#BestOf2015

2015 just finished... As always, I'm feeling a mix of sadness for this year which won't come back again and excitement for the new year and my new projects and expectations.

I'm also thinking about all the people suffering or loosing their lives in this year in Syria, Paris, Beirut...  and hoping we will get a more peaceful and fair World in 2016.

Here some images of my fav moments and looks:

Probably my fav pic of the year.

With puppy at the Varese Lake.

This bag...

Definitely my best boots of 2015: Stuart Weitzman

Fur vest, blue leggings and suede high heels booties.

Doing some shopping in Varese.

My trip to icy NY and Vegas last March.

Diva for one night at Asolo Golf.

My custom bag with these stickers.

My trip to Andalusia last June and stay at Kempinski Bahia.

At work.

Proud for winning this prize at the Buccellati Golf Tournament.

Flower dress and OTK boots ( <3 ).

Stars and stripes.

I love mixing different prints.

Sporty chic at one of my fav restaurant close to home.

My short winter break trip to South Tyrol.

Sheer Lace

Lace crop top, balconette bra and longuette skirt: YAMAMAY
Pumps: Very Prive' LOUBOUTIN similar here

"It is difficult to see why lace should be so expensive; it is mostly holes." 

Actually lace can be affordable, too, like my lace outfit, that I sported at a party in Lugano last Sunday night, as in these (blurred) "backstage" pics.  I was inspired by some glam sheer lace celeb outfits (Kim Kardashian is one of the best at rocking this style) and found this very interesting and relatively inexpensive sheer lacy set by the new Yamamay Fall collection. The crop is really sheer, so I added a balconette bra (if you are not so brave or for more formal occasions you can opt for a black tank for more coverage) and matched it with its pairing longuette skirt. The result is pretty classic, but the see-through effect adds some visual interest.... As you know, I love to dress up and I'm happy when I can do it without spending a fortune, so that I can save some money for other shoes or statement pieces...

Note to self: I went for these classic loubies, but some lace-up sandals should be more edgy.

Thanks for visiting.

xx

Spikey V.

Boho-Chic Vibes in Tarifa

Maxi dress and bikini: MISS BIKINI
Flip flops: HAVAIANAS

Atlantic Ocean, sand dunes and Roman ruins.

Baelo Claudia Roman ruins in front of Playa de Bolonia

Tarifa is in the southernmost part of Spain, just in front of Morocco.

I went to Andalusia in Southern Spain with my boy on the last week of May for a short vacation and really enjoyed this trip and the fantastic weather there (blue sky, warm sun, gentle sea breeze, 26-30 degrees, no rain*). We were based in Estepona, close to Marbella, which had an amazing development in the last years as a vacation and investment destination for (wealthy) visitors from across Europe, Arabic states and America. I had fun playing in some impressive golf courses**, jogging and walking by the long seaside, visiting the area and chilling out at our hotel, a luxury, cosmopolite set, where I could sport some evening outfits without feeling a bit too much. (I definitely like to dress up :-) )

I also enjoyed visiting Tarifa, which is located in the southern stretch of Spain, just in front of Africa, and it's very different from Marbella: it attracts some surfer tribes for its windy spots and the hippy cool set for its laid-back, relaxed vibes. We also stop by the beautiful Playa de Bolonia, between the Atlantic waves, sand dunes and old Roman ruins of Baelo Claudia and sipped a chilled beer in the little chiringuitos in the beach.

My outfit for the visit to Tarifa and Playa de Bolonia was really easy: a maxi-dress and bikini by Miss Bikini, one of my favorite swimwear brand. Exceptionally (:-) ), I wore no heels but just some flip flops, this was okay for this relaxed day in Tarifa and the beach. Later, back to our resort, I styled this maxi-dress again paired with some gladiator sandals and ethnic jewels for some extra summer glam.

* The area is known as Costa del Sol and very warm later from June to August.

** The same area is also known as Costa del Golf

Diva For One Night

Heels: Tribute by Saint Laurent
Maxi dress: Styligion (now on sale)
Clutch: Saint Laurent
Short jacket: Mangano
Watch and jewels: Bulgari

Are you looking for an outfit for a special night? White can be an interesting option. Here my tips.

Last weekend I was invited with my boy to golf event (I adore golfing even if I don’t have so much time to practice it), followed by a cocktail and gala dinner in the beautiful Asolo hills, in the North East of Italy. I thought it was the perfect time to try an all white, diva outfit, sporting my white sassy Tribute sandals and this gorgeous maxi dress by Styligion.  Well, like a modern Cinderella, I’m not shy at all when it comes to dress up, even for one night. :-) In order to make this look working from the cocktail to the following dinner and after-dinner, I went for some black and gold  details (a short jacket and my YSL clutch). I also added a little more contrast, as I wanted these gorgeous heels and dress not been washed out on my on my currently white-as-a-sheet skin... So I used a good and quick self-tanning spray  and opted for a bright, classic feminine red both for my lips and nails. Well, my outfit got noticed... :-) I hope these little tips can work also for you.

Thanks for visiting my website.

XOXO

Spikey V.

Dare To Be Different

White shopping tote: PINKO
Stickers: ANYA HINDMARCH, here and here
Jeans: J BRAND
Booties: JIMMY CHOO

I have to confess I'm not a bricolage master...  I'm definitely better and more creative with the digital world, my pc, iPhone... than with physical, practical things. This is one of the reason I'm so happy I was able to customize my own bag, so easily... 

