The Ladybug and her little thrifted black dress

I am showing for the first time one of my favorites thrifted finds ever.

It is a black Topshop dress with small flowers that I found many years ago used on Ebay and that I bought for only two pounds! I loved its vintage inspiration and of course its price! The dress was in perfect conditions but I didn’t realize that the back was completely open, which I really couldn’t afford considering my big breast!

With my lovely friend Ilaria from Madame Ilary we decided to use the belt of the dress to create some strips to cover the back…and she also added a bow on the front! I loved the result and I can now easily wear this dress that I love also for its versatility.

In this set of pictures I paired it with light blue handmade turban by Madame Ilary, teal and golden t-bar shoes from Lazzari Store and Zara earrings.

The Ladybug goes for the bronze medal

Bronze, gold, silver…how hard it is to wear these colors? I love them and I often wear golden or silver boots and other accessories but when it comes to clothing the story becomes quite hard.

Not that I use to move back from fashion challenges, I totally love to push it a bit when I can but this often means facing people comments or strange glances in the street! I’m quite used to that but every now and then it just gets on my nerves!

I knew all this when I decided to buy and wear this amazing culottes and turban bronze combo from Heka Couture but I tested it for the first time in Paris where people were absolutely loving it! But Paris is Paris and Milan is Milan…but you know what? Who cares? “Let people stare at you and keep being fabulous”: this is what I say to myself when a glimpse of doubt crosses my mind!

So I wore my combo for work and then a movie date with a friend, matching it with Topshop pale blue shirt and Mango leather biker jacket.  I added killer black heels from 8 at Yoox, cameo ring from Alcozer & Co. and handmade earrings by Metalica Creazioni.

So what do you think? Fashion yay or nay?

The Ladybug and a pinky Sicilian sunset

Honestly this year it is harder than usual to get into the winter mood: maybe I was just hit by winter on my way back from Sri Lanka and I still cannot stand the idea of wearing coats and tights but I think that I will keep posting summer outfits for a while!

Also because I have so much still to share from my summer, starting from my wonderful trip to Senegal and some nice views and outfits from my homeland, Sicily.

This set of pictures was taken during my first day at home in Sicily: while enjoying a walk with my sister along the sea we realized that there was a wonderful pink sunset that perfectly matched my off shoulder top from Topshop!

As usual when I am at home I was super relaxed and my outfit just mirrored the idea; I paired the top with loose jeans from Zara and super cool accessories:  the round straw Moroccan bag was my summer favorite as I wore it almost every day, it is an Etsy find (btw Etsy is my new addiction!); earrings are from Zara (I bought them at the airport on the way back home just to celebrate the new opening of a Zara store in Malpensa airport!) and shoes are Birkenstock’s (another summer favorite: I basically wore these every day in Senegal and in Sicily!).

The Ladybug About Keith Haring Art

When I saw the advert of the upcoming Keith Haring exhibit in Milan I couldn’t help thinking of my last (and first) Keith Haring exhibit. I was in New York in 2012 and I was staying in Brooklyn in a B&B. I found there the flyer of Keith Haring exhibition at Brooklyn Museum and I felt so happy and grateful to have the chance to see his art for the first time in New York! I enjoyed that exhibit so much that I could never forget it! It’s definitely in “my best memories ever” archive!

The good feelings came to my mind immediately and I wasn’t sure if going or not as I didn’t want to ruin my Brooklyn memories. I decided to have a look anyway and it was a great decision! The exhibit that I saw in 2012 was more focused on Keith Haring adverts and drawings in New York subway stations and even if I found a few here in Milan the exhibit was basically different.

110 of Keith Haring works were exposed, from public and private collections from all over the world. Some of them were shown in Italy for the very first time. The exhibition tries to create a link between Keith Haring works and their source of inspiration: from classical art to pre-Columbian art, from American Indian and Pacific masks to his favorite artists, such as Pollock and Klee.

His colorful pieces are a joy for the eye but very often pain and frustration for the world lie behind them. I have always loved his art and I was happy to discover that some of my favorite pieces of him were exposed there.

The exhibit will be in Milan at Palazzo Reale until 18^th of June 2017, so don’t miss your chance to discover (or re-discover, as it was my case!) this incredibly talented artist-activist. 

For the exhibit I wore ASOS black dungaree, Topshop palm shirt and an almost vintage leather jacket! I paired with Madame Cosette velvet ankle boots and Michael Kors Bucket bag.

The Ladybug’s oversized Sunday brunch

It is now in our running routine to organize a brunch or lunch after every run, especially when we run early in the morning and we deserve proper food and drink to reward our double effort (running and waking up early during the weekends!).

After our Strawoman run we decided to try one of the most interesting venues in town, Otto in Chinatown.

We loved the place, the beautiful green area outside and the welcoming space inside. We had a perfect after-run brunch with avocado toast, potatoes, fruits, Greek yogurt with honey and orange juice (ok, we had also a small dessert!) and we had the time to take some pictures around.

