Photo Source: Cristian Alexandrescu Photography

2014 is so close!!! I hope you'll have a marvellous time and that you already have you resolutions list prepared. I'll be spending the New Year's Eve with some lovely people and a special dress code: denim! I know, wearing jeans is so weird on this occasion, but if we are to be honest, I think it's pretty awesome I start a new year wearing what I usually choose on a regular basis. All I want for 2014 is to be just as fabulous as 2013 has been: I finally chose the college that's right for me(hopefully I will get in there in July), I took my driver's license, I turned 18, I received the most incredible gifts , I had the opportunity to visit Paris!

Back to Paris, this is my second post about it, where I promised to tell you the story about what I visited on my first day there. After we saw Pont Alexandre III and Place des Invalides, we took the RER and arrived at the Orsay Museum. I'm totally in love with impressionism, so you can imagine this museum was simply heaven for my eyes! You might know from my old posts I read a lot of books about Vincent Van Gogh's life and art and seeing so many paintings in the same room almost brought tears to my eyes. Never have I felt so connected to a form of art, his technique is flawless and I always get so emotional when I think that the only one who supported him while he lived was his younger brother, Theo. Then there was the pointillism dedicated room, obviously filled with painting from the emblematic master Georges Seurat. Other cool thing is that now I can tell the difference between a Monet and a Manet and I can understand the hype around Cezanne's apples. The architecture of the museum is incredible, as it used to be the first train station in Paris (are you familiar with the movie Hugo?).Overall, the Orsay Museum was one of my favourite sights, and should I ever return to Paris, I will spend a whole day there because we were in a severe lack of time when we visited it.

After the museum, we took the RER once again and went to Île-de-France, where there are so many sights it overhelms you! One thing about the RER: You save a lot of time, which is amazing, but the system is confusing, unlike the METRO. Knowing French really came in handy because we had to ask a couple times to make sure we were at the right line. First we went to Notre Dame de Paris, it's definitely worth seeing at night because the lights are magical. It's a truly imposing building, with an incredible architecture. We walked by Palais de Justice but unfortunately weren't able to see Saint-Chapelle as it was late at night.  We also walked on the impressive Pont Neuf and saw the Conciergerie. It was one of my biggest wishes, as I first discovered Conciergerie on Miss Pandora's blog and thought : "what a pretty castle". Then, I did some research and I was shocked to see the building had actually been a prison for centuries!

We left "the island" and walked on the right side of Seine until we reached Pont des Arts, the famous bridge where you leave a lock. Of course, I forgot mine in the hotel room because we left in a rush. You have to see it with your eyes, we weren't expecting actually that many locks, the amount is just insane! Then it was Louvre time! We first saw the Carousel and Jardins des Tuileries. Before we left for Paris, there were many people who told us the gardens would be disappointing: completely false! It was like autumn, the trees still had their leaves and the grass was greener than ever, so December really is a great time to visit Paris, because you also get to see all the Christmas decorations.

The Louvre Museum was an interesting experience, totally different from Orsay as it mostly has classic paintings. Maybe you'll think I'm weird, but I wasn't impressed with Mona Lisa most. The painting is so small and the tourists crowded to see her just make you anxious and eager to see other things. My favourite section was the wall with a few paintings of Leonardo Da Vinci like 'Lady with an ermine' or 'St John the Baptist'. He is a genius, I just feel that 'Mona Lisa' isn't his masterpiece. We were stuck in the museum for a lot of time due to unexpected rain and we got to visit the most of it, and also got to explore the intricate details of the ceilings, mirrors, furniture etc. 

When we were finally able to leave the museum, we went to Rue Saint-Honoré, a big dream of mine, where I got to admire all the famous brand stores (oh God, the Miu Miu store shines just like a diamond!) and then we visited Place Vendome. This particular place will stay in my heart forever, because it has another level of beauty, combined with luxury, high fashion and really classy Christmas decorations. I just wish that someday I'll be able to actually walk in a Dior or Chanel store, they all looked so magical! We also got to admire Palais Garnier,  which is their National Opera and the Galeries Lafayette (best window of the store goes to Roger Vivier). Looking back, I'm pretty proud we managed to visit all these incredible sights in just 8 hours and I can't wait to travel abroad again!

Photo Credit: Cristian Alexandrescu Photography

I hope you all had a jolly Christmas and that you enjoyed spending some quality time with your friends and family, I sure did! The holidays also gave me the opportunity to go through all the photos from Paris. Let me just say that having a photographer with you is really awesome and that I hope he doesn't mind I edited the photos, we always have different points of view on the lighting. 

Seeing me in a dress at +5 degrees , you might think we went crazy and I kept on taking my coat off at every corner! I wish, but long gone are the days when I would freeze at -15 Celsius degrees for the sake of the blog. This was the first shoot , so naturally there was this Paris hype in our souls and that's why we took so many photos. You should have seen us 6 hours later: "Just take one picture of me here, so mom can see I visited this as well" haha.

Now, the amount of things we visited in the first days is INSANE. Some people even wouldn't believe us when we told our story, but we managed so well because I've been planning this trip to Paris for two years and I already knew the location of the main sights and the main streets by heart (God bless Google maps!). I think there are around 100 (good) photos with me from the first day, so I chose to share 25 on this first post, when I was all full of energy and we visited the Esplanade des Invalides surroundings, including the famous Pont Alexandre III. For me, the bridge was breathtaking because I could feel the fashion vibe while walking on it ( all the Vogue Paris editorials shot here plus the editorials of my favourite fashion bloggers like Gary Pepper Girl) and also because it was also the first time we saw the Eiffel Tower while we were in Paris. In the next post I will give you the complete list of sights which we visited during that day and I will share my impressions.

Photo by Cristian Alexandrescu

Dear readers, I haven't forgotten about you, I just had this major event in my life and I didn't want to jinx it! You already know it's been always one of my biggest dreams to visit Paris. Well, it happened, thanks to an international competition, IGAM4ER !!! I put some use to my English skills and presented the concept of our game to many interesting people. Cristi, my classmate,  is the brilliant mind behind all the programming of the game and I'm so proud of him for making such a perfect prototype!

