Happy Holiday(partie)s!

Sorry for the long overdue post -blame it on the holiday relaxation that finally kicked in! Today's post is short and sweet (and a little funny) - just an idea for the holidays. It also gives me the opportunity to wish you all Merry Christmas partying all the way from Athens! ;)

I'm wearing essie's "spin the bottle" nail polish -thought I'd let you know cause I love it!

The party issue

I'm so excited for the Christmas holidays and, of course, for dressing up for those special occasions! Though I personally have several looming deadlines at the moment, I figured that this doesn't mean the rest of you don't deserve to have some fun planning your holiday party looks -so here are my thoughts on festive dressing this year. 

my festive earrings ;)

The Gift of Granola

I recently experimented a little bit with making my own granola. It all started because commercial granola, while admittedly (potentially) very tasty, is either loaded with sugar or ridiculously overpriced (I mean, you're mainly paying for oats, which are really cheap, with a few nuts and raisins added...) -or both. After trying the Pure Natural granola and finishing it within a couple of days (it's addictively good and it's one of the healthier ones if you want to buy ready-made granola) I decided to try making my own. It's actually super easy to make granola. The best part is that you can add exactly what you want (and however much you want to), creating your own combinations and leaving out the extra sugar or the stuff you don't like.

                                 

Winter edit

Remember how I promised a post about how I prepared for winter this year? Well… I’ve been postponing it, simply because I’m never quite ready for the coldest, wettest, and darkest part of the year. Plus I’m always missing something! I did try, however, to tackle the long list of things I think I need: This involved some new buys strategically spread out over a few months, but also simple things like making the most of what I have, and breathing new life into old favourites by showing them a little love... Oh, and a few more things that I still have to get round to, of course! ;)

Me 'n my winter favourites: tailored coat, chunky wool knit (&black skinny jeans)

How to survive the week with minimal cooking

Anyone who knows me knows that my love of cooking is only second to  my love of food itself; however, for many of us the times are just too busy for cooking... or we simply want to focus our energy on something else than preparing three meals and five two snacks a day.

Spinach-brown bean coconut-y curry topped wtih avocado and a soft-boiled egg: 5 minutes fridge-to-plate

I've recently decided that while I want to keep eating healthy, home-cooked, wholesome and delicious food, I don't want to spend much time worrying about it. So how do I do it?

My Ultimate Gift Guide

In view of the time of the year (the C-word, haha) that is fast approaching and in order to hopefully make gift-buying a little easier, here's some *relatively* fool-proof ideas. I would love to receive each thing on this list, which is not to say that this is my Santa list. I've tried to include lots of things that most people (aka not just crazy fashion obsessed girls like me) will like and that are easy to get right. And I left out stuff that even I would struggle to get for myself (like the perfect pair of jeans), or more specific things like 'a pair of cool flashy vintage earrings', which only someone who knows the receiver really well can get right -in which case, they probably don't need this list ;) 

You might say this list is boring. It's definitely on the 'safe' side. But when it comes to gifts, it's all about making the other person happy, not taking the craziest risk, so here are some of my ideas on how to do that.

& Other Stories gift set, €35

Party Like It's 1999 (&how to survive being ill at your own party)

So, those of you who know me know how rare it is to find me throwing a party... Aside from the fact that I'm decidedly asocial and feel like going to bed after two glasses of wine, I simply can't be bothered with all the fuss that throwing a party comes with: Buying industrial quantities of alcohol and snacks, writing lists and making sure you haven't forgotten to invite anyone (drama!), and then of course dealing with the inevitable demolition of your appartment* on top of a pounding headache the day after... You could say I have my reasons for sticking to going to other people's parties -or you could just call me lazy :)

wearing (my mom's old) hermès top, weekday skirt (remember I told you I would wear it lots?), h&m knee socks, adidas sneakers, weekday fluffy cardigan for the cold  shivers

Fall reshuffle (plus how to keep over-the-knee classy)

It's definitely fall here in Amsterdam and while we've been lucky to have some sunny days so far, there is no doubt that winter is coming... The problem is, in winter I always feel stuck in the same rut: jumper, jeans, coat, and a panoply of scarves, hats and gloves. So while the weather still permits it, I wanted to put together a more original outfit.

riding my bike -I love the colour palette I ended up with -it really makes me think of the fall!