I was very tired from the run so I decided to take it easy and comfy with an oversized outfit for a Sunday casual brunch!

I wore my oversized Topshop denim shirt with oversized Zara culottes, Superga shoes and Celine sunglasses. I added handmade fish necklace from Pamphlet and souvenir folk bag from Ecuador (a present brought to me by a lovely friend visiting South America…I love when people bring me things from their trips!).

The Ladybug on curls and contemporary art (at Boccioni exhibit!)

I finally learned to embrace my curls, I can say it loud and proud now! Many people ask me if this is my real hair or I made something to make them curly, well this is my real white-afro hair!

I can’t explain how my life changed since I finally accepted and loved my natural hair! I spent more than 25 years using straightening products because I wanted so much those classy straight hair instead of my lioness mane but I have finally fell in love with it (never too late!). I think it represents me so well and it really expresses my personality at the point that I cannot see myself with straight hair anymore!

You may wonder why I am so much into self-acceptance today and the reasons are: 1. I am always into self-acceptance and self-support; 2. I took this pictures just after a good haircut at my favorite hairdresser in Milan (the one who made me understand how great my hair was!) which explains why my curls are just curlier than usual!

The real goal of the post was to tell you about my visit at the Boccioni exhibit in Milan at Palazzo Reale (until the 10^th of July) but if I have to be honest, I expected a bit more from it. Too much space for Boccioni’s early works and so little room left for the futuristic artist that I love and appreciate! Still I think it is worth a visit for the second part of the exhibit and for the exhibit “2050” that could be visited with the same ticket until the 29^th of May, exposing 46 contemporary artists with 50 pieces interpreting the future of the planet. A great surprise and an amazing exhibit on contemporary art including one of my favorite artists, Louise Bourgeois.

I wore Zara pale pink spring coat, Topshop palm shirt and mom jeans (both from my last trip to Topshop in Edinburgh!), Nike 4 Other Stories white sneakers.

The Ladybug and the forbidden apple in Milan

Most of my outfit posts starts exactly like this: during a walk, an aperitif, a dinner or any other event, if I see something that I like or a nice place for a little shooting, I ask poor people who are with me to take pictures of me. I don’t prepare them in advance, because I like for them to be spontaneous and to reveal the real way I wear my daily outfits.

This is what happened for this one too. It was an hot Sunday afternoon in Milan and I was enjoying a walk and a cold beer with a friend in Parco Sempione when I saw – again – the famous Apple created by Michelangelo Pistoletto especially for Expo 2015. The 8-meter apple completely covered by grass and reintegrated with the famous missing piece with a metallic stitch, represents the possible connection between nature and artifice and was already exposed in Piazza Duomo in May. I was surprised to see it here again and it inspired me an outfit post!

That day I wore suede shorts from Topshop (from a few seasons ago) and a simple white tee from Cos. I added my animal print espadrilles from Dune London, an handmade necklace that I bought last summer in a Singapore market and a vintage 70’s leather bag with metal handle from Cavalli e Nastri in Milan.

The Ladybug’s first “marketing” experience: East Market Milano with Madame Ilary

In the last two years I have been asked tons of times why I didn’t start selling “for real” instead of only selling my vintage and thrifted goods online. I have been asked if I wanted to open a shop or if I thought of selling during vintage markets and events. My answer is yes! I still dream of having a vintage shop or of having enough space in my house to keep all my vintage and thrifted collection in a storage room and to bring it around during the weekends and selling it at funny markets all around Italy.

Still, as I’m not working on it for the next future, I am keeping open my Ebay shop (btw feel free to have a look at it whenever you want – you can find the direct link in the Contact page) and I am enjoying the online selling which allows you sometimes to start new virtual friendships all over the world!

At the same time, when my friend Ilaria from Madame Ilary asked me to share a stall with her at the East Market in Milan I couldn’t say no, for many different reason: first of all it was a “first” for both and I really wanted to make this experience with her as we often talked about that; it was a way to test our business and see how it worked “in the street”; secondly the place was really perfect: the area of Lambrate where the market takes place is vibrant and full of life lately and I thought it was perfect for our “launch”; last but not least, the East Market is for sure one of my favorite markets in Milan: full of interesting people, street food, flower market and a beautiful area outside to eat, drink and chat.

I wasn’t wrong as we enjoyed the experience pretty much and we had a lot of fun even if we felt like the beginners of the market as most of stallers were way more experienced than us! Still it was the occasion to meet new people, to find old friends (like my beloved Francesca from Metalica who had a stall not far from us!) and to sell some vintage accessories and the wonderful handmade turbans made by Ilaria. The atmosphere was really interesting, a lot of people of different age, interests and style, a kind of potpourri that I appreciated a lot, definitely a great experience!

This means that you better watch out as you will probably see me around again in a market near you…in the meanwhile keep having a look at my Ebay shop!

