Chicago Unfashionista

Sick (Don’t Share Water)

2009-09-10T19:29:00.001+02:00

Thought I’d share a picture I took today when I got home. My house is covered (outside) with huge, juicy spiders and this is one of the small ones, but I thought it looked pretty cool with the sunset in the background. Just thought I’d do a short update; school is alright, hard, but worth it. Friends are amazing; we talked in Theory of Knowledge (T.O.K.) the other day about whether or not someone can know you better than you know yourself. My answer is yes. Basically, I’m really happy. Although a good damper on my mood is the fact that one of my dear friends got me sick. I have a “phobia” of sharing drinks.. I just really don’t like it, and I let him drink out of my water bottle. The next day he’s dying and now I am too.. Hopefully I’ll feel better for my mushroom picking adventure this weekend.

Books To Read

2009-09-06T17:36:00.001+02:00

The Women’s Murder Club Series: 1st to Die – James Patterson

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo – Stieg Larsson

The Unbearable Lightness of Being* – Milan Kundera

Crude: The Story of Oil – Sonia Shah

We* – Yevgeny Zamyatin

In the Woods – Tana French

* – required for school

I just finished The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson and it was one of the best books I’ve ever read. It was originally in Swedish and translated to English by Reg Keeland. It addresses the issue of sexual assault quite a bit which isn’t common in murder mysteries I’ve read, but it was clear that the author feels strongly that so many women in Sweden are assaulted and don’t report it/feel like nothing can be done. The book is about a journalist (Mikael Blomkvist) who is hired by a withering industrial giant (Henrik Vanger) to write a family history while secretly solving the mysterious disappearance (assumed murder) of one of his family members. It was an incredibly well written book, full of genuinely surprising turns. I had no way of predicting the ending, which is exactly how I like mysteries :) I also liked how that names of people and places were kept Swedish and not “American-ized” as with many translations. I can’t wait to start the sequel; The Girl Who Played with Fire.

Overhaul

2009-09-06T12:41:00.004+02:00

So, I've clearly not been blogging recently, and I'm considering coming "back". If I do though, I think my focus won't always be fashion, just because it seems a bit conceited to only talk about my clothes. I'll include posts on topics that I find interesting; whether from school, the news, just pretty much anything that I think is important. I also will include restaurant reviews and posts on cool places I've found for anyone who's in or visiting Warsaw :)

That all said and done, I just started the IB program along with all my friends and we're seriously short on time. Even if I do start blogging again, this is just a forewarning that I might not be updating too often ;)

Hope everyone is well, and that you'll keep reading even with the new changes.

Summer 06.06.09

2009-06-06T15:21:00.001+02:00

So, as I mentioned before, the weather in Warsaw recently has been horrible. I went out for sushi last night with my friend C, who’s moving back to Montana for the first semester of next year, A who moved to Kansas two years ago and I saw for the first time again, and KR who is moving to California in a few weeks. It was a bit sad, but we had a lot of fun, but on the way home I swear it was literally freezing outside. This morning when I got up though, it was sunny so I went into my yard and took some pictures of all the beautiful flowers we have :)

Plans for the weekend include helping my mom with a going away party for her best friend, shopping for an outfit for the last day of school, cleaning my room, and just relaxing. Speaking of which I have a huge list of books to read over summer vacation so I’ll try to pick some of those up at the bookstore.

Just in Time for Summer

2009-06-04T17:10:00.001+02:00

So, school ends on Wednesday, which is insane and summer will officially start. The weather here has been horrible although I’m hoping that since it is sunny right now, it will continue to stay sunny and get warmer! This week is exam week and yesterday I had Bio and Math. Math went really well, but Bio I’m not so sure about.. Tomorrow is Government, which I haven’t started studying for yet (procrastination by blogging). Anyways, I thought I’d write about three of my must have skincare products. The first picture is of The Body Shop’s Whipped Shea body lotion and body butter. I have ridiculously dry skin and the body butter is amazing to put on before bed! I always wake up with super soft skin. Then the body lotion I put on in the morning because it’s a little lighter, but still lasts throughout the day. I know the body shop is known for the scented body butters, but I like the Shea one because it’s really plain, so I can still where my perfume and not feel like a walking fruit salad. The toner on the right is Dior Matifying Toner, which I absolutely love! A lot of toners have that super drying effect because of the alcohol, but this one does just as it promises and makes your skin very matte without drying it out (and an added bonus it smells amazing). Thought I’d just post a short update, but I have to get back to studying :)

1st Place

2009-05-17T17:51:00.001+02:00

Wow, I have been so incredibly busy these past two weeks it is ridiculous! First off all, I got my braces off and it still feels weird smiling. I guess I’m more conscious of when I smile because I actually looked good with the braces :P (weird, I know). Yesterday and Friday there was a softball tournament and we played teams from Budapest, Bucharest, Prague and Moscow. On Friday we beat Budapest and Moscow and lost to Bucharest and Prague, so on Saturday we were seated third. Yesterday we had to play Bucharest to get into the final and we won a really clos game 8 - 7. Then for the championship we played Prague in the pouring rain, for two and a half hours and won 16 – 9. It was a lot of fun and today I’m sore and tired, but it was worth it. Last night I also had a dance performance which went really well! Our shortstop E got a pretty bad cut on her lip and had to get stitches so I missed the first dance because she was my partner. And I also missed another dance (happily.. I didn’t know it well) because I messed up my knee. The picture is of the amazing makeup that M did for the show. I was lucky because I know her so she used her nice makeup on me ;) Thought I would just update with what I’ve been up to :) I’m in for another busy week so don’t expect many updates :P Fashion .. well I haven’t had time to look at shows and I haven’t been shopping in forever. (Although I did manage to snag a few pretty awesome shirts from the guy's section of H&M the other day)

Officially Spring!

