Puppy And Bread & Butter

High Boots: MIU MIU
Leggings: WOLFORD
Tee: ONE-T-SHIRT by IL DUCA D'AOSTA
Jeans jacket: PARASHUCO
Fur Vest: CARDIFF VARESE
Snake print bag: FURLA
Gloves: PORTS 1961
Fedora: BORSALINO

There is a joyful new addition to my extended family: cute puppy Mike! Here some shots from our first walk together, I was happy and a little awkward, as you can notice... Mike was excited about this new adventure and continued to spin around my legs...

As far as my look, I went for my off-duty "bread & butter" staples  in this time of the year: high boots* and leggings. Easy, comfortable but feminine, as in my style. If you are not comfortable with wearing just leggings you can add some shorts or a mini for extra coverage. I then layered up my outfit in order to stay warm and free to move:  adding one of my fav tee, a jeans jacket, my fur vest and a fedora and gloves for extra warm (and style). 
* Actually I'm planning to buy higher boots than the ones I'm wearing, thigh high, but I haven't found so far a "reasonable" option in my size , maybe with the next sales. If you like them and they fit your body type, they are really edgy and super-trendy.
C'è una bellissima new-entry nella mia famiglia estesa: il piccolo Mike. In questo post alcuni scatti della nostra prima passeggiata insieme. Ero felice e un po' imbranata, Mike e' super vivace e curioso, come tutti i cuccioli, e continuava a ruotarmi attorno, eccitato per questa nuova avventura. 
Per quanto riguarda il mio look, indossavo due cose che stanno bene insieme, come il pane e la Nutella: stivali alti** e leggings. È uno dei miei abbinamenti preferiti in questa stagione, facile, comodo e caldo, ma femminile, come piace a me. Mi sono poi vestita a strati sopra, non è ancora troppo freddo e volevo essere libera di muovermi e camminare, aggiungendo una tee-shirt, un giubbino in jeans, la pelliccia smanicata e infine guanti e cappello (per un'aggiunta di calore e stile).

** Ne sto cercando da tempo un paio più alti, fino alla coscia, ma non ho ancora trovato nulla che mi piaccia e sia abbordabile, chissà, magari coi prossimi saldi... Se vi piacciono e pensate vi stiano bene, sono una scelta sicuramente d'impatto e super trendy. 

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

Spikey V.

The Woman in Red

Fedora: SUBDUED
Coat: ZARA
Sweater: LAUREN MOSHI
Leggies: WOLFORD
Boots: PRADA
Shoulder bag: GIVENCHY

Photo by MG

Woolen coats are classic winter staples and a must-have for this season (winning over duvets and other outerwear). You can actually choose from a variety of styles, fabrics and colors. I recently went for a double breasted coat by Zara, with a classic fit. Oversize coats are super fashionable too, but I wanted something more feminine, as in my style (I'm pretty tall and with some extra-bulk I risk to look a little like big Shrek or his wife, Fiona, not good... Sure, oversize are pretty cool when left open/wraped over your shoulders*, but I wanted something more practical to keep me warm). I went for a bright red, a little different from the usual grays/camels, to increase the feminine look of this garment. Red is one of the more sensual colors and one of my favorites, it brings a lot of visual interest.

Some style tips:

1. *For extra glam and femininity: wear the coat over your shoulders rather than fastened (as Michelle Williams in My Week with Marilyn or many fashionistas).
2. For a cool off-duty/urban look: pair your coat with your sneakers and casual staples, such as  (here)
3. Camel is also a great and super trendy choice, it brings an instant luxe, well-made feel to any item.

I cappotti sono tornati di super moda da qualche stagione e stanno avendo la meglio anche sui classici piumini (sara' anche l'effetto "Report"...).  Se ne trovano in moltissime versioni, materiali e colori. Recentemente ho scelto questo cappottino di Zara a doppio petto, molto asciutto e femminile, come piace a me, con altezza al ginocchio. Esalta le forme e non le mortifica, come le versioni over, adesso molto trendy (io sono piuttosto alta e con dei volumi troppo ampi rischio di sembrare un piccolo Shrek, meglio evitare, in generale non credo che i volumi troppo ampi donino veramente a nessuna donna... si' certo, ci sono dei modi per bilanciare i volumi ampi, tipo usare una cintura, o soprattutto portare questi cappotti aperti/sulle spalle (vedi sotto),  ..., un modo molto fashion, ma non così pratico in inverno).  Ho scelto un colore rosso acceso, un po' più  insolito rispetto ai soliti grigi/cammello, per esaltare l'aspetto femminile di questo capo. Il rosso e' uno dei miei colori preferiti.

Alcune dritte:

1. Se vi piace un effetto molto  glam e femminile: e' molto attuale portare cappotti e soprabiti appena appoggiati sopra alle spalle (come la bellissima Michelle Williams nel film su Marilyn o molte fashioniste/vip/socialites).
2. Per un look casual/chic/metropolitano: abbinate il cappotto a sneakers/felpe/abbigliamento casual, un po' da rapper o modella in libera uscita...
3. Il classico color cammello e' un'altra opzione molto interessante e super-trendy,  da' un effetto lusso/sartoriale a qualsiasi capo.

