Author: Allegra Caro

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

saintpancraschristmas

renaissancehotel2

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.)

renaissancehotel3

saintpancrashoteltree

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?)

renaissancehotel4

IMG_0453

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.

generatedtext

 

renaissancehotel1

wearing

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

Bag: Handmade / Boots: Deichman (alternative here)

 

 

Allegra Caro1 Comment

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

coventgardenoutfit2

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.

coventgardenmarket

conventgardenoutfit

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).

tiffany's

tiffanyspresents

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…

generatedtext

 

coventgardenoutfit2

wearing

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

Bag: Axes Femme (vintage, similar here)

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

 

 

 

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.

christmasteaoutfitsdetails

christmasteaoutfit2

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.

a-day-of-my-life-outfit

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?

 

christmasafternoonteaoutfit

wearing

Skirt: Chicwish / Sweater: Zara / Tights: Calzedonia

Shoes: Deichman / Bag and brooch: CHANEL 

 

 

Allegra Caro8 Comments

Seven Days of Christmas Outfits: Day 1 Christmas Shopping

christmasoutfitforshopping.jpg

christmasshoppingoutfit

generatedtext

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!

shoppingforchristmas

christmasshoppinginlondon

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.

christmasshoppingoutfitlondon

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?

 

christmasoutfitshopping

wearing

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

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

Beret: Collectiff

 

 

Allegra Caro7 Comments

A Day of my Life in Pictures (blogging behind the scenes)

Back in the day, in what now feels like a hundred years ago, I used to be an active Livejournal user. For those of you who are (far) younger than me, LJ was an early blogging platform intended to be used as a personal journal. Although I didn’t post so often over there, I was still an avid content reader. My favourite community was A Day of My Life in Pictures (a.k.a. ADIML), a group whose main target was to document the daily lives of anonymous people around the world. As you were posting, let’s say, about your daily errands in a little English town, other individuals were sharing their day-to-day from Korea, Argentina, or Morocco. Cool, right?

Those were candid times when social media was not developed yet and DSLR cameras were a rare privilege, mostly used by professionals. This means photos were taken with domestic devices/phones and the edition was close to nonexistent (shocking!) Oh, the good ol’ days!

A couple of months ago, I published a mock day in a blogger’s life post which was written with a humorous tone and produced a good dose of positive reactions. The truth is that post made me feel a bit sentimental about the bold simplicity of blogging on those first early days, just for the sake of it: there was no editorial calendar, no SEO research, and of course, no content strategy—we didn’t even know about those things back then. As strange as it might sound today, we used to blog for fun. Hence, I thought that for a change I could write a new article, reflecting a random day of my new life as a Londoner. Just as I would in 2005. Don’t say I am no nostalgic…

So, here we go: this is my November 27th, 2019.

a-day-in-the-life-of-a-blogger

08.00 a.m. (My apartment)

I’d love to write I woke up with that Hollywood movie golden sunlight but for the sake of honesty, I’ll confess this is the gloomiest day this week so far. (Because, as we all know, if you plan a photo day, the chances are it will be the darkest morning ever. Hey, Murphy’s law! I love you too…) Given the fact I live in London now, rain and fog are on the daily menu at this time of the year which means coffee is an integral part of my morning survival strategy. I should be probably taking a photo of me, just as I wake up but c’mon, no chance that happens before coffee… There you go a photo of the bedroom views instead.

a-day-of-my-life-in-pictures

08.30 a.c. (After coffee, FYI)

Once the coffee has helped to vanish that heavy morning cloud of doom, I am ready to start my day slowly. Reaching for the phone seems unavoidable, but it is a necessary part of my early routine: while I finish my first cup, I use the time to check my email inbox, post on a few daily twitter morning threads, and schedule social media posts for the day. Once I’m done with the most basic digital errands, I relax a bit with a magazine (old school girl here) and then, I am ready for some self-care.

a-day-in-a-bloggers-life

09.00 a.m.

