March Favorite Bag: Céline Classic Bag in Box

The other day I was strolling around a famous department store in Amsterdam, and I took a look at some price tags on designer bags. The fact that those prices are completely extravagant is not a surprise for anyone. But I thought, if you want to buy a designer bag, let's say your first big purchase, what should you go for? It is such an investment, you want to chose the one that you could wear with every outfit, on every occasion, and not a weird number that might only work with your blue winter coat. I was then wandering around asking myself this existential question, and I spotted the perfect investment: a Céline Classic Bag in Box. Why this one? Well, it is extremely wearable, goes with absolutely everything, and this for most of the colors they propose, it is not too small, nor too big, elegant, discrete, but still a designer bag that you will recognize. Céline is not such an old brand, but with its accessories it already achieved to create classics. Every person slightly interested in fashion and reading a fashion magazine will recognize a Céline bag, and this model even more. It is the quintessence of chic and elegance, a bag for women of today, busy, yet willing to stay stylish. The perfect first investment. Yet most of all, a real fashion crush. 

xo

Amy

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Call me by your name

Finally, I watched "Call me by your name". I know, I am late and way behind, but better late than never right? I think what kept me from watching it was all the buzz going around it. I tend to avoid those big production Hollywood is completely mad about. Since few months now I am trying to open myself to movies that are out of the American big production zone, and we are lucky enough to have an amazing independent cinema in Amsterdam, where you can go and see movies that you won't see anywhere else, old or recent, American or Polish, no matter, the organizer of those projections is all about the unusual. And to see those movies kind of closed me from what is trending. But Estée Lalonde, constantly raving about it, convinced me to have a look. And this movie was showed at Sundance, and well, this finished to get me. So I watched it few weeks ago, and well, I have fallen in love with it. The story is so beautiful, the characters so deep and real, it is a real qualitative movie for me. A gay romance with no drama is already something worst having a look at. For once, gay love stories are approached without any health issues, any family drama where parents are homophobic, or one of the character has a wife. I mean, this movie was heart wrenching, and I cried my eyes out, but it was all about love, not about gay drama. 

The aesthetic of the movie was also so significant, the filming location, the colors, the lifestyle, but also the soundtrack participated in the creation of this real but beautiful universe, where people are falling in love for real. Luca Guadagnino created a touching movie where you can't help but fall in love with the romance happening in front of your mesmerized gaze. Now I cannot wait to start reading the book, and for once it does not matter that I saw the movie before, because it was simply a beautiful piece of art. A love story to fall in love with. 

xo

Amy

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Homeware Wishlist

To feel good you need to be in a nice environment. It is something I have always paid attention to, but since I moved to Amsterdam I have been quiet lazy and did just the minimal room décor. Yet since I am back from my home holidays, I have decided to make everything look better. One of the first step was this new commitment with flower bouquets that I took. Now, each week, I will have to buy one. To have flowers in my room makes me instantly feel better, and with Spring which has apparently just arrived, I cannot resist some colorful tulips, as you might have seen on my Instagram. But this is only one small step, and I want to go further. So today I thought about sharing with you some of my favorite home bits that I recently stumbled upon, and I am now craving for. 

Urban Outfitters

For me, a nice bedroom starts with a pretty and comfortable bedding. It is such a horrible feeling going to bed and going under a scratchy duvet cover. So to invest in good bedding is not a stupid move. I love Urban Outfitters' designs, and the quality is definitely worth the price, which can sometimes be rather heavy. You don't have to go for their funny designs, with for instance a white bedding covered in cute sloths. I personally choose this embroiled grey duvet cover, looking chic, and guaranteeing you lovely dreams. 

Cassia Embroidered Duvet Cover

I reach a lot towards Urban Outfitters when it comes to the bed area, and to go with this bedding I have just selected, I went for those two pillows. The first one are monogrammed, and I think that the pop of colors will be welcome to add a little more joy to the chic grey bedding. The flowers also add a Springy vibes, and moreover, they are soft!

Riveta Abolina For Deny Pink Summer Monogram Pillow

The second type I went for is this fluffy and beyond soft pillow, matching the bedding perfectly with its pastel and light colors. It will add a cosy look to the bed, and most of all, it is comfy as hell. 

Lola Shag Throw Pillow

Last bit I picked up from Urban Outfitters is this art print, by Ingrid Beddoes, entitled 'Sea Bliss'. I believe that it is very important to add something to your wall, it will make the room much more personal and lively. I choose this print for its colors mainly, but also its size, large enough to be hanged on a large white wall. 

