Friday Fashion | Valentina Expressions

Alluring Mardi Gras | Valentina Cirasola | Designer

17 Feb 2021 10 Comments

by Valentina in Friday Fashion Tags: #CostumeParty, #MaksDesigns, #MardiGras, #Masquerade, #VeniceCarnevale

“The Venice Carnival began in 1162 in celebration of the Venice Republic’s victory over its enemy: the Patriarch of Aquileia. The people of Venice gathered in Saint Mark’s Square (San Marco) to dance and celebrate their victory. Ever since then, the victory was celebrated in the streets of Venice” (Wikipedia).

Carnevale is the most licentious party of all, when everything is permitted, the nobles are allowed to wear poor people’s costumes, prostitutes become princesses, married women and men can choose a different partner for one night, all the roles are inverted for the spirit of rebellious toward the institutions and the desire to break all the social rules. Wearing a mask is a necessity, all that is done on this evening of Mardi Gras must remain forever a secret.

There was a time when Mardi Gras was one of the highlights of my year. Masquerade parties were exceptional and remarkable.

I wanted to be ready just in case some invitation would arrive today. I tried to order this leopard top hat from a guy who makes them in Liverpool, England and didn’t come at all.

I wanted to order this pair of ankle boots, I think the brand is Fausto Puglisi and I couldn’t find a place to order them.

I guess it was not meant to be this year, and I guess no one is doing anything fun this Mardi Gras either. Just last year in February I was celebrating, it all seems so far away now, a long time ago. Today feels empty, and it is grey, on top of all.

Maybe tonight I should go back to Pirandello, an Italian novelist and screenplay writer, who said
“You will learn the hard way that in the long journey of life you will meet many masks and a few faces”
in his novel Uno, Nessuno e Centomila.

The masks we wear these days are far from being funny. Are we getting used to everything being fake and unreal?
Happy Mardi Gras. Ciao,
Valentina
Amazon Author’s Page

Valentina Cirasola is an Italian Interior Designer established in 1990. Often people describe her as “the colorist” as she loves to color her clients’ world and loves to create the unusual. Currently, she consults on colors based on clients’ personalities and lifestyles, she creates atmospheres using the proper lighting that is going to add harmony and peace to the homes and she helps clients creating fantasy rooms instead of typical rooms looking like furniture showrooms. She is the author of six published books, two of which are on design subjects. Amazon and Barnes&Noble

Be Illuminated In 2021 | Valentina Cirasola | Designer

08 Jan 2021 3 Comments

by Valentina in Friday Fashion Tags: #2021PantoneColor, #ColorTalk, #GreyCoolColor, #YellowandGrey, #YellowEnergy

The color of 2021 will be yellow/gold and pearl silver, says Pantone, Color Institute.
We are coming out of a literally “Blue” year. In fact, the color of 2020 was blue and left us feeling the blues like no other times. I hope we will never repeat that experience. This year, we will be using yellow as an energizing and illuminating color, combined with pearl silver to add that sophistication a pearl has.

How did I know yellow was going to be the color of this year? I didn’t. I just love yellow for all the reasons, the most important one is, being the color of the sun, it’s a natural batteries energizer. Some people eat sugar as a “pick me up” I wear yellow to boost my energy. I wear yellow on rainy days and in the summertime. I wear yellow for formal occasions and casual dressing up. I surround myself with yellow flowers and plenty of home décor accessories.
I bought this entire outfit last year and wore it only once due to lockdown. I hope to have the chance to wear it a lot more this year.

Yellow is a happy color, cheerful and inviting, I don’t understand why so many people resist yellow.