2009-04-15T12:59:00.001+02:00

Sorry for not updating a lot, but the weather has been so incredibly nice recently, I’ve been incredibly busy and I kind of don’t really care.. Nice attitude I know. Anyways, I think I can safely say that it is officially spring. The weather has been sunny and warm and we are having spring break. I’m cleaning out my closet today and I realized that I have a lot of winter clothes (it’s Poland so I do need them) but not very many Spring/Summer clothes. So that is my mission this break; but some nice warm weather clothes. And while cleaning out my closet I found the perfect color palette to try and stick to (hopefully semi-successfully):

This last picture is my favorite :) The flowers are on the shoulders of a silk tunic/blowy shirt. It kind of looks like a pajama shirt, but the flowers make it ‘normal’. Anyways, these very basic pastels are what I’m going to look for, also some black and white though because I always wear those colors.

Zara Saves the Day

2009-03-22T16:31:00.001+01:00

So, I believe I have mentioned before that I was on the lookout for the perfect pair of boyfriend jeans. I have had a picture of Alexander Wang boyfriend jeans hanging on the back of my bedroom door for about a year, reminding me to look for the perfect pair. Well, I was shopping with C yesterday downtown and these jeans at Zara practically jumped into my arms. They are exactly what I was looking for; worn, ripped, faded, and slouchy and they are so incredibly soft its as if I’ve had them for years. I even fell asleep in them last night :P I can’t wait to wear them! Also, sneak peak at my room. I’m kind of redecorating, so all the boxes are to help me organize myself and keep all my junk off of my desk/floor/nightstand. I’m crossing my fingers that the sun comes out soon, because this grey Polish weather is getting really old, really fast.

New

2009-02-19T20:49:00.002+01:00

So, just now I downloaded the newest version of MSN and with it came something that claims to help you blog; Windows Live Writer. I figured I might as well test it out, and if I don’t like it I can always go back to blogging off of my blogspot account online. What I like so far is that the window I’m typing in is the same width and font as the actual post will be, so I can see exactly how things will look. There are also three tabs at the bottom of the screen that say “edit”, “preview”, and “source” which is pretty handy because in the edit tab you see the size of your post, but not the rest of your blog, in the preview tab you view your post as it would look on your blog, and the source tab is to edit HTML. Okey, so I have just fooled around a bit with uploading pictures. Apologies for the webcam picture, but my camera is in use for my English project. Anyways, the scarf is from mango and its off-white, but definitely not cream and it is incredibly soft. I love it, although I’m a little worried that I’ll get it dirty.

So I all you have to do is insert a picture and you can choose how to align it in the text, AND since you can view it as it will look on your blog it’s really easy to format everything so that it looks nice :)

OOh, and normally, I use Poladroid to make polaroid-y pictures (I like it the most), but this program also has something like it and it turned out alright. It’s just a border though and doesn’t actually change the photo, so I’ll stick with Poladroid.

I’m incredibly tired right now. School has been a killer this week, plus I was sick but still had to show up because if I miss math I’m in trouble. We’ve recently started trig and so we're doing the whole sine, tangent, cosine, secant, cosecant blah blah blah and now we’re doing revolutions and radians and how to convert from radians to degrees. Some days (everyday) I wonder if I will ever survive HL math next year… Hopefully.

In addition to tired, I’m also in pain, because I got my lovely braces tightened. Joy. I can’t wait to get them off and feel my smooth teeth :D Although they have kind of just become part of me and how I look, but I can’t say I’ll miss them. Looking forward to winter break because I get to see my best friend Teresa who moved to Portugal last year. I haven't seen her since summer and it’s been much too long. A week with her will be incredibly nice.

Oh, so all and all I would definitely recommend Windows Live Writer and I’m going to start doing all of my posts from here and then I also won’t have to use photobucket so much. Writer is simple and easy, plus.. well its cool. Next time I’ll have to try out this whole “set publish date” business and see if it actually uploads when I set it to. Sorry the post is soo long, I love writing and I haven’t had many opportunities today ;)

Even More So

2009-02-18T21:51:00.006+01:00

Can't be bothered to make a collage right now, but I think everyone should see at least one look from Rodarte's Fall '09 RTW Collection. Absolute genius. I love the higher-than-thigh-high boots with the knitwear. Screw liquid leggings.. we all just need a pair of those..

Photos from style.com

Stunning

2009-02-18T11:33:00.001+01:00

Marc Jacobs has always been my favorite designer. And yet again, he proves why. The yellow velvet. I previously would never have been able to imagine myself saying that I absolutely love something made of yellow velvet; but Jacobs has proven to even me that you can in fact love it. The vintage/retro vibe of the collection is awesome and every piece is stunning. When I looked at the whole collection some of it doesn't even "match" which is awesome because who cares if a collection doesn't have the same thing over and over. I was pleased. The purble hoodie is awesome, I could actually see myself buying something like that, while the other clothes I can only dream of affording.. :(

Photos from style.com

No Title

2009-02-07T17:31:00.003+01:00

Just realized I never put a picture up of one of my favorite Christmas presents. A scarf from Santa. ;) I absolutely love it. It looks brighter than it is for real because of the flash, and the colors are more muddled together and not as "vibrant".

The braces are coming off very soon, which I'm excited for although I've gotten used to them and everyone is used to me having them. Maybe I'll miss them for a day.. other than that I doubt it.

Apologies for the large-ness of the picture, photobucket is stupid..

