YSL SUNSET BAG, A CROSSBODY WITH MANY PLUS POINTS.

The YSL Sunset bag is one of the most beautiful bags designed by Saint Laurent, and a favourite  one in my closet too. During this pandemic year, with alternative periods of social-distancing and smart-working, I've been prone to set aside large, roomy totes in favour of smaller crossbody bags, which I find perfect combined to sneakers, when I go out temporarily for errands, then go back to my home-office. 

1) YSL SUNSET BAG'S PLUS POINTS:

A plus point of the YSL Sunset bag, compared to other crossbody bags, is the fact that it is pretty spacey. This is due to the gussets at the side which also add a nice touch to the overall design of the bag, and to the fact that, on the inside, it is made up of two compartments – one open central pocket and a smaller slot pocket at the front; there is also an external slot pocket at the back of the bag, on the outside. The bag is closed via a magnetic snap on the flap, and features the standard interlaced YSL initials on the front in metal hardware, as well as a leather encased keyring on the side. The Sunset bag has an extremely sleek and elegant feel to it. It has a chain and leather shoulder strap, which is adjustable, thus allowing it to be worn in multiple ways – as a long shoulder bag, a crossbody bag, or doubled up as a shorter handbag. Carriers of the YSL Sunset have confirmed its high durability with no visible scratches after several months of use. It is worth keeping in mind, however, that the larger size of the bag can get pretty heavy due to the chain strap and the amount of items that the bag can hold – but that really depends on what you plan on carrying.

2) YSL SUNSET BAG AVAILABLE COLOURS AND MATERIALS.

When it comes to colours and materials, the Saint Laurent Sunset collection certainly has a lot to choose from. Aside from the classic smooth calfskin leather version, the Sunset bag has been released in a range of finishes and materials including shiny patent leather, velvet, metallic laminated and crocodile embossed. You can also take your pick when it comes to the metal finishing of the chain strap and YSL initial hardware. The YSL Sunset bag is available in an array of colours, from neutral black, white and beige to more playful colours like red and green. Personally, I chose a chic medium version in black crocodile embossed with edgy silver hardware, which perfectly matches with my go-to black and silver star sneakers.

3) YSL SIZES AND DIMESIONS.

The Saint Laurent Sunset bag is available in small, medium and large sizes. The dimensions of each version are as follows:

YSL Sunset Small: 19 cm x 13 cm x 9 cm - Strap drop: unfolded 51cm; folded: 28 cm

YSL Sunset Medium: 22 cm x 16 cm x 8 cm - Strap drop: unfolded: 51 cm; folded: 28 cm

YSL Sunset Large: 27 cm x 18 cm x 8 cm - Strap drop: unfolded: 42 cm; folded: 24 cm

Overall, the YSL Sunset is a great go-to bag. It’s got a beautiful design which will add a touch of chic to any outfit. It is versatile, stores a good amount of items and is a standard price for this kind of designer bag. I think it is definitely worth the investment!

GLAM VALENTINE'S GIFT: DIOR TRIBALES EARRINGS

Hello dear readers. How was your Valentine's Day? 

As anticipated in my Instagram post, in which I described our celebrations, I'm going to write a short post about the present I received on the occasion: Dior Tribales earrings.

This bold model offers a new variation on an iconic style of the House. The white resin pearls suspend the signature letter charms 'D.I.O.R.' in gold-finish metal, with the letter 'O' paved with crystals. The clasp is integrated on the pearl, for a glam tribal effect.

Giving a romantic gift is all about knowing your partner. My sweetheart, even if he has known me for several years, and also my tastes pretty damn well, can still surprise me and strike the right chord without being overly cheesy. 

After all finesse is required, whether your relationship is brand spanking new or in its golden years...💕💘

HOW CELEBRITIES & FASHION PEOPLE STYLE THEIR FACE MASKS.

It would be an understatement to say that street style in 2020-2021 looks very different, if compared to previous years. This is, of course, due to the pandemic and its restrictions, including wear a face mask when you're among people. Naturally, stylish A-listers adapted to the safety rules and donned the newest must-have accessory with their chic looks. So, forget an It-shoe/ handbag, this year the style set wants a face mask to match their personal style.

We applaud these fashionable celebs for keeping themselves, and others, safe by wearing a face mask. And we can also rely on these sartorial stars to prove that you can make any face mask look stylish with the right outfit. From ultra-cool models' / actresses' off-duty ensembles to Royal celebrities' and it-girls effortless chic outfits, you'll definitely be inspired by your favourite stars' glam ways of dressing up a mask, especially because we are all certainly be wearing this accessory for long. And these examples are not enough glam for you, you can opt for facemasks to either match your dress or by A-list luxury brand, to make this protective gear the latest way to make a fashion statement.

