Allegra Caro

Found the Holy Grail of Flats: Introducing You to VIVAIA Aria 5

(Disclaimer: this post contains a PR gifted item)

A long time ago, during what I like to call the B.L. age (a.k.a. Before London era…) I used to be one of those women who would wear ridiculously high heels everywhere. And by that, my dear friends, I mean everywhere: to the college, to work, to dinner dates, and even to go grocery shopping. Yes, pals, I was THAT girl. What can I say? (I have told you before but I will again: if you look for extra in the urban dictionary, my picture will come probably across…)

But then, I moved to the UK and was introduced to a terrifying new concept that still sends shivers down my back: London commuting. (If that’s not a horror story, I don’t know what is. I am fine with real crime TV shows and Stephen King books, but talk to me about London commuting and I’ll start shaking uncontrollably… ) Coming from a modest-size city, where commuting translates into a twenty-minute walk, I found myself trapped for hours to no-end in the underground system. And I can tell you one thing: that is a helluva amount of time! So, I said goodbye to high heels and got used to always carrying with me the most comfortable pair of flat shoes I could find.

Let me add, that was easier said than done. Yes, heels could be saved for the weekly office meetings and the occasional dinner date, but finding the perfect pair of flats is far tougher than I first thought.

Vivaia Aria 5 the most comfy flat shoes I have evert tried

While heels will hurt your ankles and feet when worn for long hours, ballerina flats can be hard on your back and feet’s sole. This is a lesson that I had to learn the hard way, though. I have mild scoliosis but after wearing the inappropriate type of flat shoes for a few hours, my back will start torturing me and there are days in which I only want to lay down. And that’s never fun, is it?

Over the last couple of years, I tried different things. I wore silicon soles to reduce the impact and help support the feet, I tested half-a-dozen shoe brands, and I even visited a physiotherapist to give me some advice but nothing was working for me. The last resource seemed to be giving up and wearing sneakers, which is quite a logical conclusion. Only, I HATE sneakers with a passion.

Actually, scratch that. To be more specific, I hate sneakers with the fire of a thousand suns!

(Before you all come on me, let me add there’s nothing wrong with wearing trainers. They just look terrible on me, specifically. When I dare to wear them, I look like a scrawny professional tennis player aspirant who never made it to the Wimbledon Tournament but still wears sporty clothes… Yes, it’s that bad. So you can now feel my pain when I say trainers were the last option available.)

The most comfortable flats in the market. Aria 5 by Vivaia

I was starting to feel quite hopeless at this point, and investing an insane amount of time browsing the internet and looking at shoe stores in search of the perfect pair of ballerina flats that would be fit for the job. I started feeling like Cinderella, only trying a thousand different shoes that were not the cristal slipper⁠—well, a modern Londoner version of her, for the matter. One with little patience for nonsense, bad hair days, and too much coffee in her system…

And then the miracle happened! A few weeks ago the good people behind Vivaia contacted me asking if I’d like to test their newest shoe model: The Aria 5, also known as the “sneaker flat”. I had never heard of them before but they caught my attention when I read they are an ethical shoe company, based on sustainability. As you may know already, this has been a topic concerning me for a long time now, and I’ve changed lots of my shopping habits as a consequence. Hence, I was genuinely interested in trying the shoes.

When I finally received them, the first thing I noticed is all the packing is recycled. Also, the shoes themselves are made out of more than six plastic bottles, which is quite impressive in my book! However, they are still washable, as the 3D knitted material is super resistant (which I could test when I accidentally hit a bin in the streets with no visible imperfections on the flats whatsoever).

The first time I wore my Aria 5, I realised the shoes are designed for increased arch support and the memory foam both in the heel padding and insole felt amazing.

But let me make present my case. I wore the shoes from noon to eight in the evening. Sebastian and I went out with a visiting friend and walked through the Bank area to Spitalfields Market, and then to Brick Lane, London Bridge, finishing with a cocktails night at Bōkan in Canary Wharf. By the end of it, my feet were still feeling great and even most importantly, I had no back pain at all! Can I hear a Hallelujah here?

The people at Vivaia were so kind as to sponsor this post by offering this beautiful natural peach Aria 5 pair but, as we speak, I am already looking into their website and adding another pair in black to my shopping cart. Guys, I am serious when I say these flats have changed my life for the better.

So if you are looking for a shoe designed for the modern, professional woman, head to their website now and thank me later.

Are you a flats kind of girl? Or still a heels person? Let me know in the comments!

March 16, 2022March 16, 2022

Allegra Caro7 Comments

The Most Instagrammable Cafes in London: Viola’s Covent Garden

As an expat, my Spanish friends and family members do frequently ask me about nice places to eat when visiting London.

(Sometimes, strangers also ask me all sorts of funny questions over social media, but let’s save that for a different occasion, shall we?) One of my favourite things to do when out and about is going for brunch with friends.

London has got a lot to offer in culinary terms, with thousands of different choices: from the quintessential afternoon tea to Chinese street food and everything in between. Looking for Ethiopian food? Or fancy some Cuban mojitos? You name it! It’s the version of a foodie Heaven on Earth. It’s like you can eat your day out in London, quite literally. (Sometimes, I feel like this city gave me a bad case of August Gloop possession and angry Oompa Loompas will come for me any day…)

With that in mind, it’s no shocker I find myself trying new places all the time. Lately, London has adopted the trend of making cafes and restaurants more and more picture-ready. In the Instagram age, people seem to consider not only the quality of food but also the presentation and environment. One almost feels a bit embarrassed not to make a real effort to look half as good as these pretty places when eating out. Like, can they kick out or scratch your name from the booking list if you don’t look cool enough? Is that even a thing?