After the shower is time for skincare! Since I started embracing my mid-thirties—or how I affectionately call them, the beginning of the end (I am joking. Sort of.)—I’ve been experimenting a bit with natural rose-based products (more on that coming soon). So far, my favourite is The Ordinary Organic Cold-Pressed Rose Hip Seed Oil. I apply about six drops every night after my normal evening routine and next morning my feels soft and radiant. Also, it seems to reduce my hormonal breakouts sensibly—in other words, Saint Grail.

In the mornings though, I am using Clinique Liquid Facial Soap for very dry to dry skin, applied with my Foreo Luna 2  for a deeper cleanse and exfoliation. After that, I am finishing things up with the Garnier Soothing Botanical Toner, followed by the Dramatically Different Moisturizer and (still under test) Caudalie Polyphenol C15 Creme de Jeux. Then, I wrap myself in unicorn tears infused silk and I am good to go. Oh, the times I would splash some water on my face and leave the house…

blogging-behind-the-scenes

10.30 a.m.

Before getting ready, I sit to drink a second coffee and make some quick blog admin. Replying comments is my favourite part (although I probably spend far too much time thinking about what I should reply and kicking myself for not being a bit better in conversation). By the time I am finishing, I check the watch and oh my… Houston, we’ve got a problem. As usual, I misjudged the time span after breakfast and I suddenly realize I’ve got about fifteen minutes left to blow my hair, apply makeup and get dressed to leave the house. Great, right?

a-day-in-my-life-in-pictures

11.15 a.m.

Well, it looks like time elapsed again while getting ready and Sebastian is now standing at the room door, looking to his watch and frowning at me consecutively. I am ready and good to leave the house but you know what? I’ll just make use of an extra minute (or five) to take an atrocious mirror selfie. I like to live dangerously, it seems.

a-day-of-my-life-outfit
The only “outfit of the day” picture I can show you right now. Take a second to appreciate my moody expression. Very festive, indeed.

day-in-life

12.30 p.m. (The Royal Arcade, Old Bond Street)

After a stressful tube ride, one line exchange, and what it feels like a hundred years, we finally arrive at the location selected for today’s photoshoot. Of course, our friend Murphy comes to the rescue again: since we are shooting at The Royal Arcade, the second we reach the place it starts pouring and waves of people shelter in, which leaves us with an interesting decision to make:

A) Wait for the rain to eventually stop, so we get some privacy while we work (at greater risk of missing the scarce daylight we’ve got to work with)

B) Acting plainly stupid and trying to work with a crowd looking at us

So yeah… we went straight for the latter. I mean, obviously. We love to feel super-weird while we work, after all.

blogger-life

 

13.30 p.m.

After one hour of hard work in which we had the privilege to feel like freak circus locals (thank you very much to that group of about ten tourists who thought it was totally OK to take random photos of us with their phones while we were working…), we packed our stuff for good and moved on. I’d like to say the effort was worth it, but the pictures we managed to take on those conditions are not that great—I predict a long editing session coming my way—so, can I hear a hallelujah here?

We left the place and stopped at the closest Café Concerto to eat something light. I totally failed at taking a neat picture of my sandwich but I was far too hungry and upset. Am I nailing this post or what?

a-day-in-a-full-time-bloggers-life

15.00 p.m. (Fait Maison, Gloucester Road)

After lunch, I say goodbye to Sebastian, who has got a late professional appointment, and I take the underground to Gloucester Road. Today, I am meeting the adorable Tatiana Bellator for afternoon tea. We are visiting Fait Maison, a charming tea salon decorated with flowers and fairy lights, which thankfully sweeps my bad mood in about a minute. By the time she arrives, I have got a delicious Moroccan mint tea, dates and scones in front of me and life is good again.

19.00 p.m. (My apartment again)

Once we leave Fait Maison, I take the tube back home. By the time I arrive home, it’s pitch dark and I am feeling a bit sleepy due to all the delicious food. Hence, I make myself another cup of coffee and start drafting this post but I feel far too tired to finish it. In the end, I switch off the laptop and get myself comfy on the couch. It looks like I am going to have an early Netflix session.

day-photos

20.00 p.m.

Sebastian gets home just as I am finishing a fascinating documentary about Highclere Castle (a.k.a. Downton Abbey). Unfortunately, it’s now too late for him to perform any damage control since I’ve already redefined my living standards, so:

  1. We need at least one butler, two maids and one chef (I will pass without the so-called deer-killer for now because… you know? Creepy.)
  2. I am searching online for fancy tiaras, preferably with pink diamonds
  3. How do I get my own castle? Does anyone know? Asking for a friend…

09.00 p.m.

