Bride on a budget

One of the things I love about blogging is the fact that after I post something me and my friends create a whole chat offline about it. Therefore, after my recent post about bridesmaid dresses, we started talking about how much should this kind of dress cost, as you're paying for it. We came to the conclusion it's worth to opt for cheap bridesmaids dresses, especially since there's a big selection on the Internet. One thing led to another and we ended up talking about how much should the bride spend on her dress. 

Being a fan of "Say yes to the dress" show back when I was younger, I noticed how brides who had a 2000$ budget could barely find their dream dress, so I got the idea that you should have some money put aside for your big day. One of my best friends think you should have even the double, because it's an unique day and you want to cherish its memory forever. Others think you can use the money in a better way and spend it on your honeymoon, so both you and your soulmate can benefit (or buy some Louboutin shoes you can wear also after the wedding, the options are endless).

In the end, we all agreed there should be a cutback on the wedding dress budget, but how big? I started searching out of curiosity online and I found some incredibly cheap wedding dresses  at DressDressy that I included in the sets in this post: I just can't believe they're under 300$ (hello, you can't even buy a designer bag at this price!). Where have I been living in this past few years, thinking that you should have at least 3K put aside for your dream wedding dress? That's the great thing about internet, you never know what marvel you may come across!

How do you feel about wedding dresses: would you recycle your mom's dress, buy one on sale or go completely over the top and choose an expensive designer one?

Inspiration by marymanaila 

La Tour Eiffel

Photo Credit: Cristian Alexandrescu Photography

I can't believe I still haven't shared with you all the photos I took in Paris back in December! This is a very emotional post for me, because The Eiffel Tower is proof there still are things which can surprise you in an overhelming way.

We've seen it from far away many times while we stayed in Paris, and in our final night we wanted to go visit the entire Rive Gauche , including Le Cartier Latin, Saint-Germain-des-Prés etc. and end our tour at the base of the Eiffel Tower. Due to the fact that from our hotel there was no good connection to the left bank by metro and we walked in circles for more than an hour looking for the bus station., we weren't able to complete our plan. We got all upset and disappointed that our last night was wasted in such a terrible way. Thank God I'm one of those people who use their anger to get out of a critical situation. I remembered how easy was to get from the Champs Elysees to Place du Trocadero by subway. Therefore, I even persuaded  Cristi to stop for half an hour to walk on the Champs Elysees again ( just to soak it all in- the pretty Louis Vuitton windows, the fancy bistros) and then we went to see the Eiffel Tower.

 We had low expectations because we were tired, we heard that it was an overrated sight , plus we were told we should see the tower from its base. There were also all sorts of weird people, as it was Sunday, very late at night. And then WE SAW IT! Imense, imposing, a true work of art! I suddenly felt blessed that we had this change of plans, because the lights were incredible and I felt like the tiny tower we've seen from far in the last days had nothing in common with the architectural marvel I had in front of my eyes. The photos don't do it justice, trust me, it's even more imposing seen from the Trocadero! You have to visit it yourself (at night) to understand my feelings of excitement and love.

I can't understand why Parisians hated La Tour Eiffel so much at first- Guy de Maupassant went as far as eating every meal in the tower because it was the only place he would not see the 'hideous' creation on the window in Paris. Maybe it was the idea of change that scared them. When I was little, I used to cry every time we got new furniture or a new car, although it was an obvious upgrade. I would make a scene and call it horrible and then, after some time, I would have become so attached to it my parents would be completely shocked.

It was love at first sight and that's when I decided that one day I will visit Paris again and I will take my time to study the tower from all the recommended angles and lights (plus, I still haven't seen Le Cartier Latin, Disneyland and Versailles). I don't think you can ever say you've seen everything worth to be visited in Paris, it's such a magical city, one where I felt genuinely happy and blessed!

Bridesmaid Duty!