Jokes aside though, when it comes to food I can be quite picky. And yes, I’ll choose quality over presentation every time as I have my fair share of experience eating at really top-quality restaurants and hotels . Hence, Instagrammble places can make me quite skeptical. That succulent avocado on toast can look majestic⁠—all covered in flowers and gold dust⁠—but if the food is not as good as it looks, you lost me. Period.

Viola's Covent Garden review. Best places for brunch in London.

I think it’s a question of common sense (and also, economy). If I am going to pay six pounds for a latte, it better be good! Like, the kind of latte you will remember on your deathbed. (“Oh, child! I remember that amazing latte I had in February 2022. What a wonderful time!”) Like, THAT GOOD.

And you know what? Most of the time, the food looks incredible but it’s not incredible… Actually, it’s not even OK. And I don’t know about you, but I can’t stand meh food, less alone bad food.

There was this time a couple of years ago when the husband and I went to a really popular Instagrammable place (I will omit the name here) and we ordered some waffles and toast for brunch. The place was crowded with people taking cute pictures in front of the floral displays and the queue was for half an hour, so we thought the place had to be good. Big spoiler? It wasn’t. Those waffles were probably the most insipid ones I have ever tasted and the so-called cotton candy cocktail I ordered tasted like carbonated water. I paid about fourteen pounds for the drink, so I can tell you I wasn’t very happy about it. Sebastian was quite disappointed himself, so we never came back. As you can imagine, I am rather wary after that experience.

Best places for brunch in London. Instagram cafes in London.

A few weeks ago, I called a friend for brunch and we decided to go and try a new place. Viola’s at Covent Garden has recently become a super-popular place in town. They serve breakfast, brunch, and afternoon tea options and the place is always packed with people, so you do need to book in advance. As a bonus, the food is displayed artistically, with delicate and colourful floral compositions that will catch your eye.

When we first arrived, we were surprised by the modest size of the place, but it was still full and no free table was in sight. However, as we had booked the day before, the waitress sit us in about five minutes and brought the menu super quickly. (Bonus: the lady was super lovely and we had a nice time chatting with her!)

My friend ordered their red velvet cake and mocha coffee, while I chose the pink latte and salmon croissant. Our food was served super fast and we both held our breaths in awe when it arrived: as you can see in the pictures, it was alluring! My coffee contained real flowers and rainbow glitter and I must confess I was too scared to taste it (partially, because I didn’t want to spoil it, but also partially because I was afraid it wouldn’t taste as good as it looked). And you know what? I was WRONG. Because guys, that coffee was delicious! It tasted sweet, a bit like strawberries, and I loved it.

Then, I proceeded to test the croissant that, to my surprise, it didn’t only contain salmon, but also benedict eggs, and butter-cooked asparagus. The verdict? They were scrumptious! I will say this and defend it to death: probably the best salmon croissant I have tried in town, so far. And that speaks by itself!

My friends happily reported his cake and coffee were amazing too and none of us managed to finish the food, given the generous portions we were served. So, if this was a review from the Art of Eating, I would give them five forks and I’d still fall short!

Regarding value, I was charged £14.00 for the croissant and £6.00 for the latte. So, although it’s not the cheapest breakfast place ever, I’d say it’s very reasonable given London prices for venues of this type.

So, I am glad to report I might have discovered a new favourite spot for brunch. Now, if you excuse me, my mouth is watering after thinking of all the delicious food, so I might need to assault the pantry…

What was the last amazing brunch you discovered? What do you think of Instagram-friendly cafes?

March 2, 2022March 2, 2022

Allegra Caro12 Comments

How To Look Polished Without Breaking The Bank

As a frequent fashion forums reader I realised that, for years, the internet has been plagued with never-ending threads on the topic of how to look sophisticated on a budget.

At this point, it’s a bit like the sartorial version of the Saint Grail, and anyone trying to answer the question ends up trapped on a quest. Actually, I think we could change the title of this post to Indiana Jones And The Last Fashion Crusade and call it a day.

From my experience, I learned that looking at the big fashion magazines or the top influencers’ content will not help. These days, you can easily feel it all comes down to the latest IT bag, the thousand-pound shoes, or that super exclusive beauty treatment that will cost you the blood of your firstborn and can only be applied by seven fairy virgin maidens, under a blue full-moon… You get the idea, don’t you?

Fashion advice on how to look amazing on a budget.

But what happens to the average professional woman? Should we all throw a potato sack coat, hide our heads in a paper bag, and live unhappily ever after? As I wrote before, I don’t enjoy tragedies other than Shakespeare. So, I spent some time over the years looking at Pinterest, reading fashion bloggers, and small specialised publications, looking at high-end, high-street, and vintage stores. Eventually, I started drawing some conclusions. Then, I tried them all and I failed miserably. (Sorry to disappoint you but, with me being me, we all know chances of doing something successfully on the first attempt are… well, let’s go with minimal here).

So I decided to start from scratch again by experimenting a lot and this is all I learned. These are my top tips on how to look polished without breaking the bank.

Neutrals are the to-go formula for success. Guys, I love a colourful outfit. And by that, I mean I consider myself the human form of a sassy chameleon. But with that said, bold colours are not always the easier to pull. If you want to project confidence and a subtle aura of elegance, your best shot is going for neutrals. Cream, beige, camel, black, or grey are an easy way to look presentable without having to overthink it. If you still want to add a bit of interest to your outfit, play a bit with the accessories and pick a colorful bag or shoes. Believe me when I say it’s a fool-proof recipe style. Not even I can spoil it!

