Spring trends

Bring on the pastels…for me that’s the bubblegum pinks and baby blues. With these shades, sometimes its best to spend less for a fun spring look that you may not get as much wear out of. With that in mind, I’ve got some great dupes for you so you can look put together and have a little fun with color, without compromising your financial goals. Let’s get to the fashion…

Chanel 19 Sequin Handbag

Kensington Sequin Crossbody Bag

I think this is a great alternative, without trying to replicate the Chanel. I love monochrome pieces, and the Kurt Keiger logo is also in green, making it more understated. I honestly love the Chanel sequin 19 bag…in every color I’ve seen it in. However, many say it looks tacky and is not very classic, so I think it’s smart to try out the trend first in a more affordable way. I love that the Kurt Geiger line has matching green sequin shoes! It is a wearable heel, and this set would make any outfit pop, especially a white or black dress. Keep scrolling to see designer dupes for spring trends 2022:)

Bottega Veneta Lido Mule

Kensington Sequin Mule

Zara Textured Blazer

Balmain Double Breasted Blazer

Amina Muaddi Embellished Sandal

Gucci Rubber Platform Sandals

Woven Slide Sandal

Pink Sequin Pumps

Woven Slide Sandal

Huuricane Waterproof Boot

Bottega Veneta Woven Bag

Oscar De La Renta Earring

Bulgari Serpenti Handbag

Mink Fur Rockstud Glam Lock Bag

Convertible Vegan Leather Tote

Chiffon Drop Earring

Aldo Bayvia Crossbody Bag

Aldo Faux Fur Crossbody Bag

Which dupe was your favorite? These aren’t designer copycats, but rather more affordable alternatives that I almost like better than the designer version! I will continue adding to this post as I keep discovering hidden fashion gems for spring. Happy shopping:)

Black Friday Edit

Welcome to my edit of the best Black Friday sales in my classic color palettes…all of these products are from The Outnet. Use code: BLACKFRIDAY at checkout for 25% extra off. This code doesn’t work on all items, such as clearance items and Just In. This sale is really good for already on sale items, and many Balmain items are included in the sale. I have the Stella McCartney coat in the cardigan style, and it really is amazing quality. The Outnet also offers the cardigan style in a navy blue color way. I don’t think you can ever go wrong with a sweater dress or a leather skirt, and these are by far the most stunning leather skirts I have ever seen. There are a lot of sales this Black Friday, but most websites offer from 20-30% off. In my opinion, The Outnet is the best because you can get a 25% discount on luxury items already on sale.

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.

Last-Minute Gifts

In case you are on the hunt for last-minute Christmas gifts, I wanted to offer a selection of items with different price ranges. These are all items that I already own, so obviously I liked them enough to spend my own money on them. Sometimes we need just a little extra-something for a loved one around the holidays, and I think one (or two) or these may just be the thing to wrap under the tree.

The luxe option with the highest price point would be this Valentino cardholder. A festive red would also be a great alternative…especially since I can no longer find this vibrant pink color way anywhere other than re-sale websites like Tradesy or Fashionphile. Nordstrom offers the best color selection by far. In case you love a bubblegum shade as much as I do, this color way is called Giacinto. These cardholders retail for $295.00, but Nordstrom offered over $100.00 off for Black Friday. I expect similar deals to launch, following Christmas Day.

There was also an amazing Chloe cardholder, at a slightly lower price, but the logo covered the entire cardholder, so I thought the Valentino version was more classic and versatile.

Next up is a much more affordable option…a semi-practical one with a fun twist. I am so over the moon with my mini beauty fridge. I found it at T.J. Maxx and grabbed it immediately. It would work for someone who likes to have cool refreshments at-hand at the office, or a beauty and skincare junkie like myself.

I am using it for its designed purpose…to keep my skincare products cold, for a refreshing spa-like experience at home. It could fit several mini sodas, and would be also a cute option for a teenager. I have seen the mini fridges in black and grey, but I have never before seen it in this gorgeous lacquered, glossy baby pink.

Ulta has their own version, though they are charging $89.99, and I got my cute little pink version for $39.99. The pink version I found on FaceTory has a fun retro vibe, but costs $99.00. The rose gold beauty fridge from vanity planet is the net-a-porter version as far as mini fridges go, but will cost you $127.99. I’ve included several other links to mini fridges. The Cooluli version has the most similar look to the one I have and it comes in baby pink, baby blue, hot pink, and even cow print!

For one big gift, I think a mini beauty fridge stocked with a skincare product or two would be perfect. This allows you to really customize the gift according to the gift recipient. Choose a beauty fridge in their favorite color and select a few beauty (or skincare items) from their favorite beauty brand.

I loved this gift idea so much that I decided to wrap it under the tree for my mom. She loves bubble baths and skincare products, so I stocked her beauty fridge with a few products for a luxury bath experience. Because the items I chose were larger, I removed the shelf in the beauty fridge to fit them both in. That’s another advantage to this specific beauty fridge…the shelf is removable.

Speaking of beauty, what girl doesn’t love a luxurious lipstick?

It may be the smallest and most affordable gift all…but good things come in small packages. Of course, this is another item that would fit perfectly in a mini beauty fridge, or you could put it in a sachet bag and hide it on the tree for the recipient to find.

This is is the 2018 holiday lipstick from Nars in Siouxsie. It is a deep, dark red. The bullet feels luxurious, with metallic and magnetic packaging.

Any lipstick in festive packaging will work great as a stocking stuffer, or a little extra something tucked inside another gift. I will list a few lipstick options from current collections below.

I hope these ideas assist you in finishing up your holiday shopping. Instead of buying so many gifts, I think it’s important to consider who you are buying for, what their interests are, and what type of gift they would appreciate. A good rule of thumb when gift giving, is to give something that you would love to receive.

Lately, these beauty fridges have become a bit of a trend, so I would explore your local Marshall’s or T.J. Maxx or explore the links above.

The “beauty” of this gift is that you can customize it for your loved one and give something that can be used and enjoyed on a daily basis. Now that I own a beauty fridge, I look forward to reaching for my chilled moisturizer every morning and evening.

Happy Christmas Shopping!