By the time we sit down for dinner, I am not over the fact no butler is serving us (#sounfair), although it’s probably for the better. As Sebastian kindly remarks, I can be socially awkward in the presence of strangers and an army of servants would not help. Well, I might have no faithful Carson to serve dinner today, but I have pasta on my plate and that can only be a good thing.

10.30 p.m.

I went to bed with the firm intention of catching up with my read but it looks like I fell asleep at some point. I think I should call it an early night. I have written 1500 words by now and most likely nobody will be reading this, anyway. But if you are: first, you’re a hero and second, thank you for reading about this crazy fashionista daily shenanigans.

 

And this was my Wednesday, 27th of November 2019.

How was your day?

 

Allegra Caro25 Comments

I am not adopting a capsule wardrobe and this is why you shouldn’t either

This blog was born with a single core value: to be honest with my readers at all times.

As you may or may not have noticed, that’s why the site’s motto is The Honest Fashionista Diaries, why I chose to publish this as my first post ever, and why there is an entire category called The Honest Fashionista Series. Openness is important to me and that (plus a pinch of humour) cannot harm the Blogosphere.

With that said, I believe there is a big difference between being sincere and blatantly regurgitating my unsolicited opinions at the earliest opportunity. After all, we have the right to hold off-record thoughts which we’d better keep for ourselves. As my grandmother taught me when I was very young: if you have nothing pleasant to say, it is better to say nothing. In other words, you don’t need to fight every battle or give your opinion about every topic on earth.

By nature, I am a peacemaker—one of my sisters refers to me as the O.N.U. family negotiator which never fails to make everyone laugh—and I try to avoid conflict when I see no good can be done. Summing up, I might be honest but I also know when to shut my mouth.

I am not adopting a capsule wardrobe and this is why

When the capsule wardrobe philosophy became a trend, I patiently read as many articles and blog posts as I could to have an informed opinion on the subject. What I found out though, didn’t resonate with me at any level, so I took a step back and kept my opinion to myself. Usually, this would be the end of the story—and it was for a couple of years—but a few weeks ago, I received an unnerving message via Instagram. The person who sent it was reacting to one of my outfit photos and felt the need to rave about how terrible I was as a person for posting pictures of me wearing my clothes, and what an awful example I was for every young impressionable person out there. People like me were, in her own words, a total disgrace and I should be ashamed for not promoting capsule wardrobes and sustainable fashion.

You can believe me when I say my first reaction was nothing but confusion. Mainly because:

A.  My Instagram is a small account that (luckily) receives zero hate.

B.  I don’t consider my content to be exclusively focused on outfits.

C.  You can easily see I wear my clothes more than once and I am very far from a serial shopper.

Once the original feeling of astonishment left me, it was replaced by disbelief and finally, an increasing outrage. However, I blocked the person and forget about the whole thing as soon as possible. Three days ago though, I received a new DM via Instagram which contained almost the same message, sent from a sister account. Again, she seemed disgusted by the fact I kept posting my “non-sustainable” outfits and NOT EMBRACING THE CAPSULE WARDROBE TREND.

If that person would have spent a single moment to visit this blog by clicking in the link on the bio, she’d have probably learned a thing or two about my style perception and the sustainability topic.

For starts, the main reason why I’ve never written about the capsule wardrobe philosophy before is that, from my point of view, it suffers from some serious inconsistency on its base principles. The main target is reducing waste and using the whole contents of your wardrobe, which can only be a positive thing per se. However, reducing to thirty-three pieces your existing closet makes no sense from a logistic perspective.

First, the continuous rotation of the same pieces will inevitably damage even the best-quality pieces, leaving you with the urgent need to replace them at the end of the season at the latest. Potentially, this means money and waste. Second, thirty-three pieces may help you to survive for a season if the given items are high-quality but you will need to add a new set when the season changes and pack away (or dispose of) the used stuff. This means buying four new capsule wardrobes a year which depending on your budget and previous shopping habits might not be that good all things considered.

