Allegra Caro

My Autumn Fashion Uniform (An Infallible Outfit Formula To-Go)

If I had to pick a transitional weather piece I can’t live without, I’d always choose the humble biker jacket.

The biker jacket, you see, it’s pretty much the Erin Brokovitch of the autumn clothing: she might have umpresumptous origins and a not-so-chic background, but she will work hard to deliver every single time. In other words, she is a champion.

I like to think of TBJ as a good friend—she will always come to the rescue when you are in trouble and fix every casual outfit (or help you burying a body in the desert at three in the morning for the matter, no questions), which is the reason why I am obsessed. For months now, I’ve been captivated by the pink one I got in the sales last year, so I decided to look a bit around and add a classic black piece to my collection. And that’s when I stumbled upon this beauty by chance.

Once in a while, I pay a visit to my favourite pre-loved clothing stores around the Portobello and Kensington areas. I LOVE the idea of charity shops here in the UK, where you can find little treasures with a small price tag and your money will go to a good cause. It’s inexpensive, it’s charitable, and it’s sustainable. What else could you ask for?

A few weeks ago, Sebastian and I met a friend in Portobello after one of our photoshoots and decided to go for some second-hand treasure hunting. While carelessly browsing through the clothing racks, my dear friend asked for my attention. “Weren’t you looking for a biker jacket?”, she said, holding a brand-new Zara specimen (the original shop tags still on). It happened to be my size and a ridiculous price too, so I knew it was meant to be.

The universe can work in such misterious ways: some people will lose ten pounds only to find fifty on the street, some people will find the love of their lives while saving a never-ending queue. As for me? Well, I am not that ambitious. For me, it’s all about those unexpected, sustainable fashion finds that bring me joy.

Next Saturday, I decided to take TBJ out for the first time. I matched it with this gorgeous last season Zara dress and guys, it was love at first sight: both items seemed to work together naturally. I am happy to report they are having an affair here, (and they are not planning to end it any time soon).

As a consequence, I found my brand new autumn uniform outfit formula consisting on a biker jacket plus dress—the flufflier, the better. It’s easy to put together, casual and comfy.

Since these pictures were taken at the end of August, I’ve been repeating the formula non-stop (until the extent that the husband thought he was experiencing a déjà vu, and then I had to convince him he was not suffering a stroke, but only got a wife with a fashion OCS). You might find it funny but I can assure you he didn’t… Even so, I love this seasonal outfit formula so much, I have been planning to add some more pieces to my jacket collection. (Please, feel free to send me your recommendations for colourful biker jackets: I am currently looking for pieces in burgundy, green, or red, preferably vegan options). I can see an autumnal season filled with colourful outfits.

But back to this outfit: to round things up, I added these cute patent ankle boots from Reserved and the polka dots tights from Calzedonia. As dark shorter days get closer, I enjoy playing with little perky details to provide some texture and fun. (There’s nothing putting me off as quickly as a boring autumn/winter outfit. To me, they feel like that awfully bitter sirup your mother made you take when you were a child. As you can guess, I was never great for that, really.) Dark textured outfits, on the other hand? Yeah, they feel like eating your chocolate dessert before lunch.

Unfortunately for me though, the specific day I chose to wear this temperatures dropped from 20 to 10 °C overnight—meaning that, by the time we finished out photoshoot, my lips were blue and I was shaking uncontrollably, making my best White Walker impersonation. Although the jacket was very warm, my legs felt numb in no-time and we had to seek refuge in the V&A for the rest of the day (which is one of my favourite places on Earth, anyway). The other silver linning apart from all the glorious art was that my autumn uniform works either for a casual coffee date or a day in the museum. So we had a win-win situation here.

Well, since things got a bit out of hand here and I just wrote about eight hundred words about biker jackets, I think I should be leaving it here. However, I would love to hear it all about your own seasonal outfit formulas.

What is your autumn outfit formula?

– OUTFIT –

Dress | Zara (last season, similar style at Chi Chi London)

Tights| Calzedonia

Biker Jacket | Zara (thrifted, nice option available at Asos)

Ankle Boots | Reserved (last season, designer option at Matches Fashion)

Bag | Michael Korrs Mercer Gallery Leather Satchel on sale here

October 14, 2020

Allegra Caro17 Comments

My Super-Affordable, Still Chic Fall 2020 Shopping Guide

Oh, autumn. For many, the cosiest time of the year—a decadent plethora of Pumpkin Spice Lattes, heart-warming fall foliage day trips, and bonfires. As for me? This is the largely anticipated seasonal shopping extravaganza. Keep reading for my the crème de la crème fall 2020 shopping guide.

As the weather becomes cooler and I start spending more time indoors, there are two immediate consequences in my household:

The budget for hot beverages, hardcover books, and cute but slightly unnecessary throws skyrockets.
I get feverish about the seasonal news arriving at shops.