Ingrid Beddoes Sea Bliss Art Print

Zara Home

Zara Home is one of my favorite homeware boutique to shop at. Their style is very sophisticated, very Hampton house, and definitely makes you wish you were living by the ocean. I always gravitate towards them when it comes to décor and dishes. Their pieces are very delicate and chic, adding a little bit of jazz to a boring room.

The first item I went for is this hanging flower pot. I love the style of it, its white discretion that will be broken by a neon green plant or a colorful flower composition. It will definitely fill in the room, and having them going by pairs is a very good way to fill the space and add greenery to the room. 

Ceramic and Jute Decorative Flowerpot

A rug is a very important element of a bedroom according to me. It does add some coziness, and once again, fill in the room. You can go for several tiny elements or a bigger one, which was my choice here. I am very into those neutral colors, beige and grey shades, so once again I went for this vibe with the rug. The patchwork motif is at the same time original and discrete, and it is actually comfortable and enjoyable to walk bare foot on!

Patchwork-Effect Coton Rug

To start your day in a nice dishes is something crucial for me, and will for sure brighten my day straight away. So I picked up couple of those lovely colorful bowls, a beautiful way to have your breakfast. 

Crackled Stoneware Bowl

H&M Home

H&M Home is a very good option if you want to go on the cheaper side, and does actually have amazing collection for a rather good quality. The first item I picked up is this laundry basket. For me, to have an organized bedroom is a crucial need. I cannot live in a messy place, where my stuffs are everywhere but in their actual place. So this basket is a real life savior to make disappear with style all of your laundry!

Large Folding Basket, Natural

Scent is also a major concern of mine. It needs to smell incredibly good in my bedroom, and what is better for that than a scented candle? I know many bloggers gravitate towards brands such as Diptyque, yet some of us cannot afford to spend so much money on something as ephemeral as a candle. So H&M Home is a good way to have your room smelling nice and clean, without having to eat pasta for the rest of the month. 

Sentent Candle, Wild Flower 

As you might have noticed by now, I am very into neutral shades, yet I like to pop a little bit of color in the details, and porcelain pieces are a good way to do so. I choose a bowl from Zara Home, and now a mug for my morning coffee or my beloved afternoon tea from H&M. Once again, they have really good cheap option, and their current collection is rather pretty. I have here went for this lovely tropical patterned mug, bringing some sun into your bedroom. 

Patterned Porcelain Cup

I hope you enjoyed me talking you through my favorite pieces and new homeware additions 🌿

xo

Amy

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Currently loving... Box Bags

With Spring coming, we want everything to be lighter. The weather, the coats, the jumpers, the mind. I am in this Spring mood for far too long, but Amsterdam's weather is constantly taking that away from me. So I stay there, in the cold Winter, just hoping for the bloody wind to stop freezing the hell out of me. When having to go back into this Winter feeling, I had to also go back into Winter's fashion. And the only thing that is keeping me from crying is my new accessory obsession: box bags. I had one for the past months, and made some use out of it, but have already stored it. I don't know why exactly but I have the feeling that box bags are much more Autumn/Winter than Spring/Summer, and the weather is now giving me a little bit - hopefully only a little bit - of extra time to fulfill my latest obsession. 

I guess that my love for this look comes from my rather obsessive need to have everything organized and in its place. This type of bag is all about that. It is structured. Such a beautiful word for a psycho like me. It is just giving me the feeling that everything is in its place, everything is held together and kept within a frame. Yet it is not only about the feelings, but obviously the look. Yet once again I will have to come back to this word, 'structure', because it is what it does, it structures your look and gives you a lady-like aspect, which for a reason I don't really understand is very much Autumn/Winter for me. I am currently loving box bags, but well, I am so ready for Spring and straw bags. This obsession is just a chic way to forget about how much I hate the cold. 

xo

Amy

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Book Review: ‘Idaho’, Emily Ruskovich

It has been a while since I did my last book review. This does not mean that I haven't been reading since December, simply that he book I picked did not especially marked me, at least not enough for me to recommend them. They were whether too 'simple', whether did not achieve to grip me. But lastly, when I was home for a two week holiday, I started reading Idaho, by Emily Ruskovich, a debate novel. I stumbled upon this book completely by change, in the most hazardous way. I went to Utrecht with my boyfriend last February, and we missed our train back to Amsterdam. So we decided to have a walk around the station shops while waiting for the next one. We entered a shop which sold magazines, bits and bobs, and had a small table where were displayed English books. I took a look real quickly, we did not have much time, and I immediately fell in love with the book cover of Idaho, but also the title. When reading the few lines of the plot on the back cover, I knew I couldn't leave Utrecht without this novel. The storyline? Wade, years ago, was married to Jenny. Jenny, one day, killed their younger daughter May, and June, her older sister, ran away, never to be found again. Jenny is now in jail, and Wade married to Ann. Ann who know everything about this terrible story. But Wade starts to forget. Dementia hits him in his still young years, and he soon forget the once existence of Jenny, May, and June. But Ann cannot forget, and starts to live a life haunted by those three females, not part of their life anymore. 

