#2014FallColors | Valentina Expressions

Blue Suede Shoes | Valentina Cirasola |Designer

29 Aug 2014 4 Comments

by Valentina in Friday Fashion Tags: #2014CobaltBlue, #2014FallColors, #2014RoyalBlue, #BlueSuedeShoes, #CocktailFashion, #ColorScheme, #RedVoyageIntoColors

It’s Friday Fashion!
Royal blue and Bright Cobalt Blue are in fashion this fall 2014. In a couple of weeks, I will attend a fundraiser gala and I don’t want to appear in the usual black. Instead, I will play with a brown and blue color scheme.
I know brown is not a color for the evening nor for a formal event. Never wear brown after 5:00 o’clock. However, I have designed my ensemble for cocktails and early evening events.
I chose a brown fabric chiffon with blue velvet dots. At the bottom I added a totally different fabric, still brown chiffon with larger velvet platinum color polka dots, which will make transparent volants from above the knees down and show some legs. Transparency at night is very sexy.
My top will be brown with spaghetti strings and a beaded décolletage. Blue suede shoes, a reproduction of XVII century French shoes, cobalt blue long satin gloves and a huge shawl made of the skirt’s volants will be my accessories. The skirt will be ready soon. Click on the image to see it larger.

I am very sure all the women at this fundraising event will be dressed in black as if they are going to a funeral and all the men will be in a black suit, white shirt and black tie looking more like undertakers than attendees to a happy event.
Why people think wearing black to a formal event is proper and elegant? First, black is a visual weight reducer, it makes people look 10-15% thinner. Second, black is very wearable, any skin type can wear black and third black is easy to accessorize.
However, I think the real reason is that customers are not given any other choice, except for the red color around the holidays. Fashion designers create all kinds of colors and combinations that never make it to the market. Store buyers play safe and stick to what sells the best every year: BLACK.

At the fundraising, I will not feel a fish out of the water. I am used to wearing my own creations day or night, it is not the first time I am wearing something out of the ordinary. As a designer, I have the freedom to say This Is Me, versus wearing something that has been imposed on me and perhaps my different way of seeing things will inspire others to do the same. Clothes we wear speak about who we are. Do you dare at the time when your dress up? Ciao,
Valentina
https://valentinadesigns.com/services#fashion-services

Valentina Cirasola is a trained Fashion and Interior Designer, working in the USA and Europe. 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/qNxXrB
Barnes&Nobles: http://goo.gl/q7dQ3w

In Tune With Fall | Valentina Cirasola | Interior Designer

25 Aug 2014 4 Comments

by Valentina in Home Designs Master Tags: #2014FallColors, #2014FallPantoneColors, #DecoratingTips, #HowToMixColors, #HowToUseInteriorColors, #InteriorColors, #RedVoyageIntoColors

I get excited every season when I see the new Pantone color palette released. You might say: “colors are colors and you see them all the time, especially in your work. What’s there to be so excited?” Well, I must say I don’t get to see that many colors in my clients’ home. I get to see the usual neutrals in all the tints and tones. It is just the same music season after season, if you know what I mean.
I have converted people to colorful homes, but it has been a hard process. On the hand, I do see colors in the clothes they wear and make me wonder why often their homes are totally the opposite, colorless. The answer might lay in the fact that everyone leads a frenetic life, but once home, they want to feel calm and relaxed. I go with that, after all, we have different needs. In my home I want to feel happy and get up to cheerful colors. To add colors in some of your spaces it doesn’t have to be risky or difficult and colors do not have to be in your face either. My way is to illuminate the rooms with colors.

Royal Blue-Aluminum-Radiant Orchid

Misted Yellow-Aluminum-Sangria

(Photo credits for each piece of furniture and fashion items are given to the respective owners)

Just for the sake of color argument, I put together a few boards to show how easy it is to decorate and to get dressed with the same colors of Fall 2014. I find the colors of this season being very appealing for any kind of skin, warm tones, wearable and livable.

Pablo Neruda once said: “Slowly dies the person who doesn’t risk, doesn’t change colors of dresses, doesn’t speak to stranger……”

Changing the colors of your environment will change the energy of your life. Ciao,

Valentina
http://www.valentinadesigns.com

Copyright © 2014 Valentina Cirasola, All Rights Reserved

Valentina Cirasola is an Italian Interior Designer working in the USA and Europe since 1990, specializing in kitchen, bath, wine cellar, and outdoor kitchen designs. Often people describe her as “the colorist” as she loves to color her clients’ world and loves to create the unusual. “Vogue” magazine and many prominent publications in California featured Valentina’s work. She also has made four appearances on T.V. Comcast Channel 15.
Author of three published books, the latest ©RED – A Voyage Into Colors is on the subject of colors.

Amazon: http://goo.gl/xUZfk0
Barnes&Nobles: http://goo.gl/q7dQ3w

Fall In Cozy Abandon | Valentina Cirasola | Designer

08 Aug 2014 Leave a comment

by Valentina in Friday Fashion Tags: #2014FallColors, #2014PantoneColors, #Missoni2014FallFashion, #RedVoyageIntoColors, #StellaJean2014FallFashion, #Versace2014FallFashion

I know, we are still in the summer mode, at least above the equator and we are already thinking of the next autumn, in fact, the fashion industry thinks of each season a year in advance to prepare the markets and to assure orders-deliveries to stores happen on time.

2014 Fall colors are warm, toned down and very wearable, I like the colors choices. Only Radiant Orchid from past spring will continue to stay in fall 2014.

(Photo above: Pantone Banner)

The new red called Aurora Red has a rich jewel tone and the Sangria has all the flavors of the wine. There is always a desire for red in every collection and certainly not because the world is grey. Red fits just about any skin tone and bring energy to our look. Everyone should have at least one red piece in the wardrobe.

There is still a lot of flowery prints dancing around and Bohemian style is lingering, but the military style of Donatella Versace is coming in strongly along with ethnic prints of Stella Jeans.

Ever since I can remember, the world has had an outburst of wars here and there. Often they affect the fashion industries, which changes horrible moments in our history in playful uniforms to wear every day.

As far as ethnic prints, we can combine patterns with patterns with contrasting colors and designs without feeling we have missed the mirror, in other words, in the past we would have carefully matched solid colors with patterns. Now, we have permission to wear colorful patterns against more colorful patterns. Do you feel comfortable with that and do you know how to do it?

Missoni created his collection with colors block. Love the Misted Yellow he used over ribbed light sweaters or ribbed leggings.

Furs, I hope they are eco-furs, are showing up as overlays on jackets and coats, or as light jackets and coats. I love the colors as well.

This Fall we will feel cozy with abandon, preppy and Bohemian, feminine and masculine, vintage inspiration with new current affairs can dress us creatively. Fashion contradictions or freedom to get dressed the way we want? Ciao,

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

Valentina Cirasola is a trained Fashion and Interior Designer, working in the USA and Europe. 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 and in-person. She is the author of three books. Get your copy of Valentina’s book on colors: ©RED-A Voyage Into Colors available on
Amazon: http://goo.gl/qNxXrB
Barnes&Nobles: http://goo.gl/q7dQ3w