The Blonde Salad
We wanted to start by smashing stereotypes about Swiss people, but that didn’t work. The train that took us from Milan to Lugano was incredibly punctual! It’s okay, though, we still managed to work on debunking all the myths you might have about this town in Ticino, one of Switzerland’s Italian-speaking cantons. We were invited to explore the town by Lugano Turismo, who hosted us for 48 hours, treating us to culture, amazing views, excellent food and nightlife. So, here is a mini-guide, for experiencing Lugano on a small budget for young people!
DAY 1
Try to take the train early in the morning, so you get to have the whole day ahead, because there is actually a lot to do in Lugano. The first thing we suggest is a visit to LAC, Lugano Arte e Cultura, a multi-purpose space that includes a museum, a theatre and an exhibition center. A truly multifaceted place! Their exhibitions are gaining in popularity every year, but what struck us most was the theatre hosted there: a new concert hall that hosts 1000 seats, entirely decorated in wood, and equipped with a modular, removable acoustic shell — a true treasure in which you can enjoy your favorite concert.
After getting your fix of culture, it is time to take care of your stomach, because you will probably be hungry by now: our tip is to go eat in one of the tallest, most panoramic terraces in the area, in the restaurant in THE VIEW hotel, which was also our accommodation, in the Paradiso area. This restaurant opened just a short while ago, but it is already winning the hearts of both local and tourists, with its revisited Mediterranean fare. Our tip on what to order: orecchiette with seasonal vegetables, and salmon on cous cous. Great food + lake views = never ending enjoyment!
After lunch, it is time for some outdoor fun: did you know that you can practice a lot of different sports on the Lake of Lugano? Canoeing, kayaking, and Stand Up Paddle, too! We tried SUP: if you don’t know, it is all about managing to stand on a surfboard, with the aid of just one oar. If you can do this well, make your way to the center of the lake… You will see amazing scenery from there.
The evening is coming: enjoy a good shower and then a dinner in a grotto, a typical Italian-Swiss place, hosted in a stone structure and surrounded by greenery, rigorously offering traditional local food. We definitely recommend the Grotto Cavicc in Montagnola: the place is really appealing, furnished with wooden tables and small string lights framing everything. Definitely have a meat dish, like spare ribs, for instance: this is not a tip, it’s an order!
After dinner, if you still have some energy, have a walk on the lake promenade. It is very lively on summer evenings, and young people invade the streets to go out for a drink. Thursday night is when the weekend really starts in Lugano: Mojito, a small bar in the city center, is the place to be, and it is located on a great spot on the lake. Can you think of anything better than a cocktail to wrap up such an intense day?
DAY 2
Even if your alarm goes off early, opening the blinds of your room on to a beautiful, blue lake, with clear, sunny air and mountains framing an already perfect picture, you will still feel like leaving the house as soon as possible. Before you leave, though, enjoy a good breakfast, and remember that you just can’t leave the city without testing THE VIEW’s hotel SPA. Imagine, it is one of the best organized, largest SPAs in town. Let their qualified staff take care of you, get an incredible massage, and enjoy their covered rooftop pool!
After this well-deserved moment of relaxation, go to Via Pessina, in the city center, and sit in the Grand Café al Porto, one of the canton’s most iconic cafés. Not only is their staff exceptionally nice — the lady at the bar is adorable, and their chocolate cakes are the bomb! This is the best breakfast you can have, trust us!
To walk off the cake you just had, have a stroll in the alleys of the city center. You will run into the Mauri Concept, at one point, which is definitely a place to go in Lugano: you will find everything here, from design objects to hairdressers, from beauticians to restaurants. A beautiful, modern surprise!
Time flies, and it is already time for lunch! Since you might still be feeling guilty about that cake you had for breakfast, we suggest a light, takeaway lunch. Yes, that’s right: you can also have a picnic in Lugano, you don’t have to necessarily spend a ton of money at a restaurant. So, make your way to Natural Food, a small shop that sells mostly vegan products that respect the environment and its inhabitants, using mostly locally sourced products and no animal based products. You will find small pizzas, piadina, cold pasta salads and vegan sushi: choose what you like in their shop window, and let them prepare a small lunch box to take to the park for you. Parco Ciani is the best choice for your picnic, as it is just a few steps away from Natural Food, and it is beautiful, too. Sit on one of the many benches, or on the lawn if you are more comfortable, why not? It’s quick, it’s delicious, and it’s outdoors!
Now that your tummy is happy, we would like to suggest a new place that has already grabbed local attention, as well as tourists with sensitive taste buds: we are talking about Forziere del Vino, hosted in one of Switzerland’s most beautiful hotels, the Splendide Royal. The ambience at the Forziere is effortlessly chic, it hosts and exhibits over 400 selected wines from all over the world, among which some excellent local Ticino wines. If you are in a group, you can try their Blind Tasting, and have a competition among friends: see who recognizes most wines among you!
Speaking of alcoholic beverages, you should also have one last apéritif before you leave. Go back to the small square where LAC is, this time not to enjoy an exhibition but to taste some of the area’s best cocktails at the Lac Café by Gabbani, the trendiest place for an aperitif in summer.
Now the saddest time of all has come, as it is time to leave. We made our way home from Lugano with a lot of positive energy, and the new knowledge that, despite the city being rich and elegant, there is also space for young people to have fun and enjoy themselves without spending a fortune.
Winter has finally come thanks to Burian, this super cold wind that covered half of Italy with snow. So we’ve a very good reason to escape from the city looking for the sun for the weekend, don’t you think? Here you are 3 travel ideas that you can reach in just a few hours by plane!
Marrakech
You should be aware that, while we are freezing under the snow, in Marrakech is already spring. That’s a great reason to search for a last minute flight that can take us to this wonderful Moroccan city, second home for french designer Yves Saint-Laurent (the long awaited museum dedicated to his life and work opend last year). You can drink a peppermint tea on Jemaa el Fna plaza, get lost in the beautiful Jardin Majorelle, having some relaxing time in a hammam and enjoy the desert’s atmosphere. Maybe you remember that our dearest Chiara, not long ago, spent, some beautiful days in Marrakech.
Next time I need to sleep here ???? @revolve #RevolveAroundTheWorld #advertising #TheBlondeSaladGoesToMorocco
A post shared by Chiara Ferragni (@chiaraferragni) on Nov 7, 2017 at 1:57pm PST
Malta
It’s quite famous all around the world, but still it’s not considered as one of the coolest place to spend the holidays. Well, we completely disagree with this opinion, but maybe we can consider it as an ad advantage for us: we won’t risk to find too may people and have a real relaxing weekend. Malta has so many breathtaking cliffs, seasides that can compete with Caribbean ones (have you aver heard about Blue Lagoon?), wonderful Gozo Island and beautiful Medina, Malta’s the ancient capiltal. We’re pretty sure you’ll have a wonderful weekend!
Hello sunny Malta ☀️ So proud of my girl @caro_e_ ???? for launching her first swimwear collection ???? along with @hunkemoller ???????????? #bossbabe #womenempowereachother #malta #hunkemöller #caroforhkm
A post shared by MADELEINE ✈️???????? (@pilotmadeleine) on Feb 25, 2018 at 3:07am PST
Crete
Spring has already come in Crete: we can tell you that the coming days we’ll be so warm! If you always thought about it as a good place for your summer holidays, you should discover how beautiful it is in march. You can have some archeological moment (don’t miss the Minotaur’s Labyrinth inside Knossos palace), relaxing walks in Iraklion, Chania and Agios Nicholaus’ streets and unforgettable moments at the seaside, next to a deep blue sea.
Good morning Crete, nothing more rejuvenating than a beach walk ????
A post shared by Crete,island (@creteisland) on Feb 24, 2018 at 11:04pm PST
The make up trend for 2018? Metallic eyeshadows! Manuele Mameli, Chiara Ferragni‘s make up artist and our #BBtips contributor, explains how to create a bold, shining and sexy look.
Even if metallic eyeshadows are usually used to create dramatic make up looks, Manuele shows us a perfect daywear look. Here’s how you recreate it step by step.
????MMBeautyTips???? Ogni un po’ di colore ???? #eyeshadowpalette @mulaccosmetics DifferentII colors #posh #bonton #thekholpencil @dgbeauty peacock 3 #mascara @diormakeup #pumpnvolume Thank’s my babe @clarissacarbone ????
A post shared by Manuele Mameli (@manuelemameli) on Feb 14, 2018 at 2:27am PST
1) Apply eye primer
Thanks to the primer, we can create a bright base where we can apply the metallic eyeshadow. Primer also is required for long lasting looks.
2) Wet the brush
A wet brush avoid pigments fall outs all over the face. At the same time, the colour’s eyeshadow will be more brillant.
3) Apply the eyeshadow
Apply it all over the eyelid, just like we’re applying liquid metal on it.
4) Blend it
Choose an intermediate colour, to avoid a clear-cut contrast with the first eyeshadow.
5) Finish with mascara
Put some mascara on your eyelashes: what an amazing gaze!
Manuele’s fave: the perfect eyeshadows for this look
Mulac Milano Different II Palette: these eyeshadows have shimmer tones, with soft or glittery textures easy to blend…but don’t use too much product.
Purobio shimmer eyeshadows: super affordable for a flawless look. There are many different shades and they’re all so smooth.
Stila Magnificent Metals Glitter & Glow Liquid: this brilliantly long-wearing sparkle eye shadow combines the perfect mix of pearl and glitter…For me, they’re faboulous!
Yves Saint Laurent Full Metal Shadow: easy to apply, with very interesting colours.
Madina Starlit eyeshadow: great value for money, beautiful colours for an amazing metallic effect. And now they’re also in sale!
Find all the products in our gallery below!
Are your ready for 2018 Oscars? There’s only 72 hours left to see all the movies that conquered the best picture nomination. We suggest you to watch all of them, plus one.
Call me by your name
It’s been 19 years a italian movie wasn’t included in best picture short list. Luca Guadagnino’s play talks about the love story between Elio and Oliver, during a hot italian summer in 1983. The movie gained 4 nominations: best picture, best original song, best adapted screenplay and best actor in a leading role (Timothée Chalamet).
Why you should watch it: because we debated about this movie for so long and because it’s good to support our country for such a good reason.
Dunkirk
Christopher Nolan‘s movie depicts the evacuation of Dunquerque, a French seaside where the UK army was besieged by Nazis, during World War II.
Why you should watch it: because we can’t say no to a movie about World War II, especially if the director decided not to use special effects.
Get Out
It’s the second time in the Academy Awards history that an horror movie is included in the best picture short list. The first time was in 1992 for “The Silence of the Lambs”. And actually it won! Who knows if director Jordan Peele could score the award? Get out is about Chris, a young afro-american, that meet for the first time his wasp girlfriend’s parents. It will soon turn into a terryfing weekend, because his in-laws are like the new Ku Klux Klan.
Why you should watch it: because it’s the director’s debut, it was made with a tiny budget and it soon became the hottest movie to watch…and plus, a movie weekend without an horror one?
Lady Bird
Lady Bird is a coming-of-age teen movie and it’s the one you should’t expect in the best picture short list. Greta Gerwig, with her very first play, is the fifht woman to conquer the best director nomination. The plot portrays the relationship between the frustrated teenager Christine”Lady Bird” and her hyper protective mother Marion.
Why you should watch it: because it’s about strong women, inside the movie but also outside the screen. All the 5 nominations are dedicated to director Greta Gerwig and actresses Saoirse Ronan and Laurie Metcalf.
Phantom thread
The Fifties couturier London’s atelier, where he creates beautiful dresses for princesses and movie stars is the set of Phantom thread, that talks about the relationship between the tailor Reynolds Woodcock and his muse-lover Alma. It scored 6 nominations, included the one for best costumes, of course.
Why you should watch it: because it’s Daniel Day-Lewis‘s farewell, and he’s close to conquer his 4th Academy award.
The darkest hour
United Kingdom during World War II scored 2 nominations at the Academy Awards. Besides Dunkirk, also The darkest hour portrays the most difficult moment in Winston Churchill’s career, when he had to take the hardest decision ever for the country’s safe.
Why you should watch it: again, we can’t say no to a good war movie, especially if Gary Oldman, with the Golden Globe already in his pocket, was able to turn himself into Chrurchill thanks to 200 make up hours.
The Post
Latest Steven Spielberg movie depicts how Washington Post, just a local newspaper, became one of the most important medium in United States with the publication of Penthagon Paper, thanks to editor in chief Ben Bradlee and newpaper heiress Katharine Graham, the first female publisher of a major American newspaper
Why you shoild watch it: because it’s about empowered women. Plus, how could you say no to Meryl Streep and her 22th Oscar nomination?
The shape of water
Guillermo Del Toro‘s movie scored 13 nominations (only Titanic had 14 nominations). The plot is about Elisa, a cleaning woman at a secret Usa government laboratory where she discovers a mysterious creature emprisoned in a tank. We’re in Baltimore during the Cold War in 1962 and that “monster” could be the right weapon to defeat the enemy.
Why you should watch it: because everybody loves impossibile love stories.
Three billboards outside Ebbing, Missouri
The plot depicts how three billboards, on which Mildred addresses the local olice department on how they didn’t solve the case of her daughter’s rape and murder, will change the lives of the three main characters: Mildred, indeed, sheriff Bill and agent Jason.
Why you should watch it: because it scored 4 Golden Globe Awards and because it’s an outsider between so many big names.
I, Tonya
Tonya is Tonya Harding, the figure skater known as the first American woman to successfully land a triple axe that made headlines for the biggest sport scandal in the Usa.
Why you should watch it: it’s not in the best picture short list, but Margot Robbie was so credible in Tonya Harding’s costumes that she scord her very first nomination for best leading role. Maybe she won’t conquer the award, but we hope it would be the first of a long series.
The brightest colour for spring summer 2018? Orange! It’s not an easy to wear shade, but at the same time we love to dress in orange when the warm season is coming. Despite Burian and all the snow and the cold, let’s think about the most amazing orange looks!
Chiara Ferragni
How to wear orange in 2018? With many sortswear clothes, for sure. The revival of many sportwear brands brought back this colour, that we wore a lot in the Nineties on neon neoprene sweatshirt and fluo orange trackpants. Let our dearest Chiara inspired us: choose a fashion piece, like a hoodie jacket, and make it your outfit’s statement.
Choose the brightest shades to create an unforgettable outfit that can speak for you. Just like Victoria Beckham, that sometimes likes to leave in the closet her signature black to surprise us with total orange looks.
Victoria Beckham
Better to rock an orange ensemble or to focus only on accessories? Well, you can do whatever you want! You can wear bold dresses during the day, while at night rock some fluo accessories like shoes or purses. Play with colors, juxtaposing them on animalier print or geometric motifs. Do you need some inspirations? Take a look at our gallery below then!
Next spring-summer, maxi hoodie dresses will be once again one of our favourite pieces to wear. Many fashionistas addicted to this style could take a sigh of relief: why should we get crazy looking for the perfect match between top and bottom, if we could be cool and comfy at the same time with just one piece? Vetements brought them to fame first and in a few fashion seasons they became the must have style to keep in our closet (you can steal them also to your boyfriend’s one though, especially if he’s a basketball player!)…and why not, to purchase in all the shades we like!
How to wear them? Our dearest Chiara Ferragni suggests us the perfect match: cuissards. The shinier they are, in fabrics like vynil or latex, the more contemporary and glamour yur outfit will be. Some cool girls also like to style them audaciously with sparkling sandals and ankle boots, others match them with maxi skirts, for a pure oversized look.
Our fave? The Frankie Shop x The Blonde Salad maxi hoodie dress. We love its light blue shade and we think it’s perfect to match with denim shorts or trackpants! Be inspired by our gallery below and rush to our e-shop!
We have a news for you: fashion lovers are more active than any other account on Instagram. According to Instagram Passions report, they visualize contents 5 times more, they like 3 times more and follow 2,5 accounts more than the average user. There’s nothing strange with that: fashion, actually, is made on social media, where you can find unexpected trends, niche brands and inspirations for your daily outfits.
Our fave celebrities accounts are an endless source of fashion and beauty tips…and we’re sure that sometimes, when you like their posts, you wonder which is the brand behind that faboulous Chiara Ferragni‘s coat, those gorgeous Kendall Jenner‘s shoes or that amazing bag carried by Bella or Gigi Hadid.
Luckliy, on Instagram, there’s a plenty of accounts committed to their style. We suggest you the best three…and don’t forget to follow them!
#tbt Many of you have commented and DM us wondering what @chiaraferragni wore in this picture so here it is: @mango red vinyl trousers (available only in USA and currently sold out but available in black, link in bio ????) and @chiaraferragnicollection x @converse limited edition (sold out too!) sorry babes ???? #FerragniCloset #chiaraferragni
A post shared by FerragniCloset (@ferragnicloset) on Dec 15, 2017 at 12:27am PST
Ferragni Closet
If you love Chiara Ferragni’s style, you have to follow Ferragni Closet. It’s updated with all the latest look from our favourite fashionista, plus it will give you many good tips to buy her fashion pieces online!
@GigiHadid | December 20, 2017 | New York City, NYC – #GigiHadid wore this cozy @MaisonAtia Catherine Polka Dot Trench Coat. Cuuute! She also sported her @DrMartensOfficial Page Mix Boots (On Sale, $75) and @_Pawaka_ Duabelas 12 Sunglasses (Sold Out). Buying info can be found on #hadidscloset.com. LINK IN PROFILE
A post shared by @ hadidscloset on Dec 23, 2017 at 10:42am PST
Hadids Closet
Since 2014, it’s the Hadid sisters fashion Bible. Bella and Gigi’s outfitf are analyzed carefully to give you the chance to know their favourite fashion items. Believe us, sometimes they’re more affordable than you can ever imagine!
#KendallJenner | 75th Annual Golden Globe Awards | Beverly Hills, CA | January 7, 2018 | — @KendallJenner looks absolutely phenomenal in a stunning gown from @giambattistavalliparis #Fall2017 Couture! #GoldenGlobes. ???? She was styled by @marnixmarni! ????????
A post shared by Kendall Jenner Closet (@kendalljennercloset) on Jan 7, 2018 at 5:01pm PST
Kendall Jenner Closet
The coolest girl from Kardashian clan has an account committed to her style, too. There, you’ll discover that she usually wears Adidas sneakers, as the brand face but also for “family duties” (aka Kanye West Yeezy‘s brand), but she’s also obsessed by vintage denim pants and for Balenciaga clothes.
The trend of 2018? 1996! Why? Because it’s the year of “Spice”, the first album of the queens of the 90s: the Spice Girls!
Tops, babydolls and mega platforms: the style of each Spice was unique and original, just like their nicknames! Here is revealed the mysterious meaning behind all of them!
Posh Spice
Victoria Adams earned the name “Posh Spice” as her dad used to drop her off at school in a Rolls Royce.
Ginger Spice
Geri Halliwell was the group’s sex symbol! She was nicknamed “Ginger” for her liveliness and her flaming red hair.
Scary Spice
Mel B did not have fear! The “in-your-face” attitude, a pierced tongue and bold manner of dress made her gain the name of “Scary Spice”.
Sporty Spice
Today how many of you dress like Mel C? Track pants (sometimes Adidas or sometimes Kappa) and then sneakers and tattoos: a sporty girl, the Sporty Spice!
Baby Spice
Emma had long blonde hair, wore a pastel-colored babydoll and sneakers with a plateau. She was the youngest member of the group and for this reason she was called “Baby Spice”.
If the 90s are the new trend have a look at the gallery with the memorable looks of Spice Girls and discover the coolest products of The Blonde Salad inspired by them!
You’re aware that combat boots are among the coolest accessories this season, but you don’t exactly know how to style them? We found a way: the coolest looks, and the most stylish girls, are the ones that manage to come up with unexpected matches, so, what would you think if we told you you can be utterly feminine, even with combat boots on?
The first things that come to mind when we think of combat boots? Jeans, checked shirts, tank tops, tees and oversize sweatshirts, of course. But what if you went for a pink, totally romantic dress, with pendant crystal earrings instead? Or what about a very feminine coordinated set, with mini skirt and blazer? It might seem odd, but these are actually very cool combinations we really would like to experiment with a little… The more unexpected the combination, the more spontaneous it’s going to look! You will find the sweet spot between femininity and masculinity.
If you’re looking for ideas to refresh your style with military combat boots, look at our gallery for inspiration: we are pretty sure you’ll love what you see! Go through all the looks, and choose your favorite!
There’s only one style to be effortlessly cool: wear track pants. Indeed, this is the Nineties fashion come back we were all waiting, that’s why they’re once again at the top of our desires…and our wish lists.
Our muse Chiara Ferragni proved us that trackpants are airport style’s quintessence: super casual, but terribly chic. They’re also the ultimate style for the city: Bella Hadid love to match them with a leather jacket, Hailey Baldwin prefers a maxi bomber instead. Karlie Kloss and Kendall Jenner do the unexpected, styling them with blazers or super furry coats.
We’re pretty sure our fave cool girls would immediately get crazy for our Local Heroes x The Blonde Salad trackpants, available in Red Hot and Pop Blonde colors. We’re already in love with them, fall in love too on #ShopTheBlondeSalad.
So, what was the definitive dress code for the 2018 Golden Globes? Total black! Everyone bid goodbye to pastel colors during this most important night for cinema and TV stars – this was the way Hollywood‘s divas decided to show their support for the #metoo movement, and for the Time’s Up campaign, after the Weinstein scandal.
Embellishing details, embroideries and slits were everywhere to be seen on the L.A. Beverly Hilton Hotel, during a thrilling night which saw Big Little Lies win rake up tons of awards.
Oprah Winfrey, who received the special Cecil B. De Mille lifetime achievement award, had all eyes on her during her memorable speech: “And for too long, women have not been heard or believed if they dared to speak their truth… A new day is on the horizon! But their time is up. Their time is up. Their time is up.”
Here are The Blonde Salad’s favorite 10 all-black looks, from a unique red carpet!
To all beauty addicts in Milan, there’s a new place in town to discover. Estée Lauder opened its first European flagship store in the iconic fashion city. The beauty boutique, located in Via Dante, is a true beauty and makeup lovers’ hotspot, which will give Milanese customers the chance to discover the brand philosophy and products, and experience exclusive beauty services. Actually, customers will be able to find their perfect foundation thanks to “Fondotinta perfetto” and I match foundation technology, have fun at the “Party mask” station, trying on Estée Lauder masks for free, and give a new light to their gaze with “Sopracciglia, che passione!”, the exclusive Brow bar, where you can learn to give a fresh look to your eyes, and a new styling to your eyebrows. Looking for new makeup ideas without wasting a drop of cleanser? Virtual makeover application YouCam on iPad will help you to get to know all the latest beauty trends, and have fun with the boldest shades.
A few weeks ago, Valentina had the chance to meet Estée Lauder’s Global Beauty Director Violette at the big opening, and share an exclusive masterclass with her at the store… She even stole her some makeup secrets, and lots of beauty tips! We spent an entire day experiencing beauty in all its forms, and we celebrated it at the wonderful evening party, where brand ambassadors, makeup addicts and devoted customers got to experience Estée Lauder’s new Milanese house, and all its beauty secrets. You know, as Ms. Lauder said: “Every woman can be beautiful”… especially in Milan!
3…2…1… It’s time! Are you ready to welcome the new year with some sparkly makeup? The shows are there to help us, like always, amazing us with hypnotic, chic makeup that will make our New Year’s Eve just amazing.
The keyword for New Year’s Eve will be… Glitter! Whether it’s on your eyes, on your eyebrows or on your lips, what matters is that there needs to be glitter! You can choose to apply pigment, or be seduced by shimmer eyeshadow. If you want to look like a mermaid, apply glitter both over and under the eye, and if you’d rather look like a fairy, blend it towards the outer corner of your eye. If you love dark colors and smoky eyes, you can also go for glitter black. And if you want to surprise everyone, mix and match bright colors and geometric shapes. There are no rules here: choose your favorite color, and have fun creating your look.
Say yes to geometric, minimalist makeup with extralong lashes, too. And if you can’t live without lip color, choose elegant shades like bright or brick red, holographic lipsticks, or shiny ones like the ones makeup artist Pat McGrath showed on her Instagram feed.
Ready to have all eyes on you, and be beautiful? Then take some notes, and get inspiration from the gallery!
Who said that catching the eye or going over the top is wrong? This is possibly one of 2017’s main trends: glitter, sequins, velvet and satin-like fabrics are the bare minimum you’ll find yourself wearing for the holidays… And we absolutely love it!
And that’s not all: in addition to clothing, there’s all the accessories that complement our look. Extra earrings with crystals or rhinestones are our favorites: they’re the final touch that will take you to perfection!
And don’t ever forget, jeweled shoes and jeweled bags are also a must-have you should never leave home.
Have a look at our gallery for three looks that will show you the perfect way to exaggerate for New Year’s Eve: ready for some inspiration?
If you have rather chill plans for New Year’s Eve, but you still don’t want to give up on looking beautiful without being overdressed, jeans are the perfect option… But only if you wear them with a party top: satin-like fabrics, shiny textiles or animal prints, romantic sleeves, bright colors and amazing cuts are what you’ll need to complement your look!
Don’t just go for a classical top, choose quirkier designs, too, because whether you like it or not, this is the perfect time to steal the show… And nothing is too much if you’re wearing jeans: you’ll be just perfect!
We selected 15 party tops for New Year’s Eve in our gallery — go have a look at it if you’re looking for some inspiration on how to style your tops, or if you’re about to go shopping for some in your favorite store.
If you haven’t had time to choose your outfits for the holidays, and you’d like something classic, black dresses are your best bet: they’re elegant, they’re sexy, and they work for pretty much any situation. And don’t even think that they might be too classical, or boring… Because girls, honestly, you can never go wrong with a black dress!
If you choose a sequin dress, wear it with semi-sheer stockings; if you’d rather go for satin or velvet, combine it with stockings, high heels and very shiny earrings, and there you go… Here is your perfect look for the holidays!
We collected our favorites in the gallery, choose yours in 3, 2, 1…!
If you’re dreaming of a movie-like finale for your year, we are pretty sure your idea involves a potential future boyfriend. Now is a very good time to daydream, and it is also the perfect moment to prepare the outfit you’ll need to have all eyes on you — especially the eyes of the guy you like!
When it comes to choosing your look, our main tip is to think of something striking, that will make you look like the total star of the party — but don’t go over the top, either! Ideally, you should strike a balance between being able to say “I am gorgeous” and “I’m always very feminine.
Curious? Well, have a look at our gallery, then — and since there will be more than one party during the holiday season… You won’t even have to choose just one of the outfits you’ll see! How about trying them all?
Lights up! The countdown has begun, and all you need to do now is just enjoy the holidays, away from the madding crowds.
This year, there is only one thing to do: shine, and take some time for yourself these holidays. Taking care of your clothing and makeup is very good, but it is not enough: you will also need a chic hair style that will grab some attention. Need inspiration? Well, look at red carpets and fashion shows for that: you’ll see that VOLUME is the way to go. Buns, beach waves and extra elegant braids are everywhere right now.
We’re talking updos here, and when you want to play with those, you need perfect, healthy hair — from root to tip. A certain hairstyle can make us look stylish, but it definitely can’t hide damaged hair: you need to take some time to take care of your hair, and you should choose the right products to do that — products are your secret weapon. Have a bottle of Pantene 3 Minute Miracle handy, to hydrate your hair all the way, making your hair shiny, soft and glowing — try it, you will see! Your braids, no matter whether you choose fishtail or classic ones, or your large space buns, might be hard to copy, but once you do… They will give you a sophisticated allure that will guarantee that WOW effect you’re looking for.
If you’re not sure about your hair styling, here is a last tip for you: just use a touch of Pantene Hairspray, and you can leave your mirror at home.. you won’t need to check your hair anymore!
Ready to stun everyone with amazing, celebrity-like hair? Have a look at our gallery… and let the party begin!
If you’ve been closely following Chiara’s Instagram feed, you may have realized that sneakers are one of her must-have items this winter… And how could we, her number 1 fans, not follow her style tips?
If you’re also looking for inspiration to make sneakers cool, making them look just great with all your outfits, have a look at our gallery: we designed three outfit ideas for Winter 2017-2018 for you. What’s your favorite?
Keep calm and… say happy birthday to Taylor Swift! That’s right, today the queen of pop celebrates her twenty-eighth birthday, and we want to wish her a happy birthday by showing you her 10 best red carpet looks.
Our birthday girl is famous for her chic and impeccable style, even now that seems to have taken on a bad girl look with the new Reputation album. But let’s face it: Taylor has amazed us for years, not only for her taste in fashion, but also for her songs.
Now don’t tell us that you’re not humming Look what you made me do! ????
Sexy, bondage and even street: this singer has made changes! We are madly in love with her, and for this reason we want to celebrate her! If you too, are obsessed with her style, enjoy the gallery and tell us what is your favorite look.
Decorated or super-minimal, colorful or monochrome, classic or unconventional: there are many different Christmas trees and they absolutely are the undisputed symbol of the winter holidays!
We selected the 15 most beautiful Christmas trees of 2017.
What is your favorite one?
Karl Bradl and Robert Gerstner are the founders of olfactory art gallery Aedes De Venustas, an amazing place they first opened in the late 1990s, where you can find the rarest fragrances from all over the world. Karl loves perfumes and flowers, and particularly loves wild roses and rare peonies. Robert has always been a fan of skincare.
Aedes De Venustas started its life as a line of fragrances in 2012, named after the shop where it gets sold. The fragrances are elaborated in collaboration with renowned perfumers like Fabrice Pellegrin, Ralf Schwieger, Bertrand Duchaufour, Rodrigo Flores-Roux, Nathalie Feisthauer and Alberto Morillas, and they carry the creative, futuristic essence of these amazing noses within them.
Their inspiration comes straight from nature, and from plants, working as wonderful muses: botanical works of art and natural landscapes that look like the stuff of dreams. The fragrances are highly seductive, sometimes fresh, sometimes sweet, and occasionally, you will even manage to tell what’s in a fragrance… And you will be transported into another dimension, living a marvellous experience.
Pelargonium is not just a simple essence: it’s a hurricane of sensations and fantastic olfactory notes. How can you not love it??
Let’s be honest: we can probably leave the house without foundation, but none of us could leave without perfume. Fragrances are like our second skin, and our choices say something about us. It might occasionally happen that we leave without any perfume on, or perhaps that the scent disappears after just a few hours. This is why it’s a good idea to always have some perfume in your handbag: here is exactly why, with three different reasons.
1. Ever had an unplanned date, and found yourself without any makeup, and any perfume? This is the number one reason why you should always have some fragrance — and some lipstick! — with you: you’ll be perfect with just two small moves.
2. A small bottle of perfume is as big as a marker: it takes no space in your bag, it will even fit in a clutch bag. You can always have one with you, and use it anytime.
3. You can own more than one fragrance without spending a fortune: you will pay a lot less for a much smaller bottle!
And now, don’t miss the gallery… And pick your favorite fragrance!
Accessories have a magical power, and here is what it is: if you combine them the right way, they can turn your dullest look into something utterly fantastic. So, if you need ideas… Just choose some party shoes!
If you would rather not to get too daring with your holiday looks, we suggest you just stay true to your style, and add a pair of glam shoes to the ensemble: go for glitter, rhinestones, laminated or metallic leather… Either way, your party shoes will be the accessory that will add the WOW! factor to your look!
And we’re not just talking about the holidays: try this in your day to day life, too, with the most casual outfit you can think of: jeans and a sweatshirt. It’s very easy to be chic, if you’re wearing the right shoes. You will see!
You will surely have realized that puffer jackets are once again a winter must-have for your closet! We say YES, loud and clear, to these jackets that are so stylish again… As you can see by looking at our dear Chiara Ferragni: you can hardly spot her without a down jacket nowadays — have a look at her Instagram feed, and you’ll see what we mean. Down jackets are super easy to style because they’re so versatile, and they are perfect if you want to base your look on contrasts.
YES, with jeans or track pants
YES, with sneakers or pumps
YES, with high heels, too! (Why not?)
If you’re as crazy about Chiara’s latest outfits as we are, then you should really have a look at the gallery, where we collected 3 looks inspired by her style. Wondering what our favorite is? Definitely with track pants ♥.
Cold winter temperatures caught us by surprise over the last few days, and trying to keep looking cool might be our new morning challenge: us against our wardrobe!
The ideal item to wear when temperatures drop to 0C (or 32F!) is something you can wear underneath your coat that will keep you warm while you’re out, but that will also look cozy and trendy, to also look stylish when you’re indoors. ????
And can you think of anything better to do this than an oversized wool sweater? The best ones are bright and colorful and will look just amazing with tailored pants or denim. And even if you prefer neutral or pastel colors, you will still look feminine, cool and chic.
The Blonde Salad is here for you with a gallery that showcases a selection of our favorite designs! They’re perfect for styling your urban outfit, and essential for those who already have all their mountain weekend getaways planned out: trust us, cozy, oversized sweaters will be the item to show off on your next Instagram post!
The Christmas gift countdown has started, and we are already working on our Christmas wishlist. We would love to give — or receive!) everything… And that is how we end up running around our favorite beauty stores or online shops like crazy, looking for the most beautiful or the most useful product we can think of, without realizing that we are already looking at about a hundred different ideas! Choosing a gift for beauty addicts is never easy, and neither is it to choose something for those who are approaching the worlds of makeup or skincare for the first time. And choosing a gift for ourselves is also no piece of cake, either: we all worry so much about choosing the wrong product, or about picking something, and ending up feeling like we actually wanted something else. Can you see your worry, lurking behind your Christmas tree?
The truth is, there are so many kinds of make up acream that it’s very, very easy to get lost. And that’s why we are here to help, with a few themed mini-galleries of high-quality products, which will work well for makeup experts as well as for newbies.
And now, sit back and take some notes, grab your favorite pen and get ready to write down all your beauty-related wishes, to be unpacked on Christmas day.
CHRISTMAS CRACKERS
UNDER 50 €
OVER 50 €
Chiara and Matilda had a wonderful, thrilling day shooting for the new Calzedonia special edition which will truly astonish you!
This special collection will make you fall head over heels, with romantic, baroque details: hand-sawn pearls, tulle and rhinestones which will make you shine like a diamond.
The Party collection, on the other hand, will be totally glam and focused on the holidays, with many sparkling patterns, glitter and rhinestones of different sizes, for a sophisticated, elegant look.
Are you ready to make your entrance?
Photographer: Diego Diaz Marin
Instagram: @diegodiazmarin
We’ve been saying this for months, actually, scratch that, for years! Haircare matters just as much as skincare does. So, if you think that shampoo and conditioner are enough to take care of your hair… You’re wrong. Hair masks are an essential step that should not be overlooked, since they deeply nourish your hair. Masks come in all shapes and sizes, some need to sit in your hair for 5 minutes, others for 20, and others… All night long! Of course, it all depends on the kind of mask you choose, and on your hair’s needs.
Pre-shampoo masks are the ones you apply onto your hair before washing, and it’s everyone’s favourite, simply because it’s easily manageable, and because it seems to give many of us the feeling of nurturing our hair more deeply, giving them a beautiful shine in the process. The secret definitely lies in the list of ingredients: it’s totally possible to make your own hair mask, using olive oil and honey, or egg whites.
Post-shampoo masks are the best ones to untangle your hair. Some work their magic super quickly, while others will need to sit in your hair for a little longer — and we already gave you a few tips on how to spend your precious time while you wait for your mask to work!
Last but not least, the newcomers: night hair masks. Some of them come in a sort of tissue mask, whose shape looks a lot like a shower cap. Alternatively, just make sure you find an effective way to wrap your hair and protect your pillowcase, and there you go: these night hair creams will pamper and nurture your hair while you sleep, and after you rinse it all off in the morning, your hair will look amazing. The only potential downside to this kind of mask is that some of us might be bothered by feeling like they are sleeping with wet hair.
Whether you go for pre-shampoo masks, all-night masks or masks you apply in the shower, the message is the same: don’t forget your hair mask, and apply one at least every two weeks.
There is nothing more magical than a Christmas tree… Especially the Swarowski tree that’s been embellishing Milan’s central square every year for the past four years. This year, the famous brand of crystals decided to pay homage to the city of Milan by choosing to switch on the lights of their tree with Chiara, tomorrow, December 1st, near Milan’s celebrated Galleria Vittorio Emanuele.
This is a most special tree, with digital, interactive screens that will make Christmas 2017 utterly special. Christmas campaign #BrillanceForAll is here, to celebrate that diversity which makes us all unique and marvelous, and not only: the campaign will also celebrate women’s strength, their liberation, and their worth. Yes… For all! Yes to being brave enough to be different, because as Chiara says, this is the only way you can really shine. Discover more about this Campaign with Boy George, Naomi Campbell, Jordan Dunn, Karlie Kloss e Ruby Rose!
So, what are you waiting for? Let’s get ready to celebrate this amazing Christmas together! We will be waiting for you to switch the lights on… Don’t miss your chance, and don’t forget to shine!
Scandinavian style is definitely a favorite of ours this year, and that’s why we immediately went looking for new It Girls to fall in love with… Like stunning Sophia Roe.
Wondering what instantly made us fans? It was her motivation in promoting the idea of fashion for all: she did this by coming up with outfits made of affordable clothing, mixed with high fashion pieces… And don’t forget, effortless chic is a key idea in Scandinavian style!
Our favorite looks include jeans, silk shirts, maxi earrings, and of course, the ever-present party shoes. A look we fell utterly in love with? A maxi dress, worn with vintage-style sneakers… Sophia’s Instagram is our new go-to place when we want to do research!
So, if you want some inspiration to revamp your wardrobe, or to make the best of what you already own… It’s time to have a look at our gallery, where we collected our styling ideas, inspired by Sophia Roe’s style.
Our WCW is Alyssa Lynch, and if this name doesn’t sound familiar to you, we are sure that you have seen her as the lead role of Closer, a video by The Chainsmokers. She’s Canadian, she is 23 and she is in love with her boyfriend Jordan … here 3 more things you should know about our Woman Crush Wesdnesday!
She loves arts
She attended a creative arts high school, where she focused on dance and drama. She was also a student at Affinity Dance School, where she competed in various dance styles.
Her travel addiction is real
As you can see from her blog or Instagram profile, she loves to travel. Her favorite travel destination is Bondi Beach in Australia but she fell in love with Maui getting stuck in a rainstorm with her boyfriend.
Sharing is caring
Alyssa loves to share: she has a blog, an youtube channel and she is very active on her Instagram account too. You will find vegan cookies, European sunsets, love moments and much more. This girl teaches us that believing in yourself and living the life you want to is.
It’s almost December, and a lot of us are already thinking about the holidays, Christmas and New Year’s Eve. To be honest, we’ve already been thinking about that since November, LOL!
It’s very important to wrap up the year in the best way possible, and a dream party look is an excellent way to start: choose satin-like fabrics, velvet, paillettes, and details that will make you shine all night long!
If your agenda is already packed with wonderful parties, we strongly advise you not to miss our gallery, where we collected a selection of the best dresses you can wear for the holidays.
Ready to shine this holiday season? Get ready to scroll in 3, 2, 1…
Girls, get ready… Because this week’s Man Crush is charming, and totally irresistible. The Man in question is Armie Hammer, a 31-year-old actor who recently featured in theaters in Call Me By Your Name! If the gallery doesn’t cut it for you, well, here are a few more things you should know about Armie.
1.Cinema: joys and sorrows
You don’t need to be a film buff to know that Armie’s career is dotted with truly successful films. Ranging from TV to cinema, his career was a sequence of important jobs so far, and despite this, we know that he was not chosen for some really important roles. Any examples? Well, he should have been Christian Grey in 50 Shades, and he also should have played Batman… But those roles went to Jamie Dornan and Ben Affleck!
2. A wonderful family
Hammer is an excellent actor, as we already mentioned, but his family life might be what makes him even more proud. Armie has been married with fellow actor Elizabeth Chambers since 2010, and they had two kids together.
3. An odd project
When you’re satisfied both with your professional and your private life, you might end up pursuing funny hobbies. This was the case for our Man of the week, whose dream is to open a cigar store. Yes, strange but true!
So, finally, our dear Kim Kardashian West was also charmed by the power of stones and crystals, so much so that she dedicated her first three fragrances to them, naming them Crystal Gardenia, Crystal Gardenia Citrus e Crystal Gardenia Oud. After being robbed during Fashion Week in Paris last year, Kim started receiving some crystal treatment, and despite not being sure whether she believed in their power to raise her energy and fight stress at first, she fell in love with them later on.
This is obviously an alternative cure, not actual therapy, and it is based on the ability of each stone’s energy to influence the psychological and physical body of all of us: it’s all about having a stone, and working with its energy. You can also place your stones in a glass vase and keep the vase in your room, or place them on your body when you meditate.
There are thousands of crystals out there, one more charming than the other, which are attractive for their powers, their colors and their size: this is why we decided to show you our favorites among them in our gallery.
Black Friday is today, and it’s celebrated every year the fourth Thursday of November, the day after Thanksgiving.It’s the day retailers, because of the large volume of money spent, can come out of the red and into the black for the year. It’s considered the day of the year that the most money is spent on shopping. This tradition, born in the USA in the 1960s, is now known throughout the world.
That moment, when you wonder whether you should get bangs or not… It comes about twice a year: sometimes we really feel like changing our haircut, but we are also unsure as to whether bangs would look good on us, and that stops us from actually changing our look. This Fall Winter 2017-2018, we saw some truly adorable bangs at the shows that work for all kinds of features. So, what will it be? Bangs, yes or no?
LONG, REGULAR BANGS
Emporio Armani cuts bangs on long, straight hair. This works for those of us who have a square jaw, and it will tone down stronger features. It’s also perfect if you want to hide a wide forehead and other little flaws, and it will focus everyone’s attention on your eyes.
LONG BANGS, WITH A MIDDLE PARTING
This looks lovely on round and oval faces, and it’s perfect for messy hair lovers, as we saw at the Akris and Annakiki shows.
IRREGULAR FRINGE
This looks good on pretty much any kind of features and works well with curly hair, as we saw at the Alberta Ferretti, Marni, Dries van Noten and Shoji shows.
SHORT FRINGE
It looks like it’s straight out of the 1950s, it can be messy, or perfectly straight and geometric. This will beautifully frame rounder faces, as we saw looking at the models of the Wanda Nylon show.
If you’re thinking about getting bangs — for the umpteenth time! — show your hairdresser the image of your favorite kind of bangs, and make friends with your round brush and your hairdryer… You will be spending a lot of time together!
You may have already noticed that bright colors have invaded catwalks, as well as the more fashionable streets of town, this season. Over the next few months, we are going to focus on red, the color of love, sensuality and life energy… And the color that just can’t be missing from your wardrobe!
The news this season is that matching red with basic items just won’t cut it anymore: it’s time to exaggerate, and go for a red total look! Our favorite way to wear red is as a coordinated look, either as a suit or as a maxi dress, with matching red accessories.
Look at the gallery for our 3 ideas to experiment with before winter is over. What do you think? Are you ready to ride the trend?
PS: don’t forget to wear lipstick!
This is the day all Americans have been waiting for! Every year, millions of families, American and not only, gather together to celebrate this most important of celebrations. This is a good moment to spend time with people you care about, to prepare roasted turkey together, exchange gifts… and show off the outfit you picked for the occasion, why not? Everyone loves Thanksgiving — and so do celebrities! Well, while you wait to find out how our favorite celebrities will be celebrating Thanksgiving this year, why not enjoy this gallery of the best moments of Thanksgiving last year?
Brrrr, it’s coat time! In the gallery you can find the ones Chiara has worn recently, what’s your favorite?
Sofia Carson, our WCW of the week, really charmed everyone with her impeccable style, on the red carpet of the latest Latin Grammy Awards: all eyes (and flashes) were on her. Her life is filled with many passions, a great career and many other interesting things… Want to find out more about them with us?
1. Disney star
Sofia Carson is a true idol for many girls worldwide, and that is thanks to Disney, who picked her for its super-successful film Descendants. Sofia played Evie, the Evil Queen’s daughter, and her performance won her so many positive reviews that she was immediately reconfirmed for Descendants 2.
2. More than just cinema
Sofia is famous for her acting, but her love for singing has become more and more important for her lately. The young American girl managed to make one of her dreams come true in 2015, when she recorded a whole album, Love Is the Name. We listened to it, and we must say… It’s not bad at all!
3. Her favorite food
Carson often specified she loves hanging out at home, on her couch, in her PJs. It’s kind of unexpected from a young girl like her, right? And that’s not all: while hanging out on the couch, in her PJs… Sofia loves eating Italian food! Pasta, pizza, meatballs… Anything, as long as it’s Italian. And can you blame her?
It’s kinda hard to describe an 80-minute massage: you can try to imagine what it does for your body and mind before you actually try it, but trust me, your imagination won’t even get close to reality. Our One Thousand and One Nights-like experience took place at the Hotel Cavalieri in Rome, which just introduced aromatherapy to its bouquet of treatments. Aromatherapy combines the benefits of the aromas of essential oils getting used during treatment with the well-being that is typical of massage therapy.
Aromatherapy is beneficial for three reasons: aromas stimulate your sense of smell, which in turn activates the left half of your brain, tapping into your more emotional self; secondly, applying essential oils onto your skin will relax your muscles, purify your system and increase your blood flow; finally, the wise hands of your therapist will maximize the benefits you can get from the first two elements we already mentioned.
The result will be a deep feeling of wellbeing for both your body and mind, tailored for your very needs. The therapist will make sure you get the right kind of treatment by having a short talk with you first, during which you will discuss what points you will really need to work on. In our case, it was all about stress management, and our need for extra energy, to tackle complex situations in our lives that were sapping our mental and physical energies. After an 80-minute massage which, we must confess, relaxed us to the point of making us fall asleep, we felt like we were reborn.
This kind of massage is perfectly suitable for both men and women, and it will involve your entire body, including your scalp and your hair: after the treatment, you will almost feel like you are in a relaxed trance state, which will give you all the energy you’ll need, and which gifted us with wonderful hours of sleep in the rooms of the Roma Cavalieri hotel. The next day, we woke up feeling happy and energized, ready for future challenges!
It’s no news for anyone: fur is a very touchy subject, and some brands took a stance on this, and decided to make sure they do the right thing. In case you missed it, Gucci‘s Alessandro di Michele recently announced that the maison will completely stop using animal fur for its designs, and that it is going to look for a more responsible alternative, trying to produce positive change in the fashion industry. ♥
If you are still wondering whether fake fur will look as good as the real thing, we selected the coolest models you can buy online, and believe us… They are just as beautiful as real fur! Start looking at the gallery in… 3, 2, 1!
Street food is an art, and it’s becoming easier and easier to find throughout Italy, winning more and more fans: this quick, convenient and useful way to serve traditional Italian dishes is more popular than ever, even among the most skeptical of us. We talked about street food in Milan multiple times on The Blonde Salad, so this time, we are going to share some tips about our favorite places in Rome, where street food has been a thing for a while.
So, write down the location of these 5 places and… bon appetit!
1. Dar Ciriola (Via Pausania, 2)
If you don’t speak Italian — or Roman, actually! — you probably have no idea what a ciriola is: and that is a pity, because it’s one of Rome’s most beloved snacks! So, what is it exactly, then? Well, it’s a kind of panino, and if you go to Dar Ciriola, you can get creative, and make all sorts of panini, stuffed with anything you want!
2. Trapizzino (Piazzale Ponte Milvio)
Next! Now it’s all about trapizzino, a bland of tramezzini (triangular sandwiches, made with soft white bread) and pizza dough. Once again, the only rule is to put as much stuff into your sandwich as you wish, to your heart’s desire. The cool thing is, you will be able to choose your filling from truly Roman fare here: tripe, coda alla vaccinara (oxtail stew), and caponata (cooked vegetable salad.) Yuuuuum!
3. Er Buchetto (Via del Viminale, 2)
Don’t even think of leaving Rome without trying their typical panino with porchetta (boneless pork roast)! You just can’t do that. This typical Italian osteria is the perfect place to try this: enjoy it while sitting at one of their tables, having your sandwich with a glass of red.
4. Dar Filettaro (Largo dei Librai, 88)
Dar this, Er that… All of these places’ names are in Roman dialect, and that might be the reason why they seem to give you that warm, fuzzy feeling when you walk in. It’s definitely a feeling you’ll get when you walk into this trattoria, which specializes in excellent fried cod fillets — the perfect street food, to take away and enjoy while you stroll around the city!
5. Dar Maritozzaro (via Ettore Rolli, 50)
After all these savoury snacks, don’t you suddenly feel like you want a sweet? Well, then, that means you are ready for a maritozzo, a large croissant filled with whipped cream. And get ready, these guys serve extra large portions!
Photo by Jon Tyson on Unsplash
Last Saturday was Mickey Mouse birthday, and our favorite hero turned 89! Do you know how much Chiara loves him? Find it out in the gallery!
It’s still over a month till Xmas, but our beauty-addicted eyes are already sparkling, perhaps because of all the 2017 limited edition products we already saw in stores. Beauty advent calendars are what caught our eye: they’re colorful, they make us feel like little girls again, and they come with so many little gifts. Some calendars only include lipsticks, others include a range of eyeshadows, creams, nail polishes, perfumes, or a mix of products by all our favorite brands.
These totally sweet calendars will be with us all the way to Xmas, with 24 (or 12) little boxes we will have to open from now until Xmas, giving us a little moment of joy everyday, but most of all, giving us new, mini products to test right away, and have in our bags every day.
These calendars make a lovely gift to receive, and something totally cute to give other people, and this is why we picked some of the coolest ones we think you should have.
Don’t miss our gallery, then, and start writing your wishlist!
If you’re looking around at the various photo galleries of our favorite celebrities it’s quite impossible to not notice that the camel coat is an absolute Must-Have this fall. A timeless and versatile item to match in different ways: simply perfect on a classic woman, cool and trendy on a street style look: the final outcome is still indisputably chic (TBS’s bet).
Take a look at our gallery and get inspired!
Although he’s been acting for some time, his name is everywhere online right now, as in the last few weeks. Jonathan Groff, American actor, currently on Netflix with TV show Mindhunter, is our Man of the week. Ready to get to know him a little better? Well, here are 5 fun facts about him!
1. Coming out
Jonathan was brave enough to come out in 2009, when it was still rather uncommon to come out very openly, and most of all, he did so before his acting career even started, showing everyone that what really matters to him is the freedom to be himself, even more than his professional life.
2. Career
Groff is without a doubt totally versatile, and he started out as a stage actor who featured in very engaged plays. After that, he moved on to TV, and later on to cinema. Wondering what his most significant work was? He was in Glee, American Sniper and he was a voice actor in Frozen!
3. He’d rather be on a couch than on a red carpet
Despite a top career, despite getting invited to Hollywood’s most prestigious events, our MCM of the week recently confessed he doesn’t like red carpets and gala nights all that much… He much prefers being on the couch, nice and comfy, rather than be surrounded by the flash of photographers left and right.
4. No social!
Another unusual thing about Jonathan is the fact he has no social network profiles he actually manages himself — although there are dozens of pages out there that are ran by his fans. Yes… Jonathan Groff definitely sounds like he is straight from another era!
5. His latest work: Mindhunter
Jonathan is on Netflix right now, with a new TV show named Mindhunter — which is most definitely the TV show of the year, according to many critics. We can’t wait to see him in action, in his role as an FBI agent.
It’s the sexiest makeup we can think of, and it looks great with all eye colors… This is why black is back, as the king of Fall Winter 2017-2018 catwalks again.
This color will make your gaze look so intense, lending you a self-assured, strong allure, making you look elegant and chic, or perhaps punky and grungy. Elie Saab went for shimmer smokey eyes, while Mugler chose a thin, black, minimalist line on the upper section of the eyelids. Versace‘s black makeup is an extreme, deep black cat’s eye, while Balmain makes its cat eye double, both on the lower and upper eyelid, blending eyeliner and eyeshadow.
So, place your beloved black pencil back into your beauty case, because you will use it very often again: get a harder pencil for drawing on your waterline, and a softer one you can easily blend for the contour of your eye. Eyeshadows can be shimmer, but also matte, and highly opaque. If you’re already eyeliner experts… Then this will beall super easy for you!
What if we told you you can go out for an afterwork dinner without having to go home, without neglecting your style, and actually grabbing everyone’s attention? That’s the power of patent clothing: if you wear it the right way, it can become the wild card you really need in your wardrobe. Matching patent clothing with something simple is obviously key, to strike the right balance, and look good at your afterwork dinner or happy hour.
We gathered some AM-PM ideas in our gallery, for all those who, just like us, can’t resist an invitation to a happy hour or any event that takes place right after work… So, who’s ready for this?
Our dear Chiara Ferragni has been spending more and more time in Milan again lately, way more than during the past few years: this means more time to spend with her lifelong friends, with her partner Fedez, with her family, and most of all, with her beloved Matilda (and Mati, just like her mom Chiara, boasts a very popular Instagram profile, too)! Strolling together around the city is one of Chiara and Matilda’s favorite activities, and Chiara loves taking Matilda with her when she goes shopping, or out for happy hour. You can have a look at Chiara & Mati’s wonderful relationship with this gallery that we dedicated just to them today.
We all think we know everything about Rome: the Coliseum, the Imperial Fora, its thousand churches, its parks and all its little secrets. Still, even those of us who feel like Rome is their second home, and locals themselves, regularly end up being surprised by just how much the city has to offer, not only regarding its past, but also its present. We went on a day tour, on a mission to discover the contemporary, original face of Rome, letting those people who make it modern and ever-changing win our hearts.
Drop by the barber’s. It looks like just the kind of store where time miraculously stops the moment you step in, but once you walk in, you will realize that this place is actually looking ahead. Genco’s barber shop is hosted in the palazzo della Scimmia, one of Rome’s most ancient palaces, and it was born as the natural evolution of an old barber’s shop: the sign hanging outside the shop is original and it’s been there since the 16th century, it’s even protected by the Italian ministry of Fine Arts! Genco took the expertise of an old barber shop and worked its alchemy, transforming it into a relaxing oasis for contemporary gentlemen. Using extremely high-quality products from all over Europe, they offer finely tailored services to anyone who decides it’s time to treat themselves to a moment of well-being. Fun fact: Eat Pray Love was shot here!
Hardworking hands. Just a few steps away from the palazzo della Scimmia, you will find another historical courtyard which hosts another artisanal boutique, sculpting past, present and future into metal. Dante is the keeper of the Mortet family tradition, who have been chiselling for six generations, producing pieces that made history, such as the pen that the Pope used to sign the Pacem in Terris encyclical letter. Dante’s idea is to spread the knowledge of the art of chiselry among people, and he is doing so with his Mano Artigiana (Artisanal Hand) project, chiselling the hands of famous artists from the film, music and sports industry in metal. It is wonderful to sit in his time-honored workshop and listen to his stories, so intimate and so revealing, just like somebody’s hands can be. This is how you also end up meeting people who dream of a different future, such as Cosima and Stefano D’Inzillo, founders of a brand of the same name, who are working on a project that blends Dante’s talent with the will to create an exclusive product that looks more like a sculpture than a fashion object: a series of brass minaudières, decorated by cheetahs. Holding the hands of celebrities like Scorsese, Tarantino and Anjelica Huston will feel like a true treat.
A night at the museum. This took a a two-year renovation effort, but the results are truly exceptional: the Aleph hotel, whose building used to host a bank, manages to blend the charm of ancient Rome with its more modern face, in an interplay of old and new that can be seen in marble, onyx, prestigious woods and Italian furniture. The hotel often hosts art openings of contemporary artists: right now, it’s hosting a permanent collection featuring many different authors, on every hotel floor. This is an excellent reason to go test the Onyx Bar, named after its spectacular onyx bar, an absolute must see. Your treat here? Their spa, which you will access by walking through the former bank vault. Awesome!
After a day discovering the more hidden, unusual charms of Rome, treat yourself to a classic, in one of the city’s more historical places: Casina Valadier, which is turning 200 this year. Enjoy the chef’s dishes, with the capital’s skyline at your feet… We promise you will be left speechless, and not just because you’ll be busy with food!
11 Million followers! Chiara has just reached something amazing, a goal that comes in a happy time for her and for her whole family. On behalf of the whole team of The Blonde Salad we thank you for the love, and we congratulate our Queen once again! Let’s celebrate!
If you thought being cool meant braving winter with bare legs, well, that’s not the case this year: brands like Balenciaga and Gucci made it pretty clear that tights can be cool, and believe it or not, we were also surprised by just how much we like them!
Our favorite way to style tights is with little dresses. If you just got a cute winter dress that feels a little too short, tights are the way to go. Wear them with a pair of high-heeled booties and a maxi coat, and your look will be just perfect. If you don’t like dresses so much, midi skirts and midi dresses with a slit are a very trendy alternative: give your look a final perfect touch with jewel-like shoes, and there you go. Aren’t you also suddenly thinking of Alexa Chung?
Tights have become an essential accessory for winter, so, whether you already have a few pairs or none at all, have a look at our ideas… And get ready to rock the coolest styles of the season!
There is a dynasty in the world of fashion which is boldly establishing its rule, with a clear plan to last forever: the Hadid family. Gigi, Bella and Anwar are already very famous, but there is one more member of the family that is grabbing media attention more and more often, as she grows up: Joann Van Den Herik, 18 years old, cousin of the Hadid models, and our WCW of the week. Let’s get to know her a little better with these 5 fun facts.
1. Family first
Joann was born and raised in the Netherlands, where she still lives. To be precise, she is the daughter of Gigi and Bella’s mother Yolanda’s brother, but you knew that much already. The young girl loves her family, and her Instagram profile is packed with photos snapped with her cousins, her aunt and her father. Family first, then.
2. Proudly curvy
If you’re expecting her to share the same body type as Gigi Hadid, think again, because Joann is famous for her curvy, beautiful body, and she is very proud of it. The Dutch girl posts inspirational photos on her IG profile every day, encouraging her peers not to be ashamed of their flaws, and we think using a tool like Instagram for something so socially meaningful is very honorable.
3. Special qualities: bilingual
Yolanda’s family went international, emigrating from the Netherlands to go and seek their fortune in the US. This change had (positive) repercussions on the rest of the family, which stayed in Europe: for instance, Joann had to learn excellent English to be able to communicate with her beloved cousins. So, Joann is not only very beautiful, she is also bilingual!
4. YouTube Vlogger
Joann is only 18 and she’s already showing multiple talents: she avoids using the name of her super famous cousins to gain in popularity, and actually, she also has her own YouTube channel, on which she shares her life, with stories of life as a plus size models to her adventures with her boyfriend. Her blog has been gaining more and more followers lately!
5. How to hate summer
Joann spent her entire life hating summer! How can a teenage girl possibly hate summer? Well, as is often the case, weight is the problem: Joann said she used to love winter because it allowed her to cover up as much as possible. Luckily, Joann became more self-confident while growing up, and she learned to enjoy summer… As every young girl should!
So, here we go! The day finally came: the second part of the Yamamay collection for The Blonde Salad hit the shops on Friday 10 — three limited edition tops, joining the other two we already exclusively released on our website. The collection was launched in Milan, in the Yamamay store in corso Vittorio Emanuele, Chiara was also there to take selfies and photos with some fans, and to sign the shopping bags we had designed for the occasion. Discover more on #ShopTheBlondeSalad!
We have to admit it, sadly: winter is around the corner, and temperatures are starting to drop. We will need to wait for several months for the summer heat to come again, but we can still go and take a break somewhere sunny, anytime! Why wait for next year, if we can go and enjoy the heat, treating our winter blues somewhere sunny? Here are our ideal destinations to skip cold winters. Choose your favorite!
Let’s talk about the MTV Europe Music Awards took place last night, in the magnificent scenery of the Wembley Arena in London, where Rita Ora had the honor to host and present this edition. Many awards were delivered during the show, while the outfits on the red carpet captured all the attention. In the gallery you will find The Blonde Salad’s favorite looks of the evening.
We know what you’re thinking: how can a no-yellow shampoo have anything to do with a brunette? We didn’t suddenly go crazy, we promise. Here’s why non-blondes should also use it!
No-yellow shampoo comes in a blue-purple shade, it works on bleached, treated and grey hair, and it’s made to stop your hair from turning to that really unpretty, dirty yellow shade which often appears on your hair a while after treatment. By doing this, this shampoo helps your hair keep its beautiful, light glow. No-yellow shampoo should only be used once a week, as an alternative to your regular shampoo, and it should sit in your hair for about 3 to 5 minutes. In addition to preventing your hair from turning to that really unattractive shade of yellow, no-yellow shampoo will nourish your hair, making it super soft. It’s not a hair dye, so don’t worry about its bold color, but also make sure you rinse your hands (and your bathtub or shower) very carefully after use: the pigment in there is so strong it might stain your hands or your furniture.
Let’s get to the main point, though: if you’re a brunette, and you really don’t like those copper streaks that occasionally appear in your hair, making it look washed out, this product will solve the problem by making your unwanted copper streaks a lot less visible. This hack will also save you a hairdye or two, allowing you to wait a little longer, until the copper streaks in your hair just feel like too much.
Disclaimer: this shampoo is also occasionally called “silver” shampoo, since it’s designed to give your hair a colder undertone. If you love your honey or golden hair color, well, stay away from it!
Everyone loves a good uniform. And we don’t mean men in a uniform, don’t get us wrong, we’re talking about fashion here! If you look at the last 30 years of fashion, you will also notice that our closets got more and more crowded with clothing items that were originally for the military, and that slowly became everyday items for all of us. Some of them even came to be seen as total must haves, essential, eternal pieces for our look.
Bomber jackets are one of these pieces: Alpha Industries originally designed these jackets for American Air Force pilots — its original name, MA-1, almost sounds like the name of a weapon. Its original design is also behind some of the bomber jacket’s characteristics you can still see today, like its orange lining: orange was chosen because it would make pilots more visible in case of a plane crash.
During the 1980s, bomber jackets stopped being exclusively worn by pilots and became pretty commonplace everywhere, and especially over the past year, they really became a center piece of all true fashionistas’ closets. This is why we also decided to release our very own bomber jackets, together with Alpha Industries, the brand that originally designed bomber jackets for the American military. Our bomber jackets come in three colors, burgundy, black and camouflage green: the latter is the same color as the original design for the American Air Force. Only available on #ShopTheBlondeSalad!
Cléo and Marie, the mother-daughter pair who are showing everyone on social media that sustainable fashion is the way to go, with weekly flash sales selling out in less than an hour. So what’s their secret? It’s obviously about the challenge of buying one of the few items available every week, but it’s even more about their products and their message making it all even more captivating.
Their Agnès blouse is that top everyone needs to wear in summer: 100% cotton, with wide sleeves and a romantic fit, it’s handmade by Cléo in northern France, like all of their items. This might be their iconic design, but if you look at their Instagram, you will see lots of other clothing, all sharing the same beautiful French silhouette, worn and beloved by girls like Emily Ratajkowski, Leandra Medine and basically all of the Vogue editors in this world!
Their strategy is to offer an exclusive, quality product, only using organic fabrics, like cotton, linen and silk. Believe it or not, they manage to design and offer 20 to 25 items to choose from every single week — all available online, and all handmade. The result of this strategy? All products sell out in less than an hour every week, and a lot of us have to sit and wait until next week!
They want to push the idea of fashion transparency, meaning that all their labels will clearly state production costs, as well as their markup. Choosing honest pricing is a good way to attract customers, showing them that unlike other brands, their markup is not particularly high… Seems like a good reason to follow them and become one of their top clients, doesn’t it?Their story is part of what makes them a super interesting brand for us: Marie, manager at Vestiere Collective, decided to launch her own made in France brand, and asked her mother to help her carry out her plan. Is this mother and daughter team showing a new way for fashion? We think they are, and we are happy to push the trend of buying their new clothes ???? We are already queuing up for their online shop opening next Wednesday… Aren’t you?
Temperatures have definitely dropped and our summer days at the beach feel like a distant memory. So, what better way to welcome the colder days of Fall than to go to Marrakech on a city break? Chiara thought so too, which is why she visited the beautiful Moroccan capital with Revolve for two days. Here was her program, between suks and dinners in the desert.
DAY 1
After checking into the enchanting resort of La Mamounia, Chiara enjoyed a Moroccan-style lunch at the El Fenn restaurant, surrounded by carpets and large colorful cushions. The afternoon flew incredibly fast, exploring Marrakech’s main market area for a few hours. Isn’t it always a pleasure to watch people live their daily lives? In the evening, Chiara went back to La Mamounia, and had dinner at the hotel’s amazing restaurant.
DAY 2
How wonderful to wake up in an enchanting place like Marrakech! After a great breakfast, Chiara went to visit the new, beautiful YSL Museum, and the Majorelle gardens, enjoying the relaxed, special ambience created by this unique blend of colors and nature. In the 1960s, this location enchanted Yves Saint Laurent too, who bought up the place and moved here. Having lunch here is an incredibly charming experience, and Chiara had a light lunch at the cafè before moving on to her afternoon activity — a camel ride, to enjoy the view of the desert from a special, privileged perspective. Once you find yourself in such a magical place, what else can you do but have candlelight dinner?
And that was how Chiara wrapped up her 2 days in Marrakech… How about you? Have you booked your trip already?
Headbands, hard and soft, are accessories we haven’t seen on catwalks in a while, but that showed up again this year, for Fall Winter 2017-2018, looking romantic and fairytale-like.
Elie Saab‘s headband is softly studded and comes with floral details; Altuzarra‘s is thick, with polka dots, and embellished with tiny pearls. Luisa Beccaria inspires us with her collection of soft floral crowns, for those times when you feel like the princess of a magical forest. Trussardi‘s soft headwrap is almost royal, bringing to mind the noble women of the Middle Ages. H&M choose simplicity, with a black headband, and Temperly London is totally romantic with a soft velvet band, closed with a ribbon.