We met incredible people from all around the world and won the "Heartful Prize" of the competition, which got us so emotional! Everyone from the competition worked really hard on their projects and I loved to see all the passion and energy put into their presentations. We also managed to visit some of the most important sights, I will make a post about it once Cristi (who is also a great photographer) will give me the photos.

♪ Lorde- Pure Heroine ♪

Okay, I'm oficially declaring winter as the most dreaded season for blogging! I may have managed it last year, standing in the cold and posing in sheer tops and writing once or twice a week, but things are so different in the last year of highschool! 

I almost didn't go to my cousin's birthday two weeks ago because I had to study for an exam. In fact, I wasn't supposed to go, but it was 00:00  and I wished him a very Happy Birthday (his birthday was on a Friday this year- what a luck!). We started chatting and I suddenly missed him and the city of my dreams (plus I had a really cool gift for him), so at 1 AM it was decided: I would go to his town and surprise him. At 8AM I hopped on a train and spent one night in his town. Best risk I ever took (or maybe the truly BEST risk is yet to come- I don't want to jinx it, more details soon)- I had a blast with his friends, ate the best pizza, saw "Hunger Games 2" and even had some time for shopping. For those of you who don't know, I am obsessed with the books, I read the trilogy in three days and I can say it with all my heart this film is so much better than the first one! I loved it and I recommend it to all my friends.

Back on the blog issues, I've been wanting to show you my new love when it comes to tops, blouses &Co. It has happened to me several times to order things from a site which looked really interesting and then have the items delivered in a poor shape or with a totally different fabric/ shade of color. This is not the case! I'm deeply in love with Front Row Shop ever since I got the package with this perfect blush pink top. The asymmetrical cut, the cool concept of design (that white part of top you see underneath it's actually part of the top, you somehow tie them at the back- so awesome!) and the flawless colors made me choose to wear it to two birthday parties (one of them was obviously my cousin's). If I was to pick my favourite aspect about it though, I would say the fabric: never have I worn a cotton so smooth and comfy, I'd like all my tops to be like this! My honest advise is to consider Front Row Shop next time you feel like splurging online, I'll order for sure again.

♪ Lorde- Tennis Court ♪

My room- or my most important part of it- the work space. You've asked me to do a video tour of my room for years now, it will come someday, but in the mean time I thought I'd share some photos with the most loved corner in my room. The idea came to me this Sunday, when I wanted to show you my new green dress from Persunmall. Of course, there were 0 Celsius degrees, so we weren't able to shoot outside. I was all grumpy and sad in my chair when I thought: "how about taking the pictures inside?".

Now, a little something you should know about my room: 

It's small, too small for two girls to share, and I am sharing it with my little sister (let's hope she won't get mad at me for this post, she always yells at me "it's OUR room" )

I designed it together with my dad when I was 13 and I had to make two major compromises: First, I wanted the furniture to be in one color, that light cream but the brand we chose didn't have enough wood in stock. If I would have waited three more months, it would have been possible but it was summer back when I redecorated and I was in a desperate need of change. Threfore, we settled for the orange combination because I really liked the way they worked together, but now that I'm in my teenage years I'm kind of tired of it. And I say "kind of" because I realized next year I will be in an ugly , boring dorm room and this room will be like heaven compared to it. (I'm taking my LOVE letters with me in college, they can make any room prettier, right?). Secondly, because my room is so small and I wanted such a big desk and we also needed to design a desk and bookcase for my little sister we had to sacrifice the curtains because they would have taken 25 cm in width. You can see the result, I look like I'm sitting in an actual office!

I didn't have any frames on my desk until last week when I found this cute little shop and I just had to buy these two! I came home excited to frame my photos just to discover..I haven't printed a photo of myself in three years haha (maybe I should start saving up for a Polaroid, I've always wanted one).

I use my statement necklaces as room decor, I think it has a pretty neat impact and I always have a hard time deciding which Vogue issues deserve to stay on the desk (I have some stacked in another corner).

So, what do you think about my room?

The last year of highschool isn't kind at all with me, I must be saying this the 100th time. If you have been reading my blog for an year, you must know I pulled a Minnie for the last Halloween. This year I had this whole concept for a shooting as one of my icons Holly Golightly, which was set to be published on the actual Halloween day. What happened? Firstly, bad hair day! I had to re-do this bun like 4 times! Then, tests and homework, I can't believe I'm 5 days late with my post. 

Still, I told myself that even if I failed to celebrate this holiday in the online world, it shouldn't stop me to have fun at school. So, I brought a bunch of delicious candy for my mates and I pulled a Minnie again (the Holly Golightly costume was out of the question, it's so much easier to just drop the ears during study hours). Plus, you can see I bought another pair of ears this year, never repeat a Halloween costume!

Now, on Holly Golightly: I often wonder if I would have adored her just by reading the book. Initially, I watched the movie because Audrey Hepburn played the reading part and she has been one of my favourite actresses ever since I was a little girl. Last year I was over the moon to receive the DVD, because now whenever I need a boost of confidence and hope, I watch it. Holly may be strong, resourceful, optimistic, charismatic, a good actress ( all the man she tricked, we got to give her some credit!), but in the end even she turns out to be a hopeless romantic. The movie's got everything: great lines, lovely decor, romantic plot, funny scenes and a high dose of fashion and style.

Now, a few of my favourite quotes of Holly, all written by the genius Truman Capote:

♪ Avicii- You make me ♪

There was a lovely time in September when the weather was gloomy yet alright and I could wear skirts matched with cozy sweaters all day long. Those were also the days when I had a lot of free time on my hands and I could wander for hours- in funky coffee shops or driving the most perfect car in the world. Oh well...at least I still have the pictures! Hmm..not really, the last time I wore a skirt was when I took these photos and we had the worst light possible, not even Photoshop would do wonders...

I was just getting used to managing these hectic days, when both me and my parents decided to go on a weekend trip - on one hand, I'm super excited because I get to be with my cousins, my aunt and uncle and have tons of fun but on the other hand, I know how hard it's going to be for me to keep up with the douzen school projects and the five tests coming up. I guess whenever I found myself in a dilemma I run straight back to my blog and look for some advice from my readers- if you're reading this, what's the secret of a good time management? ( Please don't answer: "Cut back on your sleep hours", because that's usually what I do).

