Last few years had been really bad in terms of design for purses. I did not buy a single bag because I did not like any and of course Coach was too expensive for a student on  a budget. All the purses I bought at cheap stores made out of plastic from China broke, so I had been left with an old leather Italian oversize bag my mother bought me at a 'mercato' in Forte dei Marmi. That bag my friend is about to retire. My other Sisley leather messenger bag died after stuffing it with a laptop and a 500 pages dissertation. The point is that we are women. We need durable yet fashionable purses.

Here is my list of 2013 bags that I just can't stop wanting. I had a longer list but I need to start with something. You will notice that I am a big fan of Coach. It's an American company well-known for leather items. The leather actually comes from Italy. I had bought shoes and purses and the quality is amazing. their vintage selection on Ebay is reasonable priced and in great shape. Don't buy their trench coats. A $500 waste of money. It looked adorable until the colored leather faded all over with the contact of rain. Yep. It was a rain coat.

If you can't afford the pricy Coach purses or Gucci or Fossil (amazing leather), you could go to forever 21. Their new collection is amazing looking. They replicated some of the designer icon items for $34. You just can't beat that, but be aware their stuff will last one year max. Even Zara purses' collection sucks. Their looking leather bags are fake, after few times of wearing them the thin layer of leather comes off and you end up looking like a confetti. I am so tired of crap and yet when we are on a budget what are we supposed to do?

Look for sales if you live in the United States, but also if you are in Italy check out websites and check their shipping fees. Maybe you can get some friends to split the cost. Asos is a European fashion online store. Their sale section is amazing. I just bought a purse (well my friend gave it to me as a gift, but I was there when she bought it) from Banana Republic 40%. That is another high quality store for leather bags. In fact they usually cost $220 a piece. Marshalls and TJmaxx I still find them to be expensive for purses. Yes, they offer half price or even 70% but everything I like is $150.

Best luck on your search for the perfect and durable leather bag.  If you have a favorite brand let me know.

I adore Cameron Diaz. I love her style young but classic and chic. She is never vulgar even when she shows some skin. It does not hurt to have long toned legs and a beautiful smile, but we can agree that we can all replicate her style and feel stylish and comfortable.

The first look is casual. Cameron Diaz can put on a pair of old jeans and a white tee and she still looks well put together. I don't know how she does it.



I believe if you accessorize well then you can leverage casual pieces and still look smart. I provide some suggestions below that everybody can afford. If you don't wear shorts like me, then opt for capri or jeans.



I must say that I am quite obsessed with Kate Spade and Chloe. I just like everything they have from house decor to shoes and bags. If you can't afford these brands like me, try to find similar items. I have seen the sunglasses at TJmaxx for $12 and everybody sells long sleeves t-shirts. It might be difficult to find the bag by Miu Miu. I stopped buying cheap bags because they break and they just don't look good. I would invest in a nice leather purse. I bought many bags from Furla and they still look new. For the sandals I had found super cheap fake leather sandals at Forever 21 for $7. I am surprised they are still alive in my closet and I walked through Europe with those plastic shoes;) I think the point is that if you can afford buying nice, good quality items go head, but style does not come with money, but with modesty.

I was going to include a Camero Diaz's evening look but I am tired and need to work on some job applications.

Sheer Nude Pantyhose: a big question among women these days. Are pantyhose IN or OUT?

It seems that there is always a debate in fashion whether pantyhose are in or out. Personally and this is just my opinion I would NEVER wear sheer nude pantyhose. They are cheap, fake, old-fashioned, awkward and just UGLY. Not only that but when I see sheer nylons pair with denim shorts and boots in the winter time I just want to rip them off. Here my personal tips on pantyhose.

1. FIRST RULE: If you don't live in Florida, don't try to be Floridian when there is snow outside your house and 30 degree or below. Leave the shorts for the summer and the sheer pantyhose for weddings.

