The end of the IT era

Current go-to casual outfit: gold hoops / lipstick / oversize tee / belt (old, similar here) / jeans / handbag / summer nail polish / boots /

There have always been trends when it comes to fashion and style. That being said, we entered an era in the early 2000’s when certain items were more than just mere “must-have’s,” they were necessities in life.

We saw fashion items such as the Burberry Trench, and  the Gucci belt turn up in almost everyone’s wardrobe. In addition, we saw handbag after handbag become the IT item bag of the month. We cycled through the Balenciaga City, the Chloe Faye, the Fendi Spy, the Fendi Baguette, and many more. Several of the IT bags were often hard to find, such as the Mansur Gavriel bucket bag in black with flamma interior. They were hotter than hot alongside classic IT bags such as the Hermes Birken, and the Chanel 2.55; both of which will forever be on the desirable IT list. The question is, are consumers still on the hunt for the ultimate IT bag or IT item du jour in the year 2026?

Recently fashion journalists have been trying to declare the handbag over. The handbag will never be over. It is a necessity of life as we need something to carry all of our stuff around. That being said, the past few years we have watched consumers shy away from the IT bag and logos in general. The current style vibe is quiet, and consumers are looking for quality over status symbols. Some say it’s the economy, but it’s not that; people are tired of keeping up with IT items and ostentatious style. The hunt became boring and cumbersome.

I have never been a logo person, so when logos went out of style, I jumped for joy! It’s always been an open secret that walking around with a bag or clothing item which flaunts a logo is gauche and shows no sense of style whatsoever. It’s just someone trying to show the world how much they paid for that item. It’s nice to see personal style instead of logos roaming the streets.

Consumer fatigue is the main reason the IT era seems to be coming to an end for now. People are reliving old IT items, and we are watching them circle back into style, but as for new IT items, we might have to wait awhile. The pendulum is swinging towards buying what we love instead of trying to own every IT item known to mankind.

This is actually a breath of fresh air for me. I have always been a mix of classic style and seeking the latest IT item. For the past few years, I became burnt out seeking the next IT item and concentrated on building my capsule wardrobes and going back to my personal mantra of timeless style; which was my whole style concept in the 1990’s. It feels good to seek items I love, rather than hunt for the latest IT item. I believe this will continue for quite some time.

What are your thoughts on the end of the IT era? Do think the IT era will return? Or do you believe it has run it’s course in modern times?

Thanks for stopping by!

XOXO

Cathy

Summer evening in the city

wearing: lipstick / hoop earrings / short sleeve sweater / summer nail polish / scarf / handbag / maxi skirt / boots /

It’s been beautiful in the city lately! This means we have enjoyed the ideal weather for dining on a rooftop. Love!

My daughter heard about Shelby’s Rooftop in the SOMA area of San Francisco. It is located inside the Hilton across from Yerba Beuna Gardens. Since my son had just graduated, we decided to celebrate with a rooftop dinner in the city.

The location is perfect for a relaxing evening in SOMA. We parked at 5th & Mission Garage and walked about one block to the restaurant. Shelby’s is located inside the Hilton, so it’s easy to find on the top floor of the building. The restaurant itself has an indoor dining area with large windows and an outdoor patio. Of course, we had reserved a patio table.

While the patio table offered views, the set-up was more bar/lounge-like versus dinner-like. It was awkward to eat dinner on the outside tables. I’m not sure why they serve dinner on them. My daughter ended up putting her entree on her lap to eat. This was not ideal. You can see the table size. We had three, low tables and five people in our sitting area. Next time we go, we will sit inside where the normal tables are located.

That being said, the food was delicious! We all enjoyed our entrees and would definitely love to go back. Yum!

After dinner, we walked across the street to Yerba Beuna Gardens. It wasn’t crowded and we were able to enjoy the art and nice weather.

After enjoying the gardens, we went inside the Metreon and enjoyed some boba. If you are looking for a relaxing evening in SOMA, I recommend popping into Shelby’s Rooftop and then enjoying Yerba Beuna Gardens.

Shop my summer outfit online:

Thanks for stopping by!

XOXO
Cathy

BAF Weekly IT List

BAF Weekly IT List from top left: oversize tee / Hermes summer nail polish / Chanel summer nail polish / Dior summer nail polish / long sleeve dress / straw handbag / lipstick / caramel top handle bag / gold hoop earrings / studded sandals / hand soap / canvas tote (cross-body strap) / belted tote /

The graduations are over, and now summer has become a time to rest, reset, and think about a vacation! If you are like me, and had at least one graduation, you might be in the same spot. I had two graduations in my family and hadn’t thought about a vacation. As I decompress this week, I am starting to think I should plan a short and mellow trip. 2026 had been a hectic year already, so keeping things chill might be the right call.

When it comes to summer trips, I like comfortable clothing and shoes, as well as a handbag with a cross-body strap so I can comfortably sight-see. The canvas tote and belted tote pictured above are perfect for sight-seeing. They aren’t too big and have cross body straps.

In addition to summer plans, I wanted to give a shout-out to this hand soap. It’s eco-conscious and made in the USA. You can read my full review here.

Shop the BAF Weekly IT List online:

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

XOXO
Cathy