To be honest, autumn is the only time of the year when I go a bit too excited about shopping. This is the period when brands bring to the fore my favourite colour shades, fabrics, and textures, and I feel like a kid in a candy store. (To be more specific, like August Gloop in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. I live in genuine fear the Oompa Loompas will come for me, someday.)

Many years ago, once a carefree English student who would spend her money not very wisely, I would go on a manic shopping spree every autumn—which meant I was left with a tight budget for seasonal outings, books, or any other expression of a comfortable existence. But as I matured and went through an exhaustive shopping detox, I adopted the healthy habit of writing down a shopping list between September-October and stick to it. As a result, my saving accounts improved and so did my perception of shopping needs.

I am not going to lie, though: as all those gorgeous knitwear, jewel tones, and dresses arrive, I make an extra effort to rationalize my shopping list and adhere to it. (Sebastian could tell you a thing or two about my yearly transformation into Gollum, and how I will whisper ‘my precious‘ to every piece of clothing I see…)

But going back to the topic, the whole point is, I find shopping guides super useful and also, fun. Over the years, I have developed a fancy for them so I thought I’d share with you my favourite picks this year. And remember children: don’t blame me if you go over-the-top with your shopping this year.

This is my autumn 2020 shopping guide

1. The Giambattista Valli-inspired Zara blouse

Look at this beauty. What could you possibly not love about it? The neckline bow, volume-contrasting sleeve details, and plumeti texture are just to die for. The greatest bonus? This shirt does look much more expensive than it is, and it will give you all those couture vibes on a budget. Definitely, I am adding this to my seasonal picks, since I find it timeless and perfect both when on duty or out and about.

2. Next preppy style 2 in 1 sweater

Personally, I am all about sweater-plus-fake-shirt pieces: they provide you with the rare window of opportunity for looking formal, without the nuisance of wearing too many layers. They are one of my staple autumn classics. No surprise I jumped of joy when I found this gorgeous mustard one at Next recently. What can I say? I love a good old white collar over all that pumpkin/mustard knit. Don’t pretend you don’t! We all know you’re adding it to your shopping cart too…

3. The romantic ruffle trims Zara jumper

Guys, I swear God Zara is not sponsoring this post in any form, but every year around September, they start stuffing their shops with an exquisite selection of knitwear. Just to illustrate my allegation, check out this cute sweater. It’s chic, it’s classic, and pretty much the perfect off-white shade. Still in hesitation? According to their website, the material is made of recycled PET plastic (such as the one used in water bottles) to reduce the consumption of natural resources. I rest my case, your Honor.

4. The killer Elderflower halterneck Ted Baker dress

I don’t know about you, but the irredeemable curse of my fashion existence is never finding the right black pencil dress. Most of the time they can be too much, with an exaggerated cut/bold construction which will let very little to the imagination. I remember a dress I tried at home a couple of years ago and that made me feel… well, rather exposed, to say the least. And isn’t it stupid spending about a hundred pounds just to look naked? Yeah, I think so too. This dress, on the other hand? It’s CLASSY. It looks fitted but still not too revealing, with a gorgeous halter neckline and tie-bow to underline the smart look. As for the floral skirt pattern? Simply delicious. I am adding this dress to my closet as the perfect choice for an office day (with a nice cardigan), or a dinner date with the husband—style versatility is dirty talk to me…

5. The amazeballs H&M pink trench

I think we all agree trench coats are such a seasonal must-have. However, I find that we tend to buy the same colours over and over—mostly, for the sake of versatility. Don’t get me wrong: I believe in buying pieces that will work with your existing wardrobe is a style key, but we can be a bit more creative without sacrificing convenience. Case in point, this gorgeous pale pink trench from H&M. I am all about colourful trench coats but this particular shade of dusty pink works as a neutral as well, which will make styling far easier. Extra points for a recycled material lining.

And this is my Fall 2020 shopping list! Everything on it is stylish and will be adding to your wardrobe for the seasons to come.

I would love to hear everything about the news in your closet! Tell me everything about it. What are your latest purchases? Any seasonal recommendations?

(Now, if you excuse me, I will roll back to my Gollum state while online shopping…)

October 7, 2020

Allegra Caro16 Comments

The Killer Outfit Formula That Works Every Time (Even When You Have Nothing To Wear)

Fashion-wise, a few things are as annoying as waking up early on a Monday morning just to find yourself stuck in front of your closet for half an hour, with absolutely nothing to wear.

To me, that used to be a periodic drama I would represent every week—rain or shine. As time went by, this daily habit became a toxic routine which would make me feel nothing but anxious. Actually, the mere idea of getting dressed on a working day had the power to give me headache in about five minutes. Please, rise your hand if you’ve been there too… Yeah, I thought so.

