reviews


Celebrating ten years of handbag reviews

saint laurent sac du jour nano and shore projects watch

Pictured: My first handbag review on the blog! You can read it here. / Most recent handbag review, read here. /

Handbags! You know I love them, and so do you! As someone who has written about handbags since before the blog, it was only natural, ten years ago, to add a handbag review section to Bay Area Fashionista! It really doesn’t seem like that long ago when I started my official reviews; as opposed to my handbag mentions and articles about specific handbags.

The handbag reviews have been fun because they give a specific post to each bag, instead of having to hunt through the blog for a paragraph here or there with a mini review. All the information you need a about a specific handbag is all wrapped up in the review article. Love that!

This fabulous bucket bag, pictured above, is my most recent review. I really love this handbag and find myself wearing it often. The studded details add a little edge and interest to the overall style of the bag. It is also quite practical and fits everything I need in a day. Love!

Talking about handbags I love. . .

it bags fall 2017

One of my favorite handbags of all time is my Givenchy Antigona. I own two! After falling in love with my black one, I indulged and invested in a pale blue Antigona. The black gets the most wear, and the pale blue one gets worn and babied a little more due to the light color. I love them both and also love the fact that the Givenchy Antigona has become a classic handbag which can be worn season after season. You know me, I love a good investment handbag!

Lastly, the handbag you have loved the most over the years has been the Mansur Gavriel bucket bag. This classic drawstring bucket bag is still going strong and is a fabulous investment bag at a reasonable price. Love that!

My favorite handbags:

Thank you for coming to Bay Area Fashionista over the years for my handbag reviews, and more! There are more handbag reviews on the way, so stay tuned!

Thank you for your support!

XOXO
Cathy

mansur gavriel bucket bag pink

Chanel nail polish summer 2025 review

chanel summer 2025 nail polish review

Chanel nail polish summer 2025 from top left: Chanel Solaire nail polish / Chanel Incandescente nail polish /

The Chanel summer beauty collection is here! Of course, I snapped up the two summer nail polish colors from Chanel to share with you. Love!

For the summer 2025 season, Chanel is giving us a sparking gold and a bright orange-red polish to blend in with the warmer weather. Both of these colors are warm and vivid. The golden nail polish has a warm golden hue which borders on orange undertones. Chanel Incandescente’s orange-red hue has more orange than red, and an almost jelly like consistency. It is not a cream nail polish. Of course, Solaire is a metallic nail polish.

As someone who shies away from shades of red, you may have already guessed Chanel Solaire is my favorite nail polish from the collection. It sparkles and offers a warm, golden hue for the summer season. Love that!

So, without further ado, here are the two Chanel summer 2025 nail polish colors to warm up your wardrobe this season!

Chanel nail polish summer 2025 | Chanel Solaire

chanel solaire nail polish summer 2025 review

Chanel nail polish summer 2025 | Chanel Incandescente

chanel incandescente nail polish summer 2025 review

There you have it! A warm gold and an orange-red nail polish for the summer season. What do you think? Are you a golden girl or an notice-me orange-red girl? I’m going golden this summer. Love!

I tested out both nail polishes with one base coat and two coats of color.

Shop the Chanel nail polish summer 2025 collection online:

Thanks for stopping by and stay tuned for more summer 2025 coverage!

XOXO

Cathy


Chance Chanel Eau Splendide edp review

pictured: Chanel Chance Eau Splendide edp / summer nail polish /

Chanel has a fabulous new fragrance, and I am here for it! I haven’t worn a fruity floral perfume in quite some time, so this new fragrance one from Chanel is incredibly amazing to have been able to capture my attention. Love!

Chanel Chance Eau Splendide edp is a not-too-sweet fruity floral with top notes of raspberry, rose and violet. The heart of the fragrance is rose geranium with a base of powdery iris, musk and cedar. I always love how smooth a fragrance is with musk as a base. It balances the fruit and florals, keeping them from getting sticky sweet. This is a beautiful blend of notes, balanced perfectly. I am in love!

If you are looking for the perfect warm weather fragrance, or a fabulous gift, you have found the perfect eau de parfum! I plan to wear Chanel Chance Eau Splendide edp everyday this spring and summer. Love it!

Shop Chanel Chance Eau Splendide online:

Are you looking for the perfect fruity floral? Let me know what you think!

XOXO
Cathy