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

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

Pink For Fall

When fall arrives and everyone else starts reaching for their burgundy, mustard, forest green, brown and other deep colors, I turn to blush pink. For several years, and again this season, blush pink is my favorite shade for fall since it is still sweet and girly like my style, but somehow is perfectly wonderful among fall leaves and cool layers. 

This outfit is all about shades of pinks and a pretty floral print, all layered up in a fall-appropriate way. I snagged this cute floral skirt from H&M recently since it is not only the perfect combination of my favorite colors, but the deeper burgundy and blue tones on the black background make it wearable year round. I wore it paired with this top and sandals a few weeks ago on a warm day, but I'm bringing it into these slightly cooler early fall days with a jacket and lace up flats now. I love taking black basics and saturating them with layers of blush pinks, like this taupey-pink jacket, shoes, and skirt combo. Something about black and blush is just a perfect fall color combo to me.

And don't mind the fact that this same little black bag is in every one of my looks recently, I just love it so much and it goes with everything!

Top: Zara. Jacket: Jack by BB Dakota (similar in a vest). Skirt: H&M. Bag: Rebecca Minkoff. Shoes: H&M (very similar 1/2). Sunglasses: AJ Morgan. Bracelet: kate spade 1/2.

xoxo, CC

Trendspotter: Chokers

As you have probably noticed by now, choker necklaces have made a big style come-back recently! When the choker trend first re-emerged last year I was skeptical. It brought back serious memories of my elementary school days and the rainbow stretchy chokers that were so popular back then. But, like most trends, I just had to find the right fit for my personal style, and now I'm totally on board. By now chokers are a huge style favorite seen on all the top bloggers and stylists as well as trendy girls everywhere!

My first choker purchase was this bold collar-style necklace (which I styled 3 ways here) which adds an edgy yet whimsical touch to a modern outfit. From there I tried out more delicate chokers, which have become my go-to pieces to keep my outfits on trend. From a simple gold chain with tiny rhinestones, to a double layer chain and cord (which I wore here, here and here), these style are delicate options that provide just a touch of edgy to your look. I also got one with a small round charm engraved with my initial "c" which I love because it is simple and delicate, and it is also adjustable to sit on my collar bone rather than being tight on my neck. 

I also like that I can layer with chokers and add another longer necklace to the mix as well. Below, I've found a few photos of some of my favorite looks for inspiration styling a choker necklace. 

This is just the tip of the iceberg, with more 90's trends recirculating into the fashion world in upcoming seasons, as seen at the recent New York and London Fashion Weeks. We are already seeing the return of velvet and velour styles on shelves, as well as throwbacks like embroidered jeans.
Are you a fan of 90's trends returning?

Check out some of my favorite bloggers and celebs rocking chokers:

Gigi Hadid. Image from instagram @ladyshadybo

happilygrey.com

theblondesalad.com

happilygrey.com

xoxo, CC