After second thoughts, there is yet another aspect holding me back: the deep existent association between capsule wardrobes and uniformity. One of the main ideas, you see, it to achieve a very defined style, with all the pieces working together. Pretty much, like a uniform.

One of the things you don’t know about me is that I studied at a religious private school for a couple of years. I could write an interesting (and probably juicy) list of the lessons I learned over there but the main and most important one was uniformity is rarely a good thing. When you make people wearing the same neutral colours every day, looking alike, there is a certain point in which they start thinking and acting alike. And I have read enough dystopian fiction to be afraid of any form of hive mind (thank you very much for the nightmares, Mrs. Atwood).

To me, fashion is all about individual expression and I think that’s something wonderful.

So, am I openly admitting I don’t give a s@#€ about sustainability? As a matter of fact, nothing is further of the truth. Adopting a capsule wardrobe is not the only way you can contribute to a sustainable lifestyle. Instead, I prefer to explore other paths including but not limited to:

  1. Taking good care of your existing pieces, so their lifespan is extended

  2. Cutting down on your shopping habits and getting only the things you love

  3. Choosing clothes that are better quality and more durable

  4. Shopping second hand or vintage

  5. Supporting ethical brands of your choice

These might not look like life-changing rules but once you have been practicing for a while, you will realize they are. I have been shopping vintage, second hand and being more selective with my shopping habits for a while now (I think about five years and counting) and in the long run, you feel nothing but satisfaction and relief. Satisfaction because you love everything on your wardrobe. Relief because you can walk outside a shop with empty hands and feel good about it, anyway.

So, the next time anyone feels tempted to judge me for posting outfit photos online, please make me a favour and just unfollow…

 

 

 

Allegra Caro48 Comments
how to keep your blog running

How to catch up with your blog when life gets in the way (or you get the worst flu ever)

I’m not going to lie: if someone would ask me to sum up last week, I’d probably describe it as “notorious”. Although I mean that in the sense of the-black-death-kind-of-notorious. As I repeatedly complained over Twitter last week (and Instagram Stories, and to the postman, for the matter), I got THE flu—or to be more exact and as I will refer to from now on, the plague.

Last Wednesday, I went to bed feeling a bit dazed but I didn’t take it too seriously. I’d planned an early work morning, expecting to go through most of my blog to-do list while Sebastian was off to France for a conference. Unfortunately, I woke up to a not very pleasant palette of symptoms including (but not limited to) aphonia, a running nose, and the unquestionable promise of a descent into the abyss. It was that good.

Now, I am not telling you about all of this asking for sympathy but to give you some context for this post. I am the kind of person who enjoys being super productive when the opportunity arises and—case in point—with Sebastian gone for a couple of days, working was my number one priority. Of course, Mr. Murphy’s Law had a different plan for me.

By Thursday afternoon, it became quite obvious I was not going to spend the next 48 hours writing without distractions. Instead, there were going to be loads of honey lemon ginger tea, countless tissues and an embarrassing number of The Spanish Princess episodes (hello Starz, could you please stop producing addictive Tudor’s period fiction? I try to have a life of my own, you know?). At a certain point, I was not even able to stand comfortably—let alone researching for SEO—so I resigned myself, lay down on the sofa and ordered a cheeky Domino’s to comfort me. (I don’t know about you but I take heart in tasty pizza instead of chicken soup and it usually makes me feel about a thousand times better, although I suspect my family doctor would be hesitant to prescribe it as a remedy.)

The point is, sometimes life gets in the way: 9-5 job, children, sickness…—you name it. If you haven’t established an emergency plan or routine, the chances are you will end up stressed and with a to-do list as long as your arm.

So, how do you manage to keep your blog running when you are busy or unable to focus? These are the most valuable lessons I’ve learned along the way.

how to keep your blog running

01.

Create batch content

You might have heard about this over and over but that’s just because it is a real life-saver for bloggers and content creators. At least once a month, I block some time to sit down and write as many posts as possible—which was what I was trying to do when the flu hit me last week. Sometimes, creating content on the spot can be stressful and lead to writer’s block (not to speak about how this affects your sub-editing time and the general quality of your writing), so content batching is a great alternative. Although I prefer to take pictures of my outfits in real-time, I have been feeling a bit more inclined towards shooting in batches as well. To be completely honest here, it is not my cup of tea but since my spare time can be quite limited, this a good solution too.

