Angelo

The incredibly polished Italian fashion writer Angelo Flaccavento in Moncler Gamme Bleu.

Cropped

Samira Fricke of German Playboy adds a feminine twist to the casual-chic theme dominating the men's collections this season.

Straw anyone?

When my friend Sami and I were heading out to the beach this morning, we realized that we collectively had enough straw accessories to source a small Summer boutique.

With love from Paraggi

Good morning! Just wanted to send you a quick hello. School's out for my most beloved creature/almost three-year-old, and thus, our summer journey of bite size proportion is underway. Our first stop this season is Paraggi to visit our very dear friends. We arrived yesterday afternoon, hit the beach right away, indulged in tons of focaccia, and stayed up really late (9:30p.m.) giggling. What love! Well my time's up, as the biggest little eyes have just opened and the brightest smile is beaming from across our room. Bite size kisses for everyone.

Surprise

I knew it had to be something good when Tommy signaled me from across the street outside the John Varvatos men's Spring 2011 runway show. But I had no idea that it would be Frida Gustavsson good. Taking her picture was a lovely treat at the end of a long, cold and wet day.

Front to back

Stylist Ivo Bisiniano outside the Iceberg show.

Viviana, pajama party

But no worries as the Vogue Nippon stylist never sleeps on the job.

Camouflage

Camouflage is the new black. O.k., maybe not the new black, but definitely a favorite among stylish men like Josh Peskowitz (above) and Nickelson Wooster (below). Mr. Peskowitz is the Style Editor at Esquire.com and Mr. Wooster is the Men's Fashion Director at Neiman Marcus. Mr. Wooster is wearing Michael Bastian. Black or camouflage, I'm a fan of both looks.

All you need

All you need is a few basic looks in your closet that you can dress up or down depending on the occasion. Milanese stylist Alessia Fagioli Galeone's look is exemplary of this fashion principle. Here she takes a favorite basic look of mine, the denim button down and olive trousers, and adapts the look based on the requirements of the day.

When I met her at the Albino Deuxiem show, she had just stepped in from the rain in a super -envious windbreaker and eye catching earrings. One, you might remember that I love to observe how the fashionable brave the rain- it's because their weather friendly approaches always bring a smile to my face and brighten my day. With that said, you can totally understand my appreciation for that windbreaker. And two, how ridiculously cool are those earrings?? They are by an emerging talent whose name I will provide really soon.

Later that day, when showers had calmed, I spotted her again in the same basic look but dressed up with this lovely sequins jacket, and which because of its embellishment, she accessorized with a more sober pair of earrings.

Thanks Alessia for showing us how a basic look can take you a long way.

Incredible

The images speak for themselves. Stunning, Incredible, Spectacular! ADR in a Dolce Gabbana lace dress and leopard print YSL archive wedges.

Style...rain or shine

The weather has been horrible these first two days of the Milan men's Spring 2011 collections. But the bad weather hasn't dampened T Magazine's Bruce Pask's stylish step. He shines on in khaki, white and grey outside the Bottega Veneta show.

Julia in the evening

The always chic Julia Sarr-Jamois outside the Dolce & Gabbana 20th Anniversary Celebration for their menswear collection. To commemorate their 20 years of designing gorgeous menswear, the much adored Italian fashion designers have staged an art exhibition at the historic Palazzo Marino which serves as Milan's City Hall. Last night was the big festa. For more on the festivities stop by a dear friend of mine's blog, Opera Chic.

Flair

The Milan's menswear Spring 2011 collections kicked off yesterday and the gentlemen have arrived in style. How much do I love the elements of this gentleman's look? Did you know that I live for a beautiful double breast, navy-inspired jacket? And leopard with studds! I'm laying under my desk now from excitement. But do you see the french collar on his button down? And last but not least, the pouch, every fashionable person must have a touch of metallic to make an outfit pop. ooooh! I heart a gentleman with flair!

