outfits

Oversize velvet blazer and boyfriend jeans

 in General Fashion  tagged casual style / fall 2016 / outfits / proenza schouler by

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Wearing: gold sculptured earrings / Chanel sunglasses / MAC lipstick / black and gold choker c/o Ettika / gold y-necklace (old, similar here) / black tee (old, similar here) / navy oversize velvet blazer / gold sculptured ring / Chanel Emeraude nail polish / Proenza Schouler Hava satchel in black / distressed boyfriend jeans (on major sale!) / black velvet Mary Janes

Velvet is one of my favorite fabrics. I love anything soft, and luxurious. Velvet is both of those things. With so many velvet choices out there for the fall season, I decided to go for a comfortable, oversize velvet blazer which can be worn casually.

When the velvet blazer trend starting taking the streets by storm in September, I was excited knowing I could pull my grey velvet jacket out of the closet which I purchased about fifteen years ago. I love how a velvet blazer or jacket can elevate a pair of jeans, and make an otherwise casual outfit look refined, and put together; yet velvet blazers are so effortless! Not to mention cozy. 😉

I dress casually most days, so investing in pieces which can be worn often are key when I look to make a purchase. Nothing irks me more than buying something which ends up sitting in my closet. Since I already own a more fitted, velvet jacket, I decided to go with an oversize velvet jacket for the fall 2016, and winter 2017, seasons.

This outfit took me from day into evening last Friday. I wore this outfit during the day, then for the evening, I met up with a few of my friends for dinner at Steamers in Los Gatos; if you go, be sure to have Tiramisu for dessert! It’s to-die-for!

In order to go from day into evening, I switched from my Proenza Schouler Hava satchel pictured above, to my classic black Chanel Boy Bag. Voila! Day into evening, love that!

Oversize velvet blazers can be worn so many different ways this fall season! I was in the mood to wear loose clothing on Friday, so I paired my oversize velvet blazer with baggy boyfriend jeans. For a more structured, yet still casual look, this velvet blazer can be worn with skinny jeans and heels or booties. It can also be thrown over a casual dress, or black dress. For a more “street” look, this velvet blazer can be worn with cut-off denim shorts, biker/moto boots or creepers, and a concert tee.

Thanks for stopping by,

XOXO

Cathy

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

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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

Green fall florals in New York

 in General Fashion  tagged banana republic / chloe / fall 2016 / kendra scott / nyfw outfits / outfits / sam edelman by

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Wearing: Chanel sunglasses / Banana Republic maxi fall floral dress / Kendra Scott earrings / MAC Lipstick / Chloe handbag / Kendra Scott ring set c/o / Kendra Scott nail polish c/o / Sam Edelman booties (sold out, similar pair online here and here)

Ah! This dress! Have you ever worn something and received compliments everywhere you go? That was this dress in New York! I wore this dress during New York Fashion Week, and to have fashion industry professionals compliment my dress; it was like a dream come true! I couldn’t believe it! I now know, this dress will get worn by me A LOT during the fall season! Love!

Fall florals are a huge trend this fall season. So it is fun to have at least one item in your closet to rock this trend with. This dress is an easy way to wear fall florals. I love how it moves and flows as I walk. It also happens to be quite comfortable! Love that!

Since I was running from show to show, I chose to pair my fall floral dress with low heeled booties. These booties are super comfortable, and helped carry me through the day. Unfortunately they are sold out, but you can find a similar, low-heel pair online here, and a fringe pair here.

I wore this fall floral maxi dress on day five of New York Fashion Week. Day five was a busy day! I attended Irina Vitjaz, Taoray Wang, Leanne Marshall, Vivienne Tam, Anniesa Hasibuan, and I also went to the RewardStyle blogger party. I was on the go! To see coverage of these shows, please check out my NYFW recap online here.

The weather was much cooler on day five than it had been previously in the week. This gave me the opportunity to wear this dress. I was so thankful the humid heat was over! I do not function well in hot humidity. I grew up in the mild climate of the San Francisco Bay Area, I am not accustomed to east coast humidity. It really does me in!

Want to see what’s hot for spring 2017 from the runways of New York? Check out my NYFW trend report online here. I love sharing with you all the fabulous new trends for spring coming out of New York!

Photography by Dawn Lucy/Fashion Should be Fun

Thanks for stopping by,

XOXO

Cathy