Tuesday 30 December 2014

31

Acum aproape trei luni am spus: timpul este preţios, pierdeţi-l cu chibzuinţă... Se pare că mi-a fost fatidică această afirmaţie. :)
Am zis că nu voi renunţa la blog şi se pare că am făcut şi aceasta... Nu am vrut, dar aşa a fost să fie, căci în viaţă se pare că eu nu le pot avea pe toate. Eu am aspirat să le am pe toate, dar din păcate mi-am dat seama că este imposibil.
Nu regret nimic, am trăit fiecare minut din ultimele trei luni, cum n-am trăit ultimii 5 ani din viaţa mea.
Am făcut multe greşeli, am învăţat multe lucruri, am plâns, am râs... iar acum că trag linie... nu regret şi nu aş schimba absolut nimic.
Sunt sănătoasă, am multe... încă nu ştiu dacă am ceea ce îmi doream... cred că sunt blestemată să fiu permanent nemulţumită de ceea ce am şi ceea ce fac...  dar şi-aşa mă consider un om bogat. Filosofică... perfecţionistă... nu mă dezic. :)

Vă doresc tuturor să trăiţi un 2015 aşa cum vă pofteşte mintea şi sufletul... şi să nu uitaţi vreodată că timpul chiar este preţios... deci... aveţi grijă să-l pierdeţi cu chibzuinţă...

Vă pup şi vă îmbrăţişez cu mare drag... Sper că v-a fost dor de mine...

Coat :: via SportsDirect | Jeans :: H&M | Bag :: Mango | Boots :: Mango

Saturday 4 October 2014

Time is precious... Waste it wisely

I've become a big fan of Mango in the last two years. When I'm entering their site I always have the impression that they are creating clothes for me. :)
The red sweater I'm wearing in the pictures is my latest Mango acquisition and I'm very proud that I bought it because it didn't cost that much (16 euros) and it looks as good in reality as it looks on the website.

P.S. In case you were wondering why I'm not posting as often as I used to do it, the answer is simple. It turns out that I cannot have everything in life. I have a great job who takes a lot of my time, I have a family who needs my unconditional love and support... leaving just a bit of time for blogging.
Nonetheless, I'm not quitting. I will come here as often as I can, because I also love fashion and blogging... and because I'm not a quitter.

Sweater :: Mango | Jeans :: H&M | Bag :: Mango | Boots :: Mango

Saturday 27 September 2014

That's all I have left to say about Santorini

It's been a while since our Santorini vacation, but I couldn't help myself from posting these pictures.
Also, I felt the need to share my personal opinion in respect to whether or not Santorini is an expensive destination or not.

First of all we have to take into consideration that Santorini is 1.600 km away from Romania. So... increased distance means increased costs for transportation.
Because we traveled by car, the fuel cost was split at 4, leading to a cost of approximately 150 euros for me and my husband. We paid another 300 euros for the ferryboat ride, leading us to a total cost of 450 euros for transportation.
Of course you can also travel by plane. If you book tickets - let's say 6 months in advance - the plane can cost less than 250 euros/person both ways. If you book them only one month in advance, they will probably cost double. If we would have chosen the plane, we would have paid around 1.200 euros for two adults and a 5 years old child. The difference is significant.

The accommodation cost depends on many factors. It depends on the number of stars the hotel has, on the location of the hotel, on the number of nights you decide to spend there. We paid 1.200 euros, for a triple room, for 7 nights. The hotel was called Epavlis, and it was in Kamari. They said it's a 5 stars hotel. It was a good hotel indeed, but the 5 stars aspect is a bit overrated. The same hotel, with the same conditions would cost now - 6 months in advance - 800 euros. :)
I would like to mention that the price included only breakfast.
When booking in advance, you always have chances to find accommodation at even smaller prices.

The food chapter is pretty easy. Good food at good prices. We paid on average 35 euros per meal, for the three of us.
The beer was between 2 and 4 euros, depending on where you were buying it.
You could easily buy a sandwich or a fruit salad with 2 euros.
Water (1.5 l) was less than 1 euro in supermarkets.
Freezer magnets were in average 1.5 euros and postcards were less than 1 euro.

Knowing all these aspects, I will let YOU decide whether or not Santorini is an expensive destination.

The final topic I will debate on this blog related to Santorini is the tourists attractions topic.
The first thing I would like to mention is that most of the so called tourists attractions are a bit exaggerated. The only things not exaggerated are the views and the food.

If you decide to go to Santorini you will read a lot of references regarding to black, white or red beaches. In reality, all the beaches are black (actually dark gray) because of the volcanic rocks. These beaches are usually surrounded by red rock mountains or by white rock mountains and that is why they are called like this. In Santorini we found only one beach with gray sand: Monolithos. All the other beaches had gray little stones.

You can visit by boat the volcano that lead to the formation of Santorini and of the surrounding islands. We visited both the volcano and the surrounding islands, but I didn't find the trip so spectacular. It was a nice trip, but it didn't have an impact on me.

You can visit all the important cities: Fira, Oia, Kamari. They offer great views and they are full of boutiques where you can buy items of clothing or souvenirs. My recommendation is to have dinner in restaurant placed on a cliff from Oia or Fira, preferably at sunset. I'm sure you will be impressed by the view.

In Kamari there is an open air cinema. You can't buy tickets in advance, so if you really want to try it, go there at latest 20.30. You will be surprised by how many people will wait in line to see a movie in open air.

Other things I enjoyed doing in Santorini were the swimming and diving. The water is very salty, allowing beginners to practice their swimming skills. Also, because the water was so clear I could easily see the fishes swimming around my feet.

I'm ending this chapter here, but feel free to ask whatever you want and I will answer gladly.

Sunday 14 September 2014

Men wear pink!

Am vrut să accept provocarea care circulă în blogosferă cu purtatul culorii roz (#‎WearPinkChallenge) şi... neavând nimic în garderobă de această culoare, dar vrând să o onorez, m-am pus pe căutat piese roz. Toate tricourile/bluzele/cămăşile roz care mi-au plăcut erau la bărbaţi. Mai mult decât atât, devenind mai conştientă de acest aspect am tot urmărit această culoare la persoanele din jur şi am fost plăcut impresionată să observ cât de mult poartă bărbaţii roz în comparaţie cu femeile. Şi îl poartă foarte bine! :)

Aşa se face că am ajuns să-mi cumpăr cămaşa din imagine de la H&M bărbaţi. :|

Mă gândeam să scriu un mail celor de la H&M în care să-i rog să determine designerul de haine de damă să poarte o discuţie cu designerul de haine de bărbat. De ce? Pentru inspiraţie.