Remember, the word this year is “illuminated”. Whatever you do, bring light into your life, color yourself beautifully, staying positive will be a need. Ciao,
Valentina
Amazon Author’s Page

Copyright © 2021 Valentina Cirasola, All Rights Reserved

Beauty Marks | Valentina Cirasola | Author and Designer

01 Sep 2020 2 Comments

by Valentina in Friday Fashion Tags: #1700Venice, #BeautyandFashion, #FacialBeautyMarks, #RenaissanceVenice, #VirnaLisi

The editing of my home, all the bookshelves, my studio, my closets have become a great affair with the past. Memories are resurfacing in my mind and are taking me back to distant lands and moments. Fortunately, I don’t have many painful memories, I have always had a very dear and sweet family, my life with them has always been pleasant even with the difficulties and tensions that exist in all families, but together we always have overcome everything in the best way.
All my photos speak of the ways people dressed in other eras, the hairstyle, the jewelry, and some of the fashion habits now look a little ridiculous but were very well appreciated then. I can even hear the words spoken that have fallen out of fashion.

In Renaissance Venice, the city that was teeming with vices, idleness, sins, and forbidden loves, most women painted a beauty mark on their face, a custom which continued well into the 1970s. All my young aunts had a beauty mark on their face. Now that I know the meaning, I don’t think they needed a beauty mark, nature gifted them with a special beauty they carried to the old age. How could have they said no to fashion? It would have been like saying no to the mini skirt when came out on the market as a novelty. Every woman of every age wore beauty marks.

My aunt Rita at 21 years young. Photo property ©Valentina Cirasola

The Italian actress Virna Lisi, wore a beauty mark on the right lower corner of her mouth, she was a gorgeous woman with a rare beauty.
She was in many Hollywood films, one of them was “How to Murder Your Wife” with Jack Lemmon, in which she popped out of a wedding cake clad in a bikini.

The beauty marks have different meanings if they are painted in different places on the face.

The “appassionata” (passioned) worn at the corner of the eye, the “coquette” (flirtatious) above the top lip, and the “assassina” (assassin) at the corner of the mouth. Of course, these terms refer to how women perceived themself sexually and how men responded to their provocations.
Sexual harassment didn’t exist, it was a game of seduction between women and men, accepted by both parts. For certain women, with a little more gumption than others was a game of “the highest bidder wins” to land themselves in a good or high social status position that often would have fixed their reputation (sort of). How time has changed! Ciao,
Valentina
Amazon Author’s Page

I am Valentina, a trained Fashion and Interior Designer, born in Italy in a family of artists. Style has surrounded me since the very beginning of my life. My many years of experience in the design business led me to offer consultations in both fashion and interiors, so much so that I can remodel homes as well as personal images. I am passionate about colors and I encourage my clients to express their individual style in their homes and with the clothes they wear.I am an author, and one of the books I wrote is about color theory, paperback and kindle:
©RED-A Voyage Into Colors, Second Edition
Amazon and Barnes&Noble

Color Me Yellow | Valentina Cirasola | Designer

09 Aug 2020 12 Comments

by Valentina in Friday Fashion Tags: #ColorCombination, #FashionColors, #WeeklyColorChallenge, #YellowColor, #YellowColorScheme, #YellowVibration

I’ve been wearing a great deal of colors this year, I am more obsessed with colors than ever. I have been wearing all hues mostly from yellow, gold, pink, lilac, and violet/blue, two or three of these colors at a time in various combinations. I feel the world has gone grey this year. It doesn’t seem people have any desire to smile anymore, and that grey patina I see in people’s small facial areas left uncovered hurts me. My eyes, my soul, and my body need nourishment, to be exact color nourishment and protection against all of that. I am sure a lot of other people feel the same as I do, I find my support in the colors of nature, I don’t know where others find their support. We are connected to earth and planets, that’s the answer. In the morning I get up in the colors of planets I was born under. I feel aligned with the universe and I get up always happy to be awake again.

