winter 2019

The death of the logo bag

 in Handbags / Trends  tagged winter 2019 by

staud clear plastic tote bag

pictured: not a logo bag. Categorized as a quiet, trendy bag. Can be found online here, check out my review here.

The death of the logo bag. You knew it was coming.

Logo bags have been a hot trend for the past few years, but in 2018, they started to wane. As we move into 2019, the logo bag is over. 2019 is all about expressing yourself through your handbag. It is a year to tell the world a story. It is not a year to be a walking billboard.

There isn’t one stand out IT bag this year, instead, we are looking at IT trends in the handbag world. There are three distinct handbag trends that will evolve over the coming year, branching off into separate trends for each distinct season. In 2019, we are looking at forms of the understated trendy bag, the quiet status bag, and the bold bag.

The Understated Trendy Bag

Are you always on the cusp of the latest trends? Then a handbag from an emerging designer will be your bag of the moment. This bag will have a distinct structure and style; without a distinct logo. Those in-the-know will recognize your bag instantly, while those not in-the-know, will be left scratching their heads.

Shop understated trendy bags:

The Quiet Status Bag

Does your bag show your status? If you wear your bag the way you drive your car, then your Hermes, Chanel, Louis, and Gucci will still be OK; just don’t flaunt them. If your bag is full of logos, then you are telling the world you are all flash and no cash. Stop trying to prove something to the world. In 2019, you can wear silent IT designers. Wear Chanel, just wear a quiet Chanel. Wear Louis, just wear a quiet Louis. You get the picture? There is no reason for the designer logo to be splashed all over your bag. It’s so last year, and so not #money.

Shop quiet status bags:

The Bold Handbag

Do you love standing out in the crowd? This year look for handbags that stand out. Perhaps a multi-colored, artistic handbag will be your go-to bag. Or, you might opt for a neon pink bag. If you want to get noticed, then look for a bright handbag that stands out. Your bag needs to shout “Look at Me!” not “Look at How Much I Cost!” That’s so last year.

Shop bold handbags:

The economy is good, but individual people are not always good. Taxes have gone up, and wages have been stagnant or gone down. People have disposable income, but not as much as they did a few years ago. There is an overall feeling of being unsettled as global politics shifts to the far-left, and to the far-right; leaving the moderate middle feeling unsafe.

This unsettled political climate means fashion is more about self-expression, and less about showing off the price of something. Handbags will be the hardest hit by this shift as they are often thought of as the ultimate status item in a woman’s closet. In 2019, the handbag shifts from a status piece, to a form of telling the world who you are, or how you are feeling.

What are your thoughts? Are you still feeling the logo bag trend, or are you over it? Which type of bag will you wear this year?

Thanks for stopping by!

XOXO

Cathy

Winter 2019 skin care routine

 in Beauty  tagged colleen rothschild / elemis / estee lauder / revive / skin care / winter 2019 by

skin care over 40

from left: hand cream / eye cream / face cream / neck cream /

Winter is here! This means cold weather, drying indoor heat, wind, and dry skin. When my skin is dry, I try to keep my skin care routine simple so that my pores are not loaded up with junk. By using a small amount of the right products, I can keep winter dry skin at bay, and keep my skin looking as normal as possible.

First off, these pictures are not perfect. That is because I photographed products which I currently use. These are not pictures of products I have not opened yet, or not tried yet; these are my go-to skin care products for the winter! Some are new, and one I have been using for over fifteen years.

Skin care over 40

genx skin care over 40

Let’s face it, this GenX mother of three needs quality skin care over 40. That means my skin is over 40 years old; um, did I really just type that? Inside my head I am still 39 😉 anyhoo. . .

When you are over 40, or even under 30, or 20, it is important to take care of your skin. See that neck cream in the photo above? I have been going through one jar of it every six months for the last fifteen years. I started using this neck cream when I was in my late 20’s, and I have not tried anything else; I love it! Not to brag or anything. . . but. . .my neck looks pretty for a GenX gal. Just sayin’

If you are in your 20’s, snag this neck cream; and if you are over 30, over 40, over 50, etc. I promise it is worth every penny, and you will love, love love it!

The Elemis face cream has become an addiction of mine over the past two years. Their PR team sent it to me originally, and I threw it into my NYFW suitcase shortly after receiving the PR package. It was a February fashion week when the temperatures can dip below zero, and dry air was at it’s peak. I was thrilled to have Elemis in my arsenal! I am hooked, and have been using it everyday since. I especially love it during the dry months, and in the winter. I’m on my fourth jar of it, and pretty soon I will need to buy a fifth jar! It’s so good. I cannot imagine using any other face cream when the air is dry. It adds the right amount of moisture while providing the anti-aging power my over 40 skin needs. Ugh, did I just admit to being over 40 again? I’m 39. . . 39 ya hear! (only in my head, a-hem)

Estee Lauder’s eye cream is more of a gel-cream. I started using it earlier this year and have found it works really well when the air is dry. I love how my under-eye skin is reacting to it this season. It really is adding moisture without adding shine or other problems to my skin. Also, my fine lines seem diminished; so I am hooked!

I just started using Colleen Rothschild’s hand cream a few months ago. I have noticed I need less hand cream applications during the day since I started to use it. This hand cream has really helped my hands a lot! I only need it in the morning, and before bed. No amount of house cleaning, and hand washing, can break the seal this hand cream creates. I think it must be repairing my skin, because my hand skin is not getting as dry as it used to. Not sure this will work for everyone, but for me, I am addicted and hooked for life! I suggest trying it if your hands get dry!

Shop my skin care over 40 tools:

What are your favorite skin care products this time of year?

Thanks for stopping by!

XOXO
Cathy

winter skin care dry skin

Brown faux fur shearling coat for winter

 in General Fashion  tagged apparis / gucci / outfits / winter 2019 by

apparis brown faux fur coat brown faux fur shearling coat apparis shearling faux fur coatgucci marmont lady bag spring 2019 apparis brown faux fur shearling coat outfit ideasit coat winter 2019

wearing: gold bold earrings / lipstick / white v-neck tee / brown faux fur shearling coat / bootcut jeans (old, also love this pair) / Gucci bag / spring nail polish / western style boots /

The 1970s is one of my favorite decades of inspiration, so when I spotted this brown faux fur shearling coat, which gave off an instant 1970s vibe, I knew I needed it in my life! I love how it looks like a typical shearling coat from the 1970s, but it is actually a modern, faux fur version. Love!

I wore this outfit the other day to meet my friend Dawn for lunch at Lazy Dog in Cupertino. It is a really yummy restaurant with a seasonal, fresh menu. It was fun to chat with my friend and enjoy a good meal! We also had a chance to chat about New York Fashion Week, which we will be attending together in February. So stay tuned for our crazy antics! haha

This coat might be good to wear in New York for fashion week. I would say it offers medium warmth; which works really well with our Northern California climate. For New York, I would need to wear more than a tee underneath! In the meantime, I am going to enjoy wearing this coat over jeans and a tee; which is perfect for our winter weather here in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Shop my brown faux shearling coat outfit:

Which decade, or decades, do you enjoy finding your style inspiration? Are you a 1970s girl like me?

Thanks for stopping by!

XOXO

Cathy

vintage coat trend winter 2019 winter 2019 street style trends