Zara Clogs

If you are a fan and haven't found a pair that suits you, these Zara mule-style clogs are a terrific version. What do you think?
Zara always delivers. The wedges from my aperitivo post are also fantastic.

Lady

Alice is such the lady in this fun vintage, floral romper and cardigan combo. The jumper is so sweet belted and looks fantastic with her vintage handbag. And, her Zara boots add a kind of tough girl/chic vibe to the mix. A totally fun look for an aperitivo.

oooh that hat...

was the first thing I thought when I spotted Mai on Via Montenapoleone. I love a well made straw hat for the warm weather. And to my delight "that hat" turned out to be quite a special find. Mai picked it up in an Amish town while traveling cross country across the U.S. What a perfect hat and what a perfect souvenir.

vintage, structured and ladylike

Like I mentioned in "shaved and more," this season's hottest bags are vintage ladylike beauties like the ones pictured in the collage. I couldn't help include a pic of the Hermès Constance. I stopped by the Hermès boutique on Via St. Andrea the other day to inquire about this stunning piece of arm candy. I got all the details and can even have the one I want by September. Not! LOL. I accidentally left the note card with the details on my desk and my husband the snooper found it immediately. I won't share his reaction...

In the meantime to satisfy my serious lust for this stunner of a bag, below are the vintage babes I've started collecting. It's been hard finding the perfect lover (sounds funny huh). The shoulder strap is usually missing or the buckle isn't quite what I am looking for, but I think with a few minor alterations these will be a good start. Have you found any amazing vintage ladylike bags? Where?

white antique lace, tough metal buckles

Black and white is a classic any time of the year. I love how Jennifer adds a touch of edge to her romantic vintage frock with these Acne buckle, wedge booties.

shaved and more

Another hairstyle that has maintained its allure among the P.Y.Ts of Milano is the cut made popular by "it girl" Alice Dellal a few seasons ago.

I also love the way Charlotte interprets this season's trends. To add to my previous post, denim and florals are huge in Milan right now. I personally am still living in the denim shirts and jacket that I picked up from the Gap back in April. I love them and wear them daily even with the rising Summer temperatures. I mean, long live the denim jacket- I practically O.D.'d on my Helmut Lang version with the extra long sleeves back in 2000.

Another favorite trend of mine from the current season is the return of vintage structured/ladylike handbags like the one Charlotte is carrying. I've seen sooo many gorgeous ones around town, and I've have already thrifted three; I'll definitely dedicate a post to them soon. They're the best solution if you are by chance lusting after the Celine or Hermès Constance versions.

Sweet Denim and Florals

I met Jade the other day while strolling in Brera, Milan's artsy/bohemian neighborhood. The area is super charming. It boasts Accademia di Belle Arti di Brera (The Academy of Fine Arts Brera), an amazing art school situated in a spectacular palazzo. The buildings are mostly prewar and turn-of-the-century and there are tons of tiny boutiques. It kind of reminds me Nolita in New York.

Jade's look immediately caught my eye. She's so sweet in her Zara floral jumpsuit and denim shirt. And her side braid totally sweetens the look. The side braid is really popular here in Milan. I've seen quite a few girls embracing the trend. Good for them, it's such a stunning and chic look.

L'ora dell'aperitivo

If you've ever visited Milano you may have had the pleasure of indulging in an early evening aperitivo- the Milanese version of happy hour, but a thousand times more chic. And if you were fortunate enough to enjoy an aperitivo in the springtime, then you are familiar with the infectious energy that radiates throughout the city during this time of year. Sidewalks are filled with gorgeous men and women sipping on refreshing glasses of wine and prosecco.
I'm usually on my way home at the hour of aperitivo, and sometimes I snap a picture or two. On a recent walk home, these two P.Y.Ts caught my eye with their flirty-chic aperitivo dresses-perfect for an evening out in the Spring. And aren't their Zara suede platform sandals so chic?

digital tribal geometrics

By now you might know that I am a huge fan of prints. Maybe it's because I spent the first six years of my life in a tropical paradise where colorful prints were a staple of everyday dress. So it's totally fitting that I am smitten with the graphic print of Rachel's dress. The colors kind of remind me of African tribal fabrics and the digital stamp is super clever. The thing that I love the most is that Rachel keeps the look simple with understated, anonymous accessories that make the dress stand out even more.

