2 – Page 12 – Nicole Ballardini

GREY COAT WITH WHITE HEELS – MY TOP 5 PICKS

Written by nickyinsideout on February 6, 2017. Posted in 2, Fashion. 14 Comments on GREY COAT WITH WHITE HEELS – MY TOP 5 PICKS

Happy Monday!!! It is going to be a busy week full of events, but first I am going to share with you this new look!

I rounded up my favourites – high end and high street – grey coat with white heels combo, in case you would like to re-create this look!

I love a good classic grey coat – the perfect timeless piece in our closet! A grey coat with white heels is a match made in heaven.. I am obsessed at the moment! Just worn it with a good pair of jeans, a grey coat should be a staple in each closet! Here are my top 5 favourites:

RIVER ISLAND: the one I am wearing! I love the big collar and the long length.
RAG & BONE: Love the mens-wear inspired cut.
THE FIFTH LABEL: Another mens-wear inspire with a feminine touch given by the belt.
ASOS: Loving the boyfriend fit and dark shade of grey.
MANGO: Another informal cut with a very cool hardware silver detail.

My top 5 white heels:

ZARA: Similar to the ones I am wearing.
VINCE: These are actually flat but a very trendy shape for this SS17.
HELMUT LANG: The stacked heel is pure perfection!
TOPSHOP: Loving the open back.
URBAN OUTFITTERS: Love the vintage feeling.

Let me know which ones are your favourites and wish you a great week ahead!!

Inside Out the Look:

{TREND SS17} LARGE STRAP BAG

Written by nickyinsideout on February 1, 2017. Posted in 2, Fashion. 11 Comments on {TREND SS17} LARGE STRAP BAG

After visiting every designer website on the hunt for the perfect spring handbag, I have decided to embrace the large strap bag trend.

This beauty from Lido Venezia just arrived last week and I couldn’t wait to get over my flu to go out and wear it! The large strap is in line with this SS17 trend I want to be wearing in spring and the stripy white, navy and red strap just screams for warmer spring days. I cannot resist a made in Italy leather designer bag. Just by the look of it you can tell the very good quality!

February is here and it is time for fashion month again! Emma is still too little for me to be able to travel too much, but as every season I allow myself to one fashion week at least! Flights and hotel are already sorted and I will be in London in about two weeks! I am already looking forward to see everyone, of course the shows, events and meetings, plus this year we are going to shoot a few special projects over the fashion week weekend.

Today I am combining my new Lido Venezia bag with my beloved stripy coat I keep on wearing this winter. I like the stripe on stripe look of the coat and large strap bag. Finally, I loved wearing a cold shoulder knit to add a more feminine touch.

I wish you a great February ahead and don’t forget to check out the Lido Venezia collection and different large strap bag models. This italian brand really deserves a close look!

Inside Out the Look:

I am wearing the Large Top Handle Bag in Leather from Lido Venezia.

The cold shoulder top is from Costes and the rest of the items I am wearing are linked below in pretty alternatives currently in stock:

Created in collaboration with Lido Venezia. Story, styling, photography and creative direction my own. Shoot in Amsterdam.

HOW I FINALLY BALANCE MY TIME BETWEEN WORK AND BABY

Written by nickyinsideout on January 28, 2017. Posted in 2, Fashion. 11 Comments on HOW I FINALLY BALANCE MY TIME BETWEEN WORK AND BABY

Sometimes I like sharing with you some topics not solely fashion related and talk about my personal experience. Today is about how I finally found a balance to share my time between work and Emma.

I am not here to say it is easy to be a mom trying to juggle a business with a family life. It is everything but easy. It took me quite some time to find a good way, in fact, Emma grew into a 18 months toddler in the meantime 😉 Luckily I have this new stunning and chic timepiece from Larsson & Jennings helping me to keep organised!

Both Menno and myself work free lance and the fact we don’t have strict office hours facilitate the whole situation in a way. For the first year of life as a mom, I had Emma full time and it’s been very often a struggle to find the time to work during ‘daylight’.. The time I could dedicate to myself and my work was mainly during her naps, one day a week she was staying with daddy and I could mainly work at night after putting her to bed.

When Emma was closer to the year of age and my work loads kept on growing we had to start thinking of childcare. This is easier to say than actually make the decision. It feels very easy now but back then, I had to let go of the guilt of thinking someone else would take care of my child for most time of the week. I think that actually making the decision and find the right place for her it was the most difficult part.

I am not here to say I discovered the hot water with childcare. I think I am a much better mom with doing what I am passionate about, without living with the frustration of never having time to cope with everything and every minute spent with Emma becomes more precious.

