Have you ever experienced such an intense déjà vu which makes you doubt about the date written black on white on the calendar right in front of you?

It happened to me this morning. With a cup of coffee in one hand, I was reading the daily news on my netbook. An usual overview of the usual websites: WWD flash news, Garance Doré new post, Scott Schuman shots. Before turning it off and start with my day, a quick look at Vogue.it

Daily news, horizontal*: Vogue Italia, internships start again.

I warn you in advance, this is going to be the longest post I've ever written**, so make yourself comfortable, take a cup of tea (...or coffee maybe), now or never!

Let's start from the beginning.

January 2012

At that time I was in the middle of the last year of university, the least enjoyable period indeed: there were exams to prepare, an internship to find for writing my thesis, the necessity to focus on my future plan, is economy my future for sure? Who knows... In short, pajamas and shaggy hair mode was the only constant of my days.

Vogue internship's offer, posted a few days after my 22nd birthday, had the same effect on me as a pinch on the chair: now I do it***.

The text of the application came straight off, nothing pretentious, syrupy, self-indulgent (it would not be me), just the truth, naked and raw: I'm studying economics, I've learned how to draw up a budget (with pain), but I've also realized that draw up a budget is not enough for me, fashion is my passion and I'm no more able to relegate it exclusively in my virtual box****. I'm fully concious that my future is in my hands, I'm not afraid of taking risks and much less of struggle.

I double double checked the text, you know, to avoid errors, then I submitted it. Oops, something went wrong, everything went haywire. I tried again, I rewrote it all again, with a looot of patience. Second haywire. C'mon are you kidding me? I should have made a copy of the text before loosing it all again! No way, it's not written on my destiny maybe. The next day I saw the article again. What do I do? Try again? Give up? I tried again, but this time I copied and pasted the text on another file, you know, just in case. Submitted. Your application has been successfully sent, it'll appear on bottom of the page.

Ok, they'll never never pick me*****, but at least I tried. I put my nose inside the books again.

February 2012 (or March maybe, I don't remember...)

Still university, lessons, studies, an evening job. Back home after a day equal to the previous one and to the one before, I found an email in my inbox.

I'd need to receive your institutional resume to consider the opportunity of making an internship at the journal bla bla bla... Sure, I'll send it right the way! Giulia, rejoice silently because hundreds of boys and girls might have received the same request, they'll never pick you. Go to sleep because there's a lesson tomorrow at 8:30, if you do not wake up in time to catch the bus you are lost.

In the meanwhile I found an amazing internship, it had to deal with fashion and with marketing also. Ok, it was a little challenging, but the environment was great and my days were no longer the same. I started in April, for six months. During these six months I did my best not to make a mess day after day at office, not to fall asleep during my evening second job, make the final university exams and write my thesis.

June 2012

It was the end of another working day, one hour driving in the traffic and then back home. I checked my inbox. There was an email with subject Vogue editorial internship.

Dear Giulia, I'm glad to inform you bla bla bla... My brain went blackout, I started laughing, crying, screaming and jumping, I jumped so much. I was in the kitchen, my mother was arranging something, I guess she tought that I was totally losing my sanity******.

OMG, do they pick me, don't they? I have not finished to read the email, maybe I got one of those cosmic blunders. I stopped and I started reading it again from the beginning: yes, they've picked me. I'll start on October 1st.

September 2012

On September 19th I presented my thesis, on 28th I ended up my six months internship, not without a lump in my throat, I felt like at home. On 29th I packed my bags and on 30th I arrived to Milan.

You can't even imagine how much effort I put on drag my luggage: I was so clumsy while pulling them behind, off the train and then on the subway to Buonarroti, that I would have robbed myself if I were a thief, I was a perfect walking target. And so it happened. After five minutes on the italian fashion capital's ground, they tried to rob me: but I say, what did you think to find in the pockets of my yellow and black flowers' coat? Did you guess I was taking my phone or the money to pay the rent maybe? Clumsy yes, stupid no.

October 1st, 2012

I woke up early, I had to go to the Human Resources' office first, at Piazza Castello, and then to the journal, at Piazza Cadorna. I didn't know Milan so much, but I tought I couldn't lose myself, anyway I'd have got there beforehand, I'm used to arrive beforehand. Unfortunately I spent too much time trying to choose what to wear and I wasted all the additional time... I got out.

I opted for high heels because who knew which was the dress code, but they were not one of those super elegant heels so they were a fair compromise.

I got out the subway at Castello station, because the address was Piazza Castello, right? Damn, Piazza Castello is huuge, should I go left or right? I asked for help to a couple of policemen: it's on the left (thank God...I was walking to the right).

I walked worrying to arrive late, I had the anxiety of not being able to arrive early actually, with high heels, and hot flashes, why is rain flowing down from my forehead?! Precisely when you need to make a good impression of yourself you look a mess, congrats!

Formalities completed I went to the journal, realizing that if I had stopped at Cadorna, instead of Cairoli Castello station, I would have saved a lot of way and sweat, well now I know.

I went inside out of breath, it was even better than a dream because it was reality.

They made me wait sitting on a couch, so I took this chance to regain a normal color (which is pale white for me), breathe and look around. I waited for someone to come and take me to the office*******. Right when I was losing my hopes a girl came running, she seemed super easy, nice, for sure she was wearing a great outfit. I followed her and since that moment my month began.

Here the story ends because I don't want to ruin the surprise to anybody. If any of you is thinking about trying this way, which I would advise you from my heart, he or she must be able to wonder in front of everything they would ask him or her to do: for me it has been a pleasure to do so.