I am feeling the yellow a lot, the color of the sun, the only planet that gives life to earth, without the sun nothing would exist. Without the sun we wouldn’t write books, we wouldn’t cultivate tomatoes and lemons, we wouldn’t visit the Colosseum or ride a gondola in Venice. Yes, the yellow color of the sun is a universal battery energizer, it is there for the good, the bad, and the ugly people…

I heard someone on a Facebook group saying that she bought a yellow jacket for her birthday at age 57 and was the first time in her life she wore yellow. She was afraid of yellow, she said when I asked her why.
I wondered if she had been living in a dark box for 57 years, not liking yellow is like not liking the sun and not liking life. I understand people who have a pinkish tone skin don’t look good in yellow, but for them, it’s OK to wear it at the bottom part of the body or simply as accessories.

Green-Yellow-Berry-Gold

There has never been a time when I have not put on a stitch of yellow or gold, or not surrounded myself with yellow. Take a look at my picture to understand I live in colors.
My weekly color challenge for this past week was yellow-gold, green, and amber. I challenge myself and others just to see how they interpret colors.

From time to time each color has a job to do, its wavelengths have magnetism, which turns into energy. One can change the whole life around with the knowledge of colors.
For this week I used green for interior peace, I am wearing it in one form or another and I eat it as well. Yellow and gold for manifesting my goals. I don’t have any amber clothes, but I have amber rings and I am wearing them all week to balance emotions, clear the mind, and release negative energy. That was the work these three colors had to do for me this week. Ciao,
Valentina
Amazon’s Author Page

It’s my hope that through my writing and my stories I am enriching your aesthetic sensibility towards design, style, and inspiring you to live in beauty. I love to encourage my clients to show their personality through their home décor, or the clothes they wear. I have loved my profession as an interior-fashion designer since 1990. I am here ready to offer consultations on-line if you need it. Check out one of my books on the subject of colors, ©RED-A Voyage Into Colors, Second Edition.

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2Bxhq08
Barnes&Noble: http://goo.gl/q7dQ3w

Positivity Weekly Color Challenge: Light Green | Valentina Cirasola | Interior Designer

29 Jun 2020 7 Comments

by Valentina in Friday Fashion Tags: #BenefitOfColors, #ChakraColors., #ColorAtmosphere, #ColorEmotions, #ColorsandPlanets, #ColorTheory

The color challenge I developed for my Facebook group this past week was light blue, with light green, gold, or silver. Getting dressed to me is a ritual, I just don’t put on anything that comes along. I follow the color theory. Colors are my lifeblood and have a reason to exist. They help me go through challenges, I use them to set goals, I manifest things I want; with colors, I find my harmony, adjust my mood, or I get my energy.
I use colors that reflect the colors of the planets I was born under, it’s all about being in tune with Nature. I use my power colors to balance mind and spirit; my archetype colors relate to my origin, they make things easier when I use them. Colors are so very powerful, however, some people think it is a frilly subject and don’t take it seriously. 😀

Valentina-Green Hat

According to one healer and astrologer in my circle, the entire world at the moment is under a transmutation and rebirth period. The Merriam-Webster dictionary explains the word transmute: “to change or alter in form, appearance, or nature, and especially to a higher form.” This period is not a simple transition.

A transformational two-year journey began in early 2019. Saturn and Pluto aligned at the beginning of 2020. We have seen what happened to the world as a result of that, a very powerful force buzzed around us that magnified with the alignment of Jupiter and Pluto around March and April. It didn’t stop there, we had the Solar Eclipse on the day of the Summer Solstice June 21st and Jupiter-Pluto aligning again at the end of June. Their energy is powerfully feisty and affects humans on Earth. Most people out there don’t give a flying fig about the alignment and the revolution of planets over our heads, the meaning of it, how it affects us, and what color to wear or be surrounded to counterbalance the fighting effect. Just like the Moon phases affects the movement of the seas, the crops and vegetation, the same way all planets affect the behavior of humans on Earth.

That’s the reason I am helping myself and challenged the group with light blue, light green, gold or silver.
Ligh Blue is for communicating and creating the new person we are going to become; Light Green is to calm down the emotional heart; Yellow or Gold is for setting goals and manifesting the new transformation on all levels, which some people might not even perceive, but it is happening and silver in place of gold, if you feel the Moon movement with the feminine power attached to it. This past week, these colors have illuminated me.

