Favoloso Fall

(Well as it turns out my idea about having a separate page about Florentine fashion isn't going to work, bummer) 

Love the gray T-straps!

Even though it doesn’t seem like it these days with temperatures still in the high 30’s C (90’s F) autumn is almost upon us! I couldn’t be happier; it is definitely my favorite time of year.  I love the summer but by this time every year I have had enough of these humid Italian summers. Cooler temps, jeans and sweaters are a welcome change. So to get you in the mood for the new season, the shops are beginning to change their windows and display the new styles and fashions. How exciting!

The Italians have perfected the art of window shopping, they will walk around for hours dressed in their best outfits on a Sunday afternoon and admire all of the beautiful displays, standing for several minutes in front of each store admiring every detail. You can imagine then how important it is for the shops to have gorgeous windows to hold their attention. They are their own works of art, installation pieces, ready to wow and of course make you want to buy!  I have always loved the art of window display and if I ever have to get a ‘real job’ again, this is definitely what I would want to do. 

Yesterday I went out for a little walk around the center of Florence to check out what’s in store for autumn and snapped a few shots for you to check out.  Hope you enjoy them! 

Let's start with Armani

This necklace is A-mazing!

I wish I remembered which store this is....

Because I'm in L.O.V.E with these boots! 

Roberto Cavalli, a  local Florentine

For your home. I always love the windows at Coin

I caught some vetreniste in action!

How incredible is this hat?!

Flow

OMGucci!

         

Diesel

Love the attitude! At Massimo Dutti

and let's not forget about those beautiful Italian men!

Miss Trench

Raspini

Save the Queen! and that blue coat for me!

Sisley

Valentino

Zara

I can’t decide which one I like best; they’re all so great! How about you?  Which 

one of these displays is your favorite? Tell me in the comments sections below.  Thanks for stopping by!

I've tried over and over again to figure how to leave the comments box open but it will not work for some reason, to leave a comment, please click on the word 'comments' below! Thanks! 

Let's Get it Started in Here!

this is my attempt at photography

As a starving artist I am always looking for ways to promote my work and update my portfolio. But of course I have don't really have the money to pay a professional photographer or to hire models and professional make-up artists, yet I would love to have that professional look.  I have tried endlessly to photograph my jewelry and then use a little photoshop  to 'fix' them up, but somehow, they just don't seem to look that good. 

So I got to thinking about how I could get that professional look without having to pay the professional prices.  And then I realized that I am probably not the only artist out there that feels this way so why not look for others that would like to participate and share their skills. Essentially we all have something to offer, an expertise in a specific area so why not get together and have a professional photo shoot?  The photographer benefits by getting to use a model/s, a make-up artist, and a designer free of charge and they get to add the images to their portfolio. The model,  make-up artist and designer benefit, from having professional images taken of themselves and their work. Everybody wins and we don't have to spend any money. If your a graphic designer and want to join in-Fantastic, you can create the ads, postcards, and press kits for the artist/models and add to your portfolio as well.  Set designer, hairstylist? The possibilities are endless and we have the beautiful city of Florence as our backdrop! What could be better?  We can all add the credits to the images as well, for example, my portfolio will list, photographers name, models name, make-up artists name, and anyone else who participates all with contact information for each person. 

How fabulous would it be to get your name on images like this?

And you don't necessarily need to be a working professional either, if you are studying or working to become a model, even better, once our press materials begin to circulate our names get out and reach a wider audience and create a buzz. My goal is to create a press kit and send it out to as many popular fashion magazines as possible. And on top of all that we get to meet other artists and designers in the community, share ideas, and help each other succeed.  I am also currently working on finding a venue to hold a fashion show or display of some kind. I am super excited about the idea and I hope that some of you guys and and girls out there will be as well.  So send me a message here or leave a comment below and let's get it started!

You Say Goodbye...I say Hello

One of the most difficult things about living abroad has to be saying goodbye.  I hate goodbyes. Whether I go home for a visit or my family comes here, saying goodbye is the hardest part.  But somehow we are expecting it, we know that it is going to happen and that we will have to face it soon, but no matter how many times we do it, it never seems to get any easier. 