*kisses*

Giulia

* as they usually say.

** not that I'm usually stingy with words.

*** they will never pick me.

**** that I don't even have time to update.

***** damn, how many people wrote?!

****** she would not even have been entirely wrong to think about it.

******* I waited quite a long time.

>> Leggi il post in Italiano

Nice question, especially when combined with its twin-sister question "but where is He?" and the even more painful one "will He ever understand that I'm his She?".

Despite wearing each time the right pair of shoes at the right moment, Carrie Bradshaw had to carry on her shoulders (with great attitude), a counterweight full of doubts and insecurities because yes, she understood that Mister Big was the man she wanted by her side but how to make it clear to the Him involved?

And what about Miss Holly Golightly? She was able to dress up wonderfully in a couple of minutes* but don't even try to ask her "what's your Him?" before one hour and forty minutes of film...she wouldn't have been able to answer you.

So I'm saying, if we, young women, are not able to recognize our Him, how can we even image that they, men, would be able to recognize their Him**? Well simple...just arm yourself with scissors, a drop of glue, your best portrait ever and it's done!

With a little irony, because I can't really do otherwise in these circumstances, but with the certainty that at least one of you will do it for sure***, I tought it might be an alternative way of looking at menswear Fall Winter 2013-14 collections.

Do your collage, then, and make your choice. I'll wait for the result!

*kisses*

Giulia

* that even if I fall asleep dress up, ready for the next day, I would be as fast as her.

** in the sense of stylistic identity.

*** yes, I'm talking about you...

>> Leggi il post in Italiano

Happy New Year to all of you!!

I know, it sounds quite anachronistic, it's already January 15th actually, but listen, when I'm a little confused the first thing I lose is inspiration, and bore you with my thoughts is not an option at all.

So one day, surfing the net with David Bowie new amazing song in my ears, I found this funny game.

An idea came instantly into my mind, and at this point the thing is getting serious...

Probably take things too seriously is not everytime the best way of taking them, even more when the voice inside your head tells you: "everything you see on the runways is perfect" and "if you follow to the letter any of the designers' proposals then a great result will be guaranteed". Mmm, I don't think so...

Why don't take advantage of a cut and paste patchwork to get familiar with diversity and make our own choices? The first attempt is scheduled for tomorrow,so stay tuned!

*kisses*

Giulia

>> Leggi il post in Italiano

Diana Vreeland was a noted columnist and editor in the field of fashion. She worked for fashions magazines Harper's Bazaar and Vogue and as a special consultant at the Costume Institute of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

In 1984 Vreeland explained how she saw fashions magazines. "What these magazines give is a point of view. Most people haven't got a point of view; they need to have it given to them - and what's more, they expect it from you. It must have been 1966 or '67, I published this big fashion slogan: This is the year of do it yourself. Every store in the country telephoned to say: Look, you have to tell people. No one wants to do it themselves, they want direction and to follow a leader!"

*kisses*

Giulia

>> Leggi il post in Italiano                                                                                                                               

Bonjour lecteurs!
As the year is coming to an end, the good intentions' rite takes promptly place, with the only guarantee that those good intentions will be proved wrong a few seconds after the midnight, c'est la vie. On my 2013 Top 5, among others, there's the purpose to learn how to speak french (mmh...we'll see), and the desire to add the word updated to the list of words that describe my blog. Solution found: it's time to set up a column, at least one.

So, here it is, for the second time ever on your computer screen, Shopping tips.

Since the last time I chose a slower version of shopping, abducted by the romantic side of street markets (you can find it here), I tought it was about time to focus on a huuuge issue: shopping at low cost chains.

Halfway between an art and a tough battle, it needs first of all a great amount of theoretical notions, long practice and mind focused, abilities that could be taught by Mr. Miyagi actually, that if he were at Zara with his pupil Daniel-san, he would probably repeat him: know fashion, ignore fashion, know fashion, ignore fashion...

Despite the fact that I don't have any intention to put on his clothes, too shapeless and gray, and even less his bandage tied on the neck, I'll try to be as pragmatic as he has been.

The first step is, without doubt, to make a serious assessment of your tastes, which turns useful anyway. Are you mad with jolly clothes, those easy to manage, that allow you to adjust your outfit without a lot of moves according to your day? In this case, maybe, H&M is the right place for you. Do you really like (as I do) structured clothes, with clean lines? Just one word: COS. A low cost chain that winks one eye to current trends? Mango. One eye and a half? Topshop. Both eyes? Zara. Neither? Primark, you don't need your eyes with such low prices.

Second step: keep clear in mind your priorities' list. As it often happens you can't get everything, what could you not give up? An original touch, great fabrics, the chance to put your own stylistic effort on your outfit or, on the opposite side, to use ready-to-wear matchings, to the wellbeing of your credit card?

Done?

If you think you have successfully completed both phases, you are certainly at a good stage, but be careful, a threat hides among the latest arrivals and the special sales corner: the army of runway clothes' clones. Entities that walk fearless during the day and which dominate after the twilight, brrr. In this case the boundary between good and evil is so unstable that even if you pay attention to the traps, you risk of falling down with both shoes, and not only with the shoes.

My recipe? No clones, if possible, unless they really worth it, low cost items mixed with the best pieces of my closet, two or three more or less, the ones kept since many years and never thrown away, no hesitation on accessories.

Have a nice shopping day!

*kisses*

Giulia

>> Leggi il post in Italiano