Hippie chic, floral or royal… It all works, as long as it is romantic!
If they told us, when we were kids, that unicorns would have been in our lives when we grow up, too, we probably would have thought those big people were trying to fool us. But that is just the way it is: all you need to feel like you live in a world full of rainbows is a bit of unicorn-like makeup. We’re talking about holographic makeup, one of the most colorful and beautiful makeup styles we can think of. All you need to do is follow our tips and have the right products at hand. Keep reading if you love unicorns!
BASE: There is only one keyword here: highlighter. Whether it’s foundation, primer, powder, bronzer, blush or an actual highlighter… Apply liberally!
EYES: The secret lies in using pastel colors. You can choose to blend different shades of the same color, or mix two different colors that work well together, like baby blue and pink. Glitter, pigments and holographic eyeshadows are the absolute champions of this kind of makeup, but if you want to get even more colorful and cinematic, you can also draw a line with eyeliners of different colors. Top it all off with a touch of colored mascara.
LIPS: Purple, pink, lilac, baby blue and green: all the colors of the rainbow are acceptable. We could also just apply some glitter and rhinestones onto our lips, like Gucci did at the 2017-2018 Fall Winter shows.
There are just no limits for this sweet, magical look. It’s hypnotic and artistic, as we saw on the images and tutorial of the most famous makeup artists right now. There’s nothing else we can do but get inspired now!
November is here, and whether we like it or not, leather jackets and trench coats aren’t enough to keep us warm anymore. This is not necessarily bad news: actually, this is a fun time for fashion lovers, who can start wearing puffer jackets, one of the coolest items of the year. After being a fashion don’t for years, they are again a must have for winter!
If you choose the right kind of puffer jacket — meaning an oversized, colorful one — you will be the queens of street style! Our tip is to waste no time thinking of what color would best suit your clothing, since the good thing about puffer jackets is that whichever color or model you choose, they will always look great, and you can never go wrong!
We picked a selection of the coolest models you can find online right now, and luckily, you can buy them all online. Don’t waste any more time, and get yours right now!
“Museums are boring!” How many times did we have to hear these words? Museums come in different shapes and sizes, though, and we bet you’ll also find one that you like: we made a list of the coolest food museums in the world, which are not only very interesting, they are also educational, and they will give you the chance to better discover the tradition of the country you’re visiting. While we wait for the opening of the Tiramisù museum in Treviso, Italy, here are 7 places you can visit until then.
Tiramisù Museum, Treviso, Italy
This museum has been the talk of town and finally something is actually happening, in this corner of Northern Italy. Treviso will host a permanent exhibition about tiramisù soon, and those who love this dish will be able to discover all about the past and the future of this sweet. Can I eat a tiramisù model, if I suddenly get hungry?
French Fries Museum – Frietmuseum – Bruges, Belgium
If paradise really exists, we are pretty sure it’s shaped like a French fry. And if it isn’t, luckily you can visit this museum in Belgium, where fries are truly revered. This exhibition space is dedicated to the story of potatoes and French fry production in Belgium, and it is hosted in one of Bruges’ most beautiful buildings.
Currywurst Museum – Berlin, Germany
Germany’s national pride is so strong that it even dedicated a whole museum to the most famous of its traditional sausages, Currywurst. Go there to discover more about the history of wurst, and to check out their sausage-inspired furniture!
Shin Yokohama Ramen Museum – Yokohama, Japan
Ramen lovers, get ready because this Japanese museum will shake you to the core. The museum visit will involve all your senses, and it’s all about the typical piping hot noodle soup you see everywhere in the country.
Momofuku Ando Instant Noodles Museum – Yokohama, Japan
Stay in Yokohama a little longer: Japan has a lot of traditions to dedicate museums to, in the land of the Rising Sun, so here is another museum for foodies who would like to get to know more about Japanese people. This museum is all about noodles!
Cheese Museum Amsterdam, the Netherlands
This will be no news to cheese lovers: the Netherlands have a large amount of cheeses with a unique flavour, and every town has a typical kind of cheese, with a certain taste and texture, such as Gouda, Edam, Leerdammer, Leydon, Maaslander, Maasdam, for instance. You’ll find them all in this museum!
Olive Oil Museum – Sparta, Greece
Everyone can be proud about something different, and for Greeks, it’s olive oil. This museum will give you the chance to discover the history of olive trees, and of olive oil production in Greece.
It’s no news to anyone that coordinated clothing are in this year, and there is no better way to pull this off than to choose different shades of a certain color. From accessories to clothing, now is the time to get daring — and trendy — with your everyday outfits.
Some brands and influencers showed us how to wear coordinated outfits and look cool, and we fell utterly in love! Our tip is to play with all sorts of colors, and not just go for the usual basic winter ones, obviously making sure we don’t overdo it with overly bold colors: while they always looks lovely, these outfits can also easily become too much!
If you like the idea and you’d like to try wearing a coordinated total look, in different shades of the same color, we collected a few ideas in the gallery. Look at some of the cool ideas you can try out for this Fall Winter 2017-2018. We picked our favorite colors, now you choose yours!
I admit it, I always used regular shampoo to wash my hair because, despite having straight hair, frizz is always a danger for me during the cold season. I always very naively assumed that only certain kinds of products would manage to keep my hair perfect and manageable even with heavy rain… Until somebody challenged me to use natural shampoo for a month, so I decided to give it a try, and decided to only wash my hair with silicon and paraben-free shampoos and conditioners. Now, after a month, I am ready to tell you all about the pros and cons of my experience.
PRO: Natural shampoo just feels fantastic! Its fragrance is delicate and sweet, and it makes me think of a spa and a prairie at the same time. Natural shampoos produce quite a bit of foam with just one application, after drying my hair, I found it made my hair smooth and soft, with no effort. I also noticed that the longer I used this shampoo, the stronger my hair got, looking healthier and healthier, and growing faster. What really did it for me, though, was how long my hair stayed clean: it stayed clean really long, up to 4 days! And believe me, in a large city like Milan, this almost feels like a miracle!
CONS: I was right on one thing: your hairstyle won’t last if the air is too humid, not even after you work it with a hairdryer, a brush and a straightener. The only way to get rid of frizz is using an anti-frizz primer or finishing spray, which would totally work against any idea you might have of only using natural products. Another con is about natural conditioners: they don’t really make your hair softer or easier to manage, and you often feel like you need to use up half a jar or bottle to actually feel its effect on your hair!
So, overall, my verdict is mostly positive… Unless it is raining, of course! Even as a fan of rather chemical-heavy products, though, I can definitely tell you I fell in love with natural shampoos that aren’t aggressive on your hair, and that make your hair just as beautiful as a shampoo full of silicones would. I am pretty sure you’ll want to test natural shampoo now… Or did you use it already? One way or another, make sure you don’t miss the gallery, where you will see some of the hair detergents I tested. Let us know what you think!
Please, don’t think we are boring just because we are choosing someone from the cast of Stranger Things 2 as our Woman Crush again! It’s not our fault if this year’s cast is full of interesting people! 24-year-old Linnea Berthelsen is our crush of the week, thanks to her role as Eight in the über popular American TV show. Let’s get to know her a little better by discovering 5 interesting facts about her!
1. From Denmark, with… Talent
Linnea was born in Denmark, and she lived there until she moved to the UK just a few years ago. What made her decide to move, then? Her passion and her love, not for a man, but for acting! Linnea moved to London to go to acting school.
2. What an audition!
When Linnea’s Danish agent called her to tell her about the open role in the cast of Stranger Things, the actress had no idea of what Stranger Things was all about. Her agent suggested she watches the show, and she binged on the whole first season Inge one day. She was so fascinated by the series that she decided to prepare for an audition herself, filming herself improving some scenes, sending her videos to the producers in the US. And it immediately worked… Well played, Linnea, best audition ever!
3. What sort of outfit is that?!?
Berthelsen often said she’s not exactly a fashion buff, and what matters to her when she chooses an outfit is that it feels comfortable, allowing her to blend in. This young woman actually loves dressing super casually, even with fitness clothing, sometimes… So if she feels the sudden urge to go to the gym, she will be ready!
4. Hobbies and passions
Fashion is not her thing, but Linnea has a lot of other hobbies that fill her days. Even though her profession keeps her very busy every day, Berthelsen loves dancing and watching history and marine biology documentaries! Definitely unusual, that’s for sure!
5. Two essential tips for success!
Linnea is a young successful woman, and she always followed two rules to get great results: working hard and being curious. According to Linnea, these are the two essential rules you should follow if you want to become an actress, and she encourages other young women to do the same. Considering her results, we’d better listen!
Sarah Kugelman is a career woman who decided to take care of her own skincare and healthcare, to fight stress. Taking care of her needs to find psychological and physical balance and of her passion for beauty gave her the chance to finally get rid of her chronic stress issues, and live the life she always wished for. Her trip to Iceland was fundamental for her, as she personally experienced the deep well-being that this amazing place inspires
Skyn ICELAND is the name of Sarah’s skincare brand, which she founded in 2004. The formulas are inspired by the power of nature, and their main aim is to reduce the negative effects of stress. Stress makes your skin look washed out, and it also causes acne, irritation, dryness and lines. Skyn ICELAND products fortify, soothe and nourish your skin, reestablishing its natural balance.
These creams and masks have Iceland’s natural elements within them, such as super fruits, clean air and ice water. If you visualize this ice-cold place after all, tranquility and peace of mind are probably the first things to come to mind, and these two feelings are included in the Icelandic word “skyn”. The brand’s concept is to gently take care of your body, pampering it and regenerating it, getting rid of the negative effects of stress with small gestures, like applying serum on your face, or washing it with a delicate wash.
We tested their Hydro Cool Firming Eye Gels and our only comment is, WOW. After only 10 minutes wearing it, our dark circles were gone, and our eyes looked so rested, and utterly beautiful. What else do you need?
Who could go for a total yellow look, and still look amazing? Sorry girls… Only Blake Lively can pull this off. After starting her promo tour for All I see is you in NYC earlier this month, Blake was everyone’s talk of town for her style marathon, during which she changed outfits 7 times in just one day, without a stylist, and each time was better than the one before. We are all still kinda speechless.
She may have learned the job after playing Serena Van der Woodsen for years, but she is loved by all for way more than just her style: in addition to her acting work, Blake is also popular because of her good vibe, and because she always seems to have a kind word for others, and good things to say on her social media accounts… This is why she is one of our favorite celebrities!
She’s beautiful, she makes us all smile thanks to her Instagram account, and most of all, she is very open about the fact that nobody really has the fairytale life we all wish for, and that we think all celebrities have… not even her!
Look at the gallery to see her looks from the past year that we found inspiring, and decide if you like them… Maybe you can wear one of them for longer than an hour…? (LOL!)
If you’re also feeling a little low after the end of daylight saving time and the start of early sunsets, if you also feel like you really, really dislike Fall… Well, all you can do is still try to see the bright side. Because it’s TRUFFLE season, hurrah! Yes, who cares about the lack of sunlight? Just eat lots of truffle, and life will be beautiful again. If you’re in Milan and you don’t know where to go, here is our guide!
Ten Grams (Via della Moscova)
Truffle as fast food! Yep, that’s right. This place just recently opened, and it is the first that manages to make this world-famous kind of mushroom — because truffles are mushrooms, even if they grow underground — affordable for all. Their menu includes anything from sandwiches to tagliolini, and their excellent prices will truly surprise you: they are very competitive, especially in comparison with other truffle places in Milan.
Osteria Da Francesca (Viale Argonne, 32)
An old family-run restaurant, whose two owners shared their expertise with their son. You will be able to try specialties from Lombardia and Piedmont here, regions where truffles are everywhere this season. If you’re planning to go at the weekend, don’t forget that it’s closed on Sunday!
Tartufotto (Via Cusani, 8)
After two more relaxed, cozier tips, here we are with a more upscale location which prepares mouthwatering truffle, included in typically Italian dishes, exclusively prepared with ingredients grown within Italy. Need a tip? Their beef tartare with dried fruits and scamorza filtrate is amazing!
Tartufi & Friends (Corso Venezia, 18)
This 250sqm restaurant is right in the city center, and it’s perfect for anyone who needs a classy break, or an original aperitif. Their menu is obviously truffle-based, and it is often accompanied by wine tasting. If you go for dinner, save some space for their amazing vanilla, pine nut, fig and honey ice cream with truffle!
Ristorante Piazza Repubblica (via Aldo Manuzio 11)
Every Fall, this place switches its menu to truffle-based fare exclusively, and truffle is suddenly everywhere — it’s like magic! Piazza only serves fresh, high-quality truffle, and they love white truffles especially: it’s everywhere, from starters to desserts. It’s a true journey of the senses, all around the world of the tastiest product this season!
New Monday, new Man Crush! Today we’ll tell you all about Cordell Brodaus, Snoop Dogg’s second-born son, also known as Lil’ Snoop. The man made the news lately because of a small public spat with the Jenner sisters, and because he recently declared he wants to start working in the film industry. So, curious to find out whether his father Snoop and he are alike at all? Here we go.
1. Football: Dad’s passion, or Cordell’s?
Cordell, supported by his father Snoop Dogg, dedicated lots of time and energy to American football since he was only 6 years old, performing well enough to be hired by UCLA Bruines in 2015, for 40 million dollars. Not bad, right? Despite that, after just a year, Cordell quit his American football career and started pursuing other interests, saying that until then he had only been playing “to live his father’s dream”. Once he realized that his father will love him no matter whether he becomes a great American football player or not, Cordell felt free to follow his own dreams, which took him really far from the world of professional sports.
2. Personal stylist and young entrepreneur
Fashion is one of Cordell’s main interests, that is for sure. He often declared he likes to personally take care of Snoop Dogg’s style, encouraging his father to wear jeans in a size that actually fits him, rather than huge, oversize ones. Cordell doesn’t only take care of his father’s clothes, he also works on his dad’s image: after he noticed that many influencers, such as Kyle Jenner, started wearing T-shirts depicting his father, without his father getting any money from it, he decided that this should change. This is why he created a Snoop Dogg-themed capsule collection for Joyrich. The collection was hugely successful, also thanks to the show that Cordell organized for Father’s Day, together with his father and brother, and even his grandfather!
3. Taking over the catwalks…
After entering the fashion world as a designer, Cordelle recently joined the ultra-famous Wilhelmina Models model agency, founded in Manhattan in 1967. Once again, he turned his passion into a profession! This was how he ended up on Dolce & Gabbana’s runway in Milan, and Philipp Plein’s in New York. In NY, Cordell showed up with a special guest…
4. …with his grandfather!
That’s right: Poppa Snoop, Snoop Dogg’s father, totally caught Philipp Plein’s eye. You might be wondering how that could possibly be. Well, the German designer noticed Grandpa Snoop when he accompanied his grandchild to the casting for his shows, and all of a sudden, Grandpa found himself on PP’s catwalk. “I only came here as a chaperone, and ended up getting 2k followers in two days!” said Poppa Snoop, backstage. Grandfather and grandchild dressed up in sneakers and leather jackets, and strode down the catwalk together, for the most rock’n’roll show of the fashion month!
5. His future is different
Despite his recent success in the fashion world, Cordell’s main aspiration is to become a film producer. Despite limited experience — so far, he only produced a videoclip for Snoop Dogg’s “Toss It” — Cordell has very clear ideas and objectives. Fashion is only a way to be well known by large audiences for him: his dream is to produce Marvel-style movies, and films with good storylines. Snoop would love to tell Poppa Snoop’s story in a movie: he is a Vietnam war veteran, and Cordell would like his story to be at the center of his first production.
Demi Moore was a buzz cut icon in GI Jane twenty years ago, and today, it’s all about Eleven in Stranger Things. It might be that trends come in cycles, or perhaps that strong personalities don’t need to hide behind a long mane, but short hair is back, both on the catwalks, where models completely shave off their hair, and among celebrities — like Cara Delevingne and Kristen Stewart — who sport buzz haircuts on red carpets. And then there’s the pixie cut which is always trendy.
Of course, short and very short hair won’t look good on just about anyone, so we talked about it with Giampaolo Gori from Roots, who shared all the secrets you need to know to find out whether short hair would suit you, which cut is best for you, and how to manage your hair after you cut it.
WHAT IS MY HAIR LIKE? Rather thin hair is the best kind of hair for pixie styles: it won’t require too much attention, and it will stay more manageable. If your hair is thick, it will look big when it grows, which means that you will need to cut it a lot more often.
WHO LOOKS BEST WITH SHORT HAIR? Short hair cuts look good on people with petite, triangular faces, with high cheekbones and a harmonious proportion between cheekbones and jaws.
SHOULD I COLOR MY HAIR? Short hair looks good with very bold colors that will create a contrast with your skin. If you’re blonde and you want a buzz cut, you should tone your hair, going for the most artificial blonde you can think of; if your hair is dark, you want to make your hair color as intense as can be. As for pixie haircuts, use colors to play with layers, create depth, and to mark the difference between roots and tips.
WHAT KIND OF PIXIE HAIRCUT IS BEST FOR ME? The most popular right now is the totally symmetrical one, with short bangs, that leaves your forehead clear. A few years ago, bangs were the most prominent feature of pixie haircuts, but that’s changed now.
HOW MUCH EFFORT WILL MY HAIR BE AFTER I CUT IT? Buzz cuts are obviously easy to manage: just make sure you shave your hair often enough, and that’s it. Good shampoo is essential for taking care of pixie haircuts, as is good hair wax, which will help you “sculpt” your hairdo. Our tip is to liberally apply wax starting from the roots, so that you can make your hair look more dynamic starting from there, and to apply no wax at all on the tips for your hair. As for cutting, it changes for everyone, but every month and a half, perhaps two, is the most likely frequency you’ll need.
A sign with faded characters, lights off, waiting for the evening to switch on, lighting the night, the last sunray to relish in, on an afternoon in late Fall. Nostalgia is like a Coca Cola bottle, to be enjoyed with no rush.
Produced by Martina Maccherone & Gregorio Capineri Tosetti
Photographer: Jessica De Maio
Sit down for a second, and try to imagine your winter: what comes to mind? For us it’s a European capital, and we’re walking around its streets, wrapped in the colourful cloud of an Alcoolique x The Blonde Salad (fake) fur. This Italian brand is at the centre of our new capsule collection, which includes two colourful eco-fur coats, and a wrap dress. Let’s discover the brand together!
WHO Rocco Adriano Galluccio, born in 1986 in Caserta, near Naples, with a cosmopolitan soul. He started working as a stylist for major Neapolitan photographers at a very young age, and later launched his own T-shirt collection, which instantly reached cult status in the local clubbing scene.
After a short stint in Milan, he decided to move to Bali, where he found inspiration to start his own brand, Alcoolique, once he was back in Italy.
WHAT Alcoolique is entirely made in Italy, characterized by its choice of vibrant colors and by the perfectly tailored silhouettes, typical of southern Italian tailoring tradition.
WHY It’s romantic, but with a grittier side; it’s perfect for a special night out, but also for those of us who like to have fun with their look.
TBS <3 The two super soft eco-fur coats in special colors for The Blonde Salad, of course!
Everyone probably wonders what the landscapes around them would look like when seen from above, from time to time. All things considered, looking at things from another perspective helps us appreciate all the things that seem unchanged when we look at them with our bare eyes, making us more aware of the beauty that surrounds us. This is why we decided to write a list of the most beautiful places you can admire from above, for a unique experience you will treasure all your life. So, buckle up, and get ready to take off!
ICELAND. Volcanic craters and white plains, as far as the eye can see. This is what Iceland, the land of fire and ice, looks like. If you are planning a trip to this untouched island, don’t miss the chance to see the landscapes where Game of Thrones and Oblivion were shot, from above! Tours all start at Reykjavik airport, from which you will reach the lunar landscapes outside the capital, such as the geothermal area near Seltun, and the famous, iconic Blue Lagoon. If you are adventurous, we recommend the south-eastern corner of the island, where you will see the snow-white beauty of the greatest glacier in Europe, the immense Vatnajökull. Rest assured… You will not see landscapes like this that easily ever again!
GRAND CANYON. From the ice cold beauty of the North, let’s move on to the dry heat of Arizona, to admire the rocky shades of the Grand Canyon. There are many tours you can choose from, but we recommend skipping the most touristy areas, and go take unusual photos of Lake Powell and of the Horseshoe Bend, the famous location where the Colorado river makes a sharp U-turn. Let the colors of the desert enchant you, and follow the stream of water that digs through these beautiful, mountainous gorges: if you decide to fly at sunset, you’ll definitely fall in love with the place!
NEW YORK. Could the Big Apple possibly be missing from our list? Of course not! Even though flying over Manhattan was forbidden after 9/11, you can still see the skyline of NYC from another special perspective. With the waters of the East or Hudson river beneath you, you will have the chance to see the City of Lights in its entirety, enjoying unforgettable views, and most of all, seeing the skyline from a different perspective from the one you’d have from the Empire State Building or the Top of the Rock. This experience will make your stay in New York unique and spectacular!
LAKE MAGGIORE. Italy earned its Bel Paese nickname — beautiful country — for a reason! This time, we recommend going to the North, to admire the wonders of the Gardens of Europe, the area of the Maggiore and Orta lakes, beloved by aristocrats, from above. Feast your eyes on the charms of the Borromean Isles, the Castles of Cannero, of Stresa and Pella, and finish off this exciting ride with an aperitif on top of the Mottarone mountain, enjoying the 360 -degree view of the Monte Rosa and the Maritime Alps.
ZAMBIA. Looking for an altermnative to your usual, classic safari? Stepping onto a helicopter in Zambia might be your thing, then. Fly over giant baobab trees and make your way to the Zambesi river, from which you will enjoy the view of Victoria Falls, which are twice as high as the Niagara ones — over 400ft, or 128m! Keep going, and make your way to Long Island from there, trying to spot hippos, elephants and crocodiles in their natural environment. Finally, wrap up your tour by flying over the Mosi-oa-Tunya national park, to see majestic buffaloes, and admire the graceful movements of giraffes: an excellent way to imprint Africa on to your eyes and heart.
Low ponytails are among the easiest, fastest hairdos we can think of, and they are also immensely popular because they are so versatile. The Fall Winter 2017-2018 shows have given us plenty of ideas to reinterpret this hairstyle differently: we picked 7 of them for you, and divided them by how much skill you need to copy each style.
BEGINNER. Look at Acne‘s super-low ponytail, tied with an elastic hair tie, that makes your hair look like it’s down. Conran lets two thick locks loose on the side, also creating the optical illusion of having your hair down. Marc Valvo shows you how to wrap your hair around your ponytail, to completely cover your hair tie. Altuzarra makes low ponytails just perfect for any occasion, by simply adding a small accessory: headbands.
EXPERT. Do you love braids? Then look at Balmain, and its three braids that start at the crown of the head, turning into one low ponytail at the bottom of the head. Delpozo shows us an original interpretation of low ponytails, made by two small side ponytails held together by a hair tie, leaving some space between the two locks, creating a long, flat low ponytail.
So, are your pros or beginners?
You’re aware that combat boots are among the coolest accessories this season, but you don’t exactly know how to style them? We found a way: the coolest looks, and the most stylish girls, are the ones that manage to come up with unexpected matches, so, what would you think if we told you you can be utterly feminine, even with combat boots on?
The first things that come to mind when we think of combat boots? Jeans, checked shirts, tank tops, tees and oversize sweatshirts, of course. But what if you went for a pink, totally romantic dress, with pendant crystal earrings instead? Or what about a very feminine coordinated set, with mini skirt and blazer? It might seem odd, but these are actually very cool combinations we really would like to experiment with a little… The more unexpected the combination, the more spontaneous it’s going to look! You will find the sweet spot between femininity and masculinity.
If you’re looking for ideas to refresh your style with military combat boots, look at our gallery for inspiration: we are pretty sure you’ll love what you see! Go through all the looks, and choose your favorite!
Barcelona is one of Europe’s most beautiful, most vital cities, and one of our favorites here at TBS, too. There are many reasons for this, which go from the little beach bars lining the shore, to 2€-cervezas, to the best paella in the world! We all get so busy experiencing the city, surrounded by crowds of people, that we tend to forget that Barcelona also has restaurants with amazing scenery, which will show you the city from another perspective. Here are our tips to have a good meal while you have Barcelona at your feet.
Terraza Martínez (Carretera de Miramar, 38)
Whether for lunch or dinner, satisfaction is guaranteed anytime at Martinez’s! It is basically on Montjuic, and the scenery looks like it’s straight out of a fairy tale: the view stretches from the port to the city’s historical center. Here is our tip: don’t waste your energy on a million starters and just move on straight to their amazing paella!
Torre d’Alta Mar (Passeig de Joan Borbó, 88)
Take your loved one by the hand, and surprise him or her with a visit to this super romantic restaurant, 75m above sea level. This place is unique and very elegant, on top of a tower, lined by large windows that will let you fully enjoy the view of the city while you dine. Fish is one of the specialties here, and even if your cuenta might be a little steep, it will definitely be worth it, because it is a most unique experience to see the city from above.
Òleum Restaurant (Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya, Parc Montjuïc)
Barcelona, just like the rest of Spain, is so rich with history. To get your history fix for the day, we recommend dining at the restaurant inside the National Art Museum of Catalogne, inaugurated in 1929. High ceilings, excellent food, and of course, a breathtaking view. Art and good food always work so well together!
Visual Restaurant (Gran Hotel Torre Catalunya, Av. de Roma, 2)
This restaurant is good for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and it also has a bar, where you can enjoy a cocktail late at night. The view from here is one of the most panoramic in the Catalan capital, and so is the menu, which ranges from salads to fish and meat.
Mirabé (C/ Manuel Arnús 2)
Can you think of anything more romantic than a terrace with a view all over the city? Think about those beautiful Sundays you can only enjoy in Barcelona: your lunch here will be unforgettable. If you would rather go for dinner, Mirabé is an excellent place to admire the city lights from above.
Some people love stockings and others hate them. Despite stockings being cool again, if you prefer bare legs, nothing will change your mind. While that is not an issue in summer, when our tan makes our legs look just perfect, in Winter you will need to put a little bit more work into making your legs look great when you are wearing mini and midi skirts. So here are 3 rules to follow to get daring, and go through Winter bare-legged!
EXFOLIATE. Eliminating dead cells and stimulating cell regeneration is always a good idea, both in Summer and Winter. Your skin will look smooth and glowing after a delicate scrub: get yourself a glove, and massage your legs when you shower. This will also activate your blood flow, fighting fluid retention.
MOISTURIZE. Cold weather dries your skin, which is why it’s going to need some extra care! Creams and oils are a must: apply them morning and evening, maybe with a massage, which will help you get rid of excess liquid.
TAN. Snow-white legs don’t look so great, not even in Winter, do they? If you need a touch of color, you can go for spray tan, which is effective and easy to use nowadays. Use it sparingly, to avoid looking like you just came back from a holiday in the Tropics. If you don’t wear skirts that often, foundation can also do the trick: many foundations can also be applied on your legs, making them perfect for a special night out.
If you had a look at the Fall Winter 2017-2018 shows, you will already know this: blazers are a thing this season, and not having one in your closet this year would be a huge mistake. We don’t need catwalk shows to tell us that jackets are the most important item in your Fall wardrobe: if you think about clothing that can make any look immediately elegant and cool, either paired with jeans or with a little dress, blazers are definitely a passe-partout piece you should invest on.
Feeling like blazers are not your thing? Think again, because blazers are totally versatile, and they can be interpreted in many, many ways. Celebrities are here to show us how, by interpreting blazers in a million different ways, and giving us lots of ideas on how to wear it best.
Are you super sexy type? Get daring, and wear your blazer with a mini dress, or with nothing underneath, with a pair of pants. Or pair it with a buster, softly placing your blazer on your shoulders, like Gigi Hadid.
Casual, but still a fashionista? Then wear your blazer with a T-shirt, perhaps a band tee, as Alessandra Ambrosio did, with jeans and heels, or with a crop top, as shown by Bianca Balti. If it’s not too cold, wear it with denim shorts!
Are you a businesswoman? Then there is really nothing better than blazers for you. Never step off your heels, and make your outift even stronger by choosing men’s patterns, like Blake Lively did.
Just stop trying to be unconventional, because honestly, everyone loves Halloween! What we really like about Halloween, to be precise, is its mysterious, pagan origin. Even if you don’t feel like joining a Halloween party in a bar, you can go on a tour around the country, looking for the scariest, most mysterious places you can find. Italy is packed with incredibly beautiful places… and we managed to find some locations that will make even the bravest among you absolutely shudder!
Montebello Castle, Emilia-Romagna
This castle is in the surroundings of Rimini, and it is famous for Azzurrina’s legend. Azzurrina was a young girl, the daughter of a local lord, who disappeared while she was playing in the fortress’s rooms. According to legend, her ghost makes an appearance every five years during Summer solstice… but trust us, even in Autumn, the empty rooms of the castle will make you feel uneasy!
Capuchin Catacombs, Palermo
It wouldn’t be Halloween without a skeleton, right? Right. That’s what these Catacombs are for, and you will find them in the Capuchine monastery, one of the most macabre, ghastly places in Palermo, Sicily’s regional capital. If you think you are brave enough, have a walk in the rooms pakjed with semi-mummified, decomposed corpses.
The Sacred Grove, a.k.a. Park of the Monsters, Bomarzo
The name is pretty telling already. This sacred grove is located near Viterbo, in the same region as Rome. It is inhabited by gigantic lavic rock sculptures, and perhaps also by the ghost of the man who originally had the idea of starting this garden, prince Vicino Orsini. Go there at sunset, these stone figures will look like the set of a horror movie!
Villa Malvasia (o Villa Clara), Bologna
This place is probably the most disturbing in the list for us, perhaps because it’s got something to do with one of the typical things that always appear in horror movies: little girls. Legend has it that a father walled his little girl in alive, for reasons nobody knows. This is why some people swear that they can often hear the sounds of a child wailing and crying. I don’t know about you guys, but I feel like I can already hear funny noises coming from the room next door… Help!
La Ca’ de Anime, Voltri, Genoa
The “House of Souls”, near Genoa, is an abandoned inn with a very sinister reputation, and it sounds like no one will every want to restore this building anymore. According to legend, its owners used to kill the unlucky guests who chose their inn to spend the night, to then throw their bodies in mass graves, after stealing their possessions. This place is also famous for ghost sightings!
Mombello’s former mental hospital in Limbiate, near Milan
If you also like American Horror Story, and watched Asylum, you will already be shuddering at the idea of visiting this location. This is a former mental hospital where patients were subjected to terrible treatment. You can still sense the buulding’s painful history when you walk in.
The Devil’s Bridge, Lucca
You can see that the devil had something to do with this, actually, because this bridge, whose actual name is Magdalene’s Bridge, known to all as the Devil’s Bridge, is oddly slanted. What happened, then? Rumor has it that one of the workers on site struck a deal with the Devil in order to make sure that the bridge would be finished. The Devil promised the worker that he would finish the bridge overnight, in exchange for the soul of the first person who crossed it. The fun part is that it was the Devil who was fooled this time: a pig was the first living thing to cross the bridge, and it was this pig that lost his soul, instead of a human. Have a walk across the bridge if you like, but be aware that the Devil might still be hanging around, looking for the worker’s soul!
Fontanelle Cemetery, Naples
This large cemetery is right in the heart of the city, and it hosts the remains of about 40,000 people who were killed by cholera. The cemetery looks dark, vast and silent. The most notable of the “guests” residing here is Donna Concetta, whose skull is famous for sweating! You can find it inside the church. Are you scared yet?
The Isle of Poveglia, Venezia
Such a small island, and yet so scary! This little isle is located in the lagoon of Venice, and it was where plague patients and victims were moved and buried in the 18th century. Doctor Sarles, a lobotomy-loving doctor and a sadist, lived on the island and he lobotomised some of his patients, extracting part of their frontal lobe. Legend has it that the doctor took his own life, after having been driven crazy by the ghosts of his former patients, in Poveglia.
Parma’s abandoned mental hospital
To conclude our super scary list of horrors, here we are, with another asylum in the surroundings of Parma, which has been abandoned for a long time. Artist Hebert Baglione decorated the walls of this place with shadows and ghosts, making the place even bleaker and spookier.
Your Fall closet really should include a trench… and real fans will want to keep on wearing their trench in Winter, too! If it is getting a bit too cool to keep on wearing a trench where you live, just see it as a style challenge rather than a limitation! While we usually think of a trench as a light coat we wear over a shirt or a sweater, wearing layers underneath it could be a new, creative strategy to try out.
Feeling too cold? Here is a look for you: a midi skirt, over-the-knee boots, a turtle neck with a blazer, topped with a beret and a short strap bag… So chic, right? ????
Getting an oversize trench is a good idea if you’re going to get experimenting with our suggestions, or with your own ideas: don’t pick a huge one, but do get one that will be comfortable if you start playing with layers. If you already own a classic, figure-hugging trench, now is a good time to invest in a cooler, more comfortable one… This will be a true evergreen piece in your wardrobe!
October 27 felt like it would never come… But finally, the new season of Stranger Things is here, since Friday last week! This is why the first Monday after the first “Stranger Weekend” is all for the new entry in the series that stole the hearts of girls all over the world: Dacre Montgomery, a handsome 23-year-old Australia actor.
Here are 5 things you should know about the TV show’s new star!
1. Social media? No thanks.
Despite his young age, Dacre is everything but hooked to social media. He obviously has his own Instagram feed, which he actually keeps quite active, but handsome Dacre would rather spend his time reading, listening to music or hanging out with friends, rather than watch the world through a screen.
2. His destiny was already written in the stars
The apple never falls far from the tree — and everyone knows that proverbs are always right! Montgomery was basically born on set, because that is how his parents met: his father worked as a sound engineer, and his mother was an assistant director. Dacre’s future was already written, and he confirmed that in an interview: he said that when he was 11 years old, his parents caught him filming himself while he was pretending to play in a large film production. His parents were surprised, but he wasn’t at all… He already knew he was made for that!
3. Red is his color…
There is no doubt about it, if you ask Dacre what his favorite color is, he will say red, without hesitation! We don’t think it’s just about the color: it all goes back to the red Power Ranger, the character that made him famous in the remake of the film that was released last Spring. His work in that role caught the attention of the producers of Stranger Things, who later chose him when they started shooting the new episodes.
4. Sports are a must
Let’s say that Dacre would be happier if he could live without practicing sport six times a week, but he really can’t. The young Australian had to train really hard on a daily basis for a year, following a really tough routine at the gym. He did that as a way to get ready to play his role as the red Power Ranger, which required him to have a very muscular body, and for which he wanted to be well prepared — Dacre was aware that performing well in this role could change his life. All his efforts have brought him good results, not just for his physique, but also for his acting career.
5. An unusual passion
Social media aren’t his thing, sports are, but not that much… So what is this young actor really passionate about? He loves interior design! This is what Dacre really loves doing during his free time: he loves decorating a new space from scratch, more than working with something set up by other people, as he does when he plays on set. He just finished a course in interior design and he is hoping to start working as a professional in this field as soon as possible, perhaps helping to set up a few restaurants. We can’t wait to discover his style!
If you think dark lipsticks are only a must for Halloween, think again, because dark colors are the beauty trend of Fall Winter 2017-2018. This kind of lipstick must be intense and give you extra allure, making you look like a little vampire, and making your lips look wonderful at the same time. Colors can go from pure to redder shades of purple, from black to burgundy — everything works as long as it’s dark and deep.
Aquilano and Rimondi‘s models showed off their matte burgundy lipstick, while Giambattista Valli chose a glossy finish. If you love obscuirty and intrigue, follow Yamamoto‘s example, and choose an intense, black color. If you’re fans of the 1990s, matte brick red will be your obvious choice, as suggested by Rahul Mishra e Mohapatra. Purple is ever-charming, of course, just look at the gothic magnetism showcased by Ann Demeulemeester.
Feeling bold and aggressive? Well, going for dark lipstick will definitely catch everyone’s eye! Like always, it’s very important to choose a shade that works for your skin tone. You can wear dark lipstick anytime, just remember to go for nude eye makeup if you wear it during the day; if you wear it on a night out, feel free to go for a total dark look, with black smokey eyes. Here’s a tip: matte lipsticks should always be applied after drawing the outline of your lips with a lip liner, to stop the lipstick from getting messy, and slipping off your lips. Sheer lipsticks will also need a little help to stay in place, and here’s a trick for that: you don’t want to be buying a lip liner for each color you own, so just get a transparent one — this will stop your lipstick from smudging.
And here are two more little tricks: dark lipstick can deflect attention from any flaws on your nose, focusing everyone’s look on your lips. If your lips are thin, go for a gloss, which will make your lips look much fuller.
A sunny Sunday on the Navigli canals: the most beautiful face of October is the one keeping us warm with the last days of sunshine and fair weather, an idle morning in timeless Milan.
Produced by Martina Maccherone & Gregorio Capineri Tosetti
Photographer: Jessica De Maio
“If I think about my region, large expanses of olive trees come to mind, and this restaurant is like an image of my beloved Apulia for me”. With these words, Angelo, Olio’s owner, told us about how he got the idea to open this restaurant, which we discovered thanks to the posts we saw on our friends’ social networks, depicting mouthwatering-looking food.
Olio opened its doors only a month ago in piazza Lavater, a square in the Porta Venezia area, and its menu is a triumph of genuine fare — all made in Apulia. Each dish is prepared with selected, ultra fresh ingredients that get shipped straight from southern Italy every week, offering diners a truly authentic food experience.
So, what did we eat then? Well, considering the name of the place, we imagined olive oil would be central to many of the restaurant’s dishes, and we were not disappointed: this nectar of the gods is pretty much revered here, and customers are even given the chance to have an oil tasting, accompanied by copious amounts of bread! Some oils will have stronger notes of lemon, others of chili, while yet others will have fruitier notes. The latter is the type of oil that all visitors will receive as a gift, in a small bottle that will be placed on their table during dinner, and that they will have the chance to take home with them when they leave. Olive oil was just the first step in our discovery of the taste of Apulia.
Their antipasti are diverse and come in large portions: they go from parmigiana povera, a parmigiana whose eggplants do not get fried at any point, and which includes smoked burrata in addition to eggplant; mashed potatoes with chicory; octopus with potato and olive mayonnaise, and a wonderful shrimp tartare with an unexpected magic touch: seawater! As for first courses, we had no say here: the chef said we absolutely needed to taste his orecchiette with broccoli rabe, handmade by the women of Bari… And we are very, very glad we listened! ????
By the time we were ready for a second dish, we felt super full, but we still got tempted by meat: roasted hanger steak with soft caciocavallo flakes; pork belly and veal cheek with chicory.
And that is not all, because as per usual, we made sure we didn’t leave the table before dessert, of course: a small, delicious lemon tart that helped us get over the distinct feeling of sadness we experienced at the idea of going home.
What else did we like, other than the food? Staff and management were very attentive, and they took care of every detail, they were always there for us and very helpful, whenever we were missing bread, or perhaps when we needed tips on what (local) wine we could pair our food with, inbetween courses.
Olive oil, seawater and wine are the three essential elements that this restaurant is based on. Any true lovers of authentic Italian fare will love it… Wherever they come from!
The scariest holiday of the year is coming, and even though not all of us might want to wear masks or dress up, we can still have some fun during the night of the spirits by wearing the kind of makeup that will make us look like we are straight out of a nightmare, letting loose the darkest streaks in our creativity. To find the right kind of inspiration for your Halloween makeup, we can look at the runways once again, where designers and makeup artists sometimes have fun crerating makeup looks that would be kinda hard to wear in our daily life anyway.
So, why not use Halloween as the perfect time to get daring with something different, and most of all, totally exaggerate with dark hues, or really bright reds? Fenty x Puma, Aalto and Marc Jacobs‘s rigorously black lipsticks are one of the first ideas to come to mind; while red lipstick lovers should definitely go for eye-catching, sheer glosses, as seen at Philipp Plein‘s show. If you’re not so familiar with brushes, you can just try to recreate a smudged look, Vfiles-style, or place appliques on your eyelashes or on your lips, like Fournie HC and Gucci did. Last but not least, you can also just choose a different kind of eye makeup for each eye, as they did at Yamamoto‘s: it’s a very simple idea, but it will definitely have an impact on the people around you!
We are not going to lie: we are all hooked to our smartphones, PCs and tablets. Whether for hobbies or for work, we all have to deal with the damage of electromagnetic pollution, which is not only bad for our health, but also for our skin. If technology damages our health on the one hand, on the other it also helps us, by contributing to the elaboration of advanced formulas for cosmetics, which we can use to limit the damage caused by technology.
So, what is electromagnetic pollution? This word describes the issues caused by the pollution created by the devices we use in our every day lives — yes, even the one you are using to read this very article right now! The light of screens, as well as the heat that these devices produce, are the cause of multiple problems. Your skin is the first to suffer, because this kind of pollution interacts with the membranes around your cells and damages proteins, increasing the amount of free radicals in your body, and decreasing the amount of anti-oxidant hormones in your system. This causes two more issues: either dehydration, which can cause lines on your skin, or excess sebum, which implies pimples, discoloration and rashes. And let’s not even talk about the dark circles caused by tired eyes: using devices is exhausting for them! Your hair can also be damaged by the excess use of devices: it can become thinner and unhealthier, but most of all, it can fall massively.
There are multiple natural solutions, but not all are easy to apply. Having a half-hour break for every two hours you spend on your computer is virtually impossible at work, since it’s a miracle if you even manage to get ten minutes for yourself between emails and Instagram posts; daily yoga practice or sports is also difficult, because not all of us have the energy for that after an 8-hour workday, when we would rather just doze on the couch; detox diets are difficult too: life is hard enough, and drinking detox veggie juices might just add to that hardship… And forget switching phones and computers off to go for a walk in nature: while that might work at the weekend, it’s basically impossible during the workweek.
So, what else can we do but let our beauty routine and our cosmetics take care of it? Serums, moisturisers, masks, detergents, detox products and micellar water sprays all help: while we must protect our skin during the day, we have to help it regenerate itself at night, letting cells find their balance again, so that we can stop looking washed out, and be filled with a light, healthy glow instead. A good serum is an excellent base to be applied before you start with your makeup; make sure you keep your face well moisturized during the day with sprays, and at the end of the day, never skip a deep cleansing, as well as the application of other creams and serums. Luxury natural cosmetics are excellent to detox your skin, and the same goes for your hair, which always needs masks and protective oils.
It might sound odd for it to be necessary to protect ourselves from stuff we actually really love and that connects us to the world, but if you think about it, even chocolate has side effects. So, get your pen and paper and note down the products we recommend in the gallery!
Are you art lovers? Or do you just love beauty, and are always looking for inspiration, wherever it comes from? Either way, you just can’t miss these 10 exhibitions around Italy in 2017!
VERONA
FERNANDO BOTERO – AMO – Palazzo Forti, Verona, (until April 29, 2018)
The artist chose Verona to wrap up the celebrations for his 85th birthday — and for his 50th year as a painter! — with an exhibition that showcases his largest works. Gigantic bodies, bright colors and a South American vibe will permeate everything at this great party. So, what are you waiting for? Join the party and say happy birthday!
VICENZA
VAN GOGH – Tra il grano e il cielo. Basilica Palladiana, Vicenza (Until April 8, 2018)
This exhibition will take you on a journey into Van Gogh’s soul, thanks to his art, of course, and to some of the heartbreaking letters that the artist used to send to his brother Theo, which are very helpful for the viewer to understand Van Gogh’s painful life. You will be surrounded by 43 paintings and 86 drawings that cover all phases of Van Gogh’s life, from the Belgian Autumn of 1880 to the somber landscapes of Nuenen. This exhibition will allow you to touch the artist’s feelings of despair, and to better understand and experience his art and his feelings.
TURIN
MIRO’! SOGNO E COLORE – Palazzo Chiablese, Torino (until January 18, 2018)
The exhibition collects over 130 works from the latest period of Mirò’s artistic life, when, after having his work majorly recognized in Spain, he decided to dedicate his time to large sculptures and quadridimensional painting. This exhibition is all about splashes of color, geometric lines and surreal figures, and you will be able to admire it all in Turin until January 18.
MILAN
CHAGALL – Sogno di una notte d’estate. Museo della Permanente, Milano (until January 28, 2018)
This might be one of the most peculiar exhibitions you will ever see; it’s all about showcasing a new, emotionally engaging and moving concept of art. Painting and music blend together here, surrounding the viewer from every side, transporting him or her into the dream world of the artist. This will be an excellent chance to experience something new, surrounded by art featuring the themes that mattered to Chagall: love, family, landscapes and music.
HENRY TOULOUSE-LAUTREC – Il mondo fuggevole. Palazzo Reale, Milano ( until February 18, 2018)
This bohemian exhibition showcases over 250 works of this poet of the poorer areas of Paris, portraying the nightlife and the low-lives of the city. Toulouse-Lautrec might be considered the forefather of a kind of strong, provocative realism: warm colors were essential for him to express himself, almost as a way to infuse warmth and familiarity into scenes that would otherwise look bleak and distant. Don’t miss this exhibition if you want to have a peek into the fascinating world of turn-of-century Paris.
DENTRO CARAVAGGIO – Palazzo Reale, Milano (until January 28 2018)
Once again, Milan is paying homage to the king of light, with an exhibition that gathers 20 of Caravaggio’s major works from the world’s most important museums, a show that aims at entertaining the viewer also by using X-rays that show the evolution of many paintings from the inside, from the initial sketches to the finished work. This is definitely an unusual exhibition, and Caravaggio fans won’t be disappointed, that’s for sure!
BOLOGNA
MAGRITTE, DALÌ E DUCHAMP – I rivoluzionari del ‘900. Palazzo Albergati, Bologna (Until February 11, 2018)
This exhibition gathers the work of three painters who revolutionized 20th century art, and who were at the avantgarde of artistic techniques and were representative of innovative political ideas. Magritte, Dalì and Duchamp put their feelings of rebellion and their longing for independence on canvas: this show will transport you into a historical time whose heritage we see to this day, and that brought a lot of change with it.
PERUGIA
HANS HARTUNG – Polittici. Galleria Nazionale dell’Umbria, Perugia (Until January 7 2018)
With this exhibition, the city of Perugia wants to celebrate Hartung’s special relationship with Italy: Venice, Florence and Sicily are the main characters in Hartung’s polyptiques series, a collection of canvases of different sizes, that form one large work when looked at all together. Let Hartung’s work draw you in, and draw inspiration from the artist’s use of peculiar techniques — he even included a broom tree branch, dipped into black paint, into his work… Art really has no limits!
ROME
MONET – Capolavori dal Musée Marmottan di Parigi. Complesso del Vittoriano, Rome (Until February 11, 2018)
One of the fathers of Impressionism, en plein air painting was a lifestyle for Monet, who managed to transfer the essence and the light of what he observed onto canvas. The exhibition showcases 60 works that the artist kept in his beloved house in Giverny — the works were donated by Monet’s son to this Parisian museum after Monet died, and they show Monet’s artistic evolution, from Monet’s mid-19th century caricatures to the urban landscapes of London and Paris, from his children’s portraits to his iconic Nymphs. An excellent excuse to spend a few days in the eternal city!
PICASSO. Tra Cubismo e Classicismo: 1915-1925. Le Scuderie del Quirinale, Roma (until January 21, 2018)
Rome is commemorating the 100th anniversary of World War 1. During this time, Picasso was already heading the Cubist revolution, with works that showed a great variety of genres and painting styles.
If you’re not sure how to describe velvet corduroy exactly, we are here to help: it’s retro, it only works for your daytime looks, and it is the total opposite of sexy. While this might sound limiting, let’s not forget that corduroy can be totally cool, too! If you had a look at some Winter 2017 shows, like Marc Jacobs‘s and Prada‘s, you will have noticed that even a rather vintage textile like corduroy can be reinterpreted with a modern twist, and turned into one of the coolest fabrics you can wear this season. So, why be satisfied just with denim, when you can have corduroy? Trying it in new colors and shades, such as pink, blue, turquoise and burgundy is a key idea in order to do away with the vintage look of corduroy. Need a few examples? Have a look at the gallery, and look at some of our favorite ideas for this season. Our favorite look? Well, Nina Ricci wins, hands down!
Who said red is only good for lipstick? What we saw on the catwalks this year made something pretty clear: moving this bright nuance from your lips to your eyes is the new trend for Fall Winter 2017-2018. So, forget about the dark shades we are accustomed to using, and let’s light up our grey fall days — we don’t need any more somber colors after all, do we? You think this is all a bit too much? We are here to change your mind, and surprise you with these makeup trends, straight from the catwalks!
If you’re more into classics, start experimenting and get inspired by Barbara Bui, Au Jour Le Jour and Le Petite Robe. Here, red cream eyeshadow gets applied onto the eyelid, and framed by mascara and black eyeliner pencil, to lend some depth to your gaze. It is very important here to focus on your eyes when choosing this style, and to use very natural tones on the rest of your face, especially on your lips.
If you’re more daring and your are happy to try something new, Versus’s and Prabal Gurung’s geometric shapes will work for you, but make sure you draw very defined lines, because that is what makes all the difference here! The rectangle you draw has to be as wide as your eyebrows, and it can be thicker or thinner, depending on your personal taste and how bold you are feeling. You can rest assured, you will turn heads!
If you love nuances, look at Xuan HC, Kenzo and Max Mara for a few ideas: powder eyeshadow can be applied exclusively on the contour of your eye, or even on the sides of your face, almost imitating the effect of a blush. If you do this, you can intensify the effect by applying red mascara on your lashes, or by blending the eyeshadow onto your eyebrows — in this case, make sure you don’t go for overly bright shades!
If you’re still unconvinced by the idea of a total red makeup style, you can always tone it down by mixing it with other colors, while still letting red take center stage. Alberta Ferretti shows you how to do this, by applying cream eyeshadow at the center of the eyelid, and placing a small speck of gold in the inner corner of the eye, to illuminate the gaze. All of this will be beautifully framed by a blended line of black eyeliner pencil, which will work as a substitute for mascara.
Sometimes you don’t need to have had any particular experience to be a role model, you just have to be yourself to inspire other people. This is the case for our WCW this week, Arvida Byström, a 26-year-old Swedish girl who made the news — and made the whole internet talk — by posing for the Adidas campaign without shaving her legs. Here are 5 things you should know about her.
1. She is an all around artist
Arvida is a model, a writer, a photography lover and a musician. Some of her photos were published in editorials in the international press, and she also worked on books that are iconic for all non-conformist fashion lovers. The most remarkable include Babe, a photography collection Arvida curated with Petra Collins, and most of all Pics or It Didn’t Happen: Images Banned From Instagram, a book which collects Arvida’s selection of provocative images that were censored by Instagram.
2. She is obsessed by fruit — and not just as food…
We all realized Arvida is less than ordinary, that was clear enough, but her obsession for fruit sounds funny to us and makes us admire her at the same time. Byström uses fruit, especially peaches and cherries, for her art… For instance, she loves dressing fruit in lingerie; she even was in a live video once in which she braided cherry stalks together just by using her tongue. Some might think she’s just crazy, we think she’s an artist!
3. Activist 2.0
It’s pretty important to remember one thing when it comes to Arvida: never, ever doubt her feminism! Her extremist ideological position sometimes earned her lots of criticism. Arvida participated in multiple peculiar, unusual projects and initiatives before, but perhaps the most relevant in this regard is a piece of performance art about monogamy, in which she videoed herself having sex on video with one of her colleagues… Byström definitely walks her talk!
4. Anyone can be feminine
Arvida really, really likes being clear, so much so that she took her attitude into the Adidas campaign that featured her, and that literally inflamed the web. So, what was everyone talking about, then? About how Arvida had her photos taken without waxing her legs or her armpits. The young artist did that in order to reaffirm her freedom not to follow the beauty standards society imposes on women: as Arvida pointed out, “anyone can be feminine”, an idea that also takes in gender politics. And let’s all give Adidas a hand, for enthusiastically supporting Arvida in all this!
5. Cyber bullying is a true evil
It’s quite clear that the aim of a video like the one shot by Adidas was to start a discussion, but the hate speech it triggered reached truly worrying levels. Arvida even received death threats, which is obviously unacceptable. While some people were fascinated by this new way of communicating, other people online reacted quite violently and offensively. Luckily, Arvida is a very strong woman as well as an artist, and she didn’t let any of this get to her. We are against all kinds of bullying, and we picked her as our WCW to show her that we are with her!
All the photos are taken from Arvida Byström official Instagram
WHO Chase Kusero, Franck Izquierdo, Leo Izquierdo and Aaron Grenia are all hairstylists that don’t follow trends, they start them. They come from different parts of the world, and their different backgrounds didn’t just contribute to creating some truly amazing hair products; they also got them to start one of the coolest hair salons in the world. Chase is Hollywood’s most sought-after hair stylist, and most importantly, he is Jared Leto’s stylist. Chase thinks that powerful looks have nothing to do with the length or color of your hair, and all to do with the client’s strong personality. Franck is famous for his avant-grade styling and his savoir faire: his skills landed him to the shows of Milan and Paris fashion weeks, where he worked with Lanvin, Marni and Givenchy. Leo also worked backstage at Lanvin’s, Chloé’s and Oscar De La Renta’s shows. Aaron is one of NYC’s best hair stylists, and hair styling is his true passion.
WHAT IGK, founded in 2016, is their hair product brand. Their salons are located in LA, Miami and NYC and the concept underlying their project is a blend of passion and of a will to bend the rules, in order to start positive change. Their hairstyling is aimed at new generations.
WHY The formulas of their products are vegan, cruelty-free and gluten-free, as well as free of all sulfate and parabens; they are born from the experience of customers needing to have amazing hair at pretty much any time of day. Hairstyles must adapt to lifestyles, and at the same time, they should also fit the mood of the city where someone lives. Coconut oil, to nourish your hair, and make it soft and shiny, is very often an essential ingredient in their products.
TBS<3 How to choose our favorite product between Preparty Hair Strobing Glitter Spray and Jet Lag Invisible? It’s impossible, because we love them all!
If you don’t want to wear jackets and coats just yet, colorful knitwear is an excellent trick you should always have up your sleeve: fluffy, perhaps with a turtleneck, there is really no better way to look pretty and cool this winter. Wear your knitwear with tailored pants, midi skirts, or maybe with jeans and patent pumps; if you like layers, pair your knitwear with an oversize blazer, and you’ll have the winning style for this winter! If you want tips on what to buy, well, we love oversize sweaters in bright colors, the kind that gives you the touch of vitality you will need to make it through even the toughest, coldest days this winter.
PS: don’t forget to go for contrast by wearing your knitwear with maxi earrings or precious, jewel-like shoes: this is the key to wearing your sweaters like a true It girl right now!
Cafes are far from rare, especially in Italy, where coffee is a primary necessity, basically a social institution. Any cafe in Italy will make you a good espresso, still, some places double as coffee roasters, offering a taste of more coffee varieties on their premises. Have a look at our guide for your Italian-style break in these 5 coffee places around Milan!
– Lavazza Flagship Store (Piazza San Fedele)
The flagship store of this famous Italian coffee brand just opened its doors in the heart of Milan’s city center. The shop’s concept is very interesting: the place doubles as a bistro and as coffee roaster’s. Coffee from all over the world gets delivered here daily, to be roasted in a machine you can see right in the cafe; patrons can taste different coffee varieties, but they can also buy Lavazza’s fine selections.
– Orsonero Coffee (Via Giuseppe Broggi, 15)
Coffee lovers will feel totally pampered here by the relaxed, chill ambience of this place, and they will also be amazed by the amount of different coffee types the can choose from there. A drive to innovate and always discover new coffee blends are the two coolest characteristics of this place.
– Hodeidah (Via Piero della Francesca, 8)
The best geography students among you may already know why this place is just perfect for coffee lovers: Hodeidah is a historical port city in Yemen that was famous for its coffee plantations. Hodeidah is possibly one of the most ancient coffee roasting companies in Milan: it was started in 1946 and it is still active today. This shop gets more and more interesting every year, choosing will be tough because of the crazy amounts of coffee varieties you can choose from!
– Caffè Pascucci (Corso Europa, 22)
Italian tradition and an organic heart, Pascucci really cares about its coffee varieties being as organic as possible; their coffees all come from certified, organic-friendly coffee farms. Their Corso Europa shop also became a meeting point for people to get together, to taste all the different coffee varieties the shop offers.
– Taglio (Via Vigevano, 10)
In the Navigli area, Taglio is famous for being the perfect lunch spot: have you ever tried their saffron risotto? Not everyone might be aware that this lovely place also offers multiple coffee varieties, prepared in many different ways. Our personal favorite is siphon coffee, an ancient and rather spectacular way to brew coffee, which involves a glass bulb and a hopper: steam will rise from the bulb into the hopper containing coffee, and will slowly drip back down into the bulb in the form of delicious coffee for your enjoyment.
If you think heart-shaped sunglasses aren’t in anymore, well… Alicia Vikander is clearly showing you are wrong! And she did that last week at her bachelorette party in Ibiza, of all places… And that was how she was inspiration for us this week! Alicia Vikander is a Swedish actress, well known for her role in important productions like Anna Karenina and The Danish Girl. She is famous for her talent, but also for her natural beauty and her sophisicated, delicate style, mostly made of basic, monochrome clothing, with occasional eccentric touches like colorful and animal prints that she can make totally feminine, perfectly suitable for her personality. Cool, right? We had a look at her outfits for fresh ideas, and we picked her best looks for you to copy. What do you think? Her everyday looks are a must-have for the season!
Every time you think you’ve seen it all, something new always comes along — especially when to comes to cosmetics, which are always evolving, we really should be ready to expect anything. Powder lipsticks, that you apply with small sponges, are the latest hype: we tested them for you, and wrote our list of pros and cons.
PROS. They are matte, and they can be easily applied with a brush. Their texture is silky, they are lightweight and they don’t dry your lips, so don’t take the word “powder” too seriously, because they actually feel very soft, a pleasure to wear. Another good thing about powder lipsticks is that they are pretty long-lasting, although they are not permanent: don’t expect them to still be on your lips after you eat or drink, because the outline is all that will be left after a meal.
CONS. Powder lipsticks being mat make them very dangerous if your lips have any flaws, because they will make them all more visible! This is why these lipsticks won’t look very good if you don’t prepare your lips first, either with a lip scrub or with a primer. When choosing your primer, make sure you don’t choose an overly buttery one, but rather go for one that just fills the creases of your lips, making them smoother, making your lipstick last a lot longer. The last flaw we can think of is that you will end up using a rather large quantity of it when you apply your lipstick, because it tends to run out quite quickly when you put it on.
All in all, we really liked powder lipsticks, you just need to learn to use them the right way. Have you already tested them? Let us know how it was if you did!
Let us start the week a little more happily, if that were possible, by giving you a few hints about out Man Crush this Monday! His smile was among the most photographed at this edition of Emmy Awards. Manolo Gonzales, Sofia Vergara’s son, walked the red carpet outside Hollywood’s Microsoft Theater with his mother, making audiences swoon. His intense gaze, his hairstyle from another time, and his Colombian charm are a perfect match for his mother’s breathtaking beauty, so much so that Manolo just recently debuted as a model. Here are 5 things you should know about this rising star!
1) Gilmore Girls (or guys?)
Manolo and Sofia look more like brother and sister than mother and son, not just because of their relatively small age difference (he was born in 1992, she was born in 1972), but also because of their close relationship. Sofia, like the proud mum she is, publicly shares a lot of moments from her life with Manolo, while he never misses a chance to talk about his mother’s beauty, and attend the coolest events of the season with her. He’s the best wingman you can imagine, to catch the eye of all photographers!
2) Sense of humor
Manolo’s IG is packed with jokes and funny, totally cheeky, ironic images. Think for instance of his beach selfie, taken in front of a palm, with the caption “Just chillin’ with my friends, Palmela Handersons”: the perfect example of how beauty and a fun personality can make for a totally explosive mix!
3) A passion for history
His gallery on IG is not just about selfies and fun stuff: Manolo loves history, too. If you want to find out nifty stuff about stories and characters from the past, just follow his posts, and you’ll also get a healthy dose of culture!
4) Photo souvenirs
Manolo must have a bit of a nostalgic streak in him, because he really loves sharing photos of himself as a kid. He also can’t get stop his own irony, though, because each photo comes with a funny caption that make us love him even more!
5) Mysterious birthdays
And here is the most interesting trivia of all: even though Manolo was apparently born in 1992, he celebrated his 26th year this year. Yes, he did! We are not sure whether it was yet another joke or just a way to grab media attention, however, this definitely made everyone curious, making his mysterious birthday the talk of town. Either way, we don’t care if he is 25 or 26: that smile just made our Monday morning way better!
Everyone feels like travelling, and yet, choosing our destination is often a time-consuming, exhausting affair. From now on, though, all you’ll need to do if you ever feel undecided is have a look at this horoscope: your star sign will show you the way! Here is the perfect destination for each star sign. Do you agree with our ideas?
It can remind you of the depths of the sea, or it can make us think of the night sky: blue comes in so many shades, and it is one of the strongest, new makeup trends for Fall Winter 2017-2018. Blue is the color that lends an extra touch of light to all sorts of looks and makeup styles, and will suit both blondes and brunettes.
Blue was everywhere at recent shows. At Marco De Vincenzo‘s, models wore a line of blended blue eyeliner, and sometimes got daring with electric blue lipstick. Anna Sui‘s models walked the runway in amazing cobalt blue eyeshadow. Stella Jean also chose blue eyeshadow in a colder shade, while Prabal Gurung‘s show was all about electric blue, applied on the top part of the eyelid in a geometric shape.
Cat eye lovers can find inspiration in Elisabetta Franchi‘s thick, slanted cat eye that will make your gaze magnetic and sexy. If you want a more dramatic, hypnotic style, Versus‘s blue color block style is the perfect way to grab everyone’s attention. Vivienne Westwood even chooses blue for manicure, with metallic blue nails and white, pointy tips — for true drama queens.
So, will you try any of these styles?
Are you ready to shine like a star in the sky? Our collection, in a partnership with Yamamay, just hit our online store: bustiers and tops that will reveal the most seductive facet of your personality, and make you look utterly feminine at the same time. This capsule collection comes into two parts: the first one as an exclusive for #ShopTheBlondeSalad, available on our shop from today; the second one will be available in all Yamamay stores from November 10. Stay tuned!
Produced by Martina Maccherone & Gregorio Capineri Tosetti
Photographer: Jessica De Maio
Location: Cross Studio, Milano
If you like following accessory trends, you will already have realized that high-heeled, over-the-knee boots are among the 10 must-have, hot items right now. We are pretty sure that when you tried to go get yourself a pair, you felt like they were a little too much for your day outfits, right? The question is, can you wear over-the-knee boots at work without feeling like everyone is watching you, if you’re not a celebrity?
The answer is, yes you can! We came up with an outfit to make them easy to wear that is even more feminine and cooler than you can imagine, there is just one rule to follow: forget mini skirts and little dresses, midi hems are the way to go this winter!
Our favorite way to wear thigh-high boots is with a midi skirt with a side slit, with a shirt and a woollen blazer. Or how about a midi slip dress over a turtleneck, and a maxi trench?
If you don’t have a pair of thigh-high boots in your closet yet, here’s a tip: if you choose a more peculiar color (we love them) then make sure that the material to go with it is not too flashy.
Have a look at the gallery, and choose your favorite outfit to wear your over-the-knee boots this Fall Winter 2017-2018.
Let’s be honest: even for total makeup experts, it is still not so easy to choose a color that works with our skin tone, our hair, and most of all, with our favorite clothing. We decided to ask Manuele Mameli, our favorite makeup expert, and he shared all the secrets you will need to create the perfect makeup to match the five hot colors of Fall Winter 2017-2018.
RED. Blonde girls with fair skin will have a very easy time looking good in red, both during the day and on a night out. Choose a coral-colored lipstick for the day, and focus on your eyes in the evening.
If you have dark hair, and olive or dark skin, Manuele recommends not getting carried away with makeup: choose to glow instead, thanks to an illuminating foundation that won’t modify your skin tone too much. Also make sure to take care of any flaws or dark circles, because red lips will bring them out even more. As a final touch, apply some golden eyeshadow, and lightly color your lips. Applying mascara very liberally will be your secret weapon: this will make your gaze very intense despite your soft makeup.
CAMEL. Since this color is very delicate, both blondes and brunettes can get daring with more creative makeup, by adding depth to their face: try it with blue eyeshadow, or colored, more original lipstick in a bright color.
SILVER. This is definitely a color that will grab everyone’s attention, so make sure you avoid any overly sheer or metallic colors for your makeup: your clothes will be enough! Go for smokey eyes instead, not necessarily in black, but definitely in a matte shade.
ORANGE. Brunettes can play with all amber tones, leaving their lips pretty natural, or choosing lipstick or glosses in pink or peach tones, to bring out their smile. Blondes should choose brown and bronze tones.
BLUE. Whenever we wear a blue dress for a night out, we end up choosing smokey eyes or red lipstick. These can also work together, as long as you don’t overdo them. Both during the day and on a night out, girls with blue eyes can get creative with colors like metallic grey which will work wonderfully for their eye color — the contrast will make your blue eyes look even bluer. If you have brown or black eyes, go for plum… It will make your eyes shine!
You know the typical American breakfast, with pancakes and maple syrup? Well, if you’re in Italy, and you happen to be in Milan, now you’ll find it here, too! There are more and more places popping up in town that make delicious pancakes — here are our 5 favorites: you’ll really feel like you’re in New York City!
– Macha Café (viale Crispi, 15)
Do you love matcha, the magical powder green tea? Then this place will be your personal paradise: from today on, you can have matcha pancakes here. We’re rushing off to try them, wanna join us?