2. Hair is far more important than makeup (and than any designer pieces, for the matter). A lesson I had to learn the hard way from my younger days is a good hair day is far more important than a good makeup day. On most occasions, you will be fine with a touch of concealer, mascara, and a natural-looking gloss. But bad hair, on the other hand? That will ruin even the most carefully curated outfit. Instead of investing in the hundredth red lipstick you don’t need, be sure you have got all the haircare and styling products you need. All I can say it’s Oraplex has made much more for my appearance than any of my designer bags…

3. Better quality materials (meaning natural fibers) will automatically elevate any outfit. Do you know what beautiful, fuchsia colour, fluffy jumper you got at Zara a couple of seasons ago and that got ruined after two washes? Please, make yourself a favour and throw it away. Even better, kill it with fire (but in an open space or you will suffocate with the toxic polyester fume). Yes, sister: I’ve been there. And that’s the reason why I am telling you this from the bottom of my heart. You do NOT need another mindless shopping spree on the sales. What you need though, it’s investing in a few good-quality pieces (think natural cotton, linen, silk, alpaca, or cashmere). Those fabrics will make you look effortlessly chic and they will be good for your wallet in the long run too.

4. Take care of the details. When was the last time you polished your shoes? And what about your manicure? The way we present ourselves is sometimes not as much about the lavish brands like the way we take care of ourselves. Keep yourself hydrated and nourished from the inside for glowy skin (and yes, this comes from someone who spent her university years feeding on pizza up to a point my husband started calling me Supermario. So I do know, what I’m speaking about here). Sleep enough, make some exercise. Fix those loose buttons from your favourite blouse. It’s about the small things, mostly.

5. A good quality bag doesn’t have to cost the Earth. Ideally, we should all have at least two good-quality handbags—one for winter, one for summer—,three if we have another one for work. I am not going to be that picky here. Forget about the four thousand pound designer bag. It’s great if you can get that one, of course, but I can tell you it’s not always about the big name on the tag. Let me illustrate with an example. In the last year or so, I fell in love with a Scottish brand called Strathberry. They produce luxury craftmanship leather bags for a fraction of the price you will pay at the big names (and you know what? when you compare quality, you can tell no difference). So my advice here is, make a bit of research, find a brand you like that makes long-lasting bags and you will never regret it.

And these are my top tips on how to look polished without breaking the bank. Now tell me, what are your tips for me? Any advice you wish to share with our lovely community over here? (Scroll down for my outfit details.)

How to dress elegantly in an affordable way.

– OUTFIT –

Jumper, Coat, and Trousers (Zara) | Sunglasses (Chloe) | Shoes (Dorothy Perkins)

February 16, 2022February 15, 2022

Allegra Caro3 Comments

The Most Beautiful Valentine’s Day Dresses Out There

Oh, it’s the most magical time of the year again! (And no, I’m not referring to Christmas this time.) Or at least, it’s the most magical time of the shopping year to me! If there is something I love about Valentine’s Day, it is the fact it gives us all a good excuse to go out and shop for dresses. And I don’t know about you, but I am all about that. YAY!

If you have been reading me for a while now, you probably noticed I am not a shopaholic. I buy very little these days, and mainly from sustainable sources, but as soon as VD approaches I feel a real kick for pretty dresses. Frilly dresses, cocktail dresses, bodycon dresses, little black dresses—any dresses, really! I totally blame the approximately 240,168 romantic comedies I watched in my teens. (Plus, I also blame them for the awful haircuts in my early twenties. I had to learn I was no Jennifer Aniston the hard way, oops…) Mainly, they set my silly expectations about going out on nice dates, wearing something beautiful. And that’s pretty much it, guys. As soon as February arrives, I start searching for cute frocks, so I thought I might as well share them with you this year!

I’ve never been a huge fan of trousers or skirts but, on the other hand, give me a cute dress and I’ll be the happiest human being in all creation. I don’t need an amazing car or a huge condo in the Maldives. A few cute dresses will do. Yes, I am that simple. What can I say?

But going back to the topic: Looking for nice dresses to wear on Valentine’s Day? Keep reading! I have you covered.

1.The Sexy Little Red Dress. The first dress on my list is from House of CB and it’s this amazing berry-toned bodycon number in the softest satin fabric. I don’t know about you, but It gives me the old Hollywood femme-fatale/siren vibes. Spoiler alert: I think there is a solid 90% chance this is the one I’m wearing this year. Totally practicing my lines now: “Sorry detective, I never knew what happened to my husband…” I bet you watched that movie too.