When one lives abroad it seems as though our lives are full of goodbyes. Its not just our related family that we are forced to say goodbye to, but also the family that we have created here amongst friends.  I know I have mentioned this in previous posts, but we really do become each others extended family,  its an incredible bond that is like no other I have ever experienced.  We have so much in common, based on the single fact that we are all experiencing life in another country from a foreign point of view.  We connect with people that we may have never thought we would be friends with otherwise.  However, that does not necessarily mean that we are all here to stay. Some of us come with a very specific goal in mind, one which includes a time line, an end date. Others come to stay indefinitely,  yet we create the bonds just the same and all of the sudden after spending several years together as a family, celebrating birthday, holidays and just simply getting together to enjoy each others company, after our husbands/significant others form their bonds based the common fact that they all have foreign partners, that end date arrives and we once again have to say goodbye to one of our cherished sisters, knowing that we will always keep in touch, but not knowing exactly when we will see her again, we send her off wishing her all the luck in the world, knowing that she is on to bigger and better things and that she is opening the next chapter in her life.  So we say goodbye for now but most of all we say good luck.  You will be missed and always loved!  So good luck and farewell to our friend Michele!

Swishing the Night Away

So we've all been there, in the dressing room trying on clothes and we decide that we like that dress enough to buy it. Maybe I'll wear it someday, maybe I'll find the right occasion. It's just so cute I can't possibly leave it here! And beside, I'm going to loose 10 pounds and then it will fit me perfectly, just in time for the holidays.  So you bring it home and hang it in the closet........

......And in the closet it stays. Every once in a while you take it out and try it on again, maybe with a cute pair of heels and all the right accessories, but then just like every other time you've tried it on, you take it off just as quickly and back into the closet it goes. It just doesn't fit quite right, or its not really the best color for you, or it makes your hips look a little too wide. But you still love it and you just KNOW that you will wear it. Someday.  Hmmmmmm. Somehow though, that someday never comes. So what do you do?  After all its taking up precious space in the wardrobe.

Well, ladies I'm here to tell you that its time to give up. Yes, that's right, get rid of it, you don't need it in your closet. Give it up for the love of fashion! What I mean by that is let someone else have it, someone who is going to love it and actually wear it! But that doesn't mean you have to throw it in a bag and take it down to your local donation center. Not yet anyway. No, before you do that, have a party! Think of it as a farewell to that beautiful dress who will now have better home. It's time to host a Swish.

Here's how it works; Send out a message on facebook to all your girls and ask them to clean out their closet and get a few things together that they no longer wear. This can be anything, clothes, shoes, jewelry, hats, belts, whatever! Grab a couple bottles of wine and some snacks and invite them over for a night of free shopping! It's so much fun and there are so many benefits. You get to have a fun girls night in drinking wine, hanging out, and trying on clothes.  Someone will finally get some use out of those jeans you never wear and you get to exchange them for things that you actually love and fit you much better and also give you the chance to try things on that you may have overlooked in the store. And if your girlfriends are like mine, they'll TELL you whether or not that dress actually looks good on you. Did I mention that you get to go shopping for free! What could be better than that?  And you don't have to stop at clothes either. My girlfriends and I have included household items, great books we've read, and even make-up. In fact just the other night I picked-up a beautiful leather journal that had never been touched and is in perfect condition. You save money and you get to have fun with the girls. After the Swish is over, take everything that's left and now you can drop it off at a shelter or donation center.

I attended a Swishing party on Saturday night and made out like a bandit.  Check out some of these great pieces I came away with.

Black pencil skirt, so versatile, cute little vintage dress, red and black polka dot dress and 3/4 sleeve gap topper

a pair of gap shorts and old navy skirt that look like they've never even been worn!

Gray ruched tank

bat wing cardi- look so cute on!

Red Jeans! Yay! I don't think I would ever buy these myself, but I love them!

So there you have it! Who says you need to have a lot of money to have a great wardrobe? Have fun!

