Travel Diary; Capsule Wardrobe in Milan

Remember this dress from my fall capsule wardrobe? The cozy sweater material is a dream to wear, and this taupe color matches with so much, including pink and burgundy tones which I incorporated into this look with a scarf. Neck scarves like this have always lent a European vibe to an outfit in my opinion, and they are back on trend right now so I had to try out the look while in Italy. It's kind of nice the way they replace a necklace and act almost as jewelry while adding a touch of color to your look. 

I also love that while the dress is a long midi length it has a high slit up each side that adds a sexier flash of skin. I usually am careful to wear a heel with midi length skirts to balance the length, but somehow this dress looks awesome with flat sneakers too. And believe me, sneakers were necessary for a day walking in Milan!

We had a blast finding local street food for lunch after a morning of shopping. I had seen Spontini pizza on Instagram before the trip, and knew I just had to try it. It was SO worth it! (We even went back the next night to pick up slices for dinner!) After our Spontini slices we headed a few streets over to a spot my mom had heard of called Luini that serves mini fried calzones, which again were amazing. Talk about an indulgent pizza lunch!! And since it was my mom's birthday we had to top it all off with fancy gelato cones. Yum, yum, and more yum!
For dinner that night I dressed up this outfit by changing into these lace up flats, also from my capsule wardrobe, and we headed out for another delicious meal.

Shopping is cardio, I deserve this pizza.

Outfit // Dress: Ruche. Jacket: Zara. Neck scarf: vintage. Sneakers: Keds. Bag: Rebecca Minkoff. Sunglasses: Anthropologie. Lip: BareMinerals "Cherries on top."

Spontini Pizza at the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele

Double fisting fried calzones!

We found this cool courtyard with interactive colored circles all over.

The entryway to our Airbnb apartment building had such a tiny door! 

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

Travel Diary, Milano Day 1

Ciao! I just got back from my trip to Milan, and I am so excited to share some of the pictures with you! We spent most of our time exploring around Milan, sightseeing and eating tons of good food. Our first full day was spent walking around Sforza Castle and Simpione Park, as well as discovering that we could not get tickets to see Da Vinci's Last Supper fresco at such last minute notice. However, we did discover a hidden garden at the back of the church, complete with a fountain and cobblestone-paved pathways. I had heard before that Milan is known as the city of hidden gardens, and this seemed to prove true! Many times I could just glimpse some greenery behind the gates of a walled private garden in the city.

Since the weather was chilly I bundled up in layers with my faux leather jacket and a voluminous scarf to combat the chill as we walked around outdoors for most of each day. Comfy boyfriend jeans and cute booties were ideal for hours of walking, and this periwinkle blue sweater (last seen here) added a cozy touch. I kept accessories to a minimum, but topped it all off with this fun colorful scarf to add a pop of pink to the look, and a berry pink lip. Whether in NYC or traveling, jeans, booties and a leather jacket makes the perfect fall outfit for a day of exploring.

Santa Maria delle Grazie, where Da Vinci's Last Supper is on display

Outfit// Sweater: Asos, now on sale! Jacket: Zara. Scarf: Yarnz. Jeans: 7FAM. Booties: Jessica Simpson via DSW. Bag: Rebecca Minkoff. Lipstick: Sephora Rouge Shine No 65 "hot & fun."

Sforza Castle

Michelangelo's Pieta, his last, unfinished sculpture.

Simpione Park

xoxo, CC

Dressing Up Prints

Hello! As you're reading this I am currently galavanting around Milan, Italy! I didn't want to leave you with nothing to read while I'm away, so I put together this look featuring one of my favorite new dresses for fall. I took this piece from the capsule wardrobe that I put together last week, and I love that this dress can be worn now with bare legs, or later with tights, tall boots, and a furry jacket.

A berry lip and a romantic low bun dress up the look a bit, since prints often lend a more casual vibe to any outfit. I added a choker necklace since it doesn't compete with the lace up neckline and it also adds a trendy touch to the look. This dress is so unbelievably comfortable that I see myself wearing it regularly all season! Plus I love the fit and the fun lace up details. 

Check out my current adventures in Milan on instagram @charlotteclaraxo, and look out for blog posts on my Italy trip soon :)

Dress: VeronicaM. Bag: Rebecca Minkoff. Necklace: similar. Bracelet: kate spade. Earrings: Gorjana. Lipstick: Revlon "Plum Velour."

xoxo, CC