 

02.

Keep an editorial calendar

This is closely related to the previous tip and absolutely essential. Grab a diary or create a special Excel document in your laptop where you can plan your schedule ahead (organize your upcoming content for the next few days, weeks, months…—the most time, the better!). When I first started blogging, I had created three months worth of content before the official release. I knew my spare time was limited, so this way I was sure I had some room for manoeuvre. As I anticipated, this worked wonders and I could keep posting with minimum hassle.

03.

Set your alarm

Whenever I am short of time, I use this prioritisation strategy: I set a phone alarm for 10-15 minutes and assign a given task for that specific time slot (let’s say, replying emails). Until the alarm rings, I try to do as much as possible in decreasing order of importance (urgent emails first, for instance). You would be surprised to see how much you manage to do without distractions, focusing one thing at the time. Extra tip: Don’t forget to turn your phone notifications off so you don’t get distracted by external time-wasting factors.

 

04.

Stop procrastinating

I said once but I will again—turn phone notifications off. I can’t count the number of times I will grab the mobile if I keep it ringing next to me. Instagram, Twitter, Facebook… Pick up your poison. When working on your blog, you should try to treat that time as office time, so keep your phone out of reach. That way, even if you only work on an hour, you’ll make lots of progress compared to what you would do if you check your phone every couple of minutes. And you know what? All those cute kitties photos you receive through your family Whatsapp chat can wait too…

 

05.

When too sick to work, do the fun part

During the plague, I was far too dizzy to focus on writing or planning content, but at some point I found myself reaching for the phone and checking the blog comments which I could easily reply while watching some Netflix on the couch. That’s the good part of this job, you know? It is lots of fun and some parts do not require for you to be 100% OK. With that said, whenever you are not your usual self, it’s time to ask for help or simply have a sick day. Your health goes first and rest should always be a priority—after all, the sooner you get well, the better for your blog.

 

How to catch up with your blog when life gets in the way

 

 

 

Allegra Caro40 Comments

Reasons to love Autumn (even in the Instagram age)

Last Sunday, I convinced Sebastian to go for yet another autumnal walk at Regent’s Park.

Given the fact that it’s November now, you might think it’s not earth-shattering precisely (and that I must be a bit bored to make a weekly highlight from this), but the keyword here is YET. At least, that’s what he underlined when I asked him to spend the day outdoors on Sunday morning. “Are we going out for YET another autumn walk?”, he muttered rolling his eyes. No need to say that I did the only sensible thing—I ignored his comment and cheerfully proceeded to unpack my new tweed Zara coat, wrapping myself for that ignominious walk. (And totally feeling like a winner by getting all those #blairwaldorfvibes. Thanks Zara. We have had our differences but you really amended things with this beauty.) But back to the topic…

I don’t blame him, though. As a matter of fact, I totally see his point.

Autumn Zara coat outfit

fall zara coat

In case you have been a social media user for some time now, you might have experienced a certain Déjà vu just before the summer death: you are still wearing sandals while enjoying the last few days of your vacation but suddenly, your Instagram feed is full of girls enjoying their first Pumpkin Spice Latte of the season. Temperatures are still over 30°C and scarves look like medieval torture instruments, but the Fall obsession is real. Every TV ad, internet pop-up, and tweet is solely focused on this.

By the time October arrives, you are bored of Autumn style—all the dull knitwear, tedious ochre and brownish tones, and Hypster hats. To sum up: you are sick and tired, praying for December to come so it’s over. Rest assured, you are not alone.

Disclaimer: The next confession might make you leave this blog and never come back, screaming in horror. Even so, I’m going to roll the dice and tell you my darkest secret. Ready? (Hitchcock music coming in three, two, one…)

Against all odds, I love autumn.