2. The Lacey Black Dress. This one is from All Saints. If the previous one suggested old Hollywood glam, this one screams supermodel on holiday. (And OK, I know most of us are not aspiring models but a bit of glam never hurts, right? Let us have a bit of a fantasy.) It’s dressy, and still so easy to tone down—just add a nice pair of Chelsea boots and a biker and wear it for a casual date with your girlfriends. Or add a shovel to dispose of the aforementioned husband… Sorry! I’m still thinking of the dress above! Blame House of CB because I am #OMGOBSESSED

3.The Sophisticated White Dress. This Tom Ford cashmere piece has something I can’t put my finger on. It has an indefinite aura, which is a bit of a mix between Amal ClooneTy, Meghan Markle, and that badass character from a science fiction movie who will save everyone and still have time to look amazing. Do you know what I am speaking about or did I just imagine this whole thing? Yeah, probably the latter…

4. The Cotton Candy Pink Dress. Guys, if there is perfection out there, that’s Miu Miu. Their little dresses never disappoint and this lovely pastel pink cutie is here to conquer. The pointed collar and smart cuffs are embellished to add a bit of glam and I can’t stop thinking about all the ways I could style it. If you excuse me, I need to take my notebook and start writing about that before I forget…

5. The Italian Bombshell Dress. In my head, as soon as you put this Dolce dress on, you automatically turn into Monica Belluci in a perfume advertisement (and no, you cannot convince me otherwise). The cut is gorgeous, the floral pattern is the perfect balance between chic and quirky, and the colours are beautiful. If you order this, don’t forget to book an Italian holiday. You can thank me later.

The most beautiful valentines day dresses to shop

6. The Red Valentino Dress. This is the one I would wear as a conversation piece. Do you remember that amazing Versace Carrie Bradshaw was wearing at the end of SATC? Well, that’s what this Point d’esprit tulle midi dress is aiming for. But on a more wearable design. And like a thousand times better price…

And that’s it from today, guys. I have tried adding a bit of everything, but you do know I have a taste for fashion drama, so I might not be really neutral here. Feel absolutely free of sending me other dress suggestions you feel I need to know about! And of course, let me know if you found your perfect Valentine’s Day dress.

February 9, 2022February 8, 2022

Allegra Caro4 Comments

How to Embrace Winter Style (And Feel Fabulous As You Do It)

When one thinks about seasonal weather Winter seems to be the ugly sister.

If you evoke spring, your mind will be full of images of pretty floral dresses and pastel colours. Summer recalls vaporous frocks and straw hats, and autumn inspires a myriad of rich tones and lovely knitwear. Winter, though? Winter always suggests boring parkas and Ugg boots.

In other words, if the cold season were a person, she’d be that poor girl in the teenagers’ movie who is never invited to the prom and cries her eyes out because it’s SO UNFAIR.

When talking about winter fashion advice, all the information out there seems to be focused on staying warm (and yes, I also wrote a post about it last year) but, there is very little guidance on how to enjoy styling winter pieces. Wintertime clothes feel a bit like an obligation we have to cope with, instead of something we can appreciate. And guys, I feel sorry for winter! Actually, I feel the urge to offer a hot chocolate to her, wrap her in a fluffy blanket, and tell her everything is going to be alright.

Winter style tips for women over thirty.

So, is it even possible to like winter fashion? I truly think it is, so keep reading if you wish to learn how to embrace winter style and feel fabulous about it.

The first thing we should talk about is the classic dilemma between beautiful and practical clothes. When you think about it, every casual conversation about the topic and every magazine article gravitate around this dichotomy. The conclusion is always the same: you must choose between staying stylish or staying warm. Period. And you know what? To me, that’s the biggest fashion fallacy ever.

Nowadays, most companies are busy producing lovely and high-quality coats. Not to speak about hats, boots, and scarves! Why do we keep insisting on that old-fashioned idea? This brings me to the first point.

Statement coats are key. If like me, you live in a cold-weather country, you will be using your coats a lot. (And by that I mean there’s a chance you don’t remove it from the moment you leave the house, mainly because you don’t feel like freezing to death and becoming Jack Nicholson at the end of The Shining…) So given the fact most people will only see you in your coat, doesn’t it make sense it is as stylish as possible? And yes, I also own a long parka I use in the snow when the winter goes ugly, but if you can do it, pick a couple of nice coats in pretty neutrals you can easily mix and match. Or just go bold and pick up a statement piece. I own a variety of coats made in pure wool and in different styles (anything from military/regimental to quirky fits the bill for me) and those always add an extra something. Plus, I truly enjoy styling them with pretty accessories and that can never hurt.

2. Satisfaction guarantweed! (I´m very sorry guys, I couldn’t help myself. I will skip dessert today as a reminder of my awful sense of humour…) One of my favourite fabrics to wear during the coldest months is tweed. It’s stylish, it warm, and it comes in a variety of shades and designs. No matter what’s your style, you will find a tweed piece you love if you look for long enough. Case on point? This stunning skirt I found in Zara a couple of seasons ago. It’s fun, it’s unique, and it’s versatile. In other words? A total winner. I’m leaving some nice examples of tweed pieces here for your reference. Please feel free to have a look!

3. With gloves and scarves go bold or go home. Don’t be afraid of investing in colourful high-quality accessories. One of my favourite winter style tricks is illuminating a neutral outfit by simply adding a pop of colour in the shape of long bright gloves or a fabulous scarf. They can be the cherry on top of the cake, elevating an outfit while keeping you warm.

4. Velvet can be a stylish alternative to jeans. So why not to treat yourself with a pair of nice trousers or a little dress? They are friendly with the office dress code, and you will feel fantastic too. Just because, as much as you might love your boyfriend jeans for casual days, having your ankles’ skin exposed at minus 5 degrees isn’t the brighter idea.

5. A pattern will add some interest to your outfit. This is the season when most people opt for darker colours and plain textures, and that’s all well and good, but if you want to upgrade your outfit, patterns are the easiest way to do so. Houndstooth, Prince of Wales check, plaid, and dark rich florals are just a few examples. Don’t be afraid of experimenting and remember: add one pattern only to avoid distractions.