Thanks for visiting my website/grazie per aver visitato il mio blog.

XOXO/ Baci

Spikey V.

Let's Sparkle...

Rock version - Photo by MG

Chic version - Photo by YLS

Golden pumps: ZARA - other designers' option here or here.
Zip Tights: WOLFORD
Faux-leather skinnies: MANGO (last season)

The Holiday Season is approaching and golden pumps can be a great accessory to sparkle in your Christmas and New Year parties. Actually they can be a more versatile item in your closet, than just shoes for parties: you can sport them with more casual outfits to add some extra glam to your day look, matching them for instance with jeans or some leather/faux leather skinnies, as in my picture above.

I went for a budget version by Zara, pretty inexpensive but cool. If you like this style you can also go for some gold killer heels by luxury designers, even more sophisticated (and pricey).

Thanks for visiting my blog.

XOXO

Spikey V.

Barcelona for Fashionistas and Urbanites

Barcelona is a real  open-minded and forward-thinking city, an amazing mix of traditions and modernity, which is attracting many urbanites from the globe.  Here my ten must-do in Barcelona for fashionistas and urbanites* (in no particular order, from my recent trip there):

1.   Don't know where to stay? One of the coolest hotel and scene of Barcelona night life is the W Barcelona Hotel and resident Eclipse Bar,  just in front of Barceloneta Beach.

Blazer and leopard print dress: Liu Jo
Stockings: Wolford
Pumps: Zara

2.   Barcelona is a Zara addict paradise: the density of Zara stores is the highest on universe in the city center (around Plaça de Catalunya), the merchandise is fully available in all styles/sizes and prices are a good 20% less than in the rest of Europe. Same applies for  Mango and Desigual. I couldn’t miss to buy two new pairs of Zara heels, ops...  :-)

Zip tights: WOLFORD
Golden Pumps: ZARA

3.    Passeig de Gràcia is the luxury shopping area, where you can find the Chanel, Saint Laurent, Prada, Jimmy Choo, Manolo Blahnik stores.... For the shoe lovers like me: here you can find a detailed list of shoe brands and stores  in Barcelona (International and Spanish, such as Castañer, Bibi Lou, Pura López, .... )

4.    Best tapas in town (no tourist trap, just be ready to queue):  Cerveseria Catalana, close to Passeig de Gracias

5.   Antoni Gaudí is the visionary artist and architect who shaped the city late 19th and early 20th century culture and landscape, his creations are a unique mix of fantasy, art, religion and technique...

Gaudi - Casa Batlló

6.    There are many ways to move in Barcelona: you can of course walk across the city main streets, full of people and things to be seen (Las Ramblas, Passeig de Gracia, the narrow streets in El Barrio), take the modern metro or one of the frequent bus tours, that you can get on and off all day long to stop visiting the places you prefer (these bus include an audio guide to the city and wi-fi access). There are actually many other pretty cool and even more flexible options to discover Barcelona at your own pace, i.e. renting an eBIKE connected to an iPhone with a built-in GPS device with GPS, a go-cart , a Twizy (a two-seater electric vehicle), or other eco-friendly vehicles.

7.    Barceloneta Beach is one of the liveliest and coolest area in the city: you can stroll, run, skate, bike, play tennis, tennis, paddle tennis, beach volley, waterpolo and actually surf …. Prior to the 1992 Olympic Games, Barceloneta was one of the worst areas of Barcelona (an ugly industrial zone , known as 'The Catalan Manchester') .

November in Barceloneta Beach

All pics are mine, except this one by Oscar.

8.    From the Montjuïc Cable Car you can  enjoy the best panoramic views of Barcelona (another amazing spot is the Miramar Hotel terrace at sunset).

9.  Barcelona offers a full variety of cuisines and restaurants. We were suggested by some local friends to try Roig Robi': "traditional Catalan cuisine, enhanced and adapted to suit modern tastes". We liked it.

10.  La Bouqueria Food Market. In the mid of Barcelona Ramblas: "At the Boqueria people eat, shop and gossip together doing what the Spanish excel at, living life well and enjoying a sense of community."  Best place for a quick, informal lunch sitting at the market stalls and tasting jamon serrano, embutidos and other local specialties.

When visiting this city, I'm sure you'll build easily your own must-go list... Enjoy.

Thanks for visiting my website. XOXO

Spikey V.