Picture courtesy of Robyn The Bank

2. Avoid wearing miniskirts and minidresses in the winter if you are not in Florida. Opt for dark pantyhose that will go with a warm sweater and warm boots over cold winter days. Again leave the summer fashion for summer.

3. If you are under 30s you should never wear sheer/nude hosiery. You have beautiful legs only for few more years, show them off, don't be a granny.

4. You are 30 years old and older: your legs might have imperfections. Ok I understand. At this age you should probably avoiding mini skirts and opt for something more classy, so you can still avoid nude/sheer pantyhose.

5. When to wear them? It's your wedding day, your gown is long, you just need some pantyhose to put everything in place. Opt for Victoria's Secret or any seamless sheer pantyhose.

6. You live in England, you will never see the sun or have hot summers. It's ok to wear them. When I lived in London this was the only time I felt comfortable wearing nude pantyhose with sandals. Oh geeh it was painful though..... But I have noticed all women worn them.

7. You have an office job. For professional women who wear skirt suits it is appropriate to wear sheer pantyhose. You are not trying to be sexy or edgy with pink or dark navy hosiery. Check the employees' s handbook to see what is considered appropriate or not.

8. You are a celebrity and faraway pictures look good no matter what (horrible outfit high heels and shorts and sheer pantyhose? Really? When is the next show?) - Sorry Beyonce, not your best look with denim and sheer nylons.

Sheer Hosiery - www.thechicfashionista.com

 John Stillwell/WPA Pool/Getty Images, TOBY MELVILLE/AFP/Getty Images, Dave M. Benett/Getty Images

9. You are Kate and the Queen does not allow you to be 'naked' unless your nipples are on the front cover of any British tabloids. But look at the last picture, really? Shining legs? Am I some sort of X-men?

photo: http://www.gofugyourself.com/scrolldown-fug-katherine-heigl-10-2012

10.  I am in my 30s but I want to look like my grandma'. Opt for a black sheer pair of pantyhose or go bare legs. You are not wearing any pantyhose on your arms, why doing that to your legs?














So the answer is always NO, with few exclusions. Please don't make me take your picture with shorts, pantyhose and a winter jacket. It ain't cool girls.

1. Dress pants by Ann taylor; 2. Blazer by Anthropologie, Blouse found at Shopstyle.com

Depending on the type of job you are applying for you will have some flexibility in terms of clothes. You don't always need to have a suit with matching pants and jacket. What is important is that you look clean, neat, and well put together. Your shoes should always be polished and avoid chunky and noisy jewelry that distracts from what is important: YOU.

You can opt for a nice pair of dress pants and a blazer. The colors do not need to match, but should be complimentary to each other. Underneath the jacket wear a nice blouse. Avoid sheer fabrics unless you are wearing a tank top.

You don't really have to spend much money. Lose items like the above can be found at outlet stores like Marshalls, TJMaxx, and Ross. The other day I saw a really nice CK silk-like blouse for $19. Invest in items that are NOT trendy, but are versatile. You can wear navy pants multiple times with different shoes and different blazers. Stick with neutral colors like nude, navy, gray, and black. You can always add colors by adding a pashmina or other accessories.

Most important do not wear high heels if you usually don't wear these types of shoes. You want to be comfortable and focus on your qualities as a candidate, not your sore feet!! One of the complains I have about women shoes and fashion is that there is a tendency to glorify and advertise high heels shoes, rather than fashionable flat shoes. I will rather see how an outfit looks with flat shoes than high heels. When I lived in London I saw many business women wearing ballet shoes. I opted for ankle boots with a short heel. You can always wear tennis shoes until you get to the office. Then switch to something a little bit more business appropriate. But the rule is that you need to be fashionably comfortable.

 

Week 3 Outfit:

It does not need to be Valentine's day to fancy up and be romantic. All you need is a nice red cocktail dress, a pair of high heel nude shoes like the ones from christian louboutin, a nice purse like See by Chloe, and some local Etsy jewelry.

We hope you all had a great Valentine's Day. And don't forget it can always be Valentine's. Just be thankful of those who love you around you.