P.S. Do you notice my efforts to keep you cool? I tried to create some digital breeze with my previous post. And, here I offer you a hint of a cool gelato. I hope that you are enjoying the warm weather. X, Tamu

Happy Summer!

O.k., for as long as I can remember (and I must confess that my memory has been somewhat compromised since giving birth), I thought that the first day of Summer was June 21st- it is in the U.S.. So on June 1st when I heard an announcement on the radio referring to the beginning of the season, I just tuned out the program like I sometimes do when something doesn't make sense (I know, not very productive). Then this past weekend I was talking to an Italian friend and she wished me happy Summer. I responded, "look Summer doesn't begin until June 21st." And she made the distinction, "June 21st is actually the longest day of the year and June 1st is the first day of Summer." Well I wasn't going to argue with a good friend- when in Rome...or Milan. So with this fun pic of Francesca, I wish you Happy Summer! Don't you think her outfit is beyond perfect for breezy, summer days? And how brilliant is her smile? It screams, "thank god summer is here!" And thank god it has arrived early here in Italy!

Tube Top

Yes, I'm obsessed with fashion's return to the seventies: camel tones, flare pants, structured handbags, platforms and wedges! I can't help it, I always get sooo excited and curious about the styles we will see on the runways and on the streets when we look to past decades for inspiration. So, yes I was thrilled when I bumped into Therese the other day in another seventies favorite: the tube top! She's stunning in red and wears this Filippa K tube with such ease. I myself stay away from tube tops. They always slide down and cause me to fidget. I remember wearing them as a teenager (in the nineties). But back then my appetite for fashion was so viscous that I probably wouldn't have noticed if the tube slipped down and around my ankles.

Sun Dress

This shade of nude is so pretty on Dasha's skin. Plus it compliments her honey colored fish-tail braid. And how fun are her spotted sunglasses? She's totally dressed for the sun. Have a sun-filled weekend!

the shrunken blazer

After the past few seasons of relaxed-fit, boyfriend jackets and eighties-inspired blazers with their exaggerated shoulders, the ladies on the streets of Milan have started to opt for more fitted/deflated-at-the-shoulder versions. It's kind of weird to see them though, I have gotten so used the Balmain shoulders. But welcomed they are as these girls look fantastic!

corset peek-a-boo

You guys will be very proud of me when I tell you that instead of purchasing a new item of clothing or a much wanted Celine bag, I invested in a much needed zoom lens (24-70mm, f/2.8). Oh when responsibility calls!
And boy is it a stunner. The only problem is that it has left me stunned as how to use it properly. So I have been testing it out a bit, and here is one of my first images. While I am not happy about the results, I really love Ekaterina's style and felt compelled to share. Playful and laid back, the detail that attracts me the most is the barely noticeable pale-pink corset poking out from her cardigan.

P.S. 24-70mm users, write me!

Sporty Lace

Love the way Djiga mixes this season's favorite trends: a cool denim jacket, an army green sweatshirt, a ruffle-lace skirt made by her mom, and ever-cool Ann Demeulemeester strappy sandals.

Floral Forces

Isabel Costa's gorgeous look reminds of the military greens and lovely florals that came down the Dries Van Noten Fall 2010 catwalk. This look is perfect for me- I am currently living in a similar blazer by Theory. And, maybe I'll try the look out with my favorite military-green trousers or my new Giuseppe Zanotti military-inspired, peep-toe boots (Triple S: sample sale score).

Isabel is the director of Fashion Clinic, a Portuguese fashion boutique specializing in luxury brands.