– That’s Bakery (via Vigevano, 41)
Their website warns potential customers to watch out, because they might get hooked with the first bite: now, go and find out whether it’s true!
– Les Pommes (Via Pastrengo, 7)
A very well known restaurant in the Isola district turns into an excellent brunch spot every Saturday and Sunday. Don’t miss their savoury pancake with prosciutto cotto and Parmesan fondue, served with grilled corn and baked potatoes. Yuuuuum!
– Ostello Bello (Via Medici, 4)
All our pancake spots are very affordable, and Ostello Bello is the most affordable of all. You’ll be welcomed by a very young, informal environment and an abundant, tasty breakfast. And yes, pancakes are among the best dishes available in this lovely place!
– California Bakery (6 sedi, scegliamo Corso Garibaldi)
I know you’re thinking “well, of course this is a suggestion, it is even named after the state of California…” And well, yes, we know. The tasty pancakes you can find in this franchise come in 9 different types you can enjoy in 6 different locations in Milan. Try their wholewheat pancake, and let us know!
Whether they are blue, green, or decorated with Hello Kitty‘s face, they all work! Selfies with colorful masks and with masks decorated by funny characters are the latest trend when it comes to beauty. The reason is quite simple: these masks are fun and they are also helpful for our beauty routine: they are a skincare stage you should never skip, that make the skin of your face healthier, and more beautiful.
Masks have lots of benefits, and can get you to take 10 to 30 minutes of time for yourself. Celebrities love golden face masks, which are very expensive but that also seem to be miraculous. You can also find affordable golden masks that will make your skin smooth and glowing even without breaking the bank. The latest colored masks (that can also be red or black, depending on the formula) come in all sorts of colors; some can be removed with a sponge and water, while others solidify while drying, and turn into a sort of gel-like film that you can easily peel off.
Tissue masks are a true moisture bomb, they are very easy to apply because they come in the right shape already, and they don’t need to be rinsed off. They come in many other types, depending on what you need, but watch out: if you have oily skin, they aren’t what you need!
You’ll see our favorite ones in the gallery… Now we want to see your selfies!
Have you ever tried black peel off masks? Click here to discover what we think about them
If you followed the Spring Summer 2018 shows (or had a look at our trend recap), it will be pretty clear to you that shirts are going to be everywhere next season. Those of us who are already used to wearing them won’t be surprised, and those who really think they don’t like shirts will change their mind, because shirts are so versatile that you really can reinterpret them in a million different ways. Still not convinced? We will show you what we mean with 10 celebrity looks: choose your fashion icon, and discover how to wear your shirt!
Pics: Getty Images
Our WCW of the week, Claire Foy, is the woman who starred as Queen Elizabeth in the famous TV show The Crown, whose second season is about to be released on Netflix. Thanks to the visibility she earned with this role, she was now chosen to play Lisbeth Salander in The Girl In the Spider’s Web, the film sequel to the Millennium trilogy. Claire is a mother, too, and here are 5 interesting facts about her!
1) She auditioned with a baby bump
Claire said in an interview that she didn’t really take her audition for The Crown too seriously: when her agent called to ask whether she was interested in the role of Elizabeth, Claire was 5 months pregnant, and she had no intention to be part of a 9-month project with a small baby to take care of. However, after a chat with the director, she still accepted to audition for the part, without really thinking she would ever be chosen for the part. “It was pretty odd when I was asked if I wanted the part, because I never really thought I could be what they were looking for”. Claire remembers the first time she tried the costumes on, because with an Elizabethan dress and a crown, and her baby bump, she looked like a “pregnant little girl.”
2) Her relationship with real Elizabeth
As a good reminder of actors being regular people, with the same hopes and fears that we all have, Claire declared in an interview that her greatest fear was for real Queen Elizabeth to watch the show, so much so that she convinced herself that the Queen would be way too busy with royal affairs to have time to do that. She was very worried that the Queen would find her acting “overly dramatic”, despite rumor having it that actress Helen Mirren, who is very close to Queen Elizabeth, had even sent Claire an email, congratulating her on her performance.
3) Acting was never really her plan A
It might seem incredible, considering her recent success on film, but Claire’s main interests were always politics and communication. Claire enjoyed staging small plays at home with her cousins as a little girl, but she never thought she could make a profession out of that. The actress said she fell in love with acting after her parents divorced: she spent so much time on her own at the time that she suddenly started watching lots and lots of movies. This is why she signed up for the Oxford School of Drama, not without a few insecurities: her image of acting school came from the TV show Fame, and she was slightly worried that she would have to spend her time wearing leg-warmers!
4) Her favorite film
The dedication and focus that got producers to choose her to play Queen Elizabeth were most likely also the result of watching Pride and Prejudice over and over: Claire declared she watched it about 4000 times (no kidding!!!) and that she knows the whole film by heart. Who knows, maybe impersonating this other Elizabeth was what charmed her very own Mr. Darcy!
5) Unusual spots
Claire declared that she placed the Golden Globe Award she won in 2017, as “best actress – television series drama” in her bathroom: it’s a reminder for her that despite living many different lives thanks to her work, she will always be the same in that room — when we see our own image reflected in the mirror, all filters and fiction disappear, and that is when we find ourselves again.
September and October are the two months during which wine is everywhere in Italy, since it’s harvest time. Of course, Italy is hard to beat when it comes to grapes, and this time of the year, when ripe grapes get harvested is very important for the country — both for its tradition and its economy. Grape harvesting can make a beautiful experience that you should try at least once in your life. The good news is, it’s very easy to set it up! If you like good wine and the countryside, or if you just want to try the rural life for a day, all you have to do is call one of these wineries in Italy, which open their vineyards to the public during harvest time, and go visit. Salute!
Agriturismo il Greppo – Montepulciano (Tuscany)
You’ll be able to taste local fare, stay in comfortable poolside apartments, and of course, you will be able to help with the yearly Fall harvest. Get ready, you’ll have to work about 15 hectares worth of land!
Masseria Ferri – Ostuni (Apulia)
This eco-farm is unique and it organizes several activities. Guests can stay in one of their 4 trulli, the traditional stone houses of the area, which were completely restored and renovated with all the facilities and comfort you may want, including wi-fi. In addition to harvesting grapes, you can also go mountain biking, or go picking mushrooms.
Agriturismo Fratelli Vagnoni – San Gimignano (Tuscany)
This family-run estate is really large and very traditional, built almost entirely in exposed brick. Thanks to its large spaces, which include 45 hectares of land solely dedicated to organic agriculture, this place offers all sorts of activities which can range from getting lost in the paths winding around the estate, to participating in the eco-lodge’s work, which includes harvesting grapes as well as olives. And should you feel like having some fresh fruit, feel free to pick it straight from the trees, and just enjoy it.
Cà Borgo Vecchio – Brusasco, Turin (Piedmont)
During the Middle Ages, this place was a castle. Now, after 20 years of neglect and disrepair, it was turned into a renowned eco-farm. After participating in grape harvesting, you can choose to spend four extra days here on the Monferrato hills, to discover their scents, colors and taste, thanks to the packages that the estate organizes just for you.
Casale dei Dotti – Perugia (Umbria)
Once again, we are talking about a historical building that was built in the second half of the 19th century, and which has recently been converted into an eco-farm. This is the ideal place to enjoy some rest, after spending your day in the fields, harvesting tasty grapes.
Superfoods. That’s what everyone calls these kinds of food that are so good for your health. They became really big over the past few years, and it really seems impossible to do without them by now. They are famous because of their many healthy components, which make them number one allies for your health and for your system. It’s not really about any foods with specific scientific characteristics here, they are rather called superfoods because they contain more minerals, vitamins, antioxidants and proteins than the average, so much so that they are an inestimable source of energy for all of us.
There are tons of superfoods, most of them are plant-based, and each one of them takes care of one part of our body specifically. Beetroot, for instance, has natural anti-cancer properties, Greek-style yoghurt helps digestion and weight loss, curcuma is antibacterial, green tea works wonders for your circulation and your heart, blueberries prevent eye conditions, such as losing your sense of sight or glaucoma, olive oil is good for your bones, while sweet potatoes take care of your blood pressure. These superfoods are true allies in our search for long, healthy lives.
And that is not all, because superfoods also make great ingredients you can add to your beauty routine. How, you ask? Well, by eating them, of course! People often think that beauty is all about using expensive, elaborate creams or products, but the truth is, a lot of your beauty depends on your diet and your lifestyle: some foods can make our body and hair glow from the inside.
Blueberries, spinach, salmon, eggs, cocoa and kiwi, with their very high nutritional value, make our hair soft, rich, healthy, and shiny. And let’s not even mention avocado, black tea, tomatoes, almond milk and berries, that prevent lines and other flaws, making your skin glow, hydrating it and giving it extra elasticity on the way. Honestly, a lot of these foods are delicious, and there will be no nutritionist or diet specialist stopping us from having as much of them as we like, this time.
Have a look at the gallery, and write your shopping list: are you ready to stuff yourselves with health and beauty?
The drop in temperatures and cloudy skies came so suddenly that we realized we were not ready yet to give up on our summer outfits yet… Let’s be honest, how can anyone be thinking about warm jackets already? The solution to give it all a bit of warmth again is something you most likely already own: a cotton sweater!
Even though we are sweatshirt fans, it’s time for a break! This doesn’t mean getting rid of sweatshirts altogether, not at all, but it does mean adding a new “touch” to your style, like a sweater, for instance: oversize, colorful ones are our favorite kind, and they will give your style a chic and elegant touch, depending on how you style them. If you want to keep showing off your tan, wear your sweater with a mini or midi skirt: your cotton sweater will be form the perfect outfit for Fall, the kind which will cover you, but not too much, and that will still be totally cool. If you lost your tan already, or if you just don’t care about showing your legs, wear your sweater with jeans or tailored pants, and a mini heel: and voila, you will look just A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!
Have a look at our three cotton sweater styling ideas in the gallery: what do you think? Have you already picked a favorite?
Wear your sweater with mini skirts
Wear your sweater with jeans or trousers
Wear your sweater with midi or maxi skirts
The founder of this project really needs no introduction, but we will still tell you a thing or two about her. It’s Rihanna! Her full name is Robyn Rihanna Fenty, born in Barbados in the late 1980s. She’s been a successful singer and entrepreneur for a while — and after moving her first steps in the fashion world with Fenty x Puma, she now decided to enter the magical realm of beauty, too. During her year-long experiments with what beauty companies from all over the place had to offer, Rihanna realized that there was still some space to develop a collection that would take care of women with all sorts of complexions. She secretly worked on her product line for about two years, to then launch it with an exclusive party during New York Fashion Week!
Fenty Beauty was designed to include women all over the world, nevermind their skin color. It was created to inspire and to be fun, and not to cover women’s faces like a mask. RiRi’s message was simple as it was essential: makeup should not be a uniform. We should all feel free to experiment, and these products are, in her opinion, what is still missing from our beauty cases, to be able to experiment without giving up on our beauty.
Their range of colors is so impressive! They offer 40 shades of foundation and 30 for skin sticks, and their formulas are conceived to work on all sorts of skin: oily, combination or dry. Their textures are lightweight and easy to apply, and their intensity can be modified depending on how many layers or how many times a product is applied.
If you think that your skin color can’t be taken care of by any brand on the market, we are sure that this one will. Their different shades of foundation, in particular, were elaborated starting exactly from those customer demands that no one else had managed to satisfy yet. Just try it, you’ll see! Unfortunately, you still have to go to the US to test these products at the local Sephora branches, for now, but who knows, maybe Rihanna will export her collection elsewhere soon, too…
Is the new season already pushing you to look for a new bag? Do you already have something in mind? Before you make a decision and just end up heading straight to the store, have a look at the current trends… You will see that the coolest bags around right now are vintage ones!
Being fashion lovers doesn’t mean having every single new thing designers come up with, actually, it means knowing how to pick what will always stay with you, without changing with every trend. Start the search for your new favorite bag in vintage stores: there is no better, more satisfying treasure than an iconic, exclusive bag… Just look at Kendall Jenner and her neverending collection of vintage bags: even if she could really have any bag she wants, she always goes for one that defines her style with an exclusive touch.
You think your mum’s bags are old school? They absolutely aren’t, they are actually a treasure you should try to borrow as soon as possible… And that you should never give back, if you can, lol! If we almost convinced you, but you still need a little nudge in addition to Kendall’s street style, have a look at Chiara‘s Instagram account: you will notice her love for vintage bags there, too!
We chose a selection of the coolest bags to look for right now for our gallery, and we included belt bags, short-strap sling bags, fabric and leather bags, monogram print bags and much more! If you are curious, stop wasting your time right now, and go have a look at our gallery!
I feel like playing riddles lately, so, are you ready? They are interesting inside and beautiful on the outside, what are they? A bit of suspense… Museums, yes, that’s right! Well done. Some museums look even better on the outside than on the inside, and this is why they are everywhere on our Instagram feeds. You will find museums all over the world that are true works of art themselves, designed and built to wow people! So, if you want to make your next trip even more incredible, here is the list of the most Instagram-friendly museums on the planet!
Vacations are so exhausting. Nope, we’re not crazy, we’re just voicing what your hair is thinking! Hours and hours in the sun, swimming, and relax may be music to your ears, but the rest of your head might not be of the same opinion. Previously in this series on how to care for your hair, we’ve talked about how the sea, pool and sun can be your best friends and worst enemies in the summer: this time, we’re being pro-active; here’s the perfect routine to avoid damaging your hair during a vacation and return to the city with a shiny mane!
Step 1: packing. It all starts with packing, because once you know what kind of baggage you can take on board, you can start figuring out your beauty bag. If your destination entails a long stay and many outfits, find a corner in your suitcase for the new Pantene Gold Series Repairing Hair Mask – it’ll be your strongest ally. If, on the other hand, you’re the adventurous type that travels with a backpack or hand luggage, no worry! Pantene’s Wonder Ampoules are easy to use and perfect for a mini beauty bag which will speed through security.
Step 2: the routine. Once you’ve selected your product for the vacation, there’s one important thing to do: apply it regularly and consistently! If you only do it once in 10 days, it will be no use. You need to build up a beauty routine that includes hair care, if not every day, then at least every 2-3 washes, so that you can moisturize your hair, which at this point will be stressed by sand, saltwater, and the wind. Also remember to rinse after treatment, and pat it dry if you don’t want to use a hairdryer. If you follow these rules, the treatment will be totally worth it.
Don’t forget to protect your hair against excessive sunlight with a nice straw hat. You’ll be so glam at the beach, and your hair will thank you! Obviously, we encourage you to keep up the routine after you’re back… it’ll be our little secret
How to write an article about someone who defines herself — or himself — by his or her lack of gender, if there is no neutral pronoun you can use to describe him, or her? This was my question when I interviewed Rain Dove, face of Sisley‘s new campaign, poster person of the battle against gender, and spokesperson for that portion of the population that doesn’t define itself as male or female. Rain was born female, with a very feminine body and very clear female characteristics, but with a face characterised by very strong features, which might be considered conventionally male. Until the age of 18, Rain saw herself as an “ugly girl”: after a misunderstanding with a model agency that actually hired her to work as a male model, Rain understood she could actually be quite successful as a man, and that also got her thinking about how gender definitions are completely insensitive to human nature. We discussed this together, and Rain told us about what it means to feel genderless, and about how we all are genderless, and about how the only thing that can really define us is our essence.
Hi Rain, can you tell us more about what it means to feel ” genderless “?
We all are, actually, I tell you, because gender and sexuality are two different things. The latter identifies all the biological elements within our body that define our sex, while gender is a category we choose to define ourselves — but that category is completely arbitrary. If you think about it, what is feminine or male changes so much according to the country you are in, and what culture you are immersed in. The truth is that choosing to define yourself as genderless is the most honest choice you can make: it means being true to yourself, rather than following those social conventions that define what kind of clothes we should wear, what colors we should like, and what kind of haircut we should have. It means asking yourself, do I like this? Is it representative of my style? And only choosing to wear something if the answer to these questions is yes, and not because we are influenced by what we were taught to think.
So this has nothing to do with sexual orientation? Is this more about society?
It’s about living your life the way you want to, without worrying too much about what society expects of you, just because you were born with one body type rather than another. Wouldn’t it be great to meet somebody, and get to know him or her without any preconceptions? Wouldn’t you like to be able to go shopping without having to choose which department to go to? We are all different, and our body is just a shell, made of parts we can substitute. The only thing you cannot change about it is your essence, what makes you unique. So, defining yourself as genderless is a choice: the choice to be yourself, and nothing else.
When did you start thinking of yourself in these terms?
When I moved to Colorado. When I first got there, somebody thought I was a guy and that was my lightbulb moment: why be an ugly girl, as I always thought I was, when I could be a cute guy instead? I played this card, and got hired as a firefighter. I worked as firefighter for 11 months without anyone realizing I was a girl, and then I thought: why do I have to pretend to be something I am not just in order to have an easier time in my life, and to get this job? And that was when I rebelled against the whole idea of gender.
What about sex, then? Because you may define yourself as genderless, but sexual orientation is clear, and sometimes it can be pretty rigid. For instance, I like guys. Even if I meet a wonderful person, as much as I like him or her, if there are feminine traits, or boobs, I think I will just never feel attracted to this person.
It’s two different things: being genderless doesn’t mean being attracted to everyone in the same way. The truth is, you don’t like men as a category, you like people with certain characteristics, with certain aesthetic traits: people with a penis, for a start, perhaps even a penis of a certain size, for instance, or maybe people with a beard, people who are taller than you, who have lots of hair, or who are completely hairless, maybe. These are all very precise beauty features, and we feel attracted to those, not to the “male” or “female” general category.
How do you dress to feel sexy? To take your lover’s breath away?
Well, if I want to seduce my partner, I l’ll just wear nothing at all! (Rain laughs) Jokes aside, clothes are like costumes, for me: I decide what to wear depending on the occasion. For instance, if I’m out on my own at night, I prefer dressing like a man, because it’s safer. If I wear a dress, I feel it makes it likelier I get attacked. If I have a photo shoot for a magazine cover, instead, I choose to wear a female outfit, because it’s generally just more wow. In general, though, I choose to wear comfortable clothing, I like bright colors and most of all I like quality: I hate low-cost, chain fast fashion. My clothing has to be lasting, like armour.
What’s your favorite item in your wardrobe?
I have a beautiful magenta blazer that works with everything, with pants and a shirt, or with a sexy dress.
Last question: I need to write this interview, and I don’t know what pronoun to use.
Pronouns are just sounds to me: use whichever you like, as long as you use it positively. I hope there will be a neutral way to describe people in the future, without having to pigeonhole people into stereotypes. The world is changing, and hopefully that will change the way we express ourselves, because we are what makes society, and we are the ones who should change it, to make it more suitable for us, for how we actually feel.
If you’re one of those people who’d wear their boots even to the beach, good news for you: time to get a new pair! 2017 is the year for boot lovers, since these shoes will be a must and the runways gave us plenty of different styles, in various colors and materials. So, what should you invest on, considering the Fall Winter 2017 shoe trends? We had a look at recent fashion shows and selected the 5 boots you need this season! What’s your favorite?
SHIMMERY BOOTS They win the crown as the most instagrammed piece of the Fall Winter 2017-2018 season – and with good reason, since they turn heads! The new glittery boots by Saint Laurent, brainchild of Vaccarello, desired by many, and the antecedent of the many more eye-catching boots that came at a later time, winners of hearts. From Chanel to Scognamiglio to Alexis Mabille, the key words are glitter, sequins, and gold and silver.
SOFT BOOTS They were a must-have in the 2000s and have made a comeback on the Fall Winter 2017-2018 runways; you’ll soon see them at the feet of celebs and fashion icons, we bet! Loose on the legs, they “wrinkle” with different final results depending on whether they are ankle, knee-high, or over the knee, and give your style a lot of personality. From the minimal wedge boots by Lacoste to the incredible (and super beautiful) ones by Y/Project, to the cult item of the season – the boots designed by Saint Laurent.
SOCK BOOTS They fit like a glove around your foot and leg: tight around your shapes, there’s no way to hide imperfections! If you’re thick around the calves, then move away from high stretch boots such as Balmain‘s and opt for those by Burberry: you’ll still be trendy, and your legs will thank you.
LACE UP BOOTS The laced-up effect is here to stay – and not just for shoes. Rather than ballet flats though, the Fall Winter 2017-2018 fashion shows seem to have been inspired by mountain wear: the style is definitely sporty and gritty, even though these are still fancy, heeled boots, and the laces are often in bright colors, just like mountaineering ropes. Very cool, though we must ask: how long will it take us to put them on in the morning? (Please, tell us there are zips hidden in there!)
BUCKLED BOOTS Straight from the 60s, suede or jacquard style, jeweled, or very much 90s style, with minimal buckles and modern materials such as snakeskin and calfskin: if you’re looking for some basic boots with interesting details, buckles are for you: you’ll nail the style.
Dabass probably has it on its menu, alongside its delicious food: a love potion that makes everyone who gets close to this recently opened restaurant in Porta Romana, Milan, fall utterly in love. It might be the atmosphere, with its design lighting and its vintage chairs and tables from the flea market, it might be their delicious menu, prepared with love, changing every day, it might be their bar area, which really makes you want to hang out for an extra glass, making a toast to a radiant future: whatever it is, we’ve never seen so many eyes sparkle with love as we did yesterday.
We decided to test Dabass after we saw the photos of its interiors on the IG profile of a friend of ours who is always in the know of new places to go. We fell in love with what we saw, and as always, trusting our friend was a good idea: despite the place being jam-packed yesterday night, not just for dinner, but also for drinks later on — the restaurant is also a cocktail bar — we felt at home right after sitting down, perhaps also thanks to the table setting, with its mismatched ceramic plates that look like they were just stolen from our grannies’ kitchens. The furniture is entirely upcycled, and their bathroom is very selfie-friendly, thanks to its round mirror and its pink, flower-print wallpaper that will make you suddenly feel like you are in 1960s Milan.
The menu changes every day, depending on the chef’s creativity, and it is composed of 4 courses plus 3 extras, served in a succession as a tasting menu that will satisfy both your sight and sense of taste. Are you a picky eater? Worry not: we went as a party of three, each of us had special requests for the kitchen, and they took care of each and every single problem we had, whether it was food intolerance, or just preference. The dish that won all of our hearts, though, was poached eggs on saffron cream: this is the chef’s specialty, so perhaps we all actually just fell in love with him after all. Could he be hiding the restaurant’s secret love filter? If you are planning a romantic date, book it here to find out if that is the case, and order that dish: who knows, it might be holding the secret to stealing your date’s heart…
Would you ever have thought that a little girl could be more stylish than us, big people? The fact is, yes, it can happen. Coco Pink Princess is a 6-year-old Japanese girl who loves fashion and vintage, and after spending months following her on Instagram, we are pretty sure we need to add her to our list of the most stylish girls around right now.
We aren’t actually big fans of children getting overly exposed on social media, however, Coco’s story is different and it deserves to be told. Born in Fukushima, Coco moved to Tokyo with her family when she was just a few months old, and in the city, she discovered a new world and an early passion for fashion, by spending time at Funktique Tokyo, her family’s vintage clothing store. Every day after school, Coco spent time with her parents at the shop, until it became her second home, and this got her to learn the job from some of the best vintage treasure hunters in the country. The store became very famous and it became the go-to place for influencers and social media fans, who befriended Coco and encouraged her to start her own Instagram profile.
Feeling at home at Funktique Tokyo is what gave Coco the chance to create such a defined identity for herself at only 6: in her profile, you will find photos of her life and her sporty, cool, and very pink style. Bomber jackets, berets, kimono shirts, logo t-shirts, blazers with belts on top, thin glasses, furry bags, cowboy booties and so many other vintage treasures are among the vintage pearls she shares with her over 300k followers.
If you are also vintage fans, you will definitely love Coco’s style and the amazing items that blow our mind in her Instagram photos. So, are you ready to get lifestyle lessons from a 6-year-old? We are sure that if she starts out like this, she will be a street style queen by the time she is an adult… So, get ready!
This is a yearly challenge, every year it’s a battle to the last brush standing, but this time around, it is very hard to pick a winner. Hair trends for Fall Winter 2017-2018 actually do see the triumph of middle parting styles, but only by just a few points over side partings .
MIDDLE PARTING comes with very romantic hair styles this season that are often characterised by soft waves and vintage vibes. Beach waves — as long as they are not too messy — also work with this styling, making us look sophisticated and attentive to our look. The idea is to recreate the waves you get after just after you undo a braid: so, get your round brushes and curling wands ready, prepare all your good will, and get ready to get inspired by the looks seen on the Dior, Alberta Ferretti and Zadig & Voltaire shows.
As for SIDE PARTING STYLES, they come in two different versions: the first one focuses on movement and volume, and looks very dynamic, while the second is all about precision. In the first case, the parting might look a little messy, but actually, your mane will be well set, in order not to look entirely wild, as shown by Max Mara and Wunderkind. In the second case, the line is so straight it almost seems like it was traced by a marker: your hair will be perfectly parted, with the extra help of a product, such as wax or hairspray. Jour/Ne even highlights the parting by coloring it red.
So, we can all take a deep breath and relax: no matter whether we are fans of side or middle partings, we will always look cool. And if we feel like it, we could even try to change how we part our hair: this is actually very good for you, as it will make your hair and scalp a lot healthier. We know that middle partings are usually recommended for those of us with a very round or square jawline, and we also know that side partings work well for those of us with a long, oval face… But why not just completely overhaul our look for once? There are no rules: the only rule is to do what you feel comfortable with.
When we decide to go on a trip, if we’re truly passionate about having a full experience, we want to live just like the locals and do the things they would do. One of the activities we could do is going to the theater to watch a play, even one in a language we don’t know. Sometimes, other than the play itself, the theater could be the main attraction: they are beautiful, impressive, historical and extremely elegant. Therefore, for your next trip, here’s our list of the most beautiful theaters in the world and where to find them!
When Fall is about to start, and the weather changes, our beauty routine should also change with it. Preparing your skin for the new season is essential if you don’t want it to suffer because of the change in weather, especially because it might get drier, and lose in elasticity. Here are a few rules you should be mindful of when taking care of your skin, they are all important and effective, as well as relaxing.
Exfoliating your face and body is rule number one. Scrubs and peeling products are here to help us getting rid of dead cells, and to prepare your skin for other treatments. Make sure that you don’t choose overly aggressive treatments, because those might cause lesions and rashes.
The next step is to move on to your real beauty ritual: moisturizing! This means making sure you choose super nourishing creams for your body, or perhaps oils, such as almond or jojoba oil. As for your face, don’t forget to choose the moisturizer that works best for your skin type: if you have oily or combination skin, choose something that won’t make your skin produce any excess oil. Our beloved masks can also be great allies in our meticulous routine. And can you think of a more relaxing moment than this, anyway? A moment just for ourselves, with a mask on our face, soft music and a glass of wine, or a piece of dark chocolate in your hands?
Finally, let’s talk about protection — you shouldn’t neglect sunscreen in Winter: even if you choose a low SPF, you still should be wearing some sort of sunscreen. And don’t forget lip balms! They are great for avoiding chapped lips and for fighting the effect of cold weather on your lips, and let’s be honest… Lip balms are our secret love!
So what are you waiting for? Get ready to take care of your skin… We are already on it ad we have a few tips for you, so make sure you don’t miss our gallery!
Cover photo credit: Svetlana Pochatun
Fashion weeks have officially started, and as per usual, the street is our favorite catwalk: It Girls and fashion lovers are here with their best looks, to inspire us while we get ready for Fall.
Looking at street style photos from Copenhagen and Stockholm, we noticed that some retro sneaker designs are central to some of the most beautiful looks. Curious? Don’t even think of a sporty, ultra look cool, actually, just forget about that. The real secret to draw everyone’s attention is to wear your sneakers with something totally unexpected!
If you love sneakers and you’ve been looking for new ways to wear them for a while, how about choosing your favorite design and matching it to our look suggestions for Fall 2017? In the meantime, we already picked our favorite style, which will definitely stay true to our favorite outfits for the season
Wear sneakers with something unexpected: suits are a must!
Wear sneakers with something unexpected: what about an office midi skirt?
Wear sneakers with something unexpected: what do you think about colorful tights and oversize dresses?
It’s posh, chic and sensual: a ribbon in your hair is the kind of accessory that can give a completely different twist to your look. It can be used in many ways, and you can get creative, depending on your choice of color, thickness and kind of fabric — you can go for satin, silk or velvet. There is really no better way to play with what you can do with your hair, to create hairstyles that will make you stand out, and look charming.
You can also use it to frame your face, wearing your ribbon as a headband, as seen at Chanel‘s FW15’s show: just tie it at on the lower half your head, leaving part of the ribbon hanging. It also looks beautiful as decoration for your bun, like Bianca Balti wears it, either braided into your hair, or as a way to cover your hair-tie.
A ribbon can also work as a substitute for the hair-tie on your ponytail or half ponytail: in the first case, it will make your ponytail look soft and dainty.
Feeling romantic? There’s nothing more feminine than a ribbon getting braided and twisted into your hair, to make and embellish your plaits, like Emily Ratajkovski does.
A ribbon can also be used as a bow: just tie your ribbon beautifully into a bow, and secure it with a bobby pin, anywhere on your head — for instance, on a lock on the side of your head.
Have a look at the photos in the gallery for inspiration, and get ready to decorate your hair with a ribbon!
It was 2001 when the then golden couple Britney Spears + Justin Timberlake showed up on the red carpet of the American Music Awards in their partner, denim total look that made history. 15 years later, denim total looks are cool again, as seen on It Girls and trendsetters par excellence Rihanna and Kendall Jenner, who were photographed last week looking basically the same, in small denim jackets and skinny jeans.
This is no coincidence: just look at the catwalks, and you’ll notice that denim-on-denim is definitely a thing again, and it is especially perfect for autumn. Yeezy‘s show was the perfect example of this, with its wide cuts and vaguely grunge appeal, made even cooler when matched with high-heeled booties — by the way, do you need a tip on how to style your jacket in a new way? Tuck it into your jeans, as if it were a shirt. Dior‘s styling choices lend this generally casual combination a smart touch, by matching it with sheer black stockings, berets and pumps.
Either way, the good thing about this trend is that literally anyone can pull it off, nevermind their body type, style or age. Whether you love wide or skinny cuts, whether you like flared jeans or can’t live without your skinny jeans, whether you like short jackets or refuse to wear anything that doesn’t at least brush your knees, you will surely find ways to make this trend your own. If you want a few styling tips, all you need to do is visit our gallery.
Here is a test: what do artists like Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, Justin Timberlake, Ariana Grande e Selena Gomez all have in common? Come on, it’s not that hard… Okay, we will tell you: they were all part of Disney Club, and all of them had great careers. Time has passed, though, and over the past few years, Disney Club has produced a new heroine that is stealing the hearts of all American teenagers, and not just theirs, since we also just picked her as our Woman Crush of the week! Her name is Dove Cameron, and if this doesn’t ring a bell, you will be able to boast that you already knew everything about her when she does get crazy famous.
Dove, whose full name is Chloe Celeste Hosterman, was born in Seattle in 1996, but she spent some of her childhood years in France. As is often the case for very talented people, Chloe insisted on attending acting school since she was a kid, and she finally made it when the entire family decided to move to movie capital LA.
Disney chose her for the main role in Liv and Maddie, a TV show that was very successful with teenagers, when she was only 12 — she played the lead character for all the four seasons it ran. After this experience, the young actress was also chosen for Cloud 9, Descendants (part 2 was released in July this year) and Hairspray Live!
Crazy career for someone who’s only 21 years old, you might say… And that’s not all! Yes, because our WCW is a singer, too, and she started a band called The Girl and The Dreamcatcher, with her ex-boyfriend. The two released a few singles together, but after they broke up, the band also went on hiatus.
Today, Dove is in another happy relationship with co-star Thomas Doherty. Who knows what that relationship might bring?
We often make the mistake to think that the most stylish people are those who follow the latest trends, the ones who can afford to wear the trendiest clothing every season… But the truth is, it is just the contrary: good taste and a strong identity also mean that you don’t need to follow the fashion industry’s hectic pace, knowing how to revamp your favorite items, or even reinterpret trends with a personal touch, instead.
This obviously doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t buy what you like: I am telling you this as someone whose wardrobe is packed with clothes that were only worn once, who decided to clean up a bit last month, and who also decided to start buying more responsibly and in a smarter way — taking care of her wallet as well as her image on the way.
After a quick survey among friends, I realized that most girls I know prefer spending less on each single product, which allows them to have a larger variety of clothing, and be up to date with trends. Well… It is time we did something about this! Seasons are switching faster and faster, and trends constantly change: this implies a huge expense, and in addition to that, it also creates huge amounts of throwaway fashion that will either gather dust in your wardrobe, or get thrown or given away, every time the trend changes.
It is important to give emotional value to each product, and to understand that buying less, and buying smartly, is the way to go for fashion lovers, and for all those who would like to work on changing the system. The secret is to invest in quality, exclusive items that will last a few seasons. This doesn’t mean it has to be something expensive: vintage is a good idea, for instance. If you don’t like buying second-hand clothing, you should still focus on quality: why buy a polyester item that you’ll have to change after two washings, when you can invest in silk, which will stay in your wardrobe for years instead, in perfect condition?
Remember that styling is always key: if you are good at it, and like trying out new stuff, you will not need to update your wardrobe every week, and you will be able to play around with just a few indispensable items that really shouldn’t be missing from your season’s closet.
We gathered 10 items in our gallery that you really can’t miss for Fall Winter 2017-2018: we are sure that if you own one of each, you will be able to come up with terrific looks for the whole season! What do you think? Do you like the idea?
10 smart investments for Fall Winter 2017-2018: remember the styling is always the key!
After a crazy hot summer (in Italy at least), temperatures are finally dropping back to regular levels, and we are ready to peel ourselves off that couch, and to part from our new best friend, aircon. Enough! It’s time to go out, especially because September days are the best to start again with outdoor sports! There’s one activity that everyone seems to like, since it unites physical activity and tourism, and that is hiking. Walking along beautiful paths, discovering amazing landscapes that only Italy can offer, can be a true gift for your body and your soul. So, get your notebooks out, and get ready to note down the best hiking paths in Italy according to TBS!
Parco Nazionale del Paradiso
Nature, clean air, absolute silence and groundhogs will be keeping you company during you walk. You will find beautiful landscapes with 360-degree views on the Gran Paradiso, Monte Rosa, Cervino and Mont Blanc mountains — to name just a few.
Camogli to Portofino
After a mountain path, here is a seaside one… And you can’t even imagine the beauty of this sea! The Liguria coast is among the most beautiful in Italy, and this 10-km path will make you fall in love with it… Even more.
Sentiero degli Dei (Path of the Gods)
This one is in the South, in the Campania region, to be precise. This path is about 8km long, and it reaches high altitudes, testing your courage. But as people say, no pain no gain, and the view of Capri on the horizon will definitely make it worth it.
Valle di Selvaromana
Even though many prefer having this hike in Winter, we think that Autumn is the best time to walk it. Wild woods, high canyons, untouched green nature and chamois goats roaming free: these are the main elements of the landscape you will find yourselves in front of here.
Sentiero dei limoni (The path of Lemon Trees)
What comes to mind if we say “lemons”? Yes, that’s right: we are talking about the Costiera Amalfitana, and the wonderful path that crosses it. It owes its name to the scent of lemons that will please your senses while trekking… As for the landscape, well, let us just say that this path made it onto the list of the 50 best hiking paths in the world.
Parco delle Madonie
Let’s move further South, down to beautiful Sicily. This itinerary crosses through several villages, and it makes for a very, very interesting path, with lots of typically Mediterranean fauna and flora. And if you feel tired… You can take a break on the beaches nearby!
Trekking del Lupo (Trek of the Wolves)
This path covers an area that stretches over the Parco delle Alpi Marittime in Piedmont, Italy, and the Parc du Mercantour, in France. On this path, you will find forests, lakes, and unforgettable views. And of course, while trekking, you will also get the chance to watch wolves, and the way they live.
Be honest: you’re totally team #coldfeet and you’d happily wear your socks at night even in June (but you don’t, because you’re a decent person), and you wear tights and thick socks with your boots. No need to be ashamed: no more worrying about your socks showing under your low boots, or suffering the cold when it’s 10 degrees outside with bare feet. Socks have made a comeback, everybody’s in love with them, and they are the must-have accessory with any kind of look and any kind of shoes!
From furry slippers to fancy sandals, the trend of the Fall Winter 2017-2018 collections is saying NO to bare feet, as confirmed by global trendsetter Rihanna who, in addition to having her Fenty models walk the runway with knee-high sports socks, has designed a new collection of socks for Stance, inspired by her iconic looks, from the CFDA Awards total nude to the Met Gala yellow cape gown.
Then again, we’d been smelling the arrival of this trend for quite some time, both on the street and in the fashion shows; for a few seasons, the most popular boots among celebs (and everyone else: see the Zara collections) have been stretch boots.
To conclude: it’s high time you went shopping for net socks, sports socks, and more importantly, extra large wool socks: we’ll be wearing them with our naked legs (your feet are covered, that’s what matters!), with sandals or with pumps when we want to feel sexy, with Beatles-style low boots when we feel tomboyish, with flats when we feel romantic, and with furry slippers when we want to be super cool fashionistas. In any case, our feet will no longer be cold. About time, right?
I will share a secret with you: I love dark, 99% pure chocolate, and I eat quite a bit of it every night. I bet I’m not the only one chocolate lover, too: this treat makes you so happy and relaxed with just one bite… And one of chocolate’s main properties, it turns out, is that it stimulates endorphin production, and endorphin is what helps you relax and feel happy — this is why it can be addictive, not just because it’s delicious!
Cocoa is not only good for your mood, it has many other good properties: it hydrates your skin, making it smoother, and purifies it. It is also an excellent antioxidant, since it contains polyphenols, and polyphenols are excellent allies for battling free radicals in your system. So, chocolate is not only good to eat, it slows down the aging process, too, and it is also one of the main ingredients in anti-cellulite treatments. So even if we can’t eat as much chocolate as we like, we can still use it for our bodies, taking in all its wonderful benefits, and enjoying its fragrance!
What if I told you cocoa is also good for your hair? Because it is: thanks to its vitamin, mineral and amino acid content, cocoa lends volume to your hair, it hydrates it, softens it and gifts it with a wonderful shine, highlighting its natural sheen. There aren’t so many chocolate-based products on the market yet, other than the ones you will find in our gallery, but you could try making your own home-made hair mask, mixing cocoa, honey and olive or almond oil. I do it about once a month, and I must say I noticed the results quite quickly: my hair is a lot softer, it smells lovely, and it is super easy to comb. Just two recommendations: rinse abundantly with shampoo, and don’t even think of adding Nutella to your mask… That will not nourish your hair, it will just work as hazel-colored hair-dye!
So, yes, chocolate was made to grant our every wish, and to offer us an all-round, multi-sensory experience. It’s a sweet ingredient that you must absolutely add to your skincare and haircare routine. So, the next time you bite off a piece of chocolate, have a look at our gallery, and pamper your senses!
If you have a feeling you’ve seen him before, well, you’re probably right. Our charming Man of the week, Domnhall Gleeson, featured in several movies, among which Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows, Anna Karenina, The Revenant, Star Wars VII and Ex Machina, to name a few. He is also part of the cast of Mother!, a feature film which will premiere at the 74th edition of Venice Film Festival, and will be released in theaters at the end of September.
Domnhall was born in Dublin on May 12, 1983, and he is utterly in love with his native land and culture, so much so that he decided to carry on living there, only leaving Ireland to go to castings and to shoot films. His typically Irish name, which is apparently hard to pronounce for Americans too, means “king of the world” in Gaelic.
His dream was to become a writer and direct movies, but somehow, he ended up following in his father’s footsteps: Brendan Gleeson, his father, featured as Alastar Moody in the Harry Potter saga. This is clearly the right direction for Domnhall, since he already won a Primetime Emmy Award for his role as Winston Churchill in TV film Into The Storm, and he was already nominated for Golden Globes three times… But we must confess that he had already stolen our hears when he played Bill Weasley in Harry Potter.
It seems like Domnhall is a true rising star in Hollywood, so… All we can do is wish him the best of luck in becoming “king of film” there, and we will be waiting to watch him on the silver screen!
The documentary Seven Days, revisiting one of the most tragic weeks of the 90s, is released today, September 1: it looks back at the car accident that took Diana Spencer‘s (Lady Diana) life on August 31, 1997 in Paris. This docufilm presents her family’s and closest friends’ testimonies for the first time, painting her portrait as mother, woman, and the most beloved princess in history.
Twenty years on, almost everybody knows her name, not just because of her kind heart and her commitment to helping the less fortunate, but also for her style, which is still nowadays a source of inspiration for younger generations.
This season in particular, her closet has made a comeback: midi heels, baguette purses and mini bags, Matrix-style sunglasses, hoodies and baseball hats… we could go on forever!
We had a look at her most cool fall looks and selected our favorites to revisit: if you look up to her as a style icon, too, get ready; this winter is all about her style!
Lady Diana style: loafers + blazer are a must for fall
Lady Diana style: suiting is the biggest trend of the season
Lady Diana style: is she the Vetements muse?
When the end of the summer approaches, I always feel like changing my look, and the best place to start is undoubtedly makeup! So I get rid of bright colors and opt for softer shades to relax me. The first thing I do is changing the color of my nail polish. Fortunately, this year the nail trend for the fall is on my side with peach-colored nails, for a feminine and romantic look.
This hue has a lot of potential and goes perfectly with tanned skin, so there is no need to wait for the colder weather to be here: we can immediately start sporting delicate manicures reminiscent of summer sunsets. Matte or shine doesn’t matter, as long as it emphasises how refined your hands are: Blugirl, Gucci and Stella Jean, for instance, go for nude colors, while Emilio Pucci opts for an orange-ish tone.
This warm color also goes well with any kind of makeup and outfit, as it will not hijack the mood and style you’re going for. And thanks to the different available shades, which go from pink to orange to nude (and even glitter, if you’re feeling daring), we can have fun and change color often without straying away from the initial concept.
Looking for inspiration? Scroll down to the gallery, where you’ll be able to find a lot of inspiration and products that’ll make you want to go on a shopping spree or book a manicure right now!
Nope, hippies did not go extinct at the end of the 1970s, some free souls still roam the Earth, and their travels are more interesting than yours. Young or adult, there is no difference: every one of them shares the same rebellious, anticonformist, and free attitude. With time, flower children became an inspiration for everybody and everything, from fashion to music, to lifestyle. Their travel itineraries are the most sought after! So if you feel a hippie or want to be one, or you want a free spirit travel experience, here are 5 destinations we chose for you!
Bisbee, Arizona
The US, the cradle of the hippie movement, couldn’t not have a symbol city. Bisbee is considered to have the highest concentration of hippies in the country. The relaxed lifestyle and the many artists living here are impressive!
El Bolsón, Argentina
From the US to South America to land in El Bolsón, a small Argentinian city that over time became the secret haven of hippies from all over the world. It certainly helps that the views are amazing and nature untouched. Overall, a true introspective trip.
Kathmandu, Nepal
The capital city of this Asian country has welcomed a huge number of hippie tourists over the years, as it offers them the quiet and peace they really need. The temples all over the city center will be your favorite spot.
Goa, India
Goa is probably the most famous destination for this kind of tourism. India in general is the perfect place if you want to spend time relaxing, away from the chaos. And there’s more: many experts say that Goa is the last “hippie paradise”. What more can we say if not “pack your bags”!
Tulum, Mexico
Back to the Americas and more specifically to Tulum, the popular Mexican tourist spot. Hippies state they can really find themselves and their lost energies here, thanks to the proximity with nature and to the super relaxed population!
Normally, when I come back from a trip I try to think of one word that encapsulates the experience I just lived and the places I have seen. I had been dreaming about this trip to Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam for so long that even before I left home, I’d already come up with a word (actually, two): friends, and backpacking. But reality never corresponds to pre-departure expectations, and it always turns out that the words you thought would describe your trip do not describe it appropriately.
First step: Bangkok. We land into the capital of Thailand at 2 pm, right on time for a few hours of relax in the hotel and getting ready for the evening. As real tourists and sort of cliché aficionados, we treat ourselves to a drink at Sirocco, the skybar famous for its breath-taking location on the 63rd floor of the Lebua Hotel, but even more famous for being the location of some scenes of The Hangover Part II. And you do feel on the set of a movie there – one with a wonderful setting. Tall skyscrapers with their lights and two large rivers: the Chao Phraya (the actual river) and the car lights on the street (a golden river of light); Bangkok’s special welcome to us. The following day, we start exploring the most popular spots in the city: Wat Phra Kaew; the Grand Palace with the sunlight reflecting on its golden walls, creating a magical atmosphere; Wat Pho and the famous Reclining Buddha. Our last day in Bangkok is dedicated to exploring its neighbourhoods and the population of the city: Chinatown and its goldsmiths and street food during the day, Khao San Road in the evening, where the party mood wins us over. At the end of this first stop, I think my word for Bangkok is CONTRAST: as in the contrast between the magnificent temples and the noisy, crowded neighbourhoods, with rivers of people moving through what seem to be very narrow spaces.
We head towards Vietnam: a short flight and we are in Hanoi. We book a tour with the guys at “Ciao Vietnam”, an association of Vietnamese students of Italian who offer free tours in exchange for an opportunity to practice the language. Over one day, they show us the wonders of Hanoi, from the Ho Chi Minh mausoleum at the Temple of Literature, while in the evening, they take us on a food tour of the city. In the Old Quarter, we order Buncha (a typical Vietnamese noodle soup – and Barack Obama’s favorite dish!) and fresh rolls, after which we head over to a historical café in the Old Quarter (which has stayed exactly the same for the past 40 years) for a typical egg coffee. After this first day, I already know what my words for Vietnam are: MOTORBIKES and SOBRIETY; the reasons for the first one are easy to explain: out of the average 10 million people living in Vietnamese big cities, 9 million own a motorbike. Walking through the city requires courage, you need to be quick and resolute. My second word is inspired by the people of Vietnam: only recently getting accustomed to tourism, but so welcoming, and calmly and kindly so; people who take great pride in their history.
The following day, thanks to the good weather which you can’t take for granted this time of the year, we board a 2-day cruise in the Halong Bay. Here, we discover a different Vietnam, dominated by the sea and uncontaminated nature. After the cruise, Ho Chi Minh City (old Saigon) is waiting for us. After the war, the city was entirely rebuilt and now it’s almost all made up of tall, modern buildings. We set out for a DIY tour of the city on foot including all the iconic landmarks of the city, including City Hall, the central post office, Notre-Dame cathedral, and Reunification Palace. Hunting for even more authentic spots, we follow a taxi driver’s suggestion and visit the old street of artisan craftsmanship by the Ben Thahn market, where we buy a few (real or fake, we have no way to know) antiques from the Vietnam War. Our next stop is the Củ Chi Tunnel, about 20 miles from Saigon, one of the districts that suffered the worst destruction from the bombing and poisoning during the war. Củ Chi has the largest network of tunnels excavated by the Viet Cong: during the war, they constituted a city in itself, with kitchens, dormitories, and meeting rooms. Parts of these tunnels can now be explored by brave tourists, and we of course accept the challenge. It’s not easy, and while we walk bending over in the darkness, we try to think what this place must have been like before the tunnels were enlarged to facilitate tourist visits.
The following day, we board a flight to Cambodia. The humidity and heat are a constant presence here, too, but the thick vegetation and the city, which has a lot less traffic, make air easier to breath and the torrid heat easier to bear. Our first stop in the country is Angkor, Cambodia’s most important archeological site and one of the most important on the planet. The area is home to hundreds of Hindu and Buddhist temples, 80 of which are the main temples and of many other only some remains can be found. I was never particularly into archeological sites, but this is different: s soon as I step into the area in my sarong, I can definitely feel the captivating magnificence of this place and its timeless spirituality. These ruins tell a story about the present and the past. The following days and temples keep giving the same emotional gift. The following day we leave at dawn to visit Angkor Wat, the most important temple of the area and the symbol of Cambodia. It’s hard waking up at 4.30 am but we feel very smart and privileged. Who would ever wake up at that ungodly hour on vacation to see the sun rise over a Cambodian temple? Well, apparently almost all the tourists in the region! I had envisioned a sort of “private show”, and I find myself walking in the dark on a floating bridge together with hundreds of other people towards the grass around the temple, a sort of Woodstock – Coachella mixed experience. After this, we explore other wonderful temples: Ta Phrom and Ta Som, the former famous for hosting the set of the Tomb Rider movie (Angelina Jolie is sort of a national symbol and there’s a cocktail with her name), the latter less famous but just as beautiful.
The final days we dedicate to getting to know this city and its people better; we go to Kulen Mountain for an authentic Cambodian religious experience. Kulen is a green national park that doesn’t get much western tourism, with wonderful waterfalls where we stop to bathe in the water and take some photos. Kulen is, however, also and mainly a place of prayer, one of the most important ones for Cambodians. People come here to pray and find comfort in religion and each other. I think it was here that I found my word for Cambodia and its people, only one word but a strong one: INTEGRATION, for how religious symbols and the roots of the trees co-exist happily, and for how people always smile and help each other, in their awareness that happiness and fortune are a common possession. Those who have the least are the most generous: like Songha, our guide, who offered the tip we gave him to a Buddhist monk and to an elderly man doing roadwork on the path we were walking on, and then bought four animals made with palm leaves from a group of 4- or 5-year old girls. He explains that you should never give money to children, but rather teach them the concepts of work and remuneration. I follow his example and buy two small animals too from a 5-year old who greets me and chats with me in almost-perfect Italian. Her smile makes my heart happy. On the plane back to Milan, I have that melancholic but beautiful feeling that travels always give you at their end. It reminds me of how I feel as I read a book I love: I can’t wait to know how it ends, but I also never want it to end. Today, I keep re-reading the last line of this beautiful book that was my trip, waiting for the (for me and my fellow travelers) much-awaited sequel.
Words and pics by Chiara Magnaghi
I’m not one to wear much makeup; I never was. Be it because my sensitive skin doesn’t usually agree with cosmetics, or because I am lazy (my beauty colum is called The Lazy Girl Diary after all): but during the day, I just wear as little makeup as possible, and very often, especially in the summer, only mascara. However, I love playing around with makeup: at TBS Crew, I am always the first to try new products, from bright and glitter nail polishes to unusual lipstick colors; last year, I even dyed my hair a teal color. So when a gold mascara arrived for us to try, I did not hesitate to wear it, thinking it would be the first and only time I did, as it frequently happens.
You guys. Right after work, I’d planned to have a drink with friends and I’d completely forgotten about the gold mascara. But my friends noticed instantly and commented on how bright my eyes looked that day! A few days later, I wore it again to attend the presentation of a new beauty product; it was a huge hit, with PRs asking me about the name of the brand, because it looked so good. So it dawned on me that this product had a lot of potential: gold mascara is a simple product that does not require full-face makeup – in fact, it looks best on an otherwise natural-looking face. And still, there’s something magical about what your eyes look with it, even though the observer can’t tell where this magnetism comes from.
Long story short: gold mascara is now part of my beauty bag – forever. I wore it during summer evenings for extra luminosity that suited my tan perfectly, and I will wear it in the winter, when my makeup will entail eyeliners, kajal pencils, and dark eye shadows again, to which gold mascara will give unexpected brightness. Remember: better not to wear lipstick or wear a nude color, and use a generous amount of black mascara underneath… that’s how gold mascara will be at its best!
PS: this product is not easy to find: see the two options we propose in the gallery, but there’s an extra trick: you can apply your golden eyeliner onto your mascara, and the final result will be quite similar to what you’d achieve with the product itself!
They say there is no such thing as a magic potion or a spring of eternal youth to drink from for ever-young skin and a beautiful face that doesn’t age; it may be true, but for sure there’s a product that helps you to slow time down: face serums.
This “magical” treatment is a part of beauty routines and contains highly concentrated active ingredients which penetrate deep into your skin, thus being a lot more effective than any regular face cream on its own. Serums also have a lighter and silky texture compared to creams and for this reason, they need to be applied right after cleansing your skin and before you day or night cream. It’s lazy-proof: you only need a few drops (no more than 3) and no need to massage it into the skin unless the specific instructions of the product say so – or unless you want to try a new sensory experience: lately, cosmetics brands have been coming up with new formulas that contain perfumes that can relax your body and mind, thus creating new beauty rituals that involve multiple senses at once.
There are several types of serums, including anti-wrinkle, antioxydant, age repair, anti-blemish, highlighters, lifting, and moisturizing, which offer solutions for issues such as complexion, luminosity, wrinkles, and blemishes. The magical ingredient is hyaluronic acid, to which vegetal complex and vitamins are added to obtain the desired effect in as little time as possible: plumper, moisturized, repaired, and protected skin.
There is no minimum age to start using serums, but there is a specific serum for each time of your life, for any type of skin and for problematic parts of one’s face that tend to age faster, i.e. eyes and lips. To conclude: if you’re wondering why this magic potions is not part of your beauty routine yet, it’s time to catch up and find the best one for you and your skin in the gallery below!
An actress needs to be able to act using every part of her body – or only one. Alison Pill took this direction quite literally and began her career by using one tool to express herself: her voice. The actress, the newest entry to the cast of American Horror Story (available from September 5), debuted as the voice of children’s audiobooks when she was just 10, but clearly she was ready to walk the path to a great cinema career.
And so it was: within 10 years (her first “real” role was in Kung Fu: The Legend Continues) she found her place in the Hollywood dream team, achieving more and more success and demonstrating beyond any possible doubt that she is, in fact, a “complete” actress. She was born in Toronto on November 27, 1985, and after being cast for her first roles she moved to NYC to seek fortune in the theater world. In 2006, she was awarded a Tony Award for her performance in The Lieutenant of Inishmore. After that, she alternated between theater and cinema and TV series: she was Maggie Jordan in the TV series The Newsroom, Zelda Fitzgerald in Midnight in Paris, directed by Woody Allen, Maud in the TV series adapted from Ken Follett’s novel The Pillars of the Earth, and Anne Kronemberg in Milk. Her filmography is long and getting longer: in September, we will see her in the seventh season of American Horror Story, where she’ll be a lesbian mother (her partner will be Sarah Paulson).
In the meantime, her love life did not get overlooked! She’s been married with actor Joshua Leonard since 2015, and they had a baby girl last year. She loves animals and owns a dog named Henry; she’s also heavily involved in social issues and she’s spoken out on environmental issues. Her greatest passion? Reading! Whenever she has some free time, she dives into a novel… or a new script!
After watching Rihanna in a Dior plus beret leather total look for the brand’s Fall Winter 2017-2018 fashion show, in which Maria Grazia Chiuri had every model wear this style of hat, we knew berets would be one of the accessories this upcoming season.
Nothing new: French women have made berets a must in their naturally sophisticated style, but if you think these hats are just a cliché, think again! It’s only a cliché if you make it so through the same old mixing and matching, but we are obviously proposing something else entirely: forget romantic, try sporty, boyish, or minimal! Your beret will be the coolest accessory this winter.
If you’ve seen the Pre-Fall 2017 Céline show and the Fall Winter 2017-2018 Wanda Nylon fashion show, you’ll know what we’re taking about: try something new, break the rules, mix styles, and take advantage of the ability of a beret to look good with anything.
PS: No need to buy fancy, expensive berets: the most basic, classical styles will do their job perfectly well!
How to wear a beret: suit it up!
How to wear a beret: choose an easy outfit, but remember, always looking amazing!
How to wear a beret: total black + oversize trench coat is the right way!
There is one rule: the food must be delicious. But if you find a place that pleases the eyes just as much as it does the palate, then it’s double the fun, right? In Milan, the new restaurants and bars opening recently are all both tasty and beautiful… Instagram perfect! If you feel like treating yourself (and your account), these new spots are what you’re looking for. Breakfast to dinner – are you ready to shoot?
BREAKFAST: LùBar (via Palestro 16, inside the GAM– Galleria d’Arte Moderna). We had breakfast here (read our TBS Taste report!) and we enjoyed their bread with a zillion different jams: is there a better way to start your day? The location is oh so pretty: a sort of greenhouse filled with plants, which will make waking up much less of a trauma.
LUNCH: Soulgreen (piazzale Principessa Clotilde). Vegetarians and vegans, this one’s for you! No animal-based ingredients on the menu, flours are gluten-free only and the kitchen is fully ayurvedic. But this doesn’t mean that taste is sacrificed: the recipes, which are all plant-based, are delicious and super colorful. They are just perfect to hunt those likes. The decor is also beautiful: furbished with natural materials, pastel colors and, needless to say, a lot of green. Shoot away!
DINNER: Dabass (via Piacenza 13). It’s barely opened its doors and it’s already taken Instagram by storm, with its English china, the velvet-covered armchairs, and the typical Milanese geometric tiles from the Sixties. The menu changes on a daily basis depending on seasonality and availability of products at the market: the tasting menu includes four courses.
AFTER DINNER: The Spirit (via Piacenza 15). This place, refurbished by Juan Carlos Viso, is hidden behind a black doorway with metal bosses and three round windows through which to peek inside. The decor is all about velvet and wood, which create a magical environment. This theme is pushed further by the wine menu, where every drink owes its name to a myth or legend related to the ingredients of the cocktail, crafted by the talented bartenders.
The Blonde Salad team owns all the rights on LùBar’s pics, the other pics come from the IG accounts of the mentioned places.
Cashmere Carillo is an extraordinary woman who’s built a small empire thanks to her willpower and her ability to believe that you can always improve yourself a little further. Her mission is being sweet and making others’ lives sweeter in turn, because you always need to look at the silver lining. And she knows that: she became the teenage mother of a baby girl at 16 and later was diagnosed with breast cancer. But she did not give up and kept on working for her own and her daughter’s future from her hospital bed. Defeating cancer wasn’t easy, but her stubbornness allowed her to overcome the greatest obstacle of her life and become the founder of a beauty brand which is very much appreciated in the US. Even Queen Beyoncé was very much impressed by this beautiful story and its happy ending, to the point where she’s hosted it on her website.
Beauty Bakerie was born in 2011 in California. Its product line is famous for being cruelty-free and for not melting even at the end of a long day or as a consequence of greasy skin. It includes lipsticks, eye shadows, face oils, highlighters and many vegan products, such as Wake & Bake Hydrating Face Oil, an intensive moisturizing oil which you can use on your ace, skin, nails, and lips.
What’s sweeter than ice cream? In the summer, possibly nothing: so you might well fall in love with the packaging of Beauty Bakerie products! When instead of ice cream, the tub contains a fantastic highlighter that which change your life, well, twist my arm. The sweet design, the quality of the ingredients and the concept behind them create a perfect mix that will get your attention.
We all need a good serving of sweetness every day, for us to feel better and happier! This is why we love Beauty Bakerie, a makeup brand that makes us feel better and be better people. This opposition to the “bad girl” makeup trend might also be another reason to like it: we need to enjoy the last of the summer and think that the season will never end, at least not on our skin – or inside us!
Two summers ago, Vêtements opened its fashion show with the coolest boots ever seen: literally ankle boots shaped like socks, and with heels; these boots instantly became the iconic accessory of the brand and still get proposed every new season in different patterns and colors. They also immediately became part of celeb trendsetters’ closets, and this season, they enter ours as well: sock boots, that is tight boots up to your ankle, following the shape of your leg, are the must have shoes this winter 2017!
Initially, they were really difficult to find, as as such also an expensive accessory; but fortunately for us, it became such a popular trend that this season, many brands offer sock boots for any wallet: knitted, velvet, leather and patent leather, suede, prints… there’s something for everyone!
On the runways and in the street, they’ve become unavoidable: designers have created new versions simply by adding the “sock” to any existing type of shoe, thus effectively making it an ankle boot: Fendi did it with sandals, Balenciaga with pumps. Are you ready to conquer the fashion capitals with these sock boots and the best and most unusual colors, patterns and prints of the season?
Straight from the runways
We recommend choosing a colorful, unusual style: you can’t go wrong with black and nude colors, true, but since there are no longer rules for mixing and matching colors, go crazy, both with day and evening wear!
Scroll down to the gallery for the coolest styles to buy for the Fall Winter 2017-2018 – for thin and thick wallets!
If you can not wait, here you can find our favorites!
He may not have the face and body of a hot babe, but we promise as soon as he opens his mouth you’ll instantly fall in love with Nat Wolff. The star of The Fault in Our Stars and Paper Towns is just 22 (he was born on 17 December 1994) but he’s already winning hearts thanks to his many talents, his smarts, and a witty humor and naughty smile that would conquer anyone. Could there be a better candidate as this week’s crush?
Born in a super creative family (his father is a jazz musician, his mother an actress), Nat and his brother, Alex, inherited a passion for cinema and music from their parents and made these forms of art a part of their lives from the very beginning: they started writing songs at the age of 5 or 6, they learnt how to play a multitude of instruments (Nat’s favorite was the piano), and they founded a band, called The Naked Brothers Band, whose adventures soon became a TV series and then a movie, thanks to their mother’s help with production and directing.
The success of the TV series brought about offers of small film roles: Nat got a part in New Year’s Eve, then in Palo Alto and The Fault in Our Stars, and finally landed the main role in Paper Towns in 2015 alongside Cara Delevingne. He was on a roll: in 2016 he starred in In Dubious Battle (directed by James Franco) with Selena Gomes; this year, he will be in Netflix’s “western” remake of Death Note, the TV series inspited by the manga by the same name, which just became available, and in Home Again, with Reese Witherspoon, who in the film is a divorced woman whose life completely changes once she welcomes three teenagers as her flatmates.
What about his love life? Nat dated colleague Margaret Qualley for two years, and after that he had brief relationships with Suki Waterhouse and Bella Thorne. It is currently unknown whether there’s a special someone in his life; so dear readers, take note: he loves jazz and basketball (he’s a Lakers fan), so if you’re in New York… you know where to find him!
This year, summer has been all about large hoop earrings, 90’s style: you will have already noticed by looking at what influencers and celebrities were wearing – and even just by browsing in the stores. But with the change of season, everybody is wondering: what earrings should we be wearing this upcoming winter 2017? Go round and you can’t go wrong: spheres, hoops, discs; if it has a diameter, you’re good to go!
The Fall Winter 2017-2018 fashion shows, in fact, have featured a never-ending number of variations on your regular hoop earrings, from the Fendi coconut wood monogrammed earrings, to the Versace earrings with leather strings, to the ones with foulards by Balenciaga. But also: peace symbols (Moschino), pearl hoops (Y-Project) and even dragons eating their own tails (Josie Natori). And finally: spherical pendants (Greedilous), Saturn and its rings (Marni) and flat, shiny discs (Armani).
Earrings with round shapes have, of course, started appearing in the stores, too: at Mango‘s (similar to the Balenciaga earrings, but much cheaper), Zara‘s, Asos‘s, & Other Stories‘s but also Maria Francesca Pepe‘s, Cristina Ramella‘s and luxury brand such as Gucci and Simone Rocha. Find our favorites in the gallery!
The internet is a magical place. Very recently, an incredible review on Ulta.com determined a sharp increase in the sales of a NYX Cosmetics makeup setting spray. If we told you the whole story, you’d think we were crazy. The reviewer tells of how she was involved in a car crash (nothing too serious, fortunately) and how shocked she was when her makeup stayed perfect throughout the accident, the ambulance ride, the hours she spent in the hospital, and her return home! This inspired us to ask you a difficult question: Is your makeup ready to withstand a series of unfortunate events? Not on its own, obvs; setting sprays are here to help…
Makeup setting sprays are a typical wedding staple; weddings, while not to be considered one of the above unfortunate events, are the obvious situation in which you need your look to last hours upon hours without retouching it. The ceremony, the photos, the meal, the drinks, and more… nobody would want their mascara to start melting on their face, or to end up with smudged lipstick! But setting sprays are not just a professional product: today, there are products available for thick and thin wallets (find our favorites in the gallery!).
Our tip: do not limit its use to one time a day. Many of these sprays have moisturizing properties, so using it multiple times during your day can only do your skin good! PARENTAL ADVISORY: actually looking for unfortunate events is not recommended; your makeup will last a long time anyway!
Waking up early in the morning and setting off, with the company of a few questions: where will you sleep? Where will you eat? When will you stop next? The adrenaline levels rise as you climb into the car: the roads yet undiscovered, the wonders waiting behind the next turn, that wow you time and time again. A successful road trip will be in your heart forever! And what better destination for an adventurous road trip than the wide, wide USA? 10 days, 6 states, 2 friends, and a long way to go. Let’s go!
After 11 long hours in the air, we finally land in Atlanta, Georgia, which welcomes us with its suffocating heat and impressive humidity. Welcome to the deep south! After recovering with a nice night of sleep and a waffle – the first of many – we spend the first morning in the States exploring the city and visiting the World of Coca Cola, where the super secret recipe for the popular soda has been hiding for the past 125 years.
As we get familiar with this new world, we are also ready to our adventure to begin. First stop: Alabama. Equipped with swimsuits and sundresses, we head towards the coast and the white beaches of Mobile. But our dreams of achieving the perfect tan do not survive the weather forecast: the endless blue skies are soon replaced by dark clouds and tornadoes. Within a few minutes, we’re in the middle of a monsoon, and think we will soon join Dorothy in OZ.
Just the time to greet the ocean, and we’re back on the road. Four hours to go to the French culture of New Orleans, where we’ll spend two amazing days enjoying good music and good food. The first morning, feeling daring (or too confident, especially considering the heat), we decide to follow Keith, a retired lawyer, for a biking tour around the creole neighbourhood of the city, its oldest and most charming part. As we go, our new friend helps us discover the history and architecture of New Orleans, and we get to fully immerse in its authentic, quiet atmosphere. We admire the wrought iron balconies, the brightly colored houses, the patio – gardens, the liberty buildings, and the bazaars de luxe. And as everybody knows, New Orleans is one of the beating hearts of the world of music: New Orleans means jazz, because it is here, in the heart of Louisiana, that this genre, still very much alive, was born and developped, and it still resounds in its streets and bars.