Lăsând gluma la o parte, am senzaţia că în ultima vreme găsesc piese mai cool la bărbaţi decât la femei. Acum eu nu neg posibilitatea ca eu să fiu un pic dereglată, dar chiar şi aşa... Am căutat toată vara o pereche de pantaloni albi care să-mi placă şi i-am găsit într-un final, în luna septembrie, la H&M, la bărbaţi. :o

Datorită constituţiei mele cu umeri laţi şi mâini lungi, am norocul să-mi vină S la cămăşile bărbăteşti. La pantaloni, când croiala este slim fit, mă încadrez perfect la mărimea pe care o cumpăr şi de la H&M femei.

P.S. Momentan am mai pus ochii pe o parka, dar mă abţin în speranţa că totuşi o să găsesc ceva şi la femei care să-mi placă. Sunt conştientă că nu o să mă pot abţine la infinit. :P


Cămaşă :: H&M | Jeans :: H&M | Geantă :: Reserved | Pantofi :: via dePurtat.ro

Sunday 7 September 2014

Life is too short to do anything that's not challenging...

It's been a while since I've done an appropriate outfit post.
I try not to miss the daily call on Facebook, but when it comes to organized shootings... I admit that I was a bit lazy... in fact correct that... I wasn't lazy, I was damn busy.
I hope I won't get out of this state when I retire. :D

Kiss you and know that I am always here...

Dress :: Local shop | Bag :: via miniPrix 

Saturday 6 September 2014

Memories of a beautiful sunrise...

Nu sunt o specialistă în planificarea vacanţelor, dar sunt o persoană meticuloasă căreia îi place să-şi facă cât mai bine lecţiile. Aşa se face că nu-mi este frică să îmi organizez vacanţa de la A la Z, fără să apelez la o agenţie de turism. Nu zic că aşa e cel mai bine, zic doar că dacă aveţi cât de cât habar să vă documentaţi pe internet şi aţi făcut cel puţin o plată on-line cu cardul, însemnă că puteţi să vă organizaţi vacanţa şi singurei.

Primul lucru când a venit momentul să ne alegem vacanţa a fost să ne documentăm cu privire la ceea ce înseamnă de fapt Santorini. Aţi fi uimiţi să ştiţi cât de mulţi români au fost în Santorini, prin urmare iată câteva articole prin care merită să treceţi pentru a vă face o impresie despre ce înseamnă această insulă grecească: bloguluotrava.ro, ovidiumuresanu.com, cristinasurdu.com şi fashionpainteddreams.com.

După ce ne-am documentat, am rezervat cazarea. Am căutat la fel şi fel de agenţii de voiaj on-line, am întrebat, dar nu am găsit nimic care să ne convină, aşa că am apelat la booking.com. Anul trecut am rezervat vacanţa tot cu ajutorul acestui site şi eram familiarizaţi cu procedura. Bookingul are foarte multe oferte, mai multe decât găseşti în agenţii, cu menţiunea că nu poţi rezerva decât cazare, nu şi transport. Hotelul ales de noi s-a numit Epavlis şi era situat în localitatea Kamari. Aş vrea să punctez încă de pe acum că acele viewuri impresionante de la înălţime nu se află în Kamari, ci pe coasta vestică, în localităţile Oia, Fira. Pe de altă parte, dacă sunteţi o familie cu copii, şi nu numai, vă recomand Kamari pentru cel mai facil acces la plajă.
De asemenea în Kamari puteţi vedea răsăritul, iar în Oia şi Fira apusul.

Ce trebuie să ştiţi despre booking? În primul rând că are nevoie de un număr de card. Eu le-am dat un card de debit, nu de credit, şi l-au acceptat. În primă fază ei cer numărul de card pentru a se asigura de identitatea persoanei care face rezervarea... sau cel puţin aceasta este impresia mea. Apoi, cam cu o săptămână înainte de începerea sejurului blochează suma pe care le-o datorezi. Unii chiar extrag şi suma.
Aici aş vrea să fac o paranteză să vă povestesc ce mi s-a întâmplat. Iniţial când am făcut rezervarea scria că banii îi vom plăti la terminarea sejurului şi nu m-am stresat să mă asigur că am întreaga sumă în cont. Cam cu o săptămână înainte de începerea sejurului mă trezesc cu un mesaj de la bancă în care mi se spune că a eşuat tranzacţia iniţiată de Epavlis. Hmmm... I-am contactat să-i întreb dacă rezervarea mea e sigură şi ce anume încearcă să facă? Iniţial i-am sunat, apoi am continuat discuţiile pe mail. M-au asigurat că am rezervare, dar că pentru a fi siguri că o să ne onorăm rezervarea vor să blocheze suma pe care le-o datorăm. Ok... M-am asigurat că am toţi banii în cont şi le-am spus să încerce iar. Primesc mesaj din nou de la bancă.,. tranzacţie eşuată. WTF!?
Sun la bancă. Se pare că aveam setată o limită maximă ce putea fi tranzacţionată online, iar suma pe care încercau să o blocheze depăşea cu mult limita mea. Am mărit limita, le-am scris mail din nou să încerce şi se pare că a treia oară a fost cu succes. Extracţia propriu-zisă a banilor s-a produs cu două zile după terminarea sejurului.
Hotelul în teorie fost de 4 stele, în practică de 3.5 şi în principiu a fost totul ok. Cel mai mult mi-a plăcut că era extrem de curat.

În ceea ce priveşte transportul, iniţial am căutat zboruri. Am găsit... nimic de zis... însă mi s-au părut scumpe. Lucru normal, atunci când faci o rezervare cu o lună înainte. După îndelungi negocieri şi analize am hotărât să mergem cu maşina... aproximativ 1400 de kilometri, din care jumătate doar prin Grecia, apoi între 5 şi 8 ore cu ferryboatul. Din experienţa mea, vă recomand să faceţi acest drum din două bucăţi, cu pauză de o noapte în Salonic. Noi aşa am făcut la întoarcere şi a fost cel mai bine. La dus, drumul până în portul Pireus a durat 20 de ore, cu destul de multe opriri.
Drumul prin Bulgaria a fost făcut pe timp de noapte şi nu am avut nicio problemă. Chiar aş vrea să remarc că Bulgaria e plină de maşini româneşti pe timp de noapte.

