The Honest Fashionista Series

What I Learned About Style (And Self-Love) During The Pandemic

I am going to tell you something nuts—a few weeks ago, I found myself screaming at my yoga pants. If this was an American comedy (a film entitled The Honest Crazy Fashionista Diaries, if you please) it would be that in media res moment when we see the main character making something weird and hilarious just before we are told the story from the beginning. Let me explain how I got to that point.

Nine months ago, in the few first weeks of the lockdown, I was sent home to work remotely. Like virtually everybody else, I set my best intentions: waking up as usual, investing the extra time in a relaxing morning routine which would include yoga, morning shower, and healthy breakfast, and then dressing up as I would usually do for the office.

At this point, you probably know where this is going, right? Three weeks afterwards, I was wearing comfy pants 24/7, eating chocolate cake for breakfast, and dressing up from the waist upward for the occasional Zoom meetup—which wasn´t that often, anyway.

So basically, any sense of normality went out of the window in about five minutes.

I was struggling to sleep as usual, eat healthily, and having the necessary amount of daily exercise (I already wrote about that period over here) so, dressing up was the very last of my concerns. Indeed, the only moment I would open the closet was when picking some clean comfy trousers. Then, I´d look at my clothes and think how sad it was not to have anywhere to go… In other words, wild party over here guys.

As events unfolded though, it was crystal-clear this wasn´t one of those situations that would fix themselves in a few weeks´ time. Quite the contrary, Sebastian and I found ourselves cancelling any travelling plans (we said our farewells to my birthday city-break in Paris, as well as our yearly beach retreat family visit) and I didn´t even see the point in shopping any cute summer outfits because who in the world cared, really?

And then, the unexpected happened and we were allowed to go outside again, even if it was in a socially distanced way. I remember the first Saturday morning we ventured outside. It felt surreal and exciting, even if it was just about going for a walk to the city centre. Every step outdoors was a bit like walking on the moon: it felt that strange.

But one of the strangest aspects was opening my wardrobe and looking for real clothes. Not yoga pants, or my university hoodie but actual, grown-up, outdoors clothes. And guys, that was a trip.

I hadn´t been more surprised even if an army of Oompa Loompas had paraded out of my closet singing. It was THAT weird. On the one hand, I felt super excited about the prospect of dressing up but, on the other hand, I couldn´t help but feeling dressing to the nines would be a bit inappropriate. Still, I missed the sense of normality linked with dressing in nice clothes. So there I was—trapped on a dilemma of my own creation. Thank you very much, you stupid brain.

So, I did what felt right and found a middle ground: I dressed up a bit without going over-the-top and called it a day.

As we walked through Bloomsbury, I came to realize most people had chosen a similar plan of action. You could feel many people were making a bit of an effort (probably because, just like me, they were missing the chance to wear real clothes) but at the same time, trying to tone it down a bit. So, I went home thinking I wasn´t that crazy, after all.

Then, as summer progressed, I started getting used to normal clothes again and that new casual-chic-thing I was trying felt more and more natural up to an extent, I perceived it as the only acceptable way of dressing.

By the time my birthday arrived in mid-August, I was so used to it that dressing a bit fancier felt unnatural. And as much as I enjoyed the day in general, wearing my Chloé dream dress for high tea was strange. But the part that hit me like a bullet was the fact I was feeling slightly ashamed. I knew it was a special occasion when we were going to celebrate at some fancy place, and still, I felt guilty about it. I felt guilty to wear something nice, guilty to enjoy myself, and—on a deeper level—guilty to be perfectly healthy to enjoy a day that was nothing but perfect when many other people were struggling out there.

As stupid as this might sound, that guilt made me going back to my yoga pants for a little while. I felt I didn´t deserve anything nicer in the short-term. How could I be thinking about clothing, anyway?

I returned to the comfiest clothes I could find on working days and toned it down even more on the weekends. In my head, that would make me invisible to any judgement coming from others—what I was reaching for was being invisible to my own judgement, though. And guys, I am Judge Judy´s severe sister when it comes to myself.

At some point and during one of my Skype chats with my sister, we talked about it, and something she said stuck with me: “Girl,” she told me, “this crap ain´t nobody´s fault and punishing yourself for doing whatever makes you cope won´t fix it. You know that, right?” And guys, I didn´t.