The next stop takes us to Texas, the state by the Gulf of Mexico. Six hours through greenery, and we arrive in Houston – yes, like “Houston, we have a problem”, the message sent out by the Apollo 13 mission on 13 April 1970. The mission had departed from Cape Canaveral. The message was addressed to the Mission Control Center of the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, the most famous in the world. Everything here makes you think of that fateful episode, of Lovell, Swigert and Haise, and of the landing on the Moon.
Not even 24 hours later we are on the famous Route 61 along the Great River, destination: Clarksdale, home to blues music and and land of white cotton fields. At sundown, we arrive at Hopson Plantation, our accommodation for the night. Everything here seems to have stopped at the time when the plantation was still active – the rooms are in the old wood and tin seed houses, and the old machinery are left to collect rust in the yard. We barely have time to settle before we’re off again, headed towards the town in the Mississippi delta, which will turn out to be a ghost town. In the narrow, dark alleys, the notes of a sad blues melody can be heard.
After a night spent with a cold beer, sitting on rocking chairs and looking up at the stars, we are ready to leave again. On the road again, this time towards Tennessee! Our first stop in this leg of the trip is Memphis. We have very little time so we choose to dedicate it to the kind of rock and roll, Elvis Presley, on the 40th anniversary of his death. At no 3734 of the boulevard that took his name, behind the famous fence, lies the eccentric Graceland, the mansion where the King lived until his death at the age of 42. This is a real paradise for kitsch junkies like myself: furry carpets, questionable color combinations, wallpaper featuring poodles, and upholstery on the ceiling: if you’re also on my same team, you can’t miss it!
We spend the last two days of our trip in colorful Nashville, aka the Music City, where everybody – from locals to tourists, to country music aficionados and aspiring songwriters – lives and breathes this form of art day in and day out. Music really is the blood flowing in the veins of the city: take for instance the legendary Country Music Hall of Fame, the Grand Ole Opry House or the unmissable “blues bars” on Broadway. But Nashville is so much more than that: a lively city with welcoming people, rich in culture and historical buildings (and, well, ok, a real life replica of the Parthenon). You can’t miss the street art that truly represent this beautiful city that never sleeps: from the Draper James stripes to the famous “I Believe in Nashville”.
With 1800 miles behind us, tired but happy, we head back towards Atlanta international airport. Time to return home! We don’t speak, we’re melancholic. We both know this is not a goodbye, but rather a see you soon, or as they say in the Deep South: See Y’all soon!
Text and pics by Chiara Scalabrini
Dear friends, wherever you are in the world, the same problem troubles all of us: disappearing bobby pins. It’s an old story, and people have more theories about where pins end up than they do about the latest Game of Thrones developments. Do they just walk away? Do they come alive at night? Are they at the orders of the Night King? Nobody knows. The good news, however, is that the Fall 2017 fashion shows have a creative solution for this problem: you can’t lose your pins if you keep them where everyone can see them – on your head! Not only to keep your hair style in place (as we all do), but also as a proper accessory to sport. You can use jewel pins, like on the runways of Ashley Williams and N°21, or just regular pins, and get creative with them. If you only have a few lying around, you can follow the example of Ermanno Scervino or Cividini and accessorize the area around your ears. This is also a super practical option, as it’ll keep your hair out of your face, and thus it is perfect for back-to-work or back-to-school days. If you just got a new packet or have a huge collection of hair pins, though, your homework is trying to recreate the look proposed by Cristiano Burani. Admittedly, it’ll be a little heavy, but the final result will be unforgettable!
For fans of the 90s such as ourselves, this is definitely our season! Oversized pants, tank tops with no bra underneath, wedge sneakers, dark lipstick, and our absolute fave: jumpsuits!
If you normally like dungarees, you can wear them with no top underneath and with low pumps, or with a crop top with puffy sleeves, and flats.
If you prefer long sleeves, you’ll be coolest if you wear your jumpsuit with a fanny pack and a bucket hat: instant queen of the street style!
It goes without saying that the hard part if find the right one, the one you can wear in the summer but also in the spring/fall, that emphasizes your strong points and turns heads… sounds interesting? To find your perfect jumpsuit, have a look at our gallery with the coolest ones you can buy online. What say you, are you ready for this cool piece to be part of your wardrobe?
A skyline of 228 skyscrapers, the eleventh most crowded such skyline on the planet, dominated by the Petronas Twin Towers, with their 1483 ft of light and design against the dark of the night. I just landed after a gruelling 21 hours of flights, and this is how Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia welcomes me as I look down from my 13th floor balcony at the Setia Sky Residence. I’m too awestruck to be tired, and thinking that this cityscape simply was not there (or the majority of it wasn’t, anyway) just 15 years ago. My background in Economics takes over and instantly makes me associate the two towers with their owner, the oil tycoon Petronas, who built them, and I recognize several big names in the banking and financial world on top of other skyscrapers (which sort of ruins the magic, let me tell you). I am still completely unaware of how unrepresentative this is of the true nature of this country: but over the next two weeks, it’ll become very clear.
The following morning, I am on a new flight, this time towards Kuala Terengganu. As we take off, I’m surprised to see that for as far as I can see, the entire area around the airport is covered in palm trees (Wikipedia will later reveal that Malaysia is the second largest world producer of palm oil. Mystery solved). Once we land, the next leg of the trip takes us to Lumut by way of a one-hour taxi ride and many many prayers. The prayers are an integral part of the ride: in Malaysia, fares are fixed for most routes, which means it’s in the driver’s best interest to get you to your destination as fast as possible to pocket the fare and free his taxi for the next ride. Nothing wrong with that, but it also means that excessive speeds on ill-equipped vehicles are the norm, and that makes for a, let’s say, adrenalinic experience.
Once in Lumut, a motorboat takes us to the Perhentian Islands in 35 minutes. That scary taxi ride? It’s clear now that it was totally worth it. For the next 5 days, we will explore these small tropical islands, with warm, crystal-clear water and white sands – and very few tourists. Fresh coconut is available at little shacks on the beach, grilled fish and other local delicacies at charming restaurants, and the mood is super relaxing – and relaxed. This is a tourist destination and indeed people travel from all over the world to get here, but the low number of resorts makes it so that the islands just can’t get really crowded: apart from the beaches, the jungle engulfs most of the islands, leaving little room for construction. We’re staying at a bungalow with a veranda; the indoor is very simple – a couple beds and a bathroom. Anything more would distract us from the beauty that surrounds us and from the simple life (a surprise in itself) that is typical of this place and makes us forget about all the superfluous and makes us content with nature.
After 5 days of sun, beaches, canoeing and stuffing our faces with fish, we return to the mainland and move further inland, to reach the natural park of Taman Negara, where we’ll spend 2 days in the jungle. We abandon our swimwear for long trousers, and our T-shirts for long sleeves against mosquitos. We soon realize that little buggers really like the crazy humidity of the area – a deadly combo. But the beauty of this place is so overwhelming that everything feels more tolerable. That of the jungle is a commanding beauty, which you can admire and come closer to with organized tours led by the park guides, but it is immediately clear that we can never own it and know it in a deep way – or not without risk, anyway. Looking at it from the riverside, we are awed by the power of this place, by how old and thick it is, how impenetrable in some parts: it sends a shiver down our spines, the only idea. But what I’ll always carry with me is the acoustic memory: a constant, solemn singing, which has been resounding for millennia. Make sure that at least once in your lifetime, you spend 10 minutes standing still by the river, listening to the sound of a tropical forest.
Next stop is further west inland, in the Cameron Highlands. If you’ve seen The Lord of the Rings movies, then this place will instantly remind you of the Shire, with its green hills as far as you can see, rivers nourishing the lush tea shrubs and strawberry fields. This is an incredibly fascinating place, where the existence of man and nature unfolds in harmony and with mutual advantage. Unfortunately, we only have a full day here before we have to move on. After too many hours on a bus (especially if compared to the distance we are covering; Malesia rarely offers more than one route to get to a place, and normally that route is NOT straight), we’re back in Lumut, on the west coast, and it’s pouring (monsoon season is just about to start). From Lumut, we board the ferry and the monsoon subsides, leaving the sky clear for a breath-taking sunset.
We soon reach the island of Palau Pangkor, where we’ll spend 3 days in a lesser known village, where we can enjoy a real, authentic experience. Our accommodation is on the main street of the village, lined with stalls selling very affordable fruit, fresh fish and all sorts of essentials (a sort of open air supermarket). The beach is just a bit further and is dotted with restaurants where you can enjoy local delicacies for ridiculously low prices. Compared with the tropical-like colors of the Perhentian Islands, there is more green here and the sand is not as fine, but it is still an incredibly charming place, and there are many little coves you can reach by way of “taxi boat”. On the last day on the island, a local fisherman invites us on his daily outing for fish. At the end of the day, we share what we’ve fished, and he recommends a restaurants where they’ll cook our share for us. A few minutes into the dinner, it dawns on us that we’ll never be able to eat all of this stuff: our table is covered with cooked fish. Local people curiously peer at us and we try to explain that all of this goodness is the result of our own efforts that same afternoon. When they hear that, they start complimenting us on our fishing skills, and some what to take a photograph with us! Eventually, we ended us sharing the fish with the other people in the restaurants – and I dare say no one left hungry. Total expense: about USD 10 each.
The following night, I’m in Kuala Lumpur again, and again looking down at its skyline from the 38th floor swimming pool at the Setia Sky Residence. This time, though, I have a new understanding of this country. I have come full circle and now I know these buildings are not the true soul of Malesia: a simple, essential land, that needs no light, grandeur, or skyscrapers to be appreciated at its best. A wonderful country that I invite you to visit, before its authenticity is completely lost.
Text and pictures by Federico Parma
Our favorite part about vacations being over is thinking about new outfits for the fall season: pieces cool enough that they can be worn until late October, with a sweater or a a pullover. If you’re in the mood for shopping, this is the time for smart choices: and our number one recommendation is midi skirts. There’s quite a bit of variety: with frills, asymmetric, pencil skirts, and why not, lacy details for that extra cuteness.
If you think midi skirts are too sophisticated for you to pull off, no worries: they go so well with any style, even if you’re the sporty type!
One of our favorite combos is a midi skirt with heeled ankle boots, a sweater, and a belt on top… so perfect, you guys! Looking for something different? Scroll down to the gallery for some proposals that’ll make you fall in love!
Midi skirts: the oversized hoodie is the perfect match
Midi skirts: choose graphics over graphics
Midi skirts: choose a decade and do your best with your outfit
Buns are undoubtedly the easiest hair style in the whole world. They’re quick, practical, and perfect to get your hair out of your face. We love them, both in the summer and the winter… laziness just knows no season!
When it comes to fashion, I am the “I try everything” kind of girl. Wearing crazy clothes or unusual combinations is spicing up my life. That does not mean that I’d wear anything, of course: I do have a personal no-go list. It contains pieces I swore to myself that would never ever end up in my closet and even less on my body. One oft those are –guess what– raincoats. Those vinyl clothes are as repelling to me as the thought of hairy spiders. Why?
First of all, they are made to serve a functional cause. How sad! Aren’t clothes supposed to make us look better nowadays? It’s not that we have to survive the whole rainy season in the wilderness, right? So until now, I rather got wet. Or poor (thanks to all the cab fees). Second, raincoats are made of weird materials. Who does like the feeling of bulky plastic or creaky rubber on skin? Not me, that I know for sure.
Nevertheless, after watching the latest catwalk shows, I had to notice that raincoats, or plastic materials in general, are becoming a big thing in fashion. I spotted transparent rain coats at MiuMiu’s, at Annakki’s, Dolce & Gabbana’s, I saw transparent plastic skirts at Emporio Armani and Alberta Zambelli, rubber bag covers at Salvatore Ferragamo and vinyl tops at Moschino.
And guess what: I started to rethink my no-go list. Because to be honest, some of the vinyl looks actually looked really cool. And not “functional” at all. They actually looked totally fashionable. And since I want to stay the “I try everything” kind of girl in fashion, I did my best to give this trend a chance. The result? This amazing look below. Check it out – they might suddenly make you appreciate plastic clothes, too.
Time to shake up your beauty routine! The key word this upcoming season is: experimenting, and plenty of inspiration is coming from the runways, which like every year offer tons of ideas. Afraid to get lost among too many options? Keep scrolling! Here’s the 5 Fall Winter 2017-2018 make up trends you cannot miss.
Bye bye, naked palettes and natural reflections, hello, experimenting and turning every make up look into a work of art! The focus is on the eyes, and the main products to use are eye shadows and eye liners – pop, of course. The color to have in your make up bag is blue. Let yourself be inspired by Andy Warhol for mix-and-matching, and by Juan Mirò for patterns and lines; but there are no rules – just be creative!
Bright colors on your lips are a bit like floral in the spring… so original! Of course, they’re not as obvious in the cold season. This is normally a look best left to Katy Perry! Some designers, however, did not let the consensus dictate their taste and opted for this bold style, with natural make up on the rest of the face, so as not to overdo it. It’s a challenge – use fuchsia, or you can choose to simply change the undertone of your favorite lipstick and opt for an orange or burgundy hue to get a smashing result without going all the way.
There are two types of people: those who apply make up onto their bottom lashes and those who don’t even seem to know they have them. The message from the runways is loud and clear: your bottom lashes deserve love, too! Painting, emphasizing, and extending: aliens must be able to see your lashes. From space. Extra touch? A gold or silver eyeliner which makes your eyes look even brighter and directs attention to your lashes.
We immediately noticed them on the Balmain runway, which this year proposed a stunning look, which wouldn’t look out of place on a modern-day Amazon. Chloé and Chanel proceeded to confirm the trend, and more followed… the guidelines for this style are easier than you’d think: focus on the eyes and less time spent to perfect the rest. As you can imagine, you need to be quite skilled with an eyeliner.
Cut crease: an eye shadow technique that features a pronounced “cut” in the crease of the eye. It’s been heavily used by theatre actors, as it highlights and exaggerates the shape and size of the eyes, but it’s also become a staple of drag queen makeup techniques. The version we’ve seen in recent fashion shows is slightly different and reminds us more of a revisited Matisse or Monet, if Matisse and Monet made makeup. It’s a great touch of color in your look, makes your eyes look bigger, and also looks very sophisticated, even if you’re not using any mascara.
If you’re Riverdale fans, you probably hate her in the same measure as you find her stunning and sexy. Madelaine Petsch is the bad girl in the best loved teen drama right now after 13 Reasons Why, and the character she plays has quickly become the most popular of them all.
But even though Madelaine (or rather Cheryl Blossom) is cruel and manipulative, everybody loves her, and she is definitely starting to emerge as a film star. Madelaine is 23, a Leo (her birthday is 18 August 1994), and a redhead. She was born in LA but she moved to South Africa with her family at the age of 8, and she didn’t return to California until she was 18 and set on becoming an actress. Ever since she was little, Madelaine had already decided her life would unfold in one of two places – either on a stage or in front of a camera: when she was 3, she started putting up performances for her parents and practising dancing regularly, which made her body graceful and agile.
In 2015 her career started properly, as she acted in scifi movie The Hive and in the TV series Instant Mom, which brought her talent to the attention of bigger projects and led her to be cast as Cheryl in Riverdale. In the series, Cheryl is absolutely despicable, but Madelaine is the complete opposite! She’s kind, honest, and super nice to her friends on set (to the point where she apologizes when she has to be mean during shooting!)
But if in terms of personality, Madelaine and Cheryl are two worlds apart, the same cannot be said of their styles: Cheryl has definitely taught Madelaine one thing or two when it comes to bold colors, and especially make up (namely lipstick); even though her red carpet style is usually filled with nude hues, such as the one in which she was awarded the Choice Hissy Fit for her role as Cheryl. That night, her plus one was her boyfriend, rapper Travis Mills: they’ve been together for a while, and it would appear that Madelaine has a soft spot for musicians, since she used to date Aaron Carter!
We will see her soon in the second season of Riverdale as well as in Polaroid, a horror movie in which evil looms in the form of a camera with mysterious properties… say cheese!
It’s not easy wearing jeans when it’s hot outside: we are reminded of colder spring temps and that’s enough to make us sad. But if you leave aside the dogma that summer = dresses, you’ll realize that there’s a whole world of styles when it comes to jeans: regular, baggy, cropped, bootcut, high-waist… denim is so versatile and offers the perfect opportunity to try out a variety of styles and cool mix-and-matching, no matter the season!
Think: your fave jeans, paired with a Hawaiian shirt knotted on the front (or if you’re not into showing your midriff, tucked into your jeans – or not!), with sleek sunnies and low wedges. Or, if you like a more essential style and the 90s, you can wear your baggy jeans with a tank top (and no bra, if you can afford it), colored sunglasses and flat sandals. I could go on forever! Like the idea? If you don’t want to give up your denim even in the summer, here are our suggested looks, which will give those jeans you’ve worn a thousand times a new lease of life!
Some people have just returned from vacation, some are switching from sadness to moodiness to despair as they reminisce their travels… and some are euphoric, because they’re finally about to board that plane! September is the perfect month for vacations: just the right amount of tourists and prices up to 30% lower than in August. Summer’s not over yet – in fact it still has to begin for some: so here’s 5 great destinations in Europe for the shoulder season!
Formentera, Spain
Together with Ibiza, Formentera is the island of wonders that everybody wants to see at least once in their lifetime. Prices usually are the issue (together with the crowds), but if you just wait it out, Formentera is a true paradise in September, and flights are a lot more affordable.
Favignana, Sicily, Italy
The island of Favignana has been recently crowned the best loved destinations by Italians and foreigners. Unfortunately, in the second half of August it is pretty much off limits and it’s almost impossible to find a hotel room, unless you have been wise enough to book your spot in February… but in September, once everybody’s left, Favignana performs its magic and becomes even more beautiful.
Dubrovnik, Croatia
Guys, Croatia has undiscovered beauty as you cannot even dream of. (Unless you’ve been there, of course). Dubrovnik is the absolute queen of the country, with its blue waters and the superb and cheap food, especially outside of the high season. If you visit, you can also go to the small island of Lokrum, right off Dubrovnik: it’ll be just you and peacocks roaming free.
Istanbul, Turkey
One of the most mysterious cities on the planet, bridging Europe and Asia, Istanbul is at its very best in September. The weather is mild (no more sticky heat), beaches are not as crowded (we recommend the small island of Kizil Adalar) and exploring the many wonders of this city is surely going to be a real treat.
Rhodes, Greece
Same story: tourists from all over the world flock to Greece, and you can be thankful that the country has as many as 100 islands, otherwise where would they fit? To prevent people invading your personal space, September is the ideal time to visit. We chose Rhodes because it’s one of the largest Greek islands, with record numbers in the tourism sector in August. The beaches (universally recognized as some of the most beautiful on the planet) will be all yours in September, and flights will be considerably cheaper!
Susanne Kaufmann is from the Bregenz Forest, in the Alps, where each generation has been teaching the following one about the medical properties of plants for a long time. This is also where the Hotel Post Bezau, which has been in the family for five generations, is located – and where Susanne Kaufmann’s namesake skincare brand was born. Since she was very young, Susanne has been fascinated by the idea of finding a contemporary way to allow her guests to experience the unique properties of local herbs.
Together with a team of pharmacy researchers and dermatologists, she thus decided to create Susanne Kaufmann Organic Treats, a holistic treatment product line based on the precious natural ingredients, which could be used by the guests of her hotel but also by everyone else. The line includes 90 organic and natural products suitable for any kind of skin, from products for the face and body to hair care. Many of the plant-based ingredients in her formulas come right from the Bregenz Forest, were they are grown, selected, and harvested.
These products do not contain any active chemical ingredients, solvents or emulsifiers, and all preservatives are plant-based. The brand is 100% cruelty free: there is no testing on animals and the ingredients are all supplied by companies that share the same values as Susanne Kaufmann and her same wish to respect animals and the environment. Every single product is checked and supervised by Susanne herself, before being bottled by hand, sealed, and finally boxed. Could you really have better guarantees than these?
There are so many Susanne Kaufmann products we’d like you to try! Two products you cannot miss are masks and peels. You’ll feel like you’re at Hotel Post Bezau doing the spa treatment – without leaving your sofa. Want to whole deal? Treat yourself to one of her perfumed candles and cup of her teas after the treatment: it’ll be like an Alps retreat, in the city!
Matrix is one of those evergreen films that, since been released in the 1990s, have had a huge mediatic impact; yet I have to admit that unlike my friends, I have never been a huge fan. And I tried! Am I the only one? Still, while sci fi is not my cup of tea, I have no problem admitting that the characters in the movie have the best style.
Once you’ve seen it, there’s no way you’ll forget the ‘Matrix style‘, and for the upcoming season designers have definitely found inspiration for their collections in some of its iconic elements, such as sleek, dark sunglasses, tank tops, tracksuits, leather trench coats, and suits.
Some celebrities, such as Selena Gomez, Kim Kardashian and Kendall Jenner, could not even wait until the end of the summer to wear this trend, and honestly – we don’t know if we’ll be able to wait, either! Are you as impatient as we are? Scroll down to the gallery for some looks you can sport over the summer and some that are perfect for back-to-the-office time and early fall. Like this style? Black is always trendy, as is being sexy, and leather total looks are a must this season… are you in?
It’s been some time since we last talked about someone with many talents that they can be called an accomplished musician, model and actor. This week’s Man Crush hails from the Netherlands and his name is Michiel Huisman; before the end of the year, we’ll see him starring in two new films! Yeah, we know, you must be thinking: this guy looks familiar, I must’ve seen him before. And you did! Thanks to a good amount of luck (and acting skills), Michiel has been involved in a long list of important TV and movie projects, not least Game of Thrones.
But let’s take one step back: Michiel was born in a town not far from Amsterdam in 1981, and as a teen he attracted the attention of local managers who invited him to take part to TV series and movies. It didn’t take long for him to become very much loved in his home country, among other things because he formed a band which became more and more popular among Dutch youngsters. Well aware of his potential, Michiel decided to leave the Netherlands and challenge himself with acting on American soil. In 2010, he got his first role in the US, in the TV show Nashville, and soon after that he was cast in World War Z; but the role that made him famous is that of Daario Naharis in Game of Thrones, which he got after Ed Skrein, who played the character in the first three episodes, quit.
As was to be expected, after this super important role Michiel received tons of job offers, both from the acting and modelling worlds: Chanel selected him as the male co-protagonist to Gisele Bündchen in the beautiful The One That I Want campaign released for Chanel Nº 5.
As the wind keeps blowing in his favour, our MCM then starred in Adeline side by side with Blake Lively, without however leaving the Game of Thrones cast. This year, as we mentioned, he’s back on the big screen in two movies that (according to the media) we’re going to love! Take note: the films are called The Ottoman Lieutenant and 2:22. So everything seems to indicate that we’ll see Michel’s handsome face quite often over the next few months.
His private life is just as successful as his professional one: Michiel is married to actress Tara Elders (also from the Netherlands) and the two had a child in 2007.
Not a bad way to start the week – not to mention to mark the end of vacations, right?
Summer is our favorite season, not just because that’s when we get to travel, but also because the sun makes us prettier! Our complexion changes and our skin glows. As a consequence, our beauty routine changes, too: we leave aside the makeup products we use the rest of the year and pick up completely summer-y makeup that enhances our tan and makes all those hours under the sun even more worth it.
First step: moisturize your skin so that it’s even fresher and more glowing, and use a BB cream for smooth skin. Then you can apply a light-texture bronzer in lieu of powder and abound with highlighter (the latter you can apply on its own with no foundation if you’re in a rush).
Keyword: warmth. For your eyeshadow and lipstick, choose warm colors, whether they are light or darker hues. Bronze, brown, orange, and coral are the perfect colors, better yet if they have satin finish – it’s so chic. These colors work as well for blondes as they do for brunettes and redheads, so no need to worry about matching! Need some tips? Here’s our favorite products for this summer.
This fall, the newest nail-related trend will have your hands shining with mirror nails! The special thing about this manicure is the bright or reflecting colors it uses. Where to find them? Many brands have created traditional polishes in these colors, through which you can obtain the same results you would with mirror powders. This products can be applied with a makeup fan brush on your nails (after applying nail polish and a shiny top coat). They’re so easy to use you can’t go wrong, but just in case you don’t want to risk spreading mirror powder everywhere in your home, you can opt for nail polish strips, which are ready to use and so easy to apply; you just need to file them to make them fit the shape and length of your nails!
We’ve already seen this chrome manicure on Gigi Hadid and other celebrities, so it’s high time we tried it on ourselves!
Fashion lovers don’t just flock to fashion weeks or stay updated on the latest accessory trends: they also have their shelves stock full of books on the history of fashion and love every aspect of the topic. For this reason, every year new museums are born that are dedicated to designers, and new exhibitions take place that re-tell the history of clothing and of famous brands. We want to suggest 5 must-see fashion exhibitions – but you’ll have to hurry, because some of them are only on until September or October! Others will run until the end of the year, or the beginning of 2018… and they might even provide the perfect excuse for a getaway in a wonderful city!
CHRISTIAN DIOR, COUTURIER DU RÊVE – Paris (until January 7, 2018)
An exhibition entirely dedicated to the maker of dreams, Christian Dior, takes place right now at the Museé des Arts Décoratifs in Paris and will be open until 7 January 2018. It’s a celebration of the brand from 1947 to this day.
YVES SAINT LAURENT – Paris and Marrakech (starting October 2017)
The two cities Yves Saint Laurent loved the most honor him with as many museums: on October 3, at the Fondation Pierre Bergé – Yves Saint Laurent in Paris, and on October 19, at Le Jardin Majorelle in Marrakech, two museums will open their doors that will exhibit thousands of his accessories, sketches, and clothes in wonderful displays.
TRAVAUX DE DAMES? – Paris (until September 17, 2017)
An exhibition to investigate the role of women in applied arts: textiles, fashion, ceramics, design, and photography. Among the objects displayed here, you’ll find clothes by Elsa Schiapparelli. The exhibition, held at the Museé des Arts Décoratifs in Paris, closes its doors on September 17. Hurry up!
SALVATORE FERRAGAMO, IL RITORNO IN ITALIA – Florence (until May 2, 2018)
This exhibition is all about the story of Ferragamo starting from his return to Italy in 1927, after he was celebrated in the US as the “shoemaker to the stars” of Hollywood. The venue is the Museo Salvatore Ferragamo at Palazzo Spini Feroni in Florence, where Ferragamo’s most beautiful creations are also displayed.
JUNGLE. L’IMMAGINARIO ANIMALE NELLA MODA – Turin (until September 3, 2017)
At the Reggia Venaria Reale, near Turin, this exhibition narrates the story of animalier prints and how they became paramount in fashion. Among the clothes on exhibit you’ll find Jungle, designed by Christian Dior in 1947, which constitutes the first panther print dress in the history of fashion, as well as animalier pieces by Hermes, Valentino, Ferragamo, Krizia, Givenchy, Thierry Mugler, Jean Paul Gaultier and Cavalli.
In the hottest days of the summer, all of us who have long hair will do the same thing: we will put our hair up to avoid death from being cooked by the sun! What is different, however, if what we choose to do with it. 5 hairstyles, 5 celebrities. What team are you on?
Chiara is the queen of this team! The half up, half down hairstyle is perfect for the beach and the city; it lets you tame unruly hair without being too much of a commitment. Ten seconds and voila – you’re ready for whatever event or rendez-vous. For variation, you can experiment with a half up chignon or a braid on the side, which will instantly make your style more romantic.
Oh captain, my captain Bella Hadid! No hairstyle could ever look bad on her, but sleek chignons are her signature ‘do. Chignons are a must-have for those evenings by the water, from pool parties to bonfires on the beach. Your hair will be safe from humidity, so you don’t have to join #teammushroom.
Who could ever lead this team, if not JLo? High ponytails are totally her thing, which she wears with a variety of outfits, which just goes to show how versatile it is. You just need to choose: smooth, wavy, or textured?
This team is led by Kylie Jenner, who definitely loves to experiment when it comes to hairstyles! If you belong to her squad – well done! You have mastered the art of wearing pigtails without looking like first graders. The trick? Don’t wear this hairstyle with romantic, cutesy outfits, and you’ll be safe.
The star of the team is a special one… North West! One of the best-loved mini fashion icons, who is just as fashionable as mommy Kim. Her braids are just perfect for the day or for a night of dancing, even though we’re probably way past her bedtime
Normally, we tend to think of white as a romantic and feminine color, and our minds immediately go to our favorite summer dresses. But don’t you think it’s time for white to be free from your preconceptions and from the boring clichés? Give this color a chance! How about a cool and trendy total look rather than the usual Sangallo pieces? And by “trendy” we don’t mean eccentric – quite the opposite: less is more. Tank tops, jeans, skirts, and denim shorts can do wonders; styling it right is the key! If you’re into white and capsule wardrobes, you’ll certainly have plenty of options at home; still trying to figure out how to nail this look? Then this post is for you!
How to wear white in the summer: mix sportive and sophisticated pieces… is our favorite trend right now!
How to wear white in the summer: basic outfits with the right accessories is the key for your everyday looks
How to wear white in the summer: when we think of summer cool pieces, oversize shirt dresses are always in our minds!
Let me be brutally honest: if you got a sunburn, you either a) spent too much time in the sun b) did not protect you skin, which means the god of SPF is now mad at you – as am I! Wearing sunscreen, and protecting your skin from the sun when it shines too bright, is IMPORTANT! All caps, so = the situation is very serious. That said, here we are, and there’s no point crying over spilled milk. Let’s focus on the issue at hand and see what to do with that sunburn of yours.
First, important step, encapsulated in an easy acronym: GTFOOTS (get-the-f***-out-of-the-sun, and into the shade). Getting into the water or taking a quick cold shower could help – but don’t stay in the sun any longer! Every extra minute will make it worse for you. If you opt for a shower, avoid aggressive soaps, with ingredients that could damage your skin further. And no touching that scrub!
Second step: moisturize and moisturize some more. Apply body cream in generous amounts on your wet skin. Don’t use products that are too artificial and contain petrolatum: they could trap the warmth underneath and make it worse.
The third step is optional: it depends on how bad the situation is. If you’re sore all over, pop an ibuprofen or another anti-inflammatory. It will help combat the sunburn from the inside and outside, helping you heal faster.
Last tip: drink up. Not everybody knows that sunburns tend to attract water from the rest of your body, so dehydration is a real risk. Once again, the problem will be solved so much faster is you work on it from both ends.
But let me say once again: you know what the best way to avoid a sunburn is? Wearing sunscreen!
What does it mean to be off work and school? There can be a billion answers to that questions, because pretty much each of us gives it a different meaning. For some, it means partying every day, for others, laying in the sun, others yet explore European capitals, and finally: some just want to lie down and relax! If you belong to this final category, this post is for you: there is no better time to fully immerse yourself in the best TV shows of the year. Whether you do it on the beach, in the shade, or at home with the AC blasting, now is the time to catch up with friends and coworkers by watching all those series you’ve heard them talk about. Here are 10: have your pick!
Every city has the “popular girl” we would all like to be friends with, or whose style be would like to be able to imitate. Los Angeles has one, and she’s our new pop-punk muse with whom you’ll fall in love as fast as we did: her name is Jesse Jo Stark.
Can you believe that she’s been designing clothes since she was a child (6 years old!); that she loves vintage and colored hats are totally up her alley; that she sings and her parents founded Chrome Hearts, one of the hottest brands right now? Are you looking her up to follow her on social media yet? And what if we told you that Cher is her godmother? I challenge you to find a more interesting person!
In addition to her singing career, Jesse Jo Stark has partnered with Chrome Hearts and Vans, which are super representative of her style. She loves tartan, berets, small sunglasses, combat boots, sneakers; the masculine and mysterious charm she emanates makes her a unique muse.
She’s @Jessejostark on Instagram, and if you want some help stealing her style, scroll down to the gallery for some ideas inspired by her coolest outfits. Are you in love already?
Jesse Jo Stark style: tartan and combat boots are a must of her closet
Jesse Jo Stark style: what do you think about colorful berets + leopard print dresses?
Jesse Jo Stark style: we told you, she is the new muse to follow!
If we say white sand and untouched beaches, what pops into your mind? Probably some Caribbean island, right? No, that’s not where we are! We’re in Jurmala, Latvia, a seaside town not far from Riga, a real paradise for anyone looking for silence and uncontaminated nature. That is the venue of Yincool Fashion Weekend, two days entirely dedicated to exchange, where countries that are geographically and culturally removed, but actually ever closer thanks to fashion, can inspire each other: that is China and Italy. On the runway, in the shade of white tents set up on the beach, five fashion designers from the new wave of their respective countries showcased their work, talent and originality in front of Italian and Chinese journalists and influencers.
The aim of this event (which was sponsored, among others, by Picanova, Design42Day and Sohu) was to create a meeting ground for the two countries through a common language – that of fashion. The collections of the participating designers – Keta Gutmane and Baiba Ladiga from Latvia, Morfosis from Italy, Cime and Lu Kum from China – were followed by capsule collections designed by Chinese influencers including Natasha Lau, Dior Beauty spokesperson and the only Asian to be part of the crew of millennials for the Dolce & Gabbana campaign.
How often do we sing the praises of Italy on this megazine? The sea, the mountains, the lakes, the parks – each one more gorgeous than the next. Still, we feel like we’ve forgotten something… but what? Oh yeah, ITALIAN FOOD! Truth be told: the entire planet knows us for our delicacies and for our incomparable culinary tradition. Any tourist who visits the country does not come only for the wonders of Italian art, but also for the gastronomic delights; any obsession with dieting is left behind for the duration of the trip. In conclusion: you can’t say you’ve been to Italy unless you’ve tried at least 6 of these authentic Italian dishes! That’s a challenge…
PS: Almost there? Don’t worry, time is not up yet!
Sama and Haya Khadra, also known on social media as @simihaze, are our favorite twins in the world of fashion after the Olsen sisters. Originally from Palestine, raised in London and currently based in California, they are the living proof that not all that is cool has to come from fashion; with their degrees in Film production and Fine Arts and careers as DJs through which they travel the world and take part in the best events that show up on your Instagram feed, they are the icons of the eclectic style of the Millennial generation.
After their experience living in three completely different countries, they style has a grown-up feel and has borrowed the best of each world brought it to perfection. Their looks include formal suits which they wear in a cool, informal way, with a touch of masculine, goth and punk, without forgetting their love for anything vintage: shirts with prints from the Nineties, sleek, colored sunglasses, and a nice complement of Gucci and Louis Vuitton logos. But they also have a pop side, which makes everything more fun, easy and cool: we fell head over heels for their full pink outfits, bunny-shaped bags, brightly-colored hair, and the coolest Sailor-Moon-inspired outfits one could wear for a Chanel fashion show! If you like their style and would like to copy it properly, scroll down to the gallery for our ideas inspired by the SimiHaze sisters.
SimiHaze style: perfection for them is synonymous of a cool outfit + combat boots
SimiHaze style: the punk-goth skirt suit with bobby pins on their hair is everything to us
SimiHaze style: colorful tracksuit and coordinate sunglasses is something you should try at least once on your life!
It’s not summer until someone says: pool party! So you must be ready for whenever an invitation comes your way for a super cool party, and stock your beauty bag for your vacation with super bright, glam makeup. At a pool party, there is one and only one rule: have one hell of a time! For make up, the same applies – bright and fun colors will make you the prettiest and most desirable. Of course, the make up you use will have to be waterproof and long-lasting, unless you want to end up with a naked face (or worse, looking like a panda bear) after touching the water.
Now, time to get started: first thing, always protect your skin with sunscreen, to which you can add foundation or BB cream to accentuate your tan. Keyword: glow, so highlighter will have to be one of your must-haves. Your eyebrows will need special attention: pencils and eye shadows tend to disappear in water or to melt in the sun, so make sure your pencils are waterproof.
The focus of makeup are the eyes, where you can be daring and use bright hues such as orange, blue, sky blue, white and gold, or even neon colors! These must necessarily be cream or stick products with guaranteed long duration – which will not only mean long-lasting makeup, but also bolder effects! If you don’t love bright colors and prefer to stick to safe black makeup, kajal is what you need. If you’re brave, you can surprise people with artsy, geometric makeup designs. Finally, get crazy with colored, glitter mascara!
Want your lips to be at the center of attention instead? Play around with metallic lipstick, or super matte colors for waterproof kisses! Finally, a cream or gel blush, and voila – makeup done! What else? Oh yeah, have fun!
Mykonos, Zakynthos, Santorini, Corfu: each is unbelievably beautiful. They are also the most popular Greek islands, beloved by people around the world. Tourists flock to these places in the summer, the spring, and (the fearless ones) also in the autumn, thanks to their year-round mild climate. No wonder they get chosen as a destination by more and more people every year: incredibly blue and clear waters, beach facilities, cocktail bars with a breathtaking view of the sunset, and hot nightlife every night of the week. Yet, Greece has plenty of other undiscovered islands which totally won’t disappoint as the destination of your next vacation. Fewer tourists, more locals: it’s the recipe for a perfectly relaxing getaway! So while you think about where to book your next vacation, why not have a look at our gallery?
We tend of think of couture collections as fit for princesses, their dreamy, eye-catching pieces reserved for the ultra special events… but what if we did away with those prejudices and made these clothes a part of our daily wardrobe? Does it sound weird? It doesn’t have to be! It’s time to take the wheel and become our own stylists: get your tulle skirts, gown dresses, and/or eye-catching accessories out of the closet. How not to overdo it? Pick a piece with a lot of personality and mix and match it with simpler, more traditional pieces: they’ll create the perfect cool and casual outfit for you to go about your day. Ready for some blockbuster-worthy fashion in your life? Time to be gorgeous, nonstop!
“Couture” pieces during the day: feathers on your skirt by day? Oh, yes!
“Couture” pieces during the day: wear satin, romantic and sophisticated dresses always with flat shoes
“Couture” pieces during the day: eye-catching accessories and many many crystals are perfect with flared trousers and oversize shirts
One of the recurring nightmares of a beauty addict is a bad hair day at the beach, especially for those of us with unruly hair. Saltwater, the sun, and the summer breeze all contribute to making hairstyles unmanageable and our hair frizzy. Loose hair, in these situations, is a no no. Fashion week to the rescue! We can find inspiration in the shows and get crazy with braids, ponytails, messy or space buns, chignons and many more styles.
Ponytails (especially high ponytails) are an easy fix if you don’t feel like doing your hair before heading to the beach. You can also work a ponytail with wet hair (instant fresh, summer look!) or you can cover the hair tie with a strand of hair wrapped around it and kept in place with a hairpin.
Braids can be high and messy, and you can accessorize them with ribbons and flowers (and if you’re at the beach, flowers in your hair are the perfect glam touch – especially if the flower matches your swimsuit: you’ll be the queen of the beach!).
Let our gallery inspire you and get together with your friends to start experimenting with your favorite hairstyles. And then – off to the beach for a great time!
He’s barely turned 30, but he already has a Michelin star under his belt: chef Federico Gallo has taken the Locanda del Pilone to restaurant stardom, showing what passion, creativity, and hard work can achieve. It didn’t take long, either: after travelling the world and working side by side with Antonino Cannavacciuolo, Gallo was the first chef to obtain the young chef award, in the Michelin guide 2017. His cuisine is traditional and innovating at the same time, interesting and never dull, but also capable of pleasing both Italian and foreign palates. His strongest piece is tonno di coniglio (“rabbit, tuna style”), a typical Piedmontese dish. But if we were over for dinner, his spaghetti aglio-olio-peperoncino (with garlic, oil, and chili peppers) would win us over! We asked him a few questions for our Camera roll Q&A, the answers to which were mouthwatering photos… Federico, wait for us! We’ll be back at the Locanda del Pilone before you expect it.
When you love and enjoy somebody’s art – whether it takes the form of painting or poetry – do you ever daydream about the place where the lines were put to paper or the canvas were painted? Oftentimes, artists look at their homes as havens, the places where they can retire to unbridle their creativity. Today, we take you to the most beautiful artist homes in the world: hold on tight, this is going to be quite the emotional ride!
Frida Kahlo, Casa Azùl – Coyoacán, Mexico
Auguste Rodin House – Paris, France
Salvador Dalì House – Port Lligat, Spain
Pollock-Krasner House – East Hampton, NY, USA
Claude Monet House – Giverny, France
Whether you have a partner or are single and looking for one, summer is the best time of the year to have a significant other. Envision this scene, worthy of a summer romance: the sea, the sunset, and a date with a special someone… dreamy, right?
No matter if you’ve basically been commuting from the city to the beach or are getting ready for your vacation: when packing, don’t forget that love can hit you unexpectedly. And even if it’s not love, there are worse things than enjoying the sunset from the beach side by side with a beautiful, tanned man or woman…
Luca Lin and Galib Gassanoff are the designers behind Act n°1: a melting pot of Chinese, Italian, and Georgian culture, to tell their stories and their pasts through drawings, ancient Chinese art, and Azeri craftsmanship.
Their products have a strong story behind them – one that is filled with memories, traditions, and a high cultural value. Every piece blends their cultures with Italian couture, and is the result of handcrafting, embroidery, prints, and precious materials such as Chinese silks, wool, velvet and denim. The final result is a unique collection: coats that turn into dresses, deconstructed shirts, uneven, oversize pieces that result perfect for fashion lovers and the eccentric.
Their vision of womanhood is a complete novelty and pieces like these are unheard of in other collections. Their style has a much-appreciated peculiarity: even before knowing the stories of the designers, you can definitely tell that their designs, the choice of fabrics and colors are never without reason – knowing that each choice is part of their DNA makes them all the more special and unique!
The silhouettes they propose are all we want in our closets right now: a tension between precious and cool, made to impress, but also perfectly fitting to match a pair of jeans to wear while walking down the street. This is what we call perfection! Act n°1’s multicultural taste makes it a brand to keep an eye on – it’s not easy to find unique, quality products like these – especially when they are so trendy! Their oversize coats are a dream made reality: plenty of ribbons, details, and accessories… we can’t wait for the fall to come to start our shopping!
2017 is the year of eyebrows – nothing to say about that. Yet, we’ve been thinking this over, and we realized that poor eyelashes got neglected recently. Eyelashes are the best friends of your face when it comes to beauty; they frame your eyes, protect them, and give them more definition. So this is our appeal and request: take care of your lashes! To help you out, we’ll tell you all you need to know about them, or rather about the 3 treatments for the coolest lashes – no mascara required.
Dyes are a light treatment, which is perfect for those of us who have fair eyelashes and don’t want to overdo it with mascara but still feel their lashes need some extra definition. It’s quick to do (it takes only a few minutes) and it lasts several weeks. Just before a vacation is perfect timing, so you can avoid using waterproof mascaras and getting frustrated when your cleanser doesn’t get it all off. If you’re looking for voluminous lashes, this is not for you: it won’t make any difference. But your lashes will seem longer, because their ends tend to lack definition otherwise – even for brunettes and those with darker hair.
A life-saver for those who have very straight eyelashes and have to spend a lot of time in the company of their curler every single day. It’s exactly the same as getting your hair set, but it’s specifically for your eyes and it lasts approximately 3 to 4 weeks. It won’t solve problems concerning the thickness or weakness of your lashes, but you will notice your eyes will look bigger and brighter. You can also keep on using mascara on permed lashes as you please – for better volume!
This is for beauty junkies only. It takes a higher level of commitment – it costs more and requires more care over time. Every one of your lashes will receive each an additional fiber to make them longer and thicker. It looks great for the first 2 to 3 weeks, then progressively worse as the extensions fall one by one as your natural lashes grow. It’s better not to use mascara on extensions, because they would get damaged, especially when you remove your makeup. Extra tip: if you get extensions, try to sleep on your back. If you sleep on your side or tummy, lashes will fall at a faster rate, forcing you to replace them more often!
The closer we get to our much-desired summer vacations, the more we can’t wait to lay down in the sun. If you’re one of those late bookers who always postpone planning, by this time you must be desperately looking for a spot to spend a few relaxing days, hopefully without having to fork out a fortune. If you don’t want to sell body parts to spend a few days at the sea, Italy offers a number of summer destinations which are perfect for late bookers. And if you’re reading this from outside the country… well, Italy awaits you with open arms! Here’s our top 5 destinations for this summer, but don’t hesitate to let us know about your favorites!
Catania
Sicily is everybody’s dream vacation, especially in the summer. Crystal-clear water everywhere, excellent food, and friendly locals. This year, Catania ranked as one of the cheapest places on the island. And this city doesn’t offer just beaches and clubs, but also plenty of art and heritage. You can’t miss the markets in the city center (where you can buy the freshest fish in the region) and the Cathedral of St. Agatha; and if you’re looking for beautiful beaches, then you need to visit Aci Trezza!
Pesaro
Moving further north to central Italy, Pesaro is a popular summer destination. And despite its popularity, the city remains inexpensive compared to other urban areas on the sea. As for many other places in the region of Le Marche, you have beaches with clear water (Pesaro boasts about 5 miles of coasts) and you can also find some beautiful trails in uncontaminated nature. We recommend a visit to the Natural Park of Monte San Bartolo, one of the most magnificent green lungs of central Italy.
Lamezia Terme
Calabria is one of the less popular regions in Italy, on account of its fewer beach facilities. But if we took a good look at its shape, it would be easy to notice how much of its area is on the sea, east to west. Lamezia Terme is right in the middle of the region, but only a handful of miles away from clear, beautiful waters. What to see? Calabria has a rich history; we particularly recommend the Norman-Swabian castle, St. Eufemia (the old town) and the Baths of Charon (thermal spa), for a totally deserved, super relaxing experience!
Trani
What we said about Sicily is worth for Apulia as well: spending one’s vacations here is a dream, especially for late bookers! If you love Apulia as much as we do, choose Trani. Need reasons? Here’s a few: the characteristic harbor, a cathedral by the sea, the Swabian castle built under Emperor Frederick II… Not to mention the beautiful beaches, with clear waters and a rich underwater fauna.
Maratea
Sitting between Campania and Calabria, Basilicata has a plethora of undiscovered wonders. The best destination in the area is certainly Maratea, which also holds the most opportunities for things to do. In addition to the Statue of Christ (which resembles the one in Rio) overlooking the beautiful Lucania landscapes, we recommend the Vranne beach, a true paradise: you won’t believe your eyes!
If you thought a 5-Grammy singer like Céline Dion could lie forgotten among your best keepsakes from the 90s, time to think again: she’s made a comeback, with a versatile style featuring sophisticated, minimal outfits with glam, rock, and sporty components; and she’s ready to be your new fashion icon! Only a handful of lucky designers have had the chance to dress her in 2017 and believe me – the competition is harsh. Among the looks you can’t miss, we find some designed by the likes of Gucci, Balmain, Balenciaga, Céline, Christian Dior, Tibi, Saint Laurent and Vetements… including some of the coolest pieces of the season, such as the Saint Laurent crystal-studded boots, Balenciaga neon yellow dress, and Gucci sunglasses with crystals. Amen, sister!
If Céline Dion’s return to the spotlight caught your eye, too, and you like her new style, then you need to start following her stylist Law Roach right now, and then be inspired by her photos and our ideas in the gallery below. What do you think? Every single look she’s sported is a big YES on our part!
Céline Dion style: the sophisticated touch is on her DNA
Céline Dion style: like we said, she’s ready to be your new fashion icon!
Céline Dion style: she is back, with a versatile style and lots of baker boy hats… what else do we need?
When it comes to fingernails, we feel like we’ve seen it all and then some. Between the runways and the street style, it’s hard to imagine anyone could come up with a new trend. But right when it looked like that was it for nail creativity, a simple yet genius trend was born: mix & match nails! This trend uses any simple nail polish as a basis, on which a creative application is built – only on some fingers; what about the others? Different, but matching. There are no rules in this game: as long as you’re mixing and alternating two different manicure styles, you’re playing! It seems complex in writing, but it’s actually quite easy to achieve. This trend resembles accent nail designs, which were popular a few years ago: the trend in which one fingernail was painted differently than the rest of the hand. But this trend is one step further, as it’s not limited to one finger. Ready to try something new? We collected some of our favorite looks and some must-try nail polishes in the gallery to inspire you!
No way we will ever give up taking our pets with us on vacation: they are more than friends – they are our precious confidants and a neverending source of joy. Still, when it comes to planning our much-deserved summer travels, it’s always tricky to find solutions that make us happy and satisfy our needs and do the same for our pets. Fortunately, many hotels in Italy and elsewhere have adapted to the new demands of their guests (both two- and four-legged), and help us make travel with our pets so much more fun. Here are 5 of our favorite pet-friendly places in Italy!
Eden Salento – Apulia
Fonte Verde – San Casciano dei Bagni (SI)
Hotel Palazzo del Borgo – Florence
Alpin Garden – Dolomiti Val Gardena
Antiche Macine – Santarcangelo di Romagna (RN)
Time spent with your girlfriends, no boys allowed, is one of the joys of life, and for some squad quality time there’s just nothing better than taking a vacation together to soak up the good vibes: talking into the wee hours, laughs, sunshine, more sunshine, and of course… lots of pictures!
Getting ready for your sailing vacation and can’t choose what to pack? If your plan was to pack nothing more than your bathing suit, think twice: part of the fun of a girl-only vacation is how even the most mundane moment can turn into a photoshoot for your fabulous look!
Want a perfect picture of you? During the day, consider wearing a bathing suit that matches the ones your friends are wearing. For dusk and happy hour time, have cotton and linen maxidresses at the ready as well as some kind of headwear such as a turban or a headband… and if you’re the one behind the camera, remember – the golden hour is the best time to snap away! Finally, whether you end your day by mooring to a pierside or you prefer the quiet at sea, why shouldn’t you look your best?
Scroll down to the gallery to see the outfits we propose for you sailing getaway: we’re the kind of people who like to live every minute of their vacation as if on a movie set… what do you think?
Sailing with your squad: Friday
Sailing with your squad: Saturday
Sailing with your squad: Sunday
Counting down the days yet? We can’t wait! Our vacations are getting closer, and it’s about time we started packing. Whether you’re going to spend time in the mountains, on the seaside, or in the city, if you’re the kind of person who travels light there’s a very important discussion we need to have: how to pack your beauty bag for your hand luggage. Considering how strict controls are in airports, it’s not easy to fit everything you need in containers of no more than 100 ml (3.4 ounces), up to a total of 1 liter! If you are as much of a beauty addict as I am, it’s totally traumatic to have to leave your stuff home. Fortunately, travelling as often as I do I got sort of used to it, so it doesn’t pain me as much to be separated from my beloved big bottles of beauty products. Here’s some advice you should follow – you won’t regret it!
Firstly, you need to get your hands on a set of travel-sized bottles and a transparent plastic bag. This will come in handy for those must-have products without which a beauty routine can’t even be conceived. In my case, that means serum and tonic to apply in the evening; they’re hard to find in small bottles for sale, so your best option is to pour them from your big bottles into the travel-sized ones.
As for the rest, be flexible. You can do this two ways: you can either change the typology of product you use, or experiment. By browsing the shelves of your beauty store, you’ll find plenty of products in solid and dry form, from perfume powders to stick foundation; they’ll make your life easier with minimum effort (I do not recommend trying to move foundation from one container to another – I tried and it did not end well).
If you want to experiment something new for your beauty routine, then there is not better time, needless to say. Grab some samples you have lying around the house and throw them into your beauty bag: disposable products will make your bags even lighter on the way back, since you’ll just use them and throw them away while on vacation – making room for souvenirs to take back home!
Any other tips? Share them in the comments! Scroll down to the gallery for some consumer advice
Beautiful dark eyes revealing her Algerian origins, the fit body of someone who’s made the gym their second home, and now a successful acting career: this is Sofia Boutella, our latest WCW!
Sofia was born in 1982 in a tiny town in suburb Algiers, but when she was 10 her parents (a jazz musician and an architect) decided to uproot their lives and move to France. In Europe, young Sofia continued the dancing classes she’d started back in Algeria and also began training in rhythmic gymnastics. Her talent bloomed: by the time she was 18, Boutella joined the French national team.
Once she took up hip hop dance, the job offers started flowing: thus her passion turned into a job. Some of you will remember a young, beautiful woman dancing in Madonna’s video clips in the 2000s, most notably in Hung Up and Sorry… yup, that was Sofia Boutella! After these experiences in the music industry, Nike asked her to model for the super popular Keep Up commercial, in which Sofia showcased her impressive dancing skills. The commercial went viral, and very soon film directors join the list of people wanting to cast her.
A new chapter began for Sofia, one that saw her becoming an actress. The first significant film in which she was cast was StreetDance 2 (2012), which was followed by a number of important roles, such as in The Mummy (in which she is the first woman to star as the mummy), Star Trek Beyond, and Atomic Blonde, forthcoming at the end of the summer, in which her co-star is Charlize Theron. According to the media, we can expect Sofia to be at her best in this latest film – and apparently some hot scenes between her and Charlize are in the cards… to be honest, we can’t wait to see this movie. How about you?
‘Tis the season! The season to plop onto your couch to watch the new Game of Thrones episodes. Want to know what we like best about the show? How the story is unfolding nicely towards seven kingdoms under the rule of as many queens! What more could we want? We definitely agree that “We should all be feminists”!
It already happened when we talked about tattoos: I realized that with my pin-straight hair, I was not qualified to advise you on how to manage your curls. Thankfully, there is no want of curly heads here at TBS Crew and among my friends, so here’s the collective knowledge of 3 people who deal with curls every day and are ready to teach you all you need to know about curly hair (and how to tame it!)
Hair. corkscrew curls; fine, voluminous hair; long and dark.
Routine. my hair tends to get greasy very fast, but it’s not particularly noticeable. To avoid the annoying feeling of frizziness, I still wash them frequently – about every other day. The only exception is when I’m at the beach: saltwater helps make my curls a lot more defined. The most important part of my routine is the washing – the only time when my hair will tolerate brushing! After the shampoo, I need hair conditioner that’ll absorb quickly and allow me to brush easily. I don’t use a comb – that would make my hair break off. After rinsing, I dry excess water with a towel and apply a treatment for extra curl definition, which I alternate with argan oil in the summer so that my hair gets the nourishment it needs. In this season, I also apply an UV-protective spray, even though it makes my hair get greasy faster.
Cut. once or twice a year, because I am desperately (I’m only half-joking) trying to grow my hair longer! Unlayered haircuts are my only option if I don’t want my hair to be out of control.
Must-haves. hair ties, which HAVE to be spiral hair ties if I don’t want to my hair to break off. What’s fun about my hair is that it lends itself to all sorts of creative hairdos, so I try to take advantage of that!
Type. loose curls, long and thick hair, henna-dyed brown.
Routine. I wash my hair every other day, with a delicate shampoo. I never use hair conditioner – I know, unbelievable! But with my hair, that’s what I have to do if I don’t want to find myself with shapeless hair within a few hours. After stepping out of the shower, I pat my hair with a towel and apply a foam product to give it definition. As my hair craves moisturizing, I use pure argan oil. I leave it to absorb on damp hair for half an hour, then I complete my routine without rinsing. Its nourishing abilities do wonders for my hair and make it super shiny, without making it heavy!
Cut. layered, razor-cut hairdos are what works best for me for managing volume so that I don’t look like Sideshow Bob.
Must-haves. super-nourishing oil for the ends: it’s lightweight but moisturizes to perfection. It never fails – even on those days when I’m at war with my hair and it just doesn’t want to cooperate.
Type. coiled, well-defined curls; greasy scalp; frizzy ends.
Routine. I don’t wash my hair more than twice a week or I risk losing volume and ending up with shapeless hair. After washing, I apply a strong reconstruction treatment, while brushing my hair. Then it’s time for rinsing, and then I pat my hair with a towel to remove excess water. My curls need a specific fixative treatment before drying (which I let them do naturally in the hot season and with a diffuser at any other time). I keep a moisturizing product at hand to apply on the ends whenever they get frizzy.
Cut. keyword: layers! If you can find a hairdresser who’s willing to cut your curls while they’re dry, try it. It makes all the difference in the world, you can immediately see if the volume works, and you won’t look like a mushroom.
Must-haves. supplements, especially when the season changes. I notice a huge change in the health of my hair when I care for them directly and from within, too. It takes some consistence but it’s so worth it!
“They’re certainly wonderful places – nothing to say about that! Still, do they inspire you to dive from a height of up to 88 feet, from a rock, and with almost no room for a run-up? If your answer is yes, we have to tell you, a) are you crazy?!, and b) here’s a list of great places for you (crazy) thrill-seekers! If you answer is no (ours is), then no worry: you can still go and gaze at the beautiful views and nutty divers. Since 2009, Red Bull has been organizing cliff diving competitions around the world, and every year the locations just get wilder and wilder for an ever-improving adrenaline-fuelled experience. This year’s Italian stop, in Apulia, is what inspired this post. Here’s the most breath-taking places to fearlessly dive into the blue!
Choosing your swimsuit is not easy: there’s a specific flattering suit for every body shape – the one that makes us feel so confident. It happened to all of us – we daydream about that cute swimsuit we’ve seen, and once we try it on, it looks meh at best. Since summer is in full swing, we decided to be helpful and guide you through the many existing types of swimsuits, letting our favorite Instagram muses inspire us… each with her own special, personal beauty. We’re in love! Scroll down to the gallery to find your swimsuit of choice – and the celebrity you share it with. Curious much?
Tie-front bikini: Hailey Baldwin
Sports-bralette bikini: Caroline Vreeland
One-piece swimsuit: Chiara Ferragni
Triangle bikini: Ashley Graham
High-waisted bikini: Kendall Jenner
Ever since I was a little girl, I’ve always associated adulthood with owning a red lipstick. I don’t know where this idea came from – maybe it was just the common consensus: just think of Marilyn Monroe, Liz Taylor and all the other divas and their red, sensual lips that made the history of cinema. Lipstick is not a simple beauty product – it’s a weapon and a tool in your hands, with the ability to make you feel undefeatable and absolutely gorgeous.
That’s why our beauty cases always include multiple hues of red lipstick; which doesn’t mean we have the right one for us – in fact, most of the time we got the one we liked best, only to find it looked awful on us. Why’s that? Well, for starters, there are countless shades of red, from maroon to cerise, from vermilion to crimson. To stop making the same old mistake over and over again, there are some guidelines to follow, but bear in mind: there is no absolute rule; and in theory, you should always try a lipstick on before you buy it, but our tips will make your life easier.
I don’t think there’s anyone left who doesn’t know that the best color for your lips depends primarily on the color of your eyes, hair, skin color, and undertone (want to know what your undertone is? Just look at your wrists; if your veins look bluish, you have a cool undertone; if they look green, you have a warm undertone). For cooler undertones, obviously, you need a cooler shade of red lipstick (and vice versa), so fair skin means you need a cool shade of red, warm skin tones correspond to warmer red shades.
In addition to color, you also need to pay attention to finish and texture: if you have thin lips, opt for a glossy, glam red lipstick, which will make your lips look fuller; if you have big lips, you will look sexier if you wear a lipstick with a matte finish. Finally: looking for a shade that’ll emphasize your white teeth? Choose one with blue pigments – it’s the secret weapon for a smile that turns heads.
Class is over – time to have fun with different shades of lipsticks, from the most conventional to the latest novelties! And don’t forget: always make sure your choice of lipstick fits with the rest of your makeup. If you want your lips to run the gamut, limit makeup on your eyes to a bit of eyeliner and mascara. Have fun!
“Make way for Prince Ali! Say hey! It’s Prince Ali” Does it ring a bell? Let us help you: it’s from a popular Disney movie. You got it, it’s from the Aladdin movie! A few weeks ago, news circulated that a remake would be released in the foreseeable future – with a very interesting cast. Who’s starring as the soft-heart street thief? A barely known but very promising actor and this week’s Man Crush: Mena Massoud.
Mena, as you might have guessed from his surname, is originally from Egypt, but his parents moved to Canada looking for better job prospects when he was only 3. More specifically, they settled in a town in suburban Toronto, and since Mena was so young at the time, he had no trouble integrating and succeeding in school.
While studying at university in Toronto, Mena had the opportunity to audition for different roles. Unexpectedly, he got a role in the TV series Nikita, and after graduating he also starred in another series, Open Heart. His latest role is in the aforementioned Aladdin, in which this young actor plays the title character in an important film – a great opportunity for him to work side by side with super accomplished actors such as Will Smith (as the Genie), and Naomi Scott (who’s been our WCW in the past) who will star as Princess Jasmine; the film will be directed by Guy Ritchie. Long story short: this will be a challenge and a unique opportunity for Mena to prove his worth and lead him to stardom.
In every interview he’s given, Massoud never fails to acknowledge his greatest inspiration, the unforgettable Robin Williams, who gave him (indirectly) the strength he needed not to quit even when things got rough.
Good luck Mena, may your magic carpet fly high!
Everybody knew the semi-formal look built around blazers was here to stay (at least for a couple seasons), but have you given some good thought to your favorite outfits that include them? Apart from the classic – the tailored pants – there’s an entire world of other pieces you can mix and match with your favorite blazer, and according to our style bible, the coolest outfit for this summer prescribes you wear your blazer with bermuda shorts.
We are inspired by men’s Spring Summer 2018 fashion shows and we realized that like for many other, this outfit would look gorgeous on women. Need an example of this mix and match, with a cool and feminine feel? How about denim bermuda shorts (go for the looser ones) + blazer + dark sunnies + fanny pack + mid heel sandals + medium-size hoop earrings, and last but not least, your hair in a bun? I know right? It doesn’t get much better than that!
If you like the mood and want to try the latest trend which is guaranteed to be so in this summer, take a look at the gallery for some looks that look as good on men as they do reinterpreted for women!
Blazer jacket + denim bermuda shorts: pair it with high heels and a vintage fanny pack
Blazer jacket + check bermuda shorts: add trendy and easy accessories to make it less formal!
Blazer jacket + bermuda track shorts: the mix between elegant and sportive is our favorite
If you’d told me, just a few months ago, that one day I’d want to get colored eyebrows, I would have told you that you were mad as a hatter. Me, who wouldn’t touch bleaching products with a barge pole? Color a part of my face that’s so close to my eyes? Well… yes.
What happened, you wonder? Gucci happened. Or rather, I had a second look at Gucci’s Spring Summer 2017 fashion show, featuring white, light pink, and yellow eyebrows. And I fell for them. Hard. This ethereal, fresh look is perfect for summer and to remove the “hardness” that dark arches can give to a face. And I’m happy to confirm that my new obsession has been ratified for the Fall Winter 2017-2018 season, as recent fashion shows have featured blue, green, and orange eyebrows… so much beauty! Some final good news: colored mascaras are all the rage right now, so it’s super easy to experiment with these looks without having to permanently color your eyebrows – for the time being. You just need a brush and some patience: start from the inside and move towards the end of the brow. Would you try this? Let us know in the comments!
Italian pop music, large windows which open onto a cute yard, and golden flamingos welcoming you in: this is how you step into LùBar for breakfast, as we did for this week”s TBS Taste!
This coffee shop is right inside the PAC (Pavilion of Contemporary Art) in Milan, and it is getting trendier and more popular with locals by the day, especially for breakfast (but also for lunch and dinner, so you’ll find some fish- and meat-based Mediterranean dishes on the menu, too). The venue is classy, but not formal; the location is smack in the city center (via Palestro 16) but also nice and quiet, especially by Milanese standards: this is achieved thanks to its position by one of the city’s best loved parks, Parco Indro Montanelli.
TBS Crew’s Vincenzo and Martina (and Mela, as a special guest) ventured to LùBar to try their breakfast – an excellent way to start their day. As you walk into LùBar, you feel like you’re in a small greenhouse, surrounded by arches, glass, and plenty of green, which make the most important meal in your day even more beautiful.
What did our TBS Crew get? For Martina, an americano and a smoothie with apple, carrot, and ginger; for Vincenzo an espresso and a passion fruit smoothie for an exotic twist. With the drinks came a basket of sliced bread, with butter and jams of different sorts on the side: from hazelnut to citrus – a really lovely combination.
What’s the story of LùBar? This coffee shop is the brainchild of siblings Lucilla, Lucrezia and Ludovico Bonaccorsi, originally from Sicily – and it shows on the menu. It took a lot of work, dedication, and commitment, but they finally managed to persuade the austere world of Milanese museums to open up to this unconventional project. Let’s be honest: such a cool bar on museum premises, in Italy? That’s quite the thing.
Our dear readers have been recommending this place for a while, and we clearly did the right thing when we finally caved in! LùBar is definitely worth our free time. Our warning to the Bonaccorsi siblings: you won’t get rid of us until we try the arancini with shrimp and pistachio. See you very soon!
Whether it’s just too hot to hit the gym or (we won’t tell) you are just too lazy to move more than you absolutely have to, don’t worry. We have the perfect solution to still make you look like Sporty Spice! And the good thing is: you won’t have to workout at all to look amazing! All you need is to pick your favorite sports between ballet, basketball, soccer or boxing and then check out our matching training inspired outfits. Thanks to one of the biggest fashion trends this year, the so called athleisure trend, sportwear has become a totally accepted part of our everyday outfits. So if you havent tried to wear your gym stuff at work until now, those outfits will be the perfect excuse to do it right now. The only question is: are you more of a ballet or boxing kind of girl? Whatever it is: Let’s work it!
I don’t know about you, but when it comes to packing for the beach (and packing my beauty case in particular), it just feels overly complicated. Notwithstanding my egregious organisational skills (read: I am slightly neurotic and have to-do lists for packing, too), it’s always dramatic. Not this year, though – this year will be different. This is the year I write the guide I always wanted to read for foolproof packing – the kind where you actually don’t forget stuff! Let’s get started!