My dear readers, are you still there? I'm alive, I'm just burried in homework and with tons of projects on my hands! Being in my last highschool year has been a crazy ride, and it's only been 3 weeks since it started. I don't even have spare time in weekends (I had to cut two hours of studying Biology just to write this, I'm so not getting any sleep tonight!) and I just feel like rambling and writing!! I have discovered so many amazing things in the past month. 

My number one love for this fall is an app which I have waited for such a long time! I don't know about you, but I feel like the internet has completely changed the ways in which we communicate. Whenever I send a message to my friends I think about the third party which might be involved (we are always logged in on  social networks on our smartphones, so it's easy for someone in your life to get access to your secret conversations) and if I can really trust that friend not to tell/ show anyone. I had fallouts many times because I felt like me and my friends should have deleted a talk from our archieve. We even tried talking in encrypted codes, but it was a big mess at some point and we all got the wrong messages. I resigned and started to tone down my thoughts online and prayed for someone to create an app that left no trace behind. Some amazing people seem to have read everyone's mind and created Frankly! You can send text or photos and once you get the message you have 10 seconds to see it and then it's gone- FOREVER. Awesome much?? And it doesn't stop here, you can create group chats which is ideal because you all know I have 4 best friends, chatting together is so much better. Also, picture this- you wrote something stupid and you want to take it back- if the person hasn't seen it, it's actually possible to do this! I've been using this app for several days now and both me and my friends agree it's the one thing that's been missing online for such a long time- the possibility to write down your actual thoughts, emotions, secrets and be.. frank! The great thing is that you can find it on both App Store and Google Play , I use it on both my Ipad and Iphone.

Another cool thing I've discovered- the burgundy sneakers from Nike. I thought a lot whether I should buy them or not, considering they were so expensive but last week I was so tired and anxious I just told myself I need some retail therapy (I'll try to limit on an Oasis scarf next time I get the urge haha). Joke aside, I LOVE them so much, they have this cool fabric inside- feels like I'm wearing slippers! Also new and beautiful- notice my teal necklace, it's an incredible gift I got from two of my friends who visited Turkey. They really know me- you can never go wrong with a statement golden necklace when it's about getting me a gift! Now, about the pile of book/ magazines - I bought them (& many more actually) in September but it's just too much to handle right now- I miss reading, I miss my blog, I miss you !

Me, the Modern Minnie, last Halloween

I was looking at my old outfit posts the other day and I found this cute photoshoot I did last year. And it hit me! What am I going to wear for Halloween this year? Even though it's not a mainstream holiday in Romania, I always pay tribute to it because I found the concept fun and relaxing! For one day, I get to be whoever I want to be and get inspired by different characters/ people. The tons of candies and the cool parties aren't a downside either.

I have no idea what person/creature I should play this year ! Therefore, I started looking for Halloween Costumes Coupons - because I love a good discount and I tend to decide easier when a product is on sale. Still, wouldn't it be better if I went as a fashion icon (famous designer/ fashion editor) ? But what about the Greek Penelope? I can pull off that maxi dress I showed you in the early June. Once again, the endless possibilities that you have thanks to the fashion world and the inspiring things in your life...

I'm going to let you see my three top Halloween 2013 choices so far while I go and search for a great deal on RioCodes.com , hopefully I'll get another costume idea or decide at last:

I'm no fall fan, as I stated tons of times on this blog. I'm going to share with you the main  (& kind of obvious) reason: you know I like to dress all classy and feminine and wear skirts and dresses, so when autumns arrives I find it impossible to do it, I just don't like to wear tights. I go back to my skinny jeans and I suddenly don't feel special anymore. These photos show the last time I wore a dress this autumn (parties don't count- I just drive to the party and freeze until I enter the restaurant). It was a gloomy day, it even rained an hour later and there I was, in my new favourite dress , with my best friend taking photos of me (she was in a tank top as well).

I had to show you this dress, although I didn't want to be in this light, because I look too damn pale and everything is so foggy. I kind of like the photos now, though. The dress is from the Autumn/Winter 2013 Zara collection was a birthday gift from my best friend, Sara. She really knows me! The funky print, the cut which really flatters my body type, its colors (I can wear it to formal school events thank to the navy on it) and its fabric- perfect for both daily wear and parties- make it the perfect dress for me! Even my flats have a funky print, you'll see if you scroll down to the photos of the details. They're from Persunmall and I just love them! 

Photos by Simona

Happy Monday! I loved that the first fall/winter report got so many hits and positive feedback so I thought I should share my thoughts about another trend today. For all the fashion enthusiasts it is common knowledge that last fall was all about burgundy. Therefore, we are stunned to see burgundy making a comeback after merely one year! Was it the fact that most of us bought bordeaux pieces last October like crazy people? Or was it brought back in order to highlight the color of this season: powder pink? Either way, I'm buying burgundy this fall, big time!

Now, what should you invest in? I thought a lot about it, and I would advise you to go for bags. It's not only the fact that this shade makes any bag look like a statement item, it's also because you can wear it regardless of the season, weather and trends. I just love this Samsonite bag, you can find it online for a great price using this Koffer24 Coupon Code.  A bordeaux Marc Jacobs watch would be a great investment as well.

On my wishlist you can find another wine-colored bag I adore, from Kipling (see collage below). Which one do you like more? I'm tempted to choose it because of the incredible discount I can get using a Kipling Coupon Code. Either way, they are both perfect for a busy teenager like me, I can see myself taking them to school, gym, shopping sessions, on road trips. And I think we can all agree they would both go perfectly with these gorgeous Nike Sky Dunk Hi , I've  been dreaming of getting a pair for a couple months, I'm just not sure I should take the plunge.

Will you buy brand new burgundy items this fall, or you'll just recycle from the last winter season?

I can't believe I'm starting school in a couple of days! It has been an incredible, fun, full -yet too short summer. I found these lovely photos I took in Thasos in the day we went around the island and visited The Marble Beach, The Golden Beach, the luxurious Makryammos complex and the lovely mountain village Panagia.

♪ Beatles - Come Together ♪

It's that time of the season: when you have to switch to other types of clothes and adapt to the new trends and weather conditions. For some reason, I have the biggest crush on my Zara full skirt, everything about it is perfect!! Therefore, you'll spot me on the street wearing it with different sweaters these days, even if the skirt was meant to be worn only in the summer season. Even mom was sketiptical when I told her I want to mix such different textures, but she agreed with me in the end. There's something great about wearing nothing but a cool loose sweater on early September. 