I am not going to lie to you: it took me a while to recognize I was in desperate need of help (and by “a while” I mean a few years, really…) All things consider, I am kind of surprised my husband did not call for an intervention. Guys, it was THAT bad.

I truly got sick of it: sick of the morning coffee getting lukewarm while I stood there, wrapped on a wet bath towel after shower, stressing myself out over yet another #firstworldproblem. At some point, I started feeling like I had no energy for this. After all, Monday sucks even without all the fashion drama.

All I usually do when I encounter a style dilemma, I asked myself what would my favourite fashion icons do but it was far from helpful. (We all know Blair Waldorf would simply go for a shopping spree in Paris which is not very realistic here, is it?) So, I did the only sensitive thing—I trusted my fate to Google gods. After ~~a bit~~ a few weeks of online research about styling tips, I mixed the most useful advice and, as time went by, I developed my own quick-fix styling rules.

Let me tell you a secret: ever since I started using this outfit formula, the amount of time I spend dressing every morning has decreased dramatically.

This provides me with a time window to start my day more relaxed, have a nice breakfast, and get my day started smoothly. As this has been one of the life-changing adjustments I’ve made over the last six months, I decided it could be nice to share it with you all.

So here you go: the ultimate outfit formula that grants you always have got something to wear.

1. Choose a statement piece as the axis of your outfit

Ever time I start planning what to wear, I will select a central piece for the rest of my outfit to gravitate around. It might sound a bit strange, but it makes sense to choose a relevant piece to help you build the whole style for the day. It could be anything, basically—a dainty dress, a textured skirt or a nice tailored pair of trousers. It all depends on the occasion as well as the vibe you are going for. The important principle to keep in mind here is the piece should provide some interest to your outfit. Once you have made up your mind about it, the next step will be a no-brainer.

2. As as rule, tone it down with a basic

Style—as anything else in life—is a question of balance. That means you will need a muted/more basic piece to balance the whole thing gracefully. Let me explain with a simple image: imagine you go for a flamboyant pink tweed dress, you should avoid matching it with an over-the-top jacket, unless you want to look like an out-of-context modern Marie Antoinette. I am sure you see my point. For instance, if you choose a silky skirt as your axis, then you should select a simple top to tone things down a bit. This provides you with a nice contrast and is more wearable on a daily basis.

3. Add a piece you don’t need

When I want to upgrade a given outfit and unless I am in a real hurry, I will always add a clothing piece I don’t need. This way, I get sure the outfit makes an impact. It may be a hat I love, or a nice pair of statement designer stocking. Whatever it is, the key here is to put on some interest and relevance to your look.

4. When accessorizing, stick to one metal colour

This might be one of my personal pet peeves but I believe that sticking to one chromatic choice when adding metal accessories/jewelry, will provide some cohesion to your outfit. Once I am dressing up—and with the only exception of my wedding ring—I will figure out what colours match my clothes better (silver, yellow or rose gold) and then stick to it. This, of course, depends on your personal taste although sticking to one colour only gives uniformity and keeps things neat.

5. Double check before you leave

Just before leaving the house, I usually take thirty seconds to look myself in the mirror. This last step is my ultimate mantra. As Coco Chanel famously declared once, it is good practice to take one thing off before you go out. This simple exercise is designed to keep things simple and nice—especially if, like me, you have a tendency to go a bit over-the-top. Trust me here: there’s no need to look like a Christmas tree, is there?

As a last tip and while getting familiar with this styling system, I would recommend putting your outfit together in the evening, while your mind is clear and you can take a few extra minutes to sort things out.

And that’s pretty much it! Simple, right? No more morning drama!

September 30, 2020September 30, 2020

Allegra Caro18 Comments

A Pastel Fall Transitional Outfit

When people say time flies, you would normally assume they are exaggerating. At least, that’s what I thought until summer 2020, when the normal fabric of spacetime proved to be defective and decided to pack and go home—also, it gave us a finger on its way to the door, because that fellow dropped the mic and is not planning to come back any time soon…

A pastel colours autumn transitional outfit

Metaphores aside, that is how my summer felt, anyway. In other words, it was such a short period of time (partially, due to the lockdown restrictions starting to ease in mid-June and partially due to the weather going to hell about late-August, which barely gave us a month and a half of an enjoyable outdoors summer experience), I am not even sure it happened at all.

Here in London, one day we were wearing sundresses and going out for the very first time, and the next it was colder than a witch’s tit. This left us not only with a very strange feeling, but also with the unavoidable fashion dilemma of what to wear.

With most mornings over 20 degrees and temperatures dropping below 15°C in the evenings, dressing was indeed far from easy. Mid-season is always a challenge in terms of styling. This September, though? This September was like Attila the Hun and Lord Voldemort had a child (he took no prisoners).

