Pssst....

...I own these now. Took a trip uptown earlier this week and scored myself these Swedish Hasbeens for H&M bad boys. I know, I know, I should not be buying shoes right now. But I have a rule that if I write about something on my blog and then I actually have the chance to get it, that fact alone trumps any "I should be looking for a job and not shopping" nonsense. Good rule right? I just came up with that. 

And do you know what is really bad? I actually came home with two pairs of shoes from H&M that day. Before I even found the Hasbeens, I spotted and instantly fell in love with the cutest coral-colored chunky heels (also written about on the blog) that I could not live without. You know when you see something and you instantly know there is just no way it is not coming home with you, despite how trying to not spend money you may be? That is how I felt when I saw these shoes. Maybe my new rule to avoid such reactions should be to not enter any stores in the first place. Hmmm.

Anyway, I tried to track down an image of them, but weirdly, they are nowhere to be found on the Internet. You will just have to wait for a pic of them on my feet, and I will just have to wait for the appropriate time to wear my oh so practical bright orange-y pink chunky sky-high heel purchase. 

Paris Purchases

I bought three things in Paris: two steals and one splurge. And here they are: please forgive the quality of the photographs and the lack of me in them — since it has been getting dark at about 4 here in Brrrlin it is no longer conducive to photography, let alone outfit shots. But I will get some sooner or later, the cape on the table just does not do it justice. 

I have been looking for a big man watch like my dad wears for some time now, but I didn't want to spend the fortune that "real" big man watches tend to cost, and all the ones I have seen at flea markets in Berlin, well, don't tell time. I will admit that I want a watch because I think they look cool, but the time is nice too. Anyway, I found this bad boy in a French metro station for ten euros, and even though it was so cheap, the guy selling it to me still took the time to shorten it from big man wrist size to little woman wrist size just for me. And guess what? It is still working, 11 days and counting....

Hello steal number two. I tried on a pair very similar to these suede (maybe) puppies on my first day in Paris, but decided not to splurge just yet. Luckily, because I found these for literally one fifth the price at a flea market the next day. This place was nothing like the fleas in Berlin, but mainly filled with knockoffs. But hey, I like them, especially the olive color and the fact that they are super comfy. I am still hoping to get a similar pair with a wedge one day too, maybe in maroon?

And here we have my splurge: I definitely spent a little more on this than I normally would, but hey, I was in Paris. Plus, I have wanted a black cape for some time now and this one is just perfect (as I said these pics do not do it justice).  It is so soft, just the right length and has a perfect little collar. It is a simple classic that I know I will be able to wear for many seasons to come. Spoken like a true French shopper, no? It doesn't hurt that it will always remind me of Paris either.

Paris Holiday Roundup

You know you are meant for a city when on your first visit it rains constantly and you still fall madly in love with the place. We were lucky that our first day was beautiful, but tromping through the rain on the next three didn't even dampen (ha ha!) our spirits. Paris was all that I expected and more, well except for the rudeness (people seemed to go out of their way to be nice to us). And the fashion, I have honestly never seen so many well-dressed people in my life: the Sartorialist must run out of film (if that still happened) when he goes there. And the food, seriously the best croissants, crème brûlée, oysters, cheese and everything I have ever had (we did a lot of walking but still I am now on a diet!). And the wine, and the museums, and the cafés, the shoes, the list goes on and on...I loved Paris so much I would never want to live there, but instead save it for a special and often vacation spot that I never take for granted and always feel the way about it that I did on this trip.

It all went something like this: Eiffel Tower, Jardin des Tuileries, Chanel and more window shopping, delicious salad/sandwich lunch, trying on shoes, first macaroons, cheese shops patisseries, café people watching, Parisian street catwalk watch, quiche snack, red wine on the steps of Montmartre church, tight squeeze escargot dinner, more red wine!, walk through the red light district, late night chat with our French host, more red wine!, croissant and pastry breakfast (and a bit of a hangover), Père Lachaise Cemetery, Jim Morrison's grave, Centre Georges Pompidou Modern Art Museum, clothing purchase (stay tuned), five course meal that included oysters, steak and the best crème brûlée, sleep, croissant and pastry breakfast number two, flea market, antique market, crepes, shoe purchase (stay tuned), the Louvre, the Mona Lisa, cheese plate and wine, evening walk, moules frites and wine under heating lamps, French bar playing The Doors (of course), late night sleep, farewell lunch, sad trip home.