The Basic B*tch Shoe Dilemma

Guys... I, self-described fashionista and advocate of being original and going against the stream, have gone out* and bought the same shoes that approximately 33% of the population wears on any given day... Stan Smiths. I'd been looking for a pair of white sneakers to replace my white Converse since the summer, and these were the only ones I liked. At the same time I really hesitated getting them because they are, by now, widely known as basic bitch shoes**.

the ones I ended up buying: originals in blue

Antwerp!

I went to Antwerp last Saturday to visit the Fashion Museum's current exhibition. I arrived just as they were closing (insert grumpy face here)... And the shops followed suit. I honestly don't know what I was thinking going so late in the afternoon, but I decided to make my little walk around the city a nice one anyways. Next time I go I will probably have more to say about all the boutiques full of amazing fashion I can't afford and the museum itself, of course, but for now I have a little photo diary of my walk around Antwerp at sunset... It's definitely an interesting mix between that olden-times, small-town, almost villagey cozy feel and the cutting-edge fashion and creativity -not to mention the hip-sters- it houses. Enjoy!

Arriving at the Central Station...

Choosing a coat

I bought my main coat (you know, the one that I end up wearing by default from October through May) three years ago at H&M -it still looks great and gets compliments (and desbelief that it came from H&M) every time, so it was well worth the little extra money that I spent on a quality, wool-blend one.

showing off in London ages ago -wearing GF old jeans, converse,
my dad's belt & my mom's cashmere sweater

Fashion update, part two: fall/winter is coming

Summer was great, but now it's time to transition into fall/winter -the operative word here being "transition". Here's how I will be easing into the colder months before I break out my 'serious winter' gear. For me, it's all about postponing the moment I have to bring out my winter coat -I'll be wearing it every single day in a little bit so for now I want to give my other jackets their fifteen minutes of fame between the prohibitive heat of (Greek) summer and the equally unforgiving cold of winter.

The classic 'half-season' piece, of course, is the trench coat. It's guaranteed to make you look chic. I would wear mine with jeans and sneakers in the day for a relaxed rather than preppy vibe, but also reach for it to throw over a little dress for dressing up. As Inès de la Fressange's book Parisian Chic* says, nonchalantly knotting your belt instead of properly fastening it looks cooler and unfussier (although Inès puts it more like "Don't fasten it, ever!").

wearing BSB trench coat from my high school days 

Fashion update, part one

I've been gone a long time from the blog and -somewhat to my surprise, I have to say-, in that time, I seem to have updated my wardrobe quite a bit over the summer. After a bit of a move clearout (meaning new additions haven't actually increased the number of my possessions by much), some new things found their way to me...

&other stories sandals, ralph lauren vintage jeans, weekday sweater and just campagne bag

Life update

I took a rather long break from this blog, so here's a short(ish) list to sum up what's been going on.

I (still) look like this -wearing vintage ralph lauren jeans and weekday Tshirt

Fashion on loan at Amsterdam clothing library

I originally wrote this article for The Holland Times. You can find the original publication online here; I'm on p.7. Enjoy!

What to wear to your graduation

Here's the story: Me being me, I started dreaming up my graduation outfit long before I even decided the topic of my bachelor's thesis, let alone started writing it. Fortunately I did write the thing eventually -on fashion as language and identity in the TV series Girls, since you ask, and it was so much fun!- and graduated with a BA last June.

I volunteered at last year's graduation and so I had gotten an idea of what people wore to these events and, to be honest... most girls were dressed either inappropriately (think daywear/too-short dresses) or just kitchy. The ones that looked good mostly wore something very simple and uninteresting like an LBD. Now, there's nothing wrong with a good LBD and I know I'm one for simplicity,but when it's your graduation you're allowed to stand out a little! ;) Plus, I wore black to my high school graduation, so I was ready to change it up...

For the record, this is what I wore to my high school graduation: knee-length black dress with small cut-outs, gold leaf earrings, red lipstick and gold Ferragamo heels (you've seen them here). My friends at the time said they'd have preferred the dress a little shorter, but I think knee-length is perfect.

Supa quick suppa (ha.)

Curried carrot soup with fried beans and coriander 

Summer is officially over, and I have started cooking soups again! In my continuing struggle to make them more filling (so I don't have to make something else to go with them, because who wants to be making elaborate dinners on busy September weekdays?), I improvised this one: A quick one-bowl meal that is vegan, healthy and delicious. It also has pretty colours with definite Instagram potential...

Aspirational Dressing

Published in Scriptus May 2015 issue

Why do we choose to wear clothes that don’t flatter us? This is a question that has been on my mind quite a bit recently.