I read a quote by an anonymous: “You are the painter of your own mood. Your days are only as grey as you allow them to be.” Well said. Ciao,
Valentina
Amazon Author’s Page

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What is it? Valentina Cirasola | Designer

24 Jun 2020 7 Comments

by Valentina in Friday Fashion Tags: #BeetleJewelry, #CharmJewelry, #EgyptianJewelry, #Lariat, #ScarabAmulet, #VintageJewelry

A week ago author Teagan Geneviene was talking about beetles and scarabs, the amulets ancient Egyptians used for good luck charms, and to protect them in the next life. Read her here https://teagansbooks.com/2020/06/17/a-delta-pearl-extra/
Her novel The Delta Pearl is based on a Victorian Era steampunk riverboat adventures.

Reading the Delta Pearl Extra episode, it reminded me of the beetle on this lariat here in my picture. What is it, a beetle, or a scarab? Is it a necklace or a lariat?

From WikiDiff the “scarab is the species of beetle, sacred to the ancient Egyptians while beetle is any of numerous species of insect in the order Coleoptera characterized by a pair of hard, shell-like front wings which cover and protect a pair of rear wings when at rest”.

My client’s entire home remodeling was coming up in a week’s time, she felt overwhelmed, the house had to be emptied out, the content of all the drawers and closets had to go in boxes with labels, furniture and accessories moved to storage. She was getting depressed by the day, to speed up the process, I decided to give her a hand in doing that chore. I never knew so much treasure was going to come up into the light, so much stuff she didn’t even remember having. She asked me to open a tall and slender dresser. The shape was odd but intriguing, it had drawers and doors, the interior concealed more doors and secret drawers. I opened it up and my eyes bulged out.
I saw the most beautiful custom jewelry, nothing very new, every piece was a work of art, and clearly from a different era.

The piece of jewelry in the photo jumped at me for the strange shape, it looked like a long string of beads and not a necklace. What is it? I asked her. She told me it was a lariat. I had learned a new word that day. A lariat is a long light rope (hemp or leather) used with a running noose to catch livestock, also called lasso.
This lariat dates back circa 1915-20s. It was part of the collection my client owned before she gave it to me. It’s made of chocolate pearls, river pearls, and glass beads. The beetle, on one end of the lariat, at least I think it’s a beetle, functions as a closure.

Beetle Lariat

She gave me a few other pieces and I wear them all. I am asked often what I am wearing on my neck. People who appreciate antiques or vintage will make a lot of comments that will strike a conversation, maybe someone in their family had a piece of scarab jewelry they remember and will talk about it, instead, people who are into trends will turn their nose up. Oh, well, the world is made of colorful people.
My client wanted it back the first time I wore it with my modern clothes. Change the angle, change the perspective, I learned it from actor Robin Wiliams. Something old worn with something new, it appears visually a new thing. She had no chance to get it back. It has been mine for 10 years already.

My client and the boat were the best parts of that project. She lived on a man-made lake. Every household on that lake had a boat docked at their backyard. All the boats looked the same, I think people rented them from the city. The boats really looked like the garden tubs for kids, baby blue on the exterior, painted white in the interior, with wooden bench seats inside, a white canopy over the top, a white boat rudder, and sidelights looking like glass canning jars for night riding. They were nothing fancy, on a hot day it was refreshing to ride over the lake. Often at lunchtime, we left the house project and went to eat at the nearby restaurant docking at their back yards.
It was fun, the client always drove it, the wine effect showed up on the way back and everyone knew about it, the workers smiled and we did too.