Horrific, right? I live in fear my family will find out, proceeding to disinherit me at once. Probably, after posting this, a raging mob will raid my apartment at midnight, armed with pitchforks and torchlights.

blair waldorf inspired autumn outfit

I know what you are thinking: “Allegra, dear. You started the post quite reasonably. And now you come up with this?” Well, I could apologize and blame all those films glorifying the autumnal season in New England. But instead, I prefer to tell you why despite all I wrote before, Autumn is still my favourite season (and yes, that’s a total cliché).

Reasons to love Fall

(even in the Instagram age)

01.

Autumn Picnics

Everyone enjoys going for a picnic in July, right? Well, here goes my second confession today: I HATE it. Not only do I get sunburns easily and hate mosquitoes with a passion (I consider them to be my personal nemesis), but also my thermoregulation is close to non-existent. In Autumn, on the other hand, you can sit on a blanket under a tree with your thermos flask full of tea and a book, enjoying the landscape.

blair waldorf inspired fall outfit

fall bag details

02.

Outdoors Cinemas

I am rather peculiar about this too. I promise I am good person, though.

For most people, Summer is the outdoors season but very recently, I’ve enrolled an outdoors cinema where movies are shown from March to November. As a result, I’ve watched some of my favourite films in a garden, with a cozy blanket over my knees and a cup of tea in my hands. And let me tell you—there is something undeniably poetic in listening the words “Last night I dreamt I went to Manderly again” by an autumnal bonfire.

03.

Fashion

And I am not referring to earthy colours and knitwear only. September is the date time for New York, London, Milan and Paris Fashion Weeks. Pinterest blooms with thousands of seasonal pins, and the new season collections are finally out. Besides, you can use black monochrome outfits and darker lipstick again with zero judgement from other people (welcome home Rouge Noir!  We missed you so much).

blair waldorf outfit

04.

Netflix pre-Halloween marathons

Many people might have their say about admitting this on a style blog, and it won’t make me look like the most sophisticated person ever but to be fair, I don’t consider myself very chic. So who cares, really? I LOVE horror movies and to me, October is the perfect time to plan endless home evenings, catching up with AHS or any of your favourite horror classics in Netflix. Yes, I just broke the fashion bloggers rule by saying that. Don’t worry, I will return my badge to the fashion police…

fall zara outfit

05.

Landscapes

I left my favourite part for the end, as I usually do. Please, if you can, take the chance to have a walk after work, or maybe just go in the weekend. Enjoy every single seasonal colour. There’s something about all those red, gold and rust tones that deserves to be contemplated once a year.

In the Instagram age, seasonal clichés have certainly doubled and at some point, we have all gone a bit extra with the number of seasonal pictures we over-share with our friends and family. However, our personal preferences and tastes (whether we’re speaking about autumn walks, that very-much-hyped beauty brand, or photos of cute kitties) should be respected at all times. At the end of the day, they are a part of our identity too.

 

 

autumn classy outfit

wearing

Coat: Zara / Blouse: Zara (last season, similar here) / Headband: Zara

Bag: Metamorphose (vintage piece, similar style at Dune)

Skirt: H&M (sold out, alternative at  & Other Stories)

Boots: Deichmann (alternative at Aldo)

 

 

Allegra Caro25 Comments

What I’ve learned after one year of blogging: the good, the bad, and everything in between

They say time flies when you are having fun but the last twelve months slipped away so fast, I wonder if they even existed.

Fortunately though, I published my first blog post ever last November and since then, I have updated this site regularly, which means I enjoy the rare privilege of a detailed year record. Isn’t that something? I mean, I am the girl who doesn’t even manage to catch up with her Bloglovin’ reading list!—just imagine updating a website rigorously. But twelve months, fifty-five posts and an unutterable number of chocolate cookies later, I am still here (and so is this blog).

This year, I feel like I’ve written about every topic on Earth: from social prejudice to style advice, and from travel adventures to my experience visiting Vogue House. Surely, there will be many other topics to catch my attention but nevertheless, the most interesting part of this whole blogging trip is the lessons you learn on the way.

So let me keep this short and sweet, and introduce you to those modest pieces of wisdom I have treasured during my experience as a blogger.

lessons i learned after one year blogging

01.