Documentarea despre călătoria cu ferry-ul am făcut-o de pe santorinidave.com. Informaţiile au fost foarte bune. Ce trebuie să ştiţi este că trebuie să vă rezervaţi din timp biletele pentru a fi siguri că aveţi locul asigurat. Noi am făcut asta cam cu două săptămâni înainte. Rezervarea implică şi plata on-line a biletelor. Dimineaţa sau seara înaintea călătoriei trebuie să vă ridicaţi biletele de la biroul aflat în port, altfel nu vă puteţi îmbarca pe ferry.
Drumul la dus a durat 8 ore pentru că a fost făcut cu un ferryboat Blue Star Ferries... imens.
Drumul la întors a durat 5 ore pentru că a fost făcut cu un catamaran Hellenic Seaways... mai mic, mai rapid... dar extrem de gălăgios. Dintre cele două l-aş alege pe primul, atât din punct de vedere al confortului cât şi a din punct de vedere a ceea ce are de oferit la bord. Dacă îl alegeţi pe al doilea, nu alegeţi clasa economic, zgomotul e mai mare decât în avion. Informaţii detaliate despre călătoria cu maşina, dar şi cu ferryul găsiţi în limba română pe grecia.de-weekend.ro.

Nu vă mai spun că este esenţial să aveţi un GPS cu voi. Nu vă complicaţi cu fel şi fel de aplicaţii. Folosiţi Google Maps. Activaţi 3G-ul, deschideţi aplicaţia, setaţi traseul, porniţi-o şi apoi dezactivaţi 3G-ul. Dacă şi-a descărcat harta, nu aveţi nevoie de conexiune la internet permanentă.
Noi am avut mai multe astfel de aplicaţii, dar s-a dovedit că Google Maps-ul avea cele mai actualizate hărţi.

Ultimul sfat pe care vi-l ofert este să întrebaţi... atunci când nu ştiţi ceva, când v-aţi blocat... întrebaţi. Dacă tot nu v-aţi lămurit mai întrebaţi o dată... sigur vă veţi debloca.

Aceastea fiind spuse, aştept eventualele întrebări sau propuneri cu privire la ce anume aţi vrea să vă mai povestesc despre această călătorie.

Thursday 28 August 2014

Postcards from Santorini

I almost can't believe it, but... yes... I was there... in Santorini... for 7 days.
It was a beautiful experience, which I recommend you to live it at least once in your lifetime.

We planned the vacation by ourselves, exactly like we did last year, by using www.booking.com and we did good since everything worked out perfectly. The only piece of advice I would like to offer you is to book you vacation in Santorini a few months in advance in order to have a richer offer and also to pay smaller prices for accommodation. Santorini is a rather expensive destination, but if you book your vacation at least 4 months ahead, there are chances that you will pay at least 20-30% less.

Our travelling group had 5 members (4 adults and a 5 years old child) and we traveled by using the personal car. The only reason we decided to make this choice was the independence that we had in exploring the island once we were there with the car. Nonetheless, you can easily rent on the island scooters, ATVs and cars.

After spending 20 hours driving (1,500 km) and 8 hours by ferry in order to get from Romania to Santorini, the second time I'm not sure I would make the same choice. The cost difference is small, but the effort is double.

The island is part of a group of islands called the Cyclades and has an interesting history in that it was formed as a result of a big volcanic eruption. As a general impression, the island has a rural aspect, with simple houses, painted white, with all sorts of blue details that are enhanced by the blue of the Aegean Sea. The rural aspect is diminished by the presence of many tourists (most of them Greeks, Germans and British), by the presence of the sumptuous ships and by the many blue pools in close competition with the sea.
It is admirable how did these people managed to emphasize the island and attract so many tourists, considering the island is lacking beaches, the climate is almost desert and the vegetation comes down to a few shrubs and cacti.

To be continued...
Sunset from Oia
~
Apus din Oia

Monday 11 August 2014

Smells like vacation...

Today I woke up... without energy. I have an intense feeling of fatigue and a burning desire for vacation. Total opposite to what these photos emanate. I don't want outfits, I don't want makeup, I don't feel like blogging, I don't feel like doing anything...
All I want is to lie down on a lounge chair, under an umbrella, staring at a big blue sea... That's all!

Where would you like to be now?

Dress :: H&M | Jacket :: thrifted | Clutch :: Pull and Bear via Kurtmann | Boots :: via miniPrix

Monday 4 August 2014

The little black dress

I'm aware that the black dress is the easiest choice when it comes to event outfits, but leaving aside the easiness of the choice, I have to tell you that I really fell in love with the dress from the first moment I laid my eyes on it.
What I love the most about it is the fact that it's sexy... not in a vulgar way, but in a discrete way.

What do you think? Was it a good investment or not?


Dress :: Fairytale Collection | Clutch :: Pull and Bear via Kurtmann | Necklace :: H&M | Sandals :: Local shop

Saturday 2 August 2014

July - daily outfits

I successfully managed to check the 23 working days of July with an outfit, and the ones you are seeing in this post are a selection of the most appreciated ones. It's interesting to look behind and realize, if necessary, that simple is the keyword to describe my style.
Every day I did my best to show an original outfit, but at the same time to reuse items of clothing.

If I were to do a list with all the items of clothing which I consider basic, I would say:
- white shirt,
- white t-shirt,
- navy t-shirt,
- at least one colored top: red, blue,
- at least one printed top: abstract, floral,
- black straight/slim leg trousers
- boyfriend jeans
- red shoulder purse
- brown hand bag
- black shoulder purse
- black flat sandals
- black heeled sandals

What is your opinion? What would you add to the list above.


Top :: Topshop | Trousers :: Zara via Kurtmann | Bag :: Magno | Sandals :: H&M | Necklace :: H&M

Monday 28 July 2014

What it feels like for a girl...

I thought for a while whether or not to write about this topic, but in the end I decided to write... because it's important to open our eyes to see what is happening around us and learn something.