My design projects often resembled play and not so much like work. I have been blessed. Ciao,
Valentina
Amazon Author’s Page

Valentina Cirasola is a designer, author, TV producer and a storyteller by nature. Stories told through shapes, lines, forms, and colors are very important to her design career to convey ideas that contribute to the making of a personalized home, reflecting the life’s experiences of people living there. As an author, she writes non-fictional books, about practical ideas to apply in the home, fashion, travel, and cooking. Get copies of her books here:
Amazon and Barnes&Noble

Positivity Weekly Color Challenge: Turquoise | Valentina Cirasola | Designer

18 May 2020 17 Comments

by Valentina in Friday Fashion Tags: #PinkandTurquoise, #PinkColoredGlasses, #PinkVibration, #TurquoiseVibration, #VibrantColorCombination, #WeeklyColorChallenge

Being on shelter-in time and away from humans has pushed a lot of people of different backgrounds to create kind of a silent movement simply for entertaining and contributing to the serenity of others. They offer a little something beneficial to the soul, they are helping others while helping themselves being uplifted. I don’t feel exonerated and I am doing just the same. I started with solo videos talking about short stories of the “Evolution Of The Home” then I interviewed people on my TV Show “Inspiration From…”. I went on with a monthly inspirational Zoom call with my Facebook group Design One Beautiful Life and now I am challenging the members of this group with a “Positive Weekly Color Challenge”. Helping others is fun and makes me feel good, it keeps me also away from my own challenges. The other day I was wearing mirrored rose-colored glasses while attending my garden. I kept seeing a bluish, rosy, and pale yellow light through my lenses, which gave my environment a serene view. A thought came to my mind, why do we need to wear rose-colored glasses?

In a highly stressful time such as this one we are experiencing, we need to see the whole picture in a more positive way, find ways to improve our life or ways to be creative in making a new living and certainly stay away from negativity.

(Click on each photo to view it larger).

Pink and Turquoise – Valentina Cirasola

Wearing “rose-colored glasses” is an expression used to describe a person who sees only the positive. Through the rose-colored glasses, the world takes a softer tone, not everything looks so harsh and we develop compassion for ourselves and others. Pink vibration takes us back to childhood cuddling, teaches us playfulness, and self-love.
Yes, it’s good to love yourself, do it often and believe it. If we pair pink with turquoise, we will find our inner peace to share with others, in fact, when we are at peace our immunity system will strengthen on its own. The world, while wearing rose-colored glasses, will look a bit more pleasant and it did while I was working in the garden wearing my pair of rose-colored glasses.

For the entire week, we need to be more introspective using pink and turquoise. I promise it will push out some emotions. I suggest to surround yourself with home objects in these two colors, or wear something pink with turquoise, and be restful pondering about feeling the love for yourself.

These are some of the responses I received from the members of the group about this positive color challenge.

Pink and Turquoise – Valentina Cirasola

A few months ago, in the sea of people on the Internet, and in various groups, I spotted Sandra Phillips, from England, one super creative person, who uses her admiration for colors and her ability to see endless possibilities beyond “pre-loved clothes”, to create new, very original outfits. She hand illustrates every outfit she wears daily. She appeared on my TV show “Inspiration from a fashion lover” and from there I was hooked on her style. Here she is wearing a knotted turquoise linen shirt and cerise linen cropped balloon pants. On her feet, she is wearing a pair of Michael Kors gold leather gladiator sandals (£10 in a charity shop). Cerise button earrings and a wooden tassel necklace accessorize her ensemble. Everything is pre-loved from charity shops. Great finds!
She is on Instagram.

Pink and Turquoise-Sandra Phillips

Cicely Gilman from California is a very colorful fabric artist, she is into painting fashion and home décor items. Lately, she has been making face masks using her hand-painted fabric. Here she is wearing her favorite mauve pink color. The top has been beautifully embroidered with turquoise and cream threads, that she paired with a mauve cut-velvet skirt and a pink cotton petticoat. She accessorizes this outfit with a turquoise necklace. Well done! She is on Etsy.