Ahead see how a few celebrities style their face masks.

Olivia Palermo (It-girl)

Ana de Armas (Actress)

Duchess of Cambridge

Kaya Gerber (Model)

Letizia, Queen of Spain

Angelina Jolie (Actress)

Hailey Baldwin (Model)

BYE BYE STRESS: 9 STEPS TO THE ULTIMATE SUNDAY RELAXING BATH.

Sunday is the best day to recover from a busy week and prepare for a new one. When you're busy, but also during this stressful pandemic period with only a few leisure and social activities allowed, you should schedule some me-time during the weekend. It helps you to reduce stress and makes you feel good about yourself. A warm bath helps relax tensed nerves and makes you happier! What better way to end your weekend with a long relaxing bath and turning your bathroom into a private spa. 

1. Gather all your essentials: Find a nice bath soap, a book or your favorite magazine, some candles, essential oils for your relaxing bath. Transform your bath into a decadent honey moisture bath with foaming bubbles by twirling your favourite foam bath under running water.

2.  Add a scented oil: Add some scented oil when your bath is halfway full. Lavender or rose oil are great choices because of the relaxing effect. Now, I’m using all-natural bathing products and scented candles.

3. Right temperature: Dim the lights and make sure your bath is the right temperature. A warm bath is best for relaxing your body. If it’s too hot, you could get dizzy (we don’t want that).

4. Put on relaxing music and light a few candles: Spotify has some great relaxing playlists. It depends on your mood, but try to find something relaxing, calm, and positive. Light a few candles and place them on the edge of the tub.

5. Bring some snacks: I always love to bring a cup of green or chamomile tea with me. You can even treat yourself to a nice glass of wine, champagne, strawberries, chocolates, etc. Whatever you like, it’s your special time. Place it within easy reach, but far enough away that it will not fall in the bathtub.

6. Put on a face mask and tie your hair up: Tie your hair up and put on a face mask. A face mask can be very relaxing when used while you’re taking a bath.

7. Fluffy towel and bathrobe: Use some fluffy towels that make you feel warm and comfortable. I always warm my monogrammed towel and bathrobe by placing it on a radiator while I'm in the bath. This way, they will be nice and warm when I come out of my bath. Also, make sure your pj’s are already warm and ready in the bathroom.

8. Enjoy your bath!: Relax, read a book, and forget everything. This is your time to relax.

9. Extend relax afterward: Just enjoy some time for yourself before bedtime. Get a glass of tea and read or listen to music.

NEW YEAR, NEW GOALS: IT'S TIME TO PLAN FOR 2021.

The period between Christmas and 6th January for most is just a blur, during which just wait for days to go by and eat all the comfort food we have, am I right? 

But we all can become more intentional about how we want our lives to look like. Now, as for me, I took last week to really think about what I want, need and plan my next year. I highly encourage you to do the same, if you haven't, up to now, so as to start your NY off with a great mindset and direction on where to go.

I you want to join me in my reflection week, here's what I did:

1) I set up some time without interruption, lighted some candles and made the room cozy.

2) I got my planner, on which I wrote my goals, last year and really reflected on the actions I took, the goals I accomplished, and the ones I didn't. I reflected on why I didn't accomplish these goals and revised if these goals were still aligned with what I want. If they were, they automatically went into my next Year's goals.

3) Time to plan for 2021! Still in that journal, I wrote all the things I want to accomplish. In this section, it's time to go all out with our dreams, anything that's in our mind, which will appear more realistic and attainable if written on paper.

4) Vision board! I recreated mine with inspirational pictures, glued to it. It can be our 2021 goals or our lifetime goals, but we can do whatever we'd like, there are no rules here, we can even mix it all in, as from a stream of consciousness.

5) Action Plan! Because a goal without a plan is just a wish! Let's get those big goals we want for this year and break them down into small action steps to spread throughout the new year.

6) I transferred the goals and action steps to my newly set planner, and set a reminder to follow up on a weekly basis.

So isn't it exciting to be back making plans for a new year ahead, hoping that it will throw more exciting novelties at us... 

Happy New Year!

NEW YEAR'S EVE 2020 OUTFIT IDEAS FOR OUR HOUSE PARTIES.

This time of year is usually peak season for "party clothes". For a few frenetic weeks schedules are packed with holiday soirées, family gatherings, festive dinners, and New Year's Eve events, for which it suddenly seems imperative to own an array of velvet maxi-skirts, backless jumpsuits and sequined mini-dresses. And I have a confession with which my readers have already been acquainted: I'm always prone to partaking in a raging New Year's Eve extravaganza set in fantastic luxury hotels abroad, so glam dinner or all-night Champagne-filled parties are actually my thing! This year, due to the well known hopeless travel and social-distancing situation, let's forget it!