Now , what about the song I recommend? It seemed like the perfect choice to highlight this new fall trend I've just read about in Vogue UK : "Opposites Attract: When summer's pastels and autumnal tones meet." Imagine how excited I was to see this a few hours ago as it turns out my outfit (sort of) represents this new trend.  Okay, I may have only one autumnal tone: the auburn colored bag- but it makes such a bold statement! Plus, I think this whole look kind of has a "I'm still deciding whether it's summer or autumn" vibe.

What do you think about this trend- have you been wearing color combos and different textures at a start of a new season before?

Photos by Simona

It's officially autumn. I've never been fond of this season, but I tried to find a silver lining. Sure, I sometimes enjoy the rainy days, with a warm cup of tea in one hand and a marvellous book in another, but it's not enough.  Therefore, I found myself a fall outlet : fashion. I find an imense joy in buying the September issue (last year I chose the iconic Amercian Vogue and Elle UK) and writing about the trends I spot in my notebook. This year it's going to be even more amazing as I have a Moleskine especially designed for the fashion addicts and the Elle Collections Catalog.

I thought it would be great to share my observations and style tips with you on, let's say, 3 trends every once in a while. You shouldn't buy your clothes according to the trends, but it's nice to refresh your closet with something stylish every once in a while. I also love the fact that once I start researching I come across to amazing fashion brands. This season brought me Footwear Etc. , I just can't take my eyes off their amazing bags, such a colorful variety (you'll see how I would style them in the collages below)!

This week, I would like to talk to you about the following trends:

♪ Coldplay- Charlie Brown ♪

I'm saying my goodbye to summer- sweet, hot, full of memories summer! As in the last three years I went with my family around Europe, I forgot how it was like to spend my summer properly- at seaside- swimming, eating tons of delicious ice-cream, sunbathing. We chose the Thasos island, in Greece, as our destination. It's an island I definitely want to visit again one day, the weather, the water, the food are perfect!

This is the beach where I spent most of my mornings, it was so hard to make me leave it! It just had an awesome lounge where I could enjoy my "Tales of the Jazz Age" book, a smoothie bar with what seemed like an endless menu and let's not forget the main thing - THE SEA.  

You'll also see in the photos a part of the hotel's garden. And I'm sure you're going to notice my fashion faux pas as well. YES, those are perspex flats, with a gummy texture.  I never wanted to wear them, but I forgot to pack my flip-flops, That's so typically me, I don't forget to take my golden cuffs with me, but the essential beach footwear- sure, let's leave them at home! Anyways, this pair of shoes was the only alternative I could find- the flip-flops they had for sale everywhere were hideous! In the end, I think it's the kind of funny memory you want to have from an amazing vacation, so I have no regrets.

As we're entering the last week of this incredible summer, I want to stay optimistic and feel inspired! That's why I thought I should bring back the type of post I initially wrote when I started this blog. It's sort of a visual mood board with fashion, art, history, food and decor.

This week we're talking about ROYALTY. I got this idea while stumbled across this incredible picture of a Marie Antoinette painting, and it all came back to me. When I was little, I wasn't one of those girls who wanted to be a princess. My Barbie doll always had to be a fashion designer or a doctor (funny how I anticipated my biggest passions since such an early age). I loved to hear a good story about a princess, but that was all. Everything changed when I was twelve and I saw the "Marie Antoinette" movie directed by Sofia Coppola. Sure, maybe Marie isn't the best queen to take as a model, but it somehow woke my love for history. I started reading biographies and watching documentaries and well...the rest is history haha!

I think it's incredible to see how much of the royal history is preserved and how talented film directors make a movie every once in a while to wake that thirst to learn more about the past. To combine history and fashion, I chose the first picture from the Dolce & Gabbana 2013 fall/winter campaign, featuring Andreea Diaconu, Bianca Balti and Kate King. I was so excited to see Romanian model Andreea on their campaign because when I watched the runway show a few months ago, where she wore that amazing red number I thought she would be a perfect match!

My selection also includes a shot of lovely Kristina Bazan, dressed in white with an impressive Parisian background behind her, The Gates of Paradise, which I was so impressed by in Florence, Audrey Hepburn as Holly Golightly (she looks like a modern duchess, okay, minus the pose) and Leighton Meester as the elegant and feminine Blair. What about a royal wardrobe? A princess should have Elie Saab and Maria Lucia Hohan gowns. I couldn't help but include a photo of Olatz Schnabel’s bedroom, you'll see how it matches the theme. Perhaps you'll wonder what a photo of the cool blonde Abbey Lee Kershaw has to do with this?  Her style reminds me of Daenerys Targaryen, Game of Thrones anyone? Also, it wouldn't be a real royal post if I didn't include the flawless hairdo of Kate, Duchess of Cambridge. 

♪ Amy Winehouse- Back to Black ♪ (& blogging)

I really thought I would post more often this summer, especially because I'm still on vacation, but in the last two weeks I've been lacking photographers (friends, my cousin, my mom, anyone??) and good weather. So there I was, trying my new number from SheInside, dying to blog about how I found my perfect little black dress and with no options whatsoever. Then it hit me: Why don't I go back to my first routine as a blogger? When I started this blog, it was just me, this white wall and my camera on self-timer mode.

I admit I got a little nostalgic and that I wasn't so content with the results, but maybe this way you get to see better the intricate lace work on my marvellous dress and its great cut. I chose to go for a punk chic style by adding my statement necklace from Zara, golden cuffs and flatforms. I love how versatile it is, I plan to wear it at a future party in a classy/feminine way.

And, since these photos are so simple and clean, maybe it's the right post to share my super exciting news: I got my driving licence on the 14th of August!! Two days after my birthday, it was one of my biggest dreams. I know it comes with a great responsibility, but we all have to admit it's a pretty awesome feeling, to be driving.

♪ Fergie - A little party never killed nobody ♪

" I can't believe that I'm 18 ! " it's what I've been saying to myself these past 13 hours (even dreamed about it!). I don't usually make a big deal out of my birthday, but this time it felt different, it's such an important age, and my friends and family made it clear with their countless surprises and gifts!

