Scorpio Season

Because it's the last day of Scorpio season and my birthday was earlier this month, I put together this outfit comprised almost entirely of birthday goodies; this dress was an early gift and my only purchase in Milan, the adorable Zara bag I purchased with some birthday cash, and this gorgeous matte red lipstick arrived in a birthday card from my mom. To top it all off I wore my birthstone ring!

I first saw this red bug-studded bag on Instagram and was struck by how stunning it looks! I thought for sure it would be an expensive designer piece, and was amazed and thrilled to find that it is actually only $40 at Zara! The little gold bugs all over the bag (I like to think they are bees) add an edgy yet luxe touch reminiscent of Gucci, D&G, or Fendi, and the plump square shape is simply adorable. I'm not usually drawn to red, but I had to make an exception for this exquisite statement piece. 

This time of year I love to cozy up in easy sweater dresses. I love the modern cut of this sweater dress, with a high-low hem, a loose but flattering fit, and the subtle ribbed texture. It seemed to perfectly compliment the style of my new red bag, so I amped up the red details by adding a vivacious red lip and pretty hair ribbon as well. This look just screams NYC style to me, don't you think? 

Dress: COS. Bag: Zara (also love this style). Booties: Steve Madden. Bangle: kate spade. Lip: Make Up For Ever Artist Lip Blush in #941.

xoxo, CC

Cozy in Pink for Brunch

I wore this look to brunch last weekend on a gorgeous NYC day with bright sun and a slight chill in the air. As I've mentioned before, blush pink is my favorite fall color, and I've been really embracing it this season. This cozy pink cardigan is a perfect outer layer for the sunny 60º days we've been having a lot of in NYC this fall, but will also be a great piece to cozy up in all winter long with a warm mug of tea and slippers on my feet! To play up the pink theme I wore my favorite lace up flats and cuffed my jeans to really show them off. I stuck to a basic striped tee and simple jewelry, but my fun retro sunglasses and hot pink nail polish added girly touches to this pink-indulgent look. 

Cardigan: Ruche (in beige). Top: H&M. Jeans: H&M. Flats: H&M. Watch: kate spade. Bag: Rebecca Minkoff. Nails: RickyColor.

Look at all those morning glories along the fence!

xoxo, CC

Travel Diary; Milano in the Rain

Our last day in Milan was spent exploring the city in the rain. We started with a stroll through the Indro Montanelli park which contains several beautiful buildings including a museum, and this picturesque yellow villa. The foliage in the park was really gorgeous, and the rain intensified the colors since the leaves shone with droplets. After a pizza/pasta lunch during which we tried to warm up a bit we wandered around via Monte Napoleone and the surrounding shopping area where many designer storefronts are located. Many of the streets around this area were narrow cobblestone streets lined with high end stores which made for a charming scene. It was kind of fun to see all the window displays, and I particularly loved the Dolce & Gabbana windows which followed a fairytale theme. The brand had several stores in the vicinity (mens, women's, kids, and two accessories stores were all separate) yet all of the stores continued the same theme incorporating elements from fairytales such as sleeping beauty and snow white in the displays. 

I wore this scalloped hem sweater from COS with my glitter sneakers and a vintage neck scarf for a casual but cool look with modern and vintage touches. I tied the scarf differently from when I wore it earlier on the trip, opting for a looser tie and more of a sailor vibe which also shows off the scarf's colors more. Even a simple jeans and navy sweater combo can be fun and girly with the addition of details like the scalloped hemline and accessories like the vintage-inspired scarf, glittery footwear and dainty choker necklace. Even simple doesn't have to be boring!

After our day of exploring, we headed back to the apartment to warm up for a bit before heading out again to a nice dinner. Then it was early to bed so we could be up before dawn to catch our flights back to the US!

Sweater: COS. Jeans: 7FAM. Scarf: vintage. Sneakers: Lipsy London via Asos 1/2. Necklace: similar. Earrings: Gorjana. Jacket: Tulle. Umbrella: Flying Tiger.

A villa in the park

Window shopping - check out these sneakers!

A Dolce & Gabbana window display

An adorable narrow street with Italian flags flying

xoxo, CC

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; 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