Search This Blog

Thursday, August 30, 2018

HOW TO MAKE A GRAPHIC TEE LOOK POLISHED, WITH A TOUCH OF "FRENCH-STYLE"...

Whether it's the band tee from our very first concert, a way to remind our favourite quote, or even just a cool looking vintage find, graphic t-shirts have been a part of our wardrobe for as long as we've had it or at least cared about one. These statement pieces come in all shapes and sizes and possess the unique ability to turn a simple look into an edgier ensemble.
Of course, I'm not referring to our torn up, over worn loungewear t-shirts. Let's agree to continue to keep those comfy pieces in the back of our dresser drawer in case of a serious cozy-clothes emergency. These days, graphic tees are far from being considered frumpy or juvenile. These days, we're seeing them become as versatile as black denim, thanks to their fitting a range of occasions and outfits. There's no better time to push style boundaries and let your own interests be revealed in the form of a cool graphic tee. We can dress it up for date night, dress it down on a Summer day, or layer it under a blazer for a casual day at work, especially in late Summer, at the return in the city, when we need to create some new transitional outfits that have a bit of the careless "cruise" mood of our last holiday looks.

But you don't have to take my word for it. Just try and see by yourself, before believing! Anyway, here are some of the coolest pieces from my collection of t-shirts, inspired to French luxury brands iconic themes,  and with such findings you can easily imagine how a graphic-tee outfit can easily look pull-together...

Thursday, August 23, 2018

GOING OPEN-AIR VINTAGE MARKETS... 
Do you like Summer markets shopping? I literally love it! There's nothing like an outdoor craft-supply/vintage market, if you want either to find not too expensive items with a bit of an artistic vibe or just to haggle. Because Summer is undeniably the best season to shop for vintage curiosities, second-hand treasures, not to speak of local handcrafted pieces. And local markets emanate such an exciting atmosphere! Going open-air street market shopping in Italian touristic resorts is one of the best way to spend your holiday time; and if you think you need to spend a lot of money to get really good buys, you're wrong, as you can find lots of beautiful objects and clothes for relatively cheap. Wherever you go in Italy, you'll always find a town or a village that provides a marketplace for several crafters. 
I agree with you that outdoor markets can become over-saturated and unpleasant to visit, when they are too big and well-known, as well as too touristy. This is certainly not the case of the tiny vintage market held in Gardone Riviera - Lake Garda, which I stumbled upon last Sunday, after a pleasant dinner in a restaurant nearby. In this small tourist resort on the western shore of the lake, in Northern Italy, on the peaceful lakeside promenade decorated with well-kept flowerbeds, while strolling and enjoying lake views, you can have a look to a few stands with high-quality merchandise such as beachwear, trendy straw-bags and beautiful semi-precious jewels which can be certainly appealing to fashionistas and collectors. 
Useless to say, I found an opportunity to make the purchase of a "beach-style" pair of earrings at a stall held by Anna, a very nice lady whose best and most famous creations, branded Perlematte, are actually French-style straw bags decorated with vintage trimmings and fringes. These basic shopping/beach-bags, thanks to her creative verve, are transformed in high-quality, unique pieces of several sizes which can be worn also as cool city-bags.
So dear readers, if you, like me, think that travelling a foreign country is also a great opportunity to shop for local items, enjoy a visit to one of the open-street markets in the area you're visiting. 
Happy late-Summer holidays!😎🌞

Thursday, August 9, 2018

IS SILK KIMONO THE NEW SUMMER CARDIGAN?
Say hello to the kimono! Since last Summer the traditional Japanese garment has gained high-street appeal and we are all obsessed by this trend. Lightweight and fluid, the kimono feels like perfection and has evolved from being a traditional Japanese piece to finding mainstream appeal among today's buzziest celebrities.
Translated, the Japanese word "kimono" means "something to wear", and thanks to its versatile robe-like silhouette, it goes with almost everything, since it's the easiest piece to throw on over jeans and a tee to get a super-cool look and warm us up during the slightly chilly summer evenings.
Personally, I love this garment for its vintage and quite decadent look, reminding of the nonchalantly Roaring Twenties' Flapper-style, but still working well beyond the boudoir. 
Anyway, there are several ways to style it this year, both long and short, so that it’s possible to find stunning designs to be paired with workwear and party essentials, according to one’s preferences and personal tastes. 
I know many ladies who are still a bit confused about wearing a kimono as a topper, since they find it too trendy; I think they should give it a try and I'm sure they won't regret.  For all readers who are still uncertain about their choice, I’ve tried to sum up three essential models for easy combinations, which can be varied according to one’s different moods:
- A folk-inspired floral/lace kimono with which can be embellished with fringes, to be matched with black top and shorts, for a hippie-girl gone modern and sophisticated.
- A monochrome kimono for an elegant and relaxed style, over a matching crop-top and printed shorts/skirt.
- A maxi kimono-robe with side slits, which looks perfectly styled with either simple cuffed skinnies  or a long dress and heels, for a "fashion blogger/editor" look.
Finally, my favourite style is a "passepartout" soberly flirty version, perfect for wearing to parties or lounging by the pool and consisting in an oriental-flower pastel and black/white silk short model paired with a simple white tank tucked in a denim mini-skirt and accessorised with necklaces and flat sandals; I like a longer version as well, stylishly matched to skinnies and heels. 
So, if you're thinking of buying a kimono this year, then don't think, just take it: it's a pretty fabulous piece for making your overall outfit look bright and sexy and it will provide you with an excellent source of inspiration for your transitional looks up to fall.

Thursday, August 2, 2018

STRAW BAGS FOR SUMMER: 
THE BEST WAY TO CHANNEL YOUR INNER FRENCH GIRL.
No bag is a quintessentially summery classic as one made of straw. From baskets "à la Jane Birkin" to artisanal raffia to neatly woven wicker, this hot-weather accessory is a fashion-girl favourite, not to mention a French-girl signature - and let's admit it, we're all prone to channel our inner Parisian, whenever possible! Last year, the style was set on every straw shape and size with a remarkable tendency towards more fashionable reiterations. This  year too, the season has confirmed an addiction to the lovely handbag trend, so I've selected an edit of eight styles for every sensibility and budget, for those who, unlike me, haven't already one in the closet, as a souvenir from holidays on the French Riviera. 

Let one of these options accompany you as your go-to piece, not only to the beach...
     
1) St-Tropez style
2) Clutch
3) Round

  
4) Vintage Ladylike

5) Nautical style
 
6) Monogram/motto-customised

7) Oriental inspiration                                                             
8) High-street style