What';s the best hat in the world?

The best hat in the world is the one your dad bought you. The one your little sister has in orange. The one that has a huge pom pom on it. The one that’s so fluffy and warm inside that all your friends wanna steal it. The one that’s so nice you don’t wanna take it off when you’re indoors. The perfect hat is love at first sight.






PS: I’m going on a prolonged no-contact-lenses cure thanks to a nasty eye infection I got last month… At first I despaired, but it’s helped me come to terms with my glasses, and with my more ‘natural’ look (I barely use eye makeup when I wear glasses). So every cloud, folks…

'Autumn'

Seasons may change, but you’ll pretty much always find me wearing my trusty H&M coat (it’s so nice, people don’t believe it when I say I bought it there!), zara men’s sweater and my dad’s old shirt underneath, old jeans and/or converse… :)

I’m now counting the days for Sinterklaas -what about you?

Going out

I’m wearing: zara t-shirt, weekday jeans. h&m coat, zara pumps and DIY clutch. Thanks to E. for taking these pictures!

Lately, when I go out, it’s not about being pretty and girly in twirly skirts and colours and shit. Instead, it’s about clean, powerful lines and minimalism. Personally, I find myself much more confident in such an outfit; I feel like myself, not like I’m impersonating a princess -and that, I think, is what makes it sexy in my opinion. This is not a manifesto against dresses, I’m only making the point that wearing clothes that aren’t the most feminine (black jeans, a t-shirt, a mannish coat) in such a way that is so boldly and unmistakably feminine makes me feel empowered  instead of flashy and frivolous.




If you’re interested in finding out more about the femininity discussion and where I get some of my ideas underlying what I write here, look up Judith Butler. She’s a very important gender studies scholar and proposed, among other things, that gender is a social contruction and not an essence we are born with. She argues that our gender and sexual identity is only the result of our performing it; and there are many ways of doing that. But don’t just take my word for it; Parker’s Critical Theory textbook (a must-read introduction to literary and cultural studies) has a useful intro on Butler and on gender studies in general.




A close-up to show you my self-made clutch. Isn’t it beautiful?

Carrot, Cumin & Kidney Bean Burger, 9p

Link: Carrot, Cumin & Kidney Bean Burger, 9p

These rock my world. I make them and save some for lunch the next day and I eat them in a pitta with tomatoes and/or cheese and they’re awesome :)

I'm so excited!

A couple of weeks ago I watched Almodovar’s latest film, I’m So Excited (trailer here). It wasn’t his best, but I always enjoy Almodovar! The next day I woke up late and I didn’t have time or energy to think of what to wear… so I decided I’d just copy the look of a character in the film. Paz Vega plays a mentally disturbed artist who tries to commit suicide wearing the clothes of her ex boyfriend. Her outfit is really simple, a shirt and some jeans held up at the waist by a simple black belt:



She has braids and wears red lipstick.



This is my take on the outfit:







I couldn’t pull off the double braids so I just did one instead, although later I kind of dropped that, too. But you have to give me props for everything else! I’m wearing red lipstick, my thrifted navy silk shirt, my mom’s old Giafranco Ferre jeans, my belt that I stole from my dad, and my mallorquinas (because they’re Spanish so I figured they’d go with the rest :P).




…Unfortunately I had to wear a coat because Amsterdam is not Madrid, but whatcha gonna do?

My way: risotto-style pasta with smoked salmon, cream, peas and lemon

Yes folks, I invented a recipe and it was LEKKER (=yummy in Dutch).

Say pretty please and maybe I’ll pass it on? :)

Because winter is coming

…and so I went and bought the most impractical thing I could find -on sale though, mind you!




sandals by weekday




OK; they’re a bit funkier than I usually go for but I think they’ll be fun -and the heel is not too high so hopefully I can do a bit of walking/dancing in them… once summer is here. Oh yeah. The only drawback of buying these now is that now I have to sit tight and wait for summer till I get to wear them… at least outside the dorms, because obviously I’ve worn them inside already -otherwise what’s the point? ;)

Hi hello how are you?

…well I guess I’m doin’ fine.

You don’t get the song reference? Really?! OK, it’s from this song. Educate yourself.

Going back to the style pages though, I love these shorts so much that I had to find a way to wear them in colder weather! Even though they’re made out of white cotton, I think they work in this outfit, partly because everything else is pretty dark and not summery, and partly because pockets make you look instantly cooler. No, seriously. Trust me.



I’m wearing a thrifted blazer, american vintage sweater, my mom’s old shorts (here in the summer edition), awesome polka-dot tights (which have already ripped) from primark and my h&m wedge booties. And lots of eyeliner ;)


Also, not that I particularly care about being ‘on trend’, but apparently black and white (or “monochrome”… is that the same thing? I’m so confused) is very big this winter. This past year I’ve found myself steering towards fewer, more subtle colours. I’ve never been one for flashy things, but this time it’s becoming really radical. I tend to associate sophistication with more muted things, and, on the other hand, I just find it harder to combine many colours without feeling like a rainbow -fun, but definitely loud and not very sophisticated. I do think you can look chic wearing colour… but I also think that it can get a bit too much very easily, so a lot of the time I just feel safer in my neutrals. But every once in a while it’s good to challenge yourself -let’s see how that goes :)




Thanks to S. for taking these pictures!

Things that inspire me

Edward Said. Because usually it takes many people’s small contributions to finally arrive to an earth-shattering, history-making conclusion, yet he managed to (literally) single-handedly conceive the theorization of power relations -and not just those between Orient and Occident. He has made a radical impact by making us aware of hegemonic discourse, producing theoretical framework for all ‘otherized’ groups to use, and penning one of the most influential texts in the 20th century.

