Category Archives: On going

OVS cashmere

Posted on by

Più vado avanti con gli anni e più penso che il cashmere sia una presenza indispensabile nel guardaroba di una donna. Certo “Roma non è stata costruita in un giorno” e neanche il vostro set base di questo meraviglioso filato lo sarà! Per questo è importante cominciare il più presto possibile e cercare la qualità. In questo modo, anno dopo anno, potrete aggiungere pezzi indispensabili e che durano nel tempo.

Io ho iniziato ormai tanto, tanto tempo fa. Il mio primo pullover è stato un girocollo blu. Il secondo è stato un collo alto grigio chiaro, abbastanza pesante ma piccolino. Poi ho aggiunto un pullover a v nero. Penso in generale che, per ovvie ragioni, il cashmere debba essere abbastanza classico. Non ho mai speso cifre molto alte, ma ho trovato comunque una qualità soddisfacente.

 

 

 

L’anno scorso ho scoperto il cashmere OVS, ed ho aggiunto un girocollo grigio chiaro. Prezzo fantastico, qualità ottima. Così quest’anno, ho deciso di tornare da OVS. Il grigio ce l’ho, così il nero ed il blu. Era ora di qualcosa di colorato:

Questo golfino è fantastico. Aderente sopra e scende dritto, corto ma non troppo, peso perfetto, non eccessivo ma neanche troppo sottile. Lo porterò come se fosse un pullover, niente t-shirt sotto e chiuso fino all’ultimo bottone. Costo: 89.95. 

Adoro questo rosso, ma ce ne sono altri di molto belli:

Esiste anche un girocollo, anche se devo dire che non mi soddisfa quanto quello dell’anno scorso. Il collo è leggermente troppo largo. I colori sono però sfiziosi:

Io li comprerei tutti!! 

Ultimo modello, un golfino con una leggera treccia. Carino anche questo, ma leggermente più da “sciuretta”, quindi attenzione:

Io l’ho evitato, essendo già una “50something”…

Per quanto riguarda la taglia, io sono normalmente una media, ma per il golfino ho preso una small, molto più chic piccolo piccolo….e svecchia un casino!

E.

 

 

Advertisement

The Scotch House – London

Posted on by

When I went to London for the fist time, I visited many places, but one, amongst many others, left a mark in my heart. It was a shop, not any kind of shop though, it was a wonderful place, full of tartans and things made with beautiful tartan fabrics: The Scotch House.

I think I came across it by chance, but, having always been in love with everything fashion related, I had to go inside. Now, the shop was very nice and the things they sold too. I love fabrics and I love tartans. But it was when I entered the round room in the middle of the shop that my heart skipped a beat. It was gorgeous, dark wooden shelves all around, with piles of nicely folded tartan fabrics. I know it’s perhaps difficult  to understand, but that place, for me, was like a Spa for others. There I felt great, at peace, relaxed and happy. It was just too beautiful to explain in mere words.

 

(sorry about the man in the middle, but I couldn’t find any other pics)

Unfortunately this shop does not exist anymore. I went looking for it the last time I was in London and realised it had closed down. I was very sad. I am telling you all this, so you will be able to understand what I am going to tell you next.

There’s a shop, a second hand one, or vintage if you prefer (these days is cooler to call it this way, even though it tends to be the same thing), I sometimes have a look in the window and more seldom go inside (I am afraid I will find something to buy!!). Last week I lingered in front of a display where there was a kilt. I have been looking for a tartan skirt for a few years now and that one looked rather like what I wanted. I didn’t go in though. A week later , it was still there, calling me… I decided it was fate and went in. It was my size…

But what was that made me decide I should try it on was the joy at seeing it was from “The Scotch House” ! Fancy finding the perfect kilt and made by my favourite tartan shop ever!!!! It was perfect. I bought it of course. It isn’t just a skirt, it’s much more than that, it’s memories. I don’t know if you can understand but, when I will wear it, I will feel so chic and I will always feel the way I felt in that beautiful room so long ago.

E.

Coats & co.

