Friday Fashion | Valentina Expressions

Style From Reggio On Runways | Valentina Cirasola |Designer

30 Apr 2016 Leave a comment

by Valentina in Friday Fashion Tags: #BergamotFibers, #BergamotOrange, #CalabriaFashion, #CorkFibers, #NaturalFibers, #SouthItalyFashion, #ValentinaCirasolaFashionDesigner

Welcome to my Friday Fashion episode.
Calabria, one of the least known southern regions of Italy, sits in the toe of the Italian peninsula boot. The region is not well-known abroad outside Italy, but to Italians, Calabrian food and flavors are highly sought. They encapsulate all the virgin nature of the region, are mostly hand-made and grown naturally. The perfumes industry uses some very fragrant and succulent fruit trees in the making of scents for women and men. What does food and flavor have to do with fashion? It does.
(Click on each photo to view it larger).

People of the region are making every possible effort to keep nature intact and use the natural resources available. They are moving toward innovations always referring to traditions, especially when it comes to create something fashionable. Bergamot orange, a fragrant fruit the size of an orange with a yellow color similar to a lemon, is the pride of the region as it lends itself to manufacture eco-friendly colorful fabrics besides perfumes and cosmetics.

Bergamot Orange – Citrus Bergamia (Wikipedia)

Men will wear ties made of silk and cork fabric with the flower of succulent plants pinned on the lapel. They will also wear ties made of bergamot flowers, or papillions made of silk and cork fabric.

(Photos from Rai Italian National TV – Show: Linea Verde Orizzonti – April 2016 – taken from my TV set while watching the show)

People of Calabria have learned from the earth and are turning their notions to manufacture natural fabrics increasingly moving away from products made from oil and petroleum. We are extremely grateful to the superior minds of the fashion operators in Calabria. Wearing clothes made of new fabrics such as grass and cork fiber is healthy, fun and colors are vibrant to keep us in a cheerful state. Ciao,
Valentina
https://valentinadesigns.com/services#fashion-services

Valentina Cirasola is a trained Fashion and Interior Designer, born in Italy in a family of artists. Style surrounded her since the beginning of her life. Her many years of experience led her to offer consultations in both specializations and now she can remodel homes as well as personal images. She is the author of three books. Get your copy of Valentina’s book on colors: ©RED-A Voyage Into Colors on
Amazon: http://goo.gl/xUZfk0
Barnes&Nobles: http://goo.gl/q7dQ3w

Fringes In The Wind | Valentina Cirasola |Designer

09 Apr 2016 Leave a comment

by Valentina in Friday Fashion Tags: #FringedLeatherJacket, #FringedSkirt, #Fringes, #ItalianLeather, #LeatherFringes, #SuedeFringe

Welcome to a new Friday Fashion episode.
Since a couple of years ago fringes have shown up on clothing and all fashion accessories, even on shoes. It is a kind of Bohemian, hippy, late 1960’s style revival, when wearing this clothing with fringes, beads, headband and used clothes meant searching for spontaneity, expressing free love, and expanding consciousness. It was an era when youth fought against war, civil right, rejected institutions and all constrictive thinking. The new concept of fringes expresses today’s casual living and leisure time. It has no other social connotation, it is only a revival of something that made history and still looks good.
(Click on each photo to view it larger).

(Avenue 12)

Now, if you have a leather jacket with zippers, pockets, whistles and bells keep it in your closet, perhaps that style will come around again. This year’s leather jacket is simpler, looser, lightweight, soft and deconstructed of frills, almost like a second shirt. Colors are powdery, allusive, and suggestive of softness, they are the colors seen in other eras: soft pink, dusty pink, mauve, cream, antique gold, baby blue, or pearl grey. Wine is one of the dark colors.

(LuisaViaRoma)

The new leather jacket has elbow sleeves or 3/4 sleeves, no buttons, no zippers and no interior lining, its very long, sassy fringes makes the length of the jacket. With elbow sleeves, it is OK to show the long sleeves of the garment wore underneath. Due to its lightweight, we will be able to wear it even in the summer.