This book is so gripping, I could not let it down. All along, I was looking for answers, for explanations, but it would have been a too common novel if the aim was simply to lead us to an explanation of that dramatic day. The amazing writing forced me to turn page after page, holding my breath, not able to get out of the story. This book is not an investigation. It is a novel about loss and an impossible mourning, about time and memory fading away while life never stops its stream to let you catch your breath. An incredible book that I'm sure I will never forget. A story that will break your heart and leave you with tears in your eyes from start until end. A master piece.

xo

Amy

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Matisse Inspired Fashion

To follow fashion trends can be a hard job. I couldn't even imagine being a fashion trend setter, too much of a hard task. Some trends, I forget about - neon colored faux fur is not my thing - yet some others, maybe more discreet, not as easy to see, I fall in love with instantly and follow right away, like the good fashion sheep that I am. Matisse inspired fashion is a trend I just love. I don't know if it is my past as an art historian, or simply because I find those faces fascinating, but this trend holds a special place into my heart. I don't really mind the medium, even though I seem to have a preferences for statement earrings. Fashion is funny sometimes. I don't know what Matisse would think of this trend. I hope he would like it as much as I do, but I think so. At least, it is a nice way to carry a piece of him. 

xo

Amy

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Birthday Girl

Tomorrow I am turning 23. I am not quite sure how to feel about it. On one hand, I don't care much. It does not look like such a big step. Just one more insignificant number. On the other hand, it scares me. I am now 23, and what I have done? But even more scary, I am now 23, what to do next? I am spending an amazing year in Amsterdam. I am finally feeling good living in this city, and I am dealing with my anxiety as never before. I am finally feeling great, happy, and motivated to kick the issues that are coming my way. But it is already coming to an end. I am finishing my master degree in June, and I have no plan for next year. I was finally feeling good, and everything has too be started over again. No time for rest nor appreciation. Just time to ponder again, to move on, to find another place where I will have to star all over again, to fight the same battles, and eventually to feel better. 23 is a scary year. A year of decision making, a year of threat and stress, a year where I should decide what I want for my future self, but I can't figure this out. How can you take decision when you are not alone? How can you decide on anything knowing that every one of your action will have an impact on somebody else? 

Nevertheless, I am happy with my 22nd year. I have made a lot of progress concerning my anxiety. A year ago, I was a sad mess. Not capable of much, destroying my life without being aware of it. Fortunatly, I got the wake up call, and now I got my life in my hand, finally capable again of leading it. Of course, I still do many mistakes. My 23rd birthday is not a conclusion to those complex years. I wish it was, but I still have a long way to go. 

It is ridiculous how pessimistic and depressed I sound on my birthday eve. I should be happy, tomorrow is going to be a happy day, spent int his town that I have learnt to like, with this boy I have learnt to love better. I am not sad tonight. I am ready to celebrate and smile, on the 11th of March. But fear is a shade that will not leave me for my 23rd year. After all, your birthday is just another day of the year.

xo

Amy

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Art Review: Alexander McQueen Print

I know realize that the writing of my thesis is orientating me more and more when it comes to my personal taste. I tend to go a little bit further away from art, to get closer to the beauty that can come out of a fashion creation. It is such a shame, the way we do not consider fashion designers enough. We see them as craftsman, talented for sure, but not artists. To be, this is becoming weirder and weirder as I go further in my research. The other day, while looking at some of Alexander McQueen's works, I stumbled upon this drawing, turned into a wallpaper for the Met exhibition 'Savage Beauty'. When looking at the garments he created, I must admit, I never took enough time to observe the details of his prints. I know realize this was a big mistake. When I see this drawing, I am now conscious of the artistic talent that is needed to create such a piece. And here I do not talk only about the technical aspect of the drawing, but also of its topic and figures. How strange and confusing, how beautiful and scary at the same time. There was a whole universe behind the clothes that he created, it was much more than just garments. Yet I needed a drawing, a classical art medium, to understand that. 

