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thrifted treasures

woke up pretty early this morning, considering it's weekend and I always sleep in on weekends. but it was for a good cause. me and a friend of mine went thrift shopping. I haven't done this in a really long time, so I was really excited about it. we ended up with quite a catch, and it was such a nice way to spend saturday morning. so here's what I got my hands on:
  • gray-ish cardigan. it really has a weird color, can't really put my finger on it, and the camera didn't quite do a great job capturing it, but I love it. I like the little pockets and the V neck. It kinda look like a men's cardigan, so I like it even more
  • orange cardigan. don't really have orange in my wardrobe, so I thought this would be nice. I can never say no to cardigans, they come in handy all the time.
  • purple cardigan. you cannot imagine how bright this purple is. I LOVE purple, but even for me it's a bit too bright. ah, I love it just the same.
  • lace top. I've been on the lookout for a lace thingy for some time and couldn't find a decent one. it's black (yey), simple, chic and timeless.
  • brown bag. la piece de resistance of this thrift session, a vintage leather bag in amazing shape. I adore the cafe au lait color, and it smells like grandma.
  • light brown belt. I didn't have any perforated leather belts, so this one was a great pic. I love the color too.
  • polka dotted scarf. don't really wear small scarfs like this, but thought it was a good time to start. plus, one other thing I cannot seem to say no to right now are polka dots.
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take nina's word for it

all black outfits are my long time favorite. but as good as they look in real life and up close, as hard it is to capture them in a photo. I should have listened to Nina Garcia when she said that all black outfits are really hard to shoot for an editorial and they don't look so great on the runway either. when there's too many layers it's really hard to distinguish one from another, even when the materials have different textures. stubborn as I am, I didn't give up after a failed attempt to shoot this outfit yesterday. I tried today again. and I failed, again. of course I blame it all on the crappy lighting in my room and my crappy camera. unfortunately I have to postpone getting a new camera because I have other priorities right now. anyhow, I am merely trying to make a point here that shooting black outfits is a pain in the you know what. so, I'll just have to explain to you what is actually going on here, since you can't see much. I am wearing a sleeveless, very light top with a big bow in front, faux leather leggings with snake skin texture, and a cotton jacket. I am also wearing guitar earrings, since I was kinda going for a rocker look. you'll just have to trust me on this, it doesn't look too bad if I can say so  myself.  I'll just have to wait til I get some more adequate equipment and better skills at taking photos and editing them to prove my point. but since Nina herself gave me the perfect excuse for the outcome of these photos, I think I'm pretty safe. I've been wearing black for so many years now and still will for many more to come. unless I retire to Florida when I'm old and then I'll have to be all about neon colors and flower patterns. nah, that's never gonna happen.





jacket: pimkie; top: h&m; leggings: stradivarius; boots: red lips; earrings: hot topic
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allies in the cold war

I left the comfort of my bed today only for a brief moment, to take some outdoor shots. I've been meaning to do this for a long time and for some reason never got to do it. it's kinda bright and sunny but I'm not fooled, mister. it's still freezing cold outside. I'm in a lazy mood, so I didn't take off my boyfriend's shirt I'm wearing around the house while he's away. put on some jeans, a warm coat and a big old scarf I knitted a couple of years ago. It's a perfect ally for this kinda weather. there's not a lot of variation nowadays in my street wear. I am basically wearing pretty much the same coat every day, so I am really counting on accessories like scarves, shawls, caps, beanies, hats and gloves to spice things up. they are definitely my best friends for the season. that being said, I am gonna go back to bed, enjoying a movie and drinking rooibos tea. hope you all have a wonderful sunday.