Willpower Obstinacy is everything

Blogging, you see, can be quite a commitment: for many people, it might be only a hobby, but it does require discipline and a shocking amount of time from you. To be completely honest, I don’t even look at it as a hobby anymore but as my creative outlet, side hustle, and ultimately, as something that sparks joy in my life. Most of us would possibly agree that, if anything makes you feel that way, you’ll probably want to stick to it. No matter how challenging it is.

As reluctant as I am to admit this publicly, I’ve never considered myself a person with huge willpower. However, I am stubborn to an extent most people would find embarrassing. Let me give you a very concrete example.

When I was about ten years old, a classmate told me that girls couldn’t wear trousers. At that age, the mere mention of the words “you can’t” acted as a trigger for me. So, I did the only sensible thing: for the next three months, I refused to wear nothing but pants to the school. THREE MONTHS. I wish I was joking: my family still refers to this anecdote as The 1993 Trousers Debacle.

The point is, obstinacy is my blogging fuel—it keeps me going when I am too tired to plan the editorial calendar when I think it’s not worthy, when I feel I am not good enough. If like me, you haven’t the biggest willpower, obstinacy will be equally effective.

what-i-learned-blogging

02.

And so is honesty

People who are still active blogging readers are interested in inspirational content—that’s right—but not as much as they are interested in relatable content. In my first year of blogging, my stats show a prevailing success of those posts providing an honest angle, both in terms of page views and likes. Two of my most celebrated articles featured my sincere approach to an average blogger routine as well as my thoughts on the future of blogging. In both cases, the reactions were strikingly positive.

The conclusion is definite: we might enjoy a bit of healthy guilty-pleasure content (with a pinch of crazy fashionistas flying in their private helicopters to the next shooting location in the Himalaya), but at the end of the day, we all value down-to-Earth blogs.

03.

Post about the things you care

You can tell when someone is writing about something just for the shake of it and for most of us, it’s a deal-breaker. Putting your readers off is the last thing you want to do because, before you realize, they will be hitting the back button and never looking back. To avoid that, you really need to figure out what is your passion. Are you a baker at heart but you keep posting about fashion trends? Time to stop it. Now. Just stop typing. I mean it.

what-i-learned-after-one-year-of-blogging

04.

Always be you (all the other roles are taken)

Please, learn this by heart and then write it on a post-it and stick it to your forehead, so you remember every time you look in the mirror: Let your personality shine.

As I mentioned before, most readers can tell when you’re randomly posting about something you don’t care but they also can tell when you are faking it. Look, I get you—with a blogosphere full of clones who will dress, pose and write the same exact way the temptation of blending in is strong. But believe me, in the long-term, it will do more harm than good to your blog. People like to feel the person behind the screen. YOU are the main reason they will come back to your site once and again. So remember this young Padawan: Fight the dark side of the Force!

05.

Don’t forget to have fun

You might be ambitious. You might work very hard to transform your side-hustle into your own little business, becoming the ultimate #girlboss. You have all my sympathy and respect for that. But let me tell you something: If you leave fun out of the equation too soon, you will burn out in no time.

I assume the reason you are investing all your —probably scarce—leisure time in your site is because you love it. That’s the main fuel for most bloggers. So you need to be sure you keep the flame alive. Have fun while writing and if you need it, take a step back to evaluate your true motivations.

Are you blogging for the six figures income and over-night success? Then, and I am very sorry to be the one bursting your bubble. Blogging, you see, doesn’t work like that. Just like in any other business you need to be passionate and also very patient. But if you love it, if you are enjoying the whole process, it is totally worth it.

On the other hand, if you really love what you are doing, you will get the necessary motivation to make the most of it. And this is what it is all about, isn’t it?

Allegra Caro30 Comments

The Knitwear Edit: Why we all need statement jumpers this season

whosaid

Certainly, not me! I’ve always thought it’s funny how people find fall fashion a bit depressing, really. They see it as the beginning of a long soulless season when style must be sacrificed in favour of the weather demands. Goodbye sundresses, hello old coats. As for me? Nothing could be further from the truth.