I wore Dixie black culottes, Topshop white shirt, vintage bag by Frendo Vintage, New Balance sneakers, Nepalese silver necklace and handmade African turban by Madame Ilary.

The Ladybug in Turbans Wonderland: The Grand Opening of Sine Modus

Sometimes being happy for other people’s success is really hard, I know. Most of the time, it’s because we don’t think it is really deserved and we pass our false felicity for their fortune with the notion that it is just good luck or make other haphazard excuses for their success. But believe me, when it is completely deserved and is the fruit of hard work, you cannot be anything other than happy and even a bit proud, especially when you were one of those who believed in it.

This is what happened with me for the huge success of the beautiful Manuela and Chiara, the amazing souls behind Sine Modus. But let me start from the beginning, which means December 2013 when I met them at the Lekker Market and could not move away from their stall of amazing turbans. You may know already my passion for hats, turbans, headbands, fascinators and anything that you can wear on your head, to the point that I often feel naked when I can’t wear something on it- especially in winter. And their handmade turbans were to die-for! I even bought one, not the one that I chose at first, but a turquoise one that they put on my head and I just fell in love with at that very exact moment. They were mostly classic turbans but very well done, with amazing variety of materials and with incredible shades and decorations. But what really made me crazy was the fact that their turbans were recycled from vintage dresses and shirts, giving them new life under the form of turbans. Since then I felt that they “had something:” they told me that they mostly sold at markets and events and that I could find them on Facebook if I wanted more handmade turbans. Which I did, of course. Every time they were at some market/event I went to find them to try new pieces (as they evolved to new more structured forms) and of course to get some new turbans to add to my collection. When I wear their turbans it’s always a smashing success (people stopping me everywhere in the streets and asking me about them – even in London!). We often talked about them selling online or even open a shop- and then it happened, almost a year after we first met. I was full of joy when I received their invitation for the opening because they were finally rewarded for their hard working and of course because I finally have a place where I can find them whenever I want!

It is a cute little shop in Milan on via Pomponazzi, 22 full of vintage pieces (from clothing to accessories) and of course loads of hats and their famous handcrafted turbans! You can recognize it from the big “ Vintage is in the Air” quote on their window and from the two beautiful and talented girls inside!

Well done ladies, very well done!

I wore Topshop silk shirt, Zara pleated skirt, Lazzari oxfords and of course one of my adored Sine Modus handmade turbans!

The Ladybug is a Vintage Bike Rider at the Tweed Ride in Milan

A few years ago in London I saw one of the most beautiful things in my life: hundreds of riders of vintage bikes amazingly dressed in impeccable vintage style all along the city center. I then found out that this very popular and famous event was very famous in London under the name, Tweed Run. Since then I tried, without succeeding, to participate in one of the London events, but I was never able to manage it.

Until now!

During my summer holidays at home I found out about the Tweed Ride Italia: the concept was almost the same, but with a glimpse of Italian passion! I couldn’t imagine that there were enough people with this passion in Italy to create many events throughout the country, but I was wrong. I immediately contacted Ferruccio, the founder and the soul of the Tweed Ride, and he gave me the amazing news that the Tweed Ride was coming to Milan in September. It took me few minutes to check the site and subscribe to the event!

I didn’t have a vintage bike. Well, there was my old bike which I picked up second hand not too long ago. I didn’t have time to make it nice like the others by decorating it with flowers and all, and I wasn’t prepared to go all out with gingham clothes and handmade cakes, but I had some clothes that could fit the event! The main sponsor of the event was Avirex, the famous clothing brand and indeed everything started and ended at one of their shops in Milan. From Piazza San Babila we rode all around the city center, the liberty area, the Navigli, the Montanelli park to end up in the amazing Avirex store in via Comelico with a huge space outside to share drinks and something to eat.  There was an award ceremony and a flashmob styled dance session showcasing some cool swing and charleston with the amazing guys of Non Solo Charleston!

Maintaining the heart of vintage, Tweed Ride Italia was also a charity event- donating a part of our subscription fee to the non-profit organization ProAdamo which helps in research for prostate cancer and supports those affected by this form cancer and their families.

It is hard to explain how great it was and how it felt because I was so full of delight and surprised of finally participating… in my own country. And yes, maybe also the fact of sharing like passions for cycling with style and for vintage dressing, ’40s dancing and music in Piazza San Babila while waiting for the ride to start, seeing happy faces of everyone participating, smiles and the waves of the people looking at us and just the atmosphere individually and collectively take all the great words to describe my experience away from me and leave me with: “I really had the greatest time! Now I am just waiting for the next one!!”

For my outfit… it isn’t actually vintage except for the ’40s bag that I found on Ebay, but I am wearing a J.Crew dress found for a ridiculous price at a charity shop in London, Topshop golden flats and an AMAZING turban handmade from my talented friend Ilaria (Madame Ilary). I added tons of fake and real pearls… but no diamonds!