Pink and Turquoise-Cicely Gilman

Joe Hinchliffe from Australia writes a daily poem based on the color or pattern of the garment she wears, then she recites the poem in a video. She is so witty! Here she is showing two upcycled garments she made last year in these colors. She joined garments together to create unique, bespoke outfits. The pink pants, she says, are actually made from a pashmina scarf. Clever idea! A few other women I met online do the same, this is a new expression of individuality. She is on Facebook.

Pink and Turquoise – Jo Hinchliffe

Nikki Wellington from Australia is a multifaceted artist, she is a lantern maker, a mosaic artist, prop maker, and doodler. She is also a face and body painter. She drew a quick doodle/sketch in pink and turquoise for this challenge. The line of the outfit is very becoming and the necklace is so attractive. She is on Facebook.

Pink and Turquoise – Nikki Wellington

Teagan Geneviene is a prolific author living in New Mexico. I love her 1920’s stories. Coral is a cousin’s color pink, it works for me, even if is it is red. She made this coral necklace many years ago. She found a carved turquoise Kuan Yin and attached it to the long string of coral, that she could wear it many different ways, including as a belt with the pendant as a drop. Great idea! She elaborated on the stone representing Kuan Yin. The deity has been worshiped in many countries for thousands of years. Over time she’s become a sort of an “all-purpose goddess” since so many things are attributed to her. She’s mostly a goddess of mercy. “Chinese Bodhisattva/ Goddess of Compassion, Mercy and Kindness is considered to be a mother-goddess”. Thank you.

Coral and Turquoise – Teagan Geneviene

Teagan is currently writing a novel set in 1965. She is giving her heroine, Venus, this turquoise and pink creation from a 1965 issue of Vogue magazine. See her books here.

Pink and Turquoise – Credit: Horst P. Horst

Dorothy Atkins is a California artist. Her art has been featured in local magazines and national news articles. For the pink and turquoise challenge, she presented her box of color including her hand-painted cards and favorite Laurel Birch scarf. Nice display. View her artwork here.

Pink and Turquoise- Dorothy Atkins

This has been fun, now experience your feelings, live with these two colors for the entire week, arrange this color combination in your home, wear it interchanging fashion items and jewelry and eat some pink macaroon or pink pasta. I made a bunch of gnocchi from red beets and came out so beautifully colored. I will eat them for the entire week with one sauce or another. As for turquoise food, there aren’t that many, blueberry tea or blueberry ice cream will do.

Gnocchi-Red Beets-Gorgonzola – Valentina Cirasola

Next week’s challenge will be about another fun color combination. Ciao,
Valentina
http://www.valentinadesigns.com
Amazon Author’s Page

Painting With Yarn | Valentina Cirasola | Designer

02 May 2020 6 Comments

by Valentina in Friday Fashion Tags: #CrochetArt, #CrochetFashion, #ModernCrochet, #OneOfAKindFashion, #OriginalCrochet, #PaintingWithYarn

It’s hard to believe not too long ago I used to paint with acrylics, oils, watercolors, crayons, and Indian ink. Creativity and space are the most important things needed to become an artist aside from having a good amount of money for supplies and organizing art shows. I had enough space when I was painting, my only complaint was about how expensive the supplies were, but I never thought I was going to run out of space, then I moved to the States and my space became a necessity. Real estate here is super expensive. I bought my home and I thought it was enough until I moved in. Soon I realized my home is cute, colorful, and compact. My dilemma has been how to occupy my rooms sensibly to assure me a comfortable living. I had to give up painting, to make room for my office, and all the large drawings I had to do when I was on home remodel projects for clients.

For someone like me who likes any art, giving up painting was hard. Something else had to take place to feed my soul and it did. My interior design work provided me with enough satisfaction, the drawings of interiors I did for work, satisfied that hunger for art I had. Seeing their joy, seeing how at ease they were at the end of each project, receiving the gratitude of their journeys with me was and still is the best.