As a matter of fact, I find dressing in summer challenging: yes, you have all those beautiful light dresses but depending on the hot temperatures (and remember that I am Spanish, so I know a thing or two about that) any outfit easily ends up on a sweaty mess. Chic, right? I have lost track of the times my perfectly planned summertime outfit had to be replaced by some random natural cotton dress which would allow me to breathe and not to bake in my clothes…

Cooler weather, on the other hand, leaves some room for creativity. There is that awesome trench coat you love so much and the occasional playful pattern; there is the softness of velvet and the statement coat you can’t live without.

 

jumper ideas for autumn

the jumper edit

But knitwear is what really makes me squeal of delight.

The second October hits and the weather chills a bit, I devote myself to the sacred mission of unpacking the jumpers: all that gorgeous cashmere, angora and chunky wool sadly packed away during the warmest months. Also, it’s time for my yearly wishlist!

Two days ago, Sebastian frowned at the sight of my (always expanding) knitwear pile but said nothing. Then, he found me sitting in front of the laptop, happily adding about 40 sweaters to my shopping cart. “Just to be clear”, he stated with a concerned tone, “you’re not shopping ALL of that, are you?” I simply looked at him, Regan McNeal style bloodshot eyes, and gave him a quick yet unconvincing “Just researching for the blog” reply, which seems to be my personal motto these days. Actually, I repeat “Just researching for the blog” (or J.R.F.T.B. from now on, if you please) so much, I am afraid they will use that as my epitaph… But I digress here.

Every jumper you should own this fall

The whole point is, knitwear can be not only a sartorial need but also FUN.

Everyone from couture designers to high-street brands seem to agree since this season is full of statement pieces. Forget about your neutral colour old-school jumper: Autumn and Winter will be dominated by jewel tones, rhinestones, lace, textures and more!

But do we really require statement sweaters this season? In my humble opinion? We do. Maybe, one of the reasons why most people loathe autumn fashion is its apparent monotony—its hardly arguable tedium. Maybe, all we need is introducing a stroke of colour, an unexpected twist.

Since I truly believe fashion—above all the things—should be fun, I am sharing some of my favourite seasonal knitwear today. All the statement styles and all the budgets. No matter if you are a Chloé fan or a New Look lady: I have you covered.

The Knitwear Edit

Jewel tones opulence

the best fall sweaters

      Zara                                     Christopher Kane                         Gabriela Hearst

I tried to convince myself that I was looking at these three beauties as a part of the J.R.F.T.B. process but let’s be honest: we all know they will end up in my closet sooner or later. I mean, rich colours, rhinestones, and velvet? Who could resist that? Surely, not this girl! I guess I will have to figure out a way of smuggling these into my house while dodging the attentive surveillance of Sebastian (a.k.a. Hercule Poirot). I should start watching Peaky Blinders to get some fresh ideas…

 

Feminine neutrals

every sweater you needNew Look                                    Zara                                          McQueen

This Fall, neutrals are not boring anymore. Just look at these astonishing specimens. Sometimes, the use of simple elements such as an interesting neckline, some cute ribbons or a frilly cuff can make all the difference between plain and stunning. Personally, I rarely go for neutrals when it comes to knitwear but this year may be the exception. Both the New Look and McQueen pieces can be easily added to your professional wardrobe with zero effort: try pairing them with some nice tailored trousers or a nice statement skirt. Plus, they are classics so they will add value to your collection in the long-term too.

 

Embellished beauty

the best designer knitwear

Dolce & Gabbana                        Self-Portrait                          Red Valentino

I have left my favourite sweaters at the end of this post. What can I say? They are nothing but pure perfection. I love every single detail in them: from the amazing silk flowers to the bell-shaped sleeves. And although I know their price tag may look a bit intimidating, I firmly believe the number of times you will wear something made with high-quality materials will balance the cost-per-wear. Sometimes, it’s not only about the design but also about the piece’s lifespan.

This is all for today’s post. As for now, I will add a few more striking pieces to my shopping chart (feel free to send me any links you consider relevant).

After all, I am just researching for the blog, right?

 

theknightwearedit

wearing

Jumper: Stradivarius (last season, similar here) / Shorts:  Old Zara (New version)

Bag: Michael Kors / Tights: Calzedonia

Boots: Deichmann / Scarf: Natura (similar at Burberry)

 

 

Allegra Caro20 Comments
Blog at WordPress.com.