Milan Fashion Week is wonderful in that in-between shows you have all the pasta and pizza in the world right at your fingertips. Heaven. I was just in town with Tommy Hilfiger for once again, one of the biggest shows of the season. The #TOMMYNOW show is a production, and you definitely want to be invited. There’s always incredible music and most of all, an insane energy that just radiates during fashion week. I’m talking crazy huge crowds and one of the largest red carpets I’ve ever seen. It certainly was a star-studded event with an audience of people flown in from all over the world, just for this one show. At my fitting I went for a classic All-Americana sheer jersey and trouser pant. It took me a quick 5 minutes to finalize my look…easy. I love that Tommy gives me a reason to sport my casual reds, whites, and blues anytime of the year. And head-to-toe sheer in freezing Milano? Anything for Tommy, of course, with a little tug on my winter coat. The venue was so big, I may as well call it a stadium. Race cars lined the runway and I couldn’t help but climb up on a few tires for an epic view of the space. It had been completely transformed into a fire engine red race track inspired by all things fast and furious. The models came out in crop tops, bombers, and killer biker shorts made for putting the pedal to the metal. Coming from a girl who loves to drive, the energy was electric. A super fun race car track in the middle of Milano was just what the city needed this fashion week.

wearing Tommy Hilfiger 

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This dress is one I’ll never forget. A beautiful silk pastel yellow Fendi dress, straight off the runway, complete with a black necktie and pearl buttons. A stunner to be exact! I will never forget this gorgeous and sunny little side street in Milan. It certainly felt like out of a movie as I click-clacked down the cobblestone sidewalks and I love revisiting this moment in my head. Though I may be glistening in the hot Italian sun here in on the blog, in reality I’ve actually just landed back in NYC from Paris for yet another work trip. Today has been a very unglamorous Saturday of unboxing packages, doing laundry, and rearranging my home. You know, real life stuff! Dylana is currently in Malaysia with my family so I’m playing catch up for the both of us. I can’t wait until Team Suarez is back together on Monday! I would have been in Kuala Lumpur as well this week, but as usual, work always throws surprises my way and I ended up minimizing my travel schedule this past month so that I wouldn’t be living on an airplane. I’m so used to having curveballs thrown at my schedule. Ever since I’ve been modeling (it’s been over a decade now!) I live with the fact that I never really knew what’s going to happen next. You just go with the flow and adjust accordingly. It’s completely normal for me to make last-minute arrangements and reschedule trips and flights in the nick of time for work. It definitely makes planning a long vacation difficult when I work so much. But that’s the beauty in what I do and I love every bit of it. Every week and every month brings something totally new and exciting when I least expect it. The unexpected is what keeps me on my toes…it keeps me alive.

Fendi dress

Fendi sunglasses

Fendi boots

Fendi pearl bag

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When I’m in Milano for work, I’m a bit more fearless when it comes to my style. Think oversize silk blouses and a slouchy pair of menswear trousers in completely mis-matched prints. I cannot wait for another Milan Fashion Week. I’m so inspired by the city’s daring love for high fashion. The women ooze a certain confidence, and it’s expressed in what they wear. For example, no matter your age or style, Milano women will slip into a pair of stilettos just to head to a casual lunch. Italians enjoy the finer things in life, like a beautiful hand-made Italian shoe, and I appreciate every single bit of it. Here I am by the Duomo in what feels much like the heart of Milan. It’s a place to people watch, window shop, and take licks of gelato and endless splurges of spaghetti. I am currently spending my Saturday looking at my calendar and planning February. I already know it’s going to feel like the longest month of the year. Between fashion weeks and other projects, the team and I will be hopping from city to city just about every week: LA, NYC, Colorado, Milan, Ohio, Paris. Time to whip out my suitcase yet again. Packing is going to be absolutely insane. As for March, I’m looking forward to hanging out a ton in a bikini. I’ll be escaping to Central America, where all there is on the horizon are sandy beaches, Coronas, and sunshine. Time to breathe get through February first!

VEDA leather jacket

Anna Sui blouse

Viden trousers

Senso boots

Coach handbag

Dannijo earrings

The post PRINT PLAY IN MILANO first appeared on NATALIE OFF DUTY.

