Look Mom, No Hands
As I've gotten older, I've become a little more discerning in my purchases, and instead of choosing pieces that are the latest and greatest, I'll seek items that I know will last several seasons , if not years. My husband might argue with me on that point, but I'm sure, at least, he can see my improvement in selections - less trendy, more classic. Still, I do love to follow what's new, and this year is definitely the year of the belt bag, or rather, the updated fanny pack. I kind of like the "belt-bag" term because I have terrible visions of old men wearing fanny packs with white socks and sandals, and as much as those clothing choices may have been convenient for them, they cannot be erased from my mind.... to my horror. I digress.
I had originally been pining for a belt bag that was certainly an item much more trendy and less practical than anything I needed, and when you have two kids in school, these are the types of things that are put in the "wish list" instead of the "reality list" ... but then came the Prada Cahier Belt Bag.
This little gem has become my very favorite purchase of the year. Let me tell you why. 1. It's Prada 2. It can be worn two ways. 3. It's Prada... but honestly, it's the best little bag I have right now. It's made of beautiful leather, has an adjustable belt with cute little gold hardware, a fold over top for easy closure, plus there's a beautiful chain strap attached to the inside which turns this beauty into a cross body bag or a bag I can use in the evening.
For this look I just went for a long cardigan from Shopbop that's actually on sale right now, a t-shirt from Target's new line called Universal Thread, and paired that over some very old jeans I have from 1921, that I cut myself. (Gotta reduce, reuse, recycle when you can). You can find similar jeans from Paige Denim that are dark and have the unfinished hem right now that is so popular. Heels, standard classic pumps.
I also added a little touch of my own from my own jewelry line, Abeja. You can find this necklace right on this site if you head to my shop. The Sasha Necklace in Gold hangs from a delicate little 20" chain and is the perfect length to complete the look.
The best part of this bag, however, is that it allows me to hold hands, give hugs, hold a sandwich and a drink at the same time, and function at a level of freedom that lugging around a big bag never allows me to do.
All photos by Christy Ash @ Christy Ash Photography
Happy Hugging!
Tiffani