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

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If the answer to that question is yes!, as it was mine, never think you will be able to find one at H&M, go to the nearer supermarket.

That's the lesson I've learned last thursday, when I naively thought I already had a Maison Martin Margiela for H&M candy clutch among my hands, dabbler's mistake.

Here is the story.

Wake up at 6 am, bus at 7, one hour later I was in front of the store entrance. A girl dressed up as a butcher gave me the bracelet that allowed the entrance to the sale event, it was blue, I love blue, I think it's a great color and it standed out on my wrist but, what did it mean for my purchase? You'll enter the store with the third group - the butcher said. What?! Since when so many people are mad for Margiela, I thought it was a niche brand, wasn't it? Ok, don't worry, remain focused on the goal, the re-edition of the Spring Summer 2010 candy wrapped clutch could still be yours. Second dabbler's mistake.

Twenty minutes later, which meant that the first group made use of its ten minutes time to raid everything and ten extra minutes to pay it all, my turn was approaching, when a young girl paraded proudly by my side: Oh nice bag, how many like this are left? - I asked her. She answered with a quite pleased chuckle: none, they are already sold out! - and continued even more pleased - you know I arrived at six in the morning. Are you looking for applause? (By the way, this bag is really too big!!) C'mon, it is certainly a misdirection attempt, stay focused. Third dabbler's mistake.

Once inside the store, determined that no bags were left, I regretted that I had always avoided videogames: Super Mario's ability to face invasions would have been quite helpful to escape from salesmen's attacks.

End of the story.
Any reference to actual events and/or real people is to be considered purely accidental.

A well-written screenplay, suitable to be performed in Venice as well as in Milan and in every city around the world, a mechanism reharsed and replicated several times, always equal to itself, a certainty. The gap between the purchase and the acknowledgement, by most of the people, that they will never use those items is every time closer, within a couple of hours products are on ebay three times the original price. Everybody keep on not knowing Maison Martin Margiela.

All the world's a stage and all the men and women merely players, what's your point of view?

*kisses*

Giulia

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To be continued...

The story of a candy, a castle and many brave knights.
Of a bloody battle, for a limited edition award and a bittersweet defeat.

*kisses*

Giulia

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What a beautiful day. Sunny, just enough breezy, warm, it's my favourite time of the year.

Spring exploded and with that my spring mood. I know, what's more trivial than talk about flowers right now but listen, trivial is fine sometimes: this is what I tought when I saw these trousers by h&m, quite similar to a pair I shoot in Milan. Do you remember Viviana Volpicella picture on Details Fair post? Well, mine are a little high waist, a little skinny, a little above the ankle, a little...a good alternative to the usual pants.

I think we are going to see many things like these over the coming months so get used to them!

                                                                                                                                                  *kisses*
Giulia

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In one of the very first post I wrote, the second one I guess, I talked about the limited and a little bit unconventional collection The Very Best of Versace for H&M, leaving you with a question: who will be the next big stylist ready to reach the great mass?

Now I can give you the answer ( that for the record has been announced by the end of last year ) and much more: this time the choice fell on Consuelo Castiglioni's fashion house Marni.

If I had to describe her works with just three words I'd say nontrivial, you never know which combination of colors and fabrics will be proposed, refined, thanks to their ever new geometric prints and eventually funny!

As you may understand I really like them, above all for their shapes that are structured on the body. The project involves the contribution of talented director Sofia Coppola, who shot this escapist video commercial in  Marrakech, a full dream team!

If you are curious look at the video and the backstage scenes, if you find something of your taste you just need to wait until March 8th. I'll be there too.                                                               
                                                                            

                                                                                                                                                  *kisses*

Giulia

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We all know, people come and go, what remains us are memories and traces that make us say everytime -this thing is just like he used to do-. What's more impressive is that their contribution doesn't simply stand still but fits time passing.

That's the case of the newly launched collection The Very Best of Versace for H&M...unequivocally Gianni Versace style.

The pieces are both for women and men, maybe a little unconventional, but still art! You can find them in selected H&M shops from the 17th of November.

Who will be the next big stylist ready for reach the great mass?

                                                                                                                                         *kisses*
Giulia

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