♪ Drake- God's Plan ♪

Hello, I'm back and in the mood for blogging! Maybe my absence is because I took Drake's "I'll be back in 2018 to give you the summary" lyrics to heart haha. But there are 3 major reasons I couldn't find time to blog lately: 

1. Finals season- over now, and I'm not gonna lie, it was the most exhausting in my four years of Med School.

2.  There aren't any photographers available on finals season (obviously) plus it's hard to look fabulous in the snow, I don't know how so many girls do it, I just get a Rudolph nose 1 minute into the shoot haha.

3. I have a new passion project. Eating healthy is one of my major 2018 resolutions and I started an Instagram page to document my journey, plus I wanted to share with all of you my sugar-free, low calorie & sometimes gluten free recipes. You can find them all on DietAndDesserts.

This is the outfit I wore on one of my favorite December days of 2017. I was in Bucharest for a Medical Congress and I planned the best day with my best friend Simona- I finally had the famous American pancakes at Maison Des Crêpes and I got to hang out with S.'s close friends and I love the fact we bonded over medicine and food because they're both passionate cooks, I learned a lot of cool tips that day. After that, it was time for a stroll at the Romanian Athenaeum, my favorite place to take photos in Bucharest (thank you S. for these photos & patience) it always reminds me of Paris. Then came the highlight of the day, I finally got to see the National Museum Of Art and I was mesmerized with Stefan Luchian's flowers, as always, Nicolae Grigorescu's work and of course, Brancusi's "Wisdom of the Earth"- I really got the chills when I saw it. We ended the day with a trip to Ikea and I was just over the moon.

I wore the exact same outfit yesterday and I remembered I never posted these photos. I love this blush pink dress I got in the Black Friday sales at Zara, still can't believe how cheap it was! But the star of the outfit is the Forever21 backpack I got on that same trip in Bucharest from Forever 21 - I mean, the velvet, the color, the size! It's the backpack I've been looking for my whole life!

♪ Mama always told me - G-Eazy♪

I hope everyone had a joyful Christmas, full of love and surprises from family and friends! For me, Christmas always has that special impact and it was even more special this year because I got to host it in my own home. Let me know if you'd like a post on all the decorations and cakes I baked, although you must have seen them all on my Instagram profile ( @marymanaila) .

This holiday also meant watching the second season of "The Crown" (I wrote about how much I love the show in a previous post) and also two weeks prior to being released by Netflix I started watching tons of documentaries about the royal family (I'm behind with my TV shows because of them &if you don't know me: it's something major!). And just as I was about to start the 5th episode of "The Royal House of Windsor" I remembered I took these photos at the Palace of Culture this autumn and I totally forgot to post them. It's funny because I was attending a Medical Congress and I had no intention of doing a photoshoot, but when I saw this setting I couldn't help it. 

Also, I finally get to show you my favorite winter dress! I got it last year from Mango and I love its duality: last year I used to wear it with statement jewellery and  it would seem like a casual chic look (it has these cotton stripes which seem both elegant and easy-going at the same time) and this year I went for the classy version with these over the knee boots. The lenght is divine and it has these cuts on the sides, such a wow factor! Do you have that one item in your closet which you can wear on two totally different occasions?

Thanks to my dear friend Codrina for the photos, they were taken in a rush and still, these are some of my 2017 favorites.

♪ By Design - Kid Cudi ft. Andre Benjamin ♪

I needed to do some soul-searching because if you're reading this and you know me (in my natural environment) I'm really stressed about a lot of things. In theory, I am aware of what I should do to control certain moods, but throw in Med School, with tons of tests and hours spent away from home and there goes your zen state! At least in my case, and I think for me this comes from the responsibility my future job entails. I don't have time to learn a course about a disease, let's say. I never hear about it again, since it's not in the domain I choose. What if years later a patient comes with that disease and I'm not able to see the signs? This is exaggerated example, but you get the point. It has been really hard for me to live a balanced life in college. Something's gotta give! I found the cutest pink notebook at Stradivarius two weeks ago (dear Secret Santa, if you're reading this, take note haha) and it had a motto on it "Don't stress, do your best!". It may seem plain and simple, but it was just the boost that I needed. 

I started accepting that I can't control every aspect of my life and I'm currently using the quote from that notebook as a mantra. It's okay to go with your friends when you have a two-hour break every Tuesday to eat fast food and take walks in the park. We laugh about how in our first years we would run straight to the library and make every minute of the gap count! I wrote this because maybe some of you are struggling with anxiety or stress and I need you to know that IT'S OKAY. You can change this, you just have to love and put yourself first. Surround yourself with positive people and save some time for your soul.