First stop: creams and such. It’s super important that you get your hands on a small thermal bag. No, not for food, silly – for your creams! You’re going to leave your beach bag out in the sun for multiple hours a day – which is a no no for sunscreen and other products your bag contains. You’re going to kill two birds with one stone: not only will your sunscreen be safe from the heat, but it’ll stay cool and nice for when you apply it on your skin. It’ll feel great! Staying on topic: remember to pack a cooling spray, too: in the hottest hours of the day, it’ll feel amazing. And last but not least, remember to bring a SPF lip balm. Your lips need protection, too.
The second category we need to consider is hair care, especially for those of you with long locks. A protective spray must be in your bag at all times, together with hair ties to create fun beach hairdos, a brush with soft plastic bristles (such as Wet Brush or Tangle Teezer) or a wide teeth comb, and an environmentally friendly shampoo; by which I mean, a biodegradable product which you can use on the beach or on a boat. No using other products: remember, we have one planet, and it needs protecting.
Finally, our ‘everything else’ section. These may not be real ‘must-haves’, but you’ll be thankful you have them with you. First: cleansing facial wipes, which are great to get rid of sunscreen residues and sand at the end of the day. Second: hand sanitizer, to use if the stickiness of the salt and sunscreen on your hands is driving you crazy, and to enjoy juicy summer fruit as a snack. And finally, a mix: I recommend creating a mini beauty case with makeup essentials you cannot live without, for that difficult transition from the beach to happy hours… I put some highlighter, peach-colored lipstick, and waterproof mascara in mine – but feel free to get crazy!
Now scroll down to the gallery for some tips on beach bags and how to fill them – and enjoy the beach in style. Have fun!
Our planet has so many undiscovered, unbelievable wonders, a few of which get added to the well-known Unesco World Heritage Site list every year. Year after year, the list of sites considered to be our global heritage grows a little longer; thanks to the work of experts, they come to the attention of the wider public and – who knows – these wonderful places could even end up on your own personal list of places you need to see! This year’s new entries are located on five continents, but that doesn’t change the fact that Italy leads the way with a total of 53 heritage sites. We’ll let the pictures do the talking: these are 8 among the newly-inscribed wonders in the Unesco WHS list – and we’ve totally fallen for every single one of them!
One of the biggest runway trends this season are shiny materials like metallic leather, paillettes and vinyl as we could see at Saint Laurent’s, at Kenzo’s or at Mugler’s. It doesn’t matter if we’re talking about shoes, jackets, bags or dresses – designers definitely were inspired by the sparkling 80s. Which is amazing, especially since it stimulates our styling creativity at its best. When we look at all those shiny pieces, we picture a heaven full of stars, fireworks and falling stars. We feel like we are some kind of cyber space agent, coming from Mars and exploring the Earth. And let’s be honest: this planet here could definitely use some more shiny colors and sparkling outfits. If you feel us, scroll down and discover our best cyper space outfits. They will bring glamour in your daily life!
Born in 2001 (does it get any more Millennial than that?), she’s already been called the teenage prodigy of Hollywood, thanks to a number of important achievements: our weekly Woman Crush, Isabela Moner, is as beautiful as she is talented and is only 16, but she has already become famous after starring in Transformers: The Last Knight.
Isabela was born in Ohio, but both of her parents are from Peru, and she feels Peruvian herself. Her dearest friends all say that she proudly answers she is from Peru to anyone who inquires about her origins!
Her career started about five years ago, when Isabela was just 11, but it was her role as the main actress in the 2014 movie 100 Things to Do Before High School that propelled her to fame. Shortly after, she was cast for the television film Splitting Adam before landing a role in Middle School: The Worst Years of My Life and, and most recently, she starred in Transformers: The Last Knight, a howling success.
Curiously, she is mostly known for roles in high school movies, even though Isabela never really had time for regular school in her teenage life, being too busy on set! Instead, she got her diploma through a homeschooling program.
And that’s not all: this talented girl is not just an actress – she’s also a musician. Isabela plays the ukulele and her album Stopping Time was released in 2015. With this kind of resume at 16, the sky’s the limit!
Sure, dresses look amazing in combination with heels. Those shoes do not only make our legs look model-like, they also give us this super sexy body consciousness we only have with high heels on our feet. But to be honest: they also make us look very lady-like and a little tarted up. Like those girls who can never run because of their shoes, or those who leave before the party really gets started because their feet hurt so much. Well, there is a solution to this, and it’s a very stylish one: wear sneakers with your favorite dress instead!
Believe us, you will have no compromise to make when it comes down to the choice of your dress. This comfy flats will give your all your dresses a new twist that will not only add a surprising touch to your outfit, but they will also make you look so cool that every girl next to you perched on her heels will feel totally overdressed and very uncomfortable. And the best thing of all is that you can toss away the proverb saying that you have to suffer to be beautiful. Those times are over! Free your feet and look amazing doing so with this amazing sneaker-dress combinations. Temping, aren’t they?
In addition to being the time to recharge your batteries (ideally at the beach), summer vacations are also your chance to finally delve into a book. Of course, things change and evolve (luckily for us). So if you were too busy with the planning and packing, and forgot to pop into the bookstore to pick a book for your travels, rejoice! We have the solution to your problem.
In the last few years, hotels have been trying to offer more and more services, including environmentally-friendly facilities, 5 star restaurants, and now catering to bookworms with a (sometimes beautiful!) library within the hotel itself.
Here are 5 hotels with libraries that stole our heart – and if that wasn’t enough, some of them are open to the public! Is this the real life?
When it comes to an elegant dresscode, the first thing popping up in our minds is black. But let’s be honest, even if this might be the best choice, you stop looking so elegant when you step out of your door into the summer heat. Wearing black when the summer sun is burning down on the city will make you feel and look like you just accomplished a marathon: sweaty and suffering! Instead, let’s drop the black elegance and embrace this hot season. Let it inspire ourselves with its typical shiny color which can look so smooth, too: bright yellow!
So sunlovers, this is for you: Dressing in the color of the sun from top to toe and still look elegant is possible! You have your doubts because wearing yellow makes you think you look like a DHL guy or a Disney minion? Forget your fears instantly. It all depends on what clothes you choose and what accessories you are wearing with it.
First rule to look elegant in yellow: Don’t mix and match different yellow nuances. Stick to one and the same color and make it a total look! The second rule is: never wear black accessories or shoes with it. The contrast is too extreme and it will make your outfit look cheap instantly. Same for other colors, try to avoid them too, if you don’t want to look like a tropical parrot.
Go for nude tones instead! This softens the flashy yellow and gives it an exquisite touch. In case you feel like you need to pimp up your look up to a goddess like level, go for gold. Golden heels, belts or accessories can look very pretty with yellow, since they come from the same color range.
Check out our elegant and our supreme total look in yellow below. This will surely make you suddenly love the color yellow!
The story goes that many centuries ago, in an area of the Pyrenees not far from the town of Perpignan, a group of Gallo-Roman soldiers bathed in a thermal spring. They were astounded by the effect the water had on their skin, which was immediately made softer, smoother, and younger. Wounds also seemed to be healing faster! After screaming in delight (well, not actually screaming, but you know), they couldn’t help spreading the news, and so the story has been told and passed from generation to generation. And this is how I also imagine any other myth concerning the spring of eternal youth. And you know what? In this case, it’s not a myth – it’s all true. In the ’50s in Perpignan a thermal spring could be found that was located exactly where the mythical spring was supposed to be. By analyzing its water, Dr Jos Jullien broke new ground in both science and beauty research, with Life Plankton Quest. This is also basically the story of how Biotherm was born and how Life Plankton became its mission. I had the privilege of being their guest and exploring the near-magical place where everything began. Spoiler alert: it’s a cave, and at first sight, a pretty unsurprising place. But the best about this adventure and about Biotherm is that nothing is what it seems, and as you go deeper, the transformation happens. Entering a cave that’s millions of years old is a unique experience in itself that you must have at least once in your life. Thanks to school trips and family vacations, this wasn’t my first time in one, but I can’t help being mesmerized each and every time observing my surroundings. This cave is a metaphor of life, that never stops changing. It takes thousands of years for stalactites and stalagmites (mineral formations) to form. They accumulate drop after drop, just a few millimeters a month, and on a good year they might get 1 centimeter (0.39 in) longer. Wow, right? It’s easy to understand why to speleologists, these are natural cathedrals, with their rock art and their sense of sacredness. Yes, indeed, they are sacred, because man’s behaviour has tremendous, potentially destructive effects on caves like this: you risk losing centuries worth of history at every step. So I recommend you tread carefully and mindfully, so fully understand this experience and the message at the core of Biotherm’s Life Plankton Quest. Nature has delicate balances that we must observe, understand, and use to our advantage while respecting it. Life Plankton has made this its core value, and united nature and science in unprecedented ways through innovation, drastically changing beauty routines, no matter how consolidated. I could tell you so much about Plankton – but it’s not my job. My job is telling you how to use it in your daily life. Sceptic? You shouldn’t be: in 2017, the spring of eternal youth is located at your local beauty shop, although if you can go directly to the source in southern France, you won’t be disappointed. Three Biotherm products contain Life Plankton at a similar or higher concentration than the water from the spring: the essence, the sensitive skin emulsion, and the mask. The first was inspired by eastern beauty routines, the second is your weapon of choice to defend your skin from pollution, and the third one – well, this one is just incredible. Its gel-like texture makes it a real treat, which you can apply with a small spatula in the evening before going to sleep. You’ll start noticing differences from the very first morning: your skin will be relaxed, luminous, tight. Ready to bathe in the spring of eternal youth?
He’s on everyone’s lips right now, both for his personal life and his work: Tom Holland is the new Spider-Man, one of the most sought-after actors of the year, and reportedly Zandaya’s new boyfriend… so it was just a matter of time before he became TBS’s Man Crush, too!
Tom is 21, although you wouldn’t believe it by skimming through his incredible resume. The Holland family already counted two artists – his mother is a photographer and his father a comedian and author. When Tom was younger, his parents did not hesitate to enroll him to a two-year course at the BRIT School for Performing Arts & Technology, at the same time as he was starting hip hop dancing. His dancing skills did not fail to be appreciated by world-class choreographers, and that’s how Tom had his theater debut in 2008 with a minor role in Billy Elliot the Musical. Just a few months later, Tom’s gift was so obvious that the director felt compelled to change his cast and chose Tom as the main actor, starring as talented Billy Elliott, a role he held for two years, charming everybody with his acting and dancing virtuosity.
Theater, as it often happens, was Tom’s chance to showcase his abilities, kickstart his career, and shift to acting for the big screen. Very soon, Tom’s chance arrived to turn his life around: in 2015, he was cast as Peter Parker / Spider-Man in the new film of the franchise. Tom was already Spider-Man in Captain America: Civil War (2016), and resumed the role for Spider-Man: Homecoming. For Tom, this meant a much wider public and becoming extremely popular from one day to the next. And we’re all definitely eager to see him in Avengers: Infinity War, which will be released next year.
These much-deserved accomplishments have made it so that Tom’s phone just won’t stop ringing, as the most important film directors and most beautiful women of Hollywood all want him so badly! The latest gossip suggests he and fellow actress Zendaya are very close ever since being on the Spider-Man set together… how much truth there is to it is unsure, but we’re all rooting for these two super heroes!
We know, you’re thinking, «Has TBS Crew’s gone nuts? Boots in the summer?». But humor us for a second: what if you really are not into sandals? Not everybody likes to wear open shoes in the city, and while there are a million options, sometimes boots are just the best one, especially during a thunderstorm when it’s still 85 degrees.
Plus, boots are always cool: you can mix and match them with any piece of clothing; be it a summer dress, miniskirt or shorts, they’ll always be groovy, as celebrities such as the Hadid sisters and Kendall Jenner have already demonstrated!
Scroll down to the gallery for 5 boot types to wear for the summer plus 5 ideas on how to wear them. What’s your favorite?
Boots in the summer: life is short, take risks… and colorful bright boots!
Boots in the summer: colorful combat boots is our new favorite trend
Boots in the summer: for a sophisticated city look, white is always a good idea!
Boots in the summer: badass black combat boots are so cool
Boots in the summer: sock boots made your legs longer and thinner… so why not?
There are some save-the-dates that you should always be careful not to forget about, such as when Blue Flag beaches are announced for the upcoming summer! The Blue Flag certification, in fact, is only assigned to beaches with high environmental standards (which translates into clear water and pretty views). Europe dominates the top 6 positions, and thus establishes itself once again as the place to be for the summer. Find out which countries deserve the top 6 positions this year – and more importantly, if you’ve chosen your summer destinations wisely, write down the names of the beaches you must visit on your vacation! Here’s our favorite beach in each country. What say you, are you ready to book your next vacation?
6 – Portugal
Portugal came in sixth, confirming that its reputation as a surfing paradise with mega waves is not the only thing this country has got – its beaches are incredible, too. Our favorite is in the Algarve area: Praia da Rocha. The water is clear, the beach is huge (so you don’t risk sharing your personal space with a thousand other people) and there’s a lively nightlife with clubs and dancing for your enjoyment.
5 – Italy
Italy has been steadily climbing up the rankings, and in 2017 it’s finally conquered the top 5! For us, proud Italians, choosing the best beach in the country is just not something we can do – it’s like choosing your favorite sibling. So, for a completely unbiased tip, we are giving you the official spot recommended by Blue Flag in the region of Liguria, which this year obtained a high number of flags: Spotorno, with charming views the like of which can only be found in Italy!
4 – Turkey
No one returns disappointed from a vacation in Turkey. The Foundation for Environmental Education (who awards Blue Flags) definitely noticed and placed the country fourth in the rankings. The one beach you can’t miss in Turkey is Kaputas. The colors are astounding – they change every hour and will give you all the emotions.
3 – France
You didn’t think France was only good for a romantic getaway in Paris, did you? If you did, you need to have a good, stern talk with yourself, because France is ranked at a fully deserved third place in this list. Corsica has some heavenly beaches, some on the wilder side, some catering to the less adventurous. We recommend Palombaggia, with its white and fine sand.
2 – Greece
Every year, the two top positions are disputed between Greece and this year’s No. 1. Is there anybody left who doesn’t know that Greece and its thousand islands have the best and easiest-to-enjoy beaches in the world? In this case – and we totally mean it – we really can’t choose just one, but for the sake of our readers, if we really have to pick one, it has to be Cape Drastis on Corfu, with its coves and the bluest of waters.
1 – Spain
Pictures us surprised – Spain is the queen of the summer again! Everybody’s favorite summer destination has been ranking first for a few years now and boasts a huge number of Blue Flags awarded to its beaches. Spain is not limited to Barcelona, Ibiza, and Formentera, either: the country is dotted with the most wonderful beaches. If you really need a name, go to breathtaking Calò des Moro, on the island of Mallorca. You’ll thank us later.
We’ve said it again and again: trends are cyclical. Which means in one’s lifetime, one gets to see a trend make a comeback, sometimes more than once. Now it’s the turn of ombré lips, which were popular a few years ago and are coming back with a vengeance this season. Unlike in the past, though, this year the trend has adopted more natural, nude hues, so that it’ll almost look like you’re not wearing any lip makeup at all.
To create this effect, you only need a lipstick, which you’ll apply and then blend with a brush or by tapping on it with your fingers: you need to shade it so that your lips will look fuller and sexy. To create a gradation, you can either have a darker shade on the outside, getting lighter towards the center, or vice versa a darker shade at the center of your mouth getting lighter towards the edge of your lips. The finish can be matte or glossy, depending on your personal taste and the rest of your look, but it’s important that the blending works well with the shade of lipstick you’re using.
So let’s talk color: even though red lipsticks are a staple for all seasons, nude and bright colors are king this summer and have popularized the Korean stain trend. This consists of a technique (originating, indeed, from Korea) in which only the center of the mouth is colored in strawberry or cherry red, while the remaining part of the lips is either left uncolored or is made lighter with foundation. The final effect looks like watercolor or what you might end up with if you bit into a juicy red fruit.
This summer is looking like experimenting will be the key word in terms of makeup, and this fun new trend (which is also quite classy) is perfect for the beach, too. If you’re looking to be a kisser this summer (whether your kisses taste like sea salt or not), it’s time to be daring!
The fragrance of summer is so hard to describe. It has something to do with the seaside, ice cream, the sunsets, and vacations. But that’s a bit vague, isn’t it? It definitely is! Truth is, life is different in the summer: the weather, the music, our schedule… everything changes – including perfumes! Indeed, the perfumes more so than everything else, because the way they work changes with changing temperatures. Confused? In fact, we don’t just choose different notes, but the warm weather also affects how perfumes and the surrounding environment interact. Hold on – here comes your super easy science lesson of the day: perfumes need warmth to be “worn”. When they’re in their bottles, they are neuter compounds of aromatic molecules. When it touches your skin, however, a perfume starts evaporating thanks to the warmth the skin emanates… and you start smelling nice! Magic! Now, this process is affected by changing seasons (perfumes evaporate faster in the summer) and some notes are more volatile than others, which means summer has its own fragrance. While we tend to wear intensely flowery, sweet and woody perfumes in the wintertime, this kind of perfume will only last a short while in the summer, and what is left will give you odor fatigue very quickly. Fear not, however: you just need to choose a perfume that works in the summer. This will have to be a harmonious, easy-to-wear fragrance, reminiscent of travels, strolling on the beach, and sunlight. Did you know that how you experience this is different, depending on where you live? Blame it on your sunscreen! In the States, summer is associated with coconut and frangipani (Coppertone, anyone?), while for people in Europe, summer tends to smell like orange blossom and lavender. In addition to these notes, summer is also about green, citruses, and white flowers like jasmine and tuberose. Scroll down to the gallery for the fragrances of the season… and have an excellent-smelling summer!
Excellent ingredients, lighter and healthier reinventions of traditional cuisines, and a carefully-designed, classy decor that can be altered depending on the theme and situation: this week’s TBS Taste is all about DesinoLento (“desinare” is a somewhat obsolete Italian term meaning “to have lunch”, and “lento” means “slow”). DesinoLento is chef Domenico Della Salandra‘s latest project and where he is free to cook away his apparently simple and familiar dishes, which in reality need fine skills to create and a never-ending search for the right ingredient among the very best available on the market.
And that’s why the menu changes daily, based on what was freshest at the market but also depending on the weather and the day’s inspiration, even though some dishes come back again and again, such as the baccalà mantecato, the chef’s forte, which is what we got: we were left speechless and couldn’t wait for the following courses! What else did we have? Saffron risotto and spaghetti with pesto and mussels for Francesca and Giulia respectively (both were great, but the risotto was heavenly!) and octopus with pureed potatoes for Vince, who just can’t resist octopus and who, as our expert, stated it was the best he’s ever had. To conclude, a triple dessert: mango pannacotta, ricotta with figs, and apple fritters. Mouth-watering!
Nothing was rushed – an impressive contrast compared to the frantic pace of lunch breaks in Milan. Together with the its prices, which are higher than other restaurants in the neighbourhood, this is a clear indication of the status of DesinoLento, a special place to treat yourself to, especially in comparison to most other lunch spots. Dinner, the meal in which DesinoLento will find its best realization, will be served starting in October.
For the time being, the restaurant is only open at lunch time, while the cafe is open from 9 am to 10 pm: it welcomes customers for a lovely breakfast among succulents (which you can buy) as well as for happy hours and events: this is also a venue for pop-up exhibitions of contemporary art, who can exhibit their work in multiple rooms.
Since Maria Grazia Chiuri joined Dior, it’s been one success after another, and she’s made us dream with a ballerina style out of a dream. So what if we introduced this magic into our daily lives, dressing like ballerinas in the city?
If you daydreamed about becoming one as a child, this is your occasion: gown dresses, tulle skirts, matching tops with romantic low-cut necklines, flats (though low heels might do the trick, too), hairs up high (we love the chignon)… and, of course, a sweet smile on top. Too sugary for your taste? No worry: just add a few edgy pieces to twist your look and voila: pretty, sophisticated, and cool. Need we say more?
If you want to know how to perfect your modern ballerina look for the city, the gallery has some of our favorite suggestions!
Modern ballerina look: if you wear a tulle dress wear it with a pair of sneakers or flats
Modern ballerina look: romantic skirts + denim are the perfect combo
Modern ballerina look: if you’re a mini skirts fan match yours with delicate accessories
Brera was a fascinating neighbourhood, where an air of history and mystery coexisted. Amelia was walking through the sunny streets as a light breeze caressed her hair. She wasn’t used to this heat, so she’d often try to shelter from the sun in churches or in the entryways of palaces. She already knew Italians were friendly, but when one of the shop owners offered her a peach, even the scorching alleys seemed sweeter. She was walking alone but sure, daydreaming: her steps traced a dance on the pavement. A boy stopped her and asked for her name, then invited her to a party that night. She was startled by the invitation, and said she would think about it. She did, all afternoon, while she kept walking, enchanted every step of the way. The bright blue sky, the smell of flowers, the colors of the city. Everything spoke about a summer love affair, in a European city. Would she ever go to the party?
Produced by Martina Maccherone & Gregorio Capineri Tosetti
Model: Natalia Piszczek
Photographer: Jessica De Maio
Hair and Makeup: Manuele Mameli
As the days, months, and years go by, Instagram remains our favorite social media! Especially when it comes to hunting for inspiration – nothing compares. Speaking of which, have you seen our new tutorials? Catch up on previous episodes here! But, back to our topic: here’s 5 beauty-related accounts you should follow, if you want to make your life even more beautiful.
The entire beauty online community is madly in love with this account since it started posting. The aesthetics and care they put in every single post, shot, and caption is worthy of praise. Follow @gelcream if you like unbiased reviews and being on top of new products and trends: their premise here is that they never do sponsored posts. That’s quite the guarantee!
@rmsbeauty — Living Luminizer. I really enjoy applying products with my finger, so I experiment with this highlighter like a child: I put it on my eyelids, cheekbones, under eyebrows – anywhere. It disappears on the skin, giving it a natural glow. This one I tried from @needsupply. If you follow me for a while you know where I stand with RMS beauty, i think that blatantly using cancer and other sensitive topics to promote the product is just as bad as using terrible ingredients. And I really hope that in the future for skincare/make-up companies being non-toxic and clean would be such a norm as brushing teeth and there won’t be a need to brag and shout about it.
A post shared by Gelcream (@gelcream) on Jul 9, 2017 at 9:53am PDT
We recently met Jen and she’s as cute in the flesh as she is online! Don’t miss her Instagram Stories @jenatkinhair in which she unpacks the looks created for her famous customers (Bella, Kendall, Gigi, Kim, Khloé… but the list goes on forever), telling you about each step in detail and directing you to the products she’s used – down to hair brush and hair dryer.
never not cheers-ing or sucking on bobbi pins.
The wait is over, winter is here! The seventh season of Game of Thrones started this week: where did we leave our favorite characters? Where’s Jon Snow now? What’s next for Daenerys and her dragons? And what evil plan is on Cersei Lannister’s mind? We will find out very soon, but in the meantime – we want to know more about the lady who stole every fan’s heart: Missandei, the loyal handmaiden to the Mother of Dragons (Missandei only briefly appears in the first episode of the new season, broadcast on Sunday night; but we confide in some plot twists happening very soon!). Our weekly Woman Crush is Nathalie Emmanuel, the beautiful actress starring as this beloved character.
Natalie was born in England in 1989. Ever since she was little, she has taken singing and dancing classes, and without ever missing a beat on her schoolwork (her mom was demanding in that respect!) she still got to perform at several casting calls. Emmanuel’s first gig was, as a teenager, in The Lion King in London, and just a short while later she got the opportunity of her life. We’re obviously talking about Game of Thrones: starting from 2013 and to this day, Nathalie has been playing a key character in the best loved TV series of all times, and she’s had an incredible success which hasn’t broken her enthusiasm for new adventures.
It was right during some of the pauses in between shooting Game of Thrones that Nathalie got some offers she just could not turn down. Thus she found herself cast for one of the main roles in Furious 7, The Fate of the Furious, and Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials. These fast moving action films are very different from her role in Game of Thrones, but she’s often stated she likes performing in both genres of films.
Nothing is known about the private life of this talented actress, no significant other in sight on her official profiles… must be because she’s got so much work! Her love for one special person, however, is obcious from her pics: that for her mom, who gives her all the love she needs!
The West Coast has been Chiara’s second home for some time now, so it was only a matter of time before a beauty guide to LA came your way! About time we invited you to our favorite spots in the City of Angels: if you’re planning to visit or you live in the area, we strongly recommend you write them down for reference.
The first address on the list is also the most important, the one you cannot miss at any cost: the Beverly Hills Hotel, which has been around for quite some time and is as cool as ever. Your first “task” will be lying down on a chaise longue by the pool and enjoy a refreshing cocktail surrounded by palm trees. Once you’re in the right mood, head over to the spa, where you’ll find exclusive treatments and customized yoga classes. Namaste!
If you’d rather enjoy a massage in a studio, further away from the noise and the crowds, we recommend The Now Massage. This is a new concept for LA, and its popularity has skyrocketed very quickly, which means their agenda is super busy. If you want an appointment, be persistent – it’ll be worth it. Chiara and Michela can vouch for it!
For an otherworldly experience far from the chaos of downtown, book your spot in Santa Monica: The Raven Spa is a little Thai sanctuary in the heart of California which will help you get away from it all and recharge your batteries (your batteries, not your phone’s, which indeed should be left at home).
The two hottest addresses for your nails are Es Nail and Marie Nails, where in addition to your manicure, you can entertain yourself with some healthy celebrity spotting. Gel manicure is a must-have, if possible with some minimal nail art (thin lines or metallic details) to boast when you stroll idly down the street with your cup of Alfred coffee.
Looking for a facial treatment? Look no further, and head to Face Haus! The cute mint green decor will steal your heart, as will the lengthy menu of available treatments. You’ll feel renewed, and your skin will be selfie-ready!
How about trying out the latest novelty in terms of beauty, which is still unheard of in Europe? Skin Laundry and its facials, which use laser and LED, are awaiting you, for an experience to remember. In America, they’re all the hype!
Two more addresses to note down. File under: places that make your credit card cry. One of them is Violet Grey, a cult venue not far from The Row, Melrose Place, where you might end up bumping into the Jenner-Kardashian clan more often than not. At Violet Grey, you’ll find the best beauty products in the world, carefully selected by the team so that you can choose among the best of the best. You can also shop on their website – but believe us, you don’t want to miss out on the store experience.
Last but not least, head over to Venice Beach for the Hourglass Cosmetics flagship store. Here, you can get your makeup done for a special event (our own Carolina is still raving about her makeup, months later!) or simply shop following the advice of the artists there who are always ready to help.
At this point, we can only wish you safe (and beautiful!) travels
Some things never change. Like the memory that pops up in your mind when some stranger in the subway wears the same perfume as your mom. Like the feelings when you suddenly hear this one song you loved when you were sixteen and it takes you back to the best summer of your life. Or when you watch your favorite Disney movie. Let’s be honest, you still wish you could be as beautiful and fascinating as the movie princess. Don’t be ashamed of that – consider it as the probably best styling inspiration you could get instead. Because it is! And you won’t look like you’re a child going to a costume party, promised. You’ll rather look super cool. Check out those three Disney princess inspired looks and live your dream!
Lean back and imagine it’s sunday. A beautiful summer sunday afternoon precisely, and the sun is shining, birds are singing in the trees and all you have on your agenda is meeting your best friend later on for nice cup of coffee – and slip into your cute little tea dress, of course. What else could be more fitting to wear for a day like this?
Right: nothing! Because tea dresses are the perfect choice for casual summer days like these, with their colorful flower prints, their cute ruffles, and their comfy wrap design. No buttons, no zips, no squeezing in. A lot of colors, elegance, freedom. No wonder all fashionistas are pillaging those dresses, making them the trending one fashion piece number one!
When it comes down to the styling, they are as easy to handle as they are to put on. Wear them with a pair of cowboy boots for a cool twist, wear them with sneakers to look casual, and wear them with stilettos for a more elegant occasion. Whatever you choose, you will look like the personification of good mood. Sounds appealing to you? Then scroll down and shop the cutest tea dresses available right now. Yeahhhh!
What do Germany, Italy, and Wales have in common? All three countries are part of the origins and background of this week’s Man Crush, Dane DeHaan.
Dane was born in Pennsylvania in 1986 from the most interesting cultural mix. Since he was little, he showed an interest in acting, and his parents complied. In hindsight, this was definitely the right choice for Dane: his first job offer, for a role in the theater play American Buffalo, came early on when he was a teenager and was a great learning experience for him. After theater came TV: Dane had a role in one of the most popular series of the last decades, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, and in another much-loved series, In Treatment.
Just like many artists who have gone through multiple phases in their careers, Dane has experimented with theater, TV, and finally and most importantly (and intensely), cinema. In 2012, he made his film debut with Chronicle and was also cast for Lawless. He subsequently was Ryan Gosling’s son in The Place Beyond the Pines and had various roles in drama movies such as Kill Your Darlings (with Daniel Radcliffe). Screenplays soon start flowing in his direction, and in 2014 Dane was cast in the incredibly successful The Amazing Spider-Man 2.
So much work, and indeed so much recognition: this year has been his most successful yet. In the much-awaited Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets by Luc Besson, which will be released at the end of the month, his co-stars are Cara Delevingne and Rihanna; he’s also been cast for the upcoming historical drama film Tulip Fever, starring also Alicia Vikander.
In between movies, Dane (whom many love to say is conceptual heir – and doppelgänger – of Leonardo DiCaprio) somehow finds time to relax and unwind. His idea of relax, though, does not involve stuff like massages or spending hours in a spa: he’d rather charge his batteries through manual activities such as chopping wood, or by exercising his green thumb.
In the meantime, he’s also found some time to marry his fiancée Anna Wood, and he became a father for the first time last March. And we thought Beyoncé was the only one to have more than 24 hours in a day!
Eyebrows have been a hot topic for at least three years at this point and are the protagonist of makeup trends: they make or break how good your face looks! And obviously, they are also the source of much anxiety. We are just never happy with our eyebrows, whether they are thick or sparse, or thin, as your truly has them, after being a bit too enthusiastic with her tweezers when she was younger… all we can do is fill them in to give them the best shape. All hope is not lost, though: there’s a lot of room for improvement with specific treatments and products. Here’s a brief how-to guide to healthier eyebrows! Don’t worry, it’s not rocket science: follow us through the steps that will not only leave you with better-looking brows, but also be a special cuddle for yourself – this is going to become a staple of your beauty routine.
Rule no. 1: always put yourself in the hands of professionals or Brow Bars (we are totally addicted to Benefit Brow Experience at Sephora!) and they’ll help you figure out how to best shape your brows for your face and eyes; you can then replicate the same techniques at home to complete your eye makeup.
Let’s move on to practicalities: the first thing to do is applying a scrub onto the area, so that your eyebrows are nice and ready to absorb maximum moisturization and all the magical ingredients that will make them grow shiny and thick: minerals and vitamin E. Where to find them? Use castor oil, which among its many properties makes your nails, hair, and eyelashes stronger. It’s also easy to apply a few drops of it with a cotton swab or a small brush – you should do it every night before going to sleep, for no less than 15 days. Other oils, such as jojoba, almond, coconut, or usma oil, can bring similar benefits. And since we’re talking natural ingredients – aloe vera gel helps blood circulation at micro level and is great as an anti-aging treatment.
Need something stronger? There exist also specific serums and gels for your eyebrows, to help them grow, thicken, and be healthy.
Ready for your new, fabulous eyebrows? Let yourself be inspired by the products in our gallery and start caring for them – starting tonight!
Locals have heard this a million times: “Milan would be the perfect city if only it was on the sea!”. There’s some truth to it: a nice beach is the only thing the city is lacking. But while there is no seaside for you to sunbathe, you can still head over to one of the city’s many pools that definitely deserve a visit during the summer. Let’s say your day off is blessed with the most amazing weather and a cloudless sky: staying home is just not ok, especially without air conditioning. The best thing to do is to dive into one of the city’s pool and refresh yourself. For those of you who can’t go to the seaside, or prefer to spend their vacations in a different type of destination, here are our 5 favorite pools in Milan. Goodbye, humid heat!
Bagni Misteriosi
This won’t be news to you: Bagni Misteriosi has been the most popular pool in Milan for a couple years, since it’s been renovated with impeccable taste, a large pool, and a bar for your happy hours needs. If you’re in (or you like people to think you are), then you must visit!
Piscina Argelati
Just behind Porta Genova and a stone’s throw from the Navigli area, Piscina Argelati is one of the best loved pools in the city. The facility was opened in the 1960s and it was the first uncovered outdoor pool in Milan. Find respite from the extreme heat in one of their two mega-pools!
Lido di Milano
A huge swimming pool with the capacity for a large amount of people without making you feel like you’re been smothered by the crowd: this is the go-to pool for Milanese youth, thanks to the water slides that make everything more fun! Lido di Milano is definitely worth a visit this summer.
Piscine Saini
Not far from Parco Forlanini, Piscine Saini underwent a renovation some time ago that completely changed its face and made it a lot more functional. It has two pools (one olympic-size, one a kid’s pool) and there’s more: it has a large venue for events and a spacious garden and a sunroom.
Piscina Scarioni
Piscina Scarioni is slightly less central than the rest of the swimming pools on this list, but that also makes it the least busy. It has three outdoor pools, one of them olympic-size: this was the venue for the 2007 Euroleague water polo championship finals. Thanks to regular upgrades, it is one of the most modern and complete aquatics centers in the city and you should not miss it.
Generally speaking, when we talk about makeup trends from the runways we’re looking into the future (currently meaning the Fall Winter of 2017-2018!) but in this case, we feel like we’re looking into the past instead… more specifically, a common reality, i.e. elementary school! Colored pencils are the protagonist of this season; you can use them to emphasize your eyes in new and original ways. There’s just one rule: you have to use more than one color, and mix and match crazy colors and applications. The most basic way to use pencils this way is a neat, straight line drawn with your eye pencil on both eyelids – preferably in bright purple or lime green; as long as it’s an unexpected color. If you feel inspired, get started with a classic look by Marco de Vincenzo, using two different shades of blue. Or if you feel brave, go ahead and try this complex and fun idea by Byblos! Scroll down to the gallery for plenty of inspiration and the best pencil sets to set free your creativity.
In wintertime, we’re all dreaming of summer, and when summer finally comes, we’re all desperate for a little coolness! How demanding can we be? The summer heat came sooner than we expected it and for those of us in the city, the change has caught us unprepared and decidedly overdressed. Then again, how do you dress for work with temps in the upper 80s? Dressing for the heat is tricky, because all of your smart casual wardrobe is now too warm and while you’d like to wear as little as possible, office environments require compromises.
Still looking for a feasible solution? Wearing less is not the solution – wearing the right pieces is: you need light and cool cotton and linen pieces. If your job has you sitting in front of a computer the whole day, you’re not doing yourself any favours by wearing polyester and viscose; a shirt dress or a cotton button down shirt and linen pants outfit, on the other hand, will keep you cute, cool and fresh until the end of the day, and you’ll still be formal enough for office life! You’ll still be hot, but you won’t sweat as much
We’ve said it time and again: removing your makeup is Beauty Routine 101, because a clean and moisturized skin translates into a younger and more beautiful you, especially in the summer, when your waterproof makeup gets a lot more use.
Let’s be honest though: you don’t always have specific products at hand to remove the more durable or more stubborn makeup, especially waterproof mascaras and lipsticks that do not rub off. If you think micellar water is going to help you get rid of any makeup… think again. As much as we love this product, to remove sweat proof and waterproof makeup you’ll have to raise your game.
On the one hand, waterproof and water resistant products allow you to take a dip into the swimming pool without worrying you’ll emerge resembling a panda bear; on the other hand, you risk rubbing your skin and eyes excessively upon removing your makeup, and thus might end up irritating them.
But worry not: the magical world of cosmetics has come up with a solution to every existing problem. There’s a wide range of products you can use to remove any trace of makeup from your skin – delicately. The best known among them are biphasic makeup removers, which are made up of both water-based and oil-based phases, dissolve your mascara simply, and are not rough on your eyelashes and brows.
More in general, oil is a fundamental ingredient in a wide range of these products. Coconut, oil, and almond oil are particularly indicated for any kind of skin, even oily skin, because once you’ve washed them off, they discourage extra production of sebum.
One of the products we love best is makeup removers balm, which are becoming more and more popular and are also looking like they will be the future of skincare. These products have a cream-like texture, but once applied and massaged onto the skin, they turn into oils and finally into creamy cleansing milks.
Or, in case of emergency (and especially at the beach or at the pool), you can use biphasic wipes or cleansing milk, which also perfectly cleans your skin; the latter, however, should always be chosen carefully depending on what kind of skin you have.
Long story short: no need to worry about your mascara staining your towel: from now on, removing waterproof makeup will be so easy!
When you think of summer, Switzerland is probably not the first place to pop into your mind. We Italians, like many others, tend to think of the seaside as the ideal summer destination, but considering how horribly hot it’s been lately, we warmly (ah! Get it?) recommend considering an alternative background for your summer shenanigans. We recently spent 48 hours in Engadin and want to tell you all about it. Who knows, we might persuade you to plan your next weekend getaway in Switzerland.
Whenever I listen to my friends’ beauty-related conversations, when the topic shifts to dry shampoos, I seem to hear the same question over and over again: “How often do you wash your hair?” Now, we’ve already debunked the myth about how washing your hair often is supposed to be bad for its health, although I’m all for not stressing it too much and washing it a maximum of two to three times a week. But I couldn’t survive those days in between washings without dry shampoo. For those of you who are dry shampoo virgins, we’re talking about a product you can apply onto your dry hair to remove any excess oil to give it another 24 hrs without washing it. There are several types – spray, powder, and even foam! And it’s so easy: step one is spraying the product onto your hair, focusing on roots and on problem areas. Then you just wait for it to work its magic, as it absorbs anything that doesn’t belong on the head of a lady who washes her hair regularly or has her hair done at the salon often (let me dream!). Last but not least, arm yourself with a brush and brush away all excess dry shampoo that has taken residence on your hair and scalp. Voila, perfectly clean hair, at least for another few hours! Find our favorite dry shampoos in the gallery, but first, a few more tips for you: firstly, please choose powder shampoos or other alternatives over aerosol – as much as we all like dry shampoo, be mindful of the environment! Secondly and thirdly, a couple good tricks. If your hair is clean but you struggle with volume, you can follow the same procedure and just use less dry shampoo. And if you feel your hair is running out of time before the next washing but you have zero time to wash it tonight or early in the am, just apply dry shampoo before going to sleep and let your hair absorb it for the rest of the night, then brush it when you wake up. Shock treatment to the rescue! Now go and proselytize your friends: you have my blessing.
An open-air ride in a covertible, winding through the narrow streets of Amalfi, a day spent on a boat in awe of the sky melting into the sea: Amalfi and its Coast are the dream location for the launch of the project combining Chiara’s creativity and made-in-Italy craftsmanship by Tod’s. An iconic bag, the Gommino Bag, and shoes that are now a staple of Italian style, the Gommino Double T loafers, now in a delicate pink hue that you can mix and match in any summer look. This special edition will also have a charitable side: thanks to this project, aid will be provided to the most damaged territory hit by the 2016 Central Italy earthquakes; Marche, where the brand was born.
She’s 19, she’s a model, and she has an impressive pedigree: Aiden Curtiss, our crush this week, inherited the blood and the beauty of her mother, the 1990s top model Katoucha Niane, and the creativity of her father, designer Nigel Curtiss.
Her charm did not go lost on the such of Fendi, Bottega Veneta, Topshop, Off-White, Stella McCartney, Miu Miu and Versace, who made her a young goddess of the fashion industry and one of the most sought-after black models of the last seasons.
Yet fashion is not her only passion: Aiden’s greatest love is music, which is her one true medicine, and which pushed her to become a producer. Creating music is her pride and an important tool for her to fight against prejudices according to which music production is a “male” profession.
Just like her mother, who was a spokeperson again FGM, she is sensitive to gender issues and is fighting the battle against discrimination.
This new fashion star is not afraid to speak her mind and like everyone in their late teens, she loves adventure and keeping active. Her large, beautiful dark eyes reflect her strong personality, which is just as noticeable as her incredible beauty.
As for us, we’re looking forward to celebrating her success as music producer and see her walk the most important runways of the next fashion weeks! Go, baby, go!
American, vintage, and super glam: these are the words that perfectly describe Pretty Vulgar, the new makeup brand that everybody’s been talking about since April, when it was launched in Sephora stores on the other side of the Pond.
A full line of cosmetics, born from the expertise of beauty veterans and makeup artists combined, inspired by vintage aesthetics and by a broader idea of “beauty”. The Pretty Vulgar concept stems from the idea that beauty routines can be a beautiful thing of conflict: every woman has multiple facets, just like every bird has multiple colors in its plumage. Similarly, Pretty Vulgar offers a number of hues, so you can choose between preppy and 1950s pin up, between goth and bold and any other idea that might tempt you. Faithful to the concept, packaging is also a mix of flowers, birds, gold lines that come together and drift apart and vivid white borders. Boxes are reminiscent of bird cages and take us to a different world, a Wonderland, a world of dreams that makes us feel like little girls once again.
Pretty Vulgar is completely cruelty-free – just one of the many reasons why you’ll fall in love with the line. Their formulas are made to last on your skin, but the products are light and paraben-, sulfate-, and phthalate-free. And there’s more: these products contain fabulous ingredients such as pro-vitamin B5 and hyaluronic acid (in their mascaras, to moisturize your eyelashes) and olive oil, jojoba oil, and coconut oil (in their lipsticks and glosses, to make your lips soft).
Could we ever not love a brand that offers a wide range of products that are so attractive and professionally-made at the same time? Truth is – we want everything, from their makeup setting spray, Lock It In, to their mascara, The Feathers, to their highlighter, Shimmering Swan, to the Nightingale palette… I could go on and on. It was just love at first sight!
When we think about our summer vacations, we think of ourselves as tanned, relaxed, and most importantly, always ready to party! With our alarms set on ‘off”, we’re free to party into the wee hours. I don’t know about you, but for me perfection is a resort where I can spend the day laying in the sun, which by the time happy hour rolls about basically turn into a club, the sand the hottest dancefloor of the summer. Well, Italian resorts are working on that and they are in the process of “outcooling” European destinations. Looking for beautiful beaches and fun? Have a look at our favorite Italian beach bars, have fun, and make this summer an unforgettable one!
SUNSET CAFÈ
There’s a beach bar in Tuscany that can teach one or two things to the rest of country. Sunset Cafè knows how to party, and it shows when the sun goes down and the music goes up! The scenery in incredible, and between enjoying your drinks on colored cushions and breaking your moves on the dancefloor, you’ll have a great time. Sunset Cafè is open every day from 7 pm to 3 am.
Phi Beach
Could the wildest island of the country be missing from our list? Of course not, so here is Phi Beach in Olbia-Tempio (on the Costa Smeralda), and the hordes of young people taking it by storm every night. Phi Beach can be reached by car, by boat, or, if you can afford it, with a helicopter ride, too. You just have to come if you want your summer to be trendy!
SAMSARA BEACH
Who doesn’t know the parties at Samsara’s? We recommend its Gallipoli venue, which is well known by anyone in southern Italy and beyond. You can enjoy the fabulous Apulia sea, and when the sun goes down, refresh youself with a drink and meet new people.
Beky Bay
The Romagna Riviera always gives us emotions, and in this case vibrations. Honestly, this shoreline is considered one of the most hottest in all of Italy, and choosing a single resort has been quite a difficult decision. Beky Bay is located in Bellaria and collects a lot of young people every summer, even because almost every evening you can find a themed party. From rock-indie music to the house and techno.
Singita Miracle Beach
Not too far from Rome, in Fregene, Singita has something for everybody. In the am, you can lay in the sun and relax all you want; in the afternoon, this beach transforms and turns into a a sunset bar with a floor of white linen on the sand. In this suggestive scenery, the Sunset Rite is celebrated every night; an Indian boy clad in white rings the gong, which resounds as then sun sinks into the water. The end of the day is greeted with an applause, and a magic night begins. If this doesn’t make you want to go to Singita now, we don’t know what will!
Looking for the perfect accessories to complete your summer looks? Look no more. Extremely cat eye sunglasses are the best option: with their exaggerated shape and their total-black sophistication (our fave!), they give you that futuristic diva look no other accessory can give you. Don’t waste time on mixing and matching: these sunnies go with everything, from a couture dress (evidence: Rihanna) to a suit (see Kendall Jenner) to a microkini (see Kourtney Kardashian).
If you’ve seen the Fall Winter 2017-2018 Balenciaga fashion show, you’ll have noticed that this trend is here to stay. Imagine wearing these sunglasses with a total black look on a sad, grey, rainy day: there’s just no more essential look than that!
Scroll down to the gallery for some inspiration on how to look your coolest with eye cat sunnies… ready to get your pair? Don’t wait for winter to come, and if you need some shopping advice, you can find our favorite in Kendall + Kylie’s e-commerce (be quick, though: they sell out ultra fast!)
Have you ever daydreamed about leaning against the porch of a range, in the middle of the Wild West, watching your handsome cowboy riding back home to you, his moving dark silhouette against the bright red sunset in the sky? Well, if you haven’t until now, I bet you at least got fond of the cowboy style at the latest Dior Cruise Show. It took place in a Wild West spot exactly like this, with all the models wearing stunning western-inspired outfits. The question that popped into my mind afterwards was: can anything look as cool, as powerful and sexy at the same time as those Wild West looks with hats, boots, layered dresses and suede jackets? The answer is easy. It’s no. Definitely not.
A good reason for us to dress like a cowgirl then, even if the Wild West is far away and we are no Dior model on the show. And believe us, dressing a cowboy-inspired way is totally possible without looking like you’re on your way to a costume party. All you have to do is to follow this one important styling rule: wear exactly three of the following items at the same time, no more and no less, and your cowgirl look will be stunning – but still city-adapted! You can choose between a denim piece, a hat (preferably a fedora one), something with fringes, suede leather, cowboy boots, black leather goods and a gingham printed piece.
This sounds hard to handle? Then check out our three cowgirl looks below, and I bet this is what you will be wearing tomorrow.
Do you have fine, thin hair, of the kind that gets greasy very quickly? Fellow owners of fine hair, this post is for you. Have hope: there’s light at the end of the tunnel, and with our advice, you can survive yet another summer, fine hair or not.
Let’s start with saying that you’ll need to have a rigorous shampoo-and-conditioner routine, but before we go into any detail, let’s consider our context. It’s summer. In the summer, when it’s hot and humid, everyone has trouble managing their hair, even those who have been blessed with beautiful manes of thick hair. For those of us with thin hair that get dirty instantly, summer turns into a months-long nightmare. How to recognize a person with fine hair: their hairdo is shapeless half an hour into the day; their roots have zero volume; and their hair gets heavy because of sweat and because they cannot leave it alone and try to fix it – with questionable results. See yourself in this description? Here’s some tricks.
As we mentioned, routine is key here, and summer needs a special routine. A light, volumizing shampoo (which hopefully works) is important, as is the right kind of conditioner. Gasp! Did we say conditioner?! Yes, yes we did. While conditioner is often considered a no-no for people with fine hair, it doesn’t have to be off limits anymore. Enter the new Pantene foam conditioner: 100% conditioner and none of the heaviness. This new product nourishes your hair from the inside out thanks to its champagne-like bubbles in its exclusive formula. It dries quickly and leaves no residues. In the summer, moisturizing your hair is super important – never skip it! If you think you’re too cool for conditioner and skip using it, your hair will take their revenge by producing a lot more oil to compensate for it… which will turn your head into a miserable disaster.
For the post-routine phase, one more tip: try to limit tying up your hair in the hottest hours of the day only, so that they stay away from your nape without stressing it too much. By doing this, you won’t expose your hair to sweat (of which your nape has a lot) but you’ll also realize it makes a world of difference. Ready to put our advice to the test?
How good it feels to start our week writing our Crush about a guy with a positive attitude, considerable talent, and who never got things handed out to him on a plate: he is Aidan Turner and at 34, he is an icon in Ireland and in the United Kingdom.
Aidan was born in Clondalkin, a small town in the Republic of Ireland, where he lived until he graduated college. He had a perfectly normal childhood; his father was an electrician, his mother worked in an office. Since he was very little, he had a great passion for sports. Little Turner thus took tennis classes, tried badmington, and even tried his hand at ballroom dancing and latin dance contests. In the meantime, diploma in hand, he moved to Dublin.
The time in the capital would define his later career. Putting sports aside, he threw himself into his other passion, cinema. In order to see as many films as possible and to pay for his studies, he started working in a movie theater and then as a bartender. At this point, Aidan was madly in love with cinema and managed to secure a place to study at the Gaiety School of Acting.
At 21, Aidan got an important role in one of the most popular TV series of the last few years, The Tudors, and subsequently got cast for a number of other important roles, until he was chosen to play Ross Poldark in the BBC series named after the character, Poldark: the role that made his famous. Poldark is currently at its third season in the UK, which we hear from experts is also the one in which Aidan gives his best performance.
Finally, you should also know that it’s pretty much pointless to look up Aidan on social media, because he simply has zero interest in them and is not on any. He is a bit old-fashioned (in the best, romantic sense), the kind of man who still appreciates courting. In fact, our dear readers, if anyone is interested, Aidan has recently become single and available, so…!
Imagine being transported all the way across the Ocean and to a lush, green place, rich in history from its ancient past as it is modern and elegant: a place that bewitches you instantly. No, you don’t need a plane ticket to find this paradise, you just have to walk into Saigon, a new Vietnamese restaurant in Milan. Saigon opened a month ago but it has already left its mark on the culinary map of the city thanks to its carefully designed venue, excellent service, and obviously thanks to its great food that can conquer even the most reluctunt European eaters, with its twists on typical cooking that make anything easier to approach.
How could we not give it a try and report to our beloved readers? Hard work but someone’s gotta do it. Off we went to our reserved table and we asked the staff for advice so that we could try foods as diverse as possible and put the restaurant menu to the test.
We started out treating ourselves to a drink: Saigon is both a restaurant and a cocktail bar, and it’s open before and after dinner time. Together with the regular staples of any bar, Saigon also offers a list of six signature cocktails inspired by Vietnam. We tried the Earl Gray Martini, Camélie and Zen, all of which were impressive not just in taste, but also in presentation and vessel. Sipping your drink at the bar, sitting on one of the high red-velvet-covered stools, will make you feel like you’re inside one of Marguerite Duras’s novels – and there’s just no better way to prepare for the meal to come.
Once you’ve sat at your table, surrounded by kentia palms and in the dim light and warm ambience which are the perfect ingredients of an intimate dinner, we suggest you let the waiting staff help you pick the right dishes and the right wine (or cocktails – they go perfectly with the food, too!). We opted to share plenty of appetizers and were delighted by how well all the flavors worked together among them and with the sauces they come with; the goi cuon with soybean sauce and the chao tom, i.e. shrimps on sugarcane, with plum sauce, are our new obsession! We were also utterly impressed by how familiar these foreign flavours felt.
Before you leave, take a moment to take a tour of the upper floor and explore the restrooms, a fantastic little corner of Saigon restaurant completely covered in flowery wallpaper. We promise you’ll forget you’re even in Milan!
Remember Twiggy, the 1960s model? If you do, then you’ll remember her big eyes, exaggerated by superlong bottom eyelashes. Well, this bottom-eyelashes-focused trend is coming back to life thanks to the Fall Winter 2017-2018 fashion shows. In addition to making your eyes look bigger, this also makes your look very dramatic or melancholic, with a simple detail.
So if you want to try a new look without straying too much from you everyday routine, this trend is for you. There are several products you can use to recreate this doll-like effect: either full lashes or individuals mascara, eyeliner, and pencil. You can look for inspiration from Ryan LO‘s runway, with full fake lashes, or Jeremy Scott‘s, who prefers slighted spaced individuals. MSGM‘s surprising effect is achieved with mascara and short fake lashes. Or, for a more natural effect that still turns heads, there’s beauty looks by Zuhair Murad, Emilio Pucci and R13, playing around with fake lashes and a healthy amount of mascara. Finally, Tadashi Shoji takes us back to the 1960s, with lashes drawn directly onto the skin under the eyes.
Ready to conquer the world with a look? Don’t miss our gallery!
39-years-old Mary Beth Patterson, aka Beth Ditto, is famous for being the lead singer of Gossip since 1999. She’s recently received a lot of attention for her new album, “Fake Sugar“. In addition to being a self-professed feminist, Beth is a partner of several make-up brands such as MAC and the designer of a fashion line for curvy women; she’s also opened a number of fashion shows for stylists of the caliber of Jean Paul Gaultier and Marc Jacobs. She’s even recently performed at the Resort 2018 Gucci runway show in Florence. Ever heard of a better music-and-fashion resume?
Her punk make-up style and cool, colorful wardrobe that turns head wherever she goes are the unmistakable qualities of her appearance, but what we like most about her goes deeper on a personal level: she’s determined to convey a message of love and acceptance for oneself through fashion, whatever one’s body type. If you love Beth as much as we do, here are some styles inspired by her looks! Which one’s your favorite?
Beth Ditto style: for a punk make-up keep it simple and perfect with a little black dress
Beth Ditto style: for a sophisticated and extravagant look the colorful suit + shiny accessories are the key to success!
Beth Ditto style: there are never too much shiny clothes and high platform shoes for her ♥
Has anyone here planned their vacation to the tiniest details? No? Well, maybe someone has, but most of us just are just chronically late, be it because we all postpone stuff or because, as much as we want to escape routine, travelling in the Summer is ugh so expensive. We feel ya. If you’re at a loss, here’s 5 of the cheapest destinations in Europe.
Riga, Latvia
According to recent research, Riga is trending. No wonder, with its priceless cultural heritage – the city center is home to the best preserved Art Nouveau architecture in Europe and to as many as 50 museums; Riga is also known as the Paris of the North (as is Warsaw). Ok, it might not be the best place to lay on the beach, but I challenge you to get bored in the capital of Latvia. If you love architecture, don’t miss the Three Brothers, three buildings in Mazā Pils iela, and the House of the Blackheads. Riga is on the rise but has not been invaded by hords of tourists yet – and that means it’s still on the cheap side.
Kiev, Ukraine
More modern and more European than many Slavic cities, Kiev is the perfect compromise for those who have tight budgets but don’t want to give up certain luxuries. Despite an uncertain political situation, Kiev offers unique sights, many beautiful churches that totally qualify as art, and a lifestyle that is accessible even to the thinnest of wallets. Don’t miss the Podil neighborhood, one of the the most beautiful, most colorful, and liveliest parts of the city.
Sofia, Bulgaria
One more destination in Eastern Europe, of which Sofia is rightfully considered the Queen. As elegant ss it is unexpensive, Sofia is rich in art, history, religion, and traditions that make it absolutely unique. Due to its mild climate (read: it won’t feel like you’re in an oven, even in July), strolling in the city center is a delightful experience. Write these names down: Thracian Treasure, Central Mineral Baths, and the young and hip Studentski grad area.
Warsaw, Poland
The capital of Poland always holds surprises, and leaves us with a sense of longing any time we get away from it. Warsaw has had some of the most difficult times in twentieth-century Europe and was completely destroyed in WW2. After just a few years, however, part of the city center had already been rebuilt, including the Royal Palace that is the pride of every Pole. But there’s so much more to see in Warsaw; here’s just a few sights: the Old Town (which is a Unesco WHS), the POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews, and the Palace of Culture and Science. Don’t miss the melody resounding through the city every day at 11.15 am in memory of the first Nazi bombing of the city: it is a truely moving moment.
Luxembourg City, Luxembourg
No larger than a small county, Luxembourg is considered to have one of the best qualities of life in the world. This ministate offers a lot to see, such as its over 100 Medieval castles and the Alzette river, which makes the place oh-so-charming. Luxembourg will also surprise you with its culinary and renowned tradition, the fruit of the encounter of many different influences. Whatever your tastes, you’ll find an affordable activity in Luxembourg City, for cheaper than you would in many European capitals.
You know how good it feels when the skin on your face is cool and glowing? Wouldn’t it be great to feel that way even after a whole day in the sun? As temps get warmer and the sun shines longer each day, you need to up your game in terms of skincare, so that your skin stays moisturized and luminous. Here’s the ultimate after-sun skincare routine for after your tanning sessions in the sun.
Firstly, eye on the prize: moisturize, moisturize, moisturize. Drinking a lot of water is always a good habit and more so if you’re in the sun for multiple hours a day. If you tend to get distracted, no worries – there are so many apps out there to remind you to have water throughout the day!
Now that we’re covered the basics, let’s turn to this after-sun skincare routine. Start with making sure you’ve removed all impurities (including all traces of the generous amount of sunscreen that you’ve been applying all day long. Because you HAVE, right?). So you need to start with a nice shower, neither too hot nor too cold, to steam your pores gently, before you unclog them with a mild cleanser. Remember: the sun irritates your skin, so you need to take care of it like the treasure it is. To get rid of dead skin (and trust me, you have a lot of it), you can use a peeling product, as long as it’s delicate.
Next phase: skin toner (which needs to be both moisturizing and soothing) and a nice moisturizing and cooling mask for your skin to soak on for a few minutes. Now it’s time for the main show: a moisturizing after-sun lotion. Did you know that aloe, shea butter, yogurt and cucumbers, which often appear as ingredients of this kind of product, can also be used on their own to repair dry skin, thanks to their soothing properties? Because they can! And they are our natural allies in the war on after-sun dehydration.
Routine over! You’re know the proud owner of skin that doesn’t even know the concept of “dry”. Scroll down to the gallery to see all the products you need to fight against dryness!
Text by Clelia Veith
Leopard prints have been around for a while, and while they’re never been easy to use in an outfit, the time has come for your animalier pieces to leave the closet. This summer, forget the rules: colors and patterns get revisited with new, unseen combinations, including layered prints and crazy colors; when it comes to eccentricity, nothing’s better than animal prints!
Need some inspiration? Forget super sexy looks and think 90s cool: Azzedine Alaia, Grunge musicians such as Kurt Cobain and Courtney Love, and even Princess Diana. There’s no lack of options to look at to integrate leopard prints into your own style. Let’s get started with some head-to-toe outfits for the fashionistas and a few accessories for those who prefer a sober style – after which, it’s up to you!
How to look cool in your leopard print: the 90% total look is our favorite option, it’s never too late to be awesome!
How to look cool in your leopard print: for who prefers some easy picks and classic pieces, choose trendy colors to make more contrast to your outfit
How to look cool in your leopard print: if you prefer to go “low profile” with your prints, denim + flat shoes are always the best option!
It’s no mystery that over here at TBS Crew we are very much into tattoos. Chiara, Riccardo, Vince, Giorgia, Martina, Greg all have one – or more! And I just realized we’ve never talked about how to best care for the artwork on your skin; as the beauty editor, I really need to take my responsibilities! But let’s start with a confession: I don’t have a single tattoo. So all this advice comes from friends who have them, brought together by yours truly.
She’s not the daughter of a celebrity or the sister of a super model: she’s the girl next door who has achieved success through sheer talent. Her name is Laura Harrier and if you don’t know her, then it’s about time you do.
Laura was born in Chicago in 1990 and got into the fashion industry at a young age. Her beauty and her natural elegance were noticed by American recruiters who instantly offered her some very lucrative job contracts. She thus started collaborating with L’Oréal, Macy’s and Garnier, and she was featured in magazines such as Cosmopolitan, Elle e Glamour. This paved the way for her to what really interested her – acting. Now 27, Laura has stated that she has limited interest in fashion, but she has a strong passion for cinema.
Strong in her calling, she enrolled in a dramatic arts school, and thanks to her features in magazines and advertising, Laura got her chance to be cast in some great TV series such as One Life to Live and Unforgettable, followed by high-grossing movies, the latest of which, Spider-Man: Homecoming sees Laura as Liz, the love interest of every nerd’s favorite super hero.
As it often happens, success creates success, and Laura was cast for one of the most awaited films of the year, Fahrenheit 451, from the novel by the same title authored by Ray Bradbury. Laura will be Millie (Mildred in the novel), Montag’s wife, who lives a social-media-obsessed life. This obsession will jeopardize her marriage (unlike in the novel, where Mildred’s obsession was television).
Waiting to see Laura take on this new challenge, we’ve had a look at her Instagram profile, which is filled with photos of Italy, including many with her new friend Bella Hadid. She might not be interested in a future in fashion, but the camera clearly loves her – don’t you think?
Classic and traditional palettes are finally starting to make way to bright, vibrant colors such as orange, which are conquering street styles. Men and women, day and night wear, winter and summer, orange is the one color your wardrobe needs right now. We know, we know – it’s not easy to wear and neither is it to mix and match in an outfit, but you can look at celebrities such as Bella Hadid for inspiration, with her orange skirt-and-jacket outfit, or at Chiara‘s orange oversize sweater-turned-dress… no need for pants!
Don’t like the monochrome look? No problem. Have fun coordinating orange with unexpected colors such as purple, red, pink, or green, or with prints and patterns. New fashion trends follow the “life is short, take risks” motto; what about you, are you onboard with it? We guarantee orange will be THE color this and the next season, so let yourself be inspired, and get your best outfits out of the closet!
If you thought that excellent food in Milan was a corollary of the Expo 2015 and that you’d never spot a yummy lunch in the city after that… think again. The city of Milan has just just granted about 50 new licences for street food vendors to take to its streets – and why wouldn’t it? Street food is the meal of choice of both for young people and businessmen. Located in various parts of the city, these food trucks will offer a wide range of great food, from meat to pasta, from desserts to exotic dishes. Ready for a summer of yummy food in the streets? Here’s 5 food trucks we’re dying to try!
Innovation in the beauty industry never stops – we’re basically entering the Matrix. First came the apps that told you how to perfect your look, but that was just the beginning. Augmented reality is now – well, a reality! For the non-technology-nerds (or the technology Muggles) among you, augmented reality is the step before virtual reality, the difference being that with augmented reality you are still “in this world”, which represents the background upon which an added layer, developed through images, creates a visualization of what we’d like to see. Remember the holograms in Star Wars? This is pretty much the same thing. To go back to beauty, augmented reality can now be used to try on makeup without having to actually apply it onto your face. Through Counter, an app about to be launched, you’ll be able to try on anything (a n y t h i n g) you want, and then purchase it directly through the app without even having to leave your house. Among the many brands that have partnered with Counter we can already list Charlotte Tilbury, Lime Crime, Stila, Clarins… there’s something for everybody! Unlike previous apps, Counter also lets you see the packaging of the products, which, according to marketing experts, can make the difference in what you purchase and you don’t. As far as I’m concerned, they’re totally right: Charlotte Tilbury’s rose gold represents half the fun. This tech is also perfect to try on those kinds of products for which no testers are available, such as fake eyelashes. Battington Lashes, the producer of fabulous silk eyelashes, is launching an app that recognizes the shape of your eyes and shows you what its products would look like on you. If this is not genius, we don’t know what is! The only thing that’s missing? Experiencing texture. And even then, you can consult an expert and get their opinion. Perfect365 is about to launch the PRO version of its app, through which makeup artists can suggest their customers variations on their looks through augmented reality. Your screen will show you back your look with the products your makeup artist recommends, and the app will link to the e-commerce websites where you can buy them. Welcome to the future!
Ever had a fanny pack as a teenager? I had like a hundred, all in different colors, and I LOVED them. I felt so cool when I wore one (yeah, thinking back, maybe I wasn’t that cool, LOL). My epic fail? Moving out of my parents’ house and leaving my fanny packs there, convinced as I was they’d never come back in fashion. It didn’t take long for my parents to get rid of them all
He’s the new face of Louis Vuitton, former boxing champion and dancer, current actor and model and, last but not least, this week’s Man Crush Monday on The Blonde Salad: all the media are after 30-year-old Frenchman Kevin Mischel.
Let’s take a step back and start with a trivia fact: not much is known about his early and private life (where he was born, for instance, or when, or whether he’s dating anyone), but we have plenty of details about his career in sports, which have contributed a lot to making him the person he is today. Kevin, in fact, has always been keen on sports since he was very young, and namely on boxing. From courses, he trained until he became a professional boxer.
But there’s one event in particular which completely changed his life. When he was a teenager, he came across a group of street dancers on the way out of the gym in the Parisian banlieue, and (we could say) he saw the light. In that moment, Kevin knew that dance was his language, and specialised in popping (a mix between funky dance and hip hop).
With dancing came his introduction to the show business. He started performing and getting more and more confident on the stage. Success came in early 2016 with the movie Divines, in which he showed off his fabulous dancing skills, but he also impressed many as a promising young actor. The French-produced film was also awarded the prestigious Caméra d’or prize at the Cannes festival that year.
Riding that wave, and realizing he had a real passion for acting, Kevin decided to pursue his acting career further and was chosen as the main actor in a theater play, Night in White Satie, which the French swooned over. His new passion came at the right time too, right when he started to realize that, at 30, his body could no longer tolerate the intense exercise that dancing required, as he has frequently admitted.
Thanks to these successes and his good looks, Kevin found himself receiving proposals from every direction, including, most recently, to work in fashion! As we mentioned, Louis Vuitton and Nicolas Ghesquière selected him for their new campaign, together with the ever-beautiful Catherine Deneuve. And this is just the beginning – he’s off to a great start!
When we think of summer, we think of freedom – that time of the year when we can finally get rid of restrictions such as alarm clocks going off, work, unsufferable coworkers… and clothes. You read that right – a lot of people like to bare it all and opt for a more “natural” sort of vacation, specifically choosing destinations with nude beaches. Ever come across someone sunbathing with no swimwear on in the middle of your stroll on the shore? Well, there’s even beaches entirely dedicated to those people who “hate tan lines” – and some of them are absolutely beautiful. Want to know more? Here’s 7 nude beaches that’ll make you forget shame for this summer!
