funny you ask. . .

If you asked me fifteen to twenty years ago if price equaled quality I would have jumped up and said yes! Now, so-called luxury items from designer brands have increased production and cut costs resulting in lower quality products at higher prices. I don’t want to name names, but I will say there is a designer I used to purchase bags from multiple times per year about twenty years ago. Once their bags hit $3000 I stopped buying them. It seemed like I had enough bags and knowing the same bag had been under $2000 just a few years prior to the price hikes, I couldn’t justify the new, higher prices. I dodged a bullet there! That same designer brand now charges $6000-$10,000 for the same bag I purchased for under $2000 fifteen to twenty years ago. In addition, the quality has gone down and my bags are better made than the new ones.

Now, in the past few years, I have found mid-market brands are making better quality bags than so-called “IT” designer brands. Coach, for example, is still killing it with high quality bags. I have also fallen in love with Toteme, Mansur Gavriel, Mulberry, and more. In fact, Mulberry is higher quality than any other designer bag I have experience with.

There are designer bags priced in the high thousands, as well as in the five figures, which don’t hold a candle to Mulberry’s quality. I found Mulberry bags to be the ultimate investment and they offer a feeling of luxury no other designer offers me. Love that!

Here are a few of my favorite high-quality handbags which won’t break the bank:

I have always looked at purchases as investments, not status symbols. Finding better quality at lower prices is the most luxurious thing for my bank account, and me! What do you think about price and luxury? Do they go hand in hand or are they two separate entities?

Thanks for stopping by!

XOXO
Cathy