scarf: self made; coat: rinascimento; boyfriend shirt: h&m; jeans: no label; shoes: adidas
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ahoy, captain

though not entirely intentional, my look today reminds me of an off duty sailor back in the day. I think the hat might have done the trick defining the look. although it was this shirt I picked up at zara a couple of weeks ago that started the whole thing. I was instantly drawn to the sea horses/ ship wheel/ light house/ corals and shells print of the tee. I know there's a lot going on but it has kind of a tattoo quality to it. it would look great as a back piece, though it wouldn't quite fit with the already existing cherry blossoms. maybe I should just get the sea horses, they are such adorable creatures. but anyway, I am digressing from the subject. the heavy snow that hit us last night made me turn back to the good old chunky sweater I can always rely on. I've had this thing for years, it was a lucky find at the flea market, and I'm loving it. then I pulled out a pair of thick pants to go with the ensemble. I love that they look kinda manly. in the end I am quite pleased with the androgyny of this look.
 




cardigan: h&m, thrifted; t-shirt: zara; pants: terranova; hat: unknown
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LBD remix

the little black dress (LBD) is an essential item in every stylish person's wardrobe. everybody knows that. over the years I've collected several little black dresses, just to make sure. what I search for in a LBD is usually shape, comfort and most of all versatility. when on a tight budget, I like to remix my wardrobe so I don't get bored with wearing the same stuff over and over again. as Rebecca of The Clothes Horse put it: a wardrobe is only as limited as the owner's imagination.
today I am wearing one of my favorite LBDs. it's not elegant or sophisticated, but very very versatile. there are a lot of things I can do with it, but I'll have to wait for some warmer weather to show you all that. what I set out to do today was to show how it can be worn using pretty much the same items. I only wear it as it is during the summer, as it has a low cut back. during the other seasons I like to wear it front to back and layer it in different ways. so, for my first look I paired it with a black and white stripped top underneath, black vest on top and bright purple tights. all this layering keeps me warm, as it is still freezing outside, and it was a nice change from the chunky sweaters and jeans I've been wearing lately. for the second look I got rid of the vest and turned the dress front to back; tah dah... it's a whole new look. and for the third look I simply turned the dress back on.





dress: thrifted; vest: thrifted; top: h&m; tights: ???; boots: afrodita
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lady like

this weekend was full of events for me. went to the Philharmonic friday night, where they played Mozart; saturday night out for chinese food, then ended up at a punk concert, which was actually quite fun; sunday morning a quick visit at the flea market and then in the evening off to the theater where I saw The bold signer by Eugene Ionesco.  was quite happy to pick up a cool dress on sunday morning which I immediately thought of wearing to the theater. I fell in love with the strong shoulders and the houndstooth pattern. I seem to get more and more obsessed with this pattern lately and it's all your fault Mr. McQueen :P. it looks rather chic, and it was a perfect choice since I wanted to go for a more elegant and put together look. with my hair pulled back I look rather serious and lady like, which I sometimes like to do. but only sometimes. oh and I love this long cardi so much. helps me keep warm and looks great both with pants and dresses. I wish though it wasn't so cold so I can  show off my new dress in all it's splendour. these sleeves need some attention. oh well, they need to be patient till spring.




dress: dunnes; boots: afrodita; cardigan: terranova; belt: thrifted

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turning japanese

inspiration comes from so many things, but there is one thing that I always turn to for inspiration. and that is japanese street fashion. I follow the Tokyo street style section of style-arena quite religiously. japanese people have to me a unique sense of style, and they are truly trends setters. designers from all over the world take inspiration from Harajuku, Tokyo's most renowned fashion district, home to cosplays and gothic lolitas. androgyny seems to play a big part in the way young japanese dress. sometimes I see an outfit that is so amazing but can't really tell if the person wearing it is a woman or a man. land let me tell you, japanese young men have the most amazing sense of fashion. the site covers 5 of the most important fashion districts in Tokyo: Harajuku, Shibuya, Omotesando, Daikanyama and Ginza, and each one comes with their own style. I mean where else in the world do you have so many fashionable people?



