03.04.2014

My new black leather jacket and a lot of daydreams

03.04.2014

My new black leather jacket and a lot of daydreams

I love train stations and their atmosphere. Every time I’m in one, I catch myself dreaming of new encounters, new places, imagining the feeling I could get from boarding a train without knowing its destination, setting off on a new adventure.

It’s the daydreams that fool you, especially the romantic ones and those far from reality. Those in which life seems happier because it doesn’t involve the obligations and difficulties of the daily grind. Our fantastical wanderings of the mind are a natural fuel that helps us through our lives… but the true strength lies in being able to transport them into the present and share them here with those we love.

Last Sunday, Giorgio and I went to Florence, by train, of course, for a wander around the city. A lovely, sunny day, almost spring-like; one of those days that you wish would never end, a sign that the warm weather is on its way. And so I wore my new leather jacket ( actually, eco leather ) from Zara, a timeless classic that most of you will have in your wardrobes, and that I can’t wait to put on at the very first sign of spring. Best of all is the biker jacket, which appeared in 1928, designed by the American Irving Schott, in order to keep motorcyclists warm. The main feature was the diagonal zip, which protected from the wind and guaranteed that the jacket wouldn’t lift up with movement. It cost five dollars fifty…. Can you imagine?! It’s come a long way from there, wouldn’t you say? Although the design has stayed pretty much the same, it has undergone some modifications over the years: decorative studs and chains in the seventies, elasticated waist in the nineties, more fitted and feminine in the noughties. Born in 1966, I have worn one almost all my life, though not always the same one!

Totally versatile, it can be worn with anything, from grunge-style skinny jeans and a t-shirt, to a more feminine rock-style skater skirt, or even with an evening dress.

I opted for layers: very fitted trousers worn under a skirt, also in eco leather, hoodie, t-shirt with graphics and turquoise high-tops by Barons Papillom, to brighten up the black.  A look that fits my good mood and my desire for the new, typical of this period of transition.

Even our photos seem to reflect this mood and somehow describe the changing season, the passage from winter to spring; the method we used was, indeed, making use of the shadows and light.

Florence train station turned out to be the ideal backdrop: the platforms and roofing created interesting, geometrical shapes with the light, which we used to make the subject ( in this case, me! ) stand out. Although the look was a decidedly dark street rock, the effect we wanted to create was one of luminosity and contrast. We hope it worked.

For these shots, we used a digital reflex camera and a 50mm lens. In order to bring out the softness between the changing light and shadow, we decided to use a very shallow depth of field and short shutter speed. There was no choice but to use high ISO shots, seeing as we didn’t have a tripod with us, which would otherwise definitely be recommended in this sort of situation.

We really hope that our images give you a feel of the atmosphere of that spring day! We look forward to our next post!
Love
Sandra and Giorgio

About the author: my name is Sandra, I’m 47 years old. I’m a maths teacher and I started my fashion blog roughly three years ago: http://www.smilingischic.com. I love contrast and I am naturally very inquisitive; this has led me to reject the confines of stereotype and the rules imposed by age or profession.
The fashion I love and follow is colourful, original, fun and accessible too. In fact, what I’ve always loved doing most is mixing different  and affordable pieces. To be honest, it’s a lot easier to enjoy dressing up if you have lots of money… but there is more fun to be had in research, recycling, experimenting. My blog came about as a challenge, between me and technology, between me and a society that continues to judge too much by appearances. The main aim, however, was to combine my love of fashion with my conviction that a smile is the most powerful weapon we own: as an approach, as a form of therapy and as a gift. Thus my blog, my creation, has grown over the years, fitting together my passion for fashion with that of my lifelong partner, Giorgio, for photography and street style. Just like the pieces of a puzzle that I often feel was created long ago. Now my blog has become our blog, and it takes up nearly all of our free time, providing us with unexpected and welcome opportunities for fun, sharing, new encounters and… work. 

A challenge I won against myself.

“…Cultivate your smile to be like your life: varied, different, harmonious and generous…”

You can also find me on : Facebook , Pinterest, Twitter, Instagram and Google +. 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Smilingischic/219493101432679?fref=ts
Twitter: https://twitter.com/SandraBacci
Instagram: http://instagram.com/smilingischic
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/smilingischic/
Google+: https://plus.google.com/+Smilingischic/posts

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