– OUTFIT –

Skirt and Blouse (Zara, similar here) | Bag (Chanel) | Boots (Deichman, similar at Tommy Hilfiger)

And that’s pretty much it! As you can see, adding a bit of interest to your winter outfit is not too complicated. It only requires a bit more creativity than spring and summer outfits.

February 2, 2022February 8, 2022

Allegra Caro13 Comments

The Strange Case Of The Little Yellow Valentino

How many of you over here are mystery books and movies fans?

If you are, please grab yourself a cup of tea because today I am bringing you an inexplicable story that could be out of the pages of a Sherlock Holmes case. It takes place in foggy London and involves an old Pinterest photo, a sceptical girl, and a little yellow Valentino dress.

Our enigma starts in a little apartment four years ago, when a then much younger (and probably much more rested) fashion blogger aspirant was browsing through her Pinterest feed on a cold Saturday morning. (In case you didn’t guess yet, that girl is me and I know for a fact it was a Saturday morning because back in the day Pinterest and coffee was my weekend morning ritual before getting ready for whatever plans I had. But I am disgressing here…)

Autumn Wintr Valentino Dress. Cheap design dresses.

So where was I? Oh, yes, Pinterest. So, I was browsing through my feed and saving some outfit ideas when the first event happened. The suggestions page refreshed and showed me this pin. I held my breath—There it was, the most perfect marigold yellow dress I had ever seen. I stopped scrolling and looked at it in wonder for a few minutes.

It was a little tie-neck dress, made of lovely silk, with a flared-bib design. It had the cutest buttons in the front part and looked perfect to me.

So I did what anyone would: I clicked on the link to shop for the dress. I was already taking my credit card out when I froze. Because guys, that unique and perfect dress, the one I was already planning to hang in my closet, was a brand new Valentino. And let me tell you that, back in the day, there was no way I was buying a two thousand pounds clothing item. ‘When Hell freezes over‘,I said with a lump in my throat. And I am not going to lie: I almost cried when I felt like a five years old who is not allowed to have nice things because she will break them (which is a fair point anyway, because with me being me, there is always a chance).

Affordable designer dresses. Sustainable designer dresses.

And this should be the end of it, really, but it would be a mediocre mystery story if it finished here, right? The interesting fact is I saved the pin. Then, once in a while, I would open my outfits folder and look at it, sighing. As weeks went by, I showed it to my husband, my sister, a colleague, and the dairyman, for the matter. It was my favourite dress, only… it wasn’t mine, really. That made me feel rather miserable. After a month or so, I started giving hope away and stopped looking at the Pinterest photo. Eventually, I even forgot about it.

Four years after, and already living in London, the second chapter of this conundrum was presented to me.

Sustainable waut to source designer dresses.

One cold evening last November, Sebastian and I went out for coffee and some shopping. We were walking down Oxford Circus when it suddenly started raining and we looked for a place to buy us some time. We were about to enter Zara (because I´m still shopping for pretty pants) when I felt this strange urge to go inside the outlet next door. First, we had a look at the homeware section, where they have some nice staff, and then I decided to have a look at the women’s floor. I started browsing through the clothes racks when I glimpsed a marigold piece hanging there. Attracted by the colour, I pulled the hanger and lost my voice. I stood there in disbelief, looking at the dress with stunned bewilderment. I had to ask Sebastian to hold it while I grabbed the phone and opened my Pinterest app. After a minute or two, I found the pin I had saved four years before. It was the same freaking dress.

‘How in the name of God?‘, I asked Sebastian in wonder. Then, I checked the price tag and couldn’t believe it. As I remembered, the original price was more than two thousand pounds but it was now reduced to three hundred and fifty pounds. I started checking the dress, looking for suspicious stains, flimsy seams, lost buttons, or any other defect. And you know what I found? Nothing. The dress was perfect in every possible sense. And also, my exact size. What are the chances?

Guys, I don’t know what happened then but I lost my senses. I looked at the dress and the very attractive price and instead of running to the cashier, I put it back in the rack. Yes, you can totally kill me now. That day I had just made another big purchase and wasn’t feeling that generous with myself. My husband, on the other hand, took the dress and headed for the cashier. I reasoned with him and decided to give it a thought for a couple of days. Sebastian, poor thing, was perplexed. He spent the whole day trying to make me buy it. But guys, let me tell you I can be quite irrational. At a certain point, I replied to him that if it was meant to be, it would be. I mean, slap me. But I went home, worked for the rest of the week, and got trapped in my daily routine forgetting about the dress again.

The last episode of this charade developed on Christmas Day. After lunch, we were opening presents and Sebastian gave me this big present wrapped in sparkly red. When I opened it, the well-known marigold yellow popped merrily and I opened my mouth in surprise. I looked at him, he shook his shoulders and simply said: ‘I guess it was meant to be‘.

And this ends the strange case of the little yellow Valentino. To this day, I don’t even know how that even happened but I can only guess some universal forces acted here. And you know? That’s part of the beauty of it. Not knowing how it happened.

Has something like this ever happened to you? Let me know in the comments!

– OUTFIT –

Dress (Valentino) | Bag (Strathberry) | Beret (United Colours of Benetton)

January 26, 2022January 26, 2022

Allegra Caro4 Comments

Getting Rid Of My Fear OF Trousers: Shopping For The Most Beautiful Autumn Pants Out There.

I think we can all agree the pandemic has changed many things for us: mostly our daily habits and the way we interact with others, but also the way we dress.