Would you like to wear it together with a fringed skirt? I wouldn’t do it. Keep the look interesting, clean, smart and not confused.
(NeimanMarcus-Saddle)

Ciao,
Valentina
https://valentinadesigns.com/services#fashion-services

Valentina Cirasola is a trained Fashion and Interior Designer, born in Italy in a family of artists. Style surrounded her since the beginning of her life. Her many years of experience led her to offer consultations in both specializations and now she can remodel homes as well as personal images. To better help people in the world she offers consultations online. She is the author of three books. Get your copy of Valentina’s book on colors: ©RED-A Voyage Into Colors on
Amazon: http://goo.gl/xUZfk0
Barnes&Nobles: http://goo.gl/q7dQ3w

Woven Illusion | Valentina Cirasola | Designer

26 Mar 2016 Leave a comment

by Valentina in Friday Fashion Tags: #2016Knitwear, #2016KnitwearFashionWeek, #FiberArt, #Knitwear, #TexturedFibers, #ValentinaCirasolaDesigner, #ValentinaExpressionsEtsy

Welcome to a new Friday Fashion episode.
The pleasure of creating something with hands, something that came out of my creativity is immeasurable. Knitting, crocheting, fabric art have returned strongly and I am happily riding the current.

For 2016 knitwear fashion we will see cropped knitwear layered with blouses, high-rise tailored pants and beautiful shirts. We can wear poncho over preppy skirt in the look of Chloe’.
(Click on each photo to view it larger).

or oversized knitted pieces with voluminous sleeves for comfort and coziness. Try to layer them with slim jeans and architectural statement jewelry that will really speak geometry. Large pendants over sweaters are the rage this year and hats with glittering embellishments. Fringes will dance around you when you walk. Lots of knitwear with fringes this year.

We like fur, but we don’t want to kill animals to decorate our body with their fur. Ecological, faux fur has been the solution for many years. This year at Pitti’s fashion week in Florence Italy some interesting knitwear have been presented, showcasing Bio Fur Yarn that perfectly reproduces the fur of animals in the wilderness. I like the furry knitwear designer Laura Biagiotti created to wear with sheer long skirts.

The secret this year is in the heavily texture yarn fibers, almost like taking a surprising journey through undisclosed mines. With smooth surface revealing unexpected metallic sparkles we can create stunning design of gems in the earth and soft nuances of semi precious stones.

(Textured Fibers)

(Sophie Steller)

We can easily match tribal patterns, floral or geometric designs, but we can’t forget about colors. If you knit or crochet let your fantasy go wild and combine all the colors that most appeal to you. I did and I am happy of my 2016 knitwear collection.

(Valentina -Expressions -Etsy – https://goo.gl/JtCp1T )

Valentina Expressions – Etsy – https://goo.gl/7a9H73 )

(Valentina Expressions – Etsy – https://goo.gl/VRv1kV )

Be original, be yourself, create some stunning pieces. Ciao,
Valentina
https://valentinadesigns.com/services#fashion-services

Lace and Pearls | Valentina Cirasola | Designer

20 Feb 2016 Leave a comment

by Valentina in Friday Fashion Tags: #DiamanteCalabria, #ItalianFashion, #ItalianJewelryDesigns, #LaceandPearls, #SoutacheJewelry

Welcome to my Friday Fashion episode.
I have been away from this column for a while, trying to detox from the Internet. While I was in that mode, I studied trends and customs of our society. I found new treasures on my way. The South of Italy strikes again. Yes, the fashion capital in Italy is Milan and everyone who wants to make a mark converges there, but in the deep south of Italy, in small country towns there are people creating distinctive and original fashion.
(Click on each photo to view it larger).

(all jewelry and photos are made by Lace and Pearls)

This is the case of Diamante (Diamond), a small quaint coastal town in Calabria home of “Lace and Pearls”. Does it sounds like a good title for a Victorian novel? It is in fact a brand jewelry made with Soutaches and cabochons. Soutache braiding has its origins in Russia and Eastern Europe, when dresses were highly decorated with silk ribbons, strings, rosettes and lace.