Usually, when presenting a beauty trend originating from the runways, we tend to propose “sober” and wearable looks. Not this time, guys! We’re all over the new ideas presented in the Fall Winter 2017-2018 fashion shows, and want to show you how you can be an artist, too, with the so-called cut crease trend.
A cut crease is an eyeshadow technique that features a pronounced “cut” in the crease of the eye. It first appeared in the world of beauty in the 1960s, thanks to celebrities such as Audrey Hepburn and Liza Minnelli. Since then, it’s been heavily used by theatre actors, as it highlights and exaggerates the shape and size of the eyes, but it’s also become a staple of drag queen makeup techniques. The version we’ve seen in recent fashion shows is slightly different and reminds us more of a revisited Matisse or Monet, if Matisse and Monet made makeup. It’s a great touch of color in your look, makes your eyes look bigger, and also looks very sophisticated, even if you’re not using any mascara. It first made an appearance on the runway of the Spring Summer 2013 Michael Kors fashion show, but it’s making a grand comeback. Got your colored pencils? Ready, set, go!
Mirror mirror on the wall, who is the fairest of them all? Whoever that is, their beauty routine must include apples: the most controversial fruit in the history of fairy tales is a must-have in the list of ingredients of so many products we’d love to try – and they smell so good!
Apple scents are typical of summer perfumes, body washes, and other yummy products! It is, traditionally, a scent for the gourmands, but it’s also fresh and delicate and suits fruity perfumes aficionados to perfection. Out of the many types of apples used in perfumes, green apples are undoubtedly the most popular.
Apples symbolize eternal youth, and no surprise – they are an excellent complement to skincare routines: they are a key ingredient to slow down aging, thanks to their revitalizing qualities and their ability to tone up and moisturize. Fruit acids contained in apples also make them particularly appropriate as an ingredient in masks and mild peeling products, which will leave your skin soft and silky!
There’s a reason why the area of your face where you wear blush is called “the apples of the cheeks” – when you smile, your cheek looks like a lovely apple. So it makes perfect sense for blushes to have turned as red as the reddest apples in the past few years, so that you can wear that same pretty shade. Are you ready to be the fairest of them all?
A stroll among bougainvilleas and a drink on a terrace overlooking the sea, to stop on a bench that makes your mind go to century-old stories of love and adventure. Chiara tells us about the Erika Cavallini Fall 2017 collection in the charming context of beautiful Amalfi.
Produced by Martina Maccherone & Gregorio Capineri Tosetti
Photographer: Jessica De Maio
Hair and Makeup: Manuele Mameli
Location: Hotel Santa Caterina, Amalfi
If you are employed, you’re bound to have the same problem all of us have every summer: too little time off, too hot for a staycation in the city. Say you have 4 days off, because you’ve been smart enough to turn a weekend into a long weekend, and have a desperate need for sunshine and the sea, then there’s one thing to do: go to Sardinia. Is there anybody left who doesn’t know Sardinian beaches are the best in the country – and in Europe? That’s exactly why you can’t miss out on this region. So to make the most of the little time you have available, here’s a Sardinia itinerary from South to North to guide you to all the most charming beaches. You just have to book your flights to Cagliari e rent a car – we’ll take care of the rest.
DAY 1: Cagliari
Ideally, you should reach Cagliari the night before, no matter how late, so you can fully enjoy your first day. The main city of Sardinia, in its southernmost region, will be your starting point. The best beaches in the area are by Villasimius: Porto Giunco, Campulongo and Porto Sa Ruxi are just a few hundred yards from each other and thus make the ideal destinations for you to explore over the course of the day. After a nice, intense, and sunshine-filled day, it’s time to get back to the city and enjoy a stunning sunset in Cagliari, on the terrace of the Bastione di Saint Remy (right in the city center). Order your favorite drink and wait for the sun to set behind the breath-taking view. After spending the entire day on the beach and a nice stroll through downtown, believe us – you WILL be hungry. How about some seafood? There’s no want of excellent seafood in Cagliari, as you can imagine, but if you want to be sure to have an amazing dinner, try Antica Cagliari, in one of the city’s narrow streets, and get yourself some spaghetti alle vongole (clam spaghetti) – one of life’s finest pleasures. Or go to Lillicu and get some local dishes – they’re the best!
DAY 2: San Teodoro
After an early wake up, it’s time to head to San Teodoro, about 2.5 hours from Cagliari. Since you’re aiming for the best beaches in Sardinia, you can’t miss La Cinta, a larger beach than many in the region, where – do we need to say this? – the sand and water are just amazing. Later in the day (there’s too much to see to spend too long in one place!), less than 10 minutes away, you’ll find a beach that’ll wow you: it’s called Cala Brandinchi and human language just doesn’t have a word to describe how blue the water is here: you just have to see for yourself. In the late afternoon, it’s happy hour time, and then you can head to dinner at La Margherita where you just have to try the linguine all’astice (lobster linguine) or lados (a typical Sardinian pasta that resembles dumplings a bit) with sausage, pecorino cheese cream and ricotta. No need for dessert – you’re better off with a glass of mirto, the local digestivo.
DAY 3: Stintino
New day, new beach: this time, you’re going to one of the northernmost areas of the island, namely Stintino, not too far from Sassari. Believe us, you’ve never seen anything like it. The beach at La Pelosa is incredibly white and the water is so blue it puts the Maldives to shame. In addition, Stintino has the cutest bars and cafes, where you can enjoy a radler and forget how hot it gets under the Sardinian sun (beware though: the local radler, Lemon Ichnusa, is so good it’s addictive). Other beaches in this area include the Spiaggia delle Saline and Cala Lupo, which are just as amazing as Stintino. For dinner, we recommend you explore the local, inland specialties at a place such as the Agriturismo Depalmas: no need to tell you you can’t leave without trying the renowned porceddu (pork meat) and wash it down with a bottle of Cannonau!
DAY 4: Alghero
Your vacation through the most beautiful parts of Sardinia is coming to an end. As your last stop, we’ve chosen Alghero, a city that’ll surprise you. Beaches are very close to the city center, but if you’re looking for a quieter spot, you can head over to the Spiaggia delle Bombarde. At dinner time, come back to Alghero, which has plenty of lovely and really good restaurants with amazing views. Pick one of the restaurants on the city walls for a romantic view. After dinner, take the required stroll on the seaside: in the harbour, you’ll see archaeological remains from the two World Wars, and you can follow the city walls up to the castle, where the city’s commercial life now resides and the cutest shops and bars can be found. Don’t be surprised to see the streets have Catalan names; one in five Alghero resident is fluent in the language, due to past and present connections with Spain (and nowadays, Alghero has three twin cities in the country).
As much as you don’t want to, it’s time to leave this wonderful island and go back to city life – a shade more tanned and a lot richer in experiences!
Ever look at Rapunzel’s hair with a tinge of jealousy? Personally, I’ve been obsessed with long hair lately. Day and night I think about new ways of helping my hair grow longer: I can’t help it. Are you as obsessed as I am? Then read along: I’ve got some secrets to share. This is your ultimate guide to helping your hair grow “faster” – inverted commas are pretty much mandatory here though, because everybody’s hair is different and takes different times to grow. Mother Nature blessed some of us with overactive follicles and plenty of keratin, while others have to do with slower growth; anyhow, slow and steady wins the race, and you’ll need patience. Routine is key here, because longer hair (even Rapunzel’s) doesn’t happen overnight. Start by fixing some of your habits and you’ll immediately notice an improvement in the health and appearance of your hair.
Never ever forget to apply conditioner, which you need to use every single time; ideally, you should also use a moisturizing hair mask at least once a week. Avoid aggressive shampoos: opt for moisturizing products. Additionally, try not to wash your hair every day: every time you get rid of dirt from your scalp, you’re also removing the natural oils produced by your body to help fibers grow. When you’re done, don’t wrap your towel too tight on your head: hairs might break, even though you might not notice!
Comb your hair as delicately as you can, using the right tools. Nobody wants knots, but stressing your hair is the best way to prevent it from getting longer. The same goes for using the hair dryer and straightener: the less often you use them, the less stressed your hair will be. Other factors include hair ties: tying your hair is not particularly good for growth, so keep it loose as often as possible, or position your hair differently every time; this way, there won’t be any weakening of the fibers anywhere specific. Then, your pillow, or rather pillow case: for the best results, you’ll need silk. Your hair will thank you. Last but not least, add hair growth products to your routine: serums in particular will help your conquer long hair. You’ll only need a few drops in the morning of before going to sleep, together with a nice scalp massage, which never hurts anyway.
Even though it’s not scientifically proven to help growth, it is always a good idea to give your hair a good trim every now and then. This way, you’ll avoid split ends, which signal hair’s bad health and its likely coming closer to breaking point. One last piece of advice: do some research and consider supplements. If your diet lacks the vitamins your hair needs, they will help.
That’s it from your hair growth goddess today. Good luck, Rapunzels, may the force be with you!
Stripes, vichy caros and flower prints are three of the major pattern trends this Spring Summer 2017. Whichever collection you look at, they all did it: Gucci, Chloé and Dolce & Gabbana, as well as Zara, Topshop and Mango celebrated prints in all possible shapes and cuts. And so do we! Actually, we love prints so much that we will say: don’t wear these patterns with plain basics. Forget your blue jeans, leave your black skirts in the wardrobe, and ignore your white trousers. Wear prints as a total look, instead! This spring, when it comes to patterns, more is more — so dare to wear stripes with stripes, flower prints with flower prints and vichy caro with more vichy. Should you be wondering whether this might visually be too much to handle, don’t worry. Our three double-pattern looks will be proof that matching the same prints does look amazing.
How to wear stripes with stripes
Stripes with stripes might be the combination that you never tried before, but that you definitely should try. It actually looks totally harmonious! The only thing you have to avoid is matching a bottom and a top with excessively thin stripes. Other than that, you can wear horizontal with vertical or diagonal stripes, mix any color you want, or go for a total look in one color. Just keep your accessories simple.
How to wear flower prints with flower prints
There is just one rule when it comes to the trending flower print: go all in! Either choose a flower-print maxi dress (it does count as more is more), or wear a flower-print bottom and top together. To avoid looking mismatched, make sure you choose prints with a similar range of colors. Other than that… Blossom up, girl!
How to wear vichy caros with vichy caros
One of the biggest trends this season: vichy caros. You will find skirts, trousers, tops, blouses and even accessories printed with this tiny little pattern, instantly giving us a warm feeling of nostalgia. What really matters, when wearing vichy print with vichy print, is to avoid wearing a bottom and a top in the same color – and avoid looking like you stole some curtains from an alpine ski cottage. The best way to look amazing in this double pattern look is to chose a bottom with black and white caro print: if you do that, this will allow you to go crazy when choosing a top, you’ll be able to choose any color you like!
Film director Zoe Lister-Jones recently noted in an interview that our society is good at talking, but what we actually need is facts. With this statement (and its political subtext), this week’s WCW gives us a glimpse into her big new project and her very special first film as a director, Band Aid.
A 34-years-old Brooklyn native, Zoe got a head start (with the support of her parents) in the show business at a very young age. She began acting then and has yet to stop, though she’s quite talented as a musician as well: she plays the guitar, and is a pretty good singer too. She’s famous for her roles in both films and TV series, such as Law & Order and New Girl. But after a long time acting, as it often happens, she needed a new challenge: for this reason, Zoe dipped her toes into a different art – that of screenwriting, first with lesser known films, and now with this new big project as a director.
Of course the show business professionals are all into Zoe’s new career as a film director, but what the media are particularly fond of is her decision to hire an all-women team. In other words: this week’s WCW’s crew is entirely made up of female professionals, who hare responsible for the entire project, from sound to filming. Not only did she demonstrate that women are as good as it gets at even the most practical, manual jobs in the industry, but she sent a feminist message and brought attention to the issue of gender discrimination that is still going strong on the workplace.
This is just one of the reasons why Zoe is understandably proud of her work, another being the story she tells in her movie, which she’s also written herself. Band Aid tells the story of Anna and Ben, who after spending a long time together as a couple find themselves fighting all the time. Anna then comes up with an idea: why not turn our arguments into music? Anna and Ben thus create a band, with unforeseen results. To find out how the story ends (and to support this all-women project), you’ll have to watch the movie!
PS: If you’re wondering if this accomplished, busy woman is in a relationship – yes, she is! She’s been married to her coworker Daryl Wein since 2013. What a lucky guy, uh?
Pure light. A touch of gold, a touch of black. We are fearless. Beyond the fog lies clarity.
Produced by Martina Maccherone and Gregorio Capineri Tosetti
Photographer: Jessica De Maio
Hair and Makeup: Barbara Bonazza
Special thanks toWhite Show
Summer is here and your vacation is fast approaching! You selected a destination, purchased your tickets well in advance, and booked your accommodation. There’s nothing you could have possibly forgotten to do. Or is there? Not to rain on your parade, but more likely than not, you can’t remember everything. Technology to the rescue: your phone will be your friend. So before you even check in for your flight, make sure you’ve downloaded the apps which are guaranteed to be the talk of the summer. 3,2,1 download!
He turned 21 just a few days ago, on June 10 to be precise, but our Man of the week already has clear ideas, and he isn’t afraid of anything and anyone. Raury Deshaun Tullis, a.k.a. Raury, American rapper and songwriter, famous for his musical style that mixes hip hop, folk and soul, is currently the talk of town, after his protest during Dolce&Gabbana’s fashion show.
Over the last few seasons, the famous Italian brand decided to involve some of the youngest performers from all over the world in its collections, bringing several artists and influencers on stage during their show at the Milan Fashion Week. This season, Raury was among the people chosen, but he decided to exploit his new role as a model in a rather peculiar way: he took off his T-shirt, showing some words of protest written on his skin, to signal his disagreement over Dolce&Gabbana’s recent #BOYCOTT campaign, which was ironic about the disapproval encountered by the brand after the two designers decided to dress Melania Trump.
It is not the first time that Raury gets personally involved in social questions: together with Pharrell Williams, he is the spokesperson for G-Star Raw’s Raw for the Ocean, recycling plastic from the ocean to create denim clothing. In his albums, Indigo Child and All We Need, Raury discusses his ideas and principles, about politics and immigration, but most of all, he talks to the hearts of the people his age, encouraging them to become more aware of themselves and their world. The environment matters to him a lot, and he shows this in small details, like choosing to cycle, avoiding anything engine-powered, and in his choice to be vegan.
What else can we say? If these are the young people who will take care of our world after us, then we can keep hoping it will be in good hands, and that these young people will be able to value the planet, learning how not to destroy its beauty.
There is one fashion piece all girls have in their wardrobes without exception. And I’m not talking about blue jeans –- I’m talking about the legendary little black dress. Some of us might own the slip dress version, some the tight bodycon shaped one, others might have chosen one with lace or tulle details. Nevertheless, it’s the one piece we take out when we have a really special occasion, for which we normally wear it with a pair of black stilettos, or pumps. That looks amazing, no doubt about it, but isn’t it a bit sad that we do not wear it more often?
It is time to wear our little black dress as often as we want, and after you look at our six styling options, you will want to wear it way more often.
The styling secret to never to looking the same while wearing the same dress is not as complicated as it may sound at first: it all depends on what you wear it with, and how. If you have a nice blouse with wrap details, just wear it on top of your dress, and your dress will suddenly look like a mini skirt.
Another option we rarely think about is to simply tuck the dress into your jeans, and ta-dah, it will transform into a cute top! Or let’s imagine you are going on vacation, and your suitcase is jam-packed: no problem! Just wear a nice kimono over your little black dress, and it will look casual during the day and sexy at night. If you planned on an easy afternoon tea with your friends, just wear your marinière under the dress, it will look so cute! Especially with a pair of espadrilles. If you have a more elegant event coming up in the evening, just keep your dress on, take the marinière off, and slip into a nice pair of wide-leg trousers. Classy, right? Last but not least, there is also the sporty option, wearing an oversized hoodie on top of your dress — with matching sneakers, you will look stunning!
We’ve been telling you in every possible way by now, your life needs a highlighter. We also realized that the crazy amount of products available on the market might make it very hard to choose the perfect highlighter for your skin tone. So, here is a practical guide to find your match, your soulmate in glow, to never let go.
Let’s start with our snow-white skinned friends, among which is included yours truly. This kind of complexion works very well with anything pearl-hued, ice-hued, holographic products or anything in a very pale, champagne shade. It is absolutely forbidden for you to even get close to anything with a red or warm undertone, in order to avoid the I-just-had-a-run-on-a-treadmill effect. If you really want to give your face some warmth, you can apply your highlighter on top of a layer of coral-coloured blush (or buy NARS’s Orgasm blush, which will give you both effects in one!)
The middle category gets a green light for anything with golden or peach tones. In summer, you can use them on your cheekbones as well as a lightweight eyeshadow, to create a perfect ton-sur-ton effect which will look great when moving from the shore to happy hour. To bring out your tan, go for highlighting bronzers, applying them generously on your décolleté before you go out at night.
Dark skin is perfect to have fun and play with rich highlighter tones, like rose gold and bronze. It is very important to choose highly pigmented products if you do this, and stay away from anything that is too fair or whose color is too cold and icy: this might end up looking just like a layer of dust that will wash you out instead of making your face glow, as highlighter should. To avoid this problem, add a little liquid highlighter to your foundation, this will give you a very natural and soft effect, and it won’t just be perfect for partying… It will also be good for going to work!
Attending a fashion week that is not part of the “classic” circuit of fashion weeks is always an interesting experience, because everything is very different from what we are used to, and very often, things happen differently from what we would expect. In Miami’s case, I was expecting bold colors, breathtaking locations and lots of celebrities: what actually surprised me most was the total absence of streetstyle photographers, because Miami’s fashion shows are all hosted in the same large tensile structure, and they all take place after 6pm.
The calendar included designers from all over the place, not just from Florida, and the most striking for me were the young brands whose designers came from Central and South America.
Shantall Lacayo is one of them, she came to Miami Fashion Week from Nicaragua, thanks to her government’s help: the Nicaraguan government is trying to help young designers gain more recognition abroad and especially in the US. Her collection is very colorful and seductive, it hints at the 1970s, with retro prints and lots of interesting details, like the hand-painted Converse shoes that gave a final touch to her men and women’s looks, which the designer painted personally.
Yirko Sivirich, from Lima, was another brand that attracted my attention. His collection was all inspired by the sea: men walked the runway with surfboards, while girls wore bikini and one-piece swimsuits in peculiar cuts that made them absolutely suitable to be worn as tops. Beautiful!
Silvia Tcherassi‘s work was also striking, especially because her heavily embroidered wicker bags really won my heart, but also because of her clothing’s structure, very fluid, yet with cuts and knots that still give them some sophistication.
The most interesting part of the show was the first day, though, which was all dedicated to the topic of ecology and featured a special guest, Antonio Banderas. Banderas has been working with Miami Fashion Week for 20 years, trying to change the country’s mentality. In Florida, as well as in the rest of the world, recycling is not at all common and oceans are filled with waste that damages this fragile ecosystem. ECOALF is one of the few brands that focuses on recycling: they originally started by repurposing used fishermen nets — fishermen change their nets every 5 years, but they never take old ones back to the shore with them, as they have to pay a tax to get rid of them. The result is that they usually decide to let them sink in the sea. ECOALF started creating clothing from this leftover cotton, and then they also started making shoes from old plastic bottles. The most interesting aspect is that this brand doesn’t just reuse materials, it also aims to educate people, working with fishermen and locals, and organizing programs to foster environmental education. Very interesting and relevant, not just for Florida but for the entire world!
Neapolitans in Milan have been hoping this would happen for a while, and people from Northern Italy may have heard about it, and felt curious to find out more. Finally, the day has come: the historical patisserie and taralli makers Leopoldo, who have been delighting Neapolitan palates for over 70 years, finally arrived in Milan, opening their first shop in via Torino 48, very close to Duomo. And of course, TBS Crew rushed to taste these sweets first hand, as soon as they could!
The story of this patisserie started in 1940, when a young man named Leopoldo, who had learned the craft from his father-in-law, decided to open his very own small store in the heart of Naples. The quality of raw ingredients, and the family’s professionalism, made the Leopoldo brand very widely known. Leopoldo’s son Patrizio Infante, in particular, and his two sons Fabio and Marco, perpetuated the family’s secret recipes, and decided to “export” them to Northern Italy.
So, now you won’t need your Neapolitan friends visiting Milan to come with a large tray of sfogliatelle, babà and taralli, because Naples came to Milan now and it is here to stay, fortunately. And that is not all, because the family generously decided to include another one of their “creatures” in their Milan shop: Casa Infante. What is Casa Infante all about then? It’s about artisanal ice cream, characterized by creativity and innovation in their choice of flavors.
Marco Infante, who takes care of the creative and productive aspect of the company, comes up with new flavors almost weekly, rigorously using local products from Campania, making customers happier and happier every day. A few examples of their flavors, to give you an idea: Malafemmina, Baiocchi cookies, Sacher Sbagliata, Bianco Cereali… Totally mouth-watering!
And that is not it. In addition to ice cream, Casa Infante also has another ace up its sleeve that will definitely win the hearts of everyone in Northern Italy, too: buccaccielli. The word is Neapolitan for small jar, Casa Infante’s buccaccielli are local Neapolitan specialties placed in jars. Once again, original flavors blended with authenticity are the company’s strength: pistachio-based Pistacchiato, a dangerously addictive spread, is the king of buccaccielli. And we are not just saying this, we know so from first-hand experience, not hearsay!
We pampered ourselves and decided to test several gelato flavors, as well as some of Leopoldo’s traditional products. We feel it is our duty to recommend their Cuore di Babà, a destructured babà cake stacked into a glass, making it very easy to enjoy as street food, too. There is really something for everyone, for lovers of savory tastes, and for those with a sweet tooth… And we are pretty sure that the people of Milan will also fall in love with Neapolitan tradition!
Forget glow: metal details are the trend you should wear during summer 2017! We don’t just want a bronze-like effect on our eyelids, we actually want to look like fused bronze is adorning our eyes. And enough with “golden hues”, your lips have to look like they are covered in liquid gold. We saw this trend on the catwalks, and it made it very easy to find inspiration and to add a few new details to our summer makeup. You can test this trend on your eyes, as seen at the Ricostru, Custo Barcelona or Rachel Comey shows… Or you can pucker up your lips and get ready to send metallic kisses, like the models of Acne Studios, Each x Other and DKNY did. The idea is to always get daring with textures, which must be rich and intense, to stop the metal effect from vanishing, and turning into a simple pearly nuance. Liquid eyeshadows and lipsticks are everywhere right now, at Stila, Kat Von D, Kylie Cosmetics and Yves Saint Laurent, as well as in low cost versions at NYX Cosmetic. The choice is yours! If your summer plans include a festival, we encourage you to try this trend in its face art version, turning into modern nymphs, like the ones we saw at Giamba and Issey Miyake‘s shows. No one will be able to take their eyes off you!
Make sure you mark my words, because they will be your summer’s password: sea salt. Yes, that’s right, this is the ingredient that will take good care of your beauty, naturally and easily: sea salt has purifying properties, it is excellent for draining extra liquids, and as an anti inflammatory. Not only does it help against a very common nightmare for women – guess, it starts with a C and finishes in ITIS – it also helps our body get rid of dead cells. There are neverending ways to use sea salt in cosmetology, and each single one of them brings specific benefits with it that you can discover. Ready to add sea salt to your beauty routine?
We all know about sea-salt sprays, because they are used to produce beach waves – but sea salt has other advantages, too. Sea salt treatments are actually excellent to rid your scalp of dandruff, and they are also ideal for those with greasy hair, as sea salt is also helpful in eliminating excess sebum from your hair. In addition to taking care of styling, sea salt also takes care of your hair, giving it lots of volume, too! Make sure that the formula you choose pairs sea salt to nutritious elements, such as coconut, or aloe: this will help you avoid the feeling of dryness that sea salt can leave behind once your hair dries.
There is no better scent than the one that comes from the sea: fresh, regenerating and summer-like. How many times did you wish you could fill a small ampoule with the smell of the sea, before you left the beach? Many times, probably, mostly to be able to carry on relaxing, imagining the sound of the waves. Halo therapy and salt caves in spas are helpful in recreating that same condition of relaxation that is so hard to achieve in the city. Now, imagine you could be wearing this perfume every day… The good news is, you can! Just choose one of the fragrances in our gallery, it will do wonders for your mind.
If you thought water and salt are only good for eliminating cellulitis, you are wrong: they are also very good for purifying your skin, making it smoother, and giving it a youthful glow. Grab your body scrub, grab a gommage for your face – watch out if you have sensitive skin, gommage is not for you – prepare your compress, and get your relaxing baths ready. The accumulation of toxins is one of the prime causes of premature skin ageing and of any marks appearing on your skin, so, being able to count on a natural ally like sea salt in this struggle is definitely a source of relief. And that is not all: walking in warm salt water also helps your circulation, unifying relaxation and care for your body in just one gesture. So, what are you waiting for? Go and have a walk along the shore at sunset: summer is here and the sea is expecting you!
Milan offers culture and art, work and fashion, and even if your granny is not here to make Sunday lunch, you should also be aware that it is also possible to eat very well. You know why? Because, in addition to foreign restaurants and local fare, there are also a lot of little places where you can go back to the flavors of your childhood, or discover new tastes from different Italian regions. Would you like to discover Italy through food? Or are you feeling homesick, perhaps? We organized a “tour of Italy” by picking restaurants, region by region, from Northern, Southern and Central Italy. So, are you ready to start?
Alexa Chung just introduced her first collection in London, and if you are fans of hers, and of her style, this is your lucky day, because this season is entirely inspired by her, and by the women she would like to dress. Every look on her catwalk had her special touch, or something you could imagine being worn by Alexa: denim miniskirts and polo shirts, classic jeans with flats, floral-print dresses with red Mary Janes, tops and bottoms in matching stripes, kimono dresses, a little glitter, a little laminated leather and a lot of sequins.
5 words to define her collection? Feminine, tomboyish, sophisticated, cool and 1970s. If you liked it, as we did, but the items you loved are sold out already, or perhaps you would just like to find alternatives inspired by her style, here are some looks that we think best represent Alexa’s style.
Alexa Chung Pre-Fall 2017 collection: that preppy sweater over the shoulders is so her!
Alexa Chung Pre-Fall 2017 collection: suits are key pieces for next season… choose an original one!
Alexa Chung Pre-Fall 2017 collection: when you wear mini mini dresses the best solution to look sophisticated are flat shoes
Alexa Chung Pre-Fall 2017 collection: dungarees + romantic blouse + Mary Jane pumps = perfection!
My friends have been nagging me with one question lately: “what about that black peel off charcoal mask I saw on Facebook? Does it work?” I decided that, to save the face of as many people as I can, I should answer this difficult question here. First off, do you really think you should trust a random Facebook video, in which people scream in pain when removing a mask from their skin? I think you already know the answer. These online videos should include a message for their audience, like WWE demos: don’t try this at home. The first reason why you shouldn’t is that these masks, usually available on eBay, aren’t really good quality at all. The second reason to avoid them is that the sticky agent they contain is so aggressive that it literally takes away the entire top layer of your skin’s cells with it when you remove it, including small hairs and sebum-producing filaments. Of course your skin feels smooth like a peach… There is nothing left there! Your skin gets truly traumatized by these masks, and it usually needs about 30 days to go back to its regular balance. Now, if you already used this mask once, don’t worry about it, just promise you will never do it again. And don’t despair: there are actually effective peel-off masks that are also good for your skin, and there are colorful ones too, if you really cannot do without that. If you want to go for a black mask then the Boscia Luminizing Black Mask if for you, but if you really want to be envied by all on social media, test GLAMGLOW’s GravityMud, in its limited, metallic blue Sonic edition (remember the hedgehog that all Nintendo owners loved in the 1990s?). If you don’t have any color preferences, have a look at our other ideas in the gallery, and organize a nice multimasking session with your friends – this time without anyone having to scream in pain.
If I say “polo shirts“, and you instantly think about René Lacoste’s jersey petit piqué, don’t worry, you’re not the only one to make this mental association! Nevertheless, the image of polo shirts has changed a lot since their inception on the tennis courts in the early 1990. Polo shirts went from being simple sportswear to being the polished, yet casual symbol of good manners. Worn with blue cotton trousers and flat loafers, it still is symbolic the so-called “preppy-style”, which might look nice on a golf course or on a sailing boat, but definitely not on the streets of big fashion cities. Well… It didn’t, until now.
We have breaking news concerning these preppy shirts, girls: polos are back in fashion! So, don’t stop reading now, just because the shirts instantly made you think about boring golf games, or dull, bourgeois people: polo shirts seem to recently have had a complete image makeover, and styled in the new way, they even look cool.
You still can’t believe it? Then check out the Spring Summer 2017 runways: we noticed amazing polo looks at Dolce&Gabbana’s, at Adam Selman’s and at Hood by Air’s shows. Honestly, they looked so cool that we instantly went to our wardrobes, to check whether there was an old polo left… It might be just be THE thing to wear on the next party.
Fashion formula 1: Red polo shirt + A-line skirt + biker boots = pretty rocker girl
Fashion formula 2: Cropped polo shirt + leather skirt +plateau sandals = urbain sexy girl
Fashion formula 3: Printed polo shirt + wide leg trousers + slippers = casual chic girl
Critics acclaim her as the uncontested star of musicals right now, and we just declared her our Woman of the week. Denée Benton is without a doubt this year’s revelation, and we love the idea of telling you her story, as this is the story of a girl with great willpower and a great dose of determination, two qualities which helped her attain her goals very quickly.
Danton was born in Florida in 1992, and spent most of her life there. Her education, which progressed at the same time as her greatest passion, music, had a large impact on her career. She attended Carnegie Mellon University, and graduated there, with the highest score possible. It was during her stint at this university that she discovered cinema, and developed her passion for musicals. In an interview, she recently declared that the most influential feature she saw, the one that encouraged her to try her hand in the show business, was Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella, with the unforgettable Whitney Houston.
She didn’t have to wait for too long for the first roles to come, as we saw in her first musical, The Book of Mormon. 2016 was the true breakthrough year for her as an actress, though: first, she featured in the TV show Unreal, and right after that, she got a part in the musical Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812, adapted from a few chapters of Tolstoy’s War and Peace. Without a doubt, this was Benton’s most significant piece of work until now, not just professionally but also from the perspective of her private life. Her role, Natasha’s, was actually originally written for a white actress — the character is Russian — but director Rachel Chavkin, progressive woman and film director, fell utterly in love with Denée’s skills, and decided to pickier because of her talent, overlooking the matter of the character’s original skin color. Benton was nominated for a Tony Award as best actress in a musical for this performance.
Finally, as young successful women often do, Denée is very fascinated by the fashion world. As we can see from her Instagram profile, the 25-year-old absolutely loves being photographed, wearing beautiful clothes, and appearing on the most prestigious red carpets. Hi Denée, welcome to the club of women we love!
Summer is finally here, we can finally say goodbye to our gym, and we can finally relax… Or not, actually: the summer months are the best for sports, they are the time when you can train outdoors, and get out of those walls! Beach volley, beach soccer and beach paddleball are favorites, but there are other, more unusual sports that will definitely be popular in summer 2017! Some of these activities require strength, others require balance, and others even require a small dose of courage. No excuses then, there is only one aim: stay fit, and have fun!
Jumping Fitness
Jumping on an outdoor trampoline? Yes please! This aerobic activity will make your entire body stronger, from your arms to your legs, and even more so if you adjust resistance, by using a few small weights.
Slacklining
Balance, anyone? If you are good with that, no worries, otherwise… Get ready to fall over a few times. This sport is all about an elastic line which is usually a little narrower than the soles of your feet, all you have to do is walk on it… Without falling, of course! Don’t be afraid, the line is usually not tied too high above the ground, so you won’t get hurt and there is no serious danger… You’ll thank us when you see your abs!
Underwater hockey
The tools you need for this sport are: a wooden bat, a puck, a mask, a pair of fins and a mouthpiece. You know classic hockey, right? This version is basically the same, only, everything happens in a pool, 13ft deep. You can just imagine how strong your arms will get!
Accrobranche
This is every kid’s dream, or at least the dream of any little daredevil: it’s all about climbing up trees. This odd sport is the brainchild of a French mountaineer, and over the past few years, accrobranche became a sport: it will be good for your muscles, and even more so for your sense of fun.
Stand Up Paddle
All you need is scenery with water: the sea, or a lake, or a river, why not? This sport also involves a lot of balance, and a bit of sense of direction: you will have to be able to stand on a surfboard, and paddle. The day after you practice, your arms and your thighs might hurt a little, and you will know that that means you did a good job.
Sepak Takraw
The slightly unpronounceable name of this sport comes from Southeast Asia, where this sport is very popular, and we think it will come here very soon, too. It works like volleyball, only, you don’t play with your hands but with your feet, with scissor kicks and bicycle kicks, using a ball of a much smaller size than the one you use in volleyball. If you are into aerobic sports, this is a good way to test yourself, but be mindful of how you fall after your shot.
Kravfit
Let’s move on to Israel with this one: Kravfit derives its name from Krav Maga, the combat style of the Israeli Defence Force, used to train Israeli soldiers. It is generally practiced outdoors, and it involves kicks, punches and elbow jabs, all with a good soundtrack in the background. This sport will tone your legs and buttocks, and it will also teach you a few self-defense moves.. Which never hurts, right?
The blue sea, blending with the sky, white beach umbrellas, offering shade from the sun during the hotter hours, and the delicate scent of lemons in the air. Amalfi is a dream come true, a dream that should be experienced with all five senses, to fully enjoy it. This was the location chosen by Chiara to interpret Calzedonia‘s swimwear 2017 collection, with a touch of rétro, yet always contemporary.
Produced by Martina Maccherone & Gregorio Capineri Tosetti
Photographer: Jessica De Maio
Hair and Makeup: Manuele Mameli
Location: Hotel Santa Caterina, Amalfi
It’s so hot in Milan these days… We feel like we might be melting! In the Survival Olympics that summer life actually became in the city, here I am, with a beauty challenge: how to make your makeup last longer in hot weather. It’s that time of the year during which I would like to live an igloo, honestly. Temperatures are way higher than average, there is no breeze at all, and my carefully executed, much loved makeup needs extra care to even just survive the entire day. Don’t worry, I have no intention to keep the secret on how to do it to myself, I am going to share all I know, and everything I can do, to try to make my face look remotely intact on days on which temperatures rise over 80 degrees, and you might not even have aircon.
My first tip could be summarized as “less is more”: the less makeup you use, the less worries you will have. Kiss your foundation goodbye, because it is clearly useless on days like this, it is actually your worst enemy, unless it is super light or it comes in a powder format, like the ones from bareMinerals.
The second tip might seem trivial, but I swear it is not: make sure you take a lot of time to prepare your canvas, because it will be key to actually producing beautiful work. At this time of the year, it is essential to consider the state of your skin’s health, as this is the main element that will influence the condition of your makeup during the day. ALWAYS use a primer, and keep a moisturizing spray close by, to cool down your face every once in awhile during the day. This is one of my favorite rituals, and I even managed to convince a few of my coworkers to follow my lead. Refreshing spray can become a small joy during a hot day, and it will be good for your spirit as well as for your complexion!
The third tip is to make sure you fix everything well, even if this requires a certain amount of patience. Alternatively, go for waterproof formulas that will not budge an inch in the heat. If you choose the first option, a matte finishing powder will be your best bet, but you might notice that it still might not be a bullet-proof option in this kind of heat. If you really don’t want to use powder, choose a face spray with a fixing effect, like Skindinavia’s or Urban Decay’s. If you choose waterproof formulas instead, find the one that works best for you: in my case, I feel like cream eyeshadows are a true godsend, because they don’t move an inch, and they don’t have that annoying tendency to accumulate in the creases of your eyelids, like powder ones do. I will leave you to your experiments now, for which I collected some suggestions in the gallery. Good luck on your survival Olympics… And may the best (wo)man win!
It had been awhile since we’d last heard of Taylor Swift: no upcoming albums, no featuring tracks, no new tours… And here she is again, back on all gossip sections, on every tabloid, thanks to her new fling, the handsome actor Joe Alwyn.
Joe is our Man of the Week: born in London 26 years ago, his life story is not a tearjerker, and it wasn’t plagued by difficult teenage years — on the contrary. Alwyn was born in a wealthy family that gave him everything he needed, ever since he was a kid. Joe attended London’s most important schools, and then joined the National Youth Theatre, also known for launching the likes of Kate Winslet, Sophie Ellis-Bextor and Ed Sheeran. The most important moment in his education was shortly after he graduated from Bristol University, when he joined the Royal Central School of Speech & Drama, one of England’s most ancient and most widely recognized schools.
After finishing his studies, Joe immediately started working in the film industry: his most important role to date was as the lead in Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk, a movie about the effects of war on the psyche of American soldiers, directed by Ang Lee.
Considering his young age and his excellent training, the British actor recently declared in an interview that he is still waiting for the role that will really change his life, that will lead him to large-scale success. For now, he will just enjoy this pleasant period of his life, made even better by the presence of his new girlfriend. We are pretty sure that this young man’s training will bring him the great results he deserves in the future.
Thank you Taylor, for letting us discover this young, talented man!
Once you are done defending your thesis, whatever the result, there will be nothing left to do but organize your graduation party, and decide on your look for that occasion. Whichever plans you made, don’t forget you will be queen for a night, and you totally deserve it… So choose something super special that will grab some attention, and don’t worry about overdoing anything: it is absolutely fine to be too much in this case!
No matter whether you went for something a little more formal, you want something easy, or you just feel like dinner and drinks with friends, don’t worry: we got you covered! If you are already organizing your graduation party, but haven’t chosen your outfit yet, you will find some ideas in our gallery… You won’t just be beautiful, you will be fabulous!
For a formal party: a shiny midi dress is the perfect solution to be elegant, but always young and, of course, the queen of the party!
For an easy party with friends: choose something casual and wear it with lots of shiny accessories… and high heels of course!
For dinner + drinks with friends: wear something cute but very short… is very important to show always your sexiest side; better if it’s in a very romantic way!
Many times, at this time of the year especially, we will often hear our coworkers and friends say out loud: there will be nothing stopping me from going to Napoli and Capri for the weekend this year! Nothing wrong with that of course, but many seem to forget that, in addition to enchanting Capri, the Gulf of Naples also hosts two more little islands that are definitely worth a visit, namely, Ischia and Procida. You will need about 4 days to do the archipelago some justice, and visit the main sights without rushing. Grab your straw hat and your sunglasses, because your boat is leaving the port of Naples already!
Capri, timeless elegance
We already extensively covered Europe’s most glamorous island last year, with a post on the best places to visit there. Let us add a few places to the list this year. First of all — this is an insider tip — when you get there, make sure you have a walk to via Botteghe, where you will be able to buy local items, and you will enjoy truly amazing views, all with hardly any tourists in sight. After your stroll, go have lunch at Le Grottelle, a lovely restaurant located in caves in the cliffs: have your lunch al fresco on their beautiful panoramic terrace. A few meters from the restaurant, don’t miss the Grotta di Matromania, a cavern hosting Roman remains that are still in good condition, and whose structure is still rather intact. Finally, if you can, stay the night in Capri, and enjoy the most beautiful sunset you can imagine… But no sleeping in, because the ferry to Ischia leaves very early!
Ischia, beaches and luxury thermal baths
After only 30 minutes on a speedboat, you will get to Ischia, the island of wellness and natural beauty. Ischia is a favorite of Neapolitan locals, who often escape the city’s hustle and bustle in summer to make their way to this island, whose price range is definitely more affordable than those in Capri. This island in particular has a lot of history, and plenty of historical sites: make sure you visit the marvelous Aragonese Castle, which is basically on the seashore, and so beautiful it looks like it is straight out of a movie set; after that, make your way to Borgo di Sant’Angelo, a characteristic fishermen’s village where you can have a chat with locals, which will help you understand the area a little better. For lunch, visit Le Cantine Pietratorcia, near Forio, just a few steps away from the harbor: they offer fare from the land and from the sea, and make sure you don’t miss the local dish, coniglio all’ischitana (rabbit in the style of Ischia.)
Now you will be ready to relax a little, and while you make your way through the magical landscapes of Barano, you will run into the Sorgente di Nitrodi, a thermal bath famous for the therapeutic properties of its waters. It is actually pretty easy to find quality hot springs in Ischia, but Barano is definitely a favorite of ours. Other notable places that deserve a visit: Monte Epomeo, Lacco Ameno, Casamicciola and Serrara Fontana, each location with a lot of individual character. In the evening, have dinner at Il Saturnino, where you will be enjoying fresh fish, caught on the same morning.
And that is not all: Ischia is also the island of good wine, so make sure you have some of that with your dinner, choosing from white wine, like Biancolella, or the red Pere ‘e Palumno, both typical local wines. The following day, before you leave for Procida, enjoy Ischia’s amazing beaches: among our favorites are Maronti beach, in the bay of Barano, and the wonderful beach of Citara.
Procida, untouched nature and exclusive locations
Procida is most definitely the lesser known island in the Gulf of Naples, which is also why it is the most exclusive. The things that will strike you most when you arrive will be the untouched nature you see, and the numerous fishermen villages that dot the coast. But let’s get on to sharing our selection of places to go: visit Marina di Chiaiolella and make a stop in Punta Pizzaco, whose crystal-clear waters are awaiting you for a dive. Once you dried your skin in the sun, it will be time to explore the mainland, and discover the city center. Start from the Abbey of San Michele Arcangelo, and stop by at the Belvedere dei Cannoni, from which you will be able to admire the location portrayed in the 1994 Oscar-nominated feature film Il Postino, set in Procida. Can you remember it? Move on to La Conchiglia to enjoy an unforgettable lunch on the beach: this place can be reached from the seashore, or by walking down the 182 stairs that lead you down to the bay in which the restaurant is located. And since Procida also hosts some of the most prosperous lemon groves in the region, also taste the island’s best granita at La Graziella‘s legendary stall. If you don’t know Procida it might be hard to understand, but once you discover it, you will never want granita from anywhere else!
There’s been a lot of talk recently about the fact that beauty has no age — but have you ever heard about how there is also no age limit to being cool? We totally agree on that, and after seeing the Resort by Acne Studios collection, and their testimonial Veruschka, former model and actress in the 1960s and 1970s, there was really no doubt at all.
Think about it, not only is Veruschka possibly the coolest 78-year-old around right now, with her leather pants, denim crop jackets, oversize sweatshirts and colored tights, but do you remember her past? It is really worth a quick flashback!
Countess Vera von Lehndorff, a.k.a. Veruschka, survived Nazi concentration camps with her family, and studied in Hamburg. She moved to Florence at the age of 20, and became the top model of her time: Paris, London and New York City were only some of the locations in which Veruschka drove photographers and fashion magazines crazy, with her long, long legs and her mysterious, glamorous style: can you remember that iconic scene in Blow Up (1966), in which Veruschka is lying on the floor, being photographed in a black mini dress? Well… That is what we meant!
Some say she changed the fashion world with her beauty and her style, what do you think? If she is your fashion icon, too, here are some looks inspired by the most iconic photos of hers of all time.
Veruschka style: we love the cropped jacket + mini skirt combo; and don’t forget the gladiator sandals… who could wear it better than her?
Veruschka style: Sparkling A.F! And don’t bother to wear shoes… should we say something else?
Veruschka style: the space age is an evergreen trend!
Veruschka style: animal print was a must on her carrier as a model. How do you feel about wearing a maxi dress + chain belt + high heel sandals? She looked gorgeous!
What do Lily Collins, Emily Ratajkowski, Bella Hadid and Kendall Jenner have in common? Some of you might say, they all have bangs! Others might think otherwise… And you would both be right! This seems like a time in which a lot of our favorite celebrities are having fun changing their look a little, and we get it: deciding whether or not to have bangs is not so simple, because whether you have bangs influences something else that is very important: the amount of minutes you’ll need to get ready in the morning, because taking care of your bangs can be pretty complicated. So, if you are also not sure of what to do, follow celebrities, and try fake bangs. You can get your fake bangs in two ways: the first one is by just creating one with your hairstyle, only using what Mother Nature gave you – look at the video tutorial below the gallery! The second method is not as natural, as it requires using a fake fringe, like the Hershesons ones. If you feel bold and you decided to go ahead and cut your hair, there is a small trick you should be aware of that will make managing your bangs a lot easier: always keep some dry shampoo handy, it will allow you to take care of your fringe in just one small gesture. Have a look at the gallery to get some celebrity inspiration… and a little dose of extra courage!
At the good old age of 27, I can still hear my mother’s voice, ordering me to put on sunscreen before I step into the sunshine. I have to say I was pretty lucky compared to some of my friends: forgetting it often implied second degree burns in different parts of my body, some of which I didn’t even notice. It might be my personal history, it might be that protecting your skin is just very very important, but I am really proud to be a champion of sunscreen. It doesn’t matter to me if I end up bickering with my friends, when I tell them that no, wearing SPF 50 won’t stop them from tanning… And that wearing no sunscreen is not an option! That said, it is certainly no fun to apply sunscreen with the kind of mineral screen that makes it as thick as a layer of Nutella, and as fluid as calcimine, so I started working on what I thought was mission impossible, that actually turned out to be very possible: finding sunscreen that even those who hate sunscreen are going to wear.
Did you know that Glossier’s new sunblock was designed exactly with this in mind? It’s transparent, it gets absorbed quickly, it isn’t sticky and it leaves no trace. Eureka! Spray is another very convenient solution I like, and after so many body sprays, now I also found face sprays, like Lancaster’s Sun Sport range: it is wonderful for the sensation of freshness you immediately feel when applying it, but most of all it is also amazing because you can apply it again also after you did your makeup, without ruining your makeup masterpiece – which must have been work in the summer heat. Last but not least, if you hate sunscreen, try waterproof formulas. The reason why I suggest this is pretty simple: you can cheat, and wait longer between applications, since diving into pool water or swimming in the sea will not change the protection factor. Even LUSH released sunscreen this year – theirs can be applied in the shower, and it protects your skin thanks to calamine and three wide spectrum filters. All you need to do to apply it is put it onto your wet skin, rinse it, and pat dry. One last tip: choose a product whose perfume you can’t resist, like Coola‘s ones – the coconut one is so yummy! It might seem trivial, but you will actually find yourself reapplying the product more often, just for the pleasure to smell the fragrance. If I still didn’t manage to convince you, I give up, but before I really throw in the towel, you must at least try every tip I gave. Promise? Ok, I will make it even easier by including all the products you should try in the gallery. Wear your sunscreen, please!
Who never wished to be invited to a special event, and be able to wear a wonderful gown for a night? A gown like the ones from the Pronovias Cocktail 2018 collection, worn in a sneak peek by Chiara and Valentina. The collection focuses on exclusive details and unique craftwork, to gift you with a true dream experience: sequins, floral embroideries, draperies and a range of colors going from pastel hues to bolder ones, like salmon pink and blue… Which dress you would like to wear for your most magical evening?
When it comes to fashion, we have seen a lot of trends, and a lot of them have been en vogue before, over and over again. Thanks to the creativity of designers, though, we never got bored of them so far, and our longing for fresh inspiration for our otherwise well-worn wardrobe is rarely disappointed. New unexpected twists and innovative takes surprise us every season, and they especially do so this Spring Summer 2017! And we’re not only talking about brand-new creations that never hit the runways before: we are talking about trends that do not change our habits at all, but that still revamp our look.
Classic garments are especially worth being watched every season, as no fashion piece will be reinvented in so many new ways over and over again. Over the last few seasons, we spotted button-up shirts and tops being cut, twisted, charged with ruffles or punched with holes in totally unexpected places. Necklines and shirt sleeves were removed or shifted, and at the same time, volume was added in the form of long trails, opulent knots or volants. In a nutshell, shirts — and skirts, too by the way — that were otherwise classic were totally deconstructed, ending up being nothing but asymmetrical.
And guess what: we love it! This innovative take on classics is just what we need to refresh our wardrobe without any effort, since the new versions of these classics can be styled just as easily as their original version: with our favorite pair of jeans, with a suit, with shorts and basically with everything else you can find in your closet. So take a chance and go for the unexpected, dare to wear a one-sleeve, or a one-strap top. There is nothing as stimulating right now in fashion than to look great seen from one side, and even better when seen from the other.
When we saw she is 25 years old, we thought we found a mistake in Wikipedia: how can a girl this young have such an exceptional career? Her name is Kaya Scodelario, she is our WCW of the week, and she is the talk of town right now, after she was chosen as the female lead in the new episode of the Pirates of the Caribbean saga: Dead Men Tell No Tales.
Kaya was born in London in 1992, and the cultural mix in her blood is one of her strong points: her father is English, while her mother is Italian-Brazilian. She spent an occasionally challenging childhood in the suburbs of London — after her parents divorced, Kaya went through one of the roughest patches of her life. Due to her dyslexia, whose side effects permeated all of her childhood, she was often bullied and isolated by her classmates, and this brought her to withdrawing into herself.
This high barrier between her and the world brought a lot of solitude into Scodelario’s life, and enrolling into her first acting class was her way to try to smash that wall. It was during this time of rebirth that she got the chance of a lifetime, joining the cast of the TV show Skins, at only 14. As could be easily predicted, this experience was essential for the young British actor’s career, since a lot of directors asked to work with her after that experience: just to name a few, she featured in Clash of Titans, The Truth About Emanuel, with Jessica Biel, in Maze Runner (which was so successful that there is a sequel in the workings, Maze Runner: The Death Cure, in theaters in 2018) and, as we mentioned previously, she was in Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales, as Carina Smyth. So, do you agree with us? Doesn’t she have an incredible career, with so many high-profile roles under her belt at only 25?
She is a rising star in cinema, but looking at her Instagram profile, we found out that Kaya also seems to be passionate for fashion. In addition to being featured in a string of editorials on the most important magazines in the world, Scodelario likes to dress well, and she loves being photographed on the red carpet, wearing dream gowns.
Briefly speaking of Kaya’s personal life, we found out that that’s also going really well: she got married in December 2015 with American actor Benjamin Walker, and they had their first child shortly after that, in 2016. She is a wife, a mother, and a major actor… Well done, Kaya!
The first thing I learned about Guatemala was a piece of economic data that changed my entire perspective on things. 98% of the Guatemalan population lives in extreme poverty, and a majority of school-age kids has no access to education — young girls especially, as they are mostly trained to be good wives and daughters, and they usually marry at about the age of 13. The remaining 2% of the population is extremely rich, and among this 2%, there are also people who try to help others with charity and fundraising projects, by raising awareness and attracting the world’s attention, in order to change things. Francesca and Alessa are among those who are trying to help, the founders of IX Style and Alessa Design respectively, two Guatemalan fashion brands that often join forces to organize events and charity projects. They were the ones who introduced me to the country’s actual reality, helping me understand what the main issues are, and what is currently being done to help people get out of this situation.
We got to Antigua after a trip that felt very long, and right when we set foot in our accommodation, we were left completely awestruck by Guatemala’s beautiful nature. Our 100% green home, solely built with recycled material, among which old containers, and entirely powered by sustainable energy, was surrounded by the forest, and located in the middle of a valley of active volcanoes, which erupt every day. Imagine, I could see this beautiful natural performance every morning, from my bed!
We spent the first day exploring Antigua, which is on the UNESCO World Heritage list. The town is a little crumbling and very colorful, and it features lots of shops that sell local fabrics: I bought one of their beautiful, colorful cotton pillows and I also got the chance to hone my weaving skills, trying to use one of the manual looms that local artisans use to produce their fabrics. It takes a lot of precision and manual skill, it’s all about pulling the right thread at the right time! I also tried spinning yarn around a spindle, which is actually surprisingly hard, and can also hurt, because the yarn heats up in the process! What struck me the most is that some of the tools we used were self-built, using recovered pieces from other objects, such as a bicycle, because local artisans cannot afford to buy ready-made tools, or buy replacement parts when anything breaks. This was also day one from the food perspective for me: I ate insects for the first time in my life… And I liked them, too!
READ MORE AFTER THE GALLERY
On the second day, we made our way to Lake Atitlan, one of the most beautiful lakes in Guatemala, which is actually experiencing an environmental crisis. The inhabitants throw all sorts of waste into the lake, and experts predict that it will become unsuitable for swimming over the next 3 years… Which would be a shame! The government is trying to help the population see their lake as a resource that they should protect, but there isn’t a culture of environmentalism yet, and the government’s efforts have not brought any results yet. Education is an issue in Guatemala: children from poorer families only go to school as long as the families can afford it, and girls usually don’t attend school beyond year 3 elementary. In Panajachel we found a school that was started to try to counter this phenomenon, to welcome pupils who perform well, and try to support them, allowing them to go on to higher grades, and possibly move on to studying abroad. In the beginning, this initiative was not very warmly welcomed by families, as they were not able to see any immediate benefits, a good reason or any advantages in offering an education to their kids: slowly, though, things are changing, thanks to the children’s enthusiasm for learning. The students who attend the school in Panajachel often share their knowledge at home, helping their friends and younger siblings, which is why the school is actually managing to have a wider impact, beyond its walls.
This was a very intense experience for me, as it made me realize that what we take for granted, what we sometimes even reject, like going to school, on those days we feel like skipping classes because we are so lazy, is actually a dream for others. Some of the school kids told us their stories, and I was really struck by these young people’s strength and character: I will never forget about the young 11-year-old girl who told me of how she worked on her own in the city for three years, to raise the money she needed to study, and become a doctor, one day. Next year, she will move to the US to follow her dreams, and I am sure she will accomplish everything she has in mind.
On the last day, we visited another small town, Santa Caterina Palopo, where a not-for-profit organization is trying to create something unique, to attract tourism and place the area on the tourist radar, helping the local population and the environment in the process. Here is a group of people that invites artists from all over the world, to paint the homes with beautiful, bold colors and traditional designs, to turn the town into a place you cannot miss. We had a chance to contribute, too: we were given an apron, natural paint and brushes, and we were invited to leave our trace in one of the streets, painting a heart over the Guatemalan flag: it was our way to leave a small part of us here, and our thoughts with these people who fight each and every day, to change their fate, and that of their people.
We are all used to dress accordingly to certain occasions. Job interview? We grab our blazer. Romantic dinner? We slip into our little black dress. Holidays on the French Riviera? We would never leave without our white linen shorts. But have you ever tried to dress like you actually feel? To dress like your emotions? Well girls, it’s all about colors.
How to dress like hope: GREEN
Get the green light. Love is evergreen. It’s not easy being green, like Kermit said. Green, Pantone color 2017. Well, doesn’t it look like green is everywhere? It’s already in our language, in our environment, in our smoothies, so it is high time to have more of it in our outfits, too! Especially since it is considered to be the color of harmony, freshness and hope. Three good reasons to go green, from head to toe!
How to dress like passion: RED
Red is not only a signal color for bulls. We all react to it, and we do it just as fiercely as bulls, and that is no wonder, since red triggers something deep inside us all: love, passion and courage! So, in case you have a day coming up that makes you feel like this, look at how terrific you can look when you are entirely dressed in the color of passion.
How to dress like serenity: BLUE
Sometimes, we just feel like we have to dive into the blue… Literally! It is an amazing feeling which we should always follow, because blue does not only look royally good, it also stands for tranquility, faith and serenity. Blue instantly calms you down and makes you feel focused, and on top of that it always gives your look a touch of elegance. How serene, girl
Geza Schoen is said to be a rebel in the world of fragrances, but transgression was exactly what allowed him to create something unique. From Germany to Paris and London, and then back to his country, in Berlin, this perfumer kept on experimenting, until he found the perfect formula to highlight the skin’s fragrance.
His line, Escentric Molecules, was born out of a lab-created aromatic molecule that does not exist in nature, Iso E Super®. In addition to this, Schoen uses other molecules that are already known, such as Ambroxan, Vetiveryl acetate and Javanol. These molecules are fundamental for each fragrance; each can be central to each perfume individually, or can also be associated to other molecules, to create a more elaborate bouquet. Each creation has a double soul, that gets named Escentric 01, 01, 03 or 04, when in a composition as an aromatic formula, and Molecule when it is solely made of the pure molecules in isolation: 01 for pure Iso E Super, 02 with Ambroxan, 03 with Vetyveril acetate and 04 with Javanol.
These are fresh formulas, with a single molecule that will exalt the skin’s natural fragrance when it touches it. Four pairs: a unique one to start with, a sensual second one, a third exotic one, and a fourth, with an elegant, psychedelic character. Perfumes that aren’t really perfumes, that can be worn by men and women equally; molecule – essences that can be smelled intermittently by those who wear them, without being invasive, yet leaving a mark.
The fact that this line is entirely unconventional. We really love that it enhances the individuality and purity of essence. It’s unusual in the way it exalts the encounter between art and science, between nature and chemistry, in an original and mysterious mix, as the world of fragrances always does — and we let these iconic, charming fragrances totally enchant us.
Closing a cycle in life, and starting a new one, can always be a very moving moment, and we all agree that even though days like this are crucial to our lives, they can also be utterly stressful. If we stop and think about the most stressful times during the first 30 years of our lives, graduation probably makes the top 5: after years of study, laughter, tears and friendship, when the big day finally comes, there is one thing that might seem trivial, among the many factors we need to consider for that day, but that is actually essential, and that is our outfit for graduation day.
You will have to look elegant and classic, you will have to look professional, but most of all, you will have to feel comfortable… The wrong outfit could quickly turn into torture! There are no rules on what to wear, the key is to think about what makes you feel good and self-assured.
So, is the big day coming up? If that is the case, have a look in the gallery for some ideas on how to dress for graduation day. We thought of those who love pants, of anyone who wouldn’t be caught in anything other than a dress, and of those of you who think a skirt is the best outfit in which to tackle an important moment.
P.S. Some colors can be helpful for a day like graduation day: red, for instance, brings great positive energy… So you definitely shouldn’t leave your red clothes at home, right?
If you prefer classics don’t forget the details, as a perfect pair of fuchsia pumps and a waist belt over your shirt
Forget cute and femminine dresses; go for the ones who makes you look professional and classy
Our favorite is the coordinate skirt suit: avoid mini mini skirts and just in case, wear a long blazer jacket to look more professional
Summer is the time of the year we all expect – yes, even those who pretend that they prefer winter. Honestly, you can’t fool us, we really can’t believe anyone prefers the cold over summer heat. Sure, summer implies a very strict beauty routine, especially in the time that leads up to it, which is usually when we all start restoration work that makes the Sistine Chapel renovation look simple and uncomplicated in comparison. Waxing, scrubbing, self-tanning… There is something for everyone! What is most important, though, is that you don’t forget to take care of your hair, and we don’t just mean with a new hairstyle, or by touching up color, we are talking about getting your hair ready to survive the attacks of sunshine, salt water, and pool water!
The keyword to understanding everything here is hydration: that is what your hair will feel is missing, when the good weather comes and the temperatures go up. It is not hard at all to take care of this, and it can be done starting with daily routine. It is very important to choose a conditioner that can make your hair strong and keep it well-hydrated, all the way to the ends: Pantene with Smart Pro-V will do just that, with its ability to identify the weak spots in every lock, and restore your hair’s original shine in an instant. If you feel like your hair needs shock treatment, no problem! All you need to do is choose a mask from your favorite line, and let it sit for about 20 minutes, letting your locks absorb your mask’s hydrating and reenergizing properties as much as possible. Yes, yes, we know you think you don’t have time, but with Pantene’s Wonder Ampoules you will really have no excuses. 2 minutes will be enough to let your hair find its shine again, and set a new record, or to be precise, reach your #hairgoals.
Now that we took care of your mane’s health, it is time to share some hairstyle inspiration. We collected our favorite hairstyles for summer, they’re all yours to test. Pick your favorite, and let us know which one it is in the comments!
If you feel like you’ve already seen our Man of the week before, it is no mistake: his name is Daniel Kaluuya, and he plays the main character in Get Out, a movie that was just released a few months ago.
28 years old, with expressive features and big eyes, a warm smile and a lot of talent, this British actor of Ugandan heritage already made several appearances in a lot of movies and TV shows, such as Shoot the Messenger, Black Mirror, Skins, Kick Ass 2, Chatroom, Silent Witness, Planet of the Dead, Psychoville and Johnny English Reborn.
What to say? The man definitely has talent, and he is also bold enough to speak out against anyone who judges the color of his skin, since the release of Get Out was accompanied by a lot of criticism and racism. Among others, American actor and produces Samuel L. Jackson was also critical of the choice of a British black actor for a film set in the US, stating that Daniel will never be able to understand what an Afro-American truly feels in a society in which the middle class masks racism with a bleeding heart, liberal attitude. Daniel decided to respond to these accusations by saying that he is tired of having to fight with those who find him too black first, and then with those who don’t find him black enough.
It is a pretty scary thought to think of racism among the very same people who should be fighting prejudice together. Despite that, this actor is just carrying on doing his thing, and his career will not be stopped by prejudice. We are expecting him on screen next year with Black Panthers: all the spotlights, as well as all eyes, will be on him, so all that is left to do is to wish him good luck!
We know you are like us: the kind of chronic traveler who notes down the name of a beautiful place the moment they find out about it, hoping to go there at one point in the future. This time around, you won’t be able to go, ever, though. Keep the urge to discover the world at bay this time around, because the locations we are about to discuss are all off limits! Yes, you got that: the places you will see in this gallery here are all really beautiful, but you will never be allowed to visit any of them… So, enjoy the photos in the gallery, because it’s the only way to admire these 7 amazing places!
Lascaux cave
Southeastern France hides an invaluable treasure: the Lascaux caves, dating from the Paleolithic era, were closed to the public a few years ago, when the authorities realized that contact with the outside world was gravely damaging the cave paintings.
Snake Island
This wonderful island is densely inhabited by poisonous snakes, so it is impossible to visit! These snakes are currently the only inhabitants of Queimada Grande… And they have no intention to abandon their home!
Svalbard Global Seed Vault
The Norwegian archipelago of Svalbard hosts a very important and unique global depot of seeds, one of the most well-protected, safe and strongest seed reserves worldwide. It includes 250 million seed species from all over the world to use in case of necessity, and of course, access is only restricted to researchers.
Pripyat, the ghost town
Ukraine hosts a ghost town where nobody lives, and from which everyone steers clear. The reason for this is the fear caused by the event that shocked all of Ukraine and most of Europe in 1986, namely, the explosion at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant. The city was evacuated and stayed deserted since then, and the buildings and land around it are said to be dangerously contaminated to this day.
The Vatican secret archive
The world’s most important church hosts a secret archive that nobody can access. The archive is made of about 50,000 shelves; the only people who are allowed to consult the documents here are researchers with degrees in certain topics, and only upon written approval. Access is restricted only to documents dating from before February 1939.
Mausoleum of Qin Shi Huang
There is a location in China that is considered to be entirely off limits by all inhabitants, and that is the first emperor’s tomb: Qin Shi Huang was the same emperor who ordered the construction of the Great Wall. The tomb is enormous and hosts the famous terracotta army, guarding the emperor’s resting place. Access was also restricted here to avoid damage.
Surtsey Island
In 1960, all of a sudden, a portion of land surfaced from the waters to form a small island. Surtsey is a volcanic island, and it is considered one of the world’s most untouched natural environments. Only a few researchers, among which vulcanologists, botanists and biologists, were ever granted permission to visit.
If you were in high school during the year 2000s, what you are going to read will definitely ring a bell. It’s about the most en vogue makeup look ever, which is making a powerful comeback on the Spring Summer 2017 catwalks. The good news is, it’s one of the easiest makeup trends to replicate, and it looks good on everyone. The first thing you need to do is to get a black eyeliner pencil, possibly a soft kohl one. Good, after you did that, just trace the contour of your eye, especially focusing on the lower rim, and make sure you color the waterline too – also make sure you don’t lose your eyesight in the process. If you are pretty skilled with makeup, you can also try to color the upper eye rim, only on the inside, proceeding to do what professionals call “tightlining“: this technique allows you to fill the lashes at the root, simulating a very thin and very natural-looking eyeliner line. This was the look chosen by Rebecca Minkoff and 3.1 Philip Lim, and it is perfect for going for drinks straight from the office, without having to change your look. If you are feeling bolder, you can also intensify your makeup by choosing to trace a thicker line, like at the the Giorgio Armani and Baja East shows, or by adding a touch of color in the lower part of the eye, as we were shown by Olympia Le Tan and Arthur Arbesser. This trend is so easy to copy that there are no excuses… Grab a pencil, and get to work!
When you think about tailored clothing, it usually also brings to mind formal occasions, elegant clothing, and very often, a winter setting, too. Since smashing stereotypes is a trend by now, now is a good time to refresh this idea too, and free our minds of this outdated image of sartorial clothing, to free up some space for creativity, instead. Forget age limitations, forget seasons and styling: being cool shall be your only worry. Any ideas? Oversize pants and shirt, with a cropped blazer + a pair of sneakers. Or, how about this: an oversize blazer with a mini skirt… How about wearing those with a sweater and a cap? Or with booties, perhaps? If you like the idea, and you decided to revamp your classic tailored look, you will find some ideas just for you in the gallery!
Wearing your tailored clothes in a cool way: pants + cropped blazer
Wearing your tailored clothes in a cool way: oversize blazer + mini skirt
Wearing your tailored clothes in a cool way: tweed mini dress + oversize trench
Have you ever stumbled upon marvelous photos on your social networks that show entire walls covered in colorful ceramic tiles? We did, and that always made us want to hop on to the first flight to Seville, because that is where you will find those amazing walls. Seville is also the soul of Arab domination in Spain, and one of the Iberian peninsula’s most important ports. It is the provincial capital of Andalusia and one of the country’s most visited locations, among other things because it is very popular with young people, packed with sights, and cute places to dine in. Martina, one of our co-workers, spent last weekend there, and she was understandably bewitched by the marvels you see at every street corner. So, pay attention to the tips in our guide, organize the best trip you can have, and spend 48 amazing hours in Seville!