The first birthday present I got this dress, in advance, because I had this amazing wall in my room decorated especially for this occasion and wanted to take some awesome photos, but I had no special outfit! When my mom saw how dissappointed I was , she gave me this Zara dress that I was to receive at 00:00. I love this shade, fuchsia meets honeysuckle. 

Another incredible gifts followed, all received at 00:00 sharp. The biggest surprise was a white Iphone5 from my parents, followed by the fact that even if my aunt,uncle and cousins don't live in the same town as I do, I received their gift as well, the Miss Dior Cherie perfume!!! If you've been reading my blog for, let's say, one year, you must have noticed how in my Polyvore collages this fragrance was always there and how I would always state my obsession for it. 

I just want to be happy today, to have fun and spend some quality time with my friends and family! Thank you all for reading this, I can't believe I won't be a teenager for so long..

PS: Make sure to come back later to see a photo of my AMAZING cake. (clue: Miu Miu)

PPS: How do you like my festive wall? It took me one hour to do this, I had so much fun!

♪ John Newman - Love me again ♪

Wow, this summer holiday is flying away, I can't believe I will be 18 in 4 days! I'm trying to  be as optimistic as I can, although there have been unexpected changes and I'm not sure how to make my birthday special at this point. Anyways, I thought posting these photos from Thasos with me wearing the lovely T-shirt which has a strong message: "Happy thoughts will guide my way" might cheer me up a bit.  The skirt is one of the other things my cousin got from Sevilla for my birthday, it's from Mango and he was lucky enough to find the last one!

It was a marvellous day of our trip, back when we shot these, we went around half the island and stopped for lunch in a small village famous for the shop where you can buy pine and orange honey, Theologos (the honey really is something else, by the way!). We had lunch there as well, and most of the photos are taken on a quaint little street. The village was so different from what I've seen before, most of their roofs were made of stone. After lunch, we went for a little shopping session in Limenaria, a small city, with incredible palm trees and caffes.

I'm back from the marvellous island of Greece, Thasos. It is an incredible destination, I recommend it to anyone who is looking for the perfect mix between mountain and seaside, with a lot of picturesque villages to visit and where you'll find exquisite traditional Greek food. Now, this vacation was full of surprises and I thought the title of the book I'm currently reading, "Tales of the Unexpected", by Roald Dahl would be suitable title for this post as well.

First of all, I don't know if you've ever noticed, but I seldom change my earrings. I had my gold little earrings ever since I was 10 and I find very hard another type of earrings to suit me. Still, when I discovered Style Lately 's selection, I felt the urge to risk and order this mint/golden pair online. They arrived just a few days before my departure to Greece, and I found myself wearing them almost the whole holiday! The have a great quality and I fell in love with the brand itself, I now have my eyes set on a gorgeous pair of sunnies and a fringe bag from their shop.

Secondly, right when I got the earrings my cousin came back from Sevilla. As I'm turning 18 on 12th of August, he thought to mark this special occasion and got me the most amazing gifts! This skirt from Zara is one them, and I found myself also wearing it and another skirt from Mango he brought the entire vacation.  Now, how am I supposed to publish on the blog so many photos with the same skirt??

Thirdly, the hotel where we stayed was amazing, with a perfect garden, with so many olive trees and roses, as you'll see in the pictures below. The only major problem was that there was wifi only in the lobby, hence my lack of posts. 

Also, what do you think about the message on my Mango T-shirt? I find it very suitable because Thasos may be a great destination, but it wouldn't have been so fun to visit without my beloved family.

 

Hello my dear readers, I'm writing you from one of the lovely islands of Greece, it's the first time I'm trying such a type of holiday.Whenever I travel with my family, my aunt and uncle choose special cities to stop on our way to the final destination. Last year, I got to see Ljubljana, the Balaton Lake and Debrecen this way. This time we visited Veliko Tarnovo, a lovely Bulgarian city.

We chose this town because of its unique arhitecture and impressive heritage and history. In the main picture of this post you can see their famous Tsarevets Fortress. I loved this city and its peaceful tone, although the streets are quite dusty. Another thing I absolutely ADORED was our hotel: Hotel Real.  The arhitecture and the decor are astonishing, you'll notice most of the pictures in this post are taken in its various rooms, all decorated impeccably.

We were lucky to come across the Hadji Nikoli Inn, apparently this restaurant dates far back, I loved their Menu and chose a chocolate mousse, it was INCREDIBLE (see the picture below). I feel so lucky and blessed to be able to see such amazing places like Veliko Tarnovo!

“I'm not sentimental--I'm as romantic as you are. The idea, you know, is that the sentimental person thinks things will last--the romantic person has a desperate confidence that they won't.” F. Scott Fitzgerald, This side of paradise

I have been incredibly inspired by the work of F. Scott Fitzgerald lately. You know from my last posts I loved reading "The Great Gatsby" and "The beautiful and the damned" but in the last week I enjoyed another novel,  "This side of paradise" and I have discovered what I consider to be his greatest talent: writing short stories. I LOVE "Flappers and Philosophers", it's such a sophisticated compilation of stories and I can relate to so many typologies ( please read "Bernice bobs her hair" when you have time, you won't regret it!).

Just like I did when I deeply fell in love with J.D. Salinger's work, I chose not to look for any details on the author himself (I do know the basics though, it's common knowledge). It's so thrilling to think which parts of a character or a story actually reflect the writer's life. What is it with Mr. Fitzgerald that all the main characters have to be astonishingly  beautiful? Was he surrounded only by golden-haired girls and confident, witty boys? Was he a great fox trotter in real life? 

I chose to name this outfit post "Misty rose" because it's actually the color that both my top and a part of my skirt have. I'm quite unhappy with the results of this photoshoot, the skirt looks completely white, you can find the real version here. It is marvellous and I got it from Persunmall, I can't wait to wear it on the magical beaches of Greece!

I must be one of the laziest bloggers on Earth, I really want to blog but I get stuck in this holiday pattern: I'm watching various shows (I'm currently obsessed with House of Cards ) and when the night comes I usually hang out with my friends. Summer is here, in Romania, and I'm loving every minute of it!