Another Sunny Day Beneath this Cloudless Sky

2009-02-07T17:08:00.002+01:00

So I think spring may finally be here! At least I'm hoping. It was sunny and somewhat warmer today than it has been this whole dreary winter. I took the opportunity to go outside and take some pictures. My yard poses an endless posibility of photographs and this picture was my favorite one. It reminds me of a poem a friend wrote me about a roses beauty, but how it still has thorns.

Anyways, spring means new clothes so hopefully I'll be going shopping sometime soon :) We'll have to see about that though. Right now my priority is figuring out what classes I'll be doing for IB next year; major stress in my life.

I Suppose if You Must.

2009-02-03T23:02:00.006+01:00

I'm not really sure what to say. Definitely not as expected. I appreciate the "family friendly" surf ad, while the beach one I don't understand the concept at all, and finally probably my "favorite" the shopping cart; partially because I've wondered what it's like to ride around in one, because Vivienne Westwood is in her own ad, and because it reminds me of Marc Jacobs' ads with the unedited look. All and all they aren't bad, I just can't decide if I actually like them. Props to Anderson. I never would have guessed, but since she has kids maybe she wants something more reputable under her belt.

Slouch

2009-02-03T22:12:00.004+01:00

So today I had planned on putting up a picture of what I was wearing, but once again my camera is out of batteries. (It might have helped to charge it the last time I said it was out of batteries..) Instead I found a picture of one of the things I wore. It's a simple black hoodie from the men's section of h&m, meaning it has a very potato-sack, slouchy fit; I love it. It's super comfortable and since it's black it doesn't seem as casual as a grey one would. I wore it over an Urban Outfitters black and white tribal print tank with black skinny jeans and converse. I should have worn my Nine West leather boots, but I hurt my back last week and so the heels have to wait.

I was browsing for a picture of someone without makeup, but either got scary celebrity candids or the "no makeup using a ton of makeup look", but I stumbled across these pictures. Quite a laugh if you ask me. The reason I was looking for someone with no makeup is because it was one of my resolutions for this year to wear less. It's actually been pretty easy; I havn't worn any the past few weeks, plus it motivates me to maintain my perfect skin. (Thank you mom and dad :D) I think makeup is overrated.. if you're wearing so much that when you take it off people are confused and don't recognize you, it's too much.

Reading

2009-02-02T22:24:00.004+01:00

Tonight is the night where I try to cram all the reading I've missed out on over the past weeks into one night. It obviously won't be a complete success, but since I finished all my work at school today, there's plenty of time. The first book on my list is Influence by Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen. Both of them are huge inspirations to me, especially Mary-Kate and I find it particularlly interesting to get a glimpse at what they do for a living. I admire the fact that they are strong women who have made an empire of themselves and can completely support themselves. I got this book for Christmas (the one with Mary-Kate on the cover!!; right) and never really got around to reading. I did however browse through the pictures and skim a couple of the interviews. The second book I'm reading is Devil in the White City by Erik Larson. I'm only on page fifty eight and I love it already. From what I've read and understood from the back cover, it's about Chicago in 1893 during the World's Fair. The story line revolves around "the brilliant architect behind the legendary 1893 World's Fair, striving to secure America's place in the world; and the cunning serial killer who used the fair to lure his victims to their death." It is a true story, and the book has amazing historical accuracy. Larson has put an incredible about of detail in his research and even states in the beginning of the book that "However strange or macabre some of the following incidents may seem, this is not a work of fiction. Anything between quotation marks comes from a letter, memior, or other written document." I think that's incredible because this story is amazing. Definitely worth buying. The next book on my list is Crude: The Story of Oil by Sonia Shah. I'm really interested in the environment and I think it would be particularly interesting to learn more about the resource that we seem to guzzle, what goes into making oil and how corrupt the industry can be. One of the most interesting books I have read was about climate change was High Tide: The Truth About Our Climate Crisis by Mark Lynas. It focused in on about five different areas around the world and how global warming is affecting their climate and lifestyle. I hope to add a few more books to my list soon considering that it's winter break soon.

It's completely totally official that my best friend T is coming skiing with us in Austria, so I'm really excited about that :)

Rumor Has It

2009-02-01T18:47:00.004+01:00

Rumor has it that Christina Aguilera will be designing lines for TopShop! She apperantly will not be replacing Kate Moss (I personally wouldn't mind if she did) but will create clothes to be sold alongside Moss' collection.

Aguilera is stunning and has such original (and always changing) style that I'm really excited to see what she'll do.

Insomnia

2009-01-30T00:28:00.004+01:00

I don't know what my deal is, but this week has been ridiculously stressful. School has seemingly piled up already and it's only been about three weeks since the Christmas break.

So now I'm tired, but can't go to bed, because of an insane amount of government studying/reading/note taking to be done. I'm up chatting with K who is having the same problem.

Thought I'd post a pic of the sweater I wore today, except my camera was out of batteries, so I apologize for the web cam pic and my pool hair that is covering it. It's actually my dad's sweater and is incredibly comfortable :)

The smile is fake. I'm dead tired for real.

Paper on a Shelf

2009-01-28T23:13:00.003+01:00

So, as I mentioned it a previous post or two, my family and I moved houses this summer. I am getting new furniture from the U.S. (which should be arriving in about a month) and so, I postponed unpacking.

It has gotten ridiculous though because now I have junk strewn about everywhere. It's beginning to impead the ability to walk to the bathroom and closet and it's really getting on my nerves. Don't get me wrong, I'm definitely not a neat freak, but this has gotten out of hand. I started unpacking boxes of books last weekend and got so far as to stack a shelf with magazines worth keeping; 25 Teen Vogue, 10 Elle, 4 Vogue, 1 Australian Vogue, 2 Harper's Bazaar and 1 InStyle.