That was some food for thought, certainly. I began to realize every time I picked up my yoga pants, I was saying sorry, somehow: Sorry for being young, sorry for being healthy, sorry for having a job while others are being made redundant, sorry for laughing…sorry for being alive. It was time to let it go.

So, on a cold autumn morning, I found myself yelling at my yoga pants. Letting all the compressed rage go out. And you know what? I felt better immediately.

Because in the end, it wasn´t about clothing or style, really. It was more about self-love and acceptance and forgiveness. And that guys is something to remember.

December 1, 2020November 30, 2020

Allegra Caro14 Comments

Most Hilarious Things People Say To Fashion And Style Bloggers

If someone would ask me to define the Internet in one word, I would reply without missing a beat: Weird. Yes, Internet is packed with odd, inexpleinable things and people who will be even stranger.

But I am not speaking about UFOs or paranormal activity caught on camera. (Guys, I could totally deal with those thanks to the approximately two thousand episodes of The X Files I have watched. This is far darker and uncannier.) To be specific, I am mystyfied by the number of peculiar statements I’ve been reading about the blogging industry lately. Even more so about fashion and style bloggers. I must confess it is a bit of a hobby at this point, pretty much like binge-reading detective stories and waiting for the next plot twist. Because let’s admit it—when something becomes so surreal, it turns into a guilty pleasure. But allow me to provide you with some context.

A couple of weeks ago, I was making some blogging topics research at a certain forum when I stumbled upon a thread in which people discussed style blogging. Actually, I’d rather say they were discussing fashion bloggers and many of the questions and answers were… I’ll go with interesting here.

Hilarious misconceptions about fashion and style blogging

During my first year as a blogger, I learned so many things but even today I can’t explain why people make all kind of crazy assumptions about fashion bloggers.

I can only guess they are related to the fact that blogging is a relatively new industry and people seem to have a hard time figuring out it runs just like any other business: by means of hard work. There’s no magic formula, really. And as much as I’d like to say we all spend our days drinking champagne while our bank balance grows, it’s not like that. Sorry to burst your bubble!

Hilarious assumptions about fashion bloggers

So just for fun, let me tell you about the most hilarious things people say to fashion and style bloggers. Ready? Shrieks of laughter in three, two, one…

1. What do you do with your clothes once you are done taking pictures of them?

Guys, I love this one. The first time someone actually asked me this online, I stopped for about five minutes with a very confused look on my face. What the heck? Like, I don’t know about you but once I am done wearing something, I will add it to the laundry pile, and then it’s back to the closet until—drumrolls, please—I WEAR IT AGAIN. I know, ground-breaking, right? Yes, fashion bloggers wear their clothes more than once too. Who knew?! I don’t know, maybe it’s related to the fact that they buy them with their hard-earned money? UNBELIVABLE. Which of course leads to the following point in the list…

funny assumptions and misconceptions about style bloggers

2. How can fashion/style bloggers afford their clothes?

Dear readers, I am going to tell you a secret: there’s an obscure pact between bloggers and other people involving the transaction of labour and money. I think the call it… how was it? Working?

Yes, as much as this might surprise you, bloggers work too (sometimes they balance a 9-5 job with their side hustle, in case they are not fortunate enough/aren’t interested in blogging full-time). So basically, we pay for our clothes—and food suplies, living place, bills and other expenses—like anyone else. Not everyone buys couture and those who do work to do it. So pleasie please, stop asking us how we afford clothes. It’s kind of embarrasing (a bit weird too).

3. All bloggers in the fashion industry work with professional photographers

Sure, we do! And we also have our own stylists team, hairdresser, and make-up artist. I even hired a girl whose only job is to cheer me up every time I try an outfit. I call her Amanda.

No, most bloggers don’t enjoy the rare privilege of a professional photographer. Personally, I’ve been lucky enough to hire one a couple of times a year for complex projects (and only by planning/budgeting in advance), but most of the time I work with my husband or I take the pictures myself. For most bloggers though, that’s always the case. We spend a substantial amount of time (and money) learning a new set of skills such as photography and editing to improve the quality of our content in the long run. It requires patience, as well as a good dose of humour. Thanks God I’ve got Amanda…

4. Style bloggers spend all their time shopping

And drinking champagne, taking flights to the next exotic holiday destination, and using their Manolo Blahnik shoes to hold their doors. Yeah… not really. What bloggers do most of the time though is writing blog posts, brainstorming for fresh ideas, taking/editing photos, pitching projects, replying emails… You get the idea. Not so exciting, right? Actually, it’s rather similar to any other job in terms of time management—only with more multi-tasking.