There's No Place Like Home

It seems like I haven't been home since June. Really.  I  know I wrote a similar post no too long ago, but it turns out that the traveling wasn't quite over so I may have jumped the gun on that one. The last 3 months have been incredible, truly incredible. I have had the opportunity to see and do things that I never thought I would and to see a little bit more of this beautiful country. As a guest at a friends dinner party said the other night, there is nothing ugly in Italy, its just beautiful and more beautiful. This couldn't be more true.

So June was crazy and fantastic with my parents who brought my nieces and nephews for their first trip. June/July was exciting, emotional and relaxing all at the same time with the Project Accessory audition and 3 weeks in California with my family.  August was stressful, wonderful and HOT! in Calabria with the in-laws for 3 weeks. I ate too much, swam in the Ionian Sea and got a nice suntan! But now I am home, a casa and I couldn't be happier. Traveling and exploring and gaining new experiences is wonderful and I wouldn't change it for the world, but, there is nothing like coming home.

The city is still a little quiet, as usual for August. For those of you who might not know, during the month of August the majority of the cities throughout the country literally shut down and everyone, I mean everyone heads to the coast.  That's right, for the whole month! So forget getting things done, or repaired or even mailed for that matter, just go to the beach, you'll be glad you did.   However, when September rolls around the energy is amazing! Everyone is ready to get back to life, they're all happy and relaxed and of course everyone has that sun kissed glow! I am definitely feeling that energy, I am ready to get back to life, my routine and my usual diet, but more than anything else I am ready to get back to work.  Here are a few photos of where I've been lately, not too shabby, I know,  and super inspiring too! These are just a few, I literally have hundreds of images. I am  hoping to get a photo gallery page up here so be sure to check back soon for more!

Venice is like Magic! Such a beautiful place!

 

 Venetian Puppy.  So sweet.

This is my new favorite place! Tropea in Calabria! Che Bella!  

 Famous Tropea Onions.

 Sweetest little lady! She stopped for me to take the shot, she was buying her bread!

 SUPER HOT PEPPERS! We got some, Luigi's in the kitchen now making olio piccante.

 My new summer home! Hey a girl can dream!

 

Or maybe I'll take this one so I can open my boutique downstairs.

 

CAUTION: Adult content below!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

  Calabrese David:)

Retail Therapy

Yesterday morning as I was scrolling through the news feed on facebook I came a across an article posted by Self Magazine, one of the many health and fitness mags I 'like' on fb, it was titled "Can Shopping Actually Help You Live Longer?" Talk about attention grabbing headlines! Well, obviously I was intrigued, as I'm sure most women on the planet would have been. So I of course quickly clicked on the link to find the answer to this burning question, and even though the article wasn't really about only this subject, but rather other ways to elongate your life, that one little paragraph was enough to convince me! That's all I needed! And since I'm all about being healthy these days, if I can find little ways to fit an extra health benefit or two into my day, hey I'm all for it!  And just for a little added extra support I did a quick Google search to find a bit more evidence of this wonderful news and wouldn't you know it? It's true!! Women's Health Magazine also published an article on the subject a few months back. And who wants to argue with the good doctors at MIT, Carnegie Mellon, and Stanford? Not me!

So with that, I strapped on my sandals and grabbed my handbag and I was out the door to reap the benefits! And since I've been working on a new jewelry collection this week and have been feeling a little stressed about finishing and a with a few pieces not working out exactly how I'd planned, I figured this was just what I needed.

So I headed straight for H&M, cheap, cute clothes with the added benefit of the sales. What more could a girl ask for?  Unfortunately, the sale racks have been pretty well picked through so without much luck in that section I headed over to check out the new collection where I immediately fell head over heels in L.O.V.E with this adorable dress. 

And even though it was full price, its H&M, and for 40 euro you really can't go wrong. I mean its definitely a transition piece. I can wear it now with my sandals and then in Autumn throw on some tights,  knee high brown boots and a little cardi and I'm good to go. And its a neutral so I can wear it to any event and dress it up or down with the right shoes and accessories.

Oh, wow, it really does work! All of life's worries go slipping away with the right dress in your closet. Oh, and I got a great little belt to go with it and a leopard print pashmina too! 

