rebecca minkoff

Embracing overalls after all these years

 in Bay Area Fashion / General Fashion  tagged 1990s / casual style / gucci / outfits / proenza schouler / rebecca minkoff / see by chloe / summer 2017 / vintage styles by

fashion over 40bay area street styleproenza schouler hava satchelhow to wear overalls

Wearing: fuchsia ball earrings / Chanel sunglasses / lipstick c/o Estee Lauder “Blase Buff” / pale pink crew neck tee (so amazingly soft!) / denim overall jumper dress (shorter style under $75) / rose gold cuff / dark brown leather strap watch / Chanel summer nail polish / black satchel / embroidered guitar strap (on major sale!!) / Gucci slides (also love this pair under $80)

Raise your hand if you remember how hot overalls were in the late 1980s and early 1990s?! Oh yes, this was a hot trend. It was back when Kriss Kross made you “Jump! Jump” and we were told to don’t go chase waterfalls. Where I lived, in Marin County, people wore overalls with one strap undone, and styled with Converse All-Stars. In other parts of the Bay Area, I remember seeing people topping off the look with a crooked cap. I always admired the trend, but never actually wore it. This time around, I have decided to give it a go; but in a more mature, Silicon Valley way.

The first time overalls were a huge trend, I shied away from it because I am short. I always felt like overalls looked better on taller people. Over time, I have figured out that just because I am short, or have wider hips, doesn’t mean I can’t find a way to wear a trend, or look, I admire. If I can find the right style, or find it in petite, then I can rock it all I want!

denim overalls for summer

I don’t feel like full length pants work well on me when it comes to overalls. I can wear overalls with shorts, or a skirt, but the ankle length pants make me look shorter, and wider, then I am. Since this is the case, I have embraced the overalls trend by wearing a jumper, or overall dress. Love!

This long jumper is absolutely perfect. Since it has a slit in the front, the silhouette of the dress is broken up, resulting in appropriate proportions. There is also a waist on these overalls, so I feel like my figure isn’t hidden underneath a denim tent.

A denim jumper is easy to dress up or down. In these photos I am wearing it with my favorite pair of slip-on loafers, and a casual satchel. It can also be paired with wedge espadrilles, and a beachy Cult Gaia Ark bag, for a warm weather look. If you wanted to go full-force 1990s, you could even tie a neckerchief around your neck, and find a vintage Dooney and Burke bag to top off the look. Voila! Instant ’90’s vintage style.

It was pretty foggy the day we snapped these photos, but the dress is lightweight enough to be worn on sunny days too. I am looking forward to wearing it more often as the weather warms up this summer!

What do you think of the 1990s overalls trend? Did you wear it the first time around? Will you wear it this time?

Shop my denim overall dress look for summer:

Thanks for stopping by!

XOXO

Cathy

how to dress 90show to be trendy over 40denim overall dress

Top 5 IT bags under $1000

 in Handbags  tagged mansur gavriel / philip lim / rebecca minkoff / tory burch by

mansur gavriel lady bag in black

For those of us who love handbags, the search for the perfect IT bag is an ongoing process. Styles and tastes change every year, and most disturbingly, every season. Keeping up with the IT bag fury can cost thousands of dollars! Thankfully, there are some IT bags which are also considered classic “must-have’s” for every fashion girl’s closet, that are under $1000. One is even under $500! Whaaaaaaat?? Here they are!
top 5 it bags under $1000

Pictured from top left: 1) Mansur Gavriel bucket bag / 2) Rebecca Minkoff mini MAC convertible shoulder bag-clutch. Under $200! / 3) Philip Lim Pashli large size / 3) Philip Lim Pashli mini which is under $700 / 4) Tory Burch Robinson current version / 5) Mansur Gavriel Lady Bag

Mansur Gavriel has mastered the IT bag market with high quality handbags that offer clean lines, and classic styling. It is no wonder the drawstring bucket, which put Mansur Gavriel on the map, is ranked #1 on the list of the top five IT bags under $1000. Thier more recent design, the Lady Bag, has proven to be just as desirable as the bucket bag over the past couple of years, elevating it to the list at #5.

Coming in at #2 on the list is the classic Rebecca Minkoff mini MAC bag. This cute little handbag has been around for what seems like forever! It comes in new colors every season. If you want longevity, pick it up in black. It offers the best IT bag value at a price point under $200. Plus, the mini MAC converts from a clutch to a shoulder bag. Love that!

The third moderately priced IT bag on the list is the Philip Lim Pashli. This bag was on the IT bag throne a few years ago, but it has moved into classic IT bag status by continuing to be highly sought-after by handbag fans everywhere. Philip Lim puts out new colors every season, but for longevity, look for black or beige. This bag is also hot in the mini version and large version; hence the reason both sizes are featured on the collage above. Pick your size, and you are hotter than hot!

The forth hot IT bag is the Tory Burch Robinson satchel. This bag reinvents itself every season in new colors, textures, and fabrications. This season’s version is a beautiful woven, black and white design. It is a classic color combo and texture; perfect for resort, spring, and summer, why not grab it for under $1000!!

While many of us feel the pressure to purchase a shiny new IT bag for $3000, we don’t have to! These five bags prove we can carry an IT bag for less than a mortgage payment.

I own the Mansur Gavriel bucket bag and Lady Bag. They are both high quality, and extremely functional; which adds to their allure in the marketplace. I also own a Rebecca Minkoff mini MAC which my teenage daughter stole from my closet and refuses to give back. (It’s coming out of her allowance!) It too is high quality, and easy to use. I highly recommend these bags!

A few of the top 5 IT bags under $1000 around the web:

What is your favorite IT bag under $1000?

mansur gavriel classic bucket bag

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