I've been in contact for three months with a person whom I thought was a boy and whom I treated accordingly... just to find out that the person is actually... a girl. The person presented herself with a short name (e.g. Alex), which is not unusual. If she would have presented herself with the long name (e.g. Alexandra), I wouldn't be writing this post now.

The issue came to light when I saw the name in writing. I was willing to stick my hand in the fire that it was a typo... it seems my hand would have burned badly...

I felt something weird from the first moment I came in contact with the person... because of the childish voice... I even asked: how old are you?
And the look... 100% male: male clothes, male shoes, short hair cut, no make-up.
The only clue... we met a few times in the girls bathroom. The first time I don't remember exactly what I said, but I'm afraid that I said: No problem, I enter the boys bathrooms from time to time, too. The second time I said, with an ironical tone: Caught you here again....
Now that I look back, I feel totally stupid. On the other hand nobody ever caught my attention and the person really looks like a boy. If she really wants to look like a boy, I congratulate her, she does it great from my point of view!

Conclusion.

I have no problem with the idea that a girl wants to be a boy. I would say that I find really admirable how she managed to accomplish this. People don't choose how to be when they are born, but they can choose how to live. If the man was born in a wrong body it doesn't mean that he is less intelligent, less beautiful or less sociable.

We, the "normal", we must understand that in nowadays society it's very hard to be "different" and accepted at the same time. And please assign the idea of "different" with other things too... like autism, like Down syndrome etc...
Try to do an imagination exercise. Put yourself in the shoes of a person who has one of the problems mentioned above. How does it feel? Is not that easy, is it?

T-shirt :: via miniPrix | Jeans :: H&M via miniPrix | Clutch :: via Kurtmann
Sandals :: local boutique | Sunglasses :: Ray-Ban

Monday 21 July 2014

No pain, no game

Two weeks ago I attended a wedding. The ambiance was so entertaining and the music was so good that my feet still hurt because of how much I danced. The last time something like this has happen to me it was 6 years ago, at my own wedding. I danced so much that day, that I didn't feel the need to go to the toilet for the entire duration of the wedding, which was at least 15 hours... and two weeks after the wedding I couldn't feel the sole of my feet... Can you imagine that?

Don't get me wrong, I'm not sorry when something like this happens after a wedding. This is somehow normal when you attend a wedding in which you really have fun... but... the thing is that this Saturday I have to attend another wedding and I'm telling you... I'm afraid... I'm very afraid... :D My feet aren't fully recovered...

Did you ever experienced so much fun in a wedding that you had to endure sore feet for two weeks after the event?

Top :: TOPSHOP | Blazer :: Local shop | Trousers :: ZARA via Kurtmann  

Tuesday 15 July 2014

Shopping tendencies

I don't know what is happening to me, but I recently came to the conclusion that on-line shopping doesn't attract me as it used to.
It would have been nice to say that shopping in general doesn't attract me, but obviously this is not the case... although, to be honest, it wouldn't be such a bad idea to stay clean for a month and avoid shopping... :| Is there anyone else who accepts the challenge?

But back to the main topic... I visit Kurtmann and Miniprix on a daily basis, looking for treasures, but I don't fall that much into sin. I think the pace of orders is a quarter compared to the same period last year. Even ZARA, MANGO, ASOS don't tempt me anymore... the thought of having to wait a week or two, but also the risk that the pieces may not fit me, often prevent me to place an order.
Ironically or not ... even though I'm a professional shopper... this year I had a few failed experiments with sizes. I'm not totally discouraged, but for now I need to take a timeout... most probably I will pay them a visit in autumn...

The difference of pace, compared to last year, is successfully completed by shopping in local stores.

How come did this happened?
Out of convenience... Out of haste... Out of need for change...

I'm usually shopping out of need, but I sense a tendency of change in this regard too and I don't like it. Shopping for pleasure. It's stupid that I feel somehow guilty. I'm just spending my worked money. The thought that on long term I could actually use those money in more constructive purposes, instead on clothes, haunts me... that is why I hope to keep my moderation!!!

How is it with you? Are you shopping out of need or for pleasure? Do you feel the need to become more moderate? What kind of shopping do you prefer?

Top, jeans, clutch, sunglasses :: local boutique | Sandals :: Manas 

Saturday 12 July 2014

Vacation plans

I decided some time ago that each year I'll spend the holiday in a place that has to leave an imprint on my memory. I firmly believe that the memories and the spectacular landscapes that impress us and remain in our mind, are the greatest wealth we can raise over life and I tell you honestly that I want to get filthy rich  from this point of view...

Finding places that have the ability to do that is not at all complicated. Not if you're connected to social media: Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Tumblr, which invades your news feed with all sorts of photos of spectacular views.

The location we will visit in a few weeks caught my attention since last year. This year I couldn't resist anymore. I told myself that I need to see it with my own eyes. Therefore... ladies (not gentlewomen) and gentlemen... the chosen location is Greece, Santorini.

If you've already been there I'm waiting your opinions, tips, tricks. If not...tell me about your holiday plans. Where are you planning to spend your vacation? If you already had your vacation, please share your impressions...


Dress :: Rasberry Fashion | Shoes :: Benvenuti | Sungglasses :: Ray-Ban

Monday 7 July 2014

Wedding season

Every time I need to attend a wedding the questions start popping in my mind:
What dress to wear? With what accessories? How should I style my hair? What kind of make-up should I put on?

I don't attend to often special events and when an opportunity like that occurs, I embrace it because it gives me the chance to wear more spectacular outfits than in day to day life.

I have the dress from the pictures for almost a year now. I bought it for another wedding, but I couldn't attend that wedding any more so I kept it with the label on, until now. To be honest, I consider the dress to be some kind of barometer for the way I look... meaning that... from time to time I dress with it to check how I look. If I don't like the way I look when wearing the dress, then I start loosing weight again.

The sandals are a sin I committed 15 hours before attending the wedding. I really wanted something comfortable and in order to achieve that I spent 50 Euro. I'm sure that if I would have thought about this a week earlier I would have spent at the most 25 Euro on some similar ones... It doesn't matter now because they really were comfortable. They were a good acquisition.

I really wanted to do something special with my hair, not to fancy or complicated, but my usual hair stylist was booked on that particular day, so I decided to keep it natural.
I said it in the past and I will repeat it once again. Nowadays, having a good hair-stylist is almost as important as having a good doctor. If you find the person who knows what to do with your hair you need to keep it with your teeth.