Seriously, what can you do when all your summer wardrobe plans crash and you need to come with an emergency plan? I’ll tell you what: you go for a pastels autumn transitional outfit.

Case on point, these gorgeous Zara trousers I bought in the sales last year and which I only found an occasion or two to style then. This year, on the other hand, they are pretty much all I want to wear. They are the perfect shade of dusty pink, truly comfortable, and more important—the perfect piece to build an awesome autumn transitional outfit.

Because I don’t know about you guys, but I am NOT ready to say goodbye to the warm season overnight and anything creating the illusion of a longer summer is more than welcome. With that said, I will always defend pastel tones as the perfect transitional hue: add some knightwear to the equation and you will be decently dressed for the mid-season weather while still feeling those summery vibes. Isn’t that something?

Don’t get me wrong, I could totally live in burgundy, forest green, chocolate brown, or rusty orange for the rest of my life, but at the end of August I was not ready for that AT ALL. (Indeed, my annoyance about the early season was so acute, at certain point I HATED seeing all those Pumpkin Spice Latte advertisements out there. Don’t worry, I am visiting a therapist about it now and feeling much better. Mr. Fall and I are working hard in our relationship, and I am glad to say is getting better by the day…) But I am digressing again, where was I?… Oh yes, the trousers!

In order to dress them up a little—and we all know I am on the dressy side—I went for heels. These pink-undertoned beauties came from Asos a couple of years ago, but you can find the classic Rockstud leather pumps by Valentino here. Seriously, I could buy them in every single colour and finish. That’s how gorgeous they are! (I am not sure Sebastian would be that happy though, since the home space my shoes occupy verges on absurdity. Actually, I live in constant fear one of these days I will open the closet door and you’ll need to send the rescue helicopter to recover my body from the avalanche…)

But going back to the accessories, I love Vivienne Westwood and the subtle rock vibe of this necklace (you are lucky, there are some sales at the moment on their website up to 60% off!). Finally, and to round things up, I also added my Chanel Boy Bag to the equation. I ended up with an urban look with some rocky vibes and that’s all I need in autumn, really.

This is a casual style I love, and I am not planning to drop it anytime soon. As the weather gets cooler, I am simply adding more layers. My favourite at the moment is an old-good biker jacket on top to keep me warm during all those crisp autumn evenings. And there’s a vintage black Fedora hat in my closet which will join the game very soon.

At the end of the day, I might be missing the summertime but autumn is such a gorgeous season anyway. And well, everything is better by adding some pastel pink brushstrokes, isn’t it?

Tell me about you: are you embracing autumn fashion at the moment? How are you dealing with it?

– OUTFIT –

Trousers | Zara (last season, similar Reiss trousers here)

Sweater | Zara (last season, beautiful alternatives at La Redoute and Topshop)
Shoes | Asos Design (old, get the original design at Harrods)
Bag | Chanel Boy Bag

September 23, 2020September 29, 2020

Allegra Caro40 Comments

Reconnecting: why blogging is still relevant for me

For as long as this site has existed, I’ve always wanted honesty to be one of its key core values.

If you are a regular reader, you´re probably aware of that already since I created an entire category dedicated to being bold about blogging and then called it The Honest Fashionista Diaries. So, case in point, I am going to be open with you about my late absence, today.

The last few months have been a strange period, to say the least. This year started a bit too quickly, almost on a hectic way for me—a new job, a new city, new opportunities… new everything—which made me feel rather overwhelmed at times. As a consequence, and as much as I hated it, the blog took a back seat. This decision was not easy, and I felt sorry about every missing opportunity to post a fresh article. However, I do believe you must give your 100% when you love something—and this website, guys, is one of my biggest loves.

While life itself was not contributing to the mind-set I need to write in here, I was also struggling in terms of mental health. Most days I felt exhausted and under the weather, which is an awful place to be as a creator. But I am not speaking about creating content only, though. I am talking about the perception I had on my self-worth and even my self-image.

All of a sudden, I began feeling not only my contribution to the blogosphere was insignificant but also resenting my appearance when taking pictures or simply by looking in the mirror. Age was certainly taking its toll on me: I felt old, wasted, and ugly. Even worst, every time we went out for shooting, I felt ridiculous. Don’t get me wrong, I am a very realistic person and always knew I was no model at all—and that’s OK too. For me, blogging is not about that one perfect look but about writing and creating a nice picture to inspire others—but at some point, I got completely lost in the middle of the fog.

There was a moment in which I plainly refused to get my photo taken. Then, this whole crazy lockdown situation arrived at our lives and we ceased going outside.