5. You guys must be full of yourselves to post your face all over the internet

Guys, let’s play a game: can you guess what is the bane of my blogging existence? Exactly. Posting my face all over the internet.

I started blogging motivated about the writing aspect since I studied English at university and words keep a special place in my heart. Having my picture taken, on the other hand? Not so much. I am shy—plus an introvert, and slightly socially awkward, if we’re going to be totally honest here—so you can imagine that posing in front of a camera in the middle of a busy street is not my comfort zone. As a matter of fact, I always try to look for quiet locations or work in the early/late hours, when the risk of me panicking and freezing over some stranger decreases exponentially. Visualize a deer paralized in front of the car hadlights. Right, that’s me.

So please, don’t assume we are all a bunch of narcissistcs just because our job involves imaginery.

And this have been the most hilarious things I have heard people telling to fashion bloggers. Now it’s your turn: What is the most hysterical nonsense you have read/listened out there? Share and let’s laugh together and bit longer.

October 28, 2020October 27, 2020

Allegra Caro12 Comments

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

3. Add a piece you don’t need

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

4. When accessorizing, stick to one metal colour

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

5. Double check before you leave

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

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

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

September 30, 2020September 30, 2020

Allegra Caro20 Comments

Reconnecting: why blogging is still relevant for me

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Welcome to the place where you can be you.

Nothing else matters.

September 16, 2020September 15, 2020

Allegra Caro27 Comments

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.

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.

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.

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?

November 11, 2019November 7, 2019

Allegra Caro30 Comments

In praise of Insta-husbands: The truth about those men taking our pictures

The curtain rises: a girl in her best bib and tucker (perfect ombré hair, polished nails, a thousand euro designer bag) positions herself under a floral arch at the closest coffee shop door; her husbands enters the scene, camera in hand, and starts patiently shooting professional photos of her. He never complains. He works for free every weekend, though.

In 2019, this could be described as contemporary drama and is carefully performed in every developed country on a daily basis. The presentation has become so common, nobody raises an eyebrow anymore. After all, you know what they say – it didn’t really happen unless it is on Instagram…

This sort of post-modern philosophy seems to leave you with two options only: Being invisible, irrelevant, or endlessly working for that perfect shot that will make it to the Internet. However, for people making a living from blogging and social media, there is one choice only.

Some would say that a logical approach to the business plan must include photography budget (and they are probably right), but with a competitive market making more and more difficult to start a small company, most bloggers find themselves saving a significant amount of money by kindly asking their partners to give them a hand.

This, my friends, is the first act of an elaborated melodrama work that more often than not, develops into Greek tragedy.

On the weekend, I joined a friend for some last-minute Margaritas evening. While waiting for the cocktails to come, she commented on how excited she was about her upcoming trip to Santorini. ‘My husband is not that happy thought‘, she said inadvertently, ‘he resents the time we spend taking photos for Insta during holiday‘.

That sentence turned a red light in my head as I could not help but wonder: is Instagram affecting our romantic relationships too?

Intrigued, I made my research as soon as I reached home; unfortunately, the results look quite depressing in terms of numbers.

According to a study conducted by the International Currency Exchange (ICE), Brit holidaymakers spend 22 hours and 36 minutes over a nine days long trip taking snaps to post on social media. Yes, that’s an entire day. Nuts.

But let me share my own experience. When I first started part-time blogging last November, I knew my husband skills with the camera were essential. However, I underestimated how much time, effort and will it would take for him to help me – we are speaking about weekends and off days, some precious hours that could be used on something else, surely. Sometimes, the pressure of taking a nice photo that we can use for my blog can be slightly overwhelming too.

And this is when you need to establish limits.

For us, it is all about integrating photo sessions in our dates but limiting their length. On a typical day out we will spend one-hour maximum working and then the camera is packed away for good. If by any chance we don’t feel like taking pictures on a given occasion, we leave the equipment at home. That way we enjoy some quality time together. Once in a while, I will book a session with a professional photographer, so my husband gets some relief and I still have some pictures to use. As a blogger, these decisions might be far from perfect, but taking care of my relationship is a personal priority.