The make-up is another story. I'm no make-up artist, but there are few chances to do something and not like it. That is why I usually prefer to keep the manicure, pedicure and make-up to myself. I've been doing it since I was a teenager and I will continue to do it as long as I live.

Now it's your turn. Do you embrace special events? Are they a reason for stress? Who handles your hair, make-up, manicure, pedicure before attending these events?


Dress :: ASOS
Accessories :: local shops

Tuesday 1 July 2014

June - daily outfits

The way I dress or the way I look represents for me a source of self-confidence. I feel more confident when the way my interior looks is synchronized with the way my exterior does. Of course this is a personal way of seeing things, not necessarily good and not necessarily good to be followed.

There are days when I'm very fond of the way I decided to dress (most probably you too had days when you didn't like that much the way you dressed or when you had the impression that it would have been better to wear a different pair of shoes, for example).
Those days (when I like the way I dressed) I would like to have the necessary time to take professional pictures and afterwards to write a post about  my more or less exciting daily experiences.

Obviously I don't have the time to do that. That is why, starting two weeks ago, I've made the habit of photographing myself in the mirror before I leave the house, in order to show you my choice for the day. I don't know how long I'm going to take this initiative, but as long as I take it, I hope you'll find it useful and inspiring.

P.S. I'm writing this post especially for the persons who follow me only by email, but also for the persons who wanted to know from where are the clothing items I wore on those days.

Dress :: local shop (very similar at ZARA) | Bag :: via miniPrix | Sandals :: H&M

Sunday 29 June 2014

Embarrassed

I'm the kind of person who has the capacity to ruin herself the day, since early in the morning. And you must know that I don't have to insist very much in order to manage that. It's pretty easy for me!

I was telling you at some point that in order to get to the place I work, I have to travel every day 60km both ways. The road is relatively easy, with few obstacles or traffic jams. That is why I have some time for thinking and introspection.

One day, during the thinking, I remembered a meeting I had. Most of the meetings I attend, require that I speak English. There are days when I speak so much English at work, that when I get at home at night and want to buy some bread, it feels more natural to ask it in English than in Romanian.

I think of myself as a good connoisseur of the English language, but not even half as good as I would like to be. One thing is sure... I try hard to be as fluent as I can be and not to do flagrant mistakes.

But... back to the main topic...
What I remembered was that I wanted to say at some point "gentlemen and ladies" and instead I said "gentlemen and gentlewomen".

First thing... is there a good English connoisseur among my readers who could tell me if what I said is accepted on any planet?
Second thing.... How do you react at the involuntary vocabulary/grammar mistakes of the people with whom you interact? Do you feel like laughing? Do you overlook them? Do you correct them?

The thought, that the people who heard me saying "gentlemen and gentlewomen", rolled with laughter, is hunting me.  And the thing that frustrates me the most is that I knew how to say it correctly and I didn't remember it then, when I should have, but 24 hours later...


Top :: ASOS | Jeans :: H&M | Bag :: Mango | Shoes :: Local store | Sunglasses :: Ray-Ban

Monday 23 June 2014

CONCURS

Azi am plăcerea să vă invit la un concurs în care veţi putea câştiga geanta pe care o port eu în imagini.

Tot ceea ce trebuie să faceţi este:
1. să daţi like la pagina de facebook Zadin;
2. să faceţi share la imaginea de concurs;
3. să lăsaţi un comentariu la postarea de faţă cu numele de facebook cu care mă urmăriţi.

OPŢIONAL: Primiţi o intrare în plus pentru fiecare mediu în care mă urmăriţi: GFC, Instagram, Bloglovin, Pinterest, Tumblr.
Câştigătorul va fi desemnat pe data de 13 iulie, via random.org.

Baftă tuturor!


Denim jacket :: Thrifted | Top :: TOPSHOP | Skirt :: Raspberry Fashion  
Sandals :: C&A | Bag :: via miniPrix

Thursday 19 June 2014

Lost and found

Last Sunday I lost my phone or at least this is what I though.
I was in the dressing cabin of a boutique, I was pulling my trousers and it fell from my pocket. I have the perfect image of that second in my head and that's it! I don't remember anything else. Total black-out. It was 7 PM.

Around 9.30 PM, I decided I would like to use my phone. When... surprise... I didn't have it. I used my work phone to call my personal phone. The phone was ringing, but it didn't ring inside the house. I called client support and got the number blocked in order to disable the possible dials.

My mind was thinking something like... ok... this is some kind of punishment for a bad thing I did. Maybe yes, maybe no. I went to bed.

The next day, in the morning, I asked someone to go to the respective boutique and ask if they somehow found it. Unfortunately, they didn't. I remembered the previous experience, when I had forgotten the bag with two phones in it, on a bench in the park, and the person who found it gave it back to me. I couldn't understand why this time it didn't happen the same.
Why would someone enjoy someone else's misery?
It seems so absurd to me to find something and take it, knowing very well that you could have given it back.

My mind has a funny way of running. It is always looking for justifications for the experiences it is going through. It accepts many things, but never without a previous inner analysis.

In the evening, while I was coming back from work with my personal car, I started thinking and managed to shoot a conclusion. Maybe I was meant to lose it because someone else needed it and couldn't afford buying it. I surely afford buying a new one. I didn't like it that much either. In addition, I know that I'm lucky enough that everything it is taken from me in an unfair way, gets back to me tenfold. So, I said: case closed!

I swear to you that 5 seconds after I said all this in my mind, I looked at the passenger seat from my right and guess what? There was the phone.

Have you ever lived something like this?

P.S. In case you are wondering why I didn't see it until then, the answer is quite simple. The passenger seat was 10 cm more up front compared to my seat and the angle of vision was limited. Practically, the second I bent, I saw it.


 T-shirt :: Local shop | Jeans :: H&M via miniPrix | Shoes :: Local shop | Bag :: Mango

Sunday 8 June 2014

The length of your comfort zone

I admit that in the recent weeks I've been a rare presence in the blogging world. The reasons are quite objective and I'm confident that you will understand me when I'll tell you that when you have a full time job that consumes at least 10 hours your day, a family that needs your attention and care and a house turned upside down, priorities are completely different.
I love this activity and I realized that I'll hold forever the microbe in my blood, but it's clear that there will be times (hopefully not too often) when I won't be very active, neither in terms of writing and responding to comments on my blog, nor in terms of reading and commenting on other blogs.
The good part is that I see the light at the end of the tunnel and most probably house renovations won't be  lasting more than two weeks.