♪ Gotye- Heart's a mess ♪

I've blogged about weddings and the perfect dress to wear on your special day many times before. But what I've forgot to question is bridesmaid duty! It crossed my mind recently, since I'm finishing highschool and all of my best friends will attend university in different cities.Will we be able to keep in touch? Will we still feel the same connection, that strong that when the time comes we would ask each other to be a bridesmaid? Obviously, this issue has been illustrated with humour in a douzen of famous comedies, like Bridesmaids, Bachelorette or my favourite, 27 dresses (this made me particularly emotional).

I get all nervous only when I think about how me and my friends are going to look in 10 years, let alone the idea of one of us getting married. Still, there is still one bright aspect about it: the outfit. Most bridesmaids dread it, then there is also the issue of color: should the maid of honour pull a Pippa Middleton and wear white at the ceremony? What about the lenght? While searching online, I have found an amazing selection of  2014 bridesmaid dresses at MillyBridalShop. They have all sorts of designs, which come in all sorts of colours. My favourites are the one shown in the first set, which I would describe 'urban ballerina' style and the one with a single shoulder strap- so chic and elegant!

Now- how to accessorize a bridesmaids outfit?

Light Accents- You can see it in the first set: light tones, nude shoes, a pink nail polish perhaps. It will complement your look while keeping it low profile.

Bold Colors- Whether we're talking about statement shoes of colorful clutches, it's nice to wear a chic accent that will make your look light and fun! See my take on this alternative in the second set.


Have you ever been a bridesmaid? Would you envision yourself as one? Do share your thoughts and experience! x

Spring 2014 Trends: Rainbow Powder

Okay, so I have been on a social hiatus for the last couple of months! I made this decision based on the fact that I have the most important exam of my life in July, so I now it's the time for me to study more than ever. I have missed blogging dearly and free time in general: I only allowed myself to watch my favourite TV shows (gotta keep my sanity in order somehow) and indulged in some occasional reading.

It's the first fashion season that I did not show interest to the trend report...until last night. I came home late after a very sweet evening out with my friends ( we had three major exams this week so we allowed ourselves a celebration) and I was sleepless. I saw an email in my inbox from the Net-a-Porter newsletter and I thought I should check the new collections they have online. I INSTANTLY FELL IN LOVE! With everything: I was craving baby blue high heels (both Gianvito Rossi and Fendi offer a great selection),  a Balmain light denim skirt (it was a huge surprise for me, as Balmain is knows for darker tones) and pretty much everything else, when it hit me: "I have to share my discoveries with someone, this fashion season is insanely genius!" . And who else is a better choice than you, dear reader?

So, here we go, the highlights of the season I have noticed in a brief visit on Net-a-porter:

J. Crew pumps, Alexander Wang skirt, Miu Miu Sunglasses, Theory sweater, Oscar de la Renta necklace, Sylvia Toledano clutch

Baby Blue is the new hue! - Everything is baby blue- from pumps, to Oscar de la Renta necklaces.

Text T-shirts : From the well known Alexander Wang top with "Explicit content" , to more affordable versions at J. Crew (like in the first photo).

Backpacks - I never imagined I would fancy the idea of wearing a backpack like an IT accessory, but my fashion taste is unpredictable. The epitone of classy is the 3.1. Phillip Lim backpack I included in the first set.

J. Crew designs have reached a whole new level! I always loved J. Crew , although I found it hard to understand why people call them "high street" when a pair of shoes costs 300$. The basics have clean cuts and nice colors as always, the statement necklaces are outstanding, but what really surprised me were the bold prints used on skirts and pants. They just make everything seem so fresh and chic, and they also have a selection on bold colors for tops to match the down part.

Mustard Yellow Power: Either we're talking about the glorious J. Crew shoes with a sparkling sole (see second set in the post), or Stella McCartney and Proenza Schouler clutches, the verdict is clear: this spring is all about a bold accent, like this beautiful yellow shade. 

Peach Powder : This sweet orange-meets-salmon shade has a sweet, feminine accent. I have a skirt in my closet from last year, I cannot wait to wear it!

I am definitely keen on knowing more about this fashion season know, I will try to make some time in my life for this research and my beloved blog, I absolutely forgot how fun fashion can be! What do you like about the spring season so far?

Valentino shoes, J. Crew Pants, J. Crew Sweater, J. Crew necklace, Sophie Hulme clutch