Navy nails

Image: Hello it's Valentine

EN - From New York to Paris, this autumn the most sophisticated nails are navy! Navy nail polish can complement the blue in your outfit or bring a dissonant, yet stylish, element to your look. Either way they're a modern and refined choice and offer a chic alternative to the usual red over the Christmas party season.
(Thank you James for the correction of the translation)

FR - Cet automne, de Paris à New York, les ongles plus sophistiqués se teignent en bleu marine. Les ongles bleus peuvent compléter un habillement de même couleur ou, au contraire, être l'élément dissonant de ce dernier. En tout cas le vernis bleu marine est un choix moderne et raffiné et, pendant les nombreuses fêtes de Noël, une alternative chic à l’habituel vernis rouge.
(Merci Davide pour la correction de la traduction)

IT - Questo autunno, da New York a Parigi, le unghie più chic si tingono di blu scuro, nell'intenso tono del navy (o blu notte). Rigorosamente abbinate a indumenti blu oppure lasciate come elemento dissonante, le unghie navy – se sapute portare – sono raffinate e moderne e, in vista dei numerosi party che ci attendono a fine anno, costituiscono una sofisticata alternativa alle solite unghie rosse!

Image: A CUP OF JO

November inspirations

EN - It's November, and the entrancing and warm autumnal colours make me want to dress like an English girl... by the way, I am really looking forward to watch the new episodes of Downton Abbey! I love the clothes of Lady Mary and the way of dressing of the flappers of the twenties! It's November, and I want to wear perky tights and to tie my hair up in a chignon with tiny braids. I want to wear my blue coat that puts me in high spirits. I want to ride my bicycle every day to go to the market and I want to fill my basket with fresh and healthy things. I want to learn to play the piano and I want also to enrol on a course of classical ballet. I want to study and to discover as much as I can. I want to come upon serendipitous events, to make a plan and then to change direction. We are at the height of autumn and these fragile leaves remind me of not procrastinating happiness, because happiness is today, happiness is now.

IT - È novembre, e i meravigliosi colori caldi e avvolgenti dell'autunno mi fanno venire voglia di vestirmi da inglesina... e poi non vedo l'ora di vedere i nuovi episodi di Downton Abbey... adoro i vestiti di Lady Mary e delle flappers degli anni '20! È novembre, e voglio mettere calze allegre sotto le gonne e legare i capelli in uno chignon con piccole trecce. Voglio indossare il mio bel cappottino blu che mi mette tanta allegria. Voglio prendere ogni giorno la bicicletta per andare al mercato e riempire il cestino di spesa fresca. Voglio imparare a suonare il pianoforte e iscrivermi a un corso di danza classica. Voglio studiare, dissetare le mie mille curiosità e conoscere il più che sia possibile. Voglio imbattermi in eventi serendipici, fare un programma e poi cambiare direzione. Siamo nel cuore dell'autunno e queste fragili foglie mi ricordano di non rimandare la felicità, perché la felicità è oggi, è racchiusa proprio in questo istante.

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Images: Classy Girls Wear Pearls, Crush Cul de Sac, French Frosting, Garance Doré, last.fm, live-life-in-style.com, the beat bike blog, The Minimalists, the sphinx & the milky way.

Let's talk about shampoos

I am against the use of an excessive number of beauty products. Looking at beautiful elderly women and asking them their beauty secrets, I have understood that the "less is more" principle perfectly suits to the ideal beauty routine.
I am quite obsessed by my hair (like the most of the women) and I would like them to be always at their best. I thought, wrongly, that buying the most renowned shampoos would  have been good for my hair but it is not true. 