P.S. Do you know how long it's been since I wanted to try such a combination: floral dress, denim jacket and suede ankle boots? I think from high school. :D It feels good that I finally managed to wear it.
I admit that the length of the dress is on the verge of my comfort zone, but ... what the hell ... if you are to over-analyze every detail, especially in this period of intense daily activities, you go crazy. I had to try it!

How is it with you? Which length of skirt ensures your comfort zone. When it becomes not OK to wear short skirts/dresses?  Does it depend on age, on how many children we have, on the husband, on the way we look? Please enlighten me.



Wednesday 4 June 2014

My other me

Well... here is a face I haven't shown too many times.
The reason why I'm showing it now is because I'm wearing contacts ... It's been a few years since I haven't worn them and after a recent visit to the eye doctor office, I decided that it would be interesting to try them again.
Now that I'm wearing them I can tell you that it's not as I expected... I'm used to my face without glasses... so I feel different, I feel like people around me look at me differently... I really don't understand why I feel this way! I'm sure I need a period of adjustment.
On the other hand, it's also very cool ... I don't have to look after my glasses anymore, I can try a sophisticated makeup, I can wear an evening dress and not feel weird because I'm wearing the hipster glasses.

P.S. Now tell me your opinion. Have you ever worn contacts? Do you like wearing them more than glasses?
Did you have any problems wearing them?

Necklace :: Hand made by Mara Rizea

Monday 26 May 2014

Complicated

The other day I had a heated discussion with The Half, which culminated with his almost desperate request: Could you be simpler?

It's a request that I fully understand, sometimes I drive myself crazy by my way of being, let alone him. Sometimes I ask myself too many questions, sometimes I make too many assumptions, sometimes I don't know what I want, sometimes I don't want anymore what I wanted, sometimes I over analyze everything, sometimes I ask for perfection...

I can't help but wonder...
If I weren't like this, would I still be here now?
If I were to change (I could try, but hard to believe that I will succeed), what will I become? I don't know myself in an another way than the complicated way.

Isn't the expression simple girl an oxymoron?

Necklace, Bracelet :: H&M | Sunglasses :: Ray-Ban

Tuesday 20 May 2014

Man style

Today I decided to bring up the subject - the partner's wardrobe.
I like to think my style has improved over the years and so did my partner's. We grew up together...
I have never liked those couples in which her... super elegant, wearing skirt and stilettos... goes arm to arm with him... dressed in sweatpants and sneakers. Of course everyone is free to wear whatever he feels it suits him, nonetheless... call me old fashion... I don't like these couples. I'm sorry I deviated from the main topic.

My husband doesn't have any problem with buying clothes for himself whenever he considers that he needs something or he notices a piece of clothing, through a window shop. Don't get me wrong, he is far from being a shopaholic... he just has the sporadic patience to wonder the stores to buy necessities and that's all.

However, from several experiences we found out that we don't have 100% common tastes. There are chances if my husband buys something, I won't like it and the item becomes a donation or ends up lying in a corner of the closet. Therefore, we agreed to go shopping together or to let me buy him whatever he needs. The chances to buy something and my husband to not like it or to have the wrong measure are almost zero. Lucky me!

How is it on your side? Do you have a demanding partner? Do you buy clothes for him or you just advise him?


Shirt :: ALCOTT via Kurtmann | Jeans :: H&M | Sneakers :: Cropp Town | Bag :: Mango | Sunglasses :: Ray-Ban

Sunday 18 May 2014

Trend alert - dresses with sneakers

Mother: Is this how they wear it now? Sneakers with dress?
Me: Ohhh, dear mother... if you only knew...

I think I noticed this trend at the begging of 2013 and I simply couldn't understand how someone could wear sneakers with a dress. I'm sure there are many who still look at this combination with amazement, but I've learned over the years to ignore the limited vision of some people and associate it with a lack of fashion culture.

There are trends I observe and which I ignore because they simply don't represent me. On the other hand, there are trends which at first I ignore... but after some time, most probably because of the blogosferic influence, I change my mind...
The current example is very eloquent in this case.

Now tell me what's your opinion regarding this trend: dresses with sneakers? Would you dare to wear such a combination?


Dress :: Local boutique | Jacket :: thrifted 

Tuesday 13 May 2014

Home sweet home

One of the things I've always wanted badly was to have my own living space and decorate it on my taste.

To understand some of my background in regard to living spaces pay some attention to the following lines:
- until the age of 18 I lived in the family home, a 3 room apartment, decorated on my mother's taste... I don't want to go into this subject because you know how they say: de gustibus non est disputandum... By the way, did your mother ever moved the furniture around the house 4 times a year?
- at the age of 18 I went to college and lived in some people's home for a couple of years, then another 3 years in a student dormitory... no, I don't want to go into details, but I wouldn't recommend anyone to live in a student dormitory. To understand a little the idea, there were times when we were 7 people in a room ... boys and girls... no comment.
- after college I spent two years in a rented old house, along with two other girls... Basically we were three couples, each one with his room. In summer it was pretty nice... we had an amazing garden, fruit trees, a garden grill, a swing... In winter... we had to make fire in a wood stove. It was romantic to sit in the heat of the wood stove and hear the wood crackles, while sitting in the boyfriend's arms. Nonetheless, the wood purchasing, the fire kindling itself... that's another story... And the noises that could be heard from the attic... I'd better not go there, otherwise I'll risk causing you a nightmare... no comment.
- we bought our on apartment after one year of marriage, when practically we became parents.
- since then 5 years have passed.

The apartment was relatively renovated, but we've done all sorts of improvements to bring it closer to our standards. Finally, I feel that this year we will reach our target completely. At the current time we are in the process of renovation and if the result will match my expectations I will come here on the blog and show it to you. :D

I've told you my story, now it's your turn to tell me about your living places experiences.