Introducing obscure vegetable: sunchokes, three ways

Sunchokes or Jerusalem artichokes are weird-looking bulbs that look nothing like artichokes, but, surprisingly, when cooked their flavour resembles artichokes a little bit. I was super-happy to discover this, because I love artichokes, but they are so expensive, and then they actually have so little meat in them!

After a rigorous scrubbing --these babies are root vegetables, after all!-, dirt gives way to a milky, pink-tinged skin. They look pretty cool, like alien tumors or magnified microbes or something. For reasons uncomprehensible to me, sunchokes are a bit of a 'forgotten vegetable'. I think it's such a pity, because they are really amazing little things --let's be real, the artichoke thing had me sold since the beginning... So what can you do with them?

Weigh in-

Sportswear as streetwear -relaxed, stylish and comfortable or pretentious as f- (the argument being that it's basically advertising' your lifestyle as healthy and active)?

The whole trainer-takeover whence pretty much 80% of the people on the street started wearing Nikes (and NOT for jogging) is old news by this point, but what about taking it to the next level and pulling the 'total look'?

workout chic with hema leggings, layered bra top, semi-transparent tank top and thin sweater, and  weekday cardigan, and a necklace to take things outside the gym . My vibe is more yoga clothes with softer shapes than flashy workout gear, evidently ;)

Pasta puttanesca or: pantry gastronomy

OK, maybe not quite gastronomy, but pretty amazing flavour without having to go to the market for fresh ingredients -just what you already have at home. This is actually where the name of this pasta sauce originated; pasta puttanesca means whores' pasta. The story goes that the ladies of the night couldn't go to the market to get fresh ingredients, and so used mainly preserved ingredients in their cooking. This is genuinely an instance of arte povera, in my humble opinion. Here goes my base recipe that you can adjust and experiment with to create great flavour in the easiest way.

Inspiration of the week #5 -makeup edition

Pulling a face in my typical dark eyeshadow 

I've been thinking about makeup. I'm not a morning person and I tend to go for whatever's easiest (if anything at all) makeup-wise most of the time -lately, that's usualy a half-assed quick smokey eye and some mascara, or some eyeliner if I really feel like making an effort. But some time ago I got my makeup done for free at a makeup bar. I gave the artist carte blanche, so to speak, and came out with shimmery, silvery-white eyeshadow and just a touch of mascara on my lashes. While I thought the look was a bit theatrical, it got me thinking about the possibility of switching to a light palette for my eye makeup for a change...*

The problem is, I find that applying white (or really light) eyeshadow tends to make my eyes look smaller -probably because it 'erases' all the darker, shadowy areas around my eyes that give them depth and make them seem bigger. So how to counter that effect? One idea is to put the focu on the lips, of course, in which case a touch of shimmery white/beige eyeshadow on the lids (and maaybe the tiniest bit of mascara) would be all you needed.

But, as you've probably guessed, I'm all about the eyes... I like a good lip colour, but eye makeup lasts longer, plus I like accentuating my eyes because they're the windows to the soul etcetera, anyway ;) The makeup look from Rochas' Spring 2015 runway show might be an interesting inspiration: Pale pastel eyeshadow is applied to the eyelid, and lots of mascara are applied -literally until the lashes start clumping together, helping to really draw the eye towards the eye again and creating a nice contrast between the black mascara and the light colour of the lids. Then, a black dot is drawn in the middle of the bottom lash line with eyeliner. According to the makeup artist who created this look, the dots have an "eye-opening effect".

Rochas Spring 2015 look

Rochas Spring 2015 look

me putting on my best Rochas face... :P

I actually remember seeing the dot idea before, and I tried it last fall (pre-bangs!) with some of my standard black eyeliner. The result was a little -not too- dramatic -see for yourself! I definitely think I'll try it again with the light eyeshadow instead -although I might still add a really thin line on the upper lashline for extra definition.

Nanette Lepore Spring 2015 look

Another source of inspiration is Nanette Lepore's runway makeup -they used silver eyeliner. In their case, definition was added with fake lashes, so maybe this is a somewhat less wearable look, although it looks just right on the models' faces. I think it may partly be because their flawless, sunkissed skin makes everything look amazing, though... I suppose another post on dewy summer skin is in order? ;)

How to put your own twist on recipes -baking edition

Remember when you'd just started baking (or maybe you're just in that stage now)? You'd look up a recipe and follow it religiously -I started like that, stressing out if my cake wasn't ready after the x minutes of prescribed time in the oven or if I was a few grams of butter short. Then I started living on my own and cooking for myself daily and all the rules went out of the window. Sometimes you want to make something but you also can't be bothered to bike to the store in the rain/buy an ingredient you will never use again... And sometimes -or is it just me?- you get confident and think you could make the recipe even better!