Now, you might be wondering where is that 'touch of hippie' in my feminine and classy outfit? I believe it's in this marvellous Chicnova T-shirt. I don't know about you, but I don't pay a lot for a T-shirt. For skirts, dresses, even statement necklaces, sure! Still, I buy most of my T-shirts from sales because I need to own many and also because they strike me as a canvas where you express various thoughts. This Chicnova T-shirt makes an exception, I would have paid a lot for it! It has the perfect print, incredible colors and the best fabric you can wear on such a hot summer.

The photos are a bit different from what you are used to. A dear friend of mine, Cristi, took them using his awesome Nikon D5100. I say 'different' because when we finally had time to shoot these it was the worst light, we had to find corners with shadows or apply effects on the final photos. I like to keep my photos as natural as possible but I chose to trust him on the effects this time because he knows what he's doing. 

What do you think about the outcome?

This is one of those posts when I feel like analyzing every single detail. You might think I don't know how the aquamarine shade looks like, but that's not the case. I've struggled to show you how this dress actually looks but we had no satisfying results- we even took photos on two different days, and yet this shade of blue stuck, if you want to see the  huge difference, you can find the dress online here , it's exactly the shade you see in the 4th picture and I love it!  The dress is from Sheinside and my, how I love their shop, they make such perfect dresses, with a top quality and cut! (Remember when I was the Gatsby Girl? )

And talking about the dress, it took me quite a while to decide whether I should order it or not. How so? You must have noticed that I mostly wear clothes which emphasize my waist, because of my body type. I love the Empire effect, but I jusn't wasn't sure I could wear this type of dress. Still, I'm happy I took the risk, I feel so amazing wearing it, it reminds me so much of the elegant Greek goddesses.  As we're on the Greek mythology topic, I felt like naming my post after Penelope because ever since I was a child I've admired her strenght and determination to wait for her husband for so many years and I've always pictured her wearing a similar dress.

Now , the background you see, that's a whole different story- I wanted to pose in this enchanting dress  in the park near the Palace of Culture in Iasi, it seemed so romantic and right. Unfortunately, I got a call  and I had to take care of buying a gift for a dear friend. Imagine me, running around dressed like this and having no clue on what I should buy! Once I was satisfied with the gift, I ran to the park only to have the most unpleasant surprise- the sun was up! There were no shadows or places for a shoot in the park. I spotted this corner, a restaurant which was facing the Palace and I got an idea- use the mirror effect. In the end, I got my shooting at the Palace, right?

♪ Avicii - Wake me up ♪

This post's song sums up what I should do right now : wake up , because I've been enjoying and indulging myself too much lately, forgetting that I need to blog and pay more attention to a major thing I've started today.

It's just that it's all so wonderful, dolce far niente, that's what I love most about summer and I can't believe this is my last holiday before university!  Take these pictures for example: one month ago I was struggling to find a little time to shoot for my blog dressed in different outfits and now I have had them in my computer for more than a week. I've always dreamed of a maxi dress with a genius graphic print on it, it's just that whenever I found one, I didn't like the cut or how the tones matched my skin. Imagine my surprise when I found the perfect number at ZLZ, an online clothing retailer. And I say 'surprise' not because of the brand (mind you, they have an amazing selection, I could shop on their site for days), but for the fact that a couple of years ago, I would have never imagined I will find my objects of desire on a different continent and have them delivered to my house in such a short amount of time. I love the fact that the tan/nude shade I love so much is like a canvas, and the triagles frenzy begins from there and how easily you can match this dress to many colors.

♪ Beatles - Roll Over Beethoven ♪

I've always liked to learn about iconic movies, events, books, people and music, and that's why, as most teenagers,  I've been trying to assimilate important things from different cultures and historical events. Just like I know the emblematic songs of Bon Jovi, The Rolling Stones, U2, Elvis, Madonna , I have listened a fair share of Beatles. And, as much as I liked the lyrics and the beat I told myself: "They're great, but I cannot see myself going through a Beatles phase". I was, fortunately, wrong, because I can't imagine how I could have missed so many incredible messages and rhythms! I've been listening a little too much of their albums in these past few weeks, without being able to listen to anything else. How does one get out of a Beatles Phase? ( not because I've run out of songs, it's just that I miss going through all the charts - UK Top 40 is my favourite!).

And now- let's talk about the dotted presence in this post. I'm always on the quest for the right white shirt, as I have to wear uniform at school and as I happen to love wearing white. Somehow this number from Persunmall seemed like such a fun way to sport two trends of this season: graphic prints and black&white combination. The quality of fabric is incredible, and I tought I should make things interesting by matching it with my favourite mint-colored jeans and some nude accents.

The result? Well, you tell me :)

I'm one of those people who strongly believe in seizing an opportunity and creating valuable memories, but this spring was just too much! I can't complain, because so many incredible things have happened to me, but it has been too overhelming. So, in the past three months I had my own mantra: "Work hard now, wait for June". You see, I did the maths (that's the thing about a person who has so many hours of math per week: you start to calculate and plan too much!) and I concluded that I will be free this summer only 3 weeks of June and one in July. 

I found myself craving so much for time: and now that's June and I'm done with all my exams, events and trips, I'm not going to rush anything! I already started reading and I finally saw the HBO documentary: "IN VOGUE: The Editor's Eye" and two romantic comedies (I love a good and deep movie, but sometimes you need a little dullness and sweetness in your life!). Funny thing about these pictures, I wasn't going to publish them because they were taken in May, when I had a blissful weekend of slow living. I was reading and I had my Ipad with me (Whaaat? Don't you read best on the stairs? And how can I stay without my Ipad? )and when my mom saw me she suggested we should take a couple photos "for Instagram" - I know, I love her so much for her brilliant ideas and the fact she puts up with my perfectionism!