Denim vest :: C&A | Top :: C&A | Jeans :: H&M | Shoes :: Futsalworks via miniPrix | Bag :: DressLily

Friday 9 May 2014

Let's do some smart shopping

During the ZARA online shop launching all photos I've shared on Facebook enjoyed great success ... I mean in terms of likes and comments. I was very surprised and happy at the same time to observe to what are, people following me, responsive. That is until two nights ago, when I posted a picture of me dressed more seriously than usual and wearing hipster vision glasses.

Thank you for all the attention and for all the kind words you have shared with me. I didn't know that this kind of combination resonates with the style of so many readers of my blog. I promise I'll will come more often in front of you like this, because this style represents me as much as the one presented in the canola field. :D

Now... about the jacket. Some of you asked me where is it from and how mush does it cost. I know it's from C&A, but I don't know how much did it cost because I received it as a gift. I'm sure you'll still be able to find it in C&A, but have in mind to better go there on 10th of May (tomorrow), because this is the day when they will be celebrating Fashion Day, with 25% discount on every product you will be purchasing.

Since I have my eyes for a while on a boho denim vest and on a pair of sandals I will definitely go there tomorrow. I have in mind an amazing combination and I have to get it out of my brains. :D


Jacket :: C&A | Top :: Bershka via miniPrix | Trousers :: Orsay | Shoes :: dEpurtat | Bag :: SammyDress

Tuesday 6 May 2014

Tips for becoming a better blogger - part II

More than a year ago I wrote the article: 10 tips to become a better blogger... and I realized, re-reading it, that it's still very actual. I invite you to read it, in case you have some spare minutes. The article is mostly useful to bloggers.

I meant to write a continuance earlier, but didn't manage to do it... until now. Therefore... here you go...

It's very important to know in which direction you want to orient and increase the blog. People decide to follow you for a reason, let's say they resonate with your style. In other words, they are interested mostly in the fashion side of the blog. The decision to share personal aspects of life, like pictures of your baby, food recipes, etc. can be very risky. Of course this shouldn't stop you from doing it, ultimately the blog represents all that YOU are. Who likes you honestly does it unconditionally. But... if you want the blog to become a source of income is good to note this aspect of the areas of interest in order not to get your readers confused. As an extra tip I would say if you decide to post something out of the main area of the blog, you should ensure that it is as qualitative and attractive.

People appreciate things they can't have, original things, uncommon things. How do I know this? From my own experience.
I remember writing an article when I was very nervous. I needed to somehow unload the pressure (for those who are curious, here is the article). Readers quickly punished me, because approximately 20 people unfollowed me on FB. Cool, isn't it? Maybe the persons who unfollowed were the stress factors. :D Again ... I'm not saying that you should care, on the other hand don't condemn people who unfollow you. Who needs to read about others stress when they probably have theirs, right? People are looking for relaxation when browsing through blogs and I totally understand that.

I personally have another problem. I don't like to write about nothing. On one hand this can be a positive thing, because when writing about deeper things people get to know you better, but on the other hand can be a negative thing because writing a long article with a particular essence takes more time, with the risk that people won't read it... and not because they don't want to, but because they don't have the time. I hope this is not the case with this article too :D.

For the moment I will stop here, but I have some more ideas to share... of course in a future post: writing in multiple languages​​, the usefulness of giveaways, FB advertising. Interesting, isn't it?

Hoping that I haven't wasted my time writing this article and that someone will find it useful, I will be expecting your priceless feedback.




Friday 2 May 2014

The bigger, the better

Before starting this blog I thought I knew my way with fashion. That was one of the reasons for starting the blog... Well... looking back now... I didn't. I'm not trying to say that now I know my way, but the fact I've improved a lot is a certainty.

Let's take as example the statement necklace trend. Some say it's not a trend anymore, others say it will never fade as a trend, I say... give me one and I will show you it goes even with pajamas.

Of course, if I look back more than two years ago, when I didn't have a fashion blog, if you gave me a necklace like the one I'm wearing in the pictures, I wouldn't have known what to do with it. Maybe I would have sad it goes perfectly with a black party dress. Typical, right?

Nowadays, I'm not saying that it doesn't go with a black dress, because that would be a lie, but I'm telling you also it goes perfectly with simple t-shirts and denim. At least this is what I see and I'm really expecting you to tell me what you see.

I liked the blue stoned necklace from the first moment I laied my eyes on Borealy. When I received it and saw it for real, it became pure love. It seems to me, I'm not the only romanian fashion blogger in love with Borealy jewelry and from reactions I got on Instagram and Facebook I understood that neither you remained impassibile when seeing the blue beauty.

P.S. Happy belated labor day!

Necklace :: Borealy | T-shirt :: Reserved | Jeans :: Pimkie | Boots :: Stradivarius via Kurtmann

Saturday 26 April 2014

Fields of Gold

I'm sure many of you are anxious to know how went the first week at the new job. Well... it went great! The new colleagues are really helpful and they are doing their best to make my integration as easy as possible.

In the previous post, someone asked me what is my job... and the answer is, in case there are other persons who don't know yet... an IT project manager. This is what I was until a week ago in a small local company and this is what I am now, but at a much bigger scale, in a multinational corporation. I admit with all the sincerity that I still have many things to learn, but I'm not afraid at all, because this is exactly what I had in mind when applying for the job...

I will be very busy in the coming period, but I will do my best to come here on the blog as often as possible, because it's one of my greatest passions and I haven't given up on growing it more and more... so please... bare with me.

Now... about the canola field... If you would ask me, whether you are a blogger or not, the canola field shooting it's a must! Every photo you take in a canola field has the potential of becoming a work of art and I, for one, wouldn't miss it for the world. And not only because of that, but also because I consider it to be a form of therapy. :)

P.S. A special thanks to my loving husband, who took more then 200 hundred photos of me in the canola field, in order to make me happy. :)
I love you!

Top :: TOPSHOP | Skirt :: ASOS | Necklace :: H&M | Sunglasses :: Ray-Ban

Friday 18 April 2014

Every end is a new beginning...

I was telling you two weeks ago about how I felt happiness and I promised I will get back here and explain the reasons that generated this state... Well... that moment has arrived.

I don't think it's a secret anymore that one of my defining characteristics is AMBITION and that I want to do in this life everything I can to fulfill all the dreams that I have. Another way to do this, than to work as much as I can, I don't know. Therefore, the career I have in the IT domain is and will remain an essential part of my existence.