This little guide is the fruit of a lot of risk-taking and (some) error, and it's my Easter gift to you! Happy baking :)

Pear and almond tart: filling and dough (I changed both!)

Branching out

My newest article for Scriptus is a bit of a departure from my usual fashion pieces -but then again, it is about literature, one of my great loves. I hope you enjoy this piece even though it's a change of theme. It's titled "Reasons not to Ban Mein Kampf".

New lease of life: earrings

It's funny how changing your hairstyle makes you reconsider your style as well, right? I already talked about this here a little bit -somehow, the way I style myself is a little different now that I have bangs, and things that didn't work for me before now look good. Maybe it's because I'm afraid they'll make me look like a little schoolgirl, but ever since getting them I like to add a little bit more 'drama' to my look: messy hair texture, smokey eyes (lazy girl style, obviously) and... earrings!

green shiny round earrings that I think make my outfit a bit bohemian along with the round glasses

Leftover idea: Avocado 2 ways

For those times where you've got avocado that's not the prettiest or that you just don't know what to do with...

savoury: avocado dip. My dad's recipe: this is a creamy but zingy dip. Blend your avocado with greek yogurt, a generous dose of olive oil, some mustard, lemon juice and salt and pepper -all to taste, just try it and adjust :)

we made this with a friend to accompany out grilled beet and feta burgers -delicious :)

sweet: chocolate mousse. Yes, you can make delicious, healthy mousse from avocado and no, it won't taste 'green'. Blend with cocoa powder (I'd start with about 2 tsp per avocado half and add more if desired), sweetener of your choice and maybe a spalsh of (plant-based) milk to make it creamier. You can flavour it with coffee, vanilla extract, orange zest, cinnamon, cardamom -mmm...

before and after...

Weekly inspiration #4

This week I'm thinking about...

-Bum bags. Prejudices about tacky tourist attire aside, they are possibly the most practical way of schleping the essential things you need around. Add a serious makeover and rebranding courtesy of Celine and you have an unlikely contender for the new it-bag. If I could find one that was affordable but still chic (read: in leather or maybe canvas and without thirty zippers and/or waterproof material) I would be very tempted to buy it. I'm already dreaming about endless hands-free walks in the summer. After all, what do you really need besides some money, your phone if you feel like being reachable and a pair of sunglasses? Plus, I like the way a minimalist bum bag can be part of your outfit and act more like an accessory -like a cool belt- than an encumbering add-on.


-Flares. I need a new cut of jeans in my life -if you think about it, mom jeans came into fashion a couple of years ago already and so did cropped lengths, so it might well be time for something new! Personally, I would wear them as a nod to the 70's, maybe with clogs, a crochet top and even mini braids on my hair-, but they're also good as a 'smart' jean with a tailored shirt and they lengthen your legs if you wear them long with heels (the oldest trick in the book, I know). It'll be weird getting used to having so much spare fabric around my calves again after years of skinnies, though. Also confusing: not all flares are the same, some are extremely wide, some tiny, some high-waisted, some low. I trawled ASOS a little bit and I like the shape of these (although I'd buy them in blue denim).



-Graphic novels. Although university work is preventing me from reading much at the moment, I read the graphic novel Maus for a course and I thought it was brilliant. It is about the Holocaust, so not the lightest, most mood-lifting read -yet at the same time it reads really quickly because it's basically a comic strip. I admired how this text approaches the memory of the Holocaust in a very self-conscious, openly subjective way. Aside from earning Art Spiegelman a Pulitzer prize, Maus also legitimized the genre of the graphic novel as something that can qualify as 'serious' or 'quality' literature. Personally, I'm just beginning to explore this genre, and now seems like a good time to start given my lack of time for 'real' books. I think I know what my next read will be: one of Guy Delisle's graphic-novel-formal travelogues. I have already read Jerusalem and I thought it was great. It made me feel like I grasped the spirit of the city, problematized its dynamics with a sense of humor,  showed what everyday life there was really like for the author... and, of course, made me really want to visit! He regularly moves to different places and he's (so far) published graphic novel-format works on Pyongyang (North Korea), Shenzhen (China), and Burma -which one should I pick?