Working remotely and from the comfort of my apartment, there was a period when things got even worse for me. I would feel utterly depressed by simply looking at the news and everything else seemed pointless. Hence, I stopped logging into social media and reduced my presence online to almost zero.

Back then, I began spending more time taking care of myself: I started reading every day, watching nice films, having lengthy baths, and taking good care of my skin. I started having long walks in the park (always keeping the safety distance for obvious reasons), reconnecting with nature, and detoxing from anything negative in my life.

After one month, I finally discovered the value of resilience. I began enjoying the quiet, the long conversations with Sebastian, and a good long morning meditation session. I began liking myself again—both inside and outside.

As time goes by, I keep healing every day. I came to realize it was all a matter of time: I needed to stop and smell the flowers, feeling grateful for every small blessing in my life. Because most frequently than not, we don’t pay attention to those little things, taking them for granted. It is still a work in progress but the whole point of this post is, as a thirty-something woman, life is difficult sometimes.

The raw truth is, the expectations list seems endless: Have children, keep yourself young forever, have a brilliant career, keep your home spotless, organize family days out, take care of your family/spouse. And it goes on and on.

With such a burden, when do you get the chance to stop and listen to yourself? When are you supposed to become the priority? When was the last time you said “enough of this”? For me, it had to be in the middle of an extreme sanitary emergency lockdown. It took that much of a change to give it a thought. As I did begin thinking more and more about it, another question came to my mind: How many women on their thirties, forties or older feel exactly like this? How many of us are struggling to cope?

And this is where I was going with all the rambling.

Whoever you are, whatever your situation is, you are not alone.

From now on, my blog will be a place where you can come and say: I am NOT ok with this. I will do my best to write for you, to post as frequently as I can about how to be your own best friend. How to stop feeling worthless, wasted, ugly. I will post on how to dress for yourself, take care of your mind, and soul, and feel better in your skin.

Welcome to the place where you can be you.

Nothing else matters.

September 16, 2020September 15, 2020

Allegra Caro27 Comments

My 2019 in Outfits: Developing my Style Sense

High priestess fashionista Iris Apfel once famously declared that, while fashion is something you buy, style is something you possess. ‘The key to style’, according to Apfel, ‘is learning who you are, which takes years. There’s no how-to road map to style.’

Since I first read these words during my university years—a long time ago in a galaxy far away, dominated by the dark forces of cheap rosé and poor fashion choices—it’s been a long road, but I’ve never stopped believing in the truth of this creed. The wisdom behind Apfel’s words lies in her interpretation of style as a part of the identity construct: ultimately, it’s not about the hottest trends or the latest IT bag but about who you are.

Self-discovery process can take months, years, and sometimes, even an entire lifetime—hence, for most of us, the style evolution goes hand in hand with this learning curve.

In this sense, 2019 wasn’t any different for me. Certainly, it’s been a long year packed with big vital decisions and scary changes which were all part of my own personal development. In parallel, my style has been changing too, while taking a new interesting direction. I am not going to lie: it has taken a considerable amount of trial and error to figure things out for me (whoever says adulthood is a piece of cake is nothing but a blatant liar). Fortunately though, with age comes some wisdom and I like to think I’ve got quite a clear vision of my life (and style path) at this point.

Style-wise, 2019 was the year when I learned to appreciate bold colours—as well as keep growing my unconditional love for jewel tones—, to love designer pieces and start adding to my expanding collection, to stop being afraid of experimentation. But let’s do this recap one month at the time.

This was my 2019 in outfits!

January

January always feels like the longest, gloomiest month of the year (hello January Blues, how you doin’?) but last year was a bit of an exception since I was in Spain for a holiday. During 2019 Summer, I started adding some designer pieces to my closet and January was the month I got my first major investment item: the CHANEL Boy bag! This babe had been in my bucket list like forever, so it was really nice to see it landing in my wardrobe, finally. Read the full original post here.

February

February was quite an interesting period. Sebastian and I booked a city break in Bucharest, where we lived for a couple of years since it still keeps a special place in our hearts. It felt nice to be back and visiting all our favourite places—the national art gallery, the hotel where we stayed during our wedding weekend, and the best antique market ever (where I hunted for some fabulous little accessories). A few people know that Bucharest is called Little Paris, but it is totally true and does deserve a visit.

March

March was quite a busy month, packed with work and events: consequently, it was quite exhausting and I had very little time left to relax. In the end, I got sick due to the lack of rest and spent an entire week feeling rather poorly. I am not keen to be confined at home, so I might or might not have spent a crazy amount of time online shopping… (Read the original post here.)

April

To me, April was the month to rule them all: I finally fulfilled the long-awaited dream of visiting Vogue House and having a glimpse inside Condé Nast well-oiled machinery. As an articles writer (and also as a reader) CN publications have been always an editorial reference—as well as a source of inspiration for me. In April, not only did I manage to study one of their journalism courses, but I also met some wonderful new friends. In other words, I had the time of my life. I documented the whole experience back in April, so please feel free to read bout it.

