Carnevale occurs throughout Italy, in celebration of each city’s patron saint and the start of Lent. Similar to Halloween, children dress up in a variety of costumes, chase each other with silly string and eat sugar loaded cookies called cenci. Don’t worry, the children don’t get to have all the fun! Everyone can be seen throughout the city wearing masks, each one combining different elements of Italian history and geography. The Milanese Carnevale is the last of them, ending 40 days before Easter and lasting four days longer than any other Carnevale. I celebrated Carnevale in the city center with my funky mask and runway-inspired outfit.
alice + olivia’s fall 2015 ready-to-wear show included many of the trends that have already hit Milan this season. Knee-high socks and boots, high-waisted skirts and shorts and oversized jackets are common staples seen in Milanese street style. I embraced this look in my affordable yet trendy ensemble for a fun day at Carnevale.
I love the elongating nature that knee-high socks can give to your legs, so I incorporated them into my mostly all-black look. They keep you warm while also showing a little skin between the end of the skirt to the start of the sock, which allows for the lengthening factor. Instead of a pair of over-the-knee boots, I decided to show off the socks and wear a pair of ankle booties. The skirt brought in a little bit of color, similar to the black and white styles in the alice + olivia show and sat above my belly button to be sure not to show too much skin in my ASOS crop top.
I was able to rock my one of my latest purchases—my oversized jacket. This masculine/feminine piece has been seen all over the fall 2015 Fashion Week runways. There are a few different styles shown in the alice + olivia show, but my favorite is the simple, structured coat that appears similar to a boyfriend blazer. The coast extends longer than my skirt adding a cool twist on the look.
Finally, my best accessory: my mask. Found for only nine euro in a souvenir shop, I was able to style my look around the mask and incorporate it as a fun, unique accessory. While alice + olivia may not have included masks in the show, they are supposedly an up and coming trend to look out for!
Whether you’re abroad or on your home turf, embrace yourself in the culture around you and get inspired by the looks that can come from it!
Get My Look:Â 1. An embellished Carnevale mask. 2. A structured and oversized black coat. 3. Knee-high socks.
