And finally..here I am! A colorful day at the beach, in Coney Island. Going on a well deserved vacation for a couple of weeks, before starting off again in September with our style posts about fashion trends experienced in NYC and Milan. Buone Vacanze!!! Ciao, Jennifer
Arm Party = Layering Bracelets + Bracelet Combinations. Probably Leandra Medine, better known as The Man Repeller, when coined the Instagram hashtag #armparty last year had no idea that this would become a major accessory trend. This trend involves piling up to your wrist every possible bracelet - everything from bangles and cuffs, to rope bracelets and silver or gold. And in NYC every major trend is never overlooked: bright coloured bangles are the celebrities of this summer, with gemstone-embellished wristlets and leather strapped cuffs sit next to metallic gold bracelets. You probably all have noticed that the jewelry this summer is chunky and bold, a bit geometrical abstract but also and baroque, sparkly and colorful.
There was a time when jewelry accessorizing meant statement earrings or necklaces, but not this summer: you have to host a summer arm party and your wrists are the centre of attention.
There is nothing better that getting style tips from a Fashion Insider. And this week we are all very very very lucky, because I had a not-to-miss Q&A with Silvia Bianchi, General Manager for Neil Barrett, Milan. Take careful notes! And thank you Silvia for your precious suggestions! Can you describe your personal style? I love mixing male style with sexy details. I like to find the right proportions in a look. Imagine your body divided in two parts: below and over your waist. If you show one part you have to cover the other. I like to wear very short skirts with a shirt, or long pants with a sexy top. And I never forget high heels. How does Milan inspire your day-to-day style? Milan is a great inspiration, it is always looking forward, a step ahead. Every day and night it is playful to find something special to wear and being different. Milan gives you the opportunity to show your personality and is very demanding: always surprise with clothes and accessories, never be ordinary. How does your job inspire your style? I loved Neil Barrett's style even before starting working here. I am very lucky to work for a fashion brand that I love – a philosophy and a style can determine every choice here. At Neil Barrett the focus is in the details: details make the difference in a dress, in shoes, in your house and in your life. What do you think about the current summer bold color trend? Are you wearing it? How are you wearing it? It's a few season that the fashion world is talking about color blocking and unexpected colors. Designers are very playful about it. They are making bolder choices introducing electric blue, brilliant yellow and emerald green (my favorite color in our spring summer collection). It's easier to wear black or white to be ultimately elegant, but using colors in the right way is an interesting exercise in every season. I love yellow flat sandals, emerald green dress and a hot pink bikini. How people in Milan are wearing this summer bold colors trend? In Milan nobody is afraid to wear something bold or colorful, but without crossing the line of elegance. Especially during Milan Fashion Week, people wear looks often more interesting than the ones showed on the runway! Designers and fashion blogger take inspiration by street style like a real red carpet. What is/are the must-have pieces for this summer in Milan? This season offers wonderful geometric prints. The main theme is somewhat classic, but with a touch of bold. In winter the must was a Celine bag. This season everyone has chosen Stella McCartney or a bold colored clutch, funnier for a night out. During a summer day I would rather use big sized bags to carry everything for the city. I like to carry big bags at the beach as well to be always ready to go to a pool party! What are some of your favorite places to shop in Milan? And online?I like to go around the city to discover new shops and new brands. If you follow the trends of the top fashion brands, then you can play them out with the new talents. In Milan I like Clan Cafè in the Brera district, Antonioli in the Navigli district and Agent Provocateur at Rinascente. Online I opt for net-a-porter.com, luisaviaroma.com and other main Italian brands’ online stores. And of course neilbarrett.com!
I
have recently been told by my friend back in Milan about a new viral multi-colored trend for all
the Italian fashionistas: Cruciani’s bracelets! Unfortunately they are not sold
in the US for now, but it is a fun, colorful and summery trend worth to write
about.
The
phenomenon of four-leaf clover bracelets by Cruciani broke in August 2011 when, in
front of Cruciani's boutique in Forte dei Marmi (Tuscany), people were
queuing to grab one or more colors of the bracelet of the summer. And the word
of mouth did not take long to spread all over Italy.
Cruciani’s
bracelets made their grand debut in
Milan back in September 2011 at THE fashion event of the year, Milan’s Vogue
Fashion Night Out. Cruciani dedicated a limited edition of the bracelets, created
ad hoc for the Milan’s Fashion Week
and its success was instant among the Milanese
fashion crowd. Cipriani’s partnership with the famous textile group Caprai, made
this collection even more valuable for the exclusive craftsmanship. The
bracelets are all made from needle lace macramé by Caprai textile group: absolutely
100% made in Italy.