May

May felt a bit like a hungover, really. For most of it, I tried to regain something of a normal routine both at work and personal life, which left little time or energy for fun. However, I did enjoy some time relaxing over the weekends and got ready for all the major changes coming our way in June…

June

June was the month we finally came to learn about our next destination: London! In all honesty, this change was something we had been craving for long enough and it felt surreal to see it was happening. As some form of self-indulgent celebration, we spent most of June back in Spain with our families and friends. No need to say this was just what we needed and the beginning of a refreshing start.

July

I am not going to lie to you: July was a savage party which I spent paying daily visits to the closest swimming pool club and eating my weight in gelato. Since we were preparing our international relocation, I dealt with any stress by means of frequent outings and Summer events. This situation lasted for the whole month and it was extended to August. I consider last Summer the best I enjoyed in quite a long time and I am very sorry adulthood doesn’t look like that more frequently. Ces’t la vie, I guess!

August

August was nothing but the best period last year: it was time for my yearly birthday trip, as well as the moment when we moved to London for good. Our stay in Budapest was a bit of a grand finale, really—the golden brooch to a great Summer, which was one of the most precious for us both. You can read more about our adventures here and here.

September

In September, we started calling London our new home. The transition was slow and, at certain times, also difficult but we worked so hard to make this project happen over the last five years, we are nothing but grateful. As mundane as it may sound, September mostly consisted of running errands, completing an endless sequence of paperwork, and leisurely getting used to the hectic city pace. Back then, we spent quite a lot of time exploring around and falling in love with Notting Hill and Portobello again (where I might or might not be secretly planning to buy a house at some point…)

October

Autumn was such a fuss! October started with a good deal of problems related to a certain domestic accident. This involved a burst pipe which made our lives miserable for a while. For starters, we found out that water extended all under our apartment pristine floors, flooding the air cameras underneath with the resulting trouble of wet walls in every house room… I am not gonna lie: it was a bit of a nightmare, really. Unfortunately, it could not be solved from our side since the water was running from our neighbours’ place. We experienced this problem for a month and a half until the works next door were completed, which made October and November a stressful period I barely remember about. (See the original post featuring a review of the Michael Kors Mercer Gallery Bag here.)

November

Domestic accidents aside, November was rather pleasant. The fall season shone in all its decadent rusty glory and we made the most of it by taking as many days outdoors as possible. This only positively, affected our moods, since we were engaged in seeking for brand new positions in London and anything distracting our busy minds was welcome at the time.

December

In the big scheme of things in 2019, December was a magnificent period when we finally started feeling at home. Most of the adaptation process was completed, including but not limited to finding new jobs, making the most of our brand new apartment, and establishing new and enriching relationships. Since life finally started feeling normal again, we were able to relax and enjoy the festive period. I can´t wait to see what 2020 will look like.

How was your 2019?

January 27, 2020January 26, 2020

Allegra Caro8 Comments

Seven Days of Christmas Outfits: Day 4 The St. Pancras Renaissance Hotel

Every city in Europe has got Christmas traditions of its own: Vienna shines at festive markets, Paris dazzles with its choir singing concerts at La Madeleine, and Rome makes quite an impression with its nativity scenes.

When speaking about London, the list looks endless. I will save you the details since I wrote about many of those local traditions before and I don’t wish to bore you by repeating myself. Today though, I’d like to tell you about one of my best-loved ways to celebrate—with a festive cocktail on a five stars hotel! (If a delicious Bellini won’t make you feel extra-festive, I don’t know what it will, honestly. I mean, socially sanctioned afternoon prosecco? Count me in.)

On Saturday afternoon, we headed to St. Pancras railway station where the Renaissance Hotel is located. For those of you who aren’t familiar with the place, it occupies much of the former Midland Grand Hotel designed by George Gilbert Scott which opened in 1873. Nowadays, the hotel contains 244 bedrooms, two restaurants, two bars, a health and leisure centre, a ballroom, and 20 meeting and function rooms, all of it wrapped in Victorian style extravaganza. In other words: Amazing.

The reason why I love the place so much is the exquisite classicism of its architecture, combined with the seasonal decorations. To me, visiting feels pretty much like living on a Charles Dickens novel. (Er… one in which you aren’t a poor orphan, obviously. Because that would spoil the fun, right?)

Another thing I love about St. Pancras Renaissance Hotel is the fact that you’re allowed to take some pictures in the main hall, even if you are not registered as a guest. Over Christmas this is especially nice since you can go there for a drink and then enjoy the pure awesomeness of the seasonal decorations. This year, they put two impressive natural trees up—both carefully garnished with garlands, bubble and ribbons. I love the way the whole hall smelled like fresh spruce and spice. Simply delightful!

