#SummerColors | Valentina Expressions

Happy Feriae Augusti to all the Europeans in Europe who are celebrating resting and vacation time.

Today, Italians call Ferragosto this pagan feast of the 18 A.D. made in honour of the Roman Emperor Octavian Augustus.

(The Vintage Festival 1871 – Oil on Canvas – Collection Hamburger Kunsthalle – Signature L. Alma-Tadema This file has been identified as being free of known restrictions under copyright law, including all related and neighboring rights.)

On the 1st of August, the Romans celebrated the harvest of grain, cereals and the Earth’s fertility. Under Roman Emperor Augustus workers were allowed to celebrate a day of rest after weeks of hard work in the agricultural sector and received a monetary bonus.

The festivity involved public rituals and banquets, bullfighting, sports events, excessive drinking and sex practices in which nobles, emperors, slaves, maids and the lower classes were permitted to participate. Even the working animals, such as cows and donkeys were left to relax for the whole month of August and showed off their festivity attires made of flowers.

Ferragosto became a law during the Renaissance throughout the papal states. The Catholic Church decided to move the festivity to the 15th of August which is the Assumption of Mary, as Ferragosto became so eradicated in people’s lives that the Roman Church decided to turn it into a legal festivity and made a holiday rather than suppress it. Mussolini, the Italian dictator, created “holiday trains” with extremely low-cost tickets for this festivity to allow the lower classes to visit cultural cities or to spend a few days at the seaside, from the 14th to the 16th of August.

Today, all the European Christian countries celebrate Ferragosto as a religious and a mid-summer holiday. I hope you get to take a mid-summer break, it is so important to recharge the batteries and keep on shining your light in this world. Ciao,
Valentina

Valentina Cirasola is an interior-fashion consultant, author of 6 published books, a storyteller, and a blogger of many years. Her books are non-fictional practical ideas to apply in the home, fashion, cooking and travel.
Get a copy of her books here: Amazon and Barnes&Noble

Do You Dress For Summer Heat Or Your Body? | Valentina Cirasola | Designer

I don’t mind Summer, it is a cheerful season and one that gives the permission to be lazy. I just don’t like the heat. How can I have one without the other? Yes, I might lay in shady areas sipping cool drinks all day, or I can be at the beach all day, but how do I fit work and writing into this pleasant scene?
If it is not vacation time yet and must face the daily life in the summer heat, then consider wearing flowing clothes that will move the air around your body, but keep in mind the shape of your body and try not to dress for the heat. It is so easy to get into skimpy clothes when the weather erupts to indecent degree. Grazing vulgarity to fight the heat is unfortunately a scene I see in the streets often.

(Click on each photo to view it larger)

A few Summers ago, I discovered the comfort of tunics. They don’t cling to the body, they are ample enough to allow air to circulate around the body, they are versatile to cover a bikini or go to work wearing a pair of skinny pants. They come with colorful prints and solid colors, easy to wear in the city even with city shorts, Bermuda and Capri pants.

Most of my tunics have fringes or tassels, I love the rhythm they create when I walk. I try to find very long tunics to which I make various knots to create high and low lengths in places I think look better for my body.

The last touch to make a tunic a Summer striking piece: accessorize it with chunky jewelry, flat shoes, or chunky heels if wearing skinny pants, a striking pair of sunglasses and a hat. I wear large handbags all the time, however even a cute cutch will work or a shoulder strap sac.

It doesn’t take much to look good and smart, but you must know your body and know how to highlight beautiful features and hide the parts you don’t like. Ciao,
Valentina
https://valentinadesigns.com/services#fashion-services

Valentina Cirasola is a trained Fashion-Interior Designer and author, 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 is also a TV producer and host at KMVT15. The goal of her shows is to entertain, inspire and inform, while she is living her passion. Find Valentina Design Universe TV, here: https://goo.gl/2tbN3N
Get a copy of her books here:
Barnes&Nobles: http://goo.gl/q7dQ3w