Massimo Dutti

Massimo Dutti is a Spanish fashion retailer with more than 600 stores worldwide. The company partners with one of the larger fashion distributors serving also companies like Zara.  But Massimo Dutti is better than Zara. It's a step up in terms of quality and design. It's the Ralph Lauren of Spain, The J.Crew of Europe.

Regardless the more expensive tag, the prices are still reasonable and the quality is good, meaning that after one year you don't have to throw away your clothes because they are worn down.

What they sell:

The best way to describe the style is elegant, classy, and stylish work, evening, and everyday clothes. From leather jackets, to chiffon dresses and cashmere sweaters, Massimo Dutti is the American equivalent of J.Crew but with an European twist and cut.

I was introduced to the name from my friend who lives in London. When I walked into the store I liked every single piece of clothing. It is perfect both for edgy urban gals to a more traditional clientele both men and women.

Here some images







So what do you  think? And don't forget to like us on Facebook to see more pictures.

If you are in New York City go check it out at 689 Fifth Avenue, (212) 371-2555; www.massimodutti.com

Kate Spade Bag; Dress by Rexton; Necklace found on JewelMint; Ring found on JewelMint; hair clip; shoes by Max Mara.

 

What is style? What is fashion? We sometimes assume that if you are a celebrity and you are following trendy fashion then you have style and you are chic. However, these days than ever the concept of style has changed as new economic and social evolvement have occurred. Less money means that even fashion designers must produce at low cost and low quality (e.g. fabrics), and the emergence of new reality TV shows, while exposing us to minority groups (e.g. whether middle class, students, or factory workers) have created a new image of fashion telling us women that it is ok to wear Stripper shoes, neon colors, and just simple cheap materials. Just think about Jersey Shore, Kim Kardashian, or even Beyonce. I am sorry but these women are far from classy. Their fashion is forced and not natural as an Audrey Hepburn or Grace Kelly. This is obviously a personal opinion and a nostalgia for the old times of Mad Men, which has limits in itself. But a question remains. Where is fashion taking us? And what kind of woman is representing. Let's be aware that historical events have dictated women fashion. During WWII women had to abandon the homes and started working in factories, thus requiring a more functional attire. The 18th century saw women suffering from respiratory diseases due to corsets too small for their waist. These garments were designed by men to refine the female body to their pleasure. The late 1960s, early 1970s we observed the radical change of fashion with the mini skirts as social revolutions were taking place in Europe and the United States (e.g. feminism). So where are we now? This is for you to decide as you shop, as you flip fashion magazine, as you strive to find a piece of clothing that does not remind you a stripper or bad tripping experience.

In an effort to find the answer I wanted to show you all that good fashion exists, but it is hard to find. Local and small artists are the real big celebrities. I will share with you my picks and find, hoping to bring some elegance back in style.

Pick of the Week: Simplicity and functionality.

If you are not 21 anymore, you probably can't wear or just don't feel it is right to stroll down in jeans or PJ. The stores in your town if you are not from a big city are for young college students: dresses are too shorts at Urban Outfitters or even at Dillards. Ann Taylor is just too old looking for you, and BCBG is just too expensive. You are frustrated at this point and simply wear black everyday. This is how I feel and I am sure you might too. It's hard to find a balance. I picked this outfit because it is fresh and appropriate for young women or young adults. It is also fun. You don't need to be boring to be classy. I am a big fan of mixing prints together. It always worked for me and never looked 'odd.' You probably won't go to work dressed like this, but you definitely can use the shoes, glasses, coin leather wallet and scarf for other more suitable outfits. The point is that you are building a dynamic closet to use for multiple occasion.



 

Scarf from rstyle.me; shoes from t.shoemint.com (twitter user); sweater from rstyle.me (not sure if this is a real site or what); umbrella and glasses from jossandmain.com; and leather coin from vonmaur.com.

I tried to credit each picture with the information provided. If there are mistakes please let me know.

 

Thank you, and please comment. I want to know what you think.

 

Gin