Breakfast musings

It's Sunday, let's talk about breakfast! Breakfast is one of my favourite moments of the day, as long as I don't have to rush. I get to eat in my PJ's, have a great coffee and browse the internet. I've turned it into a little ritual and I love it!

Work in progress

So, in case you were interested, I cut my hair. It's not exactly what I imagined, but then again things never are, right? I now have bangs for the first time in my life.  It still feels a little weird (especially when I'm biking and suddenly they get blown off!) and I'm also not entirely convinced that my hairdresser did a very good job cutting them, but I do like them! 

Weekly inspiration #3

Here's what I'm thinking about this week:

Scented candles: they're one of those things I used to think of as the ultimate luxury item, but they are incredibly useful when your kitchen is in the same room with your bedroom! I received a couple as gifts last year and now I just need them. They make cooking smells go away, turn my room into a little sphere of its own, and make for a special bedtime ritual.  I really recommend giving a good scented candle a try! I just bought the Studion one from & other stories. It smells like fig leaf (OK, so it's copying Diptyque, but I'm not complaining!) and the scent is not artificial at all, nor is it overbearing, so it's the right touch for me. But these things are very personal, so find what you like :)

my beautiful yoga selfie

Sportswear. Amazingly, I've stuck to my resolutions about doing sports this year (no-one's more surprised than I am... even though it is only yoga, it's better than nothing!), so I think it might be time to finally buy some actual sports clothes: My one pair of leggings has holes in it, but I didn't want to be that person that says they'll do sports, buys a whole new kit and then never ends up using it, lol. Thankfully sportswear is very in fashion lately -even netaporter.com has a special sports boutique now!- so finding something practical and stylish shouldn't be impossible... For now, I like the idea of a back-revealing tank top and I really like a couple from the adidas by stella mccartney line, but honestly I don't think I can justify spending 80€ on a tank top so I guess I'll have to keep looking...


The written word. Writing is one of the most powerful things in existence. It can convey so many things, and can be subtle, intricate, beautiful, and earth-shattering at the same time. It's experienced differently by each of us yet we all share it. I really wish I had more time to write, and I also miss reading things outside of my university curriculum. I get my fix by reminiscing from my creative writing course and revisiting postsecret.com every week (we had an assignment where we had to pick a postcard and write a story inspired by it) and by reading Ariel Levy's incredibly moving nonfiction prose. I love this woman's writing and I love that it is for once a woman's writing: I just took a look at my Goodreads account and virtually all the works of literature that I've read in the near past were written by men. Lesson of the day: the patriarchy can sneak up on anyone (and I should make a conscious effort to read works by women). So today being women's day, it only seems appropriate to share this work -yet it's also neccessary to add that I would share this story any day of the year, because regardless of her gender, this person is a great writer.

image via postsecret.com

Soup that will actually keep you full

I love, love, love soup. It's warm, it's healthy, it's tasty, it's comfort in a bowl. Like a hug from the inside (weird, huh?). One thing I really don't love, though, is finishing my meal and feeling hungry immediately after... Here is one that will keep you full and happy until the next meal -tried and tested by yours truly.

Pappa al pomodoro is delicious italian tomato soup that you fling stale bread into. It turns into this soft, beautiful pappa, soaking up the intense flavour of the tomato, the soft garlic, the aroma of the herbs and the velvety feel of the olive oil -and there's quite a bit of it in this dish, but hey it's good for you! Bonus points from me because it's a recipe you can make with things you probably already have lying around: tinned tomatoes and old bread.

the finished product -recipe (loosely followed) here (PS: I'm reading Mythologies for my bachelor's thesis -stay tuned for updates!)

Bonus leftover idea: Turn that lonely carrot/onion, that half can of beans and/or those random bits of pasta into a filling, italian-inspired soup with some tomato, italian herbs (basil, oregano, thyme...), maybe a splash of red wine and some simmering ;)

   

Quickie outfit

Just a quick post to show you what I've been wearing: 

-new coat courtesy of a friend who's crazy enough not to want this camel mohair beauty

-short(er), messy hair (&I'm going for a haircut today so watch this space!)

-the ankle boots I showed you

-my typical Cristina-imitating-Patti-Smith uniform: black Weekday skinnies, black blazer, random tee. 

-the fringed wool scarf that's saved me this winter. I really think this is something to invest in -if you have some $$ to spend the ultimate version is the Acne Canada, but COS also does some great all-wool ones (here) -basically trust the Scandinavians because they know what they're talking about.