But what happens to those who become 24/7 Insta-husbands? How do they cope with a brand new demanding career that is so recent and frequently misunderstood?

Social perception on the matter is linked to issues such as Fragile Masculinity. For some, it may be hard to shift from a traditional system in which men were considered the main providers to a new role as career supporters. Those men might be ready to become professional assistants, photographers, and editors but society is still making fun of them (and the women who allegedly force them to be “trivial”).

Taking endless pictures of their wives/girlfriends? Is that even a job? (Spoiler alert: IT IS). It takes guts and a healthy dose of deconstruction for them to become the man behind the great woman. Even when it means to earn much more money, potentially. As for society? Well, only time will tell.

In the meantime, we can all support Insta-husbands (and Instagrammers) publicly by showing some respect for the work they do. Blogging might be a new industry, but people working hard in front and behind the camera are professionals and do deserve acknowledgment.

Do you think their job is a no-brainer? Well, I suggest you taking part in a little experiment: try to take a good picture (and I mean a professional one), then edit it, and oh, don’t forget to curate an entire feed that works smoothly together in the process. Easy-peasy, right?

After all, an Instagram husband would manage…

July 23, 2019July 23, 2019

Allegra Caro8 Comments

The Honest Fashionista Series: Shopping at Giambattista Valli x H&M pre-sale bloodbath

When H&M unveiled its 2019 designer collab on May the 23rd, middle-class fashionistas from all around the world went crazy.

The Giambattista Valli x H&M collection was meant to be the most glamorous one thus far, being artfully revealed at the amfAR gala in Cannes. Always a bandwagon-kind-of-girl, the unavoidable Instagram tidal wave caught me by surprise during the coffee break when, with a cappuccino y one hand and my phone in the other, I learned that a limited stock pre-sale was happening on the 25th before the official release on November. Hallelujah!

For a bit of context, I should probably clarify that my romantic story with H&M designer collections has been quite a tragic one: during the 2015 Balmain launch I somehow managed to mess up the dates and miss it; the 2017 Erdem collection was sold out before I had the chance to get one of their flowing Pre-Raphaelite gowns. In both occasions, I ended up feeling so sorry for myself, I would spend my days sighing and out of spirits – the vivid image of the Brontës heroines, Catherine Earnshaw in the moorlands moaning for lost ~~love~~ dresses… Oh, alas. Hence, I was determined to succeed this time.

A big believer in the Go big or go home motto, my initial impulse was buying one of the dreamy tulle extravaganzas, but as Sebastian kindly reminded me, the last cocktail dress I purchased is still hanging on the original plastic cover, not a chance to wear it. After all, how many opportunities has got the average professional woman to wear something that excessive a year? One, maybe two, if you are lucky. I could for sure wear my new flamboyant Valli to go to the groceries as Crazy Rich Asians character muse Heart Evangelista notoriously said once, right? But in the end, I decided to be a bit rational this time and buy something that would certainly work better with my current lifestyle. Well, most of us bloggers are not Chiara Ferragni, are we?

With this mind, I checked the collection and immediately thought I could manage to fit the necklace in my existing wardrobe without much of a headache. On Saturday, I woke up early, prepared myself some tea and checked the launch time again. It was being released at 10:00 CET, so I entered the website at 9:00 a.m. and saw that the page showed a banner confirming the release at the expected time. At this point, I started feeling slightly nervous and texted a friend to see if she was already connected to the website too. Just to reassure me. Yes, I am that kind of person, what can I say?

At 9:20 a.m. and after the second green jasmine teacup, the initial butterflies in my stomach were more like that Mothra creature from the Godzilla films. Sebastian came back from his Saturday morning basketball game to find me still trying to play cool (as if…). “Just chilling”, I painfully lied, “Waiting for that H&M thing to be online, you know?”. Yeah, he knew. “Not nervous?”, he laughed and then he went for a shower.

At 9:45 a.m. I left any concealing strategy (and all hope) behind. It was my third cup of tea in a row and I was kind of worried I could start hearing the colours any time. Because a theine overdose is just what you need to start your weekend the right way.

I maniacally started refreshing the website at 9:55 a.m. During the 2017 Erdem doom-day, that was the main reason I wasn’t able to add the dresses to my shopping cart in time. It was not happening again, folks.