For this special post, I wore a special outfit. This is the dress I bought when I started my first year in Med School. I took photos of my outfit back then, and it was my first blog post away from home. As I am comparing the photos, I can see how much I've changed. And I'm not just talking about the fact that now I know how to apply makeup haha. And let's all take a moment to appreciate my dear friend Codrina for capturing this precious moment!

♪ Hanni El Katib - Hearbreak Hotel ♪

I don't know if I also blogged about this, but I will say it one more time for those of you who are not following me on Instagram(@marymanaila): I haven't been in love with a fashion season the way I am with F/W 2017-2018 IN SO LONG! Today we're going to talk about my absolute favorite trend for this fall: DARK FLORALS. Zara is the best in this department, they have such a wide range of black dresses with floral prints on! I've been in a vicious circle of saving money and running to Zara afterwards, I might go tomorrow to buy one more floral dress. The thing is I'm not buying them just for the sake of the trend, but they're super classy and they work so well for the medical congresses I'm attending. 

My absolute favorite (and the most expensive one) is the dress I'm wearing in these photos. I bought it for a Cardiology Congress, it was just love at first sight and I've been wearing it on a daily basis. I loved it not just for the intricate floral details, but also because it showcases another major trend for this fall polka dots&see-through fabric. And what better place to shoot these photos than the Botanical Garden in Iasi? Every autumn they have a special exhibition with the most beautiful flowers and this year I finally got to visit it with my friends. Special thanks to Codrina for having the patience to shoot this (& my beloved friends), it was by far our hardest shoot because it was super crowded that day and everyone wanted to take photos with the flowers. It was honestly more chaotic than seeing Mona Lisa at the Louvre haha.

What trend are loving most this fall? Have you purchased any floral prints yet?

♪ That Side- CyHi The Prynce, Kanye West♪

If Kanye can make a comeback to the music scene (oh, how I missed his music, such a good vibe!) then so can I. Every single college year starts the same- I never have time to blog. It took some time to manage my schedule and work out how can I crowd some small photoshoots with my dear friend Codrina. I have plenty of fall trends I want to show you, but I didn't have time to sort them and edit them yet. It's tricky, but the thing is I love Medicine so much that when the school year starts, it's all I can think about. That being said, once I settle it, I always start missing fashion & blogging.

We took these photos in that marvellous time frame when it's pure autumn, I adored seeing colorful leaves everywhere! I wanted to show you three items I've been wearing this fall obsessively, because I honestly think they're some essential items we should all own:

1. Sweater with a funky message- I love Tally Weijl because they have the best text on their shirts! My cousin Ioana picked this, I got it a gift from London and I can't stop wearing it because it's my favorite color and for some reason the text reminds me of that saying "Kanye attitude with Drake feelings" .

2. Black boots- autumn staple that's for sure, I own plenty of pairs but this one is very special because I got them from my sweet cousin Monica. One day before I left my hometown for college, I tried these with her, in navy. I sighed " if only they were black...". Two weeks later, I received them as a gift from her, they're custom made and honestly I've never had such comfy boots before.

3. Cosy COS Coat - I feel like screaming with joy about this purchase, I've always loved the COS brand and I wanted a new fall coat this year, this navy number is so versatile and easy to wear! I think you should invest in a coat of this lenght and color, because it's perfect to wear with both jeans and skirts, casual to formal.

What did you add to your closet this fall? How are feeling about the fall trends this year?

♪ Ruby Tuesday-  The Rolling Stones ♪

I had such a tiring first day of college- 12 hours that I was once again ready to surrender and not blog today. You see, I wanted to blog today because I love my new bordeaux/ruby jacket and the title "Ruby Tuesday" was such a good pun! Friends tried to prepare me for how many hours you spend in hospitals during the 4th year of Med School, but you can't really understand until you experience it. I was also at gone for 10 hours today, but I then I remembered I have as many hours in a day as Beyonce, so I'm writing this post!

I'm not going to focus on the negatives, like prioritizing making sandwiches at 6am over my makeup routine, but I'm going to point out some positive aspects in my life:

1. I'm in love with athleisure right now. I found these pants the same day I also found this top and for me they're both perfect examples of this trend. I love the pants because they're so comfy and these white stripes on the sides make you look so slim and tall. As for this ruby satin top, I love the fact it has a zipper and you can also wear it as a jacket, it's the perfect fall investment, so easy to match with jeans, sport pants or even a bodycon dress.