Before February 2020 and the successive lockdowns, we had a rigid dressing etiquette. We knew what to wear to the office or the school drop-off, and it was crystal-clear at all times. Nowadays though? Well, not so much. With the implementation of remote working and a rare social life for months, the lines have blurred since the start of the pandemic, and style guides seem to be almost outdated. Before 2020, the idea of wearing yoga pants at the office, for instance, would have made most of us cry with laughter. These days, on the other hand, nobody raises an eyebrow while working from the comfort of the living room in their gym clothes.

Hear my unpopular opinion here: I don’t know about you, but I think this has made things more complicated. My formerly all-purpose closet seems a bit too much now, and I find myself guessing twice about what to wear (even for the most mundane daily errands). Like, is it still OK to wear a pencil skirt dress to the office? Or should I be toning it down? Because these days, it feels like EVERYTHING needs to be toned down. Dresses are suddenly too much, and so are high heels, nice suits, and tailored skirts. I feel like I went to bed in 2019, and then I woke up the next day in a world where trainers and track pants seem to be the only acceptable policy and the content of my closet should be set on fire.

And OK, it’s not like an angry mob is going to chase me around the block with forks and torches for wearing a skirt and my Manolos—although that is nightmares material to me and also, the plot for a Hallmark movie nobody would pay to watch— but it does provide me with a new inadequacy feeling I did not need. (I already feel inadequate and self-conscious most of the time without all this post-pandemic fashion nonsense, THANKYOUVERYMUCH…)

So, what is the solution here? Should I burn down all my clothes and start from scratch? Well, that would surely be a solution, but if you are anything like me and earning the average professional salary, chances are you can’t afford to throw away the entire content of your wardrobe and move on. Plus, that wouldn’t be very ethical or sustainable, would it? Instead, you might end up working with what you already have and building on it.

For months, I’ve been thinking about creative solutions over and over. I am not gonna lie: I am NOT your casual kind of gal. Rumor has it that if you search for extra in the urban dictionary, my picture will come across… So, no, I will not fix the issue by getting myself some sporty clothes. (Sorry to disappoint you if you thought this post was heading that way.) Sure, shifting to a more casual style would make my life easier, but it would also make me miserable. And I think 2020/2021 was bad enough without adding a self-esteem crisis to the equation.

“What, then?” I can hear absolutely no one asking! Well, the logical conclusion is this: I need to add some pieces that feel a bit more everyday-friendly and can be easily styled for casual occasions but still feel like “me”. Easy, right? Oh, my sweet child of Summer! If only! But this is easier said than done. A quick look at my wardrobe is enough to see I am a dresses and skirts lover, with a soft spot for formal clothes. Trousers, on the other hand? Yeah, I don’t love those so much—and that, guys, is the understatement of the century because the truth is I HATE most styles with a passion. Like, dress me in jeans and I will cry for three days, probably (I wish I were joking here, just ask Sebastian about it…)

I don’t know why I feel so bad about trousers (and more specifically jeans), to be honest. It might be that you HAD to wear them every day at my high school to stop drawing unwanted attention from the local teenage bullies. Or maybe the fact they don’t always look great when you are as thin as me. Whatever the reason is, I have never liked them. To me, trousers have always been the clothing equivalent to the Boogey Man, if you please.

However, I do own a few pairs of trousers. And for some reason, I always gravitate towards them when looking for something a bit more down-to-Earth to wear (especially during the coldest months). Now, that’s a plot twist, isn’t it? So yeah, I tend to avoid wearing jeans at all costs, but I have one or two pairs of nice trousers that I don’t completely hate. Mainly, to look less high-maintenance—and also to feel like a normal human being. With all of that in mind, I took a conscious decision: I would get rid of my fear of trousers and add some more to my collection. (But not jeans, people—I do have boundaries, after all.)

So last September, I spent a couple of idle mornings wandering through the city centre, consciously looking for some alternatives that would suit my style. The first stop was Zara, where I was reasonably successful in the past by adding some basics to my wardrobe. After visiting a shop or two in Oxford Street—and after an epic fail while trying on pants that would make me look like Betty Spaguetty doll—I finally found a pair I truly liked. It was a classic cut, high-waisted, and had some coat of arms style button details that made them feel special. Actually, these trousers gave me Chloe vibes immediately, and they were a fraction of the price too, so I decided to give them a go and visit the fitting room. And guys, I am so glad I did.

The trousers (as you can see in the picture) are the perfect shade of beige you can mix and match with almost any colour palette. I am all about pastels in Autumn as you might remember, so I paired it with this lovely dust pink blouse (also from Zara). I feel they are super easy to style, especially for office attire. Throw a nice shirt and heels and you are good to go! Also, they hug my figure in the right places and don’t make me look too slim. Win-win, people! So for once, I am wearing some pants that I don’t just tolerate but I truly like! How great is that? As a matter of fact, I like them so much I am already looking for similar alternatives in different colours. And I mean, for someone afraid of trousers, that’s a huge achievement, guys. So please feel free to send any nice alternatives to me! Anything with a similar cut will do.

In case you have got a similar problem, or you are simply looking for some nice trousers to wear this Autumn, I took the liberty of looking for the most beautiful pants to shop on the internet. See my personal curation below and let me know if anything catches your attention!

Pretty trousers this way: have a look here, here, and here. Let me know what are your favourites!

– OUTFIT –

Trousers and Blouse (Zara) | Bag (Strathberry) | Shoes (Dorothy Perkins, last season)

November 4, 2021November 3, 2021

Allegra Caro4 Comments

I Found The Best Luxury Silk Pyjamas at Larolas And I am Celebrating It With A Give AWay

Have you ever felt like you were looking for that perfect piece of clothing forever? That’s exactly what I experienced for the last two months while looking for the one pure silk pyjama set that would finally make my skin feel amazing. The one pyjama set to rule them all.

