Friday, February 21, 2014

Maje obsession

It's been some time since my last post. Not that anyone has really missed me but I feel guilty for abandoning my little online universe. Today I had a sudden influx of inspiration because, being a mommy's girl, I got a gorgeous present from my gorgeous mother - this dreamy Maje dress: 





















This got me thinking that for a few years now, les creations de la maison are on top of my wish list. This Parisian brand is the epitome of affordable luxury: impeccable materials and craftsmanship at a price that won't exceed your monthly rent. Obviously, the likes of Givenchy or Dior occupy a whole different universe. However, this universe, as glamorous as it is, is out of reach for most of us, petty mortals. Furthermore, I don't really see the point of owning many Dior dresses, unless you are Ivanka Trump or a Hollywood starlet. Maje has found the perfect balance between luxury and reality and just seeing their stores excites me. 

We occupy an imperfect world and I certainly won't be the person to remedy society's shortcomings, but I have started despising the idea that clothes need to be super expensive to be fabulous. Somehow I can't justify dropping some 1000 dollars on a dress, even if a red carpet worthy one, unless you are actually going to a red carpet event. Call me a geek. 

I can't wait to slip into my gorgeous new dress and to feel extra fabulous. 

x










Wednesday, February 12, 2014

Next LFW Outfit Competition


The anticipation for London Fashion Week  is full on and I bet that fashionistas everywhere are waiting anxiously just like a 5-year old waits for Christmas. As much as I look forward to the runway shows, I am even more curious about what's happening outside: being a sucker for street style, I can't wait to see what our favorite it girls have prepared for us - mortals.

For a while now I have been a lurker on the Next Blogger Network without actually submitting a post. While browsing their noticeboard today, I stumbled upon this outfit competition and thought that composing an outfit for LFW is an excellent way to spend my otherwise uneventful evening. This is a brilliant initiative and a great way to test my development as a blogger because, let's face it, bloggers today are a major influence on trends. 

Soon I was all over their website, looking for something front row worthy: eye catching yet not too over the top. I started browsing the massive collection of dresses but I finally decided to go for separates because they leave more room for creativity. 
I decided to center the outfit around the skirt - that would be my statement piece. I went for a midi leather skirt since this hemline seems to have settled permanently in our wardrobes and the leather immediately adds toughness and edge to the look. I kept the accessorizing to a minimum to let the gorgeous shirt do all the work. The print just happened to be one with hearts - in line with the St Valentine's hype. 

Without further ado, here is my selection from Next:
































I chose a cross body bag to add playfulness to an otherwise a little severe silhouette. It took me some time to compose this outfit but I ended up loving it so much, I think I'll just order it. I may not be attending the Fashion Week, but I'll find a worthy venue. 

Outfit: 
skirt - Oasis Black High Waist Leather
shirt 
shoes
watch - Fossil Rose Gold Sports Watch
bangles -  DKNY Multi Bangles Three Pack
bag - Raspberry mini cross body bag
sunnies - Ray Ban
perfume - Issey Miyake

x

Liebster Award




I am very excited as the gorgeous Kate from  fizzing-whizbees  has nominated me for a Liebster Award. It is really rewarding to see that my creative struggles have been appreciated! Thank you, doll, you rock!

If, similarly to me, you've been living under a rock and you have no idea what a Liebster Award is, this is an award given by bloggers to bloggers for blogs with less than 200 followers. This is a great initiative intended to support relatively unknown bloggers and to help them gain recognition within the community. 


The rules: 

Anyone can accept an award. If nominated, you have to link back to the blogger who nominated you, answer the 11 questions provided, nominate 11 new bloggers of your choice and provide them with your own set of questions /you cannot nominate the blogger that has nominated you/. Finally, you are welcome to feature a badge on your blog. You must tell your nominees that you have nominated them.  

Here are my answers to Kate's questions: 

1. Why did you decide to start a blog

I have been a "lurker" for ages but I never had the confidence to start my own blog. I am very happy that I finally gave in. My essential purpose is not so much recognition, as personal development: I am always on the lookout for interesting stories to share, constantly working on improving my writing.
I am still unsure about the direction of this blog, it seems to be about everything - covering my various interests. I believe that I have an interesting point of view and the inherent anonymity of the virtual world allows me to freely express myself. 

2. What has been your favorite part of blogging so far? 

Working on my blog brings me the pleasure of doing something meaningful with my free time. I recently graduated from university and I was afraid that my personal growth your stop right there, having this blog ensures that I'll keep striving for intellectual improvement. In addition, I am always happy to see that people read and appreciate my posts, even the shortest comments are truly rewarding. 

3. How did you come up with your blog name?

When I was considering different titles, I was looking for a metaphor to encompass my various interests. I wanted to give my blog a direction without being too particular. Then I thought of the fact that I am always in between addresses and I often have to fit my entire universe within the compounds of my suitcase. Hence - the title. It may not be the most original but it is still profoundly personal. 

4. What is your current favorite store to shop at? 

If I have to pick my favorite brand at the moment, that would be Mcq Alexander McQueen. This brand embodies the edgy urban girl that I strive to be. 
If the question is of more general nature and asking about a store per se - then de Bijenkorf in Amsterdam - because you can spend your entire day there and you can get anything you can possibly think of (plus, they do great discounts).

5. What is your current favorite beauty product? 

Definitely my Touche Eclat foundation by YSL. This is hands down the best foundation out there. I don't have severe skin problems to hide so I was looking for something light and adaptive. I've tried a ton of others that were either too thick or non-lasting. The Touche Eclat blends perfectly, it covers the little imperfections, evens out the tan yet the end result is as if I'm wearing just a moisturizer. 