WHERE AND WHAT TO EAT
El Rinconcillo (Calle Gerona 40)
Are you ready to eat in one of Seville’s, and Spain’s, most ancient restaurants? We won’t take no for an answer! This little restaurant, founded in 1870, offers authentic local Seville fare, which includes dishes from the sea — such as their amazing spaghetti with tellina — and from the land, with amazing cutting boards of typical, local cold cuts. There is one thing we definitely recommend: don’t leave the restaurant without tasting Pata Negra, one of the most famous and prestigious types of jamón ibérico!
El Lobo Lopez (Calle Rosario 15)
No need to beat around the bush: what will strike you most when you walk in will be the furniture, the colorful floors, and the artistically unpolished walls. But there are other things that really matter, for instance, what will you eat there. The menu here is rather international, and it includes anything from sandwiches to fried chicken, as well as more elaborate avocado dishes, and revisited salads. Excellent value for money!
El Pintón (Calle Francos, 42)
Let’s imagine that you decide to visit Seville during the summer: be aware that if that’s what you do, dining al fresco will be basically compulsory. This restaurant is just what you need, with a very cute courtyard. Needless to say, it’s also a triumph of ceramic tiles all over the walls, matched by rather minimalist furniture. If you’re feeling peckish, you will enjoy light, seasonal meals here.
La terrazza dell’EME Catedral Hotel (Calle alemanes 27)
Having apéritif on a nice terrace is one of our things, we admit it, especially if said terrace has a view on a large portion of Seville’s city center. This is the ideal location for a sundowner, because the view is truly incredible.
WHAT TO VISIT
Real Alcázar de Sevilla
This palace is absolutely worth the visit. It is a royal residence that was built around 1300, and which was, over the course of history, dominated by Arab muslims, Spaniards and it even shows few influences from the Italian Renaissance. This mix of connections was good for this structure, which got enriched more and more over time. The palace features numerous green areas and courtyards all over the place, good spots to relax and, why not, snap a few pictures, too.
The Cathedral and the Giralda tower
You’re not seriously thinking of skipping one of the world’s most famous churches, right? No, that is impossible. In this case, once again, several different influences from different countries made this Cathedral truly unique. The Giralda tower is on the UNESCO World Heritage list, and it is a symbolic monument for the whole country.
Metropol Parasol
This modern structure, designed by German architect Jürgen Mayer, and only completed in 2011, made Andalusia very proud. It’s a wooden structure, placed in the most ancient part of town, and built on 3 levels: on the ground floor, you will find a museum featuring Roman ruins, while on the higher levels, among other things, you will find a restaurant.
COSA FARE
Watch a flamenco show
Seville is truly full of surprises. Did you know that it is the city of flamenco, par excellence? We only recently found out, and we also discovered that one thing that is typical in the city is watching a flamenco show — called a tablao, in Seville — right before dinner. There are tons of places to watch flamenco, but we recommend going to El Gallo or to El Arenal. Have fun, olé!
Tapas tour
When you explore the city the whole day, you will definitely feel peckish at one point, but it will probably also be too early for dinner. So, here is what you can do: go to the districts of Triana or Santa Cruz, and try their typical tapas, every place has its own specialty. That way, on top of satiating your hunger, you will also discover some of the city’s typical dishes!
Boat ride around Plaza España
Plaza España is Seville’s most important square, and in our opinion, one of Spain’s most beautiful. Incredible colors, wide open spaces and a canal that crosses the square, with four bridges running across it.You can also go for a boat ride on this canal: get a little rowing boat, for the most traditional and romantic choice.
Once upon a time, thanks to Sleeping Beauty, we discovered that a pillow might stop you from aging. Did you think that was all, in the magic department? Sorry, you were wrong: you can take care of your skin without applying any products, as is the case with Beauty Bear. This is in no way related to magic, though, it is actually about science, pure and simple. To clarify what we are talking about, let’s start with an easy comparison. Imagine you have to get your body back into shape before summer, and be realistic when you do: you can’t seriously believe that hanging out on the couch, applying creams on your body while watching yet another episode on Netflix can work any wonders, right?!? Well, here is the good news: there is such a thing as exercise for your face. It is possible to get – or keep – the skin of your face “in shape” thanks to specific product-free treatments and massages you can do with specific tools. Some gadgets were released recently that promise to revolutionize pretty much anybody’s beauty routine, provided that you have some patience, that you follow the instructions, and that you take a few extra minutes of your time every day, and devote them to your beauty.
Some of these tools – like jade rollers, or Nurse Jamie’s massage roller, apparently a celebrity favorite, used and loved by Shay Mitchell, Jessica Alba and Ruby Rose, to name a few – work mechanically; others work on a deeper level, aided by LED technology. LED technology is definitely gaining in popularity in the world of beauty, with three lights being used for three different functions. Blue light is effective in getting rid of bacteria, anti-aging red light stimulates collagen production, and promotes cellular renewal, while white light works deep into the tissues, to reduce inflammation, and tone your skin. LED light therapy can be done at home or in the salon, without applying any products on your skin. We recommend it to everyone, not just because it is really an experience you should try once, but also because it is particularly suitable for anyone with sensitive skin, the kind of skin that makes you feel like you shouldn’t apply any products on it: you won’t need any products if you use these gadgets! Have a look at the gallery to find the best one for you, and get experimenting.
There is one small trend that first made its appearance on the Spring Summer 2017 runway shows. To be honest, it did not catch our full attention at first, but ever since then, it got more and more popular in the fashion scene, and in fact, it turned out to be one of the most popular street style trends this season. What we are talking about, then? We’re talking about knots. Knots on blouses. Knots on skirts. Knots on sleeves. Knots everywhere!
This understated trend is just the twist we were waiting for to pimp up our daily wardrobe. You feel like wearing basics but they seem a little boring to you? Knots are the solution! Have a look at the knotted tees and dresses at the T by Alexander Wang Spring Summer RTW 2017 Show. So simple, yet so feminine – the perfect hack to look interesting, but not overdressed. Get inspired by the knotted sleeves and necklines at the House of Holland’s Show, too: it will instantly make you want knot a gingham carré scarf around your neck, and around your wrists. And if you are just daydreaming about seaside vacations, get some maritime inspiration from J.Crew’s: you will love their skirts and trousers with laced-up cord details.
So, it’s a wrap: fashionistas went crazy about knotting everything that can be wrapped or burled. They are kinking voluminous fabrics, they are kinking belts, they are kinking ribbons on decollétes, lacing up mounted cords on jeans, skirts or shirts. And since the fashion industry is always in hot pursuit of the runway trends, you will not have break the bank to follow this trend: you can already find amazing denim pieces with cord details at H&M or Topshop, as well as knotted blouses at Mango, or kinked skirts at Zara.
People say of her that “she pairs her innate femininity with grace, and willpower. She knows what she wants, she knows where she is going, and that is why she is one of those carefree, self-assured women who dare to be themselves.” The subject of this beautiful description is Haley Bennet, our WCW of the week. These were the words used to describe her by Geoffroy de la Bourdonnaye, Chloé’s CEO, when Haley was introduced as the new testimonial for Chloé’s fragrance, a perfume that is turning 10 just this year.
Haley was born in Florida, 29 years ago, and she already showed an artistic inclination at college: here, she chose to major in music and acting, and later on, she also attended a course on modelling. Gifted with the kind of beauty that makes heads turn, Haley was spotted by a film producer while on vacation in California. That encounter was essential for this beautiful American young woman’s career, and it led to her signing an important contract almost straightaway, and subsequently moving to LA.
The first important roles in film came very quickly: Haley debuted in Music And Lyrics, alongside Hugh Grant and Drew Barrymore, getting a chance to showcase her singing skills too. After that, she appeared in other films, such as Marley and Me, with Jennifer Aniston and Owen Wilson. A few years later, she was one of horror movie The Hole‘s main characters, but 2017 was he breakthrough year, since she starred in The Girl On The Train, the film which introduced her to a larger audience.
Among Bennett’s passions there is one that beats them all: music. A few years ago, she recorded an album, and she has no intention to abandon her aspiration and her dream to perform on the world’s most important stages. Considering Haley’s ability to always succeed in everything she sets out to do, it is very easy for us to imagine that she will soon become an international music star!
Things are going very well in her private life, too, since Haley has been in a relationship with American actor Ryan Eggold since 2009. Considering that they managed to beat the 7-year itch… Will they be considering marriage?
We all know that the 2000s are back with a vengeance, but that doesn’t mean we should suddenly forget the great icons of the 1990s, like Fran Fine, a.k.a. the Nanny, one of our favorites. You may have been too young to notice her style when you were watching the show as a kid, but looking at some of her more iconic looks, we realized that the Nanny was a true fashion icon, and that in every episode, she sported an outfit that looked like it came straight from the catwalks: coordinated suits, colorful fur coats, crop tops and spaghetti-strap dresses, cat-eye glasses, leather total looks, bright colors, leopard prints and more and more animal prints.
We got inspiration from her looks, and even if we didn’t find all of her designer suits, we still managed to reproduce some of her coolest, most fun outfits ever. Are they too much for you? No worries, remember that every look needs to be paired with a bit of moxie, and in this case, with a big smile, just like Fran’s.
Fran Fine style: you can’t miss the coordinate suits
Fran Fine style: and don’t forget the leopard fantasy
Fran Fine style: how to not get crazy for a pink leather jacket?
We must have written this about a hundred times: travelling means trying to experience life as the locals of the country we visit do. This should be one of the rules you should follow if you want to have an experience, as opposed to just a holiday. We collected some tips and secrets to travel like a local, and not like just any tourist. Ready?
– Do your research before you leave
Did you pick your destination? Good. Then, proceed to do your homework before you book. The best way is to search the Internet as well as social networks: Facebook features a lot of expat groups that live in the country you are going to visit, and that can become a connection between you and your destination. Don’t hesitate to ask for tips and information… And who knows, maybe if you get lucky someone will decide to take you on a tour!
– Avoid hotels
Figuring out where to sleep is obviously always one of the first things we do once we pick our destination, and if you really want to live like a local, one things is for sure: you must avoid hotels. Choosing a home on AirBnB is probably the best solution, because this will allow you to stay in a local’s home, see their furniture, see what they eat and how they sleep — that will already be a big step ahead. If you are feeling bold, move on to the next paragraph.
– Couchsurfing
For those of you who don’t know it, Couchsurfing is a free hospitality exchange that is widely used by young people, and by adults too, over the last few years. This can be a good way to find accommodation, but if you don’t feel like taking it so far, you can also use the network differently: get in touch with the hosts, who are usually welcoming, kind, open-minded people, and invite them out for coffee, or for a chat to get the lowdown about the city. If you get lucky, they might become your guide!
– Metros beat taxis
Another essential thing you should do to live like a local is to avoid cabs, and use public transport instead. Metros, buses, funiculars, trams, these are the forms of transport that will probably make you feel more connected to the place where you are. And… They are also a lot cheaper!
– Travel in low season
If you get the chance to leave for your holidays in low season, do it! It is exactly at this time of the year that cities become more liveable: churches, temples and generally all sightseeing locations are less crowded than usual, and locals might also be more welcoming and less irritable, as they will not be as stressed out by the tourist invasion. You will experience daily local life 100%.
– Get lost
Leave all maps at home, put your phone on airplane mode, and start wandering aimlessly. Get lost among the city streets, walk and let the crowd lead your way: what better way to get to know the more unusual parts of a place? If you can’t find your way back, ask someone for information: it will be yet another chance to start a conversation.
– Eat and cook
Needless to say, try to go to places as traditional as possible, to test local fare: that should be obvious. If you stay in a house, go shopping for local produce, and get experimenting, trying to reproduce a local dish.
– Treat your holiday destination as you treat your home
We left this last not because it is less meaningful, but because we want to conclude our post with an important message: respect the environment as if it were home!
As summer gets hotter, our dresses get shorter, how convenient — this leaves more bare skin, and therefore more space for jewelry. When it comes to jewelry, we all tend to limit our thinking to necklaces, earrings and bracelets. Too bad! We all have one whole body, so why not decorate each single part of it, from head to toe?
This plea for body jewelry was sparked by the recent Chanel Cruise 2018 show, which must have taken place in ancient ruins in Greece – it looked like it did at least, although it was actually at the Grand Palais in Paris. That was funny, because this blend of Antiquity and present times exactly reflected Karl Lagerfeld’s innovative interpretation of jewelry: wearing old things in a new way. On the one hand, the models looked like ancient goddesses, wearing arm cuffs and crowns, two accessories we honestly never think of wearing; on the other hand, they looked like modern urban women, wearing colorful sandals, and brand-new materials.
It’s a mix we should definitely imitate! Arm cuffs especially are effortless jewelry pieces, with a hint of ancient nostalgia, that can instantly glam up your outfit. Perfect to pimp your modern look!
Let’s start with a public announcement. The next few paragraphs are for those of us who own a large collection of beauty products. If all you have is in your vanity is two palettes, one brush and three lipsticks, I only have two things to tell you: one, how the hell do you do that? The second is, save your time and go read what products really shouldn’t be missing from your life or the looks you should try out next season. Good, now that we got over the awkwardness of having to confess that we are beauty maniacs, we can embark on our mission. Now is the time for a good spring cleaning of your beauty collection! This is a fundamental step if you are feeling the urge to abandon your flat, suddenly evicted by the sheer amount of products you bought, or simply if chaos has finally taken over everything, and you can’t find your favorite lipstick anymore, because it is lost in a sea of other packets and cases.
Without this step, your battle would already be lost. Start with expired products, ça va sans dire. If the packaging doesn’t feature the little symbol with a jar telling you how long the product is okay to use, try to figure out when you opened it the first time around. As a general rule, powders last about 24 months, creams around 12 months, and organic skincare products last 6 months, or fewer. If you own a lot of natural products, be careful with those because they are usually the first to deteriorate, as their formulas contain no preservatives. Once you are done checking this, also try getting rid of anything that is showing its age: if something broke, if the lid doesn’t close properly, for instance, no more excuses, just get rid of it forever. One tip: when you throw your products away, try to properly separate the different materials making up the containers… Recycling matters! Some companies make it even easier for you by giving you a new product if you recycle. Have you ever heard of Back-2-MAC? Just collect 6 old products to get a new lipstick. 5 LUSH black jars will earn you a fresh mask: recycling has never been so useful!
Now let’s get on to those products that are the equivalent of that dress you just wore once, or even of that one that is still in your wardrobe, with its label on. There is no good reason to hold on to it, so please, just say goodbye to it and try to make your moms, sisters and friends happy with it: they will be glad to get this little gift! Another useful, wise thing to do is to look for charities that can receive a donation of sealed products that you never used before. There are a lot of people who can’t afford toiletries, and every small gesture can make a difference!
Now it’s time for the actual cleaning. Dust anything that has been on display, like perfume bottles, and wash your palettes and jars with a wet cloth, before putting everything back in its place. Of course, this would also be a good time to wash your brushes, which should definitely be cleaned more than once a year! To keep bacteria and germs away from your face, you should disinfect them and deep-clean them at least once every two weeks. Don’t say we didn’t warn you!
I really recommend a trip to Muji or to IKEA. Buying a system that will help you organize your beauty products is the best way to stop entropy from taking over everything again in a very short time. Personally, I am a fan of acrylic boxes, because they allow you to see what is inside each box, and they also force you to stay tidy, since everything will be clearly visible. For a super low-cost solution, Tiger is also a good option with interesting products, otherwise, be prepared to spend the whole day scouring Amazon like I do, experimenting until you find the solution that works best for you. I think every time we find a good spot for something we own we contribute to the whole world being a little tidier, too, so this is the best and most satisfying step for me.
The icing on the cake of this whole spring cleaning business is that it will instantly win you extra space for new stuff. I am obviously not suggesting you substitute former chaos with a mess of new products, but after all this hard work, you will deserve a small prize. I filled our gallery with must-have products, and products that really shouldn’t be missing in the collection of a real beauty addict. Sorry, not sorry!
Take a break for a second, start your Spotify app and look for Maroon 5’s Moves Like Jagger: if not now, when else could you listen to this? We can’t think of a better time for that, because our Man of the Week is the son Mick had from Jerry Hall, along with siblings Gabriel, Elizabeth and Georgia May, whom you might already know. Born in 1985 in New York City, James Jagger grew up with two strong passions: music, and acting. If the former stayed a hobby, the second turned into a true career! Robert Pattinson was one of his school mates, after all…
So, where could you have seen him before? In Vynil, the Martin Scorsese-produced TV show in which he played Kip Stevens. This year, he will be in theaters with 7×7 and on set for a top-secret movie project with Samuel L. Jackson… You will be able to see him in a very peculiar role very soon, as he will be the main character, with Matilda Lutz, of a 3-episode mini-series called Together Stronger, featuring the love story between Paul and Laura, modern lovers bound by passion… And by the fragrances they wear. These are actually, in fact, Emporio Armani’s new fragrances, Stronger With You, (for him) and Because It’s You (for her)! The series is definitely not to be missed, but while we wait, let us tell you a little more about our Man Crush.
As well as an emerging actor, James Jagger is also an activist, and he is very passionate for the cause he supports: Project 0 is a worldwide organization that promotes ocean conservation, clean oceans and the protection of coral reefs. James recently declared that his greatest wish would be to see the oceans be clean once again, as they used to be before the Industrial Revolution. He will have to work hard for that, but it’s definitely a dream we want to be a part of!
Lauren Hutton, American actress and supermodel in the 1970s, who rose to fame in the 1980s for her role in American Gigolo, is under the spotlight again today, at 73, in Calvin Klein‘s new underwear campaign, directed by Sofia Coppola, to show that beauty has no age. What can we say? We adore her! Not just for her beauty, but for her feminine and masculine style, so sophisticated, so cool, which is expressed in her colorful blazers, palazzo pants, trench coats, pink suits with white Converse sneakers, party looks that would look perfect at Studio 54, and the inevitable fisherman hats. Did you know her already? If you like her, have a look at some of the looks we collected in the gallery, inspired by her style. If you didn’t realize it, they are basically a summary of all of 2017’s trends!
Lauren Hutton style: so perfect!
Lauren Hutton style: so cool!
Lauren Hutton style: so sophisticated!
Over the last few days, we were utterly enchanted by the looks we spotted at the 2018 Cruise collections, not only regarding fashion, but also when it comes to makeup. Did you notice that the Chanel and the Valentino shows had something in common? So did we – and it’s a simple line of eyeliner, one which tells a long story, a story almost as old as the world itself. And that’s the story of eyeliner! Even though Karl Lagerfeld clearly drew inspiration from Ancient Greece for his show, his makeup choice definitely hinted at Ancient Egypt. If Cleopatra sprang to mind while you were watching the models, well, that was exactly what was supposed to happen.
Egypt was where eyeliner originated, as a mix of powders and animal fats that was originally used to prevent infections, to protect the eyes from sunlight, as well as to protect children from the evil eye. The most interesting aspect was the shape being used, which was forever called “cat-eye” since then, since it was inspired by this sacred animal in ancient Egyptian culture, and by cat-goddess Bastet. To see this shape get widely used in makeup again, we have to fast-forward by a couple of millennia, though, all the way to 1950. It was in this decade, with pin-ups, and later on, in the 1960s, that marking the shape of the eye with such utter precision became a massive trend again.
From that moment on, cat-eye eyeliner travelled all the way to our days, in plenty of different variations, and in different levels of exaggeration depending on one’s look. Adele turned her eyeliner into her trademark, Ariana Grande never leaves the house without hers on, and can you even think about Amy Winehouse without remembering her incredibly bold eye makeup? Our short excursion into the history of eyeliner ends with Valentino’s show, where we saw an almost futuristic, minimalist and very modern shape get used, which still remains easy enough to reproduce without the help of a makeup artist. Get inspired by the looks in the gallery, and all the best with your upcoming makeup tries!
Every time your boss confirms the dates for your time off, what comes next? Well, choosing your destination, of course! “This year I want to do something different”, says your friend “Yes, a rather nomadic trip, for instance”, says another. If you want to surprise them, we have an idea for you: suggest a sailing trip! This might be a great way to visit multiple places, without having to give up on sea, on sunshine and on the amazing sunsets you are bound to witness. If you like the idea, here are 5 European itineraries, for your sailing dream trip.
Croatia
Let’s start with a trip you should all go on at least once in your life. Did you know Croatia has over 1000 islands and inlets, and that all of them are incredibly beautiful? If you choose this itinerary, you will discover some unseen, secret places that only your skipper will know. You’ll visit the Kornati archipelago, and swim in the crystal clear water of Hvar, Mana, Elafiti and Kornat. It will be hard to find a sea clearer than this.
Balearic islands, Spain
Sure, we all want beautiful water, but what if you want to party a little, after taking care of your tan? Here is the trip for you, then, the one that will make you discover the Balearic islands. Every year, locations like Ibiza, Formentera, Mallorca and Minorca are swamped by tourists from all over the world, but while they will all be fighting for space on the beaches, you will be relaxing in the luxury of your boat. You’ll get to visit all the islands you like, and only make your way to the mainland at night, to party. This is the very definition of cool!
Aeolian Islands, Sicily, Italy
Italy on a sailing boat? That’s a good idea. Surely, it would be most inconvenient to try to sail all around the peninsula, but this is truly one of the most spectacular trips you can go on in the Mediterranean. You will see renowned places like the islands of Lipari, Stromboli, Vulcano and Panarea, which offer breathtaking views and excellent food. Each island has its own charm, and this trip will guarantee you a summer of glamour!
Côte d’Azur, France
Chich friends all over the world, listen up, this is for you: a sailing holiday along the Côte d’Azur is something you should seriously consider. Your itinerary will include beautiful cities like Nice, Antibes, Sanremo and Montecarlo. After sunbathing at the bow of your boat, grab your straw hat, and go have lunch in one of the small restaurants that are located on the coast. Welcome to the corner of paradise you had been looking for!
Greece
Did you really think we would talk about where to spend your summer without mentioning Greece? Of course we wouldn’t! Even a week is enough to see some of Greece’s most beautiful islands, easily island-hopping with your sailing boat. You will not only dive into the bluest waters of Europe, you will also dive into different traditions, customs and history in every single island you land on. Let your skipper know if you want to stop in Zakynthos, Mykonos or Cephalonia, or let your skipper’s expertise help you decide where to go.
The most attentive among you surely noticed that the entire TBS Crew went to the Langhe region last week, to spend some time together in this area of rolling hills between Cuneo and Asti — in Piedmont, north western Italy, for those who are wondering. It was a first visit for many of us, and we all had a positive impression of the place. If you also would like to take a trip to this marvellous location in Piedmont, read our tips, and get your notebook out. Oh, and be warned: the food and the wine are great, so please, leave your guilty conscience at home!
DAY 1
Piedmont will welcome you with its green valleys and its rows of vines, making it the perfect setting for a magical weekend. Alba, the capital of truffles, is our first destination. It is a very small town with a hidden treasure underneath: the remains of a Roman era village, on top of which the current town developed later on. It is definitely worth a visit, with an archeologist who will tell you all the secrets of Alba Pompeia, as the location was called in Roman times — make sure you book ahead.
After that, make your way to Neive, another historical village, this time of the Middle Ages, which features a beautiful castle where you can have apéritif, too. Sit down for lunch at L’Aromatario, located in a beautiful, ivy-covered palace… Really so very atmospheric! Here, you will be able to enjoy dishes both from the sea and from the land, without of course forgetting local Piedmont traditional fare.
With a full stomach, you can move on to an experience that you must absolutely try in this place, since the Langhe region is known as the land of good wine. We recommend visiting the many wineries in the area that offer Barolo tasting: we went to Cantine Brunella, owned by the Baroli winemakers. Here, we learned about the differences between different types of Barolo wine, that usually depend on the location of the vines, as well as on the differences in exposure to sunlight.
Take in the sunset on the hills overlooking Barolo. Finally, make your way to the place that you will call home tonight: the Locanda del Pilone, a resort that also happens to be a starred restaurant. Their kitchen, headed by young chef Federico Gallo, 29 years old, won the much coveted Michelin star, and the meal you’ll have here, starting from the meat tartare antipasto, all the way to the homemade dessert pie, is a perfectly executed modern variation of traditional Piedmont specialties that will make you say “hmm, so delicious” plenty of times while you eat. After dinner, you will get the chance to taste Nocciolino, a homemade liquor, sitting on the verandah, taking in the beauty of your surroundings, and welcoming a warm, fuzzy feeling of drowsiness and relaxation.
DAY 2
Waking up surrounded by greenery, in a place where birdsong is the only noise you’ll hear, will already set the right mood for the day. Since you are in the land of truffles, we recommend an experience so unique to this place that you can hardly have it anywhere else: going truffle hunting! We went truffle hunting with Mr. Ezio, from the Tra Arte e Querce restaurant, who will accompany you on a 1-hour excursion in the local woods, looking for these prestigious mushrooms. Trust us, when your dog finds one of these treasures, you will be the first to rejoice! Also because you will get the chance to have your truffle just after your walk, during a lunch so delicious it will make you smile.
After hunting and dining, let the charming villages in the Langhe area bewitch you. We recommend visiting Pollenzo, Monteforte d’Alba, Morra, which features the super colorful Barolo chapel, and Barolo itself: with beautiful weather, you will be able to enjoy wide open green spaces, and untouched nature.
If you still have some time, stop by for a ritual that is typical of Piedmont tradition: the merenda sinoira. This is a tradition that can be traced back to local farmer culture: after a day of work on the fields, farmers used to get an energy boost by enjoying cold cuts, cheese, vitello tonnato (cold veal in a tuna sauce) and of course, a good glass of wine, while admiring the landscape. This will be a magical and tasty way to bid farewell to a place that will stay in your heart.
When we think about the word “oversize”, we usually think about a sweatshirt, a jacket or a coat, but this time, for summer 2017, the trend has evolved: it’s time to focus on XXL pants.
Temperatures are higher, but this is not a good reason to ditch XXL pants: on the contrary, they are still an important item this season, and if you want to be up to date with trends, get rid of your old skinny pants, and start thinking of some fresh, cool ways to style oversize pants. For the daytime or for the evening, they are always the more sophisticated alternative, they come in many colors, fabrics and prints, and they will always make you look good.
If you need a bit of inspiration, brands like Isabel Marant, Rosie Assoulin e Dries van Noten are there to show us that, when it comes to “the bigger the better“, pants are always a good idea! If you asked us what our favorite combination was, our answer would be to wear your oversize pants with a crop top, or with a vintage tee, a pair of sandals and a straw bag… What a dream!
We collected some of our favorite looks from the Spring Summer 2017 collections in the gallery, do have a look at the pants, but also make sure you look at the balance of the outfits created by the designers. It’s good to go for an XXL look, but it is never a good idea to take it too far!
Among the hundreds of things I never thought I would experience in my life is this: writing a post about cannabis-based beauty products. Honestly, this is not a joke, and it is also nothing new, it is just a very recent trend. Maybe we should just blame Rihanna, everyone knows she is a marijuana fan…
Talking about shoes, there is one thing we can say out loud: stilettos heels are sexy as hell. And when summer comes, we can’t stop dreaming of legions of stiletto heels sandals magically appearing in our closet, ready to make us feel like queens. In case you are planning to celebrate this summer, as you should – hey, it’s the season we are waiting for all year – you should definitely get yourself one of those amazing pairs. Designers are putting all their creative energy into making the best stilettos right now, and their work was worth it! The result is a large choice of different stilettos styles for every taste. The only problem: we want all of them!
Stiletto-heel sandals with opulent ornaments
Less is more? Not this summer! The purpose of these stiletto sandals is to state quite the contrary. 3D objects, like wings, butterflies, pom poms, fringes or flowers embellish these beauties, on their heels or on their front straps. After setting your eyes on these amazingly embellished sandals you will agree with us, we are sure. And in case you instantly fall in love with one of these pairs, but you are hesitating because you think they are too fancy, stop brooding over that instantly, because the styling rule for fancy shoes is the easiest of all: the crazier the shoe, the simpler the outfit. So just wear them with a little black dress, or with your favorite pair of jeans and a white tee!
Stiletto-heel sandals with knots, ruffles and bows
“Pretty woman walking down the street…” You might end up hearing this song quite often if you wear one of these extravagant stiletto heel sandals. With big bows, delicate ruffles and artfully draped knots, they are the incarnation of elegance and femininity. In pastel colors, they evoke ballerina dancing shoes; in brighter colors, they look like a birthday party on your feet. Both versions look great with flared skirts or A-line dresses for a girly look. For a more understated outfit, just wear them with a pair of culotte pants, or your jeans.
Stiletto-heel sandals in pop colors & geometric shapes
If you’re not the romantic kind of girl, these graphic stiletto heel sandals might just be what you were looking for! They don’t only come in bright pop colors, they also come in fascinating geometric shapes. Holes, straight lines, delicate cut-outs, graphic styles, you name it. The result is a stunning shoe, with a dramatic effect and without a trace of kitsch. Since the geometric forms already draw a lot of attention, you’d better keep your outfit plain: avoid patterns and prints, but go for any color you like, because these stilettos are made for color block looks!
I confess, I really would like to be able to do without foundation. Despite being a beauty lover, the last thing I like to do is to apply multiple layers of coverage on my face. Sadly, though, my delicate, blemish-prone skin doesn’t agree with me, which means that every morning I have to grab my brush and my makeup sponge, and start working on my daily restoration efforts, in a ritual that doesn’t feel very sacred but that does help me feel happy with what I see in the mirror. There is one thing that offers some relief, luckily: when the warmer season comes, I can change the content of my vanity to something different, abandoning foundation, and choosing lighter textures. You should try that, too! It’s all thanks to the sun, really, it works wonders. The moment it pierces through the clouds, there is no need to apply tons of color anymore. And once you leave the well-worn path for a path less traveled, here is what you will find: light, weightless formulas that can lend a uniform look to your face, without excessive coverage. If you have freckles, like I do, you won’t be covering them at all!
There are basically two product types that are suitable for this time of the year: tinted moisturizers and BB/CC creams. Yes, they are almost identical, but there is a difference, let me explain. The first product is a moisturizer that can also give a touch of color to your skin. The second kind is actually a treatment which can target blemishes – BB stands for Blemish Balm – or discoloration, since CC stands for Color Correcting. The texture of tinted moisturizers is usually lighter, since the ingredient list is usually very short, but it all depends on brand and application.
My favorite method to apply a base in summer, the one I recommend, basically, is the following: soak a sponge in cool water, and wring it out well. This will make your beauty routine very pleasant even with 30C, and it will also stop the sponge from absorbing most of the product: since it is already saturated with water, all the sponge will do will be helping to apply product onto your skin. I almost forgot: one very important thing you should keep in mind when you choose your summer product is sun protection factor! It is absolutely forbidden to wear anything under 30 when it comes to your face, you don’t want to end up looking like Yzma in The Emperor’s New Groove, right? Now, have a look at the gallery to discover what products won our seal of approval… Happy shopping!
Every man dreams of spending his life with a woman who solves problems, who doesn’t create new ones, and who can deal with those problems with a firm hand when they do come her way. Who wouldn’t want a friend like that, someone who knows what to do, in every situation? Well, the news is, a woman like that exists… But who are we talking about, you ask? Wonder Woman, of course! About Gal Gadot to be precise, who plays Wonder Woman in the film that will be released next week.
Gal was born in Israel in 1985, from Jewish Israeli parents with a very painful history. Her grandparents experienced war in Europe and were Holocaust survivors. This was very important to Gal growing up, and left a mark on her, making her into a very thoughtful, intense girl.
Gadot’s career started at only 19, when she won the title of Miss Israel pretty effortlessly, thanks to her evident beauty. Right after that, she participated in the Miss Universe contest, as all national beauty contest winners usually do. Gal, 32 years old, soon realized that she didn’t want to be a model, and joined the Israeli Defence Force after her beauty contest experience: she was quickly promoted to the rank of combat instructor — who else could impersonate the great warrior better than her, then? Despite her choosing to take time off from the show business, she still caught the eye of the industry, and in 2007 she was featured in Maxim‘s famous photo reportage “Women of the Israeli army”: her portrait would land on the cover of the New York Post shortly after that.
After her time in service, Gal showed an interest in the film industry. The Fast and Furious saga worked as her springboard, as she played the main character in parts 4, 5 and 6. Critics started appreciating her and loving her not only for her looks, but also for her acting skills. Gadot is also part of the cast of some widely appreciated TV shows, such as Entourage and The Beautiful Life.
Her interpretation of Wonder Woman, which the entire world is expecting so eagerly, might also be the most important role in her career so far, and it perfectly matches her professional ambitions, since she declared in an interview a few years ago that there aren’t enough roles in cinema for strong women, and that most of the female characters we see in films today seem to match the damsel-in-distress stereotype. Well said, Gal! We can’t wait for you to show everyone that there is so much more to cinema for women, too!
While searching for some inspiration and some trends, I started watching Sex & The City again, starting from first season, and let me tell you, this was one of the smartest moves of the past year. While talking about fashion and about the TV show, my first thought was, how trivial. But after watching it again and studying it a little, I realised that I actually had a true treasure in front of my eyes.
In addition to clothing, which I will get to in a few lines, it is quite important to think about the emancipated lives that the girls in the series all lead: yes, they often talk about men, but at the end of the day, the four characters are all career women, who enjoy life and have the kind of full, happy routine we — me included! — would all want, both when they are in a relationship and when they are single.
But let’s get to the more interesting topic, which is, Carrie Bradshaw’s style. If you look at trends from the 1990s and the 2000s, you will see she is the true queen of those: low-waist crop pants, chain belts, crop tops, spaghetti dresses, cowboy hats, berets, bandana tops, foulards worn as headdress, tracksuits and leggings with high heels, sabots, and more sabot-style shoes. I think I named about a million trends, and I still haven’t taken a million looks into account.
It was after figuring out that she used to match her dream shoes with clothing from a vintage store that I realized I had found my muse! Having unique clothing items you can match to beautiful, feminine accessories should be everyone’s life philosophy. And don’t believe that you need an unlimited budget for this, all you need is some sense of style and some time to do your research! If you don’t know where to start, but you are also fans of Carrie, and would like to have some more glam in your wardrobe, you will find some ideas below, inspired by Carrie’s most beautiful looks ever. Ready for a bit of Sex & The City in your life?
Carrie Bradshaw’s style: some extra glam in your wardrobe is always a good idea!
Carrie Bradshaw’s style: one of her most cool looks ever!
Carrie Bradshaw’s style: she is the true queen of berets & femminine looks
Carrie Bradshaw’s style: if you look at trends from the 1990s and the 2000s, she is your girl!
Some of us love them, some of us detest them, some of us are scared of them, and some of us will buy season passes every year. We are talking about the water parks that just about everyone seems to go to from June to September, never mind their age, or whether they are teenagers, or adults. In many cases, these parks are true purpose-built villages that are mostly designed to help survive the heat in the city. Some of them feature cafeterias, sunbathing and relax areas, others obviously feature water slides, in every possible size and height. We collected photos of our favorite 7 in the world in the gallery, spanning from Europe to the United Arab Emirates. We admit it, we just love water parks at TBS, and actually, maybe we should consider writing a “TBSCREWGOESTOWATERPARK” piece! What do you think?
Wild Wadi Waterpark, United Arab Emirates
Tropical Islands, Germany
Yas Waterworld, United Arab Emirates
World Waterpark, Canada
Universal’s Volcano Bay, Florida
Beach Park, Brazil
Siam Park, Spain
A dive into the blue sea, ice-cream in the village’s historic streets, a cheerful run along the shore: all we dream about for summer are Vacanze Italiane.
Produced by Martina Maccherone & Gregorio Capineri Tosetti
Photographer: Jessica De Maio
Hair and Makeup: Manuele Mameli
Location: Portovenere
Special thanks to Costa Estate and Scuola di Mare Santa Teresa
Gym and makeup have always been two worlds apart, so hold on to your hats, because we are going to turn your world upside down! It’s not a joke and it’s not a marketing strategy: somebody finally answered our prayers, and soon you will be able to go train with your makeup on! Because let’s be honest, even if we are all for inner beauty, having to look at ourselves in the gym mirror, maybe early in the morning, doesn’t feel so good… And if you are among those who attend a course or go walk on a treadmill for a half hour after work, you won’t even have to remove your makeup, hurrah! We know what you are thinking: regular makeup is just fine and it survives everything, if you just do it right.
Sure, primers and makeup setting sprays are always helpful, but exerting yourself and sweating with a 2mm barrier on your face will not let your skin breathe the right way, and in the long run, having clogged pores might generally get out of hand. So, forewarned is forearmed, right? There are lots of brands that are at work for us sports lovers, some of which, like Sweat Cosmetics, even test their cosmetics on Olympic athletes – can you think of a better way to test cosmetics like these? — and brands like Yuni, that try to apply the philosophy of their favorite sport (yoga) to every product in the line. Ready to show up at the gym as a beautiful swan, rather than an ugly duckling?
Everyone has known for a while that living legend Kate Moss opened her own talent agency, working with models, singers and performers — but the news that made us all even more curious, was that she has apparently chosen her top model, too.
This young man, and current talk of town in the fashion biz, is named Louis Baines, and we just couldn’t help choosing him as our Man of the week. Louis will turn 17 soon, and he is part of famous model’s Kate Moss Model agency, as we just mentioned. If being Kate’s protégé means, on the one hand, that doors will always be wide open everywhere for Louis, it also means bearing a lot of responsibility, a task which he seems to be approaching quite nonchalantly.
Honestly speaking, we must say that Louis had already had an important experience before his career was blessed by Kate’s golden touch, since he had already worked with one of Britain’s most renowned brands of the last few years: Topshop. That was followed by another impressive achievement for someone who was still only just a teenager back then, when Louis posed for British Vogue — and that is not all, because he also posed for Stella McCartney last month, showing everyone that he is ready for the world’s most prestigious catwalk shows.
Despite these jobs dropping in his lap (also) thanks to his exceptional mentor, as much as thanks to his evident beauty, Louis was discovered by wider audiences when he attended Coach‘s event with Kate Moss, walking arm in arm with her in front of the photographers. That is when fashion victims worldwide started searching for news about this handsome young man, who was so mysterious and so little known to the press back then. He still has a long way to go of course, but if “proud mama” Kate placed a bet on him, all we can do is trust her!
If you thought that an icon like Cher could ever disappear from the fashion world, well, after her performance at the Billboard Awards, which clearly confirmed that her diva status, we are sure you won’t entertain this sort of idea anymore — there will hardly be any humans on Earth can forget about Cher.
Cherilyn Sarkisian, American artist of Armenian heritage, started her career in the 1960s, and immediately shot to international success. That wasn’t all: in addition to her music career, Cher started appearing on TV networks and started working as a model, becoming a style icon, and became inspiration for scores of men and women worldwide. She was famous for her long, smooth, straight black hair, for having been one of the first women to show her bellybutton on TV, for her flared pants, for her excesses with glam and glitter, and for her legendary sheer dresses, now worn by all top models. She could be described in one simple sentence: her greatest achievement is that she has always been cool.
How could anyone forget about a muse like her? No one could, and actually, if you have a look at her style evolution, you will realize that her looks are basically a summary of all the trends that we love like crazy nowadays. But keep in mind — no one will ever pull those trends off better than she did!
Meanwhile, here we are, with a collection of a few of her most iconic looks ever, which are just ready to be copied in 2017… Are you ready for a touch of glam?
Flared pants are her must have piece ever!
Don’t forget the glam and glitter!
And what about some extra Glam?
There is something sacred to getting ready for the red carpet. The hours spent in luxury hotel rooms, especially at the Croisette (we are talking about Cannes Film Festival after all!), spent fitting clothes, trying makeup and hairstyles… They must be electrifying! There is only one thing to do, for us mere mortals: watch divas walk the red carpet from afar, have fun commenting dubious outfits, and choose our favorites. Did you see Kristen Stewart? She challenged all conventions this year with her androgynous look, and her hairstyle keeps on being awesome! The detail that really caught our attention was actually the head of many, many stars: it seems like complicated hairstyles aren’t a thing anymore, now is the time for a wavy bob! Whether it’s more bon ton, as was the case for Bella Hadid and Charlize Theron, or messy, as seen on Marion Cotillard and Mischa Barton, there is no doubt that this is the hairstyle to have on the red carpet! Undo your braids, and say goodbye to all updos: long live wavy bobs! They are perfect for summer, they will let your shoulders get some fresh air, and be ready for the hot season’s looks. The good thing about wavy bobs is that, even if your styling doesn’t hold perfectly and gets “messy”, you will still be impeccable. Have a look at the gallery to choose the celebrity whose style that suits you best!
I usually do my makeup myself everyday: I am saying this because I don’t want you to think I am like a celebrity, with a makeup artist available for me each day. About two weeks ago though, I was at a photoshoot for a project, and had my makeup done by a professional. She told me something that really struck me: “your skin really drinks makeup up”. Ah, so I wasn’t dreaming that up! Despite the love and care I put into my beauty routine, foundation always seems to want to just slide off my face, to disappear forever. Of course, I asked the makeup artist how to solve this problem, and she suggested I choose a new primer: apparently, the one I had chosen, thinking it would help my base stay matte, was not the right one for me!
My skin needs water, so I need a very moisturizing primer that doesn’t force my skin to resort to absorbing the moisture it needs from makeup, eating all the moisture up. This got me thinking about the importance of primer in our daily routine. We all need primer, you know why? Because, in addition to the obvious task of making your makeup last longer, primer also works as a protective layer. You will especially realize that if you live in a particularly polluted city: it’s a product that works as a barrier, and that is able to protect your skin from the worst polluting agents.
Here is a good way to test your primer: try to go out for a few hours, with only your primer on. Once you are back home, clean your skin with a cotton disc, with a little micellar water or some biphasic makeup remover: you will be able to see the city’s grayness caught onto the disk as in a filter. Quite shocking, I know – this is usually how I convince my friends to introduce primers into their beauty routine. If applying primer every day seems like too much effort, at least don’t give up on sunscreen, for any reason, and keep your primer in your vanity for those days on which you will need your makeup to last several hours. Speaking of long-lasting stuff, over the last few days, the world of beauty was shaken by the earthquake of a new, incredible product.
There is such a thing as a primer for perfume! It was born of the need to be able to smell a fragrance throughout the day, something that can be quite complicated, considering all the factors at play in this field… But it’s a genius idea! This way, even the most delicate products can stay on your skin for a longer time, and you will not feel like you need to spray your perfume on 8 times a day, running out of your fragrance in just a few weeks. We already discussed primers for mascara some time ago, so I won’t stress you any further with that. Ready to welcome primers? Choose your new BFF in the gallery!
You may have noticed it on the Chanel Cruise Show this week, or on the multiple street style pictures on Instagram: sheer clothes, tulle clothes in particular, are one of the biggest style trends in Summer 2017. Sure, it might seem really complicated at first to wear sheer clothes without looking naked, because they are, ça va sans dire, very transparent. Furthermore, tulle is so romantic and feminine that it may seem hard to style it in a cool way. Well, it’s time to fight against this prejudice, because the new styling secret for wearing sheer tulle clothes without looking naked or feeling like a ballerina is super easy: it’s layering!
The more a tulle piece comes in pastel hues, with romantic ruffles or sheer overlays, the better it will look when layered over casual denim, and clean jersey. So, even if you’re not the girly kind of girl, don’t shy away from tulle: wear it over your band shirt, over your ripped jeans or with your vintage leather jacket for an unexpected style clash. The result will not be girly at all, it will be super cool instead. We promise!
How denim addicts can wear tulle sheer clothes
Honestly, it’s the perfect match! Tulle and denim look amazing together. You can either go for denim pieces with tulle details on the hems, or you can just layer them. Or you are free to choose between a tulle skirt, a tulle shirt, or a tulle dress — they will all look super stylish with your favorite pair of jeans.
How non-girly-girls can wear tulle sheer clothes
Is the cliche of all girls loving pink, and dreaming of being a ballerina a pain for you? Don’t let this be the reason why you don’t wear tulle, it doesn’t have to look girly or ballerina-like! Just grab a transparent tulle dress, and layer it over your old band shirt. So, what do you say? Is it just cool, or supercool?
How crazy fashionistas can wear tulle sheer clothes
If you’re the fashionable, outgoing kind of person who loves wearing crazy things and getting attention, well, listen up: you will love colorful tulle skirts and shirts! If you feel like looking casual, wear them with a hoodie or jeans and boots. If you have to dress up, grab your heels. Either way, you can be sure you will have all eyes on you!
Our favorite season is here! And we are not talking about spring, but about festival season
Who didn’t dream of having a catwalk-worthy look, or of owning iconic clothing from a trendy brand, at least once? Time to get real, and accept the fact that we cannot afford that — at least not all of that, perhaps a few items every season. Anyway, how can you have a dream look, spending little money? Let’s start by keeping in mind that the price of products is usually more related to the brand’s identity than to the item’s actual value, so if you manage your budget properly, and see what alternatives the market offers, we assure you that you can easily build looks that seem to be made of costly pieces, while spending way less than you would ever have expected. Not bad, right?
Are you wondering how to do it? The first step is to ask yourself what style feels like it’s yours, and what is your dream brand. After picking the look you want, or figuring out who your model woman is, it is time to move on to composing your outfit, thinking about what you need to complete the look. Last but not least, for each item or accessory, think about what shops can offer the best alternative for your budget. And voilà, there is no need to have an outfit full of logos to have some style… If you really want to do it, even affordable, cheap items can work wonders!
How to have a sleek, sophisticated look that seems expensive but actually is not. Inspiration: The Row and 1990s Prada
How to have a colorful, romantic, yet practical look that seems expensive, but actually is not. Inspiration: Rosie Assoulin and Johanna Ortiz
How to have a cool, urban look, that seems expensive but actually is not. Inspiration: OFF White and Vetements
You know that by now, we are always looking at catwalk shows for inspiration, to give you ideas on ways to revamp your look when a new season comes. We talked about hair and makeup trends for Spring Summer 2017, and how could we forget our nails? It was a little harder than normal to come up with our usual trend report, the kind where we discuss what colors are most trendy… Because we truly saw all sorts of colors at the shows! So, rather than sounding an alarm, we are here with a challenge: get creative, and go for a rainbow manicure.
Depending on your levels of expertise, you can choose the version that suits you best: from Manish Arora‘s entire color spectrum in a gradient on your nails, to the beginner-friendly versions by Thom Browne and Philipp Plein, with each nail painted in a different color. If you are pros, you can add little stones or uncommon textures, as did Kenzo and Gareth Pugh, or play with simpler nail art, like Jeremy Scott and Antonio Marras. What matters, basically, is to say no to your usual monochrome polish. Have fun with your manicure, and don’t worry about it matching your outfit — rainbow works with everything!
She is only 16 years old and she already worked with some of the most famous actors in Hollywood: young Angourie Rice‘s resume is packed with interesting roles in some of the blockbusters of the last few years, in which this child prodigy starred alongside Ryan Gosling, Nicole Kidman, Elle Fanning and Russell Crowe.
She was born in Melbourne, Australia, on January 1 2001, with a stage director for a father, and a playwright for a mother. Her childhood was defined by a lot of moves due to her parents’ work, which took her and her family to Perth, Australia, and then on to Munich, Germany. Only later did she go back to her hometown, and she enrolled at the Princes Hill Secondary College, a place that became an oasis of calm for her whenever work gets too intense. It must be difficult for such a young girl to have such an active career and carry on with her regular life, as Angourie declared in an interview, saying that she is still looking for a good balance between her studies, reading Maths and French books, and her film career.
These Final Hours was the first relevant feature film that launched her career at only 12. Later on, she got a part in Walking With Dinosaurs, and in TV shows such as The Doctor Blake Mysteries, Worst Year of My Life Again and Mako Mermaids. Last year, she was part of the cast of Nowhere Boys: The Book of Shadows, and in The Nice Guys, in which she played Ryan Gosling‘s daughter. In July, we will see her in Spider Man‘s new episode, Homecoming, which sounds like it is going to be yet another Marvel success. She is currently in Cannes, promoting The Beguiled with Sofia Coppola, in which she plays a student alongside none other than Nicole Kidman, who features as her teacher: the film is competing for the Palme d’Or.
A student and an enthusiastic actor, Angourie often wonders if this is all real… Yes, sweet Angourie, it is! You are destined to be a Hollywood star, and we can’t wait to applaud your talent at the cinema!
Jeanne Damas, It-Girl and French fashion icon, started Rouje in 2016. She started the brand to dress herself and her friends: very feminine women with a strong personality, who can wear her designs in Paris, as well as on holidays or at work. Parisian women, and their simple, effortless style, are her main inspiration.
Her collection is designed to work every day, for the day and for the night, to always look ready and charming for every occasion. Her items are characterized by vintage prints and designs, monochrome dresses with very sleek cuts, high-waisted pants, silk blouses with retro necklines, and miniskirts — strictly to be worn with red lipstick!
Because Jeanne’s style, and that of her brand, makes us dream of Parisian life, reminding us of the films set on the French riviera: short-sleeved cotton dresses, wicker bags, cat-eye glasses, denim, stripes and polka dots. Who would have thought it so easy to be sophisticated and feminine?
Summer collections are our favorites: they make us think of Jane Birkin, of her photo in the fields, her straw hat on, of her white blouses and her enchanting smile. We feel like teleporting ourselves onto a bench, under a tree on the French riviera, and live the Rouje dream. But what we like best is the unique, clear and original message of this brand: FRENCH GIRL POWER! If you are fans of French women, if you just love their messy hair and their red lips… There is no brand in the world that represents them better. And of course, we are their number 1 fans!
You only have 2 weeks off, but you also feel like trying to visit as many places as possible? A road trip through the most beautiful cities and countries of Europe could be just what you need. A few weeks ago, we told you about the best American road trips; today, we will be guiding you in your discovery of the Old Continent. Once again, it was very hard to pick only 5 itineraries, but finally, we managed to choose the most intriguing ones (according to us.) From the wild views of Portugal to the Greek coasts, without neglecting Central Europe, of course: beaches, mountains, cities… Summer 2017 will be on the road!
The Portuguese coast
Let’s start by saying that Portugal is always a good source of surprises. Our itinerary starts in the North, in Braga, to be precise, and makes its way down to Guimarães and Felgueiras, dotted by charming little villages. After that, it’s Porto’s turn, and time to see Portugal’s beautiful ocean locations: Figuiera da Foz, Peniche, Ericeira are among our favorite places. Later on, this itinerary will take you to the capital, Lisbon, where you absolutely should make time for some sightseeing. If you have more time, make your way to the very south of the country, for some unforgettable landscapes.
Italy, Sicily
We were totally overwhelmed, spoilt for choice here. North, south, central Italy: Italy is one of the few European countries that can be easily crossed by car. We chose Sicily, the Mediterranean’s largest island, and believe us: it will be a very satisfactory experience. The itinerary we picked goes from Palermo to Agrigento: start from the regional capital, and travel through some really amazing seaside locations, then drive through Trapani and the Zingaro natural reserve. During your trip, stop by in Marsala, Mazara del Vallo, and to conclude, go to Agrigento, park your car and walk to the Temple Valley: don’t forget your sunscreen, because the sun is very strong here.
The French Alps
Too many seaside locations so far? No worries, we thought of those of you who prefer cooler temperatures, too. Our idea here is a trip through the great French Alps, where you will see incredible, unrivaled mountain views. And it’s not just about the mountains and the Alps: while driving along the Route des Grandes Alpes, you will find yourselves driving through 4 different national parks, and across 16 mountain passes. If you want to drive along the entire route, all the way to the end, you will get to Switzerland. If you like motorbikes, this is definitely a route we recommend for riding your motorbike, and fully enjoying postcard-perfect views.
Eastern Europe
This is a road trip option that often gets overlooked, but it is in no way less interesting than others — not at all actually. You can decide if you want to start from Romania or from Austria, either way, the route is the same. If you choose this tour, you will be crossing 4 different countries in 10 days: Romania, Hungary, Slovakia, and Austria, for a very thorough discovery of the Eastern part of the Old Continent. If you are looking to do something different, definitely follow this tip.
Greece
Who said islands are the only beautiful part of Greece? We managed to come up with a really good itinerary for the mainland, starting from the capital, Athens — worth a tour itself: once you feel like you have soaked up enough culture, you can start driving. You can decide whether you want to drive along Greece’s most ancient highway, which will take you off the beaten track, up the mountains, or make your way to amazing places like Glifada or Lagonisi. Cross the Corinth canal at the end, and make your way to mystical Olympia, a very important place for the Greeks.
Like all things Budapest, apparently, this brand also seems to be have a connection to a love story, specifically, to the one between Stephen and Margaret. Stephen is the heir of the noble Omorovicza family and he met the love of his life, Margaret, while she was working at the American embassy in Hungary. It was truly love at first sight, and the two became inseparable after just a few dates. Thermal water was their love potion, and the witness of some of their dates, after which they both noticed the good effects it had on their skin. They were so inspired by this unique ingredient that they decided to start a beauty project together, something that was never done before.
Omorovicza was born of this love: a luxury skincare line that is all about the magical powers of Hungarian thermal water (could it also work as a love potion, too? We might as well try.) The line’s products can be bought online and in their Budapest flagship store, which we just visited. If you want to truly experience the brand, though, we recommend visiting their spas: Omorovicza has many all over Europe, and if you follow your urge to buy everything you see while shopping in their store, you will get a free, unmissable face treatment as a gift!
The products in this line have the ability to replicate the effect that thermal water had on Stephen and Margaret: making you fall in love at first sight, or in this case, at first use! The beneficial effects of thermal water during one day at the bath are usually limited to the outer layers of your skin, and to make it all more effective, Omorovicza patented a system that helps the molecules of thermal water penetrate deeper down into your skin, to enhance its revitalizing effects, and help your skin stay young, at a young age already!
Our favorite product comes with a little story. The Queen of Hungary mist was inspired by the very first perfume ever created, dedicated to the Queen of Hungary… Better known to all of us as Empress Sissi! The formula has been modified to make the spray into a skincare product, but its delicate scent of orange flowers and rose will make your beauty routine worthy of a princess. You should try it as a toner after cleansing your face, as well as a relaxing spray during the day!
Who doesn’t like to receive flowers? Or why not get them for ourselves, giving ourselves a touch of melancholy and romanticism? If flowers have these magical powers, why not even create looks that include our favorite flowers? We can choose them as our new accessory, as did Jeanne Damas, who has been showing us how to “wear” flowers around town in a very natural way, with her smile, and her affordable chic style.
We think every flower can represent a different kind of girl, and we must confess to being quite classical in our choice of bouquets: we always go for those made of just one kind of flower, wrapped in romantic brown paper. We thought of an outfit for each of our favorite flowers: what is yours?
Callas: in addition to being the symbol of purity, we picture them with a very sophisticated, minimalist style
Pink lilies: we picture them on a woman whose look is very feminine and innocent
Sunflowers: we picture them on a sunny woman with a casual style
Let’s not beat around the bush: TV shows are a true obsession for us. When we are at work, we can’t wait to leave to go watch the latest episode, we sometimes even say no to a night out with friends to stay up late in front of our laptop, on our couch. On our couch, with our computer in our lap, rather than spending time with friends or out for a drink. Sounds familiar? Well, then you’ve got the same issue as we do. So, guess who is our Man of the week? Why, an actor from a TV show, of course!
It’s Charlie DePew, the new idol of the masses. Only 21 years old, this handsome Californian is the main male lead of the new series Famous in Love, released in the US last week. Charlie plays Jake, a young man with one dream: becoming a film director, with equally beautiful Bella Thorne starring alongside him as his partner in crime. The two declared that they clicked immediately on set, and according to many, they seem to be getting closer and closer also in their private lives.
But who is Charlie, then, and what are his professional experiences? The DePews hail from Pasadena, and the family started getting interested in showbiz when they realized their son had potential: since he was a kid, at only 13, Charlie was part of the Disney Channel cast, on the famous show that discovered so many people who went on to become internationally known celebrities. Charlie got many other parts after this experience, and he ended up playing in The Amazing Spider-Man, Mad Men and The Goldbergs, to name a few. His work in Famous in Love is now being praised as his best performance to date.
You will notice his handsomeness and the reasons why girls go crazy for him when you look at our gallery. If you want to know something less obvious about Charlie DePew, well, here you are: he loves cooking, and when he is at home, he turns from excellent actor into an excellent cook. He used to play water polo in high school — that explains his beautiful body, and, last but not least, DePew is the soul of the party, and not because he dances or drinks too much, but because he is a DJ! Girls, we truly love him already… And we know you will, too. We told you, he is the new darling of the masses!
There is this saying I particularly like in English: life’s a peach. If you think about it, it’s kinda true: like life, a peach is round and imperfect, it’s sweet, but slightly acidic, sometimes it’s smooth and sometimes it’s rough. But most of all, it is the summer fruit par excellence! With the arrival of the hot season, the world of beauty is preparing to celebrate the sweet deliciousness of peaches, using them as a key ingredient.
During ancient times in China, people used to believe that a branch of peach tree could protect them from evil, and ward off bad luck, while the fruit’s stone was used to soothe the symptoms of allergy, and reduce inflammation. It is no coincidence then that peaches are used as an ingredient in so many skincare products. Their extract, as an oil derived from either the stone or from the plant’s leaves, is rich in vitamins and nutrients that contribute to slowing down the aging process. Vitamin C is especially helpful against free radicals and it soothes inflammation, while giving your skin a boost of antioxidants that will help it build its defenses against external agents, and repair more quickly. Ready for peach-smooth skin?
If only we took some time to take care of ourselves, we would realize that it doesn’t take much to treat yourselves a little. Going to the hairdressers or to the beautician are only some of the things you can do to feel better, although the ideal choice would be going to a spa or to a wellness center. If you feel stressed out, or you just need an energy boost, spas are the quickest and most effective way to get it. Thanks to their therapeutic waters, saunas and Turkish baths that help you eliminate toxins from your body, you will feel recharged almost immediately. We at TBS just spent a wonderful day in one of Europe’s most famous and renowned baths, the Gellert Baths in Budapest, where we got a chance to try thermal water pools, in an atmosphere that looked like it was straight out of an Ees Anderson movie, thanks to the early 20th century Art Deco surroundings. And since we are nice
If you’re looking for a new fashion icon to inspire you, Ursina Gysi is the hot name right now. This stylist of Swiss heritage has a style that features all the hot brands right now, like Vetements, Balenciaga, Loewe and Louis Vuitton, to name a few. But why are we fans then? Well, there’s her street-style chic we are crazy about, but not only, here is the real reason: we love the way she can create trends by only using low-cost clothing… And the brands are drawing inspiration from her style to design their collections! Does this mean she is one of the coolest girls around right now? The answer is, yes, of course. If you like her style and think it may not possible to copy her style without spending money on brands, well, look at our gallery, and think again! Come on girls, it’s never too late to revamp your wardrobe!
To be cool you don’t need to spend money on luxury brands
Or maybe you can look for new brands to wear with your cult accessories
We love the way she creates new trends!
Move over, Pinterest! We are here to give you inspiration for wedding season. The perfect bridal hairstyle for Spring Summer 2017 comes straight from catwalk shows, where we saw a lot of remarkable looks. There is one important thing you should never forget, anyway: if you are going to style your hair in a certain way, you have to make sure your hair is healthy enough for it. If your hair is weak and damaged, tying it up and putting it in a stress situation with a lot of different styling experiments at the hairdressers will just make it worse, and you can say goodbye to any styling! The secret to survive pre-wedding stress is to be prepared, like in every other situation. A product like Pantene SMART PRO-V Conditioner is just what you need: SMART PRO-V’s revolutionary formula can detect the different levels of damage along your hair, and treat this damage appropriately. This way, you can make sure your hair will resist any source of stress, and it will be able to deal with the oddest of styling choices! Are you ready? All you need to do is have a look at our gallery, and pick your look for your wedding day!
The world is divided into two groups of people, and it’s all about one keyword: Jane. You might be thinking, nonsense, how can a girl’s name split the world into two factions? Well, it’s quite easy to understand. When you ask people what pops up in their minds when they hear the name “Jane”, they will either answer with a loud «Ah-oooooooh! Tarzan and Jane, of course!», or they will smile, their mind off to the 1970s, and they will say: «It makes me think of the legendary style-icon Jane Birkin».
If you are part of the second group of people, and therefore a fashion girl in the know (or if you changed your mind when you read the second answer), you will surely have noticed that Jane Birkin — or her favorite accessory, the basket bag, at least — is back in the game this spring. It even became the top trending accessory in 2017, with a rising curve of over 200% in Pinterest searches! This officially confirms that the micro-trend we noticed on the streets earlier this year is becoming huge: straw handbags are getting fashionable! But careful, there, we’re not talking about just any wicker woven piece: we are talking about the famous Jane Birkin basket bag that was as inseparable from her as Chanel was from tweed, like Gigi and Kendall, like chocolate and a guilty conscience.
The truth is, she did not only look amazing back in the day, holding her basket bag with high rise jeans and a white tee. Her basket bag actually inspired Jean-Louis Damas, former head of Hermès, to create one of the label’s biggest It-Bags, too: Hermès’s Birkin bag. Curious to know more about this story? The two met on a flight, and when Damas asked Jane why she was carrying a basket, she told him that as a young, fashionable mom, she couldn’t find any leather bag that was practical and chic at the same time. Damas started sketching his first design of the bag on a napkin right away, and three years later, the legendary Hermès Birkin Bag was born.
Heartwarming story, right? And one more reason for us to embrace the comeback of Jane’s basket bag. Since finding the original bag is not the easiest thing to do, we sat down and put some effort into a little research, to find the most authentic-looking version. And we are – as Jane Birkin would be – quite satisfied with what we found!
Everyone knows love don’t come easy. And if meeting new people might be hard, technology is here to help us: Tinder can be the solution to meet someone new. Sure, you have to make a bit of an effort… Not this one, not this one, maybe that one, super like? Until you find someone you really like, and find out you might even have some friends in common. It’s worth a try! And you might not be so excited to meet up before the first date, you might be thinking, ah, he or she might look great on paper, but who knows… And then you meet, and you click immediately: it’s love at first sight! Well, this was how it was between us and Budapest. We knew it was a beautiful city, everyone had told us about it, but we never would have thought we would fall for it in a second. We fell hopelessly in love with it over just 48 hours, and since sharing is caring, we will tell you all about the good stuff about this match. Don’t worry, we are not jealous, we already know you will also fall in love with Budapest!
IT CAN SURPRISE YOU, WITH STORIES FROM THE PAST AND FROM THE PRESENT. CULTURE IN BUDAPEST
Physical attraction obviously matters, but if there is no connection, the romance won’t last. Saint Mathias’s church, with its high spires and colorful mosaic roof, was what started the sparkle between Budapest and us: we noticed it right at the beginning of our exploration. Have a walk along the walls on the hills of the old town and you will feel like you are on the set of Game of Thrones, go back to the lower part of town if you want to move back in time towards today, and take a selfie on the terrace of Saint Stephen’s basilica. Don’t miss the Synagogue, of course: the biggest in Europe, it is a very peculiar structure whose design was inspired by Christian churches, with an interior decorated by frescoes in geometric patterns, and Moorish vaults. If you have time, get tickets to enjoy a show at the marvelous Opera House (we had the privilege to visit it by ourselves on an evening off, enjoying a sparkly aperitif on a terrace that is usually closed to the public!) If you can’t go, for whichever reason, at least see their beautiful cafeteria, and don’t miss a trip to the washroom: the walls there tell many stories.
IT WILL SEDUCE YOUR TASTEBUDS: RESTAURANTS IN BUDAPEST
Once we realized our heart was beating a tad faster, there was another question to answer: will we have similar tastes? In food, of course! Imagine, your new match invites you for a nice dinner at their place: all you can do is pray all the gods of Hungary that you will be compatible. The answer is, yes we were, Budapest completely seduced our tastebuds. Our tour among the best restaurants in the city was very intense and satisfying, to say the least, and all the places we visited left a positive impression. Would you like to eat typical Hungarian fare, like goulash? Then, go to Baltazár. Feeling the sudden urge to eat a burger? Then ÉS Bisztró is the place to go.
If you want to taste the best foie gras, 21 Restaurant will be your destination. Trust us, it wasn’t easy to make everyone happy, since all of us like to eat, but one of us is very particular about what they eat, another has food allergies, and another doesn’t like sweets. Still, despite all this, Budapest didn’t disappoint any of us!
THE FIRST IMPRESSION DEFINITELY MATTERS: SHOPPING IN BUDAPEST
Even if we are no fashion victims, the way a person dresses definitely can make someone more or less charming to our eyes. What if Budapest’s style was not our thing? That was not the case: guided by our friend Festy, we toured the city, discovering the most interesting fashion brands in Hungary, and we fell in love with the minimalist, chic style of these brands, characterized by a simple yet complex sense of aesthetics, made of sleek lines and eye-catching details. Pay a visit to the Nanushka monobrand store, where even the most basic items like high-necked pullovers and jackets have a chic allure thanks to the smart of use of materials — such as tech-linen, which doesn’t get crumpled and is therefore perfect for travelling — and their sophisticated designs that got even Gigi Hadid to fall in love with one of their dresses. If you want something cool, that follows catwalks trends, go to USE Unused: their little dresses are feminine and casual, and they will catch everyone’s eye.