The
most famous Cruciani’s bracelets are easily distinguishable from 7 shamrocks
macramé lace flanked by a C. In particular, the bracelet with the cloverleaf
was born from an idea by Luca Caprai and now it is available in a variety of
subjects: from the famous four-leaf clover, to hearts, to the ultimate success,
the butterfly. Each represents a symbol, respectively luck, love and femininity
and freedom.
The
price of the bracelets Cruciani varies depending on the model, but the average
for each bracelet would be 10 euros, that is $14 dollars, so it is really
budget friendly! You can check all the bracelets out and buy them online (shipping
in Europe) at www.braccialetticruciani.it. You can find
the complete list of licensed retailers in Milan here.
Today is the day that in
Milan everybody – and I literally mean everybody and the city becomes a “ghost
city” for the entire month of August – goes in vacation, as it is the first
weekend bridging into August. All my friends back in Milan are ready to leave
for the beautiful beaches in Italy, or are already travelling to do so.
So, thinking about vacation
time and tanning on the beach, I am thinking also about beachwear!
And in Milan everybody LOVES
Calzedonia’s swimwear – which is unfortunately not available in the US. I have
been a dedicated and loyal fan of their collections since they opened in 1986
in Italy and season after season they have become the most trendy, fashionable
and successful Italian brand for hosiery and beachwear. So as I am not in
Milan, I have missed my yearly Calzedonia’s beachwear shopping, but my mother
was so nice to send me one J
Calzedonia’s beachwear for
Summer 2012 is all about bright colors! My favorite collection is the one
called “Raffy”, simple styles and young lines for an easy to wear bikinis to
comfortably fit the body. Patterns are declined into three different models:
push-up, bandeau (my all time favorite!) or triangle tops. And you can choose
whatever color you prefer, as each pattern is offered in every color of the
season. Raffy collection is a timeless trend for all women, with different body
types, as you can mix and match different styles for top and bottoms and
different sizes as well.
Below some examples of the
swimwear collection for this Summer. It is not easy to find a definite one
trend for the swimwear this summer, the brand likes to present various offers
from bandeau bikinis (the most popular trend and I would say also the most
comfortable for tanning), triangle bikinis, to more edgy paillettes bikinis.
What do you think?
The brand launched a campaign for this Summer to recycle old swimwear, in collaboration with "I: collect Ag", a company that operates in the field of environmentally compatible recycling.
Until June 30, all types of swimwear for men, women and children, regardless of brand - and not necessarily purchased from Calzedonia - would be revived in the form of insulating material for buildings, share rubbery carpets, upholstery. But even stuffing of toys, bags or rags for cleaning.
Green initiative, among many others that occupy the front pages of newspapers in this period, which also brings an economic advantage to those who embrace it: for every old lady costume, whole or bikini, which will be returned, there will be a discount 5 euros on the purchase of a new bikini. An interesting idea without any doubt.
I am
trying to show post after post how in NYC the bright color trend is a big thing.
And colors have been showed off in various types of outfits, from shorts to
shoes, from accessories to dresses. But a huge trend building up on the bright
color trend is the asymmetrical skirt. Being quite an unusual fashion piece,
an asymmetrical skirt is not easy to choose and not that easy to wear. Most of
the ones I saw here in the streets of New York are pleated bright color skirts worn in a quite
simple and easy way: bright asymmetrical skirt, a simple t-shirt or a tank top, a pair
of sandals and a statement bag.
But I
prefer asymmetrical
skirts worn with high heels. This because the cut of the skirt would stand out
to be very floaty thanks to the posture given by wearing high heels. Like dresses, skirts are one of the most feminine and elegant
pieces in a woman’s wardrobe. I believe all of you would agree with me in
saying that there are days when you want to feel special, girlish and feminine
and wearing a skirt gives that additional non-so-che.
I know it does not have
anything to do either with Milan or New York. But it definitely has to do with
the bright color trend. And with style. And if you have followed me on my blog up
to now or my Pinterest board you would surely know I am a big fan of Kate Middleton's style. She is always impeccable in her choices, elegant, simple but never
boring – always up to the last trend.