xo

Amy

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Spring Haul

New season means new fashion. I do not shop a lot. I love shopping, don't get me wrong, but I really try ton contain myself. However, 'new in' sections always get me. I have a hard time resisting, and the stress overload call for a new season finishes to convince me. So few days ago, when I realized that Spring was around the corner (it is finally so sunny in Amsterdam!) I deiced that it was time to update my wardrobe and makeup collection. Here are the bits and pieces that I shop, you will find the link below for each item if you fancy a little bit of shopping too! Spring, I am coming for you 🌷

There is one thing that I always buy at this season, every year, it is almost a ritual now. Every Spring, I purchase a new pair of white sneakers. They re for sure my favorite type of shoes. So wearable, it goes with every outfit, whether it is jeans and a knitwear, or star trousers and a fancy blouse. And each year, I go for a different pair. However, this Spring I felt like going back to a classic, and an old time favorite of mine, white Converse. I was not really sure to be honest, my latest Converse did not last me for long, and I have the feeling that the quality is not as good as it used to be. BUT, thus time, I am giving a try to the leather version. It is more an off-white color, and the copper details are adding a little bit of jazziness to this rather classic trainer. 

Converse Chuck Taylor All Star

I recently went to the Mango shop in Amsterdam, and to be fair, they had some strong pieces for their Spring collection. If I did not have a little bit of self control,  I could have went far over the top. Yet my bank account stop me from this craziness. I still picked up three items. 

The first one is a black denim jacket. I know it is going to sound weird, but I hadn't had one in years, and every Spring and Summer I can feel this lack in my wardrobe. So this year, I went for it. Mango has really nice cuts, and this jacket was just the perfect shape for me. Not too long, not too short. I went one size over, just to be sure that I could wear it with my chunky knitwear this Spring. A smart purchase, for a very reasonable price. 

Denim Jacket

Mango's jumpers and knitwear are my faves. I have always been a Zara girl, but it looks like I am becoming much more of a Mango one. All of my favorites jumpers that I own are from Mango. The chunky ones, the thiner ones, the basic ones, I love them and get a lot of wear out of them. And, I am also a sucker for message sweaters. When I saw the "Why not now" jumper, I fell for it. The fabric is very thin, but still keeps you warm, perfect for Spring time. Black and white, not too risky, but always a go to for me. A new favorite jumper from Mango. 

"Why not now" message jumper

My last piece from Mango was a bag. I have few from the brand already, and I am pretty happy with the quality. Yet I am trying to buy less bags. I have too many and do not wear them enough. But this one, I couldn't resist. Do you remember my favorite bag post from last month? The M2 Malletier bag? Well, I found a pretty cool dupe. The color is not the one I would have went to though if I had have more choices, yet I think that this emerald green makes the bag stands out even more. The shape is almost similar as the designer's one, except that it has a chain. A difference yes, but way more practical in real life. 

Crossbody Emerald Bag

Makeup wise, I hadn't gone too crazy. I love my current staples, and tend to always wear the same products. I have already too many items anyway.Yet I have welcomed two new friends in my beauty case. The first one is a lipstick, by Clinique. I always love Clinique, I think it is a very cool brand, and the quality of the product is amazing, it does respect your skin in the best way, never feels heavy, always a pleasure to wear. For the Spring, I picked up one of their new Pop Lip Shadow, in the color Fiesta Pop 07. And let me tell you, it is just beautiful. It gives to your lips an ombré look, absolutely gorgeous. As always with Clinique, the formula is amazing, and the packaging to die for! For this specific product though, I would advise you to wear it with a lip balm underneath, as it can be a little bit dry at the application. But still lovely, and the range of colors is so Springy, I could have get them all!

Clinique Pop Lip Shadow, in Fiesta Pop 07

My last item of this new season haul is an eye shadow. Before getting any further, let me tell you that eye makeup wise I am a very simple girl: a cat eye is my go to. Yet I have been willing to try out new eye looks, and to start off I have decided to go for the simplest: an eye shadow stick. I went for Charlotte Tilbury this time, which is a brand that I love and do not reach for enough. And when at the counter, I instantly fell in love with the Chameleon Eyeshadow sticks. After asking for some advices - which color to go for when you are blond with blue eyes? - I picked up the Mesmerizing Mink one. A nice browny grey, so easy to apply, so easy to blend and to create a complete look. A very good product for a new comer like me. And I can't wait to buy some other shades!

Color Chameleon Eyeshadow, in Mesmerizing Mink

Waiting for you Spring 🌷

xo

Amy

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