Anyway, since I consider too depressing the idea of ringing in the New Year wearing sweatpants, even if we are all globally compelled to stick to home celebrations, I'm seriously considering a few NYE's outfit ideas to start 2021 off on a more stylish note. With shopping reining in their spending on clothing during the pandemic, many brands which have made party dresses their calling card, this is the last hurdle in a challenging year, so they have focused on their most affordable styles as they develop upcoming collections, still hoping for a future for fancy dresses. So, elegant kaftan dresses, crystal embellished knitwear, velvet flats or mules, delicate sparkling jewels are some of the season's most popular picks, and perfect for hosting or attending intimate gatherings at home without losing the excitement to dress up again, even if in a much more relaxed way. 

Of course, if the allure of a bedazzled ensemble is exceptionally strong right now, but we want to keep on a budget, we can dust off some of our most glittery separates and strut our apartments in them, pretending we have somewhere fantastic to go. As to Italy, where I live, the presence of guests at home will be limited by a curfew starting at 10 pm, our party-time in a formal attire will be limited too. Never mind! Whatever we wear for our big nights in, our festive outfits are full of much more promise than we expected, and we are all eager to celebrate the end of this horrific year by way of glam outfit options.

So, ahead, the three "avenues" we can explore for our night in with our quarantine buddies to keep the party spirit more alive:

1) Full Glam: if we are some of those who believe in starting a new year off on a positive note, anyway, what's more uplifting than a sparkling dress / skirt + fluffy sweater that makes we feel great? And let's not forget to add a pair of heels to wear for at least an hour to set some good intentions for 2021, and throw on some glowy makeup!

2) Happy Medium: if we prefer to find a high-low stylish balance, a combo of soft denim + a sequin vintage cardigan is really calling our names. And if we think we'll be padding around the house, we can skip stilettos, and opt instead for luxury slippers/sneakers.

3) Full Comfort: Why not end the year with the comfort-focused theme that defined it? Luckily, 2020 fashion saw the rise of some pretty fantastic loungewear and cosy sets, so a more low-key look can still be deceptively chic, especially if accessorised with simple gold hoops with strass or swarovsky studs to be downright festive.

Anyway, if we don't find any satisfactory pieces in our closets, let's not forget that everybody likes to treat themselves, so buying a little sparkling additions, since we aren't going on holidays, is kind of like buying a ticket to our next fantasy. 💭🎇🎊 Waiting for better times to come...

FRENCH-STYLE GIFTS FOR MODERN WOMEN: LOUIS VUITTON'S B BLOSSOM JEWELLERY COLLECTION.

When it comes to gifts from my dearest ones, it's renown they want to make sure it will be an investment I'll wear for years to come and good enough to pair with just about anything in my closet. But that doesn't mean the decadent pieces shouldn't feel of-the-moment and decidedly modern, so that I'll reach for them day after day this season. Louis Vuitton's B Blossom Fine Jewellery collection manages to do both, with beautiful pieces that are guaranteed to make any outfit bolder now, and probably forever.

When you take a look at this fine, timeless jewellery collection, you may seem something you recognise. since it features the iconic star-shaped flower that's found across the monogram. the timeless floral design, created by Georges-Louis Vuitton in 1896, adorns the luxury jewel pieces, for lots of glittery, elevated glamour from every angle.

The stunning collection was inspired by modern women and includes pieces that range from bauble-shaped rings, oversized charm bracelets and cuffs, pendant necklaces, and dangly earrings, all of which are practically made for stacking and layering (here, less is not more). And like Louis Vuitton's timeless monogram print, they're simultaneously contemporary and classic - so they're totally worth the investment. And though the design may be bold, they're not overly ornate. In fact, each piece is simple in essence, with geometric shapes like spheres and squares complementing the modern interpretation of the Louis Vuitton star-flower for a playful effect. But the high-shine metals of yellow, pink, and white gold, and the luxurious materials including pink opal, white mother-of-pearl, onyx, malachite are what take these statement pieces to the next level.

One of this year's birthday present was a pair of dangly B Blossom earrings in yellow gold, which feature the floral motif in mother-of-pearl & small diamonds within yellow gold squares, paired with one of the collection's modern charm necklace, a yellow gold iteration with the same square design. Apart from dying for wearing both of them them immediately, I'm certain I'll go on wearing them for a long time, since their ethereal neutral hues are a passe-partout which will instantly elevate a basic ensemble of a skirt and a blouse, but would do equally well worn to a black-toe event.

Was this little peek enough to convince you to invest in a new piece or two for your own jewellery collection, or include them in your own Christmas wish-list? Whatever your answer, keep scrolling to see my wonderful new additions, and head to Louis Vuitton's site for the whole line.