Cleaning will continue into this weekend as well.

Taunt Me All You Want

2009-01-28T21:12:00.004+01:00

So, I was browsing through the Topshop website a few weeks ago and discovered these insane pants/leggings. The only problem is I can't seem to find where they are actually for sale, which is extremely dissapointing.

BUT, I won't give up my search. First the actual store, and then on to DIY. I found a pair of similar jeans from Urban Outfitters that are marbled, and then I can order a stud gun (I think?) and just make the pants myself.

View from the Balcony

2009-01-26T20:30:00.003+01:00

So this weekend the sun actually came out, although only until around 5, but it was out. I went out on my balcony, since all of the snow has melted off of it and took a couple pictures. The shoes are Nine West and have suffered some abuse (some of the studs fell off) and one has some mysterious pink substance on it, but they are incredibly comfortable nonetheless.

Waiting Til Summer

2009-01-24T17:20:00.005+01:00

I'm counting the days until school gets out and summer begins. I'm really looking forward to visiting my best friend in Portugal and wearing these shoes. They are my favorite pair because they are incredibly comfortable and really unique. I got them at Nordstrom last summer and cannot wait until it warms up enough to wear them.

Channel Your Inner Flintstone

2009-01-23T21:29:00.007+01:00

I was browsing through style.com a little while ago, when I came across this beautiful dress from Oscar de la Renta. Even though its from the 2007 fall rtw collection, it could still be worked into any wardrobe this season.

My immediate reaction was "FLINTSTONES!!" because the dress reminded me of Fred's outfit, and the necklace of Wilma's. The thing I love about this dress is that it's understated enough to wear, and has beautiful colors and textures.

photo credit: Marcio Madeira (style.com)

Bleh.

2009-01-19T18:01:00.001+01:00

Okey. Maybe I sort of lied? I don't really know. I want to try and like blogger, so I'm going to fool around
with the layout and stuff for a little while and see what happens. If anyone knows how to make the column
look a little less wide please let me know :) Thanks

<3

2009-01-19T13:20:00.001+01:00

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Apologies

2009-01-16T20:54:00.002+01:00

Sorry for not having written in such a long time. I have a list of many excuses starting with my new year's resolution. I decided to only go on the computer during the week if I need to for school. I had some issues prioritizing my time and so I needed to change something and that's what I could reasonably change. Second of all I don't really like blogger because it doesn't allow you to personalize as much as I would like. Third of all, no one really reads this so I would rather discuss everything I write here with E who actually responds. :P And forth, I want to get out and about more this year (Museums, gallery showings, fashion shows, etc.) so blogging isn't going to be a priority. I don't need other bloggers to confirm that I've got something right going on with my wardrobe, so posts will be in decline from now on. Sorry to anyone who actually keeps up with what I write.

B

Inauguration Ball

2009-01-11T17:30:00.008+01:00

Nine more days to go until one of the most historic nights ever. Sadly, I wasn't old enough to vote in this election, but I showed my support by wearing my Obama shirt and making sure my parents and family friends were going to vote. Anyways, there are only nine more days until the first African American president will be sworn in. Being from Chicago myself its particularly awesome that the Obama's will be in the White House for the next four years, but at the moment, everyone is sitting on the edge of their seats wondering who Michelle Obama will wear to the Inauguration ball. Sketches were released from some of the biggest names in fashion; Marc Jacobs, Rodarte, Lagerfeld, Zac Posen, and Oscar de la Renta among many others. The green dress in the top left corner by Carolina Herrera is by far my favorite, but considering what Mrs. Obama has worn in the past, I don't think it fits her style and wouldn't be the perfect color. The top right gown by Badgley Mischka is just as beautiful with the stunning crystal beading down the center, but again its not as structured like other dresses Mrs. Obama has previously worn. Out of all the designs I think Isaac Mizrahi's design is the most beautiful while still keeping her style and class with a more structured bodice. Purple has been a staple in her wardrobe and I love how Mizrahi also included designs for Malia and Sasha that match their mother's. The bottom right design by Karl Lagerfeld (for Chanel) is so classic thought that I can't decide which gown I would rather see her in at the ball. For now, we all just have to wait and see until Tuesday.

Photo credits to WWD, to see the rest of the designs, click here.

Anne and Lindsay

2009-01-11T14:53:00.005+01:00

Being in the U.S. this Christmas was good in more ways than one, but one thing I didn't go a day without was a magazine. Here they run up a bill of about $20 a piece, but in the States, you could get 6 magazines for that price! Taking advantage of my situation I got Vogue (which I now have a subscription to) and Harper's Bazaar. I've never really liked Anne Hathaway, but after reading the article in Vogue I was really surprised. She seems like a strong, driven woman who knows what she wants and I really admire that. Also, Lindsay Lohan seems to be making a comeback which I'm excited for because I've always been a fan of her work. (also her style as I've gotten older) It's nice to see that she's trying to work back to a normal lifestyle and acknowledges that the way she was living wasn't doing her any good. I think she looks fabulous both on the cover and in the spread, and I would wear any of her outfits in a snap. My favorite out of all of them though, has to be this one on the left. I've been searching (still am) for the perfect pair of boyfriend/oversize jeans and haven't had the best of luck. There was a perfect pair of Alexander Wang jeans featured in Teen Vogue a while back, but with a price tag of more than $300 I want to be able to say that there really was no alternative before I shell out that much cash. I love how Lohan's shimmery top dresses up an otherwise more casual outfit and also eliminates the need for flashy accessories. The fitted blazer is gorgeous and I love how it's white with black trim as opposed to the more often seen black/navy with white trim. I also admire Lindsay for her more realistic body image. She went through a period where she was scary skinny, but I think nowadays she's back to normal and absolutely stunning.