My hair were dull and needed to be washed increasingly often. I realized that something was wrong so, few months ago, I started questioning the use of my current shampoos and even the use of the shampoo itself. Nature equipped us with all we need, so isn't it strange that we need all these artificial products [link]? I am not against beauty products in general, but I am against the excessive number of them and I want to reduce the amount of chemical components on my body to the minimum indispensable.
There are new currents of thought that are the "no poo" and "low poo" methods, i.e. washing hair without commercial shampoos. The harsh components of shampoos strip the sebum (the natural oils your scalp produces) causing the scalp to produce more oil to compensate. This is why we need conditioner after shampoo and this is why we need to wash hair increasingly often. Sebum is a natural moisturizer for your hair and scalp.
There are persons who have quit using shampoo and wash their hair just with water (water eliminates only the excess of sebum, not all of it) [link, link], persons who use the baking soda as shampoo and the apple cider vinegar as conditioner (baking soda is basic and apple cider vinegar is acid, so using them together leaves hair and scalp with a balanced pH) [link] and persons, especially the curly girls, who wash their hair with a conditioner without silicones (this is the co-wash method; conditioner can wash hair because it contains cleansing agents that are milder than the ones of the shampoo) [link] .
These persons experienced an initial transition period of adjustment where the hair becomes greasy because the scalp reacts to the lack of shampoo with excess oil. The advantages of these methods are that you don't remove all the sebum from the scalp, but only the excess of it and your scalp and hair remain moisturized by it. Moreover looking at the INCI (International Nomenclature of Cosmetic Ingredients) of conventional shampoos and conditioners, they contain bad chemical additives such as sodium laureth sulfate and silicone derivatives (silicones coat the hair with a film, preventing moisture from entering the hair, eventually drying it out).
I tried the baking soda and apple cider vinegar and, although I was satisfied with this method, it is not practical carrying these products during the travels or at the gym. I occasionally do the co-wash, but I decided to adopt the low poo method, using an organic shampoo and conditioner. I have a list of ingredients that a natural shampoo and conditioner must not have and, before I buy them, I check their labels. It's a little difficult to find these products, I currently use a baby shampoo. It is incredibly cheap and good.

I am happy with the results, my hair is now much better, very soft and silky and I am aware that I have no builds up on it (the builds up are the chemical insoluble residues remaining on the hair after the rinse). When it's humid my hair gets wavy but I don't care, I know this happens because I have no silicones on it. When I go to the hairdresser for the regular haircuts, I can't avoid their products so, after some days, I do a clarifying shampoo with baking soda and apple cider vinegar to remove the builds up of the commercial products they put on my hair. My hair gets dirty more slowly, so I need to wash it less frequently and this is positive not only for my hair health but also for my time. Psychologically I feel more free because I am not captivated anymore by the shampoo advertisements.
Nobody has the perfect hair, therefore let's accept ours just as it is, without looking for miracle products but relying on our self confidence.

  

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Images: dustjacketattic.blogspot.com, elsa-may.tumblr.com, Studded Hearts

What's going on this fall

Stella McCartney Fall 2012 Ready-to-wear

Taylor Tomasi Hill, New York Fashion Week September 2012

EN - The two leading colours of this autumn definitely have a strong personality. Blue, especially in the “electric” shade, will be the new black together with a very intense burgundy, with shades ranging from crimson to fuchsia. Blue matches delightfully the latest Chanel nail polish, Frenzy 559, a delicate grey with lavender gradations, while burgundy gets along divinely with the timeless Chanel Rouge Noir.

FR - Les protagonistes indiscutables de cet automne seront deux couleurs aux caractères marqués: le bleu, surtout dans sa tonalité “électrique”, sera le nouveau noir avec un bordeaux intense aux nuances qui vont du bourgogne au fuchsia. Le bleu s'assortit délicieusement avec le dernier vernis de Chanel, Frenzy 559, un gris délicat aux nuances lavande, alors que le bordeaux s'entend parfaitement avec un grand classique intemporel de Chanel, le Rouge Noir.

IT - I protagonisti indiscussi di questo autunno saranno due colori dal carattere molto deciso: il blu, soprattutto nella gradazione “elettrica”, sarà il nuovo nero insieme ad un intenso bordeaux con sfumature che spaziano dal borgogna al fucsia. Il blu si intona deliziosamente con l'ultimo smalto arrivato in casa Chanel, il Frenzy 559, un delicato grigio con sfumature lavanda, mentre il bordeaux va perfettamente d'accordo con uno smalto che è un classico intramontabile di Chanel, il Rouge Noir.

Chloé Fall 2012 Ready-to-wear

Manicure with Chanel Frenzy 559 

Manicure with Chanel Rouge Noir 18

EN - There will be an invasion of colourful geometric prints to the detriment of the supremacy of the monochromatic fabrics of the last years.

FR - Il y aura une invasion d’imprimés géométriques de toutes les couleurs au détriment des  rassurantes teintes uniformes protagonistes des dernières années.

IT - Ci sarà un'invasione di coloratissime stampe geometriche a discapito delle rassicuranti tinte unite protagoniste degli ultimi anni.

Prada Fall 2012 Ready-to-waer

Jessica Quirk from “What I Wore”

EN - After years of towering heels (often uncomfortable and painful), the medium heel finally is again fashionable. Terribly chic, it is a relief for all women who use the shoes for walking and at the same time don't want to give up to the elegance of the heels. One inch heels, featured in the latest collections of Yves Saint Laurent, Valentino, Chloé and Chanel, have been worn by many fashionistas at London and New York fashion weeks. What a revolution!