I love my job and I don't have the slightest doubt that this is what I was meant to do in life.
I spent the last 9 years in a company in which I grew up both literally and figuratively. When I started, I was a confused 22 years old student. Now, I'm a career woman, a wife and a mother of almost 31 years. I grew up professionally from the lowest level and this is something that I'm very proud off and for which I want thank those who gave me the opportunity to become today's Lucia. THANK YOU!

My desire for more became bigger than the company's possibilities and when this desire met with the need of another company to hire someone with my skills... HAPPINESS appeared. If you want to understand better what this change represents for me, professionally speaking... imagine that until now you've worked for a local clothing retailer and from now on you will work for ZARA. The work itself may be mostly the same, but the prospects and the benefits are totally different. It's a new era!

The history of the past nine years and the job changing experience determine me to put down some thoughts, hopefully motivational, for YOU, the people who read me: don't let anyone tell you what you can and can not do in life, be your own evaluators and be severe with yourselves, don't let anyone tell you that you deserve less than you know you deserve, have confidence in yourself, there is no better time than the present time to change your destiny, don't ever be afraid of change, don't stop evolving, never give up on your dreams.


Shirt :: Orsay | Trousers :: Zadin | Shoes :: dEpurtat.ro | Bracelet :: H&M | Sunglasses :: Ray-Ban

Saturday 12 April 2014

What goes around comes around

Last week I forgot my clutch in the park. I realized I had lost it at approximately 5 minutes after leaving the place and to be honest  I didn't feel panic at all. I had in my bag an iPhone and a Samsung and no other values. Maybe I knew on a certain level that I was going to get them back... And I was right!
I went back to the place I knew I had left the clutch and there was a woman who had found the bag. She was waiting for me to come back and return it. How cool is that?

Maybe, some of my readers who don't live in Romania, will think: so, what's the big deal? Well it seems that it's still a big deal here at us because the possibility to loose something and not get it back is much higher than getting it back.

This event made me realized that little by little things are changing in Romania too and I really want to encourage people to always return what doesn't belong to them, because nowhere on the face of the earth someone's sadness should be someone else's happiness.

One of the guiding principles of my life is what goes around comes around meaning that whatever you will offer to the others, that is what you will receive in return. I intend to keep this guiding principle as long as I live and I recommend you to do the same. ♥

Top :: miniPrix | Boyfriend jeans :: H&M

Thursday 10 April 2014

Out of the ordinary with Borealy Jewelry

Îmi place să cred că niciodată nu am fost o fată comună... nici prin aspect şi nici prin gândire...
Cu toate acestea, de când am început blogul simt că am evoluat foarte mult din ambele puncte de vedere: pe de o parte datorită accesului la atât de multe bloguri de stil şi imagine (uitaţi-vă şi voi la blogeriţele românce din fotografiile de mai jos), pe de altă parte datorită interacţiunii cu VOI, cei care mă citiţi, şi care sunteţi mereu avizi de lucruri spectaculoase şi interesante...
Dacă aceste lucruri nu ar fi 100% adevărate, eu nu v-aş scrie azi acest articol despre bijuteriile Borealy.

Este multă muncă în spatele unui blog, dar în momentele când ajung să scriu şi să port lucruri atât de frumoase de la Ray-Ban, de la Zara, de la Borealy... munca devine o plăcere şi îmi dau seama cât de norocoasă sunt eu. Am să vă rog ca niciodată să nu mă invidiaţi, oricare din voi puteţi face acest lucru, nu trebuie decât să vă doriţi cu adevărat. ♥

Bănuiesc că v-aţi dat seama deja ce au în comun toate fetele superbe din imaginile de mai jos... bineînţeles, bijuteriile Borealy. Sunt incredibil de frumoase şi vă spun cu sinceritate că simt fluturi în stomac când mă gândesc că în curând o să am plăcerea să port această minunăţie de colier... nu ştiu de ce, dar când îl văd îmi amintesc de Heart of the Ocean, din Titanic.

Cea mai recentă colecţie de bijuterii Borealy se numeşte Exqusite Dantelle şi o are ca vedetă pe Larisa Costea, o blogeriţă româncă pe care am descoperit-o exact cu această ocazie şi pe care vă recomand să o vizitaţi, exact aşa cum vă recomand să le vizitaţi pe toate fetele din fotografii.

În final vreau să vă mai spun că în magazinul online Borealy nu găsim doar bijuterii, ci şi o gamă variată de cadouri: cadouri pentru femei, cadouri pentru bărbaţi, cadouri de Paşte... şi... ATENŢIE, apropo de Paşte, ştiu din propria experienţă că intru în pană de idei când vine vorba de cadoul pentru naşi, aşa că vă dau un pont: Borealy a pregătit coşurile de Paşte. Sunt foarte variate şi cred că pot constitui o surpriză foarte plăcută pentru părinţii voştri spirituali.

Sper că v-a plăcut articolul meu, aştept părerile voastre, care mă ajută foarte mult să înţeleg ce şi cum gândiţi vis-a-vis de tot ceea ce vă prezint aici pe blog. Promit că revin cu un shooting de excepţie.
 

Monday 7 April 2014

Do you know how happiness feels?

Did you ever have a moment in your life when you felt happiness through every fiber of your body? Attention... I'm not talking about joy, I'm talking about HAPPINESS. That moment when you put your hands together, like in prayer, and the only things you feel like doing is look at the sky and thank God.

I felt it on 2nd of April and it was the biggest sensation ever.

You feel a warmth that invades your body, your knees soften, your flesh begins trembling and for a  moment you feel that you are going to faint. But you don't, you enter in a surreal state of float as if you were in another world. You move left, you move right, but you do it mechanicallythe brain can only process the news that you got and which caused this state of bliss. It's unreal, it's spectacular, it's unique.

Currently, I can't tell you what caused this state, but I promise that I will soon. Nonetheless, I will leave you with some clues about it:

Life begins at the end of your comfort zone. 
Neale Donald Walsch

A dream doesn't become reality through magic; it takes sweat, determination and hard work. 
Colin Powell

Leather jacket :: Guide Series via miniPrix |  Dress :: ZARA 
Shoes :: ASOS | Necklace & Bracelet :: H&M | Sunglasses :: Ray-Ban | Clutch:: via miniPrix