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Links à la Mode: The IFB Weekly Roundup

I am terribly honored to be included in the IFB (Independent Fashion Bloggers) Weekly Roundup. Check out the article below and the awesome posts they have lined up for this week.

links a la mode

This week, some of us looked back at icons of the past, such as // Fade to #c5c5c5's Marchesa Luisa Casati, Fabulous Finds Gal 's Horst photography post, and Cafe Fashionista's take on Diana Vreeland's famous quotes, while others looked at how far we've come, such as The Curvy Fashionista's plus size fashion observations and A Dress & A Bike 's thoughts on what it means to be sexy. Each post brought a unique angle to the subject at hand, and raised important topics of self-expression, style, adaptation, trends, individuality, and acceptance. It's fascinating to examine our own fashion-related introspection, and think about how our inner selves, thoughts and feelings, are reflected through the clothing choices we make, the pairing of certain looks, and of course our writing and blogs.

As expected, there was a fabulous round-up of links in the forum as well, all worthy of your eyeballs!

Links à la Mode: January 14th

  • // Fade to #c5c5c5 - Marchesa Luisa Casati inspire artists, designers and authors till this day, more than 50 years after her death
  • A Dress & A Bike - Discussion of the trends of 'sexy'
  • Alice in Stilettos - Runway Review: The Colors for Spring!
  • Bonnie Vie - Discussing retail hell and how both customers and sales associates can contribute to better shopping experiences for everyone.
  • Cafe Fashionista - Why Don't You...? In the spirit of Diana Vreeland; a post featuring luxurious things one can do to make themselves feel fabulous!
  • 'cause I'd rather waste my life pretending - Bites sized interview with Stephanie J, Editor In Chief of N.E.E.T Magazine
  • Cool Mama Style - Is there an ideal pair of panties?
  • Dedicated- Gets downright nosey with Nadia Izruna of the gorgeous & girly indie label Nadinoo
  • Denim Debutante - teaches you about discrepancies in denim sizing
  • Dramatis Personae - How to Custom Order Goods from Your Indie Friends
  • Fabulous Finds Gal - Horst photography is a study in elegance, style and rarefied glamour that spanned 60 years
  • Fashion Pulse Daily - Finds the Habillees series on the Sundance Channel to be the perfect elixir for another hectic fashion week soon approaching!
  • Fasshionaburu - Reviews an indie label from Australia she discovered called Evil Twin
  • Independent Fashion Bloggers- How to cover fashion week....when you're not there.
  • Le Quaintrelle - A collection of Hermes-inspired outfits from my own closet.
  • M.I.S.S. - She's Crafty - Safety Pin Epaulets & Fringe Lapel Pin
  • odetoawe - Love for the movie Cry-Baby, and how to get Traci Lords' rockabilly look
  • Rags to Reverie - Fantastic plastic to slip on your fingers
  • Skinny Buddha - Sending out some love to the artists creating handmade items
  • Style Symmetry - Interview with Audi of Fashion For Nerds
  • The Coveted - Snow boots? Winter comfort or style?
  • The Curvy Fashionista - Plus size fashion has picked up major steam, inspiring both yeas and nays for the latest in V magazine- stating it just a trend- or is it?

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I've got the blues

I  must admit I do not do color very well. I add the occasional pop of color to an outfit, but my safe zone has always been black. what can I say, I love my dark colors too much. the only other color I can never resist is purple. and the darker the purple the better. when I do wear color, I like to keep my outfits color coordinated. I always match my colors and never use more than 3 in an outfit, ok  maybe 4 if it's really necessary. the other thing I love to do is match my accessories to my outfit. and with the accessories I must confess I am not afraid to use color. I never leave the house without earrings and a ring on my finger, and occasionally I put on bracelets, necklaces or brooches to add a little more something to the outfit. today was a day of the blues. it all started with the long shirt in white and blue stripes to which I added some blue accessories like the button earrings, lapis lazuli ring, and a pale blue necklace worn as a bracelet. the rest of the ensemble was kept simple and dark, with faux leather leggings, long cardigan and boots. love the attention the shirt got at the office. I got a couple of compliments, even though it's not the first time I've worn it to work. must have done it right this time.