Weekly inspiration #2

Some sweet inspiration for the weekend! This week I've been thinking of...

-Hair. To be perfectly honest, I'm always thinking about what I 'm gonna do to my hair, but anyways, I'm happy with my shorter hair*, but I  feel like I still haven't nailed the haircut -I've been toying with the idea of... bangs.

I watched the film Respire recently, and while I don't particularly recommend it, I got one thing out of it: I fell in love with Lou de Laâge's hair (OK, her whole look actually). It's that very carefree, effortlessly wavy, totally kryptonite French hair with long bangs that could be bangs or could be parted bangs/face-framing bits (whatever you call them). What's even greater is that you can easily style it to be more bohemian/70's or rock-chic -two of my favourite 'vibes' because they're both about effortless sex appeal. Irina Lakicevic (first two pictures) now also has the same type of haircut -sometimes parted, sometimes straight bangs- and recently cut her hair shorter which I really like as well. Should I go for it...?

-T-shirt dresses (or knit dresses): just something really simple to throw on over some tights and ankle boots -and feel like I still have my PJ's on... I'm tired of pants! I found this one on asos.





-Girls: it's back on and *drum roll* I'll be analyzing fashion and identity in the series for my bachelor's thesis. Exciting stuff!











*I cut my long hair a couple of months ago and (after I got over the initial shock) I started to really appreciate how much healthier it looked and got excited about playing more with volume and texture... if anything I want it even shorter now! I happened on a pre-haircut picture and what I'd thought was my protective-mantle, princess mane had actually become more like a sad curtain with frayed edges -the horror!

Quinoa back to basics: sweet & savoury

I was visiting my dad last weekend and mentioned my quinoa risotto to him. He was like: yeah, nice, but what is quinoa? I mean, what can you do with it? (aside from risotto, he he) So I've decided to take a step back and talk about the basics of quinoa for a second. Dad, I hope you're paying attention ;)

Red quinoa and some cool Freud-themed stickers I rediscovered at my dad's house :)

Quinoa is technically a seed, but it's commonly used as a grain. It comes in different colours: there is white, red and black quinoa. It's a so-called 'slow carbohydrate', and also a good source of protein and fibre, making it super good for you on all counts! The basic way to cook it is boiling 1 part quinoa in 2 parts water in a covered pot for around 10-14 minutes. I like to make a bigger batch and then keep it in the fridge to use in many different ways:

First of all, who says you can't use it in sweet dishes? Here are some ideas:
-make 'porridge' by warming some quinoa with milk or milk substitute (I'm not vegan, but I love almond milk), fruit, some cinnamon and whatever nuts/seeds/dried fruit  you like. You can also add chia seeds, hemp, or whatever other superfoods/toppings you want (OR CHOCOLATE!)
-you can also add your cooked quinoa to yogurt and make a parfait with honey and fruit
-or add it to pancake batter to make it healthier and add texture.

Red quinoa porridge with almond milk, banana, pear, peanut butter and cinnamon :)

I already gave you a savoury option here, but there are many, many more ways to use cooked quinoa:
-use it in a salad instead of couscous
-add it to soups to make them more filling
-have it with stir-fried vegetables, pasta sauce or pesto
-or just enjoy it warm with a trickle of olive oil and a sprinkle of sea salt.

Happy hipster eating!

Transcending purpose

Rarely do I simply accept a garment's designated function as exclusive. If you dig through the (blurry) archives of this blog you can see what I'm talking about: sweaters as skirts, scarves as tops, cardigans worn the wrong way around, a lot of knotting, chopping... OK, I'll stop bragging, the point  is that you can do so much more with your clothes if you use  your imagination a little -here are a couple of ideas :)


DIY top: I stole Ivania's idea and slashed an old Tshirt into a tank top with a high neck and (very) low arm holes... It's super easy -snip, snip!- and I love this cut because it's sexy by virtue of showing shoulders and ribs in lieu of the more predictable chest or midriff areas.

I'm wearing DIY top, random sports bra, Weekday skinnies and fluffy cardigan. Also, my hair is shorter now.

Cardigan-turned-dress: Speaking of the fluffy cardigan, I've been wearing it with everything (it's so cozy and warm!) but you didn't think that I'd stick to using it as a cardigan did you? I recently discovered that you can also wear it as a wrap dress. Just drape it together and fasten it with a belt. I actually love the chic shape and the texture of this 'wrap dress' :)