elevate your spring wardrobe

Zimmerman floral mini dress

As we depart from April into May, I felt inspired by the array of breezy colors and fabrics from the ready-to-wear. The pre-loved luxury accessories I stumbled upon compelled me to put together a few spring outfits that will have us all heading out of the house and planning a beach-side vacay (as soon as we can.) I think it’s healthy to be inspired about life after COVID-19…the places we will travel, the amazing date nights we have to look forward to, reuniting with loved ones, and the fabulous spring ensembles we will wear.

Chanel Chevron Pink Medium Boy Flap

Chanel Denim Chevron Boy Flap

Nothing lifts my spirits more than a spring refresh for my closet. Here are a few looks to inject some color into your wardrobe as we look to lighter and brighter spring days. I adore this floral mini from LoveShackFancy that gives me cotton candy vibes. With the brand’s hourglass silhouettes and girly prints and soft pastels, it is super flattering and feminine.

I think at least one LoveShackFancy piece is a perfect addition any spring wardrobe. And you can really dress up this number for date night with pink rockstuds or these gorgeous padded Gucci heels. What an easy way to instantly elevate your spring wardrobe.

I previously featured a baby blue blouse from Stine Goya, and it is easily one of the best tops in my closet. Stine Goya offers elegant silhouettes in feminine fabrics and are entry-level designer pricing.

Instead of pairing this blouse with an everyday pair of shorts, I picked the edgiest shorts I could find. They would make any outfit a little bit cooler, and I think when you come across the perfect pair of denim that is a bit more high end, it is ok to splurge because denim never really goes out of style. This vintage Chanel clutch would work great with any outfit and is a fun option for an evening bag that isn’t so prim and proper.

And when it comes to evening-wear…I’m happy to share so elevated basics that will turn heads but that you can also incorporate into a capsule collection. While you could consider this bag very statement, it would match with many of my outfits, especially because I prefer cooler colors. Any grey/white/blue outfits would look incredible with this bag. Because it also has silver, it is a great option for dressier occasions.

I’ve always dreamed of having a Balmain skirt, and this one is very up my alley, with the iridescent quiliting. Because it is light and reflective, you can style it with white/pink/lilac tops, as easily as you could with black or grey. This makes the skirt more versatile. Metallics are amazing for that.

And now for the star of the show (at least when it comes to evening attire)…the perfect leather skirt by my favorite new designer. It is a basic yet is so stunning in the style and draping of the fabric, that you really just need some great black boots and heels and a black or white blouse to make it complete. And often when I want to bring the wow factor on a date, I feel most comfortable in a leather mini and great top. A leather skirt is one item that I do believe investing in. But…only if it is the PERFECT leather skirt (for your style).

And with a wow leather skirt, you need a wow handbag…this Fendi logo bag kind of speaks for herself…

Another LoveShackFancy dress that is a little more preppy, but just as easy to style. What a dream team for Summer with the Stella McCartney wedges and either handbag…though I’m partial to the white Fendi. To conclude this post, I want to bring in pieces that capture both classics and trends. A distressed denim jacket, a Chanel tweed number, and a white Chanel boy that you could wear with either jacket. Happy shopping as you introduce brighter colors and elevate your spring wardrobe!

your DREAM bag

Chanel Lambskin Quilted Clutch with Chain

Chanel Tweed Coco Flap

Fendi Shearling Logo Tote

Dior Oblique Montaigne Box Bag

My recent partnership with The Luxury Closet has has me lusting after a luxury handbag to add into my wardrobe. I’ve always had more of an interest in ready-to-wear than $$$ handbags, but even I have to admit that with a great designer handbag, it has more mileage because you can wear it with all your outfits (depending on what color you go with, of course).

As I don’t have the budget to buy more than 1 luxury handbag, I will narrow it down to a few of my favorite neutral bags, my top recs for classic black handbags and my favorite bright and bold ones. Then I will narrow it down to 1 in each category and decide what would be the best option for my wardrobe.

Classic bags

Chanel Lambskin Trendy Top Handle in Light Pink

Saint Laurent Leopard Punk Chain Bag

Gucci Top Handle Bag

Chanel Lambskin Flap Bag

YSL Small Monogram Loulou

Classic bags are safer investments, as they will go with more outfits and surpass trends and fads. However, not all classic bags work well with our personal style or lifestyle. In the end, if a trendy bag is practical and works easily with your current closet, it may be a good purchase. People consider a bag trendy because of the color, print, or style. To me, a good capsule bag collection would focus on classic bags with a few trendy bags sprinkled in.

COLOR

Gucci Marmont Medium Shoulder Bag

Gucci Mini Marmont Chain Bag

Chanel Vintage Wallet on a Chain

Louis Vuitton Damier Azur Rose Ballerine

In this post, I am featuring bags from different retailers and re-selling websites. I fully intend on choosing a pre-loved bag, so I can get an almost new bag that is significantly discounted. While I want the bag to still be in great condition, I don’t see the need to pay double the price for a handbag that I will scuff or that I have to “baby” and be afraid to wear on a regular basis.

I’m in love with the Gucci Marmont in Candy Pink, but this wouldn’t be a good purchase since I don’t yet own a great basic black or neutral handbag. In the future, I would consider it, because most days I’m just wearing black and this would be a fun accent color. When I am wearing color, I opt for baby blue or pastel, and I think this pop of pink would pair with that as well.

