How Gina Dresses for a Day in Firenze
Florence is one of the most beautiful and romantic cities in the world. It’s not only the birthplace of the Italian Renaissance, but home to some major moda (that means “style” for the non-Italians among us.)
Even amidst the sea of tourists that fill the many piazze, there’s always great style to be found on the streets of Firenze. In fact, as you’ll learn later in this month’s issue, some of the most lauded Italian fashion houses in the world like Gucci, Pucci, Cavalli and Ferragamo have their roots in this stylish city.
When it came to this week’s outfit, I wanted to nod to the opulence of classic Florentine style while keeping Gina’s look casual and chic. It all started with this colorful burnout velvet button down blouse—and it almost ended there too.
Imagine if you will, a crowded van on a crowded street next to the grand halls of the Ufizzi Gallery filled with bags and bags of clothes. Gina and I were parked on the side of the Ponte Vecchio Bridge, dodging tour groups and trying to pick out the perfect outfit. And when I busted out this top to start building the look, I got some serious eye-roll. I believe Gina’s first response was “Really, Sam? Velvet?” Since one of us is a celebrated Stylist, and the other a celebrated Sicilian, you can figure out the exchange that followed, but once I coaxed Ms. DeVee into the shirt, things quickly came together.
Velvet is not only a key trend this season, but a gorgeous way to add some shine and luxurious texture to your daytime looks for fall. The colors in the top were rich and autumnal and since the fabric was done in a burnout, and not all over velvet, it felt more fresh and modern. Pairing the top with a slim dark jean made the velvet feel less serious but still kept things elevated.
I wanted to add a layer that not only upped the wow factor but also created some extra curve and shape in the process with some soft structure. I’ve been dying to use Gina’s black Burberry trench for a while now, and this rainy day in Florence could not have been more perfect.
There were two things I loved about this trench, the ¾ length and the subtle sheen of the fabric. The length was great because it allowed me to tie the belt off in the back and create more of an A-line shape, which highlighted Gina’s small waist and created a classic hourglass curve. The richness of the fabric played beautifully with the velvet top making for a polished high-end look.
As beautifully as things were coming together, I wanted to push the envelope a bit and add something unexpected and playful to the outfit. I’m a big fan of mixing prints—which I like to call advanced styling. And though many of you might stress the outcome when trying this at home, some of our best styling moments come out of mistakes or simple trial and error, so never play it safe and don’t be boring!
Although these patent leather Christian Louboutin leopard pumps torture Gina’s feet, we LOVE how they look with almost everything—Murphy’s Law. For whatever reason, they totally transform average into amazing without fail. Plus, you know the Italians love a dash of leopard print (see Dolce e Gabbana, Valentino and basically every other iconic Italian designer and their collections). The warm tones in the leopard print complimented the colors in the blouse and added a playful pop that really completed the look.
I will admit these pumps were not built for the cobblestone streets of Florence, but if you have a short ethnic guy named Sam carrying your flats for you, and he can swap them out between shots, you’re good.
The finishing touches were pretty simple. Some gorgeous rose gold jewels and Gina’s favorite new Cavalli tote with a metallic chain handle added some extra glamour to this very chic outfit. Bellissima!
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