On July 19, 2012 the Duchess
of Cambridge enjoyed a private showing of a photographic exhibition in occasion
of the upcoming London Olympic Games. Kate wore a simple electric blue Stella
McCartney’s Ridley Stretch dress, a piece from the designer’s fall 2012
collection. The bright electric blue form fitting dress is great in its super simple
lines and its most distinctive feature is the darts on the outside of the fabric. The main accessories was a Olympic symbol recalling Cartier statement necklace. As usual, Kate has a inclination for subtly giving a nod to the occasion
through her choices (blue in fact recalls the color of the UK Olympic uniforms).
The piece is priced at $885
on the Stella McCartney US, but of course, as it happens with most of the
outfits or accessories worn by Kate Middleton, it is no longer available on the
UK McCartney site.
Not only Kate’s decision to
wear a bright blue dress is following this Summer big hit trend, but wearing Stella
McCartney makes perfect sense, as she designed Team GB’s Olympic uniforms.
And I came across this super detailed blog entirely dedicate on the daily Duchess's outfits: whatkatewore.com
Saturday, July 21, 2012
I
received a very specific fashion question from Camilla: What to wear and how to
incorporate bright colors to a professional outfit for a conference she has to
attend in New York in August?
And
here is my answer, Camilla: I would keep it quite professional, but trendy at
tasteful at the same time. For an occasion like a conference, interview or
client presentation you really can't go wrong with a silky blouse— mid-length
sleeves will add a little polish if you're wearing a skirt— and I would wear it
in a neutral color (I suggest the basic white). The skirt should me
in my opinion a basic color, too. I love the classic and endless
black-and-white contrast. As it is summer you could opt for a light-weighed
chiffon black skirt, effortless yes elegant. To add a pop of color, I would
wear the trend in your accessories choice. I would personally go for a bright
color bag toad a pop of color and incorporate the bright color trend we are all
in love with!
Don’t
forget the shoes! If you are choosing a bright color bag, you could follow two strategies
from here. Either pairing a color-blocking shoe if you feel particularly bold!
Purple or electric blue would be great as a color blocking contrast if you carry
an emerald green bag. Otherwise you can opt for what Anna Kendrick chose, that
is a neutral wedge – always classy. The shoe should be either a ballerina flat
or a simple wedge over a stiletto shoe, simply because they're easier to run
around in.
Camilla,
I believe this outfit idea is great for your occasion and it is quite easy to
replicate! What do you think? And if you go for it, please send me a picture of
your outfit and we can share it on my blog!
Enjoy J
Wednesday, July 18, 2012
My best
friend Benedetta in Milan is a true fashionista. She is always on top of every
trend and as long as we have know each other, we have always shared the same
taste in fashion and often bought the same clothes without even shopping
together! As now we are living in two different cities, the way we can share
our fashionable findings is sending pictures of our new purchases to each other
and this blog is becoming quite handy also to share with other fashionistas as
well.
The
other day Benedetta sent me an email saying that she bought this fabulous pair
of “sneaker heels” and I was curious to see the pic, and here it is!
A white
sneaker with a neon pink pump drawn on it! I haven’t seen them worn here in
NYC, but she told me that in Milan is becoming a trend. The brand Be&D
has introduced the “sneaker heel” that plays tricks on the eyes with a hot
pink silhouette of a sexy stiletto along its side. Unlike other heel
lace-ups, these shoes are actually real sneakers; meaning your feet
will be planted safely on the ground at all times. Some might argue that
Be&D is running along the same lines as faux evening wear, such as “à la
tuxedo” T-shirts, but Benedetta and I like them a lot as a clever, clever, and fun
alternative to this season's trend high fashion sneaker, featured in various fashion magazines as well.
So, if you want to
give a twist and not wear your colored Converse this summer, go for this fun
pair of sneakers. The price is pretty affordable too, Be&D Brightlight Big
City sneaker, $128, on beandd.com. You can view the Moda Operandi video below directed by Bettina Santo Domingo and including all the graphic-printed sneakers in the Be&D collection. Enjoy!
Sometimes the best answer is the simplest one. A few days ago, I spotted this wearable T-Shirt dress in Soho. Its deep aquamarine color makes it very fashionable for this summer, even though it is a very simple fitted dress. It's super warm in New York right now and the ladys of the city are opting for relaxed and easy outfits, without giving up the bright color trend at all. This dress seems very comfortable and leightweighted, and I believe the T-Shirt cut makes it really fun. I like that to make the color of the dress pop out, she paired it with neutral accessories: a light brown leather bag and matching flat summer sandals. And not to freeze for the A/C in the office or whenever you enter in a store here in NYC, why not carrying with you a simple white summer jacket?