Posted on by

It has taken me several years to understand that, although I love and still buy too many winter clothes, nobody actually gets to see them. Apart from me of course, briefly, at home, while I am getting dressed (or my husband I suppose, for those 10 seconds I make him look at me and tell me what he thinks…which, by the way, is always “fine”….not sure he is completely present when I ask!!)

The thing is, I love winter clothing, the fabrics are so much better then the summer ones. Not only, I look so much better in them! But I don’t work, that means my usual outings, consists in: going to the supermarket, a little voluntary work (very glamorous! I am in the entrance of a hospital, where the door is basically always open!!), taxi driver for my sons, some exercise (where I obviously try to look nice too, but I certainly don’t get to use my lovely clothes). This is it, really. There is the occasional evening out, theatre & cinema (where, again, nobody sees how I am dressed as it is rather dark!), very seldom a dinner out.

I know, I am a firm believer one should dress for herself because it makes one feel good anyway. But, if I then hide everything under the same coat, well, that’s what I am going to see, isn’t it?! I know, I am still wearing that fantastic outfit under it, but I can’t see it either!!!

The answer is, unfortunately, having lots of coats & co. Which is easier said than done, they don’t exactly have the same price of a jumper!! Well, not unless it’s a cashmere one I suppose. Still, if you are quite classic and like clean simple cuts and good fabrics, you may be able to build a decent array of them, over the years of course.

I own a coat that is 22 years old and I still wear it. I had it cut shorter (used to be ankle length) and now I am wearing it quite often. It is a grey classic cut, simple collar and great fabric (do check the buttons, good ones make a huge difference to the overall aspect). Some others I have stored away for a few years and then brought back out again, it certainly felt like I had something new.  Sometimes I just change their look depending on which huge scarf I put on them (I own several “blanket size” scarves),

 

or adding my Grandmother’s fur collar on top. I had it relined and added this really cute string, made of brown velvet, the collar is brown fox, which is perfect to close it and just wear it over anything, even a jumper.

I also have added a belt to one of them, a burgundy coat, the same colour of the coat, but a different fabric or in leather.

I own a shearling coat, this one is only 19 years old, which comes out every few years, it’s quite classic, black with frog alamari (at least this is what the dictionary says the way it closes is called in english, sounds odd to me). I even started wearing one of my husband’s coats, quite large as you may guess, but it has a belt in the same fabric, and anyway, I like it without as well (he obviously doesn’t use it anymore, no way otherwise I would have got to steal it!). I needed a black coat. Poor me.

I have bought a fantastic coat this year: navy bouclé, classic, close to the body cut, collar with lapels. It’s gorgeous. I was looking for a fake fur jacket/coat, I thought I would like one, I have been looking for a few years now. But I never buy one, perhaps I am just not the right person for it? Not sure, I only know I always end up buying something else, maybe that should tell me something!! That or I could only wear a real fur coat! ( a vintage one of course).

I own a few feather jackets too. When it gets cold, nothing beats that! I have a short red one with a fantastic huge collar. That one has been resting for the last 2/3 years, it’s quite an important looking piece, so I got a bit fed up with it. I have a dark green one, very simple hooded short one. It’s kind of a “quick, mainly to use over gym clothes” jacket. But there was a time when I actually wore it over long flared skirts and it looked really good. A couple of years ago I got a knee length puffer coat, black. It took quite a search to find the right one. I never want to spend too much on this sort of outerwear, I don’t think it’s worth it. I didn’t want to look like a “Michelin man” (Italian saying) either. Third, I hate too much shiny synthetic fabric. I finally found a cute one in Zara, black, matt and a nice cut, tight enough around the shoulders, going down wider. This makes me look human and still a little feminine. It has a huge hood, which makes it look quite chic. Two big splits at the side, so, the “Michelin look” is broken!

Last, I have a parka, an old cheap one. I think I should certainly replace that next year.

None of the coats I own are extremely expensive and most of them are quite old. I would rather have everything new, but who can aspire to that?! I too prefer the latest purchase, but, having lots of different options is making me feel like I am getting changed and I am not always wearing the same outfit.

So, start building !

E.