Abstract Top – Front

OK, that art was related to my work. Again, I had to find new art just for me. I learned to sew, crochet, and knit at a very young age. Once I had the basics down, I ventured in exploring free-form in crochet, and sewing. Patterns never interested me, my imagination always told me to go to the abstract and asymmetrical lines, the same as I do in the interior design because they are easier on the eyes, they hide angular corners and all the not pleasant curves.

It has been many years since I revived these art forms, originally created as hobbies. To see something grow out of nothing, without a pattern or a thought is so rewarding. I just start a thread with a needle and the rest is all a big question mark, almost until the end, when I start to see where I am going.

Abstract Top – Back

Strangely enough, the inspiration for this abstract crochet top came from one of my coffee cups, hand-made by a ceramic artist. My best inspirations seem to come when I am around food.

Hand-painted espresso cup

Although I didn’t want to, my crochet art has become a work, I have produced so much that I have run out of space again and I had to open a store to sell all my production on Etsy. Enjoy all my products here where aside from knitted fashion you will find hand-carved exotic wood pens, blank cards made from my photography, button covers, and more, all made by me.

Now, I paint with yarn. It has been eight years going to trade fairs where I present and sell my original one-of-a-kind pieces. Working without a pattern, I can’t repeat the same piece again, thus originality is guaranteed.
“Originality is the greatest form of rebellion” – Mike Sasso.
Ciao,
Valentina
Fashion Services

Valentina Cirasola is an interior-fashion designer, author of 5 published books, a storyteller, and a blogger of many years. She has conceived a few new books of various subjects to which she is working simultaneously. Her books are non-fictional practical ideas to apply in the home, fashion, cooking, and travel. She never gives up trying new things and doesn’t fear failure. Some years ago, Valentina became a TV producer/host producing shows under her label: Valentina Design Universe. The goal of her shows is to entertain, inspire, and inform, while she is living her passion. Get a copy of her books here:
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Staying Positive With The Virus | Valentina Cirasola | Designer

27 Mar 2020 8 Comments

by Valentina in Friday Fashion Tags: #REDAVoyageIntoColors, #REDColor, #RedEnergy, #RedFashion, #RedPower

Red Barrel Purse

I found this cute barrel purse before the mess of coronavirus started all over the world. It’s made in India and it has a tag inside saying it’s vegan. OK, lately, I am finding many fashion items labeled “vegan”, we might have to get used not to have real leather anymore and that’s fine with me as long as the items are well made and don’t look “fake”. I fell in love as soon as I spotted this purse for its unusual shape. It reminds me of something I saw in fashion books featuring styles at the turn of the 19th century. I want to think of it as being an Art Deco piece but I really can’t place it in a specific period.

Pantone institute says this year’s color is blue, but I rather stay with my red color, as a conductor of power and positive energy.
This time we are living now will go down in history as a grave health/medical crisis. My friends tell me many of their friends have succumbed to coronavirus. I was in Italy working on an important project when the pandemic broke out. I made it back out of the country just on the same day the lockdown was declared leaving with a heavy heart knowing that my family is there. Upon my return, I was going to finish what I had left undone and start what I had in mind to do, but guess what? Never like this period, all my activities have come to a screeching halt. I have been silent on the social platforms, as I find myself short on words and feel at times demotivated. Being locked in the house has affected me, just like everybody else. Looking at colors helps me stay positive and active to support all my friends who are feeling depressed. I get dressed with colors every day, turn on the scented essential oil, I am working slowly on whatever I can, watch something funny on the TV and don’t slouch on the sofa all day long. I read passages from my book: RED – A Voyage Into Colors, Second Edition. Why not?