Chunky Knits

Since it seems that fall decided to start in August this year (WTF!), I have had autumn attire on my mind. Or maybe it's because I told myself I could not buy anymore clothes until I needed to shop for the new season or a curse because I did (these striped bad boys). Anyway, this year (as usual) I will be all about the big knit comfy sweaters — sometimes worn as dresses and sometimes not — and it looks like the mainstream fashion world has decided to join me. Hopefully I can find the thrift store version of this amazing Stella McCartney number. And I am totally into this continuing tan, camel, nude, whatever you want to call it trend too and will be jumping on the bandwagon and purchasing a camel coat as soon as possible.

P.S. Still to do this day I have not been able to find the perfect long coat that makes me happy ever time I slip into it. Hopefully this season will be it.

Shopping Lockdown

After spending way too much time and money shopping in the past few weeks and every day our bedroom looking more and more like a women's clothing store, I have put the kibosh on buying any new clothes or shoes until the seasons change (mark my words Karsten!). It will be tough I know, but I think I can do it — especially with the support of all my recently purchased items from Berlin thrift stores and H&M of all places. 

I definitely have a new found or maybe simply a found love for H&M since I moved to Europe. I swear it is so much better over here that it makes it almost worth the risk of wearing the exact same thing as someone else in the street. Another theory is that the thrift stores in Berlin are about the same price as H&M so I am no longer going to them for basics — just unique vintage pieces — and am buying my necessaries, plus a few goodies I find in the mix, at H&M.

So here are the goods:

*Maxi leaf-pattern button skirt: thrift Alexanderplatz Humana (this fall I have decided that I am going to dress like your 3rd grade teacher).
*Gray booties: on sale at Zara 
*Over-sized cropped tees in tan and black: H&M (so good with anything high-wasted)
*80s pattern pleated cotton pants: thrift Alexanderplatz Humana (the absolute perfect fit and comfort and not too saggy in the butt. But I think I might not have the balls to pull off the pattern with confidence, so am thinking of dying them a shade of blue).
*Sleeveless white button-up blouse: thrift Alexanderplatz 
Humana (just what I was looking for).
*Black A-line skirt: H&M
*Gray drawstring pants: thrift Alexanderplatz Humana (obviously I am into super comfy pants lately, but I have to figure out how to wear these without them looking like pajamas).
*Black platforms: H&M (these were a splurge that I normally wouldn't have gone for, but once they were on my feet I knew there was no turning back.  I'm in love).
*Tan vintage tee: in the 4 euro bin at Glad I Never (a cute little new design, vintage and second-hand store where yes, you can get things for 4 euro. And aren't the cut-out shoulders fab!).
*Black & white razorback striped tank: H&M

Listening to the new Arcade Fire album "The Surburbs" on NPR. Thoughts on that later.

Berlin Weekend Roundup

This weekend was the best welcome home a girl could have. I was finally over my jet lag and able to really get out and enjoy the city. It was a great reminder of how much I love the summer in Berlin.

It all went something like this: evening walk, gazpacho and shrimp avocado salad on the river, Anne meetup, first beach bar of the season, lightning show over the water, Jay spinning at Muschi Obermaier, dance party, late night sleep, brunch at home, local designer White Market, East German stamp necklace purchase, Prenzlauer Berg walk, glasses and hat shop fun, eiskaffee (coffee with ice cream), Mitte window shopping, Alexander Platz, Vietnamese food on Oranienstrasse, photo booth, sunset at Görlitzer Park, experimental theater surprise show, Rioja outside at favorite Spanish place, next door nightcap, sleeping in, breakfast in bed, cleaning house, shawarma dinner on the balcony, the United States of Tara.


(Dress: thrift, boater hat: Prenzlauer Berg hat shop)