Currently Loving... 7 Bis Jewelry

I do not talk much about jewelry because I am the kind of person who is really faithful to her pieces, and who tend to wear the same ring, bracelet, earrings, again and again. I do not purchase much jewelry - but my boyfriend tends to offer me a lot -, and if I do most of the time it is because of a real coup de foudre. Instagram, to discover new jewelry brands, is for sure a good source. Most of the time when I purchase new articles, there are from brands I discovered on this platform. And the brand I am telling you about today is in this case. 7 Bis Paris is a French jewelry brand which perfectly suits the actual trend: discreet and fun pieces. Gold and silver, palm trees and cactus, they know what works and they are not afraid to use that. Small pieces are definitely the thing right now, and this brand manages to create affordable jewels that you can whether wear by themselves, whether layer, mixing all of those funny motives. My heart goes to the leaf earrings and basically all of their bracelets. A 'currently loving' that might last for a while...

xo

Amy

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September Favorite Bag: Pixie Bag, Chloé

Now that I am back to uni, back on my bike, back with my laptop, back with the heavy books and all to carry from the library to the flat, and the other way round the morning after, I am kind of fed of carrying so many stuffs in huge bags. All I crave on weekends is to carry the less that I can - yet if I'm being honest I have to say that I don't go to the library on weekends, but I work in cafés so still have to carry my stuffs... But anyway, whenever I am not working my wish is to carry the less that I can in the tiniest bag that I can find. And this does fit well, because small bags are trending! And for that, we have to thanks the amazing brad Chloé who knows how to create the perfect small bags. They have so many amazing ones I had some issues picking a favorite for this months, but I finally went for the Pixie bag. We saw it all along this Fashion Week, on bloggers such as Song of Style, and can already say that it will be one of the it-bag of this upcoming fall. 

Remember in my latest article I talked about statement accessories, and this bag is definitely part of this movement. Yes, it is small and discreet in a sense thanks to its size, but the shape and the look of it would upgrade any classic and basic look, such as jeans with a black knitted sweater. It is so original and so unique, from the handles to the round shape, that it might not only be a it-bag but may become a classic. Definitely one of the 'big bag' if we can say of this season, a dream bag just as Chloé knows how to create them.

Images source: Pinterest

xo

Amy

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Currently Loving... Bear Journal

When we think about fashion and the influencers we follow on Instagram and other social media, we always have this image of a beautiful girl, succeeding in her blogger career, and launching whether a make up range, a clothing or a shoe brand, or a book about her story. But some bloggers and influencers look in other directions, such as Saasha Burns, who went for a totally different concept, being vitamin pills. We can obviously link this to beauty and lifestyle, but to have a blogger being interested in such a topic is not really common in what I know. 

Reading the website, Bear Journal, I have learnt how those vitamins were made, but also about the concept. There are four different kinds of vitamins, all made for a different purpose. Protect, Perform, Restore, Explore. Behind those wanderlust kind of names, we find a real purpose and a real will to create a product that will correspond to every need and help its consumers fill a certain lack of their system. I have never been into those vitamin things, it is definitely something I never took seriously, until two winters ago, when I was sick for almost two months, never getting rid off this massive cold I kept with me as a faithful companion since the start of colder times. I then started taking vitamins, and let me say that last year it made a real difference. That is why this year I wanted to give a try to Bear Journal. Their formula, based on plants, and declined in four different kinds really focuses on specific issues. Restore and Protect are definitely a must for Autumn and Winter, helping us fight against the cold and all the bacterias that fly in the air at this time. When beauty and well-being are hidden in natural based pills...

xo 

Amy

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Statement Accessories

Fashion is sometimes hard to follow, and hard to adapt to your lifestyle. If you work in a bank you have to follow a certain dress-code, if you are a student you cannot afford all of those fashionable pieces and buy a new wardrobe every season, yet if you can wear crazy fashion clothes at your work and afford them you might not feel really comfortable wearing weird pieces that may be on trend but a bit too 'out there'. So when clothes are a too big statement, and if like me you love your classics and basics, the key for an incredible look will be to be found in your accessories. To be honest, I love to watch fashion shows, to read fashion magazines, to know about every trend, yet I won't wear most of them cause for me they sometimes feel like they are made for another world. That is why accessories are so amazing. They can make a statement without you having to look like you come head to New York Fashion Week's Ralph Oscar de la Renta's show.

To me, there are three kind of accessories that are perfect to make a statement. The first one is obviously the handbag. You can wear blue jeans with a grey sweater and burgundy loafers, rocking a pretty simple and classic look, but just add a colorful handbag, or one of a rather weird - understand 'trending' here - shape, and this will do the look. The second accessory is for me the scarf. I wear a lot since the weather in Amsterdam is far from being 'nice', so I love to wear big wooly scarfs of crazy colors or patterns, something that will for sure gives some vitamins to your monochromatic and simple  look. And last but not least, a good pair of statement earrings. They definitely add something to a look, whether by being gigantic, ethnic or simply original. Of course the goal is not to wear all three statement accessories together, but to use them to make out of a simple look a fashionable outfit. Sometimes simplicity is the key, you just have to find this little detail that will make of your outfit a fashion week worthy look. 

xo

Amy

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Books Reviews: 'The Enchanted April' & 'A Room With a View'

This Summer I have been a real book worm. I read a heavy lot of books, I don't know why, I just enjoyed doing that outside in the nice weather while eating snacks, and I felt in a reading mood. Since I have started my studies in Amsterdam I really want to spend more time reading, to discover new authors, new books, to tell those amazing stories that I read to my friends, to recommend books, to lend them, to talk about them insatiably. I read a good bunch of novels this past year, and I shared a lot with you, but after all of the amazing reads I had this Summer it was hard for me to pick up only one for today's review, that is why I am here presenting you two of my favorite novels of this Summer, both related to the same topic in a sense, being happiness. 