Rosangela Manca, the designer of this new fashion jewelry revived the art of braiding Soutache cording and completes each intricate piece with pearls and semi precious stone. Her creations are sold in prominent perfume and jewelry shops on the Italian peninsula.

The designer’s tagline says she “await us in the magical world of Lace and Pearls”. Perhaps we should pay a visit to her shop on the Tyrrhenian Sea. The weather is warm there, food is good, people is friendly, Diamante it is a vacation destination, combining business and pleasure is perfect.

Just a note: in Diamante town, a chili peppers festival takes place in the summer…. Very hot stuff.

(Diamante, Calabria – Italy – Photo found on http://www.hotelroomsearch.net/city/diamante-italy)

Fashion services, image consulting services, and wardrobe restyling services are available with me. contact me, I am here to help. Ciao.
Valentina
https://valentinadesigns.com/services#fashion-services

Valentina Cirasola is a trained Fashion and Interior Designer, born in Italy in a family of artists. Style surrounded her since the beginning of her life. Her many years of experience led her to offer consultations in both specializations and now she can remodel homes as well as personal images. To better help people in the world she offers consultations online. She is the author of three books. Get your copy of Valentina’s book on colors: ©RED-A Voyage Into Colors on
Amazon: http://goo.gl/xUZfk0
Barnes&Nobles: http://goo.gl/q7dQ3w

January In White | Valentina Cirasola | Designer

09 Jan 2016 Leave a comment

by Valentina in Friday Fashion Tags: #CityWhiteCoat, #HowToWearWinterWhite, #WhiteFauxFurHat, #WhiteWinterCoat, #WinterWhite, #WinterWhiteColorScheme

Welcome to my Friday Fashion episode.
In this cold month of January I cannot carry on thinking of spring just yet. I want to live in the moment, enjoying this season, feeling the cold wind on my face and wearing cozy clothes on grey days. Welcome every change of season.

January is the month to wear white and not because we are going to a ski resort, but because it is a cozy color to roll in. A city winter white coat should be ample, loose fit enough to give you space to wear a sweater or layered clothes underneath with a large collar or hood to embrace you in warmth. I like my coats with a few deep pockets and frogged closures. Fabrics for a winter white coat should be light and warm for easy wear. It should contain mixed wools, cashmere, merino, alpaca, or a mixture of all and it should be scotch guarded on for easy cleaning.

A white coat is versatile, easy to wear with jeans, any regular pants or fuseaux (leggings). With a white coat I would not wear white shoes and bags, it’s January after all. The accessories should be the accent. For a sober look, colors can range from warm beige, saddle, tobacco to grey and black. For a more playful look other colors can find their way in the mixing. White coat over white garment is the classic combination, perfect for brunette or red hair women, but not for blond women.

Long time ago I wore real fur hats, now I wear ecological furs. I like that feeling of sinking my head in the soft fur even though it is faux. Gloves and scarf will add the finish touch. I just ordered my houndtooth long gloves and now I am ready to face the cold weather.

4HtPerWhite3

MonroeandMain

Stay warm and cozy. Make time for a stop at a café for a hot cocoa. Ciao,
Valentina
https://valentinadesigns.com/services#fashion-services

Ditch The Black And Dress In Red | Valentina Cirasola | Designer

31 Dec 2015 Leave a comment

by Valentina in Friday Fashion Tags: #NewYearEve, #PropertiesOfRed, #RedDress, #RedFashion, #RedVoyageIntoColors, #ValentinaCirasolaDesigner, #WhatToWearNewYearEve

Welcome to my Friday Fashion episode.
In less than 24 hours 2016 will be here and we will celebrate the new energy of the baby year. My suggestion for this end of the year is RED.
“Red is predominantly an action color since the beginning of time. It has been found in caves of primitive people as the main color to express a desire to hunt (…). Many primordial tribes and cultures have used red as the color for body paint to express beauty or admiration and have used it for their rituals. (…)
Red is a winning color for active people who like to lead (…)
Red has the power to increase enthusiasm, to stimulate energy, to increase blood pressure and heartbeat, to encourage action and confidence.
Red demands attention and will bring out the extrovert in you (…)”. This is an excerpt from my book ©RED-A Voyage Into Colors.