2. College may be back, but so are my friends!! It's great to share your hardship with eight wonderful people, I'm lucky to have such a support system.

3. I'm hosting a giveaway on my Instagram @marymanaila because I really feel the need to give some of my favorite products- I thought of this because maybe some of you are not excited about going back to uni so maybe the #GIRLBOSS book and some L'Occitane products will cheer you up!

4. I discovered the Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Frappuccino last week and it blew my mind, I called it my best coffee of 2017 and I still stand by my choice.

5. I started cooking 'sugar-free' (not with sweeteners, but with honey/maple syrup, all about that natural sweetness right now) and I made the best banana bread I could ever imagine, it's divine when I put peanut butter on top of it!

6.  The same day I found the best coffee in the world, I was lucky to find the last MAC x Nicki Minaj "Spice" lip stain in the store. It matches my Naked Heat makeup so well, just what I needed!

Have a productive week & remember to always find time for what you love!

Wearing: Zara pants, C&A top, Converse shoes, Pandora bracelet, Jord watch

♪ Macklemore feat Skylar Grey- Glorious♪

I've been meditating about a lot of stuff lately, but this happens every single fall I have to leave for university. This post is quite symbolic, because here you have the last summer dress I purchased and wore, the last photos I took with my long hair (head over to Instagram @marymanaila to see my new cut) and the last time I had my bff Simona snap photos for the blog..for the next three months. I can't stand the fact my family doesn't live in the same city as I do (gonna miss my god-daughter so much, she just turned 6 months yesterday) and that my bffs are attending college in Bucharest, but I know it in my heart that it's the best path to adulthood. I value the fact I've been on my own for three years, because it meant stepping out of my comfort zone a lot. And that's the key to growing up in my opinion. I will say there's place for improvement, there were many times I chose to buy a Zara dress instead of buying more expensive ingredients for my meal or the other way around...Being a leo, I'm really impulsive when it comes to buying lavish things and every year I promise I'll be more careful with my finances. Let's see if I can do better this year (although, after becoming obsessed with Benefit cosmetics, I highly doubt it!).

There are a lot of things going through my mind, and it all started from reading Lilly Singh's book "How to be a BAWSE" (twice!). She is honestly unstoppable, I admire how she hustles relentlessly, it's honestly the best motivational book I've ever read. I love following her journey on youtube, she truly is the definition of a SUPERWOMAN. Next on, another movie really touched my heart- "Carrie Pilby". I will admit I pressed "play" on Netflix only out of superficial reasons- William Mosley was on the poster (if you watch The Royals, you know what I'm talking about!) but I was so moved about this movie, and about one major part of it in particular: her favorite book is J.D, Salinger's "Franny & Zooey". I highly doubt there is one reader other than my mom who remembers that I wrote one passionate post about this book and even took photos of it 5 years ago haha. I won't give you any more spoilers, but it's one of those cute young adult movies which melts your heart and makes you realize some important things. On a totally opposite note, I also want to talk about the TV show "The Good Place", because for me it was mind-blowing! You think it's your average comedy sitcom, you watch it because you love Kristen Bell and you're intrigued about the concept: in the afterlife, you either make it to "The Good Place" or the bad place and Eleanor(Bell's character) was sent by accident in the good place- hence the drama and impossible situations. The action builds up, and at the end of season one, you get one major plot twist- like "Who is Gossip Girl" level of MAJOR. I should've expected it from the minute I saw Kristen Bell in the cast haha. To me this was so interesting because the creators of the show managed to turn this cute, funny comedy into a dark & deep show. It really puts things into perspective, I honestly recommend it!

Okay, rant about movies&books over, but I really felt inspired and I wanted to share this, maybe it will help you too. Wishing everyone an amazing weekend, although the weather is not really on our side.

♪ Flume- Never be like you ♪

I've always been very passionate about standing by my fashion choices, because I'm the type of person to try some things before they are cool or embrace the craziest trends. Most of the times, the first person to question my choices is my mom, because she is quite conservative when it comes to fashion. Ever since I got into Med School, there is a new phrase she uses "I'm not saying I don't like it, it's just something a doctor shouldn't wear". This is, of course, also what she said when she saw these boyfriend ripped jeans. I love my mom, but this is where we agree to disagree. The thing is, I'm in LOVE with these jeans not just because I found them on a major sale when I most neeeded them (on the last day of Untold it rained and I had no jeans in my luggage so I just went to the mall and found them in a heartbeat), but also for the fact they have the best glitter game, exquisite fabric and they fit my curves! I'm not saying I would wear them to the hospital, but I don't get why society virtually sets these crazy rules, I see it fit to wear them whenever I please in my spare time.

