MILAN FASHION WEEK-WEEKEND ESCAPE

No visit to a country like Italy is complete without at least seeing one historical city or village, allowing yourself to indulge in all things nice and delectable,  taking proper advantage of the fact that the concept of slow food originates from Lombardy. A trip to the upper city of Bergamo, or Citta Alta, is an absolute must, not only for the culinary delights, but also for it's tranquillity and panoramic scenery. Situated high up on  a hill, the old city can easily be reached by way of train from Milan, and then onwards by bus, dropping you off virtually on the doorstep of the magnificent walled city, perched high up on the hill. For the brave, you could stand in the cue to take the funicular that moves at a snail speed, or hop onto  a Vespa scooter, and drive up the hill, saving your feet for later...... 

I couldn't resist digging into the traditional Polenta and Osso Bucco dishes, a sinfully delicious meal served at most of the many local restaurants.  Time is of no essence here, and nobody seems rushed to do anything, with most inhabitants lingering at local bistros and restaurants, sipping on Chianti while doing some serious people watching. After considerable effort to locate all the venues for the different shows during fashion week, this was a good place to spend a Sunday afternoon, meandering the cobblestone streets, kicking up your heels-what a relief after 5 days on stilettos! My choice of outfit for the day was something that could take me from the sophisticated streets of Milan to the unpretentious cobblestones of Bergamo, and with a change of shoes, I was rather comfortable in my geometric print, ready to kick start the Vespa.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Top - Belle Epoque

Pants - H & M

Shoes - J Renee

Flat Pumps - Parfois

Handbag - Chanel 2.55

Sunglasses - Ray Bans

Earrings -Miglio

 

 

 

 

 

OVERSIZED COATS AND PRINTED TIGHTS

Like most things subjected to an audit, you should always balance things out, only this exercise performing an audit of my wardrobe, was completely devoid of balancing! So I delved a little deeper with my evaluation  and arrived at the horrifying conclusion that my entire kaleidoscope consists of  primarily Black, White, Citrus and Coral colour schemes, leaving me with a huge discrepancy! The absence of colour suddenly left me feeling empty, and completely lacking a sense of adventure. The only way I could do a balancing act was to add a little funkiness with print. Given the fact that my profession does not allow much creativity or opportunity to display my sense of dress adventure, I naturally gravitate towards the corporate colours and styles. If you're in the same rut, the easiest way of introducing some excitement in your mid season outfits, is by wearing printed tights.  Printed tights should not however be worn with anything to busy making it appear like a jigsaw puzzle. Combining to much accessories could also render it looking a little Burlesque! A simple pair of pumps or high heels would suffice, and if you wear a skirt, unlike me, show a little leg to emphasise the print! If you shorten the hemline to just above the knee and wear it with high heels it instantly elongates the legs, and worn with a flimsy little box pleated skirt, who knows where it will take you? Be brave girls.....seeing this in print, definitely spurs me on to shorten the skirt's length! An over sized coat like this also requires the hemline to be tapered down and should not be worn with to much bulk in the bottom since it could easily make you look to heavy.

 

 

 

 

 

Coat - Asos

Turtle Neck - Primark

Skirt - Studio W

Shoes - Dorothy Perkins

Handbag - Louis Vuitton

Tights - V & D Amsterdam