RED-A Voyage Into Colors, Second Edition

I keep telling my friends to think of the time when everything will be over and we will be able to wear the beautiful items now sleeping in our closets.
I want them to think about how colors can keep them inspired, and in a positive state. I am telling them, and I am also telling it to myself. I am not exonerated from feeling down, but as I look at this purse and I think of the many items I have to pair it with, I see a glimmer of light and hope that everything will be over soon.
How are you holding on? I am here if you want to talk about it. Ciao.
Valentina
Fashion Services
https://valentinadesigns.com/services#fashion-services

It’s my hope that through my writing and my stories I am enriching your aesthetic sensibility towards design, style and inspiring you to live in beauty. I love to encourage my clients to show their personality through their home décor, or the clothes they wear. I have loved my profession as an interior-fashion designer since 1990. I am here ready to offer consultations on-line if you need it. Check out one of my books on the subject of colors, ©RED-A Voyage Into Colors, Second Edition. Amazon and Barnes&Noble

Coming Of Age | Valentina Cirasola | Designer

03 Jan 2020 13 Comments

by Valentina in Friday Fashion Tags: #18YearsOld. #AdulthoodParty, #CominfOfAAgeHighFashion, #ComingOfAge, #ComingOfAgeParty, #YoungstersPresented

This article was published in Electric Press, literary magazine, London. Here is the link:
https://issuu.com/electricpress/docs/epfebruary20/36
https://issuu.com/electricpress/docs/epfebruary20/38

It feels like yesterday my coming of age, 18 is a magic number. One feels on top of the world, invincible, unbeatable, conquering the world seems easy as it should be at that age, beauty is just blooming, strength is at its best, everything is possible. Kids dream of the day they will become 18 years of age, then that day comes and goes, it lasts one year and it is over. Life after that takes a different meaning.

In the high stratosphere of society, youngsters coming of age, are presented at court, just as in Downton Abbey, when rebellious Lady Rose is presented officially to the King and became a legal adult, that also means the chaperon is no longer needed.

In a less stratified society, youngsters are still presented today to their friends, teachers, family, neighbors, and perhaps to some city dignitaries as it happened to me many moons ago. The mayor of the city was invited to my party. It took place at the “Sail Club” an upscale place for the upper crust and notables of my native city of Bari in Puglia, Italy.

I arrived at the Club in a landau carriage with a horse and a coachman. I was dressed in a long shimmering silver dress my mother made, the kind Hollywood actresses wore, tight at the waist, spaghetti strap at the top with ample décolletage and flared out at the bottom. The dress shaped me like a siren at the shore.
My first dance was with my father, we glided on the dance floor like two leaves in the wind at the sound of Strauss’s Waltz. We opened the dances. The night went on with special food and drinks served by waiters in white gloves and formal livery. My head was muffled, I felt in a precious glass bauble.

(Click on each photo to view it larger).

Coming Of Age Key

At one point, during the evening, the Mayor of the city came up to me with a red velvet cushion and presented me with a symbolic key to the city. He declared me officially an adult with all the duties and responsibilities the coming of age brings. It was magical and powerful, it felt important. The Mayor of the city kissed me on the cheek and wished me a good life. I heard someone crying in the background…

Next February, I have been invited to my goddaughter’s coming of age, she will make 18 years of age.
I received the picture of her red dress she will wear on that day for a party in the same “Sail Club” in my hometown, still there, still celebrating so many young women.

I will refrain from showing the beautiful red dress she has selected, perhaps she will want to blog about it, instead, I will show you what I will wear at her party. My outfit is a bit retro. These are my accessories, my dress is red and black, short a bit above the knees, the nylons have a seam in the center back, very 1950’s.

Red Pochette

My father was not royal or a blazoned noble, he was a regular bloke with a regular job, who wanted the best for her daughter and a memorable 18 years old party. He is no longer in this world but the memories are grand.

Let’s enjoy the small things in life, those are the things that make life worth living. Ciao.
Valentina

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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 passionate about colors and encourages her clients to express their individual style in their homes and with the clothes they wear. She produces her own line of clothing and accessories and designs custom outfit for special occasions when her clients requested it. To better help people all over the world, she offers consultations online. She is the author of four books. Get your copy of Valentina’s book on colors: ©RED-A Voyage Into Colors on

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