Some things in my life had to change. Living the moment is not an option anymore. I have to be super organised starting from the little things. If I try to leave nothing to the case, life becomes a little easier. Little things like planning the night before mine and Emma’s outfits, the next days meals, keeping a fridge always stocked up and who does what sharing the tasks with Menno. Life is now lived around priorities, which means everything rotate around Emma’s needs. Discipline became a daily routine and I divide my tasks I can do when Emma is around or not.

Finally, I make sure I always allow some me time during the week! Lunch with a friend in a pretty spot, a new manicure, some shopping.. anything that makes you feel good with yourself and reloaded!

This way I am able to drop my bags when I come home from the office and dedicate my time fully to Emma. My home time is Emma’s time and not ‘struggling-to-get-things-done-while-taking-care-of-a-baby’ time. The quality time I can spend with her, that time have no price in the world!

Inside Out the Look:

Created in collaboration with Larsson & Jennings. Story, styling, photography and creative direction my own. Shoot at The Pulitzer, Amsterdam.

MERCEDES-BENZ FASHIONWEEK AMSTERDAM – THE VIDEO

Written by nickyinsideout on January 25, 2017. Posted in 2, Fashion. 1 Comment on MERCEDES-BENZ FASHIONWEEK AMSTERDAM – THE VIDEO

A couple of weeks ago, if you remember from my Instagram stories, I went to Rotterdam with Iris to film for Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Amsterdam. It was a super fun day! We picked up the car at the Mercedes-Benz headquarter in Utrecht, we drove to Rotterdam to meet the designer Alexandra Frida, we had a really nice lunch, some shooting and shopping. A very #fashionabledrive and a day to remember! Here is finally the full video!

[evp_embed_video url=”http://nicoleballardini.com/wp-content/uploads/MercedesFWDashOfFashV3-HD.mp4″]

Created in collaboration with Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Amsterdam.

FULL TIME BLOGGER: I TURNED MY HOBBY INTO MY JOB

Written by nickyinsideout on January 5, 2017. Posted in 2, Fashion. 16 Comments on FULL TIME BLOGGER: I TURNED MY HOBBY INTO MY JOB

Three years ago I could only dream of answering ‘I am a full time blogger for a living‘. .

If I look back now, I was in a totally diffent place. Literally. At that time I used to work (already in fashion) and live in London, I was dating my boyfriend only since a few months and baby Emma was not even a remote plan. Instead, what was there already, was a big passion for fashion and a hobby that started mainly out of curiosity. With passion and dedication nickyinsideout kept on growing and I’ve been a full time blogger since a year now.

How did I make it?

Big passion. Hard work.

Many people still think my job is just about posting pretty pictures. It is, in a nutshell. But personally, it took much more to become a full time blogger. While I was putting every minute of my free time into my hobby I started to put more effort into my photography, I created a more professional website and I built a community on my Instagram.

I didn’t start nickyinsideout for money. I always purely followed a dream. Maybe this was the key to success? It’s always been me, sharing my personal casual-chic style, the current trends I loved and mixing and matching high street with high end brands. Becoming a full time blogger was the result of doing it every single day.

One of my priorities was always the relationship with my readers. I’ve always replied all their comments and when possible reciprocate the interest. This way I built my Instagram community. We are over 70K by now and my pictures are seen by over half million people every month, almost 700,000 to be exact! I’ve always tried to stay true to myself and only wear brands and styles I truly like and enjoy wearing. Finally, I never skip a day posting on my Instagram and I am very critical on the type of content I post. I never share a picture or an outfit I don’t like 99,9%..

Following your passion and becoming your own boss is the most scary but at the same time exciting thing! Whatever will happen, you can look back and be proud of having followed your dreams. However will go, it will make you a stronger and experienced person. That’s already worth the effort in my opinion. It’s a life changing experience. There are no ‘office hours’, no real weekends or holidays. You will be dedicating all your time and efforts to your own business and this comes hand in hand with a big personal satisfaction.

I believe we are all good at something. In my case could be styling an outfit or an image and what are you good at?

A couple of months ago, while browsing on Etsy for my vintage Louis Vuitton belt I was surprised to see so many shops owned by very talented people, following their dream, being part of a community, having so many original ideas and following their gut of taking them into life.

Etsy is going to start a very cool program at the end of this month which could help you taking your dream into reality. The best thing is you don’t need a big initial investment! Nowadays the internet becomes your best friend and Etsy is helping and guiding you in creating this all for free! The program is called Etsy Resolution. It’s a free email course, which guides you step by step through the process of opening your own Etsy shop. The programme will give you all the tools you need to start your business on Etsy.

How great is that!

Why not leaving behind the boring new year resolutions of starting the gym or giving a try to a new diet? Follow your dream and your passion instead! Who knows, with some business acumen and a little bit of luck, you might be realising your biggest dream this year and even better, making it your full time job too!

Inside the Look:

Created in collaboration with Etsy. Story, styling, photography and creative direction my own.