You can also see my beloved Chicnova tank top, it has the ideal fabric and the details are charming! This is a simple stay at home outfit and I decided to publish it after all because it matches my current state of mind and also because I wanted to show you that I don't wear feminine dresses and wedges 24/7.  Plus, when I see this look I think of the definition that Beth Meredith and Eric Storm gave for slow living:

" Slow Living means structuring your life around meaning and fulfillment. Similar to "voluntary simplicity" and "downshifting," it emphasizes a less-is-more approach, focusing on the quality of your life "

Still, there's one more thing I'd like to address in this post: my opinion towards the book I was reading at that time, "Can we still be friends?" , written by the editor of British Vogue, Alexandra Shulman:

♪ Fergie- A little party never killed nobody ♪

1. Me and my best friend D. in our best friend's car / 2. Lunch with my best friends , had the best sandwich spiced with tons of laughter and joy / 3. My best friend M. just got her licence and she's a natural! / 4. Me and my best friend S. at a fabulous party / 5. Gifts I, my mom and sister got for my father's birthday / 6. New obsession- there's a new cake shop in town!

Photos taken from my Instagram: marymanaila

Oh well, my past two months were so intense I can't quite sum it up accurately for you. A lot has happened, school proved to be more difficult ( I still got one more important test coming up, fingers crossed) , there were lots of parties, trips, changes and even a public speech was involved (thank God I didn't embarrass myself!). Still, there's one thing I'm certain of : I feel thankful! Thankful I've been able to go through so many interesting things, thankful I have my best friends and such a supportive family. I've also come to realize that there's only one year left of high school, which is thrilling and frightening at the same time. 

Now, let us go back to the best friends label for a bit, because I've been promising to blog about it for ages. When I was little I found the notion of  a 'best friend' confusing. It felt like such a privileged and fancy title, such a weight on my shoulders to pick only one person who I can trust with everything.  But what happens when you find 4 girls who are equally trustworthy, fun , dynamic  and who you can completely trust and relate to?  You are once again, thankful (I know it's not Thanksgiving!), you don't question the reasons why you are so lucky, and just try to make sure they know how much they mean to you! 

Oh, and let's not forget an important detail: you have fun! TONS OF FUN! You create memories, you party, you watch all the good movies and discuss all the interesting books because your teenage years and magical and you have to remember them- even the drama, as "we are who we are because a lot of reasons", written  brilliantly in The Perks of Being A Wallflower.

I find fascinating how I have with different things in common with each one of them, and that's why I have to quote C.S. Lewis :  “Friendship is born at that moment when one person says to another: "What! You too? I thought I was the only one.”

Do you have more than one best friend? Do you believe there is such thing as a best friend? And, if you finished high school , do you still keep in touch with your friends? 

♪ Hearts a mess- Gotye ♪

It's going to be one of those posts- where I actually stay focused on the main subject: the clothes I am wearing. I always plan to do this, but most of the time, my 'fashion blog' becomes more about blogging than fashion.  Oops, here I am, doing it again!

Emerald- I have mentioned this shade a couple times around here, I even wrote a whole post about it on TeenyStyle and I'm sure you know it is the color of year, according to Pantone. I don't usually wear green, but there's something about the lightness of this color that really got me! The idea of an emerald green statement necklace, a funky pair of flats or a party dress really appealed to me. I was lucky to find one thing on my wishlist: THE FLATS, in an unusual circustance. I was out of town and only brought one pair of nude Zara flats which killed my feet, so I decided I should buy a pair of shoes with the budget that I had for a skirt. I walked into the first shop, saw them in pink first and they were the most comfortable, which such a smooth leather! I wasn't sure about the color, but then I saw the emerald version and I didn't hesitate: match made in heaven!

Now, you must have noticed why I am wearing such a simple and casual ensemble: I wanted my new statement necklace to shine! I've always wanted something in this style, so I can wear it to both feminine and edgy outfits, and Chicnova is the best when it comes to making my dreams come true! Also, notice the matching bracelet I also got from their site, I loved its inscription:  "Never say never, cause never is forever".

Such a magical thing, how your shoes and accessories can change a simple outfit completely!

"I was crazy about The Great Gatsby. Old Gatsby. Old sport. That killed me."

"The Catcher in the Rye"- J.D. Salinger

 I've always loved F. Scott Fitzgerald's work and when I heard of the glorious movie in the making, with such an incredible cast, Prada outfits and the soundtrack by Lana del Rey, I couldn't wait for its release! The movie was artistic, with all the memorable quotes from the book emphasized, the opulence of the Gatsby-esque parties (okay, maybe Gatsby's house was a little too Disney Palace for my taste!) and with a Carey Mulligan who knew how to shape the affected, delicate yet shallow Daisy. I loved their take on Jay Gatsby, although it's not what I've imagined while I was reading the book. The end was a little too long and the use of dubstep and rap songs at the parties was certainly interesting, although I would have loved more music from that period.

I wanted to wear something which would remind of the fabulous period of flapper dresses, short hair always worn with extravagant tiaras and pearls as the number one choice in jewellery. I think I managed pretty well with my hairdo and that bracelet with little pearls. I love my new SheInside dress so much and somehow the pastel shade reminded me of the easiness in Daisy's life until she met Gatsby again. And while we're on dresses and Daisy, please search online (if you can't make it to the movie) all of her Prada outfits, Miuccia Prada will always be my favourite designer!

Now..why name the post "Gatsby Girl" ? Because while I watching the movie, it striked me that I had a few things in common with the optimistic, hopeless romantic Gatsby :
I'm a dreamer. I imagine so many scenes and I analyze the past events a little too much.
I'm ambitious- Although it takes me a great amount of time to decide what I want, once I set my mind to it, it's hard to stop me.
Perfectionist- Okay, I laughed a lot when Gatsby took care of the tea party where he was going to meet Daisy after almost 5 years- the macarons, the anxiety, the overthinking.
I don't like tragic ends in a book, especially when they happen to such an incredible character like Gatsby, but this book is one of my favourite ones and I felt like paying a tribute here.

♪ Lana Del Rey- My Best Days ♪

May has turned out to be the busiest month so far! I cannot even properly express my frustration towards the fact that I don't have time to post on the blog, read the good books I've bought lately and watch my favourite shows! Yes, that's right, I have tons of ideas to improve the blog (started to keep an actual diary about them ) and photos taken for the blog (remember how I barely found any locations before? Not the case, this spring!). 

I figured that since you can't actually see me and my style these days, I should at least show you how different are the things I fancy right now (surprisingly, not pastels, I'm almost over that phase, people!):

Flamingo Earrings - Fun fact about me, I don't like to change my earrings but this funky pair by Swarovski attracts me in such an impressive way! The unique rhinestones and the vivid colors would be so cool for this summer. And what's the first thing I did when I saw this perfect pair? I looked for a Swarovski Coupon and imagined a fun way to wear them , of course. Now that I think more about it, I actually understand how Swarovski is such a successful brand: it even got me thinking about changing my beloved gold earrings!