The first book I want to talk about is The Enchanted April by Elizabeth van Arnim. This is for sure a classic of the British literature, and while reading it I instantly understood why. The story takes place in the 1920s England, four women, all of them terribly sad with the life they are living, and willing to breath in some fresh air, decide to go together to Italy, renting a house, even though they don't know each others. They leave their husbands, families and friends behind them and head there for a month, some willing to make the most of Italy, some others only willing to be by themselves in this peaceful and beautiful place surrounded by wisterias. The plot of this book looks really flat, and let me say that there is not a lot of action in here, but it is definitely not the aim of the author. This book is about happiness. How you loose it and how you can get it back just by simple things you can do in life. This book was beautiful in the sense that it does give hope, delight, and spread happiness to the reader as well. To be the witness of those four women finding felicity again was definitely a unique experience. A classic, and now I do know why. 

The second book I picked up here is A Room With a View by E. M. Forster. This book is another one from the English classic literature, and treats of a rather similar subject as the precedent novel I presented. A Room With a View is a coming-of-age type of book, a young British girl goes to Italy - it seems to definitely be the place to go if you are British - and meet a young British gentleman. The story only takes place for half of the book in Italy, then everybody goes back to the UK, but it doesn't matter, in Italy the magic had enough time to happen, and happiness is at the key. Once again, a female character as the principal actor of this book goes to the promised South of Europe and discover happiness and love in a way she wouldn't have guessed. This story is all about embracing happiness and accepting things that come to you, going for your destiny almost. A Room With a View will put a smile on your face and hope in your heart. But what really does come out of this two novels is that happiness is to be found in Italy!

xo

Amy

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Blogger Style: Camila Coelho

If you want to get inspired, looking at only one model, only one style, won't be enough. At some point, your style will always stay the same and never will have the opportunity to evolve, and to change according to the occasion or your mood. I tend to present on here bloggers who have a different style, but who still belong to the same vibe, but I thought this time I will look in another direction and show you a selection of my favorite looks from a Brazilian blogger, Camila Coelho. 

This blogger is far from what I tend to get inspired from. She is girly, glamour, really feminine and not afraid to be sexy or to dress like a real woman, which is maybe an inspiration I tend to left on the side, myself feeling like a girl still. But Camila has a lot to learn us. She knows how to associate clothes and to look smart and feminine without going on the 'too girly' road. So here is a selection of my favorite looks of her, a mix of everything a woman should get inspired from.

Feminine & Glamorous

Chic & Elegant

Casual & Sophisticated

xo

Amy

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My Dreamt Apartment V

My quest for the perfect accommodation for my second year in Amsterdam let me dream again of beautiful places that we only see on Tumblr and never meet in real life. I dream of massive space, big places full of room for beautiful furnitures, pretty colors, bookshelves and art works. I dream of a flat that will be the perfect one to study, but also to create and let the imagination works. They are just dreams of course, but they help forget the ugly reality that takes place before my eyes. So here is my new dreamy place. 

xo

Amy

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Back to School

This time of the year is never the easiest for students. After a sunny Summer at home, relaxing, spending time with family and friends, forgetting all about university, it is hard to go back. Especially when university is far from home. Today, I went back to Amsterdam. I arrived few hours ago, and let me say that to come back was a really hard moment. The flight was depressing and the road from the station to the flat just too much. Yet I choose this life, going away for my studies, being far from home, being a little bit lost and depressed to leave was part of the deal I guess, even if I didn't think about it at first. Anyway, I can complain, but it won't change anything, tomorrow classes start again, a new and fresh year before me. 

My anxiety issues made it even harder to leave home. After a good start of Summer all of my stress came back and just before leaving, a week and a half ago, I had some really hard times. To leave home is of course a good way to fight those anxious thoughts, but still, home is always better when you don't feel good. This new year starts with a bitter taste then, a lot of stress with a pinch of sadness.  The other day I thought, in this universe my life doesn't mean anything, I am so little against all of it, yet it still feels hard, it stays complicated. Maybe to put things back in their place can help a little, maybe to remember what really does matter is a good way to fight of those feels. Let's try to think like that. Now time to go back to school. 

xo

Amy

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British Beauty: Bagsy

To love beauty and makeup is to always will to discover new things, and never stick to only one brand, one product. That is why when I saw this new stand in one of the shop I go for my makeup refuel, I decided to give a go to Bagsy Beauty, a British makeup brand. Sometimes I am disappointed with what I try, but not this time. This time, I fell in love with the two products that I bought first. There was the lemon lip balm and a lipstick, in the shade 'Happy Days', and those two products totally convinced me that this brand was worth it, and that I should definitely put my hand on more products. 

Some days after my first Bagsy purchase, I ran back to the store and bought the 'Wander Wand' stick, a concealing and illuminating duo, which is just an amazing product, a duo that works really well to at the same time hide what you don't want others to see, and highlight what you want people to see! The formulae feels really nice on the skin, and is rather long lasting.

I also bought the eyeshadow pencil in 'Caffeine Fix', perfect for my blue eyes, and really easy to apply and blur, another good formulae. If I had to pick up three favorites, I would for sure go for their  cream blush in 'Velvet Rose', their 'Wander Wand' stick I mentioned above, and the Rasperry lip balm, slightly tinted. 

This brand has got a really small range, but actually condenses everything that you need in your makeup bag, every essentials from the blush to the eyeliner and lipgloss. Behind their lovely packaging there is also a beautiful ethic, all of their products are cruelty free, which means that they are not tested on animals, something quite rare in the makeup industry and that we tend to forget about. Pretty, efficient and conscious, what else could a beauty addict ask for?

xo

Amy

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