Well, in order:

1. I noticed these fun stickers by Anya Hindmarch and selected some of them that representing me more (a smiley remembering me to face life with a positive attitude, without taking myself too seriously, a V., my loved initial, and some eyes as a symbol of my curiosity)
2. then I found this Pinko large tote, which I thought it was perfect to be personalized, as it has clean, well defined graphic lines highlighted by black seams and borders. 
3. I tested the positions of the stickers with some removable scotch at first 
4. then fixed them and my custom bag was ready. 

So easy and fun! You can find the stickers online (see above), and also simulate the final effect and positioning of the stickers before buying them with this funny interactive app.

Vi devo confessare che non sono per nulla una maga del bricolage, sono decisamente più a mio agio nel mondo virtuale, con la tecnologia, pc, iPhone, ... che nei lavori manuali. Questo e' uno dei motivi per cui sono felice di essere riuscita a realizzare un oggetto personalizzato, in modo così semplice, sentendomi un poco creativa. Bene, quindi, con ordine:

1. ho scelto alcuni stickers che mi piacevano e rappresentavano (lo smiley per ricordarmi di affrontare la vita con positività e non prendermi mai troppo sul serio, la V., la mia iniziale, che amo tanto, e gli occhi, come stimolo ad essere sempre curiosa rispetto al mondo che mi circonda), 
2. ho trovato la borsa giusta per essere personalizzata, cercavo una borsa bianca per l'estate e questa di Pinko mi sembrava perfetta, sia per le dimensioni e linee molto grafiche sottolineate dal contrasto delle cuciture nere sul fondo bianco, che per il materiale, il saffiano, che rende la superficie della borsa più' resistente a macchie e abrasioni
3. ho studiato la posizione degli stickers usando inizialmente dello scotch (una volta attaccati non si possono più' staccare, se non rovinando la borsa o l'oggetto su cui li si e' applicati).
4. et voilà,, una volta decise le posizioni ho rimosso la protezione e applicato gli stickers alla superficie pulita, che hanno aderito in modo perfetto e sicuro.

Davvero facile (a prova di impediti come me) e divertente! Se vi piacciono, potete trovare questi stickers online (link sopra), e simulare il posizionamento e l'effetto finale con questa applicazione divertente e interattiva.

Thanks for visiting my website! / Grazie per aver visitato il mio blog

Spikey V.

The Booted Girl

 

Over-the-knee boots: STUART WEITZMAN
Leo mini dress: LIU JO
Shopping bag: CHANEL
Fur Vest; CARDIFF VARESE
Leggings: WOLFORD

I do like sexy, feminine heels. I have been looking for ages for a great pair of over-the-knee boots, probably one of the sexiest silhouette, but I couldn't find anything appealing, at least not too harsh, costing less than 1.000 EUR/1200 USD (i.e. these choos) and in my size. Finally in a recent business trip to Las Vegas, I found these slick Highland boots by Stuart Weitzman in gray, my fav color for this style, and in my size (it was a bit difficult to pack them in my flight back luggage, but a true shoe addict doesn't give up easily...). 

They have been some of the hottest boots for the last seasons, spotted by many notable bloggers and socialites such as Olivia Palermo, and continue to be a great style in my opinion, because:

• their shape enhance the legs and is very eye-catching
• they are edgy and very wearable because the light suede and "moderate' heels help to cool them down, reducing the "pretty woman" effect
• the pretty thick heels make them easy to walk in

Few notes if you are interested to go for them:

• they run half a size smaller
• they are really comfortable and easy to walk with, thanks to the quality and softness of the boot leg and sole construction
• you can wear them as hot as you want, from pretty sexy with bare legs and short dresses/minis to more casual and relaxed with skinny jeans or leggings.

Don't hesitate to ask me for any additional info.

Thanks for visiting my website.

XOXO

Spikey V.

A Tribute to Shoe Love

Saint Laurent Tribute sandals

I'm always in search of stylish and high impact heels: the higher the better... :-)  As monsieur Louboutin, I do think that high heels empower women in a way.

As my personal birthday gift, I decided to go for some scene stealers: Saint Laurent iconic Tribute sandals. I love their sleek shape and 70s glam (probably my favorite period in Fashion). They are a classic style, yet very trendy, platforms are actually hot again (with thin or thicker heels, as seen in the last run-ways).

I was a little puzzled about the color to choose: Tribute sandals are offered in multiple hues and materials (leather, patent leather, suede...). I didn't want to go for black (I already owns many pairs of blacks and I do think that colorful accessories can add a lot of interest to any outfit), I was tempted first by brown leather: it amplifies the hippy chic/70s vibes of this style, every shades of brown are next season hues and they are perfect for summer... but I like to wear my heels also at night, and   brown is better for days, in my opinion. So I decided to go for the white leather version, pretty delicate, but particularly elegant and more unusual. I'm planning to wear them next summer also in all-white* diva outfits, for instance matched to a white bodycon maxi-dress like the one I recently bought via Styligion.  Stay  tuned for more...

Other notes, if you are planning to go for a pair of Tribute: they run true to size, are very high quality and pretty comfortable for being some sky-high heels.

* White is my favorite color for summer and white/neutrals are pretty trendy too.

Thanks for visiting my website.

XOXO

Spikey V.