Monday, July 16, 2012
In my previous post about colorful flat sandals, Cécile asked me if I could pick some high street options that could be as trendy and fun. And here are my favorites:
This pair of flats is quite similar to the Balenciaga ones I bought, here I chose green, but it is offered in dfferent color as you would see from their website and the price is $79. The brand is Sam Edelman, a brand I discovered here in NYC. He is an American shoe designer and I believe his collection follow carefully the trends of each season, and then he adds a special "edgy" and "rock-and-roll" touch to it. He has a lot of celebrity fans, like rachel Bilson, Lauren Konrad and Kim Kardashian. And I found out that one of my favorite style icons, Kate Moss, is a huge fan, and I ran into this great yet wearable outfit with the designer's embellished flat sandals.
The next options are from TopShop, a brand that we all know of and has always great eclectic findings to add to our wardrobe. I selected two pair of flats. The first one here below is a coral greek-like chiffon sandals, which I believe are quite dramatic for a summer evening and very playful, even to wear with a simple jeans short, or a total white or black outfit.
This other pair is instead super simple and super chic, and recalls the Fiona Jimmy Choo Sandals i previously posted in yellow (but for your reference you can find the same style in gold as well). And the price is great, too: £10 on the UK website!
Chinese Laundry is another great brand and e-commerce to find budget-friendly shoes, but still very very fashionable. Here I chose the basics white and black sandals, at a very great price of $39.99.
Last but not least, my favorite pair of Aldocollection: a bright pink embellished T-strap sandal (in other colors as well), a style that was seen on both Blake Lively and Solange Knowels. A colorful embellished sandals can add a little edge to every outfit.
I have been anticipating
this trend in a couple of previous posts, but now the time has finally arrived
to talk about Bright Color and Neon Sandals.
In New York everyone –
and I am not exaggerating – is wearing flat sandals in every possible color and style. There are so many styles this season to choose from — two-strap,
T-strap, ankle-wrap, and gladiator — so the trend here in NYC is to opt for a fun
style with bright colors to
celebrate the warm weather. Trending this season are attention-grabbing neon
jelly sandals, to subtler classic thong sandals, tricolors sandals and
T-straps.
Colored flat sandals are
chic, comfy, and very versatile, and you can wear them anywhere:
work, weekends, nights out, Sunday brunches, summer weddings… They work both
for more casual outfits – like shorts and tank – and for more elegant ensembles
– like long summer dresses. To prove it, here I a sharing
with you my two recent purchases of the “flat sandal fever” – a trend that I am
really enjoying a lot!
This above is my first purchase:
Jimmy Choo’s Fiona Flat Sandals in bright yellow. I believe they are super chic
and classic, with a very simple and elegant crossed design. I believe they
really can be worn with anything and they can pull out also the most casual of
the outfits.
For my second purchase I
opted for very bold Baleciaga Eletric Blue Flats, adorned by the distinctive “studs”
of the Giant Balenciaga bags. These sandals are really edgy and attention
grabbing, but I love them!
What do you think? I would like to read your comments on this!
Summer has really arrived in New York, and the weather is
getting warmer and warmer. Of course this means people are dressing very
comfortably to bear the highest temperatures. In the streets I have been seeing everywhere tank tops, flat sandals and shorts. What I noticed is that a lot of
ladies are ditching the classic jeans shorts for something a little different, and
trendier. Colored shorts are a popular trend this summer – as we saw in my
earlier post on colored jeans – and it’s really an easy trend to try.
I love shorts paired with flat sandals, either neutrals (to
focus more on the color of your clothes and giving the impression of a “longer”
nude leg), or colored to bring an additional touch of color (contrasting or
complementing with the rest of your ensemble). I personally don’t like shorts
paired with high heels – sometimes it is just too much.
So here some ideas taken from what I saw in the streets in NYC on how to style
a pair of colored shorts. The options are limitless. Here are three ideas to
try, and let me know what you think about them.
1. Bright on bright
Pair your favorite colored shorts with a contrasting bright top. Add a neutral geometric
or ethnic necklace and neutral flat sandals for a great and polished summer look.
If you feel very bold, you could also add a third color block with accessories,
shoes or a bright bag.