For this traditional celebration atmosphere, I went for a forest green and brown outfit. The coat was a lovely acquisition from my last trip to Tokyo and totally suited for the festive season (I don’t know about you but brocate is the ultimate Christmas fabric, to me). The silky afternoon tea gown, on the other hand, makes a nice texture contrast. Last but not least, to wrap things up I added a handmade velvet bag and some gold accessories. Et voilá: Christmas spirit served with a Victorian vibe. Anyone said carols?

And this is it, for day four of my week of Christmas outfits.

I hope you have the loveliest day with your family and friends.

Dress: Zara (old, similar here)/ Coat: Juliette et Justine (vintage)

Bag: Handmade / Boots: Deichman (alternative here)

December 25, 2019December 24, 2019

Allegra Caro1 Comment

Seven Days of Christmas Outfits: Day 3 The Covent Garden Festive Extravaganza

Few things compare to the joy you experience on a festive street market.

To me, they are spaces where you can embrace your inner child, see things through candid eyes again, and recover a bit of your original capacity to marvel. In this sense, I must admit London delivers a full magical experience: from crazy building decorations to outdoors markets, the holiday season is breath-taking all the way.

As you may have deduced from the post title, for day three of my Christmas blog installment Sebastian and I visited Covent Garden. I knew the place has been always praised for the amazing effort they put into tuning the festive spirit but I wasn’t prepared for the magnificence of the street decor.

Every shop decors its own Christmas tree with a given topic: fashion, perfumes, jewels, etc. (Which, by the way, are far from fairly represented in these pictures since the place was crowded and it was pretty much impossible to take decent snaps and avoid people at the same time. Sorry, all you get are some photos of me posing in the most isolated corners and my sincere apologies. If you in London though, please pay a visit. I promise it’s totally worth it.)

My favourite spot was Tiffany’s decor extravaganza. It included a snow-covered area, an ice rink, and a lovely giant snow globe—all coloured in the famous Tiffany’s pastel blue, of course. Unfortunately and to Sebastian’s despair, I spent a considerable time amount at their sales booth, trying to figure out what to add to my Santa list. But hey, this girl cannot just pass by an eye-catching festive Tiffany’s stall and ignore it (or not to become Gollum, for the matter).

But speaking about my outfit, just a few days before gift-giving day was the perfect occasion to pulling out all of my favourites. Burgundy and cream are such timeless colours, they effortlessly create the perfect holiday chromatic combo. By choosing satin and some gold notes, I added some more festive notes and packed a classic Christmas look.

So far this season, this is one of my winter best-loved outfits. This glorious skirt is a great find from last autumn, while the bag is a Japanese design vintage piece I found in Tokyo a couple of years ago. To add a bit of texture and interest, I also put on some snowflakes-patterned tights from Calzedonia. All the pieces are quite different but still work together, creating a unique look. When it comes to style, I am all about mix and match and creating interesting outfits you can’t find anywhere else. To me, finding your style is deeply related to treasure one-of-a-kind pieces.

And this has been all for the third day of my Christmas outfits week.

Let me know about what is important for you when it comes to festive style and in between…

Skirt: Primark (pink version here) / Sweater: Zara

Bag: Axes Femme (vintage, similar here)

Scarf: Thrifted (similar here) / Hair clip: Versace

December 20, 2019December 19, 2019

Allegra Caro3 Comments

Seven Days of Christmas Outfits: Day 2 Christmas Afternoon Tea

In terms of Christmas activities offer, London remains unrivaled. Being one of the liveliest cities in the globe, its seasonal festive palette can be only described as vibrant—a never-ending sequence of street festivals, music concerts, drama plays, and parties. In my eyes and as an aspiring Londoner, this is a bit overwhelming sometimes: indeed, it feels like the city never sleeps. There’s always another event in the calendar, or another party to attend, which may be exhausting (not to mention not that great for your finances). Don’t get me wrong, I wouldn’t change that for the world, but this much physical activity can take a toll on you. Hence, I am regularly looking for new ways to relax and recharge my batteries.

Undoubtedly, one of my favourite relaxing winter activities is Christmas afternoon tea.

The main reason is that it does allow you to shelter from the dropping temperatures and unwind while having a nice conversation over delicious food. In case you’ve been reading my blog for a while now, you probably know how much I love a good ol’ afternoon tea. (I look at tea like Popeye looks at spinach, only without all that let’s-save-Olive mumbo jumbo. Sorry Olive but you’re kind of needy, and I have no time for this much drama, you know?) But where was I? Oh, yes, afternoon tea. Well, you get the point, don’t you?