With all these attributes Red is the perfect color to welcome the New Year. If you are going to a formal party with dinner and dance I suggest a layered red dress short in the front and long in the back. Anything with high-low length the rage this year.

For conservative women who want to look very chic without revealing much, one shoulder and a flowing dress is a good solution.

(Kerr, One Shoulder Red-Aliexpress)

For a less formal party wear a crisp, smart short red dress, close toes pump and a studded pave’ with pearl or glitz.

(Vuhera.com)

(GM Collection-Imelda Seashell Pave’)

I don’t believe in the perfect black dress, muffin tops and large body size will still be there. Black is slimming only for women who are already slim. If I go to a party and everybody is dressed in black, it feels more like a funeral than a party and I want to leave. Why not then stand out with originality and pick one of 5000 Pantone colors that look good on you?

However if you must wear black or beige, I suggest one of Nordstrom layered beaded fringe tops or an eyelet lace top. This year lace is allowed but no sexy transparencies.
In my country in Italy, we believe all women of all ages must wear a pair of red undies for good luck at New Year’s Eve. Go ahead, you have one more day to get that pair. Have a blast in red and a splendid 2016 all the way through. Ciao,
Valentina
https://valentinadesigns.com/services#fashion-services

Fashion In The Valley | Valentina Cirasola | Author and Designer

20 Dec 2015 Leave a comment

by Valentina in Friday Fashion Tags: #AnnualChristmasTreeElegance, #SiliconValleyCharitableAssociations, #ValleMonteFashion, #ValleMonteLeague, #ValleMonteSiliconValley

Welcome to my Friday Fashion.
Silicon Valley is home to computer chips and the most innovative minds in the world. It’s a place where life takes a super fast pace and “time is money”. Silicon Valley also bustles with associations organized by volunteers, mostly women, who work tirelessly towards various causes helping people in needs. I was invited to a fashion show luncheon for the 48th Annual Christmas Tree Elegance, organized by Valle Monte League, an association working for Family & Children Services, Alzheimer, Services For Brain Injury and many more causes. Students in the design field and other willing women decorated all the Christmas trees to be raffled off during the event. They all did a beautiful work creating this year’s theme “Magnolias & Mistletoe”.
(Click on each photo to view it larger).

Southern charm and gentility of a bygone era was the subject of the event. It wanted to capture the essence of Southern femininity, Kentucky Derby hats and horses, the calming beauty of Plantation Architecture and the craziness of New Orléans Mardi Gras. On the notes of “Gone With The Wind” a stunning formal red dress closed the show.

Local stores highlighted their best fashion pieces on the runway. I have attended many fashion shows in Europe. This one was upbeat, both men and women models smiled, winked and acted funny crazy on the runway. I was told that in past years men models showed their naked chests to stir emotions among the female audience. I can believe it, they were well built and very handsome. I found it refreshing not to see the typical androgynous models on the European runways with zero smiles on their faces, empty looks and transparent skinny to the bones. I guess this is a fashion show for charitable causes and the intent is to raise as much money as possible for the causes those women work for. The models could not be dry and distant, they were the show.

Black and grey colors dominated the scene, as I expected, those colors seem to be the preferred colors in this part of the world, with the entry of occasional minimalist patterns and flower designs for spring collections. I know a lot of mileage divide the South-East of USA and California, however for one day we could have all played the part, instead, in the audience, I saw only one woman dressed in a hat beside myself.
I choose to wear azure and green with a splash of red accent color in the accessories.