2. Color and print
You can easily pair your colored shorts with a fun, printed top: floral,
stripes, leopard, geometric or any other print you might like to complement or
clash with the color of your shorts. And don’t forget your flat sandals!
3. Basic and color
I believe colored shorts paired with a classic jeans or white shirt or blouse
is the quintessence of a stylish ensemble. I love simple and endless looks, and
I believe this is the easiest and chicest to wear. We can go back to inspirations
from the 60’s and 70’s fashion, to add a little vintage vibe. And again your
favorite summer sandals and you are all set with a really polished look that
looks great both as a daywear or evening wear.
Thursday, July 5, 2012
Yellow has tons of different shades. From canary yellow, to
lemon yellow, from golden yellow to neon yellow. Designers have creatively
played with yellow both in a fun and sophisticate way. Yellow is the color that
recalls the sun and summer, and you cannot go wrong if you choose to wear it among
the bright colors. It is not an easy shade to go for: you have to take into
consideration your complexion, your hair color and choose the right yellow to
avoid any style wrong step. In Soho, New York, I spotted this lovely yellow dress,
stylishly paired with leopard ballet flats. I really think it is a easy yet trendy outfit. And today yellow, in a very pale and subtle nuance, was spotted on
Duchess Kate as well.
In Milan, colors are not just for accessories: home decor as well is jumping into the bright color trend this summer. Here you can see one example of a white table in a home decor Milanese boutique, beautifully laid with dishes, glasses and cutlery in our favorite bright colors of the season: tangerine, red, acid green, purple. What I like the most is the fact that there is not a "one tone" approach with the white table, but they have used all the possible colors, clashing one against the other, but perfectly resembling the bright colors of the rainbow. I personally love bright color home decor, especially for the kitchen and bathroom, and when I moved to New York I really bought everything in different bright or neon color, and I love how the nuances perfectly complement each other in a bold home-color-blocking way.
In April 2012 in Milan there was a very popular Home Design event, called Fuorisalone, which gathers interior designer, companies and simply home decor lovers in one of the most famous design districts of the city: via Tortona. This year I unfortunately missed it because I was here in New York, but I came across this comprehensive visual summary of the Fuorisalone event trends - and the brights and neon colors can be easily spotted.
When I moved to New York one of the first things I wanted to
do was to get a manicure and pedicure here. Why? Because there is this myth about
New York perfect manicures and pedicures, fashionable nail polish and the fact
that you can get it almost everuwhere at anytime. OPI and Essie here are the
top nail polishes and they offer different collections inspired by the colors
of the season.
Also in Milan you can get great manicure treatments and
there is a great nail polish that you cannot find here in New York – yet. KIKO Milano is a Milan cosmetic brand that is very popular in Italy. It offers from
makeup to skincare, from face and body treatments to nail polish. High quality
at very affordable prices. For example, a nail polish is €2.5 or lipsticks €3,
pretty affordable!
Their concept quite recalls the MAC one, with an infinite
range and shades of colors for each product. But it has a vibe of Italian
style. And it is a nice way to try out new colors or new products without
spending a fortune and without give up to quality.
A great Italian brand, highly professional, good quality
products and an unbeatable price tag. I recommend you go try this brand.
It has everything you would find with the other high end make-up brands such as
MAC, Chanel, Dior, YSL, etc..and you can get the same results. It is also a great
find to enrich your make-up collection with new colors and limited edition
products, such this nail color summer bright color edition.
And if this summer we will take an eternal
classic like the "Little Black Dress" and we will change it in "Little
Bright Dress"? It is a time for a little fashion-philosophy consideration. If we pay just a little bit of attention around in New York
or in Milan, or flip through magazines, or browse the fashion blogs, brights
are really the new black, even though writing it sounds a paradox. I believe it has really become and developed in the must of the season. And it does not stop to dresses and clothes, but it covers shoes and accessories as we will see in my next incoming posts.
Can
we say that brights, season after season, are becoming a classic? Will brights eventually not fade away, season after season, as black does? Will brights be reinvented and reinterpreted? Will it remain a classic choice? Or it will eventually fade away by the next Spring/Summer? Even
though in the imaginary brights are usually associated with eccentricity, now
everyone can opt for it and it would be a trendy choice: the boldest would go
for color-blocking outfits or colorful dresses. Those who like sobriety would
opt for a bright or neon color bag, shoes or jewels. Whatever is the personal
style, everyone in New York as well as in Milan are embracing this playful
trend. And to me it has all the potential to become a new classic.
