How To Look Polished Without Breaking The Bank

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

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

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

Fashion advice on how to look amazing on a budget.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

How to dress elegantly in an affordable way.

– OUTFIT –

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

February 16, 2022February 15, 2022

Allegra Caro3 Comments

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

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

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

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

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

Winter style tips for women over thirty.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

– OUTFIT –

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

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

February 2, 2022February 8, 2022

Allegra Caro13 Comments

The Strange Case Of The Little Yellow Valentino

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

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

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

Autumn Wintr Valentino Dress. Cheap design dresses.

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

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

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

Affordable designer dresses. Sustainable designer dresses.

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

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

Sustainable waut to source designer dresses.

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

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

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

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

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

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

– OUTFIT –

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

January 26, 2022January 26, 2022

Allegra Caro4 Comments

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

– OUTFIT –

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

November 4, 2021November 3, 2021

Allegra Caro4 Comments

My 2019 in Outfits: Developing my Style Sense

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

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

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

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

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

This was my 2019 in outfits!

January

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

February

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

March

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

April

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

May

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

June

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

July

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

August

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

September

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

October

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

November

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

December

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

How was your 2019?

January 27, 2020January 26, 2020

Allegra Caro8 Comments

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Bag: Handmade / Boots: Deichman (alternative here)

December 25, 2019December 24, 2019

Allegra Caro1 Comment

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Bag: Axes Femme (vintage, similar here)

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

December 20, 2019December 19, 2019

Allegra Caro3 Comments

Seven Days of Christmas Outfits: Day 2 Christmas Afternoon Tea

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Skirt: Chicwish / Sweater: Zara / Tights: Calzedonia

Shoes: Deichman / Bag and brooch: CHANEL

December 19, 2019December 19, 2019

Allegra Caro8 Comments

Seven Days of Christmas Outfits: Day 1 Christmas Shopping

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Have you finished your Christmas shopping?

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

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

Beret: Collectiff

December 18, 2019December 13, 2019

Allegra Caro7 Comments

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.

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.

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.

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).

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…

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.