THE FIRST NIGHT TOGETHER, OR, THE HOTEL
Will he snore? Will he be a restless sleeper? Will we curl up in our sleep? Will I be comfortable in his bed? The first time you stay over at someone’s place is never easy, and sleeping comfortably is always a good sign of harmony with a partner. Once again, Budapest did not disappoint us. We chose the city’s most historic hotel, the Pest-Buda, which recently reopened after a renovation that took care of its 17th century structure, integrating these elements into a modern and current dimension, literally winning our hearts. Fornasetti wallpaper, small SMEG fridges and contemporary art are in every room, decorated with furnishings that mix industrial design and retro styles, a blend that makes the hotel welcoming and cool at the same time. The location is perfect: it is located in Buda, up high, and it will offer you magic moments during summer nights, when you stop by on the city walls after a beautiful evening out, to admire the glittering landscape of the city. Very romantic.
MAKE YOURSELF BEAUTIFUL: BEAUTY AND RELAXATION IN BUDAPEST
We understand you might want to dress up for your first date, it’s something we would do, too. Luckily, one of Budapest’s traditions is the perfect blend of beauty and relaxation… We are talking about thermal baths. Go to the Gellert baths to dive into the past, between thermal waters, mosaics and massage that will completely revitalize you. For a facial treatment, and a bit of beauty shopping, visit Omorovicza, the shop of a historic brand founded in the Hungarian capital, which made thermal water the focus point of its luxury skin care collection, perfect to spice up your beauty routine.
So, are you ready to fall in love?
How does a trend make its way from the catwalk into our daily life? Sometimes it’s a conscious decision: we see something we like, and decide to copy it. Other times, it’s an unconscious decision: we suddenly find ourselves wanting to wear a certain item, or wishing to do our makeup with a certain product, and there we are, suddenly riding the season’s trend. So, if over the past few weeks you caught yourself thinking that it would be an excellent idea to give your gaze an explosive touch with a little orange mascara, or stopped in front of the shelf with blue eyeshadows for longer than usual, make sure you follow these sudden urges, because pop colors on our eyes will be one of the strongest makeup trends for Spring Summer 2017.
Yes, we realize it might seem like a risky choice at first: honestly, how does one wear yellow eyeshadow? The truth is, it all depends on context, and on your look, of course. But we guarantee that the first step is the hardest, and after that, it will be a walk in the park. Imagine yourself on a beach, having a cocktail with a beautiful dress on your tanned skin, your tan brought out by makeup in orange hues. Marvelous, right? Those of you who live in Milan are probably already complaining: but it just won’t stop raining! Well, it can’t rain all the time, we answer. And if summer is a little behind schedule, we might as well use our valuable time to get used to wearing eyeshadow in pop colors, starting with colder hues, like red and blue: that won’t create an excessively bold contrast with the not-exactly-blue sky over our heads the past few weeks. When sunshine and hot weather finally come, you will be all ready to move on to orange and turquoise eyeshadows. So, did we convince you?
When we talk about very low-waist jeans, we also know what you will be thinking of almost instantly: the year 2000s, Britney Spears, and Christina Aguilera. Okay, so, scratch all of that and let’s start over: imagine low-waist pants in a very elegant palazzo version, worn with flat shoes and a high-necked top. The result? WOW! Or, think denim ones, worn with a denim cropped jacket and a cap: the result will make you go WOW, once again! If you like this style and you would like to try the trend, have a look at our ideas, designed to make you a heartbreaker!
Wide leg pants are so fancy!
But super wide legs are so 90’s ♥
And what do you think about flares?
Hi all, we are talking to you from The Blonde Salad’s HQ, and we must confess to something: we are hopelessly, totally, desperately awaiting the second season of Stranger Things. We are looking for news about a possible release date, asking ourselves if Eleven will still be part of the group, curious about whether any new faces will join the cast. And that was how we stumbled upon Sadie Sink, the young, up and coming actress who will be one of the new main characters in the next season.
Sadie was born in Texas in 2002 — goodness, so young! — in a family of limited means, and she has a younger sister whom she loves unconditionally. Despite her very young age, her role in Stranger Things will not be her first acting role. Our nerdiest readers might remember this little girl, her flame-red hair and her happy-go-lucky attitude from other TV shows that are mostly famous Stateside, such as American Odyssey, Blue Bloods, The Americans, The Bleeder and The Audience, in which she played young Queen Elizabeth.
Let us say that, at only 15, little Sadie Sink already has an enviable career. After playing Max in one of the most awaited TV shows of the year, nothing will stop her anymore. Max will be a tomboy kind of character, with a complicated, odd personality. How will she relate to the boys we already got to know from season one? Wow, we just can’t wait to find out. Actually, Sadie, if you happen to be reading: how much longer do we need to wait?
Paris is always a good idea! For a short break from the shows, Chiara got minimal with a casual yet cool outfit.
Pics by Timur Emek.
If we asked you to close your eyes and imagine your ideal model, what would be her essential features? A perfect body, a magnetic gaze, full, beautiful lips and the attitude of a femme fatale. And that is just what Valentina Sampaio, our WCW of the week and transgender celebrity model, looks like. Other than working as a model, Valentina has nothing in common with Sara, her most famous colleague. Valentina was born in Brazil, in beautiful coastal town Fortaleza, to be precise, and as can be the case around those parts, her childhood was everything but happy and carefree. Her father is a fisherman, and despite the family’s struggle and modest background, they still managed to give her the love and support she needed, overcoming all sorts of discrimination, together with her daughter. You don’t have to be educated to be smart, and Valentina’s family understood early on that their son didn’t feel comfortable in a boy’s body.
That is how, at 8, Valentina started her journey with a psychologist, who also noted her discomfort with her male body, as she didn’t recognize that body as her own. When she became a teenager, she became Valentina, and also an LGBT icon worldwide. Since she was small, the young Brazilian attracted attention thanks to her beauty, that brought her on the catwalk at 16 already, for the show of the fashion school she attended. But not even the best tarot reader in the world could have predicted where her journey would take her next, from that runway to the cover of Vogue Paris (and that wasn’t even her first cover, since she was already featured on Elle Brasil before that!).
Now that she is everywhere on editorials and on the pages of the best glossy magazines in the world, Valentina has a new aim, that is, to make it at fashion shows, too. And she will surely make it very soon, considering how quickly she rose to the stars. There is nothing else to say, all there is to do is to be happy about how the fashion world seems to be groundbreaking in the battle to break down the barriers for those who are different. Viva Valentina!
All the photos are taken from Valentina Sampaio Instagram profile
Collecting perfumes is beautiful and fun. I challenge you to disagree. The first time I heard the expression “fragrance closet” my heart jumped with joy: there was a semi-rational reason for my eternal collection of samples! The idea is that a different scent will work for a different occasion, or a different season, for your mood, or the place where you are. These memories will be related to this fragrance, just like the photos you snapped with your smartphone. My perfume collection includes a lot of pieces I can’t really get rid of exactly because of that: they aren’t just a scent anymore, they are more than that, they are part of a voyage, of a tale. Have you ever asked yourself what happens when you are the memory brought along by a scent? A while ago, I was dating a guy who made me think of this. He said the way I kept switching perfume was confusing for him, because he would have liked to have memories of me with the perfume I was wearing the first time we met. I thought he was a cross between a madman and a nuisance, to be honest. But then again, he was right. The way we remember an experience is not only connected to things or locations, a large part of our memories is made of the people who shared those experiences with us.
The perfume everyone will remember you for is very poetically called your “signature scent”. It is literally your scent signature, the fragrance that leaves a mark: this is also an interesting idea, of course. The one thing we have to clarify, then, is how to pick it. It’s not easy, that is for sure. You can’t be stubborn and just think you can solve the issue by a quick dash at the perfume store – even if you went to the best one in the world, its stock still wouldn’t be enough. It’s not an impossible mission either, though, and in the next few paragraphs, I will try to guide you and help you choose your signature scent. These tips are for those of us, like me, who struggle to choose the same perfume every day. If you have been wearing the same fragrance since junior high, just jump to the last paragraph: I have something for you, too.
Try them all. Go to the store and smell everything you can handle before your nose loses its ability to distinguish smells. At that point, get out of the store, have a coffee – coffee smell reactivates the nostrils’ receptors – and go back to your search. Don’t be ashamed to ask for samples: since you are considering a long-term relationship, the least you can do is have all the information you need before you make a decision. One important note: it would be hazardous for me to tell you what sort of olfactory note you should go for, I am not enough of an expert. There is good news, though: there are lots of online tests that can help you learn what ingredients would work best for you, based on your taste and personality. Another rookie-proof tactic is asking the sales assistant to let you try a best-selling fragrance from each category: this will help you understand what you like and what you don’t very quickly.
Listening to your friends is essential. They always know how to keep you away from bad guys, they can help you choose the right person who won’t make you suffer. Similarly, also ask someone you trust to judge the results of the olfactory tests you are running: you might not notice that a fragrance really doesn’t work for you until someone else tells you about it. In the same way, your favorite scent might not be appreciated by those around you, and there is nothing worse than being associated to an unpleasant scent. A bit of constructive feedback is definitely what you will need to give you some pointers for your search.
Or in this case, by its bottle. If you can, try to find a perfume store that will let you do a “blind test”, trying out fragrances without knowing anything about the bottle it comes from – this is how you will know that it’s the scent that matters to you, and not the label. Once, when I played this game, I discovered I have the same taste in perfume as an Arab sheikh’s, actually. What you discover might be astonishing.
Of course, later on you will understand that love wasn’t so great after all, or that the time to break up had come for you two. What I want to say here is that, even if I fervently believe in “happily ever after” I don’t think that there is such a thing with perfume. If you worry about changing your mind in a month or a year, stop worrying. What matters is that it is good as long as it lasts, and that you can feel one with your temporary soulmate.
If you want your signature scent to benefit from the novelty factor, have a look at the gallery. We collected a few fragrances you can try right now to be one step ahead of everyone else, and have an unmistakable scent!
The time has come to unite to feel free, and proud to be women! This season, fashion is lending us a hand in raising our voice in many direct and indirect ways. The clearest way showed as political and social messages all over the collections, and in a more subtle way too, with the braless trend — also known as Free the Nipple! Sheer fabrics and bare breasts were seen at some of the most important shows of next winter, and if the concept is still unclear to you, well, should we just remind you of the feeling of freedom you experience every day when you take off your bra…? Finally, the time has come in which baring our bodies has nothing to do with seduction. We know that it is not easy, but true freedom will only come when we can feel comfortable, beautiful, and proud of our bodies in front of everyone… And that is what we need to be working on! How can something as superficial as wearing no bra become something so meaningful, then? Well, it is meaningful if you see it as the freedom to wear, or not wear, whatever makes us feel good, or even more simply, whatever we like. In a few words, your body, your choice… And with beauty on our side, it gets even easier and that is not little! Are you ready for Fall Winter 2017-2018? Now is not the time to stay behind, it’s time to let everyone #HearOurVoice.
“Why don’t we go on a cruise, this summer?” “Yeah, maybe with granny?” That always seems to be the conversation when one tries to discuss spending summer holidays — and not only! — on a cruise, right? Not everyone might say exactly that, but there is definitely a stereotype that identifies cruises as the kind of boring trip that would just suit your granny. Or your auntie maybe, definitely a good trip for a senior citizen. Personally speaking, I always strongly disliked cliches, because they are usually used to diminish people, or situations, like in this case. Just like the aviation industry changed so much over the past few years, so did cruise ships, and these changes made cruises very suitable for younger audiences. Experts swear that cruise tourism is growing every year.
If you don’t believe in stats and projections, we are here with 5 good reasons to consider going on a cruise. Ready to sail?
1. You pay once to get to multiple amazing destinations.
We hardly have time to go to the grocery store and end up having our shopping delivered home — how are we supposed to find the time to organize a multi-city or even multi-country vacation? Planning takes time and effort, and cruise ships easily take you to many wonderful destinations in different countries. All you have to do is just enjoy your time on the ship, waiting to get to the next city. A few examples: you can travel around the tropics or the Caribbean, and of course, there is always the classic trip around the Mediterranean that includes Greece, the Aeolian islands, Italy, Spain and southern France.
2. An unusual weekend!
Leaving for the weekend became a habit, for the lucky ones who can afford it, at least. Sometimes, though, you end up going to the same places over and over, going to granny’s at the beach, or visiting a friend at their mountain hut, perhaps. Ever thought of going on a weekend cruise, though, leaving Thursday to Monday? That is actually one of the new, original ideas cruise companies came up with, to win the hearts of long weekend lovers. Of course, you can’t go too far on these mini-cruises, but it will definitely be a memorable weekend!
3. Boredom, what is that again?
Once you start your trip and get settled in your cabin, getting bored will be practically impossible. This kind of trip is usually considered by travelers also because of the numerous activities it offers, round the clock. As well as your usual casinos and arcades, you can also find modern gyms, spas, jacuzzis with wonderful views, and in the evening, if you are visiting a city, you can go to the theater or maybe go to the movies. One thing is for sure, we bet you would never manage to get to the end of the trip without testing all these activities at least once!
4. Drink as much as you want – no designated drivers needed!
So, let’s be honest here: holidays are also a time for you to sit back, relax and lose control a little, trying out food and perhaps drinking more than the usual. Cocktails are just the perfect drink for the hot temperatures, to party every evening. On a cruise, you won’t have to worry about who is going to drive home, although we still recommend that you don’t overdo it, so you can protect your dignity and save yourself a walk of shame across the ship the next day! As for this, we suggest you pick an open bar option when available, so you don’t have to worry about the check at the end of your trip. Your only mission will be resisting the temptation of the multiple bars you will find inside the ship.
5. The sea is a wonderful thing!
Of course, on top of all the things that we just mentioned, the sea is what makes the difference. Traveling while being so close to an ocean or to the Mediterranean will be a magical feeling. The noise of waves and the color of the water change from coast to coast, and you will see some of the most beautiful port cities in the world. You will also get a chance to be the first to watch the sun rise from the water, and the last to wave it goodbye, with a sundowner on deck.
Have you ever been in a desert, under an unforgiving sun that makes your throat burn? If you spent even just a few hours among the dunes before, you will remember that feeling of getting slowly roasted by the sun, and the constant need to drink. Now, imagine you are in a desert, and not just any desert: you are in the world’s driest one, the Anza Borrego desert in southern California, a lunar landscape with temperatures that make it a very tough place for anyone who ventures into it. That is where SK-II took Chiara for its Face The Wild|Face The Camera, a project made in a collaboration with National Geographic for which four celebrities went to locations characterized by extreme weather, to test the effectiveness of the SK-II Facial Treatment Essence in even the most extreme situations.
Chiara went to the Anza Borrego desert with National Geographic reporter Hanna Reyes, for a hike that was very testing for the body’s levels of hydation, and even more so for her skin. Right after the hike, photographer Jesper McIlroy photographed her to show how her skin had been kept fair and completely hydrated by the SK-II Facial Treatment Essence. The product is made of 90% of Pitera, a natural ingredient that contains over 50 different micro nutrients that help protect our skin even in extreme weather conditions.
Watch the video to share Chiara’s experience, and have a look at the photos taken in the desert here!
Best supporting actor, best original screenplay and, of course, the most coveted prize of all: best film. These were the Oscars won by the surprise Academy winner feature of the year, Moonlight. And one of the actors starring in Moonlight, Ashton Sanders, is our Man Crush of the week. In the film, he stars in the role of a teenage gay boy, who becomes a favorite target of intimidation in the district he lives in, surrounded by violence and bullying. Ashton is only 21 years old and this was his most important experience to date, despite already having been the main character in the drama The Retrieval. The Oscar, and the public attention it granted him, will definitely be a springboard to greatness for this young Californian actor.
And of course, fashion, has already set its eye on today’s It-boy, as is often the case. During NY Fashion Week, designer Raf Simons had Ashton in first row at his very first show as new Calvin Klein creative director, and that should have told us something. We found out what that something is over the last few days: the brand announced that Ashton will be the face, or the body, to be more precise, of the new Calvin Klein Underwear campaign, together with the other actors who played Chiron in Moonlight. There is something to celebrate for his cinema career, too: when Ashton wasn’t even done taking in the news about the Oscars yet, he was offered a main role in Inner City, alongside an all-star cast that includes Denzel Washington and Colin Farrel among others. If he played a character with a shy, more introverted nature as Chiron, his actual nature is actually right at the other end of the spectrum.
The media spotlight does not intimidate him at all, actually it might possibly be a source of fun for him, as can be seen in the multiple editorials in which he shows off his charm and his decisive character. If you look at his official profile, you will watch him have fun with his friends, striking funny poses and showing his style in the meantime! Without a doubt, the man has all it takes to make it big!
All the photos are taken from Ahston Sanders Instagram profile
Minimalist vs Maximalist. If we had to summarize Milan Fashion Week into one sentence, it would be this: Fall Winter 2017-2018 in Milan was a clash of titans, in which brands engaged in a battle between those whose design is guided by essential perfection, and those going for the creative chaos of “more is more”.
This is actually an age-old conflict that traces its roots back to the 1980s, when brands like Costume National and Calvin Klein were flying the flag of clean silhouettes, clashing against the crazy eclecticism that had dominated the decade until their arrival on the scene — the same eclecticism that made its comeback this season at the Milan shows, with Gucci on the first day and Max Mara on the second, heading the two factions.
At its first show in its new spaces in via Mecenate, the former reiterated its aesthetics, clearly generating from street-style, made of layering, contrast, colors and prints matched together entirely liberally, with no rules, and a taste for catching the eye. The latter relied on the purity of monochrome looks, with a subtle interplay of ton sur ton, and classic items such as turtlenecks and tailored pants as the emblem of a timeless style that is always in fashion, but that might also come across as revolutionary in today’s fashion as they did in the 1990s.
These are two of the most extreme factions in a constant interplay between minimalist and maximalist styles that could be seen in almost every show: while some brands might be closer to one faction or the other due to history and identity — as is Jil Sander‘s and Ferragamo‘s case on the the sleek side, and in Moschino‘s and Antonio Marras‘s case on the side of whimsical creativity — in most of the shows you can clearly notice a clear line between extremely clean looks, sometimes characterized by bright colors — like orange, a great trend this season — and looks that focus on a mix of patterns, remarkable decoration, logos, prints and flamboyant styling.
Any examples? Versace, with a collection that starts out minimalist and then explodes into a splash of lettering on its tulle clothing; Emilio Pucci, whose soul is clearly split, with dresses that come either in black or entirely covered in prints; MSGM, whose collection includes colorful prints and a series of looks in which the only touch of eclecticism is on the sleeves, entirely covered in ruches. Less is More, or More is More? We really feel like we can’t pick sides, because we want the freedom to choose sides every day, when we wake up, depending on our mood. In fashion, those who profess faith for just one style always end up contradicting themselves sooner or later, after all!
The Paris shows started on Tuesday, and Saint Laurent‘s clearly stole the show, everyone is talking about it: a fatal mix of dark romanticism with a touch of perversion characterized the Fall Winter 2017-2018 collection, and permeated the new spirit of the brand, now headed by Anthony Vaccarello. The show started like last season’s, with black, black, and more black; that was followed by brown, knitwear and denim, and let’s not forget see-through clothing and the odd bare breast. What really made the fashion world go crazy, though, was the glam touch given by the brilliant, hypnotizing, extraordinary, and possibly most Instagrammed boots of the week, after all the 1980s glam/rock of the rest of the show. Social media certainly loved them, Saint Laurent’s boots are definitely a cult piece of the Fall Winter 2017-2018 shows… and our favorite piece, too! If you liked the winter collection, but you don’t want to wait until it is actually available for sale, we have a few outfit ideas inspired by our favorite ones from the runway. Be the first to wear the Saint Laurent x Anthony Vaccarello style!
Our favorite look ever!
Remember to unbutton your shirt
We are all in a rush, all the time. It might sound obvious, but it is so very true. After snoozing our alarm about 23 times, rushing in the morning is basically unavoidable. Those people who wake up right when the alarm goes off… How do they do it? Are they even human? Anyway, getting back to serious matters, we are lucky that the beauty industry is always one step ahead of us. Entire R&D departments there are thinking about how much we sleep, about what products we might need to look presentable at work, and about how many cubic meters we may or may not have in our bag for those products. Luckily, experts are smart, and they decided to help us in our daily struggle to stop our bag from looking as huge as Mary Poppins’one. They developed a scientific formula that balances our patience, the available space for makeup, the time at which our alarm goes off and the time we make it to work. According to their calculations, the solution is very simple: just bring your products in your bag with you!
Pocket-sized, bag-friendly makeup is a true lifesaver. It uses up half as much space, and offers double satisfaction, because these aren’t just mini products, they are true multitasking gems that can take care of so many issues in one gesture. Think about lipsticks with small brushes, makeup sponges that absorb excess oils from your skin, bicolor sticks… The list is endless, we could go on for days! We collected our must-have products right now in the gallery. Enjoy!
Oh March, we were expecting you, you have no idea how much! Ladies and gentlemen, the month of rebirth is here: our desire for outdoor time is blooming, at the same time as nature, to get out of our winter hibernation. And with spring approaching, one of the activities we want to do the most is enjoy good music, maybe in a large park. And what makes that all possible, if not good old music festivals, of course? There are so many all over the world, most of them after March: some of these festivals are truly incredible, motivating thousands of people to get traveling. It’s not just about Coachella, Burning Man or Glastonbury: this time, we would like to introduce you to lesser known festivals that are just as fun as the famous ones! Follow or guide, and get ready to break your piggy bank: it’s time to party!
We bet that the last time you wore pigtails, your mum was probably in charge as your hair stylist. It’s not hard to believe, after all, this is a very popular hairstyle for little girls who go to school. And yet, today we are here to debunk that myth: you can actually wear twin tails without having to go back to elementary school. How? Look at the catwalks to find out: as always, the shows are good inspiration that can suggest new interpretations of our most favorite hairstyles.
This is definitely the most minimalist version, as well as the easiest to manage. Make it just like any low ponytail, only this time, you will part your hair in two. To spice up this style, play with the parting: have you ever tried to part your hair with a zig zag line? Just use a rattail comb, direct it with your wrist, and give a new dimension to your hairstyle.
It’s not about cheating, no, no… Pigtails are still the basis here. But, braiding them will make it all more sophisticated and it will make you look more like the models on the catwalk. As trendy as they may be, avoid wearing backpacks with your braids though, because the Catholic school girl effect is just around the corner
While winter is still in full swing in Europe, the sun is shining on the other side of the planet. We are talking about the world’s most colorful and vibrant place, Brazil, which is welcoming the luckiest visitors right now. Why lucky, you say? Well, because this is just the perfect time of the year to enjoy the sea, the sun and the beaches, of course! Some of us at TBS who have visited before swear that this country can be beautiful at any time of the year, because even when it’s colder cities are still charming places to visit. One thing is for sure, though: it would be a sin to go there without getting the chance to dive into its beautiful waters. Brazil’s coast is literally thousands of kilometers long, so we are here to help you with your travel planning, with tips for the most beautiful, unmissable beaches! Don’t rush to thank us, please, you can do that once you’re back!
Milan, 10PM, not just another Thursday, during a fashion week that will make history for TBS. It’s the night of our very first The Blonde Salad party, a celebration we organized for months on end, shoulder to shoulder with i-D, and finally, tonight is the night. There is already a long line outside the Salone delle Cavallerizze, the new industrial-style space within Milan’s Museo della Scienza e della Tecnica, the science and technology museum, and a few raindrops are falling, seemingly blessing our first large-scale event: we have no intention to let a little rain dampen our enthusiasm, and our guests seem to agree with us. While the first few DJs are warming up the atmosphere, Chiara arrives on the Maserati she rode for the past week, and parks it under the wall with our giant logo. We join her for our traditional group picture, and realize that there are so many of us that we almost don’t fit: 30 people, from all walks of life, of all ages, brought together by passion, and with a common aim for tonight: the wish to have fun! And so, the party officially gets started. While the boys at the bar are working hard, preparing Campari-based drinks for a growing number of guests, Petite Meller, our performer for the night, steps onto the stage and starts singing with her musicians. Mobile Girl and Why Be + Total Freedom follow her at the turntables, staying with us until 2AM. People are getting lost and finding one another again, getting drinks for one another, taking photos at our Samsung 3D photo booth, challenging the incessant rain for a cigarette. Girls are getting their makeup touched up by YSL’s makeup artists, who are ready to fix any damage done by the intense night. The new Adidas campaign, featuring outsiders celebrating individuality, is showing on the maxi screens alongside our best videos, and images by the young talents of Marangoni fashion school. If the idea of talent could be defined by a single image, it would have to be a blurred frame that includes all of these images: this is the world’s new wave, this is Milan, the city that is now unstoppable. It’s 2AM: lights out, we are told to leave. The party might be over, but for us, this is just the beginning.
Pics by Lodovico Colli di Felizzano
A special thanks to our institutional partner, Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana
The fashion shows of the latest weeks made history, and they will hardly be forgotten. In today’s complicated political and social times, that seem to be getting more and more hostile towards minorities, the fashion world, normally considered ever so frivolous, actually played an incredible role and was of great inspiration. This unexpected surprise on the part of the fashion world over the last few days had great impact, and showed that all are equal on the catwalk, and that there is no discrimination based on gender and religion. The symbol of all of this is Halima Aden, a 19-year-old model who was born in Kenya but is now an American citizen. What is unusual about her is that she is a devout Muslim, meaning she wears hijab on the catwalks, too. Last year, she took part in the Miss Minnesota pageant in a burkini, and last week, she was on the catwalk in her hijab for Kanye West’s Yeezy Season 5, and she made her European debut in Milan, thanks to Alberta Ferretti and Max Mara.
Let’s take one more step back into time now, because the young African model is not only a proud Muslim, she is also the survivor of a very difficult, challenging childhood, since she ended up in a refugee camp at only 6. Some people can fall into a black pit of sadness when they find themselves in this kind of situation, others get fortified, growing wiser than their actual age. This was Halima’s case. With her beauty, with her deep, soulful eyes and her slender body, she became a model for so many Muslim women, and not only. Her message is loud and clear: there is space for everyone! Halima is attending Saint Cloud State University in Minnesota, and she can’t wait for graduation day, one of the most important days in her life. In the meantime, the world admires her, begging her not to leave the catwalks. Her agency, New York’s IMG Models, which also represents other top models such as Gigi and Bella Hadid and Elsa Hosk, foresees a bright future for this beautiful Kenyan. So, it doesn’t really matter whether fashion is going to be just a phase in her life, because our WCW has already left a mark in this world. We really would like to thank Halima, and all the others who contributed to bringing this message of solidarity and equality.
All the photos are taken from Halima Aden Instagram profile
We couldn’t keep it a secret anymore… You’re like the light of the sun to us, so we need sunnies to look directly at you! Spring is coming and we’re ready! Pick your fave sunglasses, here comes the sun…
Produced by Martina Maccherone and Gregorio Capineri Tosetti
Photographer: Debora Pota
Another season is over, and so is our endless wandering from backstages to shows and back. We are basically playing as home team when following Milan Fashion Week, so it is even easier in this case for us to watch trends as they develop live. We tried to pick up on the prettiest beauty details we noticed at shows over the last few days, and most of all, we tried to identify the ones that seemed to recur most often: two is a coincidence, three is a trend! So, here are the 5 beauty trends for Fall Winter 2017-2018 that you really shouldn’t miss.
Who said beach waves are only good for summer? They will be seen on everyone’s heads next winter, at least according to Fendi, Trussardi, Gucci, Max Mara and Ricostru… We have two tips for you, if you would like this hairstyle: the first one is that the winter version of beach waves doesn’t require volume at the roots, so kiss your texturing spray goodbye. The second tip is, your straightener will be your best your friend, to help you achieve that messy-but-not-messy look for your locks.
You don’t need highlighters to lighten up your cheeks: what you need is an illuminating, peach-colored blush! This hue works with just about any skin tone, all you will have to do is adjust how much of it you will apply. On richer skin tones, try applying your favorite blush with a slightly moist sponge, to get a wet look.
Technically, this is more of a styling trend, rather than a beauty one. Either way, you shouldn’t miss it! Wrap your hair in your warmest scarf, it will make you look tremendously chic and never let you feel cold. This trend evolved from the famous “Céline tuck”, in which you tucked your hair inside your sweater’s neckline. It’s all about changing the layering!
Another makeup trend that encourages us to get delicately daring. The idea here is to add a touch of color in a very natural look, to liven it up a little. The color you pick doesn’t have to necessarily work with your outfit, actually, if you go for contrast, you will look terrific! Our favorite techniques? A touch of eyeliner or pencil, both on the upper and lower eyelids, to frame your gaze in an entirely new setting.
If you are regular readers, this is hardly news: low ponies were already on every catwalk in Spring Summer 2017, and it is cool to watch this style evolve into its more winter-friendly interpretations. The focus is on how you decide to lock your hairstyle: have a look at the ribbons by Philosophy, or at Vionnet’s beautiful twisted torchon-style locks.
We couldn’t think of anything more fitting to start our article than the words of contemporary American poet Gary Snyder, “Nature is not a place to visit. It is home.” We wrote so often about the many beautiful things Italy has to offer, ranging from the arts to history, culture and landscapes, but we never really stopped to think about gardens, the true, essential green lungs of our territory. Some of you might already have heard of Grandi Giardini Italiani [Great Italian Gardens], a network of over 100 gardens in 12 Italian regions.
This network is vital for the promotion of our rich natural, botanical and landscape heritage, and every year, new parks join the conservation effort led by this important foundation. All along the Italian territory you can find incredibly beautiful green spaces that also offer infinite possibilities of recreation and play, hosting about 700 events every year. One of the latest good news that we got from the people in charge is that Italians — and foreigner visitors in the same fashion — seem to be becoming more and more open to green culture, which is why they try to make more and more time to visit these national treasures. So, let’s get on with it: pack your backpack, and get ready to dive into a sea of green!
All the photos are taken from Grandi Giardini Italiani website.
She is known to many as Justin Bieber’s former girlfriend or as Instagram’s queen, but there is actually so much more to her: after her comeback to music and social media, Selena Gomez made it very clear to her fans that she has plenty of energy, and no intention to be left behind by fashion, either. She is collaborating with famous fashion maisons, and total looks that she wore straight from the catwalk were just some of her latest surprises. She was spotted walking the streets of Florence in very romantic dresses and outfits, perfect for that setting, but without a doubt our favorite outfits are the street ones, with denim and shades with colored lenses… What else? It’s time to choose sides: are you romantic or street cool? Here are some ideas for both teams, just in case.
Good news! Our avo toast obsession can also be beauty-motivated now. Avocados aren’t only just great on toast, sliced or as guacamole: they are great for your skin, too. How? Well, avocados are so rich in nutrients and the oil you can extract from them is packed with amazing properties. Avocado oil is edible, it is rich in unsaturated fatty acids as well as vitamins A, D and E, Omega 3, lecithin, antioxidants, potassium and proteins. It penetrates your skin really well, and it gets absorbed quickly, making it easier for your skin to take in the nutrients it needs. Avocado oil is recommended for dry, sensitive, damaged and mature skin, since it will help nourish it, and give it a new glow.
You can reap all these benefits by using smashed ripe avocado pulp as a beauty mask – although it might end up being a little troublesome and inconvenient, so you might be better off keeping avocado pulp for toast. A simpler option is adding avocado oil to your favorite products. Oil comes in many forms, there are cold pressed ones, usually for cooking or eating; others are extracted through solvents, to then be treated, purified and clarified for cosmetic use. In this case, those oils will look like an odorless, golden liquid.
The antioxidants in avocado oil are particularly helpful for sunburnt skins, and generally skin that has been overexposed to UV rays, including the ones from sunbeds. It’s also good to heal small burns from domestic accidents, to heal small cuts and to help scars fade, too. Masks are our favorite way to enjoy the benefits of avocados: whether they come as creams or as tissue masks, they are just an unbeatable shock treatment that will give your skin all the rehydration it needs!
Lecithin and potassium, also known as the mineral of youth, are both helpful for your skin, as well as your hair. In this regard, avocado oil can solve problems like itching, and it can help take care of dandruff issues. You can apply it on your scalp with a light massage, and in the long run, this will also stimulate hair growth. Avocado oil is often an ingredient in shampoos and masks, you can discover the best ones in our gallery.
Take a hockey player with a beautiful body, and place him on the catwalk of a super cool fashion brand: the result is a sure victory! Filip Hrivnak, 21 year-old- Slovak model, is building a truly remarkable career in the fashion world, but without abandoning his love for hockey, swimming and tennis. In 2013, this sportsman started dividing his time between playing and being on the catwalk, appearing at the shows of MSGM, Calvin Klein and Balmain.
This tall, dark and handsome man also attracted the attention of Emporio Armani, who picked him as testimonial for the Spring Summer 2016 campaign, while Versace chose him for its Spring 2017 campaign, photographed by Bruce Weber. His idol is is Canadian model Simon Nessman, and he dreams to become an underwear and fragrance model for Calvin Klein. He is very self-assured, and he declared in an interview that he is aware of his appeal thanks to women’s fascination with him. Still, he doesn’t like posing without clothes, he doesn’t like to go and there is a clear line he doesn’t want to cross: in the editorial “Love Machine”, in which he featured with Lara Stone for W magazine’s February 2015 issue, he thanked photographer Steven Klein for respecting his wish to not strip down too much. We can see his integrity in his gentle blue eyes, he has a gentleness to him that he doesn’t try to hide and that he openly expresses by talking about his wish for a family: he dreams of becoming the father of a future little football player boy. It seems he hasn’t found his soulmate yet, so, there is still time for us to win his heart!
All the photos are taken from Filip Hrivnak Instagram profile
2 out of 4 of the strongest city players in fashion have already shown their collections and trends. Streetstyle sometimes confirmed them, and other times, it even anticipated them! It’s cold, but that shouldn’t stop us from wearing our coolest clothes. If you are still doubtful, well, then trust us on this: the solution to all your problems is called layering!
If you don’t like the cold and wear only pants in winter, leaving your dresses to gather dust in your closet, this trend is just for you. Why choose, when you can wear everything at the same time? Yes, dresses + pants is the new cool match you just can’t miss! How can you make the right choice, then? One pair of pants and an infinite amount of dresses: just imagine how many cool combinations you can create! A few tips to get daring and try this out? For a casual day look, wear them with flats, but get extra daring in the evening and wear you dress + pants with heels: it will look so feminine and sexy… Can’t disagree with us on that, right? If you like the idea, have a look at our gallery for some inspiration to create your own look!
If at one point we all go crazy trying to buy the perfect nude lipstick, making it into the Holy Grail of our beauty product shopping… Well, blame the Kardashian-Jenner clan for that. Finding the perfect nude lipstick is almost like a second job, and for some, it also equals several hundreds of dollars, randomly spent testing the latest one their beauty guru just recommended to them, hoping they would find “the one”. Here is an incredible secret, get ready to reinvent the wheel now: if you go for a nude lipstick, it must be the right one for you. And that often has exactly zero relation to what will suit your favorite celebrity, or your best friend.
The first step of this shopping guide is very simple: you have to figure out what color you are going for, if you are looking for a nude lipstick in a very pale, dull color – kind of like concealer, before 2010 nude lipsticks only came in these hues – or if you want something that reminds you of a rosebud that just bloomed, or perhaps a chocolate milk bar, or if you want to go for taupe, or greige, like Kylie, and have a bit of grey in there. It’s easy to figure out if the color you like would suit you, and it won’t cost you a cent. Find the picture of a color you like on a magazine, and place the photo close to your face: this will be enough to understand if that color is a bad idea or not, trust us.
Step two: choose your finish. It might seem easy, but there are more things to consider than just your personal taste. Matte lipsticks dry your lips, so if you want a nude lipstick to wear for the whole day, matte ones are really not a good idea, unless they come in a special, moisturizing formula. There are some of them on the market, but they are usually at the higher end of the price range. If you want something that can lighten up your face and that is comfortable, too, go for a cream texture. Both lipsticks and pencils will be fine, you will have to reapply during the day a few times, but your lips will be grateful to you for not choosing an excessively dry formula. Last but not least, balms and semi-transparent textures are also good – we are consciously staying away from gloss, which is something entirely different and does not count as a nude. Balms and semi-transparent textures have the advantage that you don’t even need a mirror for applying: this kind of finish is so light that even if you make a mistake when applying, it will only last a few seconds.
And now, you are ready to shop. Have a look here to check out our favorites, accurately divided by category, because we really want you to make a good decision. A nude is forever! Oh wait, was that diamonds, maybe…?
Snow lovers, we have great news for you! You don’t have to be able to ski or snowboard to enjoy the mountains now! Fat bikes are the new trend this year, and they allow those of us who can’t ski to still enjoy speed on snow: these bikes have very fat, thick wheels that create the kind of stability you need on fresh snow. Even if they only became a trend about a year ago, this winter was the boom year, according to ski resort operators. This is why a lot of locations organized their fat bike stations in the city center, to welcome those who would like to try this new activity. So, if you don’t ski, you would like to go to the mountains, but you are afraid of getting bored just sunbathing or sledding while everyone else is speeding down the slopes, well, the time has come for you to get active, and join the fun! There is another important thing to say: fat bikes were designed for snow, but they work on any terrain, so even if it doesn’t snow, you can still do sports! If you’re not feeling confident enough to go down the slope yet, you can practice on the flat routes that are usually right next to the ones for expert skiers. You can find ideas on where to find fat bikes in our gallery, if you want to try this new, fun way to enjoy snow in Italy… But hurry up, winter is almost over!
When it comes to fashion week, London is always a breath of fresh air, a few almost unreal days during which you are still working hard, but with a lighter, almost irreverent attitude, with the knowledge that what you will see on the catwalk will definitely be something different, maybe even impossible to wear, and that might be exactly what will make it super creative. London is a space in which dreaming is still allowed, and dreams have no substance, no directions, no limits: the unimaginable becomes possible here.
This is what makes LFW very difficult to reduce into just a list of trends, as that would be restrictive: even if we see clear trends on the catwalk — the strongest in Fall Winter 2017 ones are sequins all day long, and a peculiar tendency to use alpine clothes and decor, from those typical mountain jumpers to floral decorations and extremely high-waisted pants with suspenders. What matters is the message of every single show, which is expressed not only through clothing but also through music, location and atmosphere. If every show is a world to itself, this time, while looking at the collections and walking the streets of London — blessed by unusually mild temperatures — the impression was that the whole city, not just LFW, wanted to send us a message way too important for it to just be buried under a mere question of style, a message of protest and rebirth at the same time. In one word, a spring.
A spring that began in the street: animal right activists spent the whole weekend gathered outside the spaces of the British Fashion Council, demanding a ban on real fur in all collections, and on Monday, a large number of citizens demonstrated against President Trump’s state visit. The president was invited by Prime Minister Theresa May, but he was not a welcome guest, as was shown by the almost 2 million signatures gathered by petitioners who demanded that his visit is cancelled. This spring spilled onto the catwalks, in a very different way: while people outside were raising their voice to be listened to, inside there was no need for that — everyone was already sitting, waiting to listen, and no one needed to raise their voice. Actually, sometimes, words were just useless. Chalayan demonstrated this by returning to London with a collection bearing the self-explanatory title Act to Form, and a show in which the models acted, rather than just walk, ripping their clothes off, unleashing a rain of streamers. Yes, because the time has come to act, awaken, and take the reins of society back in our hands, lest we all fall into hibernation. Get up — and carry your blankets with you if you need to, as was done at Preen by Thornton Bregazzi — and go hunt for some stimulus, culture and art.
Look at things from a different perspective: who said that everything has to follow a pattern, that what we don’t know is wrong? London makes us appreciate the beauty of asymmetry, so much so that the trends we saw on the catwalk were tops with sleeves in different styles, and irregular necklines. London teaches us that if we never saw something before, that doesn’t imply that it is incorrect, just that it is different. Have you ever tried wearing a sweater on one shoulder only, with the sleeves tied on one side? Pringle of Scotland did, and the effect is so cool that we will follow suit very soon. Have you ever worn a rain of sequins during the day, maybe at the office? Ports 1961 weaved its sequins into wool, and its sweater became our new object of desire.
The truth is that there are no rules, that the only rule you should follow is love. “You are cuter than you think“, “Don’t give up on your dreams“, “United in difference“, “Keep hoping“: these are only some of the glitter and sequin messages that we saw at Ashish‘s, a show that moved many of the guests, leaving very few dry eyes in the house — and ours were not among those.
Because no, it is not too late after all, and yes, every gesture counts. And even if sometimes we lose hope, thinking that we are too small to make a difference, just watch the finale of Burberry‘s show, over and over. The ending of the show featured the same fake casual look that they had showcased throughout the show, but transformed into touching theatrical costume, thanks to incredibly elaborate shrugs, feather capes, and embroidered corsets that required hours of craft. The practical demonstration of how everything can be turned upside down in an instant, even when everything already seems set — all you have to do is wish for it.
My mother is a skin goddess. Every night and day, she meticulously takes care of it, and I must say that at 60, her face looks beautiful, enviable, and completely natural. Naively, she tried to pass down this good habit to me, since I was a teenager. Unfortunately, I am embarrassingly lazy, which is why I only listened to one of her many, precious good tips, but I follow that one rigorously: I remove my makeup, every night, no matter whether it is 9pm and I am getting ready to spend the evening at home, or I am coming back at dawn after a night of alcohol and fun — anything can happen, really, but I will not go to bed without removing my makeup. Not so lazy, then, you might say. Well… True.
But actually, I am lazy, and I have it easy because the only makeup I wear is on my eyes, sometimes on my lips, so in just one gesture, with biphasic makeup remover, I can clean my conscience and ignore everything else — including moisturizer, of course. «But, what about pollution, then? What about impurities, and aliens, and all that?». I can hear you already. Who cares, is my answer. I am lazy, take me as I am, I will keep on being lazy until my face falls off. That would have been my answer until a week ago, to be precise, until I discovered the existence of a product that allows me to completely remove my makeup, which will make my towels happy, moisturize my skin, and even avoid buying those little cotton pads I always forget to get, and this is really the icing on the cake for me. This product, ladies and gentlement, is a cleansing balm. Of course, I owe this wonderful discovery to Giulia, my beauty guru, who also happens to be the beauty editor of The Blond Salad. A few days ago, she left this little jar on my desk, saying that it would entire revolutionize my evening routine.
To tell you the truth, I did not believe her for a second, but since she told me you didn’t need any pads, and I was out of those anyway, I tested it on the very same day. Here is how it works: it feels like a sort of compact oil that melts when it touches the skin, after which, you proceed to massage it into your skin. The one I tried has a very faint rose fragrance, which made the whole experience even more pleasurable. After that, all you need to do is clean your face with a wet organza towel — mine was included in the pack, and it can be machine washed — that will take away all traces of makeup with it. The result is extremely clean and well hydrated skin. Of course, if I have to be honest: it took more than about 3 minutes, which might demotivate me one day, especially at 6am. But honestly, in winter, when cold weather and wind are attacking your skin left, right and center, knowing that you can hydrate as well as cleanse in only one gesture, is definitely an advantage you cannot ignore. The one downside? The organza towels have to be washed frequently, and every night they must be dried after use. But I am sure we can find a lazy-proof solution for that, too.
Finally, the fashion week carousel landed in Milan, and the city is getting animated by fashion-related events that are also open to the public, spreading this beautiful, positive energy in the city. This season in particular, photography is stealing our heart, and we are here to tell you about 3 exhibitions you really shouldn’t miss on your trip to Milan, or if you live there.
“Dancing Emilia” Gabriele Basilico
Where: in the spaces of Nonostante Marras
When: From February 23 to March 26
In Antonio Marras’s poetic space, immersed in vintage furniture, dainty weaves and unusual objects, you can dive into an Italian 1970s summer, and join the escapist crowd going crazy on the dancefloor, along the melodies of local liscio — a folk dance from the northern Italian region of Romagna at the end of the 19th century — king Raoul Casadei, or perhaps along the disco beats of Saturday Night’s Fever. This multifaceted, psychedelic time in music was when discos and clubs first opened in the country, becoming an enchanted realm for Gabriele Basilico, who ventured into this new world with his camera, on dancefloors between Parma and Ravenna, to watch and tell the story of this great change in customs, and the arrival of new sounds, coexisting with local traditions. Fluttering miniskirts, strobe lights, glitter and flared pants are all telling signs of new behaviors, new entertainment spaces and styles, shifting alliances, new ways to relate between generations, and evolution of style.
Everything is shifting, except for one thing: dance “People who dance, portraits, my flash digs into the darkness and portrays moments, gestures, smiles, presence and absence, it is a tool of investigation, but also, actually mostly, of
recognition, a signal of work in progress, a memento for those who want to run away from it, and a point of reference for those who, in a spontaneous procession, want to be a part of the photographer’s representation.”
Portraits by Maurizio Galimberti
Where: Fashion Hub, in collaboration with the National Chamber of Italian Fashion
When: until February 27
Before smartphones reduced the time between snapping a picture and sharing it on social media to zero, photos used to have to be developed, something which required time and shrouded our shots in mystery until the time we
received the prints. There was one exception, though, and that was Polaroid — Instagram’s grandma! It was the 1980s and Italian photographer Maurizio Galimberti felt so fascinated by the sense of immediacy of this camera that it became the tool he used for his most famous work, Il mosaico fotografico, (the photographic mosaic), a deconstruction and recomposition of image, lending it a new interpretation. Galimberti was the founder of the Dada Polaroid movement, and he was soon chosen to portray a lot of characters from the show business with his “Mosaic” technique. At Fashion Hub, some of his most beautiful work is the frame around the work of new talent, young hopes of fashion from Italy and beyond.
“Spaghetti Disco. Creare Spazio Alle Memorie 1975/85” Lorenzo Cibrario
Where: Santeria Social Club
When: Saturday March 11
Our path through music and revolution of style: as is often said, everything comes back
over and over again, and music journalist Lorenzo Cibrario’s photos are a clear demonstration of this! London’s Red Gallery was the first to commission him a collection of the most moving adventures of Italian dance.
During a complex political and social time that saw young generations fight for their rights, cultural crossovers came into being that would later influence global consumption and contemporary trends.
“With the term Spaghetti Disco, you usually designate a specific kind of music that was produced in Italy at first, as well as in Europe later on, between the early 1970s and the late 1980s. The word spaghetti was used abroad to define this distinctly Italian musical style: pretty basic stuff, but it worked, I’m guessing also thanks to good marketing.” The photo exhibition and the original footage will be central to the Reverso – Festival di archeologia musicale, the Reverso festival of musical archeology, on Saturday March 11, in the space of Santeria Social Club.
New York fashion week is always very inspirational for us, as fans of new talents. Promoting creativity and young talent and projects is a part of our identity as TheBlondeSalad, all the power to young minds! And to enter our list of favorites, they don’t have to be 100% representative of our style, what matters to us is that they have a distinct identity that sets them apart from everyone else. So, who are these “new” designers we love, that we think you should follow? Here is our top 5!
1-Sies Marjan. This rather new brand is on its third collection, and we are crazy about it, thanks to its relaxed silhouttes and special colors. Fuchsia grabbed the spotlight on social media: to be precise, a total look of fuchsia dress + jacket was what caught our attention. Their palette doesn’t just stop there: so many hues of green, pink, orange, and generally of colors that are bright and “warm”. So, how about you get rid of your greys and blacks next winter, and go for summer colors instead? We say YES!
2. Cinq à Sept.We’ll admit it, we just fell in love with pretty much anything we saw at their show. The designer says their clothing is conceived for special occasions, but honestly, we think it could work on any day of the week! Super romantic dresses, grungy denim items and classic suits are among the looks that this brand offers. Velvet in peculiar colors and jacquard with oriental motifs were the two details that won our hearts. Follow it now!
3. Christopher Esber. This collection is a mix of revisited basics, with the kind of sleek, sophisticated cuts that we would like to own and wear every day. Simple doesn’t mean incomplete in fashion, quite the opposite actually: if you find the right fabric, simplicity can lend absolute refinement to your style. Our favorite look? The sexiest trench ever, in vinyl-like black. ♥
4. Snow Xue Gao. With their second collection that was presented at the NY Fashion Week, this brand was on the Vfiles catwalk, and the first time around, everyone was crazy about it. Their way of mixing classic and Asian suiting, seen in the coolest possible suits a designer can possibly imagine, is also their trump card: broad shoulders, asymmetric lengths and utterly uncommon shapes… Combined with kimono dresses and shirts with oriental motifs. We really can’t possibly imagine a better blend!
5. Ji Oh. Why invent a new, never-seen-before item, when you can rework a basic one by making it totally special? Taking essentials that are in any closet, and personalizing them through a process of deconstruction is typical Ji Oh. So, why did we like her so much? Well, lots of designers try to deconstruct basics, but the result is usually a product that is impossible to wear. Ji Oh managed to create clothing that can talk to young women who wants to be comfortable and free, without losing in refinement — this is how Ji Oh explained to us what the word “chic” really means.
So, here we are, with the next installment of our celebrity kids saga, featuring a beautiful 21-year-old girl today. We know you ,must be wondering, “what, a celebrity kid, again”? Well, yes, what can we do if millennials are so popular and so interesting now? This Wednesday we’re telling you about Clara Mathilde McGregor, a young woman who is starting out in the world of fashion, and who also happens to be British movie star Ewan McGregor’s first child — her dad starred in a lots of famous productions, including Trainspotting, Star Wars, Angels and Demons and Moulin Rouge. Clara has clear blue eyes and a beautiful smile that reminds us of her mother’s, Eve Mavrakis. Clara made her first public appearance only a year ago or so, at a movie opening — until then, as Clara said in an interview, her parents wanted to protect her from the media spotlight. Now, the beautiful McGregor girl came forward, though, first in the fashion world, and later on in cinema, following her father Ewan’s footprints. The New York fashion week that just ended was Clara’s first occasion to show herself and be in first row at the week’s most important events. This definitely wasn’t her first contact with fashion ever, though: the young woman was already the face of Fay’s Spring Summer 2017 campaign with another celebrity child, Levi Dylan. While the two might look like they have a very good connection in the photos, that doesn’t mean there’s anything going on, so stop your malicious thoughts right there: Clara is already in a relationship with DJ Gordon Goodman. Clara is used to being in front of the camera; when she was a little girl, her dream was to be behind the camera to take photos of the famous supermodels that made fashion history. So, she went from dreaming of a life behind the lens to spending time in front of it, and with great results! This girl really seems to have lots of great qualities — want to know one more? She speaks French fluently, too! What can we say, it doesn’t really matter if she turns into a top model or a successful actress, we just wish her the best because it is always good to see a young woman put so much effort in what she does.
All the photos are taken from Clara McGregor Instagram profile
Spring is almost here, bringing with her the desire to leave black and gray clothes in our closet and wear new colorful shades, such as yellow and orange. These are the trendiest colors for the upcoming season: would you dare to wear a total look?
Producer: Martina Maccherone
Creative Director: Gregorio Capineri Tosetti
It’s no news that Italy is one of the favorite destinations of tourists worldwide. With its incredible landscapes, unique architecture and its artistic and cultural history, it is unique, nowhere else in the world compares with it. That is not all, though, because Italy, North to South, is also the home of many famous poets and writers, and the cities and towns where they lived were inspiration for beautiful literary works. We asked ourselves so many times in school what moved these authors to compose these masterpieces, when studying their poems. So, here is a little guide to the places that stimulated the creativity of some of the major Italian poets: enchanting locations that will touch even the most arid of hearts.
Cinque Terre – Eugenio Montale
The great poet and Nobel Prize for Literature winner spent some years in the Cinque Terre villages. The sea, the landscapes and the weather were the three amazing factors that inspired Montale’s works. Monterosso was especially important, as Ossi di Seppia and Le Occasioni, translated into English as Cuttlefish Bones and The Occasions, were written here. The village also hosts the poet’s house, although it is not open to the public anymore, but is still possible to walk the paths around the area, taking in in the nature that the poet celebrated in his work.
San Mauro Pascoli – Giovanni Pascoli
This small village near the riviera in Romagna was the birthplace of one of the most important figures of 19th century Italian literature — and shares its name with him. Giovanni Pascoli was absolutely in love with his region, so much so that he dedicated a poem to it, Romagna, in which he praises the beauty of local nature, villages, summer colors, and remembers his happy childhood in these places. Today, you can visit his museum-house, and enjoy the beautiful landscapes of the riviera!
Maremma Livornese – Giosuè Carducci
This poet and writer, and first Italian recipient of the Nobel prize for Literature in 1906, owes everything to the Maremma, an amazing area in the heart of Tuscany. The poet eulogized his birthplace in two works especially: in Davanti a San Guido he revisits the places that shaped his childhood, with the famous cypress trees going from Bolgheri to San Guido. This area comprises the Costa degli Etruschi, the Etruscan coast, and it extends inland, all the way to locations like Castagneto Carducci, which bears the name of the great poet.
Recanati – Giacomo Leopardi
“Always dear to me was this solitary hill”… How many times did we recite his poems at school? Leopardi drew inspiration from Recanati and its surroundings, when writing L’Infinito, The Infinite. Il Passero Solitario, The Solitary Bird, is about the mountaintop of Mount Tabor, and Il Sabato del Villaggio, Saturday in the Village, were also composed in this location in the Marche region, which is so charged with the memory of this poet. You should visit this location in Italy at least once in your life, not just to enjoy Leopardi’s ever-present company, but also for its clear seas and hospitable locals.
Marina di Pietrasanta – Gabriele D’Annunzio
D’Annunzio was a remarkable figure in Italian literature in the early 20th century, active in literature as well as in politics and journalism. One of the most inspiring locations for the poet was Marina di Pietrasanta, a gem in the heart of the Versilia region, Tuscany, that is nowadays very popular, especially in summer. The famous poem La Pioggia nel Pineto, Rain in the Pinewoods, was apparently composed in the private gardens of the villa La Versiliana, which he made his home for a while, and which you can also visit today.
Lago di Como – Alessandro Manzoni
“That branch of the lake of Como, which extends towards the south…” is probably one of the most famous quotes in Italian literary history. Manzoni wrote it thinking of his beloved lake. The 19th century poet was always very fond of these areas of Lombardy, as well as Milan, his birthplace, where he also ended his life. The areas between Lecco and Como were some of his favorites though, and they truly are some of most beautiful of Northern Italy, with a peculiar charm, in winter and summer. Lake Como is the deepest of the country, and on its coasts you will find beautiful, romantic restaurants for your weekend getaways!
Arquà – Francesco Petrarca
The great Tuscan poet unknowingly chose an area that became one of the most beautiful Italian villages later on, Arquà Petrarca — the name was changed to honor the writer — in Veneto. During the years he spent here, Petrarca composed his epistolary in Latin prose, which was very important for his work.
Agrigento – Luigi Pirandello
The novelist and playwright that innovated 20th century Italian literature loved Sicily, Agrigento especially. This location, with its remarkable century-long history, hosts the villa in which Pirandello lived, on a cliff on the border between Agrigento and Porto Empedocle. In this house, the writer also painted, thought and reflected. Almost all of his literary production was conceived here.
We already realized that fishnets seem to be one of the strongest accessories last season, ad two weeks ago, we told you about them as a trendy accessory to be worn with dresses, skirts and jeans. Among all the options, Instagram already has a clear winner, though, and the winner is… Jeans! The small detail that will make this combination cool is to let your fishnets peek out of your jeans, over your bellybutton.
Whether you like it or not, the hip hop touch has become essential, and even the more traditional maisons had to find a way to keep up with the times. Have you noticed that? If you are still having doubts, worry not, you can still be chic while wearing bellybutton-high fishnets – all you have to do is wear them with simple clothing.
If you don’t feel confident enough to show your bellybutton, or you just don’t like crop tops, that doesn’t mean you have to entirely give up on this trend! You can still wear your fishnets with a T-shirt or with a loose shirt that you can make into an almost-crop top by tying it up however high you wish. If you choose a lower knot, it will be very comfortable and the fishnets will be visible while you are walking. Don’t forget, less is more! Otherwise, you can also wear the T-shirt underneath with your fishnets on top. If you choose a bright T-shirt it will create a very cool contrast with your black tights, it will look great!
Do you like the idea? If you need a bit of inspiration, we collected some ideas inspired by our favorite It girls and celebrities in the gallery — they couldn’t say no to the trend! Who is your favorite?
Chiara Ferragni
Romee Strijd
Hailey Baldwin
Shea Marie
FILLES A PAPA
Kim Kardashian
Chiara Biasi
The Kylie Shop
Cindy Crawford scored bingo! Yes, because after Kaia, who became a true fashion icon for girls her age, another member of the Crawford-Gerber household became a star. We are talking about firstborn Presley, the famous supermodel’s son. With his lean body and boy-next-door charm, coupled with a mischievous look, Presley, almost 18, won the hearts of the most famous fashion brands. After working with Calvin Klein and Moschino, after his breakthrough on the catwalk for Dolce & Gabbana last summer, young Gerber seems to have caught the attention of yet another very important maison, Fendi, who apparently approached Presley during NYFW. He is not only attracting attention because of work — Presley also made the news during fashion week by being seen at virtually any party, constantly in the company of his new friends, the Hadid sisters, Kendall Jenner and Sofia Richie. It seems pretty clear that he doesn’t want to waste any time and that he has very clear ideas on what he wants to do. His DNA helped him, indeed, his beauty is clearly visible to all, but it will be his character and attitude that will really help.
Among other things, the news is that Presley will be the face of G2000, a very well-known Hong Kong brand that is already famous in Asia, and that would like to spread its name beyond the East, with Presley’s help. Cindy’s son couldn’t be any luckier lately, as it also seems that his heart may have found a home, in fellow model Gracie Phillips — of course. Sure, we know that the fact that they were spotted a few times together isn’t a guarantee that something is going on, but they would make such a beautiful couple that we like to dream of their love story. So, congratulations to the MCM of this week. By now, we are expecting a campaign featuring the two wonderful Gerber siblings as the main faces!
All the photos are taken from Presley Gerber Instagram profile
London calling? Of course! And you should make sure you pick up, since Fashion Week is getting started! To help you make your trip a truly flawless beauty experience, here is our guide to the fourth fashion capital, after helping you discover Milan, New York and Paris. So, fasten your seat belts, we are going on a beauty journey!
When you are in such a flurry of shows and presentations, relaxing will become a central thought for you. If you are enticed by the idea of a moment of peace, getting away from the madding crowds on the streets to discover an oasis of tranquility instead, we have a place for you: the LUSH spa in Oxford Street. Yes, on the lower floor of one of the most colorful, perfumed and chaotic shops ever, you will find nirvana. Every spa treatment here is a true gesture of love for your body and your mind, and each treatment will be accompanied by a unique, dedicated soundtrack. We tried the Karma experience, available from 19 March on here, and it was truly unforgettable. Here are a few hints: a 65-minute, 4-hand massage, enveloped by an atmosphere that reminded us of India, and three tailor-made products for this ritual. It was a dream!
If you have no time for a spa, there are still lots of little beauty moments you can treat yourself to in the city. There are two addresses on our list: the first one is Cowshed at Selfridges, which just renovated its space. You can get a manicure here, and try their new LED-light facials, comfortably sitting in an armchair in front of a vintage TV that shows episodes of Friends o Sex & The City. Very hard to beat! The second is DryBy, a new salon started by two sisters, that will offer you the perfect blowdry in a very cozy environment that will feel like a friend’s living room – a very chic, carefully designed one, of course. They also have a manicure and pedicure area: their minimalist gel nail art will make your fashionista friends jealous!
Last but not least, the favorite section of all spendthrifts like me! One of the things we love about London is the shopping, and not just for clothing! So many cult brands are available here, including ones that are not available in Italy yet, such as Charlotte Tilbury. Her branded store in Covent Garden reminds us of a Parisian boudoir, or perhaps of the changing room of a Hollywood star, we really couldn’t drop by. This is a good place to do your makeup for a special event, or even just to try the brand’s new, recently launched products, before falling in love with them, making your bank account cry in the process. Our favorite place to just browse and understand what having an epic assortment really means is Selfridges’ Beauty Hall. Go there to laze away a few hours, looking at the kind of classic you can’t miss, and peculiar rarities, such as the section offering Korean beauty products. We assume no responsibility for what happens to your credit card!
Do you have any other places to recommend to your fellow beauty lovers? If you do, please share in the comments!
It’s just a fashion fad for many, yet others believe it is the only ethically acceptable behavior to change the world, to make it fairer and more ecologically responsible. Whether you agree or not with that, vegans and vegetarians seem to become more and more numerous every day. At school, we learned that growing demand usually implies an increase in offer — which is why these past few years, vegan-friendly restaurants, bars and hotels popped up like mushrooms. Hotels especially really became a thing, and they did so all over the planet. From the US to Italy, everyone is crazy about these innovative hotels, that couple their philosophy with truly remarkable design. So, even if you are total omnivores, it doesn’t matter: these locations are so beautiful that they deserve a visit, at least once in your lifetime.
It’s no easy task to be the first fashion week, the one that gets the fashion month party started. All eyes are on you in that case, expectations are very high, especially in terms of spectacular locations and cover-worthy first rows. And while it may not always be so easy to compete with cities like Paris and Milan when it comes to style, this season New York really nailed it, maybe because they were aware that this January will be the last time that some big names — Lacoste among them — would have shows there, before moving to Paris. The shows were the backdrop of social and political demonstrations but they were also a place of great comebacks and interesting developments, delineating pretty clearly what the Fall Winter 2017-2018 trends are going to be.
Any ideas on how to dress, then? Well, honestly, the advice we are going to give you sounds like something your mum would say: go for layers. Not (only) because of New York’s famously cold weather, but also because it is possibly the simplest way to make an outfit more original. If you are wondering about rules, the answer is pretty simple: you can do anything, really, even stuff that might seem to make no sense at first. So, yes to turtlenecks worn under pretty much everything, sweatpants over jeans, dainty tulle or fishnet tops under sleeveless tops or dresses, and sweaters over tailored jackets — yes, really. Layering rules, and the more daring you get, the cooler you will be.
Really, this season, jackets will be under the spotlight, so you’d better get ready to learn what to wear them with, and adapt them to your style. Do you like classics? Then suits are your best friends. Are you rock’n’roll lovers? Wear them with a little denim jacket underneath. Do you have a sensual soul? Wear your jacket as a dress, with a belt around your waist. Really, go buy a few jackets, they will be the season’s must-have: they work with everything, including two other trends we really love. The first of the two is something that influencers have been doing for a while, and we should definitely find ways to include into our closet, too: wearing a dress — either long or short — with pants underneath. If you think about it, this falls into the layering category, but it deserves a special mention because it is impressive without requiring too much effort. The second trend we fell in love with is T-shirts bearing social and political messages. They alone are enough to lend you some cool, but if you wear them with a jacket, the two of them together will be the perfect outfit, both for the office or for a party.
If you feel daring, and feel like investing in a few key items, next winter’s trend is pointing at one unexpected part of our body — our arms! The last few seasons focused on our shoulders, but from next winter on, our attention will move on to sleeves, that will become incredibly elaborate, with peculiar weaves, inserts of multiple materials and accessories, slits and geometric construction. If we had to bet on one item, we would choose a coat with original sleeves. If that is too much, start with a sweater, that will draw attention to you even if you only wear it with jeans. If you put a jacket on top of that, too, well… You already know, right?
The Calvin Klein 2017-2018 is all about sleek lines, and dainty sensuality. The first collection designed by Raf Simons reminds us of CK’s 1980s and 1990s campaigns, in which the brand was the symbol of the American dream. Their denim and leather total looks, cowboy boots and tailored suit skirts are the items that best represent their comeback as #1’s, and we are sure that next winter, their style will be spotted on streets everywhere. Can’t wait? Neither can we! So, we already started figuring out how to recreate this look before it even gets released. Need any tips? Here we go!
-Layers are the key idea
-Total looks in one material only are a definite win-win.
-See-through is a synonym for sophistication
-Contrast details in a similar hue as the rest of your look can lend a very peculiar touch to even the simplest of items
-The combination suit + cowboys boots is so cool it should be illegal.
If there is something that makes me feel uneasy, when it comes to beauty, it’s the moment I have to pick my shampoo. I just stand there for hours, whether it is in front of the supermarket shelf, at Sephora, online… It makes no difference! Even if my hair is spaghetti-straight, sometimes I wonder if I should be using a product for curly hair. Might seem incredible, but it’s the truth! By now, I know what concealer works for me, I have a favorite foundation, but shampoo…is always a source of drama. Straight hair? Colored hair? Shampoo from one line, conditioner from another? Will I ever find anything that works?
What makes it hard to choose is feeling like I have to check myself into a box, and label myself. My hair doesn’t want to respect any rules, that is clear enough… Otherwise, I wouldn’t look like a scarecrow, with a headful of knots! A few weeks ago, I stumbled upon an idea that gave me a solution, and it really changed my life: I understood I have combination hair. How did that not occur to me earlier? It’s so clear, so crystal clear, actually. Just like combination skin, combination hair doesn’t fall into just one category: it is oily around the scalp, and very dry on the tips.
The consequence of that is that you have to really be mindful of those factors, if you want to take care of your mane the right way. Start by properly using the shampoo and conditioner you already have: don’t use shampoo on the tips. When you are using conditioner, do the opposite, and only apply it on the lower section of your hair and on your tips, without touching the scalp. This is essential to rebalance the health of your hair and scalp, whichever routine you use. Then, take care of your hairbrush: you’ll need one with natural bristles, because these are much better at redistributing the oils and hydration from your scalp all along the hair shaft, and this will further improve the situation.
At this point, let’s move on to the pro stuff. Choose a detoxing treatment for your scalp: you can go for muds, scrubs, or just shampoos. Consider them the same as a purifying face mask, something you do every once in a while on top of your normal routine, to keep things under control. As an overnight mask, try a pure, natural oil: the simpler the product composition, the less likely you’ll be to have useless leftovers on your hair, giving it just the nutrition it needs. Avoid high temperatures when blow drying, as this will dry your tips and it might push yo