Taste Before You Waste!

Taste Before You Waste is an organization started by a student in my University. They pick up food (mostly fruit and vegetables) that supermarkets can’t sell any more because it’s not 100% perfect. Normally supermarkets throw this food out, and (I think) they give most of it to charity and, once a week, they bring back a load of fruit and veg for us poor students! I think this is not only a great initiative -most of the time the food is perfectly eatable and you don’t waste anything, but also (on a more selfish note) a great way to eat healthy food for free!


This past week, I made leek and parsnip soup from 2 big leeks and a parsnip that I picked up. All I added was an onion, a bit of carrot I had left and a stock cube… and guess what -it was yummy! I had it with a grilled-cheese-and-tomato pitta.





And yesterday I got (among other things) a big bunch of coriander which I’m so happy about. I proceeded to make carrot-coriander-pea burgers. I usually make them with beans not peas, but I thought I’d experiment and they were great! I have my burgers in a pitta bun with tomato, cheese or mushrooms if I’m feeling fancy. I had one for lunch with green tea latte (what I call green tea with soy milk and vanilla sugar) and strawberry yogurt :)





I also got some bananas which are great to eat just as is, in a smoothie, or, if you want a healthy dessert, here’s what I discovered you can do: peel a banana, wrap it in tinfoil, twirl the ends closed (like a candy wrapper) and pop it in the oven on about 200 for 20 minutes or so (you want it to be soft). Delicious as is, with a little cinnamon or vanilla sugar sprinkled over or (if you’re not feeling that healthy) with some ice cream!

Last but not least: those Halloween pumpkins make very yummy soup (or curry), so don’t let them go to waste!

My needed 'essentials' shopping list

…because it’s the weekend and I feel like shopping. Ok, admittedly some are more ‘essential’ than others, so I ordered them by priority -right now I’m focusing on the top three.


Blanket scarf

Black flat leather ankle boots

Sweaters (mostly chunky ones -I’m always cold these days!)

Jeans

Jersey skirt

Leather jacket

Brogues

High-waisted denim shorts

Throwback Thursday?

I’m wearing: my mom’s old shorts which I may or may not have abducted from my sister’s closet, my dad’s old Massimo Dutti denim (or chambraaayy, if you prefer) shirt and Greek leather sandals (which barely left my feet during the holidays).


OK, OK, wrong social platform. But this past summer’s outfits seem so far away already that the title only seems appropriate. And while I type this in my cold room while everything is dark and depressing outside, these pictures are here to remind me (us?) that yes, it is possible for the weather to be perfect, for the sun to shine, for your tanned skin to be deliciously exposed and for you to embark on new adventures and not have to worry about homework.

Anyways, lyricisms aside, this is what I wore to go out for drinks while we were in a Greek island. In typical Cristina fashion, almost everything is second hand :)







I’m wearing: mom’s old sleeveless shirt (beautiful, if only ironed… :P), h&m shorts passed on by my Greek bestie <3, African bag and my Greek sandals.

These shorts felt just right if quite sexy in the Greek heatwave, but back in Amsterdam they seem obscenely short… But I’m showing anyways cause I think that they work well with the top which is a bit more chic . I also wore this out for drinks (I promise, I’m not an alcoholic!).

Aaannd that’s it. No more summer nostalgia until we get respectably close to the summer again. Expect lots of coats, tights and layers from now on… although i’ll miss my bare legs, arms and back, and the way the summer makes me want to wear a little bit more colour than usual.


Special thanks to E. for taking these pictures!

Londres

Look at my brown legs! I didn’t take that many pictures in London, but it was loads of fun!




Obviously, being the nerd I am, I spent ages at the Tate -by the way isn’t it awesome that the museums in London are free? FREE! :D

Invest in...

No, not a cashmere  sweater, nor designer shoes (I’ll save  that for later)…


The Norton Anthology of Theory and Criticism.




It contains some of the most crucial texts ever written by the most important, celebrated and controversial thinkers (in the Western world at least). And given how carefully selected the texts are, how well-written the introductions and how thorough the footnotes, how meticulously and thoughtfully edited the anthology (down to the several contents tables), it is the best value for money you can get -provided you actually crack it open, of course.


Go on, don’t be afraid! Illuminate your mind a little. (You can thank me later)

What's cooking?

This past summer, I discovered the beauty of couscous. You only have to mix it with water from the kettle and it’s ready in 2 minutes! I mix it with fresh chopped veggies, olive oil, lemon juice and seasonings for a filling and yummy salad.

Here’s a lunchbox I created: home-made hummus with parsley, cucumber sticks and couscous salad with parsley, sundried and fresh tomatoes, and cucumber.




I also like adding lentils to my couscous, they’re filling and full of protein. And cottage cheese is always a nice accompaniment:




Another thing I finally mastered is making omelettes. I cook them gently on one side till they’re almost ready, sprinkle with whatever ingredients I’m adding (this one was sundried tomatoes, parsley and gouda cheese), fold them in half and serve.




And finally, another of my super simple dishes is broccoli pasta -it’s genius because you simply wash and break the broccoli, then drop it with the pasta in boiling water. When the pasta’s ready, so will the broccoli be, drain and season however you prefer (depending on my mood, I use olive oil, butter, lemon juice, cheese, garlic powder, salt and pepper, and/or chili powder). Voilà! (Apologies for forgetting to take the picture until after I’ve devoured half the dish!)