Simply and Elegantly Dressed, with Annalisa Miniutti Over My Shoulder

Many of you know that on my last trip to Italy I spent a day in Rovigo with Italian handbag designer Annalisa Miniutti and her husband Massimo. While there, we decided that it would be great to import a new shipment of leather handbags to the U.S.

The group of bags that we’ve received is varied- tote bags for travel, leather shoulder bags, leather clutch handbags- some casual, others a bit more dressy. And some have chains as handles, reminiscent of the Chanel bags. Because we are direct importers, we are able to showcase designer handbags for less.

We like to keep our color palette simple- black, navy, neutral, off-white. For me, the more simply colored I am dressed and accessorized, the clearer I can think, and the better I can go about my day! That doesn’t mean boring. But I do focus on clean lines, with a bit of an edge, and nothing frilly.

I also feel that quality is key. Your Italian handbag doesn’t have to shout out identifiable logos. In fact nothing about your outfit has to shout out anything. And you don’t have to spend a crazy amount of money. For me, I prefer a quieter sophistication. It’s all in the cut, the fit, and the way you put it all together.

Creating Elegance with Simplicity, Without Spending a Fortune

Elegance, fun and simplicity- they can go hand in hand- and very easily. One of the tips I learned from my years living and shopping in Italy is that lots of pieces that are in your closet right now, you probably don’t need. Less is more. When I worked for Macy’s buying office in Florence, sometimes Italian women would come to work a few days in a row wearing the same clothes- and they had slept at home! Can’t say I’ve ever dressed that way.

Italian homes are smaller, their closets are way smaller than ours and they know that some special accessories or a new leather handbag can add simple elegance. A pin, a shawl, a strong necklace or a pair of earrings can freshen up last year’s outfit – and give you a lift.

And keep your colors neutral- whatever neutral palette is best for you- is it black and grey? Is it brown and beige? I use my clothes as a background on which to add texture, a burst of color, a particular necklace that I love, a pair of boots- or even a special red lipstick that goes well with my coloring.

Please- don’t try to make your bag and shoes and necklace and scarf all matchy matchy- and wear just one or two special items at a time. Sometimes a bag and a scarf are all you need. That’s where the clean elegance comes in. Nonchalantly all put together.

So have fun dressing; life is too short not to. A presto.

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The Light in the Piazza

“It’s something about the light.” That’s what I said to myself one afternoon as I stopped in my tracks in Piazza della Signoria. One day last May, as I was walking through the piazza, which of course I’ve done thousands of times, something very special caught my attention. The late afternoon spring light, so pure, clean, and soft, as it shone on the ground, in the air, over the people sitting at Cafe' Rivoire, and on the walls of the Palazzo Vecchio across the way, was transporting me to another level of awareness. I know it sounds crazy, but my senses, from head to toe, were heightened to a new place. Tears came over me, and I just stood, bursting with joy, marveling at the light in the piazza.

I had just come from a dizzying but exciting visit at Angela Caputi on Via Santo Spirito. For those of you who aren’t familiar with the name, Signora Caputi is an elegant Florentine woman, who has been designing high-end creative costume jewelry in Florence since the 1970’s. We love to import merchandise from her because each season, she manages to wow her beloved and loyal followers with colorful creations- necklaces, bracelets, earrings and pins- in a variety of styles and colors. And with Angela Caputi jewelry, there’s always something for everyone- whether your style is conservative or more edgy.

The art of choosing what to import from Italy for our website takes quite a bit of practice and a fair amount of confidence. I guess we just follow the light inside of us, helped along by the light in the city. Can’t go wrong with that.   

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