Mine

2009-01-10T23:29:00.002+01:00

Aren't they beautiful :) I love the modern cut, but the suede gives them some glamor.

Firsts

2009-01-10T15:53:00.002+01:00

I thought that since I've said that I want to be a designer, I would show you some of my designs. The shoe design on the right was what started all of this. I was bored one day at the hotel and had finished all of my magazines, so I decided to sketch something up myself. The green dress was the first full color sketch I did, and it's still one of my favorites. I did it the summer before ninth grade when I got my first set of Prisma Color pencils. The idea was the the dress had a sheer cut-out and then an organza swirl around it with the fabric piling up at the bottom.

Ikea

2009-01-09T20:17:00.002+01:00

So today was quite good. I don't know if I've mentioned that we moved this summer and I'm still decorating. I ordered most of my new things from the U.S., but smaller decorative items and simple things I'm getting here. Today my mom took me to Ikea to pick up some bookshelves and accent pieces for my bathroom. There is a big, long, wall next to the bath that needed something along it because it looked really empty. So, I bought these awesome candle holders for in one corner and these natural plants for the other. The second piece was inspired by M's mom because she was really into interior design and had cotton on their dining table in a glass bowl. It was gorgeous and so I wanted to bring that natural element into my bathroom. Usually I don't like Ikea because I don't think the furniture is very good quality and it all looks the same, but these buys are really nice and provide a great element of style.

Lovey Dovey

2009-01-09T00:02:00.003+01:00

So, as I mentioned in the previous post, I was going to restring a bracelet from my mom, adding in these gold charms. It was a little too small and so adding they charms let me tie it a little looser and it adds something nice to it :) As you can see one of the charms is a heart and the other (not so easy to see) is a dove. And they were only $6 at Nordstrom. (came with a gold peace sign, and a little black crystal with gold setting as well)

Resolution

2009-01-07T17:06:00.004+01:00

So, since my blog resolution was to put up more things that I wear, here is the first picture. The jeans I just bought this Christmas at Urban Outfitters and I love how they are classic blue jeans. The mustard shirt I've had for some time now, I just didn't know what to pair it with. I really don't like the mustard/deep purple combination that is really big this season, but I wanted another strong color and this grey was perfect. It has just the right amount of blue in it so that it contrasts the shirt. The bracelets are black glass beads from my mom. I went through her jewelry and asked for stuff she doesn't wear. I plan on adding in some gold charms i got at Nordstrom so I'll post about that once I've gotten my act together and done it.

Dedicated to V and our obsession with mustard yellow. <3

Teen Vogue Beauty Awards

2009-01-06T15:24:00.003+01:00

I was browsing through Teen Vogue online and I saw that they are taking votes for the Third Annual Teen Vogue Reader's Choice Beauty Awards and decided to take some time and fill out the questionairre. It was actually kind of fun thinking of all the products that I use and all of the products that I have used before to find my favorite. I look forward to seeing the results.

Best Body Lotion:
The Body Shop Vanilla Spice Body Butter

Best Face Scrub:
Estee Lauder Perfectly Clean Splash Away Foaming Cleanser

Best Body Scrub:
Philosophy Coconut Frosting Salt scrub

Best Body Wash/Soap:
Dove Cream Oil Ultra Rich Velvet Beauty Bar

Best Self-Tanner:
Lancome Flash Bronzer Transfer-Resistant Self-Tanner Ultra-Natural Instant Tan

Best Razor:
Gillette Venus Divine

Best Shampoo:
Herbal Essences Body Envy Volumizing Shampoo

Best Conditioner:
Herbal Essences Body Envy Volumizing Conditioner

Best Hair Product:
Winter: Frederic Fekkai Winter Hair Thermal-Restore Insulating Treatment
Summer: Frederic Fekkai Summer Hair Beach Waves

Best Hair Dye:
Never colored my hair, don't plan on doing so.

Best Lipstick:
Estee Lauder Pure Color Crystal Lipstick in Nude Rose

Best Lipgloss:
Estee Lauder High Gloss Ultra Brillance in Clear

Best Eyeliner:
Dior Crayon Eyeliner in Precious Violet

Best Eyeshadow:
Estee Lauder Eyeshadow Palette

Best Mascara:
Estee Lauder More than Mascara Moisture-Binding Formula in Rich Black

Best Perfume:
Burberry The Beat

Best Nail Polish:
Chanel Moscou Nail Limited Edition Russian Nights Collection in Nuit de Russie

Best Acne Product:
Don't use any.

Best Face Wash:
listed earlier - Perfectly Clean

Best Face Lotion:
Estee Lauder Re-Nutriv Intensive Lifting Creme

Best Sunscreen:
Aveeno Continuous Protection Sunblock in SPF 30

Best Blush:
Don't use it.

Best Foundation:
Don't use it.

Best Concealer:
Don't use it.

Best Tooth Whitening Product:
GO SMiLE Touch Up Ampoules in Pear-licious and Peach-licious

Vote @ www.teenvogue.com

Layers Layers Layers

2009-01-06T01:03:00.004+01:00

In light of the fact that it is holiday break and I have time on my hands; it's time to add more layers to my volume of brunette-ness. I started cutting my own hair a long time ago..

Once upon a time, there was an innocent 7th grade girl hoping to get her hair trimmed with a few layers before the dance. Little did she know she would come out of the salon with an uneven, above the shoulder "semi-bob?". From that point on she vowed to never again have her hair cut in Poland. (too lazy/traumatized to search for another stylist)

And so, ever since, I have cut my own hair. The orange handled "kitchen" scissors are my favorite, they are sharp and easy for me to control, the black handled ones were a gift from a friend and are better for smaller adjustments, and the silver ones are actually called "thinning shears" and have teeth. (Just bought at Sephora U.S.A so I havn't used them yet) So basically, the message is; be inspired to try something out for yourself? You might be surprised (in a good way) with the results.