The story began last March during one of my casual chats with a friend. We were talking about how your typical cotton sleepwear always seem to leave sleep marks all over your body and how this is one of those unavoidable curses that come with age. It’s a bit of a bummer, really: one day you are in the flower of your youth, all flawless skin, and the next you got sleep marks all over your face and body, and you look like the victim of an ancient Egyptian jinx. As a consequence, if you are anything like me and ~~a bit of~~ a drama queen, there is a good chance you spend five minutes every morning complaining about it because #SOUNFAIR. Guys, I wished I was joking here. I am not though and Sebastian can tell you about ALL the morning moaning while I apply my skincare…

At some point, I got sick of it all and after a fair amount of research I decided to give silk a go due to its well-known anti-aging properties.

I tried it all guys: I searched in every online sleepwear shop I knew, spending an amount of money I would prefer not to admit publicly in what seemed to be the search for the saint pyjamas grail (and Indiana Jones thought he was on a challenging quest, tsk…). I tried high street brands at different price points and I only got more and more dissapointed.

And as I was about to give up though, I received a message from the wonderful people at Laloras, asking me if I would like to test one of their 100% long-strand pure Mulberry silk pyjama sets. And although in all honesty I was quite sick of the whole thing at the time, I decided to give it a final go. And guys, I am so glad I did!

They kindly ordered the Tina Washable Piped Silk Pajama Set in cupid rose for me, together with some of their sleepmasks and scrunchies. One week afterwards, I got the parcel in the mail and decided to test the products right away and see by myself how much of a difference (or not) could I find. As the sceptic creature I am, my initial plans consisted in trying the sleepwear for a couple of weeks before allowing myself to form an opinion on the matter.

With all of this in mind, I prepared for bedtime on the first night (a.k.a ‘experiment session number one’ if you fancy) and, to my surprise, I noticed that the fabric did feel notably softer when compared to the bunch of pyjamas I had already tried. There is something about pure silk that makes me think about water since it’s so soft and light to the touch.

The watery texture is due to the composition of their products which is mulberry silk, considered the highest quality and most expensive silk. (Fun fact: in case you don’t know, mulberry silk comes from the Bombyx mori silkworm, a species whose diet consists exclusively of mulberry leaves, making it one of the rarest and more exquisite fabrics in the world. So yeah, you are totally authorized to feel like an empress when wearing it. Actually, feel free to call me Sissi from now, as far as I am concerned…)

Next morning, I woke up and headed to shower and I got shocked by the fact I could not find a single sleepmark in my body. I repeat: not a single one. What kind of witchcraft was that?

So, this bad boy is not only hypoallergenic, breathable, 6A Grade 100 percent pure mulberry silk, but also woven of silk charmeuse, which feels lighter and drapes incredibly well. HA! You see where I am coming with this, right? I was so impressed, the sceptic planning went out of the window as soon as experiment session number two… (And now you know why I never made it as a researcher at the WHO. Oops…)

But the whole point is, the two-month-long Indiana Jones style quest in search for the perfect anti-aging pyjamas was finally over and I would feel good enough on my skin to rest—and in style too.

Guys, we made it to the end of this review already, so it’s time to talk about our give away. To spread my love for their sleepwear, I am partnering with Larolas to offer a lucky winner a prize of silk accessories. Head to my Instagram account today for a chance to win before Sunday the 30th! I promise you will no regret a thing.

Good luck all contestants!

May 20, 2021May 19, 2021

Allegra Caro11 Comments

Beautiful Spring Outfit Ideas for Life After Lockdown

After what seems to be longest, dullest winter that ever was, we are seeing some shy signs of Spring arrival around here in London—and all I can say is FINALLY!

And yes, I know I might sound like a broken record at this point but c’mon, it feels great to get a real reason to feel joyful and carefree. In case you don’t know, London has been in lockdown intermittenly from last November (although it feels like since Biblical times, as far as I am concerned…) but as March rolled out, our government started the path towards return to normal life.

April was the month when we finally got some non-essential services back such as salons or shops, and most businesses and leissure activities will be allowed between May and June. How glorious is that?

And as much as I am looking forward to spend some time out and about soon, the other huge motivation for me is the prospect of wearing ACTUAL clothes! I mean, actual clohes to go outside and do real life stuff? Count me in! THANKYOUVERYMUCH.

And because we will all be out and about very soon, I thought it could be exciting sharing some outfit ideas for all of those coffee dates with partners, catch-ups with friends, an nice seasonal walks coming our way.

Case on point? This classic black and white number with a pop of colour!

Because guys, I love a nice blouse + circle skirt combo (basically, this is something that will make me think of Audrey Herpburn everytime and if it’s good enough for her, who am I to even disagree?)

First of all, let me just tell you that I am #obsessed with this blouse. Like in, ‘if I could marry a blouse, I would file divorce from the husband in a second’ kind-of-obsessed. This one is from Oasis Fashion and as soon as I saw it, it gave me all the Zimmermann vibes—but also, it was a fraction of the price! Unfortunately, it is out of the stock now, but I have found a similar one at Gucci for the high-end lovers and another beautiful option at Oasis for those who prefer high street.

