Who shows up to a fashion shoot with a loaf of just-baked baguette as an accessory? Carlotta Tabaroni, obviously. Gorgeous, talented and sidesplittingly hilarious, we are — in a word — obsessed. If you’ve been paying attention, you’ll surely recognize the Bologna-born designer-slash-stylist-slash-DJ’s signature brand of kooky, colorful and hard-to-miss style, which she’s been sprinkling in generous portions over Milan’s fashion scene for the past few years.
Whether she’s laying on the tracks or layering on piles of crush-worthy clothes, Carlotta Tabaroni is everywhere. In daylight hours, you can find her on set, knee-deep in high fashion as styling assistant to Vogue Japan’s Giovanna Battaglia, which she took up following a design post at Milanese fashion house, Sara Battaglia. When the sun goes down, she’s posted up in Milan’s most exclusive venues, DJing hip-hop and R&B at all the hippest club nights. Can you name anyone cooler than her?
As you’ll see, our Vintage Wars was a breeze for Tabaroni. Considering her night-and-day choice of professions, the super stylist is well versed in the Jekyll and Hyde thing. She even describes herself as an ‘Italian girl with two completely diverse souls’ — perfect, right? Following her personal maxim, ‘More Is More’, check out how Tabaroni flips and twirls in La DoubleJ vintage gems, styling the same piece two totally different ways.
Let the Vintage Wars begin!
-Laura Todd
Look 1: If you’re going to do a full kaftan look, make Marzotto proud and drench yourself in vintage jewels. Decorate a high pony tale with a vintage gold cuff and layer, layer, layer those necklaces, girls!
Look 2: “How can you put on a kaftan without channeling Marta Marzotto?” (Marzotto was a Milanese high society mainstay that was never spotted without the signature style) Tabaroni asked us when faced with the gorgeous embroidered version she dug out from the La DoubleJ vintage archive. In this first look, she shows us that the breezy dress doesn’t have to be a one trick pony: tuck it into a Big Skirt in Liberty Rosa for an extra kick of print.
Look 1: Worn the conventional way (if you can call it that) this mighty, puffed up vintage Balestra skirt makes waves. Then again, Tabaroni has it layered over a vintage Ken Scott fringed dress from the 70s and topped with two necklaces, which we can hardly conventional!
Look 2: “Have you ever boarded a flight with a look so full that you can’t fit in your seat?” Tabaroni asks, with complete seriousness. We haven’t, but after seeing the way she pulls it off, we may give it a shot next time we want to avoid those pesky oversize luggage charges. A volume-packed, six-layer 80s Balestra skirt becomes a sleeveless dress in the hands of Tabaroni. She’s tied a ribbon in the back to keep it all together, rather than ‘ugly pinning’ it, as she calls it. Layer it with lots of vintage gold to keep your luggage even lighter.
Look 1: This 1970s style jump suit with chevron-print rainbow bodice hardly needs any extra oomph to get it noticed, but trust the maximal-minded Tabaroni to take it to the next level. She’s added a matching checkerboard pattern maxi skirt and LDJ Editions Confetti scarf as a headband to punch the color up another notch.
Look 2: Just as we said. This vintage jumpsuit is fabulous on its own.
Look 1: “When you have a vintage Missoni in front of you,” Tabaroni emphatically explains, “the first thing you do is cry of joy.” After she wiped the tears away, Tabaroni threw the sleeveless sundress over a stunning neon pink and green full-length number for a lurex on lurex look. The outfit, she decided, went perfectly with not one, but two vintage wicker purses. Try this one at home, ladies!
Look 2: The lightweight Missoni knit makes this chic sundress perfect for layering. Give it a spin under the LDJ Editions Safari dress in Polipo and pair it with some chic sandals next time you’re invited for cocktails on a luxury yacht.
Look 1: Head to toe La DoubleJ vintage print: a girl after our own heart. What’s better than covering half of your body with wonky roosters? Covering the entire thing, obviously. But it’s Tabaroni’s clever accessorizing that really pulls this look together. Adding a long striped bow to a buttoned up collar and a flashy gold cuff over the sleeve takes this look from farmhouse to high fashion.
Look 2: This outfit is half Cockerel, half Cockade and full French. We love the idea of layering the LDJ Editions Galletti print shirt under a tricolor 1970s Majorette dress. Très chic. And the baguette? It goes without saying — matches with everything.