The fast pace of the models and my seat being under a few reflectors lights didn’t help to make my photos acceptable. I will think of something better next time. Ciao,
Valentina
https://valentinadesigns.com/services#fashion-services

Valentina Cirasola is a trained Fashion and Interior Designer, born in Italy in a family of artists. Style surrounded her since the beginning of her life. Her many years of experience led her to offer consultations in both specializations and now she can remodel homes as well as personal images. To better help people in the world she offers consultations online. She is the author of three books. Get your copy of Valentina’s book on colors: ©RED-A Voyage Into Colors on
Amazon: http://goo.gl/xUZfk0
Barnes&Nobles: http://goo.gl/q7dQ3w

To Have Cuffs | Valentina Cirasola | Designer

14 Nov 2015 Leave a comment

by Valentina in Friday Fashion Tags: #LaceCuffs, #ValentinaCirasolaDesigner, #ValentinaExpressionsEtsy, #WristCuffs, #XVIIICenturySleeveCuffs, #XVIIIFashion

Welcome to my Friday Fashion episode.
Have you noticed how various parts of our body come into fashion from time to time and must be highlighted in every possible way? In the last twenty years lips and breasts have taken a center stage, augmented to exaggerated proportions with the help of plastic treatments. In the ‘60s the legs took all the spotlights with Mary Quant mini skirt. Fashion doesn’t dictate only what to expose, it dictates what to cover as well.
Once the arms have been under scrutiny.

In the roaring “20s, women could not go anywhere with bare arms, long gloves covered their arms up to the elbow and even higher. A respectful woman without gloves was considered vulgar, untidy, impudent and of easy virtue. Both men and women have worn gloves through the centuries. They were highly decorated or simple in style, with lace, pearls and bejeweled with precious stones, made of leather and fabrics, short and long.
Gloves completed the garment, which covered the arms from scrutinizing eyes.

Sleeves also had the same functions as the gloves. Often they were overly decorated to establish social status, rarely made for functionality unless they belonged to dresses for the working class. One of the details for both men and women was the ornamental cuff attached and hanging at the end of a sleeve, considered also a hand protector. In the German culture of the XVIII century to wear large cuffs at the end of the sleeves was incompatible with the use of the sword, thus the provenance of the expression, which is still in use today that “to have cuff” meant to be scared. No wonder duels were carried out wearing a simple white shirt with no frills.

Court gentleman with Lace Cuffs

Kenneth Sanderson’s 18th Century Dress

Women of higher status whose daily job was only to look beautiful wore cumbersome cuffs with delicate lace, stacked in layers and since the cuffs moved at every little movement uncovering the forearms, the gloves was the companion that completed the garment.

I took inspiration from the French “engageantes” the large lace cuff of the XVIII century and I designed my creations for the modern woman. My cuffs are not for the “want to look beautiful” only, but for every dynamic woman.

Scarf_Cuffs_Set

Lame’ cuff set

Diva Forearms Cuffs

Find them in my online shop https://www.etsy.com/shop/ValentinaExpressions

These cuffs will embellish a simple t-shirt, the sleeves of a simple dress and basically they are versatile garments for any moment of the day. Slip them on to change the look from common to fabulous! Ciao,
Valentina
https://valentinadesigns.com/services#fashion-services

Valentina Cirasola is a creative master in the art of living who makes little distinction between work and play. She expresses her creativity in the homes she designs and decorates, in her book on colors, in the accessories she designs, in her cookery books, when she talk about setting style and in the way she influences people with her energy. Check out her three books on
Amazon: http://goo.gl/xUZfk0
Barnes&Nobles: http://goo.gl/q7dQ3w

Transporting Colors Of 2016 | Valentina Cirasola | Designer

07 Nov 2015 Leave a comment

by Valentina in Friday Fashion Tags: #Fashion2016, #LilacGreyColor, #PantoneColors2016, #RoseQuartzColor, #SprinColors2016, #ValentinaCirasolaDesigner

Welcome to my Friday Fashion.
I looked and looked again, I studied and studied again, I thought a lot of the next Spring 2016 season. Some colors are exciting, some have potentials and some are really not my favorite colors. All colors are beautiful, I just prefer some colors over others.

The colors in 2016 will transport us in nature and calm places, quiet and soothing will prevail in the next season. One of the quiet colors to be with us in the Spring 2016 will be Rose Quartz. “It is a persuasive yet gentle tone that conveys compassion and a sense of composure” ~ says Pantone.