At 09:59 Apocalypse Now OST was playing in the background. Sebastian was kind of scared at this point and scrupulously keeping the P.A.S.D (Panicking Allegra Security Distance) at all times. That´s my man…

Then it was 10:00 a.m., 10.02 a.m. and 10:05 a.m. and the website was still loading. You are totally rightful to guess I was now on a state of sartorial red code. It didn’t matter how many times I would refresh, the catalogue was not updated yet. I tried my luck with the Spanish website at the same time. Nothing. I suddenly began thinking the page or server collapsed due to the number of people connected at the same time and totally panicked.

At 10:00 a.m. the collection was still loading. I was legitimately considering to drink all the limoncello in the freezer.

It was 10:11 a.m. when the website finally went up: “We have visual contact, sir!”, I announced to Sebastian a bit too loud, “I repeat, we have visual contact”.

I quickly added the necklace to the shopping cart straight away, didn’t even bother to look at the other options. Then I proceeded with check out and payment. The whole process took me less than a minute. Yes, I guess it is some kind of useless superpower. I am just waiting for Doctor Charles Xavier to knock on my door any day now. I opened my email searching for the order confirmation and once I verified everything was alright, I decided to breathe and make myself some lime blossom tea. I can assure you shopping is literally my cardio.

By the time I had my cup ready, I sat down again to see what else was still available on the website. Out of mere curiosity, if you please, and there it was: all the collection was gone for good in about ten minutes.

The necklace arrived four days later, packed on a lovely box and covered with silk paper. I was truly surprised on the effort the actually did with the presentation. Not bad for fast fashion production at all. The piece itself is beautifully designed although the locking clip is far from couture standards. However, it is worth to keep in mind that this is just a collaboration and not an atelier piece. Overall, I would say I am quite satisfied with the purchase – a light impression on how it feels to be a Valli girl.

For those of you who didn’t manage to grab your pieces in time, the full collection will be released on November the 7th. May the shopping odds be ever in your favour!

June 4, 2019June 4, 2019

Allegra Caro2 Comments

A Day in a blogger’s life: Expectations vs. Reality

Oh, the Internet! That little funny place where you can be whoever you want and share it with anyone, anywhere. Isn’t that magical? It’s 2019 now and we have got used to living online, almost 24/7. Pre-Instagram existence seems only a dream and sometimes, we can’t figure out how life was twenty, even ten years ago. This is how much our lives have changed.

Despite it all, there is a good dose of misunderstanding when it comes to the internet persona. Online identity is frequently misinterpreted. Hence, criticism turns out to be an unavoidable consequence.

When speaking about bloggers, the resulting reactions are quite obvious – the internet is packed with sceptical comments judging any kind of content creator, and even with hate forums (yes, I am looking at you, GOMIBLOG). But what are the origins of such a prejudice palette? Well, on the one hand, it could be argued that it is a brand new industry which has been out there for a relatively short period of time. Many people are naturally suspicious of non-traditional business, which makes blogging an obvious target. On the other hand, the editing work most creators put into their projects to make their content appealing can be seen as counterproductive. Some people misjudge it and think it is an accurate description of reality, sometimes based on the massive success of a little number of exceptional influencers.

Even before I started blogging, I was quite conscious about the intimidating number of comments you can hear and read out there. Bloggers, YouTubers, Instagrammers… they are all frequently accused of living according to privileged standards. Sometimes, on a total paradox, they are also called fake.

Well, this is the thing – many people will never understand online publications are no different from printed magazines or TV shows. We are talking about a marketing job. And marketing requires continuous edition.

With that said, it should be a no-brainer to understand that the common blogger living standards are just the same as everyone else. And even so, I stumble upon unrealistic misconceptions every week. Since I am a bit of a clown, I thought it could be fun to post a day in a bloggers routine, only focused on people beliefs compared to real life. So here you go…

A Day in a blogger’s life: Expectations vs. Reality
(Disclaimer: I am not responsible for bursting your bubble, sorry…)

Expectations: Monday, 9:00 AM (Paris, France)

The morning sunlight wakes me up in the room at the Shangri-La my kind sponsors have paid for. The first thing I see is the magnificent tour Eiffel silhouette greeting me on my first day in Paris.