FR - Après des années de suprématie des talons très hauts (souvent inconfortables et  douloureux), finalement cette année le talon moyen est retourné à la mode. Terriblement chic et discret, il est un soulagement pour toutes les femmes qui utilisent les chaussures pour marcher sans vouloir renoncer à l’élégance du talon. Le talon moyen, présent dans les dernières collections de Yves Saint Laurent, Valentino, Chloé et Chanel, a été repéré aux pieds de beaucoup des fashionistas  aux fashion weeks à New York et Londres. Quelle révolution!
(Merci Davide pour la correction de la traduction)

IT - Dopo anni di predominio di tacchi altissimi (molto spesso scomodi e dolorosi), finalmente quest'anno il mezzo tacco torna di moda. Decisamente chic e discreto, è un sollievo per tutte le donne che usano le scarpe per camminare e al tempo stesso non vogliono rinunciare all'eleganza del tacco. Il mezzo tacco, presente nelle ultime collezioni di Yves Saint Laurent, Valentino, Chloé e Chanel, è stato avvistato ai piedi di molte fashioniste durante le fashion week di New York e Londra. Che rivoluzione!

L.K. Bennet London Fall 2012

Images:  Beauty And The Dirt - buy now, blog later - CHANEL.com - From Me To You by Jamie Beck - LK Bennett Online Shop - Studded Hearts - Style.com - What I Wore

My Lieblingsorte in Munich

I know the Bavarian capital very well as I spent there the past three years, so I thought to realize a small “shopping & food” guide about Munich, that is something you can look through in addition to your professional tourist guide. The central thread is “where would I go if I spent forty-eight hours again in Munich?” and so here you are my favourite places ("Lieblingsorte") in Munich!

SHOPPING

The first place where I would go is certainly the department store Oberpollinger (Neuhauser Straße 18) because there I feel like Holly Golightly at Tiffany, where “nothing very bad could happen to you there”. I would love to have lunch at Le Buffet Restaurant on the fifth floor. From the terrace you can enjoy a beautiful view of Munich from above that becomes superb in a sunny day.

The terrace of the department store Oberpollinger located in Munich (Neuhauser Straße 18), Germany.

Then I would go to the Einkaufspassage Fünf Höfe (Theatinerstraße 15) that I find architecturally wonderful and the selection of shops inside is very refined. I would visit above all:

• Longchamp (Maffeistraße 6-8 ) for the updates on the latest colours of Le Pliage bags;

• Mohrmann Basics (Maffeistraße 6) for the sophisticated selection of the latest cutting-edge fashion trends;

• Pupille (Theatinerstraße 8) that has a great selection of the coolest sunglasses of the moment;

• Muji (Kardinal-Faulhaber-Straße 11) as I am fascinated by the Japanese design and pragmatism;

• St. Emile (Theatinerstraße 15 ) because I find this brand spectacular!

The Einkaufspassage Fünf Höfe located in Munich (Theatinerstraße 15), Germany.

After Fünf Höfe I would go the bags store of the German brand Bree (Salvatorstraße 2, Zugang Theatinerstraße). There you can find practical bags of high quality leather.

I would go also to the department store Ludwig Beck (Marienplatz 11) and I would at once have a look at the section dedicated to the hats at the ground floor, because it is simply chic and refined.

The department store Ludwig Beck located in Munich (Marienplatz 11), Germany.

TEA

It is very agreeable during Munich's cold and snowy winter having a cup of tea or hot chocolate with a piece of cake in an elegant café.

My favourite café is Café Luitpold (Brienner Strasse 11), opened since 1888, has a very elegant atmosphere and all the cakes are delicious!

Café Luitpold located in Munich (Brienner Strasse 11), Germany.

Do you want to eat some macarons as good as in France? Then you should go to Cafè Maelu (Theatinerstrasse 32).

For a typical British breakfast at whatever time of the day go to The Victorian House (Frauenstraße 14).

The Victorian House Café located in Munich (Frauenstraße 14), Germany.

HAPPY HOUR

My favourite places for the happy hour are:

• Brenner (Maximilianstraße 15), located in the elegant and expensive Maximilianstraße, has a very dynamic mood;

• Dukatz (Maffeistraße 3a), where you can go for a happy hour as well as for breakfast (Dukatz's manager is French so you can find there delicious croissants);

• Schumann's Tagesbar (Maffeistraße 6) is as small as trendy.

The restaurant/café Brenner located in Munich (Maximilianstraße 15), Germany.