Etro does prints and beautiful silks unlike anyone else. It’s pure romance…a mix of whimsical flowers and vines in a stunning neutral color palette with a touch of rock n’ roll. The little pop of salmon pink is just so gorgeous. This fall, as I begin to layer up, I’m using prints to make a statement. I love pairing these flowing wide-leg pants with something super simple, like a perfectly tailored double-breasted blazer. Taking something majestic and bringing it back down to earth. This was shot in the middle of Milan Fashion Week, where the wardrobe is loader, bolder, and a lot more fun! Italians like to indulge in decadence and luxury as more is just more, more, more! The same goes for pasta. Here as the sun went down by the Navigli canal, the city turned gold and I was comforted by the scent of delicious neapolitan pizza cooking from the rows and rows of restaurants. Amidst the MFW madness and walking in heels, I was so ready to tuck into a tiny cafe, order a bottle of wine, and call it a night with my gal pals. This weekend will certainly be one to stay in and tuck away before jumping into another crazy week. I just got back to NYC for work after a 6am flight from Los Angeles. Boy, does this lady need a nap! These gorgeous Etro pants will have to make it’s next head-turning appearance on a more eventful night!

Etro pant (similar)

Etro handbag (similar)

Walter Baker blazer

Marskinryyppy heels (similar)

The post ALL ABOUT ETRO first appeared on NATALIE OFF DUTY.

Milan. Fendi. Fitting. Showtime. Visiting the Fendi headquarters for Milan Fashion Week was an absolute dream. I immediately spotted Karl Lagerfeld nonchalantly strolling down the hallway in preps for the fashion show. I had to pinch myself from all the excitement…is this place even real? I couldn’t help but dreamily run my fingers through every long silk dress at our fitting. Every dress so perfectly sharp at the shoulders with an exaggerated, feminine waistline. It’s certainly the most flattering cut on any woman. So classic, elongating, and elegant. Dylana and I had a ball at our fitting… slipping into extra high waisted skirts and buttoning up into bright pink blazers. The fit was always so on point. I chose the iconic Fendi sock bootie and triple clutch bag as a finishing touch. Fendi has mastered the tongue-in-cheek, super eclectic look that still remains timeless. Bright bold hues with a beautiful play on luxurious texture. It’s no surprise Dylana and I both ended up choosing this Fendi F/W ’17 silhouette. We like to gravitate towards similar pieces yet pull it off in a completely different and unique way. Getting to play in such an iconic fashion house is nothing but a dream.

As we pulled up for the show, the traffic was insane. Cars lined up everywhere. Paparazzi surrounded the entire block. We managed to squeeze through the extra chic Milano crowds right before showtime. I spotted numerous familiar faces as I squeezed my bum in at my front row seat…it was certainly the place to be this MFW. We were greeted with Kaia Gerber opening the show, followed by a sea of stunning striped ensembles in all of my favorite pastel spring hues. But it was the layering and the mixing and matching that really caught my eye. It’s the way you can pair a sheer turtleneck with just about anything that is mind-blowing, and inspiring. Under dresses. Under shirts. Under bras! There were also a lot exposed shoulders…in the ultimate leather midi-dress and on romantic billowing blouses. It’s amazing how prints like stripes, florals, and plaid can be so perfectly intertwined using luxurious sheer textures and silks. I think it’s time I get a pair of sheer plaid stockings! I spotted other iconic faces on the runway. Gigi. Bella. Kendall. All adorned in beautiful pastels with a seriously badass bright blue fringe shading their eyes. Now that’s how you put on a perfect show. Bravo Fendi! I will anxiously await next season.

Fendi midi dress (similar)

Fendi triple clutch handbag (similar)

Fendi sock bootie

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A blazer and tee…the perfect travel companions. Effortless and easy. Jazzed up with a fur boot by my Italian friends at AGL. Milan Fashion Week was such a dream. Team Suarez was in town with Fendi. I cannot wait to tell you all about the show, our fitting…and the outfits of course. Milan is a place to dress to the nines. I was blown away by the streetstyle. The shoes. The bags. In Milan, more is more, and I mean that with pasta as well! With a few extra moments to spend exploring this stunning city, I found this to be my favorite time of day. As the sun goes down, a gold hue is sent through the streets off the Duomo. Ahh, Italia…you’re my favorite. Magic. Days were spent at the shows. I’m talking glamorous piazzas and open patios…where the fashion week champagne endlessly flowed. Each venue felt like a secret garden in the the heart of this buzzing city. Only in Italy! We were blessed with gorgeous weather. I spent late nights strolling down the pedestrian streets in search of a simple, mouthwatering plate of of penne pomodoro. Complete only with a rich glass of pinot noir. They don’t call it La Dolce Vita for nothing.

Versus Versace t-shirt

Ellie Mae wool blazer

Karen Walker jeans

AGL boots

Ming Ray handbag

Dannijo earrings

The post THE BLAZER AND TEE | MILAN FASHION WEEK first appeared on NATALIE OFF DUTY.