Reality: Monday, 7.00 AM (My apartment)

My phone alarm rings a bit too early. It is still dark and I am sleepy. The first thing I see is a ghost. WHAT?! Why is there a sinister human shape in our bedroom corner?! I turn the lights on in panic, my heart about to explode. Oh… it was just the clean laundry pile on a chair, waiting for us to fold it. Holy crap. I need my coffee.

Expectations: 9:30 AM (A room terrace in the Shangri-La)

I just had the greatest hydro therapy morning shower. By the time I sit down in the sunny private terrace, the room service has already served a feast made of delicious butter croissants, pain au chocolat, strawberries, and coffee. They also brought me some fresh peonies. I take some quick Instagram snaps that require no filter. #awesome

Reality: 07.30 AM (Still, my apartment)

I leave the morning shower just to discover we forgot to buy real coffee. Again. Decaf will have to do. Such a lovely Monday start.

Expectations: 10:00 AM (Again in the hotel room)

While the very nice hairdresser finishes her work, I send a couple of agreement emails confirming my participation in a bloggers event tomorrow evening. My personal assistant will take care of all the details. Now, is this Oscar de la Renta skirt too dressy for a casual walk?

Reality: 07.45 AM

Where did I place the hair straightener? And my dress? Decaf is lukewarm now but at least I managed to click the “schedule post” button, so it goes live at ten o’clock. Should I re-check the spelling once again? OK, don‘t panic. I will be on time to the commute.

Expectations: 10.30 AM (Pont Alexandre III)

My car picks me up and drops me to Pont Alexandre III for the professional photo shoot. The photographer I always hire in Paris is very patient and knows my angles. It will be a relaxing fun morning.

Reality: 08:30 AM (Commute)

I am late, I am late, I am LATE. Did I really hit the schedule button this morning? I will quickly check on the phone. Why is there no reception now? Please, tell me I scheduled the post correctly… I would kill for real coffee, really.

Expectations: 12:30 PM (Café De Flore)

My fellow blogger babes gang welcomes me when I first arrive in Café De Flore. We are catching up a bit before moving to our favourite boutiques for a shopping spree. Our group picture hits 20,000 views on Instagram stories in about two minutes time. Isn’t this the best day EVER?

Reality: 09:00 AM (The office)

Well, it was scheduled correctly, after all. I will have to check the comments in the break and pray there are no typo mistakes in between. At least, I could drink a proper cup of coffee… Not the worst Monday ever.

Expectations: 13.30 PM (Avenue Montagne)

We are SO lucky there were special sales on Céline! I will make an unboxing as soon as I get back to the hotel. My Insta-stories will be on fire!

Reality: 14.30 PM (The office, lunch break)

Oh goodness! Do I need to update all the new post reminders manually on my lunch break? Didn’t the app do its thing? But WHY? Hello darkness, my old friend…

Expectations: 16:00 PM (31 Rue Cambon, Coco Chanel apartment)

The girls and I are having such a great time today! We enjoy our sponsored private tour while drinking some champagne. Once it is finished, we will take some more pictures for Instagram. Super productive Monday!

Reality: 18.30 PM (Back home)

Back home, finally! I make myself a cup of tea and and get ready to start the whole admin tasks on my pending list: comments, edition, pre-scheduling social media content for tomorrow etc. Sometimes, I feel as if 24 hours in a day aren’t enough to do all the things I want to do.

Expectations: 18:30 PM (Back to the Shangri-La hotel)

The room service brings me a tea cup so I can start writing a draft for my Paris city guide. No stress, though – my assistant already took care of all the heavy admin stuff, so I can simply focus on the creative part.

Reality (20:00 PM)

Done for today! Are those hunger pangs? I totally forgot to eat dinner (or drink any liquids, for the matter), thanks God Sebastian comes to my rescue with a quick spaghetti dish. Maybe I can quickly draft something for next week too?

Expectations: 20:30 PM (Kong restaurant)

The girls and I are having the most delicious dinner ever. Such a perfect end for a perfect day. We will leave the place early tonight, so we can all rest and meet again in the morning for the first day of Paris Fashion Week. #BLESSED

Reality (21:30 PM)

I suddenly wake up from a nap in the couch. When did I even fall asleep? Maybe, I should leave the laptop now and have an early night. Why is there a sinister human shape in our bedroom corner?! That laundry pile AGAIN. I really need to fold those clothes now. Oh, well… Let’s call it just an ordinary Monday. #DEAD

March 11, 2019June 4, 2019

Allegra Caro28 Comments