6. Which upcoming trends are you most looking forward to? 

I am really excited about fashion's direction in general this year but if I really had to pick something, I'd go for 2 slightly opposing trends: the bomber jacket and the tea-length skirt. 

The tea-length skirt is feminine and sophisticated but pair it with a cropped top - it becomes super sexy. Yes, with a ladylike hemline it's not the edgiest garment out there but  personal interpretation matters the most, style it right and you have yourself a show stopper.














The bomber jacket could serve as a statement piece. Ride the trend and experiment with colors and textiles, this is the perfect opportunity to add boldness to your look.















7. Which social site do you spend the most time on? 

You caught me - it's Facebook 

8. Who is your favorite blogger and why? 

Andy from Stylescrapbook is my absolute favorite. I love her style - urban cool at its best. She is great at mixing bold patterns and shapes, she could wear something from H&M and style it to look super expensive. 
I also like Chiara Ferragni from The Blonde Salad, she is gorgeous and creative, her blog has millions of followers but she manages to keep it uniquely personal. I love her girly-girl-meets-rock-princess style.

9. What is your favorite magazine if any? 

Playboy. 
I'm just kidding. 

10. What do you like to do aside from blogging? 

I love to travel. When I don't travel, I contemplate my past trips and dream/plan future ones. I am also a bit of a party animal - I love electronic music and I am a sucker for underground parties. At the same time, I love to snuggle with a good book and a cup of tea. 
I am schizophrenic, I know. 

11. Where would you like your blog to be in one year? 

Hm, I could say I want it to be the next "it" blog but I guess I have to be realistic. 
I hope that I'll soon gather a lot more exciting material to write about and to get some regular readers. 


Here are my questions: 

1. What is your purpose in writing a blog? 
2. Where do you find inspiration? 
3. Who is your celebrity style crush? 
4. Which is your favorite fashion brand and why? 
5. What is your dream destination? 
6. If you could talk to ANY one person from the past or present, who would that be? 
7. Who is your favorite blogger and why? 
8. Which is your favorite skincare product? 
9. If you had to pack only 3 items for a month at an unknown destination, what would you take? 
10. What do you like doing in your free time, other than blogging? 
11. Where do you see yourself in 5 years? 


Thank you bearing with me, I'm a girl of many words.
Here are my nominations: 





Sunday, February 9, 2014

On my love for Mulberry

If you have read any of my posts, you've probably noticed that I am a sucker for everything British. Hence, It should come as no surprise that Mulberry is one of my favorite brands ever.





















I love Mulberry for a number of reasons. First of all, it is so quintessentially British - with the quirky yet clean styles that may be bordering safe (which, let's face it, is bordering boring). In a world of prints, embellishments, skulls and so forth, Mulberry represents stability and class. Perhaps my choice of accessories is a reflection of my personality - I am not the most creative person, yet I am a quiet non-conformist-meets-traditionalist. 
I love the fact that the bags don't really change over the years - Mulberry focus on reinventing their existing designs rather than striving to surprise their loyalists. This is what makes them instantly recognizable but also it turns every single item into an investment - it is something that you can enjoy forever, if you take proper care of it, of course. All that being said, my favorite Mulberry bag is the Willow tote - it came to life in 2013 under the reign of Emma Hill as a creative director. The Willow tote is not the cheapest bag out there but it's pure value for money due to its versatility - it's a tote, a clutch, a shoulder bag - designed with the modern woman in mind.
I love Mulberry because it is a British brand not simply in its roots dating back some 4 decades. Unlike the giants that have shifted their entire production to the Orient, 50% of Mulberry goods are produced in   England. I don't know whether it's just me, but the bags seem to carry some nostalgia, they remind me of the forests and cottages of the English countryside, and I mean  this as a very positive thing. Perhaps the fact that they are handcrafted at this very location contributes greatly to the air of authenticity that surrounds them. 

Some of my favorite celebrities happen to be fans of Mulberry, here is a small sample. 




















x

Saturday, February 8, 2014

The long lost friend

Hello everyone!

Have you ever had a perfect partner in crime with whom you suddenly lost touch? Due to the frequent change of my geographic coordinates, I've lost many friends over the years but it's all the more rewarding when you rediscover them. 

My generation was brought up at a time when the technological revolution was already gathering pace. However, communicating with your long-distance buddies has never been as easy, as it is today. I am not a big sucker for social media and virtual friendships but I do appreciate their role in bringing us closer to our real friends.

Today's post is dedicated to 2 teenage girls that used to roam the earth some 8-9 years ago. They were rebellious party animals that had discovered early the benefits of vodka and electronic music. If I had to pick the favorite period of my life, it would definitely be the distant summer 2005. And of course, the picture would be incomplete without her - my perfect partner in crime - Mina. We used to share a room, before our paths went in completely opposing directions and it took us some 8 year to reconnect. Bless you, facebook!

Here we are today - me the honorary graduate from a British university, still soul searching, and her - a respectable married lady, living in wonderful (though a tad sterile) Switzerland. It took us some time to organize this reunion. I was a little concerned because I was wondering if we'd still have anything to talk about. You must have had this really close friend that you discovered after a few years and there was nothing between you but awkward silence! Well, this was nothing like that. She came with her sweet Italian hubby, instead of vodka we were drinking good wine but the conversation kept going for hours. 
































So cheers to the good friends, let's not let them out of our sight, they are a rare breed. I hope that we won't have to wait another 8 years for our next reunion.

x