Yellow Bag-  it's everywhere in my Polyvore sets, from various brands, in various shapes, maybe the 'beehive' trend got to me in a twisted way? Then there's the Miss Dior Cherie Fragrance , I have to buy it someday. Oh, and a Topshop nail polish, I just love all their colors and the shape of the bottle. And let's not forget the floral printed top, I would be able to match it with all my skirts.

So, while I'm keeping my eye on a fabulous Swarovski Sale I found online, how about you tell me what's your current wishlist/ plans for this spring?

The comfy, funky and chic espadrilles are making a comeback this summer! As I've found in my local high street shops only couple of options (they all looked so similar!), I decided it was time to search for them online. It didn't take me long and I found what strikes me as the best brand when it comes to this type of shoes: Sanuk. They offer an impressive variety of footwear you can wear on the beach, including the oh-so craved espadrilles (known as 'sidewalk surfers' on their site) which come in many patterns, colors and prints. Dots? Of course, in the cutest shades. The fashionable stripes? Florals? They have them all.

Now, I may love them and the idea of this trend, but as the sales are not here yet, I wanted to find a Sanuk Coupon Code.  This was definitely a wise choice! Not only I've found the right coupon for me, but I also discovered RioCoupon.com , a fabulous place for shopaholics on  a budget like me. One of my friends once told me she got a bag at an incredible price thanks to a coupon site, but she 'forgot' to send me the link, so I told myself that if I ever come across to a cool one, I will let everyone know. No, I don't plan to become one of those "Extreme Couponing" ladies , but I can use some great shopping deals!

Back to the espadrilles- I love their versatility! I made two sets which showcase how you can wear them on different occasions:

Hot weather is finally here, you know how I've been craving for this! Okay, maybe it's getting a little too hot, but I'm not complaining, I get to wear my favourite skirts and dresses again! Actually, I get to even wear some new ones, like this gorgeous number from TheFashionNinja . I love to show you photos and write my opinion about the brands I really believe in, and this Australian online boutique really won me over! Their dresses are so feminine and classy, I couldn't wait for mine to arrive. I was even more surprised to see it has such an exquisite fabric and that the measurements were so accurate ( it had happened to me so many times to encounter issues when I shopped online).

I love my dress so much because it's so comfortable, chic and vaporous and it has the sweetest color! It's everything I could have dreamed of, I've been wearing it on a daily basis ever since I got it. And, because I couldn't catch its flow in the photos, my mom filmed me a couple of seconds with my phone. The quality is bad, but I couldn't help myself: I made a mini-video and here it is:

♪ Will.I.am & Britney Spears - Scream&Shout ♪

When you're in your teenage years, you have to shop carefully for a while, because you don't know what the final shape of your body will be, nor your shoe size. Two years ago, I felt blessed to notice the latter remained constant so I thought :"What the hell? Let's buy dozens of colorful flats and different party heels, I can wear them FOREVER! ". Wrong Mary, you were so wrong...I noticed I was between sizes when it finally got warm and and I was excited to go back to my beloved 7 pairs of Zara flats. Surprise!! I was in excruciating pain as I was trying each and every one of them. 

Okay, maybe I can squeeze my toes when I have a party to attend and heels are required ( Cinderella's stepsisters style! ). But on a daily basis? No way. So, I hardly brought myself to spend my spring shopping budget (which took so long to acquire) on two leather pairs of flats, which should be enough for now. You must be thinking I couldn't buy anything 'trendy' as a result but I had the fortune to find one of the pairs in an emerald shade. Color of the year declared by Pantone, I love it so much and I can't wait to show them in a future post!

Until then, here is the other pair from Bata, I went for cafe au lait shade because I'm obsessed with this color palette and it's classy and versatile. I found this coat at the New Look sales, I love the feminine design and how it emphasizes my waist. 

What about you, my dear reader, any successful spring shopping yet?

Okay, I have to admit, this thing with posting mini guides for different occasions has really gotten me. I'm not sure whether I should make it a permanent column on the blog, but it definitely challenges my creativity! I was talking to a friend the other day about how the wedding season is so close and I don't really have any idea what I would wear to such an event. Then I realized it depends on the theme of the wedding, which makes it perfect for a mini guide!

Still, there are some essentials you need to have in your clutch in all the cases: compact mirrors are great for touch up and they somehow strike me as a type of jewellery. My favourite one was brought by my aunt from Turkey and whenever I have it with me, people admire it. It's so cool to own such an useful and cute accessory. For this collage I chose one from American Bridal, I just love its shape!
Beauty products : Don't bring all of your makeup, just make sure you look amazing the entire night! For the looks I went for Topshop products because they have such a pretty packaging and  I liked the visual impact, can you share your thoughts on their quality?
Also, for me perfume is another important thing. No, I don't bring my whole bottle, I just have tiny versions of various fragrances. You may notice the Miss Dior Cherie in all the sets, that's because it's my favourite and yet I can't afford to buy the big bottle.

And now, let's talk about different settings and what to wear when you attend a wedding:

“She wasn't doing a thing that I could see, except standing there, leaning on the balcony railing, holding the universe together.” -J.D. Salinger

Well, you know you care abot your readers when you reaveal how you look after 2 hours of sleep! I took these pictures on my trip, because I was absolutely overhelmed by the beauty of the landscape. The balcony & my face? Not so fabulous and still, I felt like I had to share one of the marvellous places my country has. There are so many of them actually, it's incredible how we sometimes tend to forget how lucky we are! I love travelling and, although I won't get to visit my dream destinations this year, I decided to stay positive and enjoy the things I encounter.

And since we're talking about amazing things- how cute is my new Chicnova necklace? This is the shade that I call honeysuckle. I have been collecting statement necklaces lately, they just change the whole ensemble.

My advice for you , my dear reader: Travel more and don't only choose exotic destinations, there are always many local attractions we tend to disregard. Manage your time well while you're on the road and don't forget to take your friends with you!


And since we're talking about Chicnova, it's time for me to announce the lucky winner of the giveaway: