Travel Diary; Venice

Ah, Venice! One of the cities on my must-visit list, and I finally made it. We hopped on a train from Milan early in the morning to arrive in Venice around noon and wander the crowded narrow streets leading to Piazza San Marco. It was truly a charming city with its narrow winding streets intertwined with canals and bridges, although it was much more touristy than I had expected! The main route to la Piazza was lined with brandname stores, souvenir shops, and overpriced restaurants. I was very intrigued by the quieter side streets and narrow alleyways, but for lack of time we did not get to explore those much. However, the scenes at each canal crossing were well worth the trip, and the Basilica San Marco itself was quite beautiful. We even took the elevator up the Campanile bell tower to see the stunning view over the rooftops of Venice. 

For this adventure I wore this awesome floral jumpsuit layered up with a moto jacket and pom-pom trimmed scarf to fight the chill in the crisp air. By dressing the jumpsuit with a sturdy black jacket and booties it transitions it nicely into a fall look, especially since the blue and rust colors already work so well with a fall palette! I got crafty a few weeks back and added the ankle zippers myself to give myself more room to move and add versatility to the piece. I was a little nervous that I would ruin a perfectly good jumpsuit, but luckily they came out great! 

The colors in Venice were stunning at every turn, from the aqua green water of the canals, to the numerous pink and faded brick buildings, to pretty white homes with colorful shutters all against a bright blue sky. It makes for awesome photo backdrops! The canals are so picturesque, especially when a gondola glides past, expertly maneuvered by it's gondolier. I'm so glad I got a chance to explore this enchanting island! 

Outfit // Jumpsuit: Asos. Jacket: Zara. Scarf: H&M. Booties: Jessica Simpson via DSW. Bag: Rebecca Minkoff. Sunglasses: Anthropologie. Earrings: Gorjana.

xoxo, CC

Travel Diary Milano; Playing Tourist

Galleria Vittorio Emanuele

The second full day in Milan was spent exploring the Duomo of Milan and the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele shopping center, which are both stunningly beautiful structures. I was particularly struck by the beautiful mosaic floors in both buildings and the intricate detail put into each element. It is hard to see all the carvings and statues that make up the Duomo, but their numerity and intircacy is astounding. We had a touch of blue sky and sunlight which lit up the stained glass windows of the Duomo and the glass ceilings of the Galleria for a stunning effect. 

I wore this grey ruffle tee, which has been a favorite of mine for years (see here) and luckily is totally on trend with the recent ruffle comeback. Seriously, have you noticed how ruffles are everywhere suddenly! I love it! I also finally broke out these awesome glitter-toe sneakers that I purchased for the trip, and I was so thrilled with how comfy they are, not to mention that they matched with so many marble monuments and mosaic floors that lead to great photo ops. This casual look was perfect for a day of walking around and sight seeing.

That night we had an incredible dinner at La Maniera di Carlo, which featured delightfully inventive food served over multiple courses. Everything was presented with such care and creativity it made the dining experience very exciting, and it was all very tasty. I loved the presentation of one appetizer served nestled in a bonsai tree, made to look like tiny apples fallen from the tree. How cute is that! 

Outfit // Top: H&M (similar). Jacket: Zara. Jeans: 7FAM. Sneakers: Lipsy London via Asos 1/2. Bag: Rebecca Minkoff.

The Duomo

A stained glass window cast colofrul light into the Duomo.

Inside of a pretty pink church next to the Duomo, part of their museum. 

Galleria Vittorio Emanuele left, the Duomo, right.

Inside the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele

These floors though! 

An appetiser at La Maniera di Carlo - rose ricotta inside a cripsed pasta.

Cheese stuffed cherry tomato "apples" fallen from the tree.

This dish served in a jar releases a plume of smoke when the lid is removed!

xoxo, CC

Fall Capsule Wardrobe

I've always been intrigued by the idea of a capsule wardrobe --especially for traveling-- so I put together this color coordinated collection of pieces that I'm excited about wearing this fall. I stuck to a mostly pink, burgundy, and taupe color scheme with a few pops of print. I included several current trends such as flare sleeves and lace-up details, as well as fall classics like faux leather and fur. A mix of textures and prints keeps the collection exciting, while most of these pieces can be mixed and matched to create a myriad of looks. With a range of shoes from heels, fun flats, or casual sneakers, I can dress these looks up or down. I made sure to include a variation of skirts, dresses, tops, and outer layers to keep the collection versatile. 

As we speak, I am packing for my trip to Milan, Italy (keep up with my adventures next week via instagram @charlotteclaraxo)! I am packing most of these items for my trip, and I love the way they are interchangeable to create different outfits. While I couldn't limit myself to stay within the capsule collection and I mixed some other pieces from my wardrobe in as well, I found it so helpful for packing to refer to a set of items that I know will match and coordinate with each other.

I have a few more posts coming soon featuring looks from this capsule collection, so look out for those, as well as posts from my adventures in Italy! 

What items would be essential to your fall capsule wardrobe? 

From L to R: bebe jacket, Francesca's collections skirt (similar), VeronicaM dress, Asos sweater 1/2, Ruche sweater dress, BB Dakota dress (similar), H&M skirt, J. Crew top, BB Dakota vest 1/2, Zara skirt, J. Crew top 1/2. 

similar bag, Lipsy sneakers via Asos, H&M flats, Bandolino heels.

xoxo, CC

Aztec Tee

Remember a few years ago when 'aztec' prints were all the rage? Styles that are so trendy can feel a little passé after a few years, so what do we do with those pieces now? 

I decided to update my aztec tee by pairing it with distressed jeans and a leather jacket. This edgier vibe felt fresh and fun. With the tee partially hidden under the jacket the print becomes an more integrated aspect of the outfit instead of a bold in-your-face trend. I'll be honest, I mostly wear this tee just around the house, so it was nice to be able to incorporate it into a put-together look that felt both interesting and cool. Since the look is primarily black and white I brought out my baby blue clutch to add a little color. 

Tee: ModCloth (old). Jacket: Zara. Jeans: H&M. Booties: Steve Madden. Clutch: Rebecca Minkoff (similar). 

xoxo CC