I'm obviously thinking on a larger scale right now, there is always a general opinion you shouldn't wear something if you have a certain profession, or dye your hair a certain way or have tattoos. I have decided I will never judge a person by their style, because I believe everyone should feel comfortable in their clothes. There are always these high standards, but society has to evolve at some point. Take  pants for example, what would it be like if women never started wearing them? Can you imagine going everywhere wearing a big fluffy skirt and a dreadful corset?

I'm honestly grateful I'm a regular woman and that I'm able to make my own choices, I don't mind the scrutiny. I've been really passionate about the history of the British monarchy lately and I finally had the courage to watch "The Crown" on Netflix. I'm using  the term "courage" because portraying history on television is a really delicate matter. I never expected it to be so raw and emotional, to show the events in every small detail- the resemblance with the actual photos and films of the time is spectacular! As most little girls, I used to dream and admire the concept of royals when I was young (Prince Charming was my absolute favorite haha). The fascination never faded away, but I see it with such different eyes right now.  I mean, here I am, talking about being free to choose my glitter-y ripped jeans and HRH Princess Margaret had to choose between the love of her life and keeping her title and family. It really puts things in perspective.

PS: You absolutely have to watch the show "Victoria" as well, it's fascinating! 

Photo credit: My bff Simona ♥

♪ Tinie Tempah- Holy Moly ♪

Honestly, I've attended many music festivals, but when I think about the most memorable night for me, my mind instantly goes back to the third day of Untold 2017. It's because that day we had our fair share of surprises- from the food we tried to the artists we decided at the last minute to go check on smaller stages.

We got to the festival early in order to have lunch there and experience the activities. I had the best streetfood experience- a hotdog and homemade fries, topped with their homemade sauce, I was hooked. The maracuja lemonade from Meron served as the best dessert. I was also determined to be there early in order to see Tinie Tempah live (we managed to be in the second row). Living in Romania, Tinie Tempah would always be in the top 10 with his pop/rap/hip-hop hits when I was in highschool and honestly, thanks to him I discovered I was the most attracted to this type of beat- and that's how I started to try and listen to rap. The rest is history, I've been mainly listening to rap for six years now. My favorite album will always be "Demonstration" for all the fashion references and for the whole vibe. He dropped his YOUTH album this spring and it has so many tracks I would play on repeat while stuck in traffic! During the concert, my best friend S. would be like "I heard that in your car first". Therefore, I was excited to see him live for the first time. He did not disappoint, there was so much energy, love and showmanship, it was truly a performance I'll always remember!  

I honestly thought it couldn't get better after Tinie Tempah, but little did I know- the whole night was going to be EPIC. The Hurts followed and my heart just melted! After that we took a leap of faith and went to other stages to see Romanian artists and we had so much fun, the energy was crazy! Then we tried some ice-cream crepes- they tasted incredible, but it was not such a good idea to get ice-cream crepes during summer- there was ice-cream everywhere and my black dress had to pay the consequences (luckly, the spots got out quickly, because the dress is all lace). 

After we got to the main stage- something mind-blowing followed- Marshmello's mix. I knew who he was, but I did not know we would mix at least 15 of my favorite rap songs- I was in house/dance/hip-hop/rap heaven, his mix was just my cup of tea!! I remember I just couldn't stop smiling and singing my favorite lyrics! Armin van Buuren followed and he is considered the ultimate king of Untold, in case you didn't know.

I had such an amazing time, I will keep these memories close to my heart forever, and I also loved what I was wearing that day. I found this black lace dress at H&M, on sale for 12 euros, it was the last one and some of the lace was torn apart. I bought it anyways, because I paid 1/3 of the original price and I solved the problem quickly with a needle and a black thread. I was told it's a basic festival piece and I couldn't agree more, it was so comfy and chic at the same time!

H&M dress, Bata sandals, Stradivarius backpack, Carolina Herrera sunglasses, Pandora bracelet, JORD watch

♪ Summer Bummer - Lana del Rey, A$AP Rocky, Playboi Carti♪

This spring one major 2000s trend came back: the choker. I didn't know what to think of it, because back when it was in fashion I was 10 years old and I would wear one non-stop. Therefore, I kind of associated it with childhood, and I couldn't bring myself to buy one.  It all changed when my cousin Ioana was abroad on vacation and she asked me if I would like a cool choker from Tally Wejil. I was intrigued, because she told me it had several charms, it wasn't just a simple choker. Little did I know she would also pick a dress from Primark in the exact same color as the choker! When I received these two items together I knew right away- "here's my second Untold festival outfit!". Kudos to Ioana for her flawless fashion choices, it was such an amazing gift to receive!