Because I am a true declutter-er at heart, and want a modest but AMAZING bag collection, I will only be investing in one of the beauties. With all that said, let’s compare some stunning handbags from new and past collections across various brands…

METALLICS

Chanel Metallic Stingray Mini Boy

Chanel Lamskin Quilted Maxi Single Flap

Dior Diorama Medium Metallic Gold

Chanel Iridescent Lambskin Gabrielle

I love a good metallic handbag, and one of my most loved bags was a white/iridescent one, and it truly went with all my outfits. If you want a bag that is a bit more unique and interesting than a basic neutral bag, metallics can be a good option.

You do have to keep in mind that silver or rose gold or gold can have very different effects and may look more night-time appropriate. You also should consider what colors look best on you. For instance, I have a warm complexion and brown hair and eyes, so copper and rose gold are the most flattering. However, I prefer silver.

Metallics can go with almost anything, but that can also depend on the bag’s style and leather/fabric composition.

HARDWARE

Givenchy Crocodile Embossed Antigona

Saint Laurent Toy Loulou in Cork

Gucci GG Marmont, Medium

Gucci Marmont GG Mini Top Handle

Gucci GG Marmont, Small

Obviously I’m a little obsessed with the Gucci Marmont in Porcelain Nude Rose, however I’ve never made the purchase because I love to wear silver jewelry and the brassy/gold hardware always deters me. Hardware is an important aspect to consider and I would prefer black hardware or a bag that has both gold and silver elements so that I don’t have to always consider whether I need to wear silver or gold jewelry when getting ready for the day.

SHAPE & SIZE

Louis Vuitton Jungle NeoNoe Caramel

Chanel Camellia Round Clutch with Chain

Chanel Patent Perforated Shopping Tote

Valentino Glam Lock Rockstud Flap Pink

Chanel Calfskin CC Pocket Tote

Chanel Iridescent Caviar Clutch

What shape is best for you really comes down to style and function. A circle bag may be on-trend, but may not be user-friendly if your cell phone doesn’t even fit in it. Now most brands offer various sizes in their most in-demand handbags, so if you love the Gucci Marmont, or the Chanel classic flap, then you can decide which size…from the mini to the maxi…works best for your lifestyle. Whether you prefer a wallet on a chain for date night or a tote that you can use everyday, your lifestyle and how practical you need your handbag to be will determine your size preference. It becomes a bit easier once you have a few bags in various sizes, such as nice tote, a work bag, and a clutch. I want a handbag that will work for both day and night, so my ideal handbag would be a crossbody that will fit my phone, wallet, and essentials.

STYLE

Prada City Calf Cahier

Prada Calf Hair Cahier Bag

Saint Laurent Chevron Monogram Wallet

The Prada Cahier is super edgy and functional, because it is a small crossbody. My ideal combination for this bag would be solid black with black hardware.

These Chloe bags wouldn’t be my first choice because I have a more edgy modern style and Chloe’s bags tend to be pretty feminine. The one in light nude is gorgeous though. If you prefer feminine and preppy looks, one of the bags below might be perfect.

EMBOSSED

Saint Laurent Crocodile Embossed Calfskin Sac de Jour

Saint Laurent Calfskin Crocodile Manhattan Shopper

The new croc embossed trend has paved the way for many brands to release alligator, croc, and croc effect. True exotic skins are crazy expensive, but croc effect can be more practical and attainable.

I did once buy a pre-loved Saint Laurent toy bag with croc leather in hot pink. I returned it because the scales were peeling off in the front. This is one thing I would precaution you on. Be aware of the condition of the leather and the specific type of leather, because as these bags show wear, the scales or “scaled effect” of the leather can flake off and make the bag look old and ratty.

Some leathers are more hard wearing, and in the right leather, a little texture on the bag can prevent every stain or scratch from showing.

Strap Drop

Chanel Chevron Small Trendy

Louis Vuitton Twist MM

Saint Laurent Monogram Sunset Bag

Chloe Python Mini Bucket Bag

The type and length of strap also should be considered when buying a bag. A chain strap is more edgy and modern and I have heard that the straps on the Chanel classic flap aren’t ideal to wear crossbody. The YSL Sunset bag straps can be taken off and another put on, making it more versatile. I like to add on my own bag straps, so I look for handbags that allow you to clip off and on the strap.

The Luxury Closet

I am happy to feature a Dubai-based boutique that embodies what my blog is all about…luxury, investment pieces that you will love and wear for years to come. I am now working with The Luxury Closet, your destination for pre-loved luxury accessories and apparel, and especially handbags. The Luxury Closet guarantees 100% authenticity, and their website explains the multi-step detailed assessments that their team of authenticity experts take. The Luxury Closet delivers globally, with the option to pay over a period of 30 days as you shop brands such as: Chanel, Dior, Louis Vuitton, Fendi, Hermes, Gucci, and many others.

I was overwhelmed at the amazing selection of Chanel and Dior, & I've included some limited edition releases that are worth taking a look at. I’m all about accessories that coincide with my sense of style & I love something unique that you won’t see everyone else wearing. Whether you have a neutral color palette or prefer a bold statement, there is something for you here.

Don’t we all want to create our own luxury closet?

The Luxury closet also offers really reasonable pricing. Especially when we are talking Chanel, other retailers charge 2x or even 3x the price.

There is a denim belt I have been eying on Fashionphile, and when I was browsing on The Luxury Closet, I found the same belt that had sold for literally less than half the price.

I am all about investing in your closet, but we must also be savvy shoppers and comparison shop these high-end luxury items. It is helpful to have the option to pay over a small period of time when we splurge on a super-brand or designer accessory.

Happy shopping as you create your own luxury closet!