With this said, for day two of my festive blog installment, I decided to spend a nice relaxing evening at Fait Maison. For those of you who don’t live in London, Fait Maison is a local chain of tea houses, well-known for its beautifully spiced food, fabulous patisserie, and dreamy venues.

In other words? The kind of heavenly place you will find me during a frigid mid-week December evening, sharing wonderful food with a friend. Case in point: I arranged a meetup with a new acquaintance from London and proceeded to spent a good part of a foggy (and otherwise miserable) Wednesday talking arts, London designer exhibitions, and interior design (she’s brilliant at the latest, by the way. Just check out her blog and don’t miss her bedroom renovation post, which is basically interior design goals to me!)

But back to track! Speaking of Christmas afternoon tea, I decided to dress up and channel the holiday spirit with festive forest green waterfall pleats and sparkling silver accents. The best about this outfit? Each part is a standalone statement piece and works wonderfully as separates. Win-win here!

When it comes to seasonal outfits, most people will go for a festive green and red or gold game, but I think black and silver accents give you that magical feel without being a total cliche. Also, black will enhance forest green and you can add some drama by creating volume and texture. (A light-weight petticoat did the trick this time, helping to add a bit of puff to my circle skirt.) Et voilá! A classic Christmassy outfit for afternoon tea or any other glamorous occasion!

And this is it for day two of my week of festive outfits!

Please, share your thoughts on your own seasonal traditions. Are you fond of Christmas afternoon tea?

Skirt: Chicwish / Sweater: Zara / Tights: Calzedonia

Shoes: Deichman / Bag and brooch: CHANEL

December 19, 2019December 19, 2019

Allegra Caro8 Comments

Seven Days of Christmas Outfits: Day 1 Christmas Shopping

Can I hear a hallelujah here? In London, the streets are packed with seasonal street markets, Christmas trees and fairy lights from mid-November, transforming the place into a Charles Dickens book—or into a giddy version of the Christmas spirit on steroids, depending on who you ask to. Being the festive equivalent of the cookie monster though, I can’t feel anything but pleased about the prospect of all the merry-making coming my way. November was a dull, long, rainy month so anything making the city look its best is more than welcome.

This year, I started looking at all those wonderful bloggers out there mastering Blogmas and it occurred to me that I should plan something special as well. Although I love the concept and December is one of my favourite seasons in terms of content, unfortunately, Blogmas does require the sort of time commitment I am unable to adopt right now, so I came with an alternative idea.

To celebrate, I decided to share with you a little glimpse into my holiday this year, and some inspiration in the form of an entire week of festive outfits (or Christmas-inspired outfits as I understand them, anyway).

Starting today, I will be covering every possible season occasion: from presents shopping to a soiree at the ballet, and from a glorious morning at the London Winter Wonderland market to Christmas day.

Help yourself with some eggnog and let’s get started!

On day one, Sebastian and I went out for some mandatory festive shopping. As it turned out—spoiler ahead—we didn’t even remotely finish shopping and I am quite worried it’s seven days until Christmas Eve and I still need to get a few things sorted. (Don’t judge me too hard, I am perpetually multi-tasking to get everything done in time and at this point of the year I always feel the days should have at least 36 hours if you ask me.)

But back to the topic, we needed to have a look at seasonal decor and gifts and London is nothing but the perfect place for that. In all honesty, you can’t go wrong by visiting Mayfair shops when in search of presents for your significant others. New Bond Street area is well-known for being home to some of the most luxurious boutiques around: Cartier, Dolce & Gabbana, CHANEL, Hermès…—you name it. Even if you are just window-shopping, the place does deserve a visit since the festive decoration is stunning.

After paying a visit or two to our favourite shops (and adding some little recommendations for Santa to our wish lists in the process—blink, blink, Mr. Klaus, those Manolos would do no harm. I use a 39 in case you need to know, thank you!) we moved to the closest place for a coffee break in order to shelter from the cold.

London temperatures, you see, can be freezing at this time of the year, so I was grateful to be wearing a Heatech thermal top underneath my turtleneck sweater, as well as thermal tights and over the knee suede boots. Winter style can be truly challenging unless you learn to use layering and weather-appropriate fabrics to cope with extreme conditions. My absolute essentials at this time are tweed (just look how festive is this little red and white miniskirt, folks) and cashmere. I am still learning new ways to dress stylishly during the coldest months but is a fun process I am truly enjoying.

And that’s it for today! I know this post is shorter than my average article but I trust you will excuse me since there is a new post coming your way tomorrow. In between, stay merry and jolly.

Have you finished your Christmas shopping?

Sweater: Zara / Skirt: Similar here / Coat: Zara

Suede Boots: Deichman (similar at Aldo) / Bag: CHANEL

Beret: Collectiff

December 18, 2019December 13, 2019

Allegra Caro7 Comments