The skirt on the other hand? It’s one of those timeless pieces you can wear over and over and that will look fantastic any occasion (I have lost track of the number of times I have worn this over springtime over the last few years, to be honest. At this point, it’s more a family member than a piece of clothing, really. Let’s just call her Aunt Margaret and call it a day…). ~~This one~~, I mean, Aunt Margaret is an old purchase but you can find similar alternatives here, here, and here.

Regarding this lovely colour-pop of a bag, it is courtesy of The Cambridge Satchel Company. In case you haven’t read it yet, you will find all you need to know about it in the review I wrote back in January (but just so you know, my love for the Cloud Bag is still going strong—and yes, I am planning to add some more pieces to my ever-growing bag shrine soon because we all know you can´t really have too many nice bags, right?). (Well, as a matter of fact you can. Especially if you live in a modest-sized London apartment and you have to choose between bag space and bed space. But that’s a whole other story for other occasion.)

But back to the topic and to wrap things up, I will link some more seasonal blouses and skirts for all the spring outfits you will be wearing very soon. No doubt there will be plenty of opportunities to wear nice spring outfits again!

Are you excited to be wearing real clothes very soon?

May 12, 2021May 16, 2021

Allegra Caro15 Comments

Five Things Saving My Sanity During Lockdown

I think we can all agree 2020 was a helluva year. Happily, and as far as we know, in 2021 things are looking a bit better. The vaccine is finally here, most vulnerable people are receiving immunisation, and we can see the light at the end of the tunnel (and guys, let me tell you that was a pitch-dark, long, ugly tunnel).

However, we are still in the middle of that last effort before things turn for the better. We are experiencing what will probably be the last big lockdown but we still need to deal with a lot of time at home. At this point, even couch potatoes like me are starting to feel it’s all a bit too much and run out of ideas on how to get ourselves busy AND sane.

Now, I am a hundred per cent aware I am one of the few privileged people who were able to keep working from home full-time through the pandemic and who didn’t even have to experience the added struggle of balancing work and home-schooling. To all the people out there who had to go through furlough or take care of children without the extra-support of school, nursing, or parents all I can say is this: you are heroes. Period.

But even being in such a good place, this experience has been hard to an extent I couldn’t have predicted when things went wild last March. I have already written about all the ways this has been difficult but I thought it could be positive sharing all those little things making the whole lockdown, if not fine, at least slightly more bearable. Like in, “Hey, at least I did not shave my head or something” kind-of-bearable.

So, let me share with you five things saving my sanity during Lockdown.

01. Daily bubble baths

I know, I know. It sounds like such a cliché. However, it works for me. Usually, I am tired and anxious after a long workday stuck in the house and I need something to make me switch from work-mode to personal life-mode. Through this year, bubble baths have proved to be a simple way to unwind at the end of the day. I love choosing a nice essential oil, get a book or magazine, and the occasional glass of prosecco. It is like magic—especially during wintertime when it’s pitch-dark about 4 in the afternoon and far too cold to venture for a walk.

02. Practicing ballet at home

January last year, I started attending ballet lessons for adults at a local dance studio. Learning classic ballet had been on my bucket list forever so I decided to give it a go as a part of my 2020 New Year resolutions (and will you Universe let me complete at least one of those once in a while? Thankyouverymuch…).

Unfortunately, London went into lockdown in March, meaning all the gyms and dance studios closed temporarily. This was something that truly took a toll on me: dancing was my weekly ritual to release all work the tension and socialise (not to mention it was the only actual exercise I practiced at the time). So I found myself stuck in the house and not exercising at all. I could see things going down the plughole in a blink and decided to stop it.

About mid-April I found a couple of nice Youtube channels teaching ballet lessons for beginners and transformed my kitchen counter on a ballet barre. And let me tell you that’s probably one of the best lockdown decisions I have ever made. It is crystal-clear I’ll never become an Anna Pavlova but I feel great. So morals are simple here: practice exercise. Any exercise. I think we can all agree we need as many endorphins as we can possibly get at the moment.

03. Stopped wearing yoga pants all the time

I already wrote a blog post about the time I ended up yelling at my yoga pants but to sum it up, wearing the same clothes over and over will make you feel like you are wearing a prison uniform. These days, I will occasionally wear comfy clothes while staying at home but most of the time, I try to make an effort and wear proper work attire. It makes me feel good, it increases my productivity, and it also creates a sense of separation between the working day and my spare time. Win-win situation here.

04. Thematic Netflix marathons

Let me tell you something about the lockdown: we’ve been milking our Netflix subscription like CRAZY. In the beginning, we would just watch random stuff. In the last few months though, we have organized a series of thematic marathons. Let’s say we feel like watching dystopian fiction. We look for a list of genre movies from the Netflix catalogue and then organize them in terms of author, actor, or year and watch them. In the meantime, we love to comment on them (yes, we are THAT kind of people… don’t hate us) and even make a list giving them star points. I don’t need to mention the type of nerds we are, do I?

As silly as it sounds, organizing these little marathons has been our weekly highlight and a lovely way to entertain ourselves while avoiding cabin fever. Popcorn anyone?

05. Online socialising

This year has been the one with all the online socialising: weekend Zoom catch-ups with friends, Sunday morning and mid-week evening Skype coffee dates with family, daily Instagram community chats—you name it. To me, Internet has made the difference between feeling lonely and having a taste of a normal social life (even if it was a socially-distanced one). I can say it has been the one tool saving my sanity during the pandemic and I can’t even imagine how things would have been without an Internet connection. I will neever be grateful enough about that.

So tell me: what are your secret weapons for well-being during lockdown?

Any tips you want to share?

January 25, 2021January 25, 2021

Allegra Caro6 Comments