cardigan: terranova; shirt: h&m; leggings: stradivarius
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all there in black and white

a friend of mine used to say: my opinions, just like color television, are all there in black and white. just thought I'd throw that in here, for no reason aside from the fact that I am dressed again in black and white. I was having another slow monday morning today. it took me forever to get up and get dressed. luckily, my day was saved by these black and white pants. I put them on quite often when I lack inspiration. a chunky black sweater was screaming  from the back of the closet: pick me me me, I haven't seen the light of day in ages. I was starting to feel better and decided to throw in a splash of color and picked up some cool colored bracelets. I felt they dressed up a bit the outfit. I even managed to crack a smile for the photos, which I rarely do. I get kinda uncomfortable and quirky in front of the camera. my sister makes fun of me saying seasons and seasons of america's next top model haven't taught me anything. she's right... :))




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pin-up pin-down

about a week ago, while spending some time with friends after New Year's, I saw a show on a german tv channel that really caught my attention. they were counting down the top 10 celebrity pin-up girls. I was so disappointed with their picks and rankings. I mean what does Brigitte Nielsen have to do with anything even remotely close to pin-up girls. to me it was just a silly german sense of pride thing. they actually had another german celebrity, unknown to me... but maybe that's just me and whose name I couldn't even remember 2 seconds after I heard it, quite high in the ranking. that made no sense to me. we we actually joking about it saying that maybe Steffi Graf is going to be number one. so I decided to put together a little top 5 of my own. I'll let you be the judge of that. so here it goes, my top 5 celebrities who best embody the pin-up spirit.
 
no.5: Katy Perry


 no.4: Christina Aguilera


no.3: Pixie Acia (LA Ink)


no.2: Gwen Stefani


 and, no doubt about it...no.1: Dita von Teese

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handmade love

I love handmade stuff; it's probably the closest I'll ever get to couture. they are one of a kind , and that's what I love most about them. nobody wants to walk around wearing uniforms, as it usually happens when you go buy stuff from chain stores. how many times have you seen lately someone sporting a clothing item or accessory you also have in your wardrobe? also, a good reason to buy handmade items is supporting the young artists who create them. they are very talented kids, mostly art students.
I have a lot of handmade accessories, mainly earrings, and now another piece has been added to my collection. my best friend Bogdana gave me  this awesome t-shirt for Christmas (thanks diva!). it was designed by some very talented art students and sold through the Hippy Hippy Shake store. I love the way the girls are drawn, they look taken straight out of a designer's sketchbook. I think one of the main reasons she chose this for me is my latest obsession with head pieces. I've been on the lookout for the perfect black widow veil for a long time now, and I won't stop until I find it. the t-shirt being the central piece of the outfit, I chose to pair it with black faux leather leggings and a long black cardigan so it would stand out more. pretty girls in little black/red dresses, what more can you ask for?




t-shirt: hippy hippy shake, handmade; leggings: stradivarius; shoes: dgm
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hold on tight to your hula hoop

my last year at the university I had a crush on a hula hoop dancer called Karis. I've never met him but found him on myspace through a friend of mine from LA. I was fascinated with the way he looked and moved. I was a gymnast when I was a kid, so I can really appreciate people doing the kind of stuff he does. I am also a big fan of circus acts, especially the acrobatic acts. now, I know my outfit is not really hula hoop appropriate but  I can do a couple of spins in it, and I actually intend on practicing more this year. for some reason I tought I needed some props in my shots. I am also looking forward to getting back to my yoga classes and doing some more stuff at home. man, I could use a stretch after the holidays and all.
to get back to my outfit, this is a dress that immediately caught my eye when I saw it. first of all because of the leather detail and how it shapes the dress (I actually have a butt in this dress :P), and second because of the shape of the neck and how versatile it is. see below a couple of ways I styled it. at first I wanted to add some bright colored tights, but then I thought they would steal the attention from the dress, so I went with these crimson ones that really complement the grey of the dress.





dress: helene; tights: charme; shoes; dgm
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