Photo creds to my new Sony Cybershot DSC-W300

Ferragamo

2009-01-04T18:00:00.005+01:00

This is the gorgeous scarf that I got for Christmas. The colors are much richer when you actually see it, but I love the acorns and fall flowers going on. The rich purples and browns really stand out against the black and I know that this scarf will become a must-wear item in my wardrobe :)

Happy New Year!

2009-01-03T23:31:00.001+01:00

Hope you all had a wonderful New Year's Eve! I was soaking up the sun in Puerto Rico when the clock struck midnight here in Warsaw and I had an amazing time. As you can see, Puerto Rico is gorgeous and never gets old (this was my fifth time there).

Christmas was also good, Santa was incredibly giving this year.. I must have been nice. I'll post pictures in the next post, but my top three presents:

1.) Ferragamo scarf from Santa :)
2.) Green Nintendo DS from R and J (brother and sister)
3.) Camera from Mom and Dad

Hope you all had wonderful holidays! All the best for '09!

Resolution: Posts about what I wear!

Happy Holidays

2008-12-26T07:33:00.003+01:00

Merry Christmas :)

Hope you all are having a wonderful holiday season, because I sure am. Wishing you all the best.

I'll be in Puerto Rico until the 3rd, so don't expect posts as internet will not be a priority of mine when the sun is so readily available.

Once again, Happy Holidays!! (and safe travels!)

<3
B

Day Dreaming

2008-12-22T00:14:00.003+01:00

Right now I'm in California, which is awesome except I just found out that there is no American Apparel nearby. Which is really disappointing, but I'm turning to technology and ordering things online. If you order by the 23rd, everything will get there by Christmas!

But, to the picture. I cannot wait until the 27th, when we jet off to Puerto Rico! And so above are some of my poolside/beach essentials:

1.) Limited Edition Frédéric Fekkai Summer Hair Collection: I love this collection. I got it this summer before I went to Santorini and it's amazing. It gives you the "just off the beach" look, while protecting your hair from chlorine and sun exposure.

2.) Estee Lauder High Gloss in Clear: this lip gloss is very natural since it's clear, but ultra-glossy and has amazing moisture that keeps lips supple all day. The only downside: no SPF.

3.) Aveeno Continuous Protection Sunblock in SPF 55: This sunblock is amazing. I've never gotten sunburned while wearing it and it goes on like lotion. It's not too greasy (considering that all sunblock is a little greasy) and it smells nice too.

4.) VOGUE: Every girl should sit on the beach with the latest copy of VOGUE in her hands. It's my beach must-have. No matter how many times you flip through it, there's always something new that you missed the last time.

5.) Product Red iPod Nano: I love my iPod. I've had it forever and I've never had any problems with it. Laying in the sun listening to music is the definition of my vacations. Just be careful not to drop it in the pool ;)

Rodarte

2008-12-18T17:13:00.011+01:00

One of my absolute favorite designers. I absolutely love the style and class that they bring to their clothes while still maintaining a recognizable look. Each collection is different, but if you see a piece from their collection you immediately say, "Rodarte" One of the things they do is play up legs. In the very beginning their collections had soft, almost fishnet-like tights, but they were very loose and knit so they were very chic. Now with Spring 2009 RTW collection they are mixing up their classic with cut out leggings. According to the two sisters behind Rodarte, this collection was inspired by Star Wars! I really like how they mix very sharp, architectural lines with soft knits and colors. The leather jacket is beautiful. I've been looking for a leather jacket for a while, but I want the perfect one and I just haven't found it yet. I think the rough leather jacket with the tailored pants looks amazing and really emphasizes strong independent women. The fabrics are gorgeous and the color combinations beautiful. I love how they brought in elements of orange into their collection; not a color seen to often in chic clothes, but Rodarte pulls it off. My favorite piece in the whole collection was by far this beautiful dress. The colors remind me of the sunset in Santorini; stunning. Even in the photograph, you can see how much movement the dress has and how it flows so beautifully. I have no words, it's gorgeous! And the final thing; shoes. Rodarte has had amazing shoes from the start, and they are never lacking in the shoe department. I love how unique they are and the platforms are incredibly high. Even the models have trouble walking in them! (Abbey Lee, pictured in all black, took a tumble at the show)

Photos: Marcio Madeira

All I Want for Christmas...

2008-12-17T18:09:00.005+01:00

So the other day I sent my Christmas wishlist to Santa and here's what I'm wishing for this Christmas:

1.) Influence by Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen
I hope I get the one with Mary-Kate on the cover because she is a huge inspiration to me, both fashion and business wise. I admire that she [and Ashley] has actually made a name for herself by working and running a billion dollar business and not just partying and ending up in tabloids.

2.) Tiffany Necklace with my initial
I've been wanting a necklace from Tiffany&Co. for two years, and I finally found the perfect one. It's simple and will go with anything, plus it's not incredibly expensive.

3.) Dior Eyeliner in "Precious Violet"
It's still subtle enough to wear everyday, but the purple changes things up a bit. Plus, purple is the new black this winter :)

4.) Disney's "Ratatouille" DVD
I must say.. one of the greatest movies ever. I absolutely love it. Cooking is a passion of mine and this movie was adorable.

5.) Sony Cybershot DSC W300
My friend C accidentally broke my camera when she tripped at my house, so this is it's replacement. I can't wait to try out the Smile Shutter Mode that automatically takes a picture when people smile!

