milan and mcqueen

I'm back from Italy! Sorry for the lack of posts recently, I've been doing loads of traveling but I have so much to share with you so will try and post regularly again. I had an amazing, amazing time in Italy - Milan was incredible just for the experience - lovely wide streets and endless designer shops. As lovely as Milan was, I preferred Florence as it had a true Italian feel, you can walk everywhere and shopping seemed easier.

If you go to Milan, you must go to:
Dolce & Gabbana Gold Restaurant - for the tastiest beef fillet I have ever had, and gorgeous cocktails

Emporio Armani Caffe - for a yummy Mochaccino and a pasta dish
Luini - my friends and I were divided on the taste, but they sell filled pizza pockets, great for a daytime snack, and they're always busy with tourists as well as locals. Italian dough is surprisingly sweet, almost like doughnuts. Just a short walk from the Duomo.
Instituto Marangoni for inspirational fashion lectures
...And obviously explore the designer shops, and art museums.

If you go to Florence, go to:
Rossopomodoro - delicious pizzas and tankards of soft drinks (I didn't realise this place was a chain and there's actually a couple in London)

Anywhere for gelato! Hazelnut and caramel flavours were the best
Uffizi Gallery for The Birth of Venus
Astor Cafe - a bar/club in a street off from the Duomo. We went on a Thursday night and it was 3 drinks for 10 euros, including cocktails, and the DJ was from London! Busy, great atmosphere and great music.
The Mall - I wouldn't have known about this if it wasn't for my guide book, but this place is an AMAZING designer outlet area, which has Alexander Mcqueen, Dior, Valentino, Prada, Burberry and Stella McCartney amongst others, which sell discounted recent and current season items. You seriously can't go to Florence and not go here. We didn't know how far out it was so we got a taxi and it ended up costing us over 60 euros because it's right on the outskirts of Florence in an industrial area. However there is a shuttle bus from the centre which costs about 3 euros each way. Prada shoes for 50-100 euros, Mcqueen knuckleduster clutches for 400 euros and Dior earrings for 80 euros.


I picked up this beautiful Mcqueen twin skull bangle with Swarovski crystals set in the eyes for a mere 70 euros. So happy that I now own such a signature piece for a bargain price.



Also head to luxury lingerie chain La Perla but you could pay up to 500 euros for a set. They do have items on sale for 50% off, and department store Rinascente stock it - I managed to pick up a gorgeous black mesh and gold lace triangle bra for 35 euros there.

I'm sure there's loads of places I haven't mentioned but those are the best of where I managed to visit. I intend to go back this summer to celebrate my 21st birthday so I will do some more exploring.

Anyway, I hope everyone had a lovely Valentine's Day! As I was feeling the McQueen vibe with my new bangle, I wore a tartan dress inspired by the McQ one seen on a host of celebrities including Emma Watson, Chloe Moretz and Rihanna. And black and red was very fitting for the occasion!

Dress - Apricot, £25
Black sequin jumper - New Look
Coat - H&M
Tights - Marks & Spencer
Alba Boots - Topshop
Leather bag - Topshop

Italian winter sun

So I am off to Italy for five days on Monday, dividing the time between Milan and Florence, and I am SO excited. Having changed my money and booked a table at Dolce & Gabbana's Gold Restaurant, it finally feels like it's really happening. However, with forecasted lows of -13°C (ouch), highs barely above freezing point, light snow and clear sunny skies, I headed into town today to arm myself with things to protect me from the elements.


Earmuffs - Topshop, £5 from £14


Sunglasses - New Look, £4.99


Real suede gloves - Accessorize, £6.60 from £22

And a little something for the evening...

Cream and gold beaded satin clutch bag - New Look, £19.99

nagi noda

Check out these insane 'hair hats' created by Japanese art director Nagi Noda. I think the detail and construction is absolutely beautiful, and it really shows how the boundaries of fashion hair styling can be pushed. Sadly Nagi passed away in 2008, but her work is definitely worth a look, more hair hats here.

topshop

Naughtily treated myself to a couple of items from Topshop over the weekend, I should really be saving for my trip to Milan in three weeks!

Grey 'Self Stripe Roll Sleeve Top', £26. It's nice to have a lighter knitwear piece in my wardrobe for the transition between Winter and Spring.


I've been looking for some statement studs for a couple of months and these were exactly what I had in mind after lusting over the House of Harlow studs which I posted about here. They sold out in the Asos sale but these are a great cheap alternative for £7.50, and comprise of similar elements: gold, enamel inlay and geometric design.

bag grief

You know when you have an idea of something in your head, you know exactly what you want and how it will look and what it is? This is how I felt about this bag:

Black leather, gold studs, perfect size. A few days ago I mentioned these bag cravings to my mum and was so happy to find exactly what I wanted (the above bag) today on the Urban Oufitters website. This online exclusive black studded leather shopper was not only exactly what I had in mind, but it was reduced from £138 to £40!!! Popped it in my basket before dinner and after I was just deciding what other sale items to get, and refreshed the page to find it had SOLD.OUT. May this be a lesson to you all so that none of you ever have to suffer my bag anguish.
RIP dream bag.

dakota

Can you believe this girl is just 17 years old?! Dakota Fanning, styled by Anne-Marie Curtis, looks stunning and sophisticated for Elle UK's February cover shoot by David Slijper. Dakota looks ladylike in playful prints, lace and sugared almond hues from designers including Dolce and Gabbana and Louis Vuitton. I need that berry lipstick shade.





Find the rest of the shoot on fashiongonerogue.

happy new year!

Happy New Year!
I hope you all had amazing nights and aren't feeling too fragile today.

Yesterday I wore:

Fluffy jumper from New Look that I mentioned a couple of posts ago, it makes me feel like Big Bird but it's so comfy. I wore it with my Topshop Jamie skinny jeans and new Topshop Alba wedge boots.


I threw on my double-breasted jersey coat from H&M and took my standard bag from Topshop (as well as a canvas tote for my sleepover stuff!)

I really had the shopping bug yesterday so treated myself to a few items:

Oversized flecked cable knit cardigan - £29.99, New Look


Leather-look biker jacket - £39.99, New Look


Weekend bag - £9, Primark


Mini triangle charm bracelet - £6, Urban Outfitters

So happy with my purchases! It's lovely having a big cosy cardigan to wrap up in on lazy days, and I have three black ones so it's a nice change. I desperately want an AllSaints leather jacket (such an investment piece) but unfortunately don't have a spare £300 so this one from New Look will have to do. When buying faux leather I always look for texture - creases and crinkles make it much more convincing, when it's flat and smooth it's such a giveaway! When I bought it there were a couple of others that looked too smooth, and even though it was the same style item, choosing carefully makes a difference between a jacket that looks like it costs £20 and a jacket that looks closer to £70. I've needed a new weekend bag for a while as I get loads of use out of them and end up scuffing the corners. I couldn't believe the quality of this Primark bag for the price as the front panel is woven. As for the bracelet, I've been lusting over triangle jewellery for a while now and it was just too cute to pass up.

Wishing everyone lots of luck for 2012.