DINNER

Concerning dinner, I bet you can find on your tourist guide all the best places where to eat great Bavarian food, so I am going to advice you the best place where you can eat a pizza worthy of an Italian palate: Riva Tal (Tal 44).

The restaurant Riva Tal located in Munich (Tal 44), Germany.

WELLNESS

I advice you the Blue Spa of the Hotel Bayerischer Hof (Promenadeplatz 2-6) for a pure relaxation and regeneration high above the roofs of Munich!

The Blue Spa of the Hotel Bayerischer Hof located in Munich (Promenadeplatz 2-6), Germany.

Gute Reise nach München!

Images: brennergrill.de, de.wikipedia.org, fabeau.de,  munich-eventlocations.de, oberpollinger.de, parkavenue.de, riva-tal.de, victorianhouse.de.

Fashionable princesses at the Olympic Games

Princess Charlene of Monaco at the inauguration of the "Maison de Monaco" during the 2012 Summer Olympics, London, United Kingdom.

EN - The London Olympic Games are recently over and some nations were supported by very elegant fans!
The Duchess of Cambridge attended several competitions and she often chose blue, white and red (the colours of the Union Jack), a terribly stylish combination for the clothing. She ranged from High Street brands like Zara, to the official t-shirts and windbreaker jackets with which were supplied the British athletes, to designers – strictly British fashion designers, as usual – like Stella McCartney.
The Crown Princess of Denmark Mary shares with the Duchess of Cambridge the same predilection for Zara. During her London walks or aboard the Danish Royal Yacht Dannebrog, she worn the same model of a Zara blazer in white and navy blue. The beautiful burgundy trousers that she worn during the swimming competitions are noteworthy as well.
Still within the Danish Royal Family, Princess Marie of Denmark was very elegant on board the Danish Royal Yacht with a simple white dress and grey cardigan (light grey is always able to look chic).
In addition to Zara, another High Street brand turned out popular among the royals: Longchamp. The bag model Le Pliage was used by both Queen Sofía of Spain and the Duchess of Cambridge. It is such a pleasure seeing my favourite brand of bags used by a queen and a princess!!!
The beautiful Princess Charlene of Monaco was elegant in beige that enhances her complexion and, together with navy blue, is a touch of style for a day-time outfit.  She attended many swimming competitions to support her former swimming teammates from South Africa (her native country) and in these occasions she wore sporting t-shirts and tracksuit pants with extreme grace thanks to her past as former Olympic athlete.
Last but not least, at the Olympic Opening Ceremony of London 2012 the Danish athletes were the most elegant, thanks to their pretty red cardigan and blue navy circle skirts!

The Duke and the Duchess of Cambridge (with an electric blue Stella McCartney dress) at the Quarterfinal of Men's Singles Tennis at Wimbledon during the 2012 Summer Olympics, London, United Kingdom.

The Duke and the Duchess of Cambridge at the swimming finals session at the Aquatics Centre 
during the 2012 Summer Olympics, London, United Kingdom.

Left: The Duchess of Cambridge during the 2012 Summer Olympics, London, United Kingdom. 
Right: Red blazer by Zara, Spring/Summer 2012 collection.

IT - Le Olimpiadi di Londra si sono concluse da poco e alcune nazioni sono state sostenute da tifose molto eleganti!

La duchessa di Cambridge ha assistito a numerose competizioni e per i suoi look ha privilegiato i colori dell'Union Jack: blu, bianco e rosso, certamente un magnifico trio di colori per l'abbigliamento. Ha spaziato da marchi High Street come Zara, alle t-shirt e giacche a vento in dotazione agli atleti della nazionale britannica, a stilisti – sempre e rigorosamente britannici – come Stella McCartney.

La principessa ereditaria di Danimarca Mary ha in comune con la duchessa di Cambridge un debole per Zara. Passeggiando per le vie di Londra o a bordo dello yacht Dannebrog della famiglia reale danese, ha indossato due blazer di Zara dello stesso modello nei colori bianco e blu navy. Molto belli anche i pantaloni bordeaux che ha indossato alle gare di nuoto.

Restando ancora nella famiglia reale danese, la principessa Marie di Danimarca, avvistata a bordo dello yacht reale, risulta molto elegante con un semplice abitino bianco e cardigan grigio (il grigio chiaro ha il potere di risultare eternamente chic).

Oltre a Zara, un altro marchio High Street ha trovato il favore tra le reali: Longchamp. Il modello di borsa Le Pliage è stato usato dalla regina Sofía di Spagna e dalla duchessa di Cambridge. Che soddisfazione vedere il proprio marchio preferito di borse indossato da una regina e da una principessa!!!