Standard Deviation and Amino Acids

2008-12-16T16:59:00.005+01:00

So today went alright. Gov. was incredibly easy and I finished with an hour to spare (extra time to study for math). Adv. Pre-Calc..that's another story. I need to get a 77% or higher to maintain a B in the class, so my fingers are crossed. Everyone I talked to agreed that it was ridiculously hard and so hopefully there will be a generous curve. I got out at 1.20pm this afternoon, so that was nice although I didn't start studying for Bio until 3.30... I take the IB Bio SL exam tomorrow at 11.20, which gives me some extra time in the morning to review which will be much appreciated. After Bio, it's just English and then break :) I can't wait to go Christmas shopping for friends and family! Wish me luck on exams, and good luck to everyone else taking finals this week.

Party

2008-12-16T16:44:00.004+01:00

Not only do I look to friends for music and advice, but also for fashion. My friend M has the perfect holiday party dress. It's totally appropriate for any event because of the above the knee length. It's not too short, not too long. The grey part of the dress is absolutely gorgeous. You can't see it to well in the photo, but it's pleated and looks seashell-like. I also love the white bubble skirt; it's not too puffy and it doesn't look ridiculous, but it's still fun and fresh. I also love how the whole dress has a bit of a shimmer to it. It makes it a little fancier and requires minimal acessorizing (the grey bracelet is perfect). M's has always been fun, but I think this dress suits her perfectly and looks amazing on her as well :)

Miss you M! <3

Finals

2008-12-15T22:44:00.003+01:00

So finals are tomorrow and all day Sunday and today I've been studying for Adv. Pre-calc. And now I'm onto studying for Gov. I'm tired as hell (which also explains the lack of fashion in this post), but mint tea = my studying life saver. It helps me de-stress, which is greatly needed during late night study sessions, especially before exams. Tomorrow I finish at 1.20pm, which gives me plenty of time to study (cough cram cough) for Bio. Another de-stresser; reviewing flashcards in the bathtub. You're going to spend time reviewing them anyways, and you're going to take a bath.. so why not combine the two. Saves some time so you can get a few extra minutes of sleep. The more the merrier. Good luck studying for finals, I'm off to review Huntington's hypothesis and contrast liberal democracies and marginal states.

Gifts

2008-12-14T14:31:00.007+01:00

This Christmas, with the financial crisis and economic downturn, finding gifts for friends and family can't break the bank. Making things yourself (scarves, chocolates, jewelry) can help you save a few pennies and can be really personal gifts. Searching through sale racks and discount piles can often produce quite a few really nice gifts.

My one tip: If you know the person, you'll find the present.

Whatever your way to save money this Christmas remember, it's the thought that counts; truly.

Good luck in all your holiday shopping this year <3

Color Contrast

2008-12-13T21:13:00.007+01:00

because many times, a picture speaks louder than words. do something nice this christmas; donate to charity, do volunteer work, buy a homeless man hot chocolate. it makes a difference.

photo by ANDREW FERGUSON

3.1 Philip Lim

2008-12-09T22:55:00.023+01:00

I absolutely love 3.1 Philip Lim's Spring '09 Collection. The different textures are probably the highlight of the collection. I really like the menswear inspired clothes this year and this vest is no exception (Iekeliene Stange). It's made more feminine with the sequins, but I love how it still has the boxy shape of a more masculine vest. The jumpsuit (Toni Garrn) is beautiful. I actually tried on a black one that is almost exactly the same at Zara the other day. I didn't end up buying it because I wasn't exactly sure when i would be able to wear it (surely not to school.) After I got home of course, I realized it would be perfect for Puerto Rico. It can be a beach cover-up and then be dressed up with heels and a big necklace (Marni anyone??) for dinner. Back to Lim's collection though. This simple white dress looks stunning on Georgie Badiel and I love how the shoes are the focal point of the outfit. I adore shoes and I love the flower-like feel to these shoes, but with the metallic edge. I would pair these gold booties with black jeans and a cream/white sweater and couple bracelets and then out the door. For me, I think the wear ability of this collection is what makes it really stand out.

Alexander Wang

2008-12-08T13:02:00.018+01:00

This man is by far the master of menswear inspired women's clothing. His designs have sharp silhouettes and the menswear vibe, but stay feminine with sheer tights and tanks, and loosely fitted tees. The entire collection I would wear in a snap, but the three outfits pictured below were my favorite. I love the skinny jeans with a loose white shirt, and a strong menswear inspired vest with kick ass leather booties. It's the perfect look for this winter. As for the oversized shirt with leggings, it's easy, comfortable and still looks put together. The sheer tank in the third outfit adds a bit of glamor and takes the outfit from day to night. The colors (or lack thereof) are amazing. I love the muted greys, blacks, and browns throughout the entire collection.

Marni

2008-12-07T22:53:00.005+01:00

I absolutely love these necklaces from Marni. They can be worn summer/and winter (I mention summer because I'm counting down the days until my New Year's vacation to Puerto Rico). They are big and chunky and the perfect accessory to complete an outfit without trying to hard (perfect for me). They are resin with satin ribbon and I would put one on my Christmas wish list, but sadly, with price tags raking in at above 300 Euro.. maybe I'll have to find an alternative. I'll be on the lookout for look-a-likes and I'll let you know what I find :) My favorite are the left, and center, but I still love the one on the right too.