Of course I have always heard the term 'retail therapy' and have used it quite loosely on occasion myself, never necessarily arguing against it, but I also never considered that it it could be truly therapeutic, until today that is.  Or maybe I was simply paying more attention today.

And so my lovelies, here it is, no more feeling guilty, when life is getting you down or your projects aren't going quite as planned, take a little break and go shopping! It's good for your health, the doctor said so! Although, my husband still needs a little more convincing.....

Home is Where the Heart Is

But what happens when your heart is in two places? Does it mean that you have two homes, or that you don't have one at all? The most difficult question that people often ask me is where do I like it better? In Italy or in the U.S? How can I possibly answer that? The truth is that it is a constant struggle for me. I have accepted the fact that I am and will always be eternally homesick. No matter where I am, no matter what I do, I will always miss my home. Of course I did my growing up in California and my family is there and therefore that is always be my home. 25 years of memories, both good and bad, but always still my home.
Florence on the other hand is where I became a women. Really understood who I am and where I come from and what I am willing to and not willing to do. Some of the best years of my life have been spent here and of course I have also met my soul mate and we have created a home together.
I also find it interesting that when speaking about a trip to California I will always say that I am going 'home' yet, when I return to Florence I will also say that I am going 'home'. But after being in California for a while I begin to miss Florence and when in Florence, I inevitably miss California and at times will feel an overwhelming need to go 'home'.
So what is it that makes a home a home? I guess that's different for every body but for me it's so much more than having the most comfortable bed in the world (seriously, love my bed) or your clothes hanging in the closet, it's about being comfortable and where you feel loved. So I guess I would say that I'm pretty lucky and that it is possible to have two homes. The goodbyes are always hard but they make the hellos so much sweeter.

If at First You Don't Succeed, Try Try Again.

  My life lately has been no less than crazy.  The last few weeks in May were spent preparing for my nieces and nephews first visit to Florence. Of course I wanted to make sure that everything was as perfect  as possible and that they were able to see as much as they could in the shot amount of time that they had.  It was amazing.  There are 5 of them between the ages of 16 and 23 and they were enthralled and captivated with everything that they saw and everything that they ate.  I loved seeing them experience the country that I love so much.  It was hectic and at times stressful and there was A LOT of planning that went into just 10 short days.  But it was worth every wonderful memory that was created with them and I know that it changed the way that they see the world. I hope that they will now be curious and want to see more.

After they left on June 10^th,  it was then time for me to prepare myself for my next challenge. Project Accessory. Yes that’s right, like Project Runway my all time favorite television show, the producers are launching a spin off show for accessory designers.  And I thought what the heck? What do I have to loose by trying, in fact I can only gain an experience.  So I gathered together what I felt were my best designs, called my girls over for a little photo shoot, got my portfolio together, filled out a very loooooooooong application, packed it all up and headed to L.A for the open calls.  I got there early; I brought a few samples of my work and got through the first screening process, which allowed me in to see the judges, I tried my best to charm their pants off.  They looked at my work for about 2 minutes and told me they would let me know……….

OMG!! The waiting has been excruciating! So after 5 days of trying to be as patient as possible I finally had my response…..

Unfortunately they will not be needing me this season as they have already found their cast. Bummer. Oh well I gave it a shot and gained some valuable experience along the way. I got an opportunity that many designers will never get and I now understand that there is much work to be done. Maybe I’m not cut out to be a reality show contestant, but that’s not to say that I won’t try again. Maybe I will. Who knows?! For me what matters is that I tried and that I made myself completely vulnerable. And I’m very happy I did it.  As a wise man once said, "Only those who risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go." -T.S. Eliot

So it’s now time to move on to the next adventure and push myself a little harder. My new goal is to finally realize some designs that I have been imagining for quite a while now and see what happens next. 

There will also be a shift in focus here as well. When I began this blog it really functioned as an outlet for me while being in a job that was not helping me to thrive.  Now I can finally begin to truly focus on the Florence that I love, a Florence of art and fashion.  So keep your eyes out for a where to shop guide and updates about great artists and designers in this city and anywhere I find them.

I will be in L.A/San Diego until July 13^th and then back to hot steamy Firenze and my love! So ciao for now my friends.