* Urbanite = A person who inhabits one of the major cities in the world, not necessarily defined by age, but by commonalities.  An urbanite is an affluent consumer with an optimistic outlook on life that is very different from those who live in "small town" or rural areas. Urbanites are both a subculture and a contemporary lifestyle. They have 6 key characteristics: Time-poor, city-proud, media-literate, brand-centric, trend-sensitive and culturally-aware. Read more

It's All About The Fur Vest... And The New Girl Power

Suede booties: Casadei

Fishnet stay-ups: Wolford

Fake leather shorts: Liu JO

Fur vest: Cardiff Varese

Jeans shirt: Mango

Necklace: Zara

Sunnies: Chanel

Beanie: Imperfect

Photo by YLS

The fur vest is a key statement piece for the cooler season, it's more fresh and young than the traditional fur coat and it adds extra-chic to any look. You can play layering it above a simple shirt, a wool sweater or a leather jacket for more warm. It also helps to show off your legs (if you like it): the bulky and soft volume of the vest it’s great to make your legs look longer and thinner by contrast…and to show them off even in the coolest season (I don't mind to have almost bare legs even in winter, as far as my middle stays warm).  As you may have noticed and Vogue recently summarized: "minis are (once again) very, very hot.  From the front row to the street, the coolest girls, from Alexa Chung to Rihanna to Jennifer Lawrence are showing their legs and celebrating girl power with a chic, modern twist." I like this style!

Un gilet in pelliccia e' un pezzo base molto interessante e di super-moda per la stagione più' fredda: e' più giovane e attuale della classica pelliccia, e rende piu’ glam qualsiasi look. Un altro vantaggio, come si vede dalle foto, e’ che il volume abbondante e soffice della pelliccia fa sembrare per contrasto le gambe ancora più lunghe e sottili… e permette di metterle in mostra anche quando fa freddo (io ad esempio posso andare in giro tranquillamente con le gambe scoperte se ho la parte centrale del corpo, pancino e schiena, ben coperta). Come avrete notato e ha sintetizzato bene Vogue qualche giorno fa, le mini sono di nuovo super, super trendy e molte celeb famose hanno adottato questo trend, scoprendo le gambe in chiave di un femminismo moderno*.

Thanks for visiting my blog. Grazie per aver visitato il mio blog.

* Ecco, su questo punto potremmo ovviamente una discussione molto più approfondita...

XOXO/ "Baci e abbracci".

Spikey V.

The Red Mouth Trend - Lauren Moshi Cig Lip

"Cig Lip" tank: LAUREN MOSHI

Leather Biker Jacket: BALENCIAGA PERFECTO

Faux Leather shorts: TEZENIS
"Twenties" Micro fishnet stay-ups: WOLFORD

Clutch with detachable chain: GIVENCHY Obsedia

Spikey pumps and booties (SS13): JEFFREY CAMPBELL

Probably you noticed the current revival of tongue/lips prints in clothing/accessories, this is an hot trend in the past seasons. These graphics are deeply rooted into our pop/rock culture as a sign of rebellion, anti-conformism and/or sex appeal. Think about the Rolling Stones "tongue and lips" logo (click here for more about this topic) or Andy Warhol lips prints in the late '50s. Well, many designers are revisiting the "tongue/lips" graphics (i.e. it's not a case that the trend-setter Hedi Slimane re-edited some '70s Rive Gauche lips print for his last SS14 collection, here for more, or that the famous blogger Chiara Ferragni included some lip shapes in her new Caia jewelry line). 

One of the modern “lip and tongue” reinterpretation I like the most it's the "Cig lips" print by Lauren Moshi, an emerging LA artist and designer. As a true fashionista I "had" to add this graphic to my closet ;-). You can see it in the pics below (this was the outfit I wore last Sunday), styled with a leather biker jacket and with my Jeffrey Campbell shoes for a rock/grunge look. I really like it, don't you? 

XOXO

Spikey V.

Best of 2013

This is a short review of my (blogged) 2013, I hope you enjoy.

December 

Xmas Gift (Chantall Thomass stay-ups)

Out at one of my favorite place (Zara heels, Wolford stay-ups and JBrand shorts)

Vanesia... (Woolen beanie, Ports 1961 coat and Imperial lace shirt)

Ganga style (Mango fake leather skinnies, Dolce & Gabbana tee)

October 

All-leather and sort of mood (High boots: Miu Miu, (eco) leather shors: Tezenis)

All leather mood (Miu Miu booties, Givenchy Obsedia clutch, Mango leather skirt)

All leather mood (detail)

August

Summer Evening (Zara lace-up heels/ Adele Fado dress)

At the pool (with my choos)

At one of my fav wine bar & restaurant (Styligion dress/ Zara lace-up heels)

J

Navy mood (Bally sandals)

June

Loubies and net tights in a cool June night

May

Light silk dress, leather jacket, vintage Sergio Rossi sandals and messy hair.

Markus Lupfer stripes

April

Phillip Lim flower shirt and Casadei booties

John Richmond white dress and Valentino Rockstuds slingbacks

March

Asos maxi dress and Jimmy Choo Vita high heels at Kempiski Soma Bay - Egypt

February

Just arrived at Miami Doral Resort (Polo Ralph Lauren vintage knit and Sexy Woman skinnies)

January

Jeffrey Campbell spikey pumps that inspired the name of this blog...

Dear cyber buddies, I wish you an Happy New Year and I hope you will follow me also in 2014...

XXX

Spikey V.