The dress is super light and breezy, truly a summer dream and the best choice in terms of festival wear! The only thing I had to add is this wide belt, which fortunately is purple, because the dress doesn't really emphasize your waist on its own. I absolutely loved this look, it was effortless, comfy and cute at the same time!

Special thanks to my best friend Simona for taking the photos!

I turned 22 this weekend and it turned out to be so much more exciting than I would have expected! The same goes for the Untold festival I attended again this summer! Last year, I didn't know what to expect, but I loved every minute of it: good music, great fun and amazing food! This year I came with certain expectation: I wondered if the DJs I loved last year would have better sets or I would be disappointed. Not only my favorite artists were better this year, but I also finally got to see some live acts I've been dreaming for ages: Tinnie Tempah, MO, Ellie Goulding, Hurts. I also discovered Marshmello this year, and he made my top 3 (along with Afrojack and Martin Garrix) because I found 10 of my favorite rap songs remixed in his set (he seems like a K Lamar fan, I loved this!).

I don't normally post photos on the blog with people in the background (I've been taught since my early blogging days this is a major faux pas) but I had to share with you the outfit I wore on the first day because the message on my T-shirt is my favorite! The fact that it matched my number one skirt was also a plus, I don't think I ever got to post any photos of this skirt on my blog.

As I'm writing this post and seeing the photos,  Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's voice from Beyonce's "Flawless" comes to mind:

"Feminist: the person who believes in the social,

Political, and economic equality of the sexes"

♪ B-A-B-Y - Carla Thomas ♪

I discovered my myopia when I was in 7th grade and ever since I got into Med School I keep needing stronger lenses ( I wonder if this will ever stop before I graduate!). I've also never been able to wear contact lenses because my eyes are super sensitive. Therefore, summer has always been a struggle. Because it's so sunny, yet the prescription sunglasses were so expensive that I couldn't make myself buy a pair. Needless to say, this also bothered me while I was driving. Every single year I would say I'd buy myself a pair for my birthday but my mom made a good point: what if you'll need stronger lenses next summer?

This year, as I'm turning 22, I thought life's too short to dream about prescription sunglasses haha. So I went and got myself a pair. From my favorite brand when it comes to eyewear: Carolina Herrera. I love the cat-eye shape and the golden details, it's just the perfect pair for me. I asked my bff Simona to take a couple shots of me so I can show them to you because I'm just so happy that I can finally see while it's super bright outside! I realized we never discussed this topic on this blog, how many of you wear glasses/ contact lenses? Do you find it hard in terms of fashion?

Another thing I absolutely LOVE these days- "Baby Driver" -the movie!! Honestly, it has everything I want from a movie- perfect cast, lots of action, good music, fine jokes, romance and a good ending.  I keep listening to the soundtrack and remembering all the scenes, it's one of those movies which goes straight to your soul. Did you see it? What did you think?

♪ Hard Feelings/Loveless - Lorde ♪

I'm officially done with 50% of Med School! It has been a hell of a ride, especially this semester because our exams were programmed in an unfortunate manner. Still, this year was the best because we got to go into hospitals and the objects we studied were all intertwined. I was so happy about the summer ahead of me that I practically did tons of summer holidays activities in the span of my first free day. This photoshoot for the blog was not planned at all (nor were the other things I did) but I'm so happy about it because I get to show you my favorite bag in the best way!

I got this bag as a birthday gift from my aunt, uncle & cousins last year because I was attending the Untold festival and my aunt thought I should have the perfect festival bag: both fashionable and practical (yes, you can fit a bottle of water in it). It's from Accessorize and the really exciting thing about this beautiful floral print is the fact that it's hand-painted! The ZARA dress I'm wearing is also a gift from them, I got it this Easter and I love it so much!

Not to end this post on a sad note, but right now on my playlist you can find Lorde's "Hard Feelings/Loveless" song from her new album "Melodrama" because it touches the subject Aziz Ansari so accurately portrays in his book, "Modern Romance". Something's fundamentally changed with our generation and our perception of love, and I can't say it's for the better.

Special thanks to my awesome cousin Ioana for getting behind the lens for this post, she used to shoot most of my looks back when I started the blog and it was such a cool bonding activity!

ZARA dress, Accessorize bag, Musette flats, Jord watch, Pandora bracelet