Knowing how to combine dull colors to make them come alive is a secret and a skill. Getting dress in vibrant colors makes our soul happy and the eyes of others as well. Every so often we might have the need to dress with muted colors to express a mood, an interior quietness and a subdued elegance.

The color scheme I chose for Spring 2016 is made of Lilac Grey, Rose Quartz and Snorkel Blue, all very muted colors for those of you who want to keep a calm color scheme for the work environment. At the end of your working day, you should come alive with vibrant colors, because the night is dark and you want to be seen. Get rid of the blue skirt and boots. Change into a Fiesta pants with red shoes, change your makeup lips and eyeshadow to bright red, you are ready to go from work directly to a pub.

Kadin Live

Rose Quartz Sweater

Lilac-Grey Bag. Bagzone UK

Jeans Pencil Skirt – Aliexpress

Jessica Simpson

Rose Quatz Necklace – Novica

(All photo credits given to the respective owners)

Colors must change every year to keep things new and businesses going, don’t stress over too much.
If these colors don’t look good on you don’t wear them. As I always say, Fashion dictates, we choose what to wear. Ciao,
Valentina
https://valentinadesigns.com/services#fashion-services

Valentina Cirasola is a trained Fashion and Interior Designer, born in Italy in a family of artists. Style surrounded her since the beginning of her life. Her many years of experience led her to offer consultations in both specializations and now she can remodel homes as well as personal images. To better help people in the world she offers consultations online. She is the author of three books. Get your copy of Valentina’s book on colors: ©RED-A Voyage Into Colors on
Amazon: http://goo.gl/xUZfk0
Barnes&Nobles: http://goo.gl/q7dQ3w

Orange’s Friendly Energy | Valentina Cirasola | Designer

24 Oct 2015 Leave a comment

by Valentina in Friday Fashion Tags: #EnergyOfOrange, #OrangeAndGreen, #OrangeAndTurquoise, #OrangeColor, #ValentinaCirasolaDesigner

Welcome to my Friday Fashion episode.
A few days ago talking with a girlfriend I realized something about colors I should have known all along. In this country (USA) colors have a seasonal flavor:

Red is for Christmas and end of the year holidays – every woman dresses in red during November and December as if they are wearing a uniform.
Green is for St. Patrick’s Day – Of course everybody who don’t want to be pinched will wear green.
Orange and Orange with Black are for Halloween – No other time of the year I see people in orange.
Red, White and Blue are the patriotic colors of 4th of July.
Then there are colors such as yellow only certain ethnic groups will wear.

What other color is left? Actually the Pantone color wheel includes over 5,000 colors we can swim in. However people limit themselves to beige and grey in all tints and tones, black, blues and purples, very little browns and white, forgetting that the choice of colors is endless. White keeps off the heat of summer, unless people are at a resort, have a maid laundering the whites, not many people will wear it. Visually, white enlarges the shape of a person and shows even a minute stain. It is not very practical for some people.

The color orange likes the energy of green, turquoise and blue, all the cooler colors of the spectrum and that is well-balanced. Orange likes yellow and red, however this combination is truly hot for some people to take. Brown and beige will tone down the energy of orange and if you want to look like Halloween colors, please wear black with orange.

I found a great orange wrap during my latest trip to Austria. The grey and cold weather of those parts encourages people to wear vibrant colors that will envelope them in a positive energy and make the winter easier to cope. Colorful clothes are not just for women, in Europe even men don’t have a problem wearing an orange or red pair of pants. They add a darker jacket or coat and feel very comfortable.

This is how I will wear this wrap made of silk and wool, cotton ruffles and organza trims. For a top to wear over the rust color jeans, I will find some pretty green like the gloves and the vintage necklace. The zebra shoes is the only accent note I want to add. Other times I will wear beige ankle boots.

Don’t be afraid of colors. In nature colors coexist without rules, they can coexist in your life and in your wardrobe as well. Ciao,
Valentina
https://valentinadesigns.com/services#fashion-services