Anche la bellissima principessa Charlene di Monaco si è distinta per grazia ed eleganza. Il beige dona molto al suo incarnato e, abbinato al blu navy, è un tocco di classe per un abbigliamento da giorno. In tuta e t-shirt alle gare di nuoto per tifare il Sudafrica (suo paese d'origine) e sostenere i suoi ex compagni di nuoto, Charlene ha dimostrato di saper portare con estrema grazia le tute sportive, grazie al suo passato da ex olimpionica.

Infine, le atlete più eleganti alla cerimonia di apertura delle Olimpiadi di Londra 2012 sono state le danesi, grazie ai loro deliziosi cardigan rossi e gonne a ruota blu navy!

Mary, Crown Princess of Denmark, at the swimming competitions in Aquatics Centre 

during the 2012 Summer Olympics, London, United Kingdom.

 Left: Mary, Crown Princess of Denmark, during the 2012 Summer Olympics, London, United Kingdom. 

Right: Blue blazer by Zara, Spring/Summer 2012 collection.

 Left: Mary, Crown Princess of Denmark, on the Royal Yacht Dannebrog at West India Dock 

during the 2012 Summer Olympics, London, United Kingdom. Right: White blazer by Zara, Spring/Summer 2012 collection.

 Princess Marie of Denmark on the Royal Yacht Dannebrog at West India Dock during the 2012 Summer Olympics, London, United Kingdom.

 The Duchess of Cambridge carries a Longchamp bag during the 2012 Summer Olympics, London, United Kingdom.

Queen Sofía of Spain carries a Longchamp bag during the 2012 Summer Olympics, London, United Kingdom.

Danish athletes at the Olympic Opening Ceremony of the 2012 Summer Olympics, London, United Kingdom.

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Images: MYROYALS, SFGate

Midsummer days

EN – It's a late and pleasantly warm afternoon of a midsummer day, the sky is painted by pink and orange brushstrokes of the sunset rays and I am waiting for the girls at a table of a trendy café. There is the typical atmosphere of a nearly empty city before the summer break, with the calm around before the storm (read "September"). I am sipping a glass of rosé and I can’t help but running with my thoughts towards the next holidays among sun, sea, wind and blue sky. Only few dresses and some swimsuits – in the shades of the sea and the sky – are needed in order to feel that lovely and light sensation of freedom typical of the holiday days. These days will be light-hearted like the simplicity of the hair dried by the sun and then gathered up in a messy chignon, the green eye pencil and the cherry lip gloss as sole makeup for the evening and the large sunglasses like Jacqueline Kennedy as sophisticated accessory for the day. These days will leave, in September, a sweet memory of the breakfasts with cream of coffee and brioche at the café in the small square of the old town centre, the bicycle races along the seafront during the sunset and the dinners at that delicious restaurant with the fish as culinary speciality and with the terrace under the stars of a very dark blue sky, indistinguishable from the sea (Mediterranean Sea, ça va sans dire).

IT – È un tardo e piacevolmente caldo pomeriggio di mezza estate, il cielo è colorato da pennellate rosa e arancione del sole al tramonto ed io sono seduta ad un tavolinetto di un bar in centro, aspettando delle amiche. In giro c’è quella tipica atmosfera della città che si svuota prima della pausa estiva, con la calma rilassante – a tratti quasi surreale – prima della tempesta (leggasi “settembre”). Sorseggiando un bicchiere di rosé, non posso fare a meno di volare con la mente verso i prossimi giorni di vacanza tra sole, mare, vento e cielo. Mi serviranno solo pochi vestitini e qualche costume e pareo – nei toni del mare e del cielo – per assaporare quella dolce sensazione di libertà che le vacanze regalano. Saranno giorni leggeri come la semplicità dei capelli asciugati al sole e raccolti in uno chignon disordinato, della matita verde e del lucidalabbra alla ciliegia come unico trucco per la sera e delle grandi lenti scure alla Jacqueline Kennedy come sofisticato vezzo per il giorno. Questi giorni lasceranno a settembre un dolce ricordo delle colazioni con crema di caffè e brioche al bar in piazzetta, delle corse in bici sul lungomare al tramonto e delle cene in quell’incantevole ristorantino con le specialità a base di pesce e con la terrazza sotto il cielo trapunto di stelle, intensamente blu ed indistinguibile dal mare (Mediterraneo, ça va sans dire).

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Images: dustjacket attic, Haute Design by Sarah Klassen, HELLO!, Little Snob Thing, Purses and I, Style.it, the wild fleur