M for Missoni

2008-12-03T09:12:00.005+01:00

Wow. Their ads for the Fall/Winter '08 collection are incredible. You would think that putting multitudes of clashing patterns into one ad would be overwhelming, but that is definitely not the case. The tones of all the patterns are the same and so each one complements the others and the colors are beautiful as well (I'm a fan of darker, less flashy clothes). The fabrics used in the clothes are just as amazing. From double cashmere, organza, faille and twill, the cloth drapes the body creating soft outlines and shadows with bold, dark prints.

Above is my favorite photo from the ad campaign. I absolutely love the retro feel without the flashy in your face colors. The shadows created by the window add to the mysterious feel and make this ad that much more interesting to look at.

Ankle booties are big this winter and the refined look of these Missoni shoes can go with most anyone's wardrobe. The pair on the right do it for me. I love the shiny brown patent toe, with the contrasting lighter brown suede, and the ties to lace them up just finish off the look. The collection is wearable as well, another thing that is really apparent to me. The looks are high fashion, but not so much that you would look ridiculous wearing these clothes. Props to Missoni for creating such a beatiful collection of clothes this Fall/Winter '08. <3

Leggings

2008-12-01T20:56:00.003+01:00

I absolutely love leggings. I live in leggings this winter. You can dress them up with fancier tops and heels or wear them more casual with sweaters and Uggs or flats. They're also the perfect weekend outfit; black leggings, a white men's t-shirt and an oversize, chunky necklace. It's so comfortable yet still looks like you didnt just roll out of bed (even if you did!)

I'm going to California this Christmas and I plan on making quite a few purchases at American Apparel. I love the gold shiny leggings pictured for parties, and a black pair for more understated outfits. Plus I want to get a few pairs of patterned leggings to revamp some plain shirts and you can never have too many pairs of leggings right?

Plus no matter what your style, there's the perfect pair of leggings out there for everyone. They come in so many different patterns, and textures and lengths that if you don't have a perfect pair of leggings this winter, you're missing out on some serious comfort.

Once again off to do English work...

Happy [Late] Thanksgiving

2008-11-30T15:03:00.005+01:00

Happy Late Thanksgiving! As everyone sat down to the biggest meal of the year to give thanks for all that they have, I was at the mall looking for Christmas presents and shopping for a few new wardrobe items.

Turns out M was sick so I ended up going alone, which could have been trouble since I always buy more when I'm alone. In the end I found some perfect presents for my family and also a dress, shirt, sweater and scarf for myself. I got all four at Zara (one of my favorite stores..obviously) and I also got the PERFECT winter accessory; Hand Warmers!

They were only 10 zloty at Flo and all they are are two gel shapes hearts in plastic that have metal tabs that pop and then the gel crystallizes and gets really warm. I decided they'd be perfect for me because I hate carrying gloves around (I always seem to lose them) and the hearts can just stay in my pockets all winter. (To reuse them all you have to do is boil them back to the gel state and then pop the tab again and they'll warm up) The ones in the picture are similar to the ones I bought, except mine don't have writing and one is pink, the other red. :)

Off to do English work..

Very Katy Perry

2008-11-27T08:53:00.004+01:00

She is amazing. Reasons why Katy Perry is amazing:

1.) Her music is so upbeat and cool (original..not remakes of old stuff) It cheers me up immediately and puts me in the mood to d.a.n.c.e. :)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hog638glAro "Hot N Cold"

2.) She is a hugeeeee fashion icon. If you have not watched the EMA's .. watch! She had at least 6 different outfits!

She started of the awards show by coming out on a giant cherry chapstick "I Kissed a Girl" and progressed through a cute carnival "inspired" circus dress, a pink short jumpsuit with her name on it, a gorgeous rainbow gown and my favorite a sequined Obama mini-dress, finally ending the show in a hot/cold, yes/no, man/woman outfit.

But time for class now so. Off.

Continued...Wishlist

2008-11-26T17:36:00.005+01:00

In a previous post I made a fashion wishlist, and now I'm "reflecting"

1.) The Balenciaga Scarf: I couldn't bare to save up that long. And guess what?! I found a scarf that's almost as awesome with a way cheaper price tag. I wear it all the time and it's become a favorite accesory of mine. Here's a pic:

2.) Prada dress: In my dreams.. I'll keep hoping, but I've been aware from day one that this was more of a hope than a "fashion wish that could actually come true".

3.) Longchamp bag: I ended up getting one, but in black, which I'm quite happy about because it replaced this old Gap purse that I had (no it wasn't ugly..it was just OLD) and so now i have my beautiful black Longchamp :)

Back in .. Scarves

2008-11-26T17:25:00.003+01:00

Well the excuse is bad, but I lost my password and came across a paper with it written down today while I was "cleaning" my excessivley messy room. Regardless though, I'm back and this time I plan on actually being consistent with posts. Sometimes they'll be short though because exams are coming up soon so .. stress.

Things have been going well. I seriously need some wardrobe re-mixing though. My outfits are getting boring and I wear the same few things all the time. So, tomorrow is Thanksgiving and since my family is doing it on Saturday I'm going shopping! M and I are going to the mall after classes and hopefully Zara will have a lot to offer. I also need to get my mom's birthday present (late!) because I'm having trouble finding exactly what I wanted to get her. Then I'm going out for dinner our own Thanksgiving) with A. But back to the wardrobe issues at hand. I wear scarves all the time. In fact I have become known for all my awesome scarves. (Leopard, balenciaga-ish one, big white knit, teal/silver/aquamarine pashmina.. basically I have a ton of scarves).

BUT here's the catch. I want more :) So I will be scarf hunting tomorrow looking for some nice scarves. Also, I need new jeans. I bought some this summer while I was in the U.S. which was a bad idea considering it was at the end of our visit. (i.e. food consumption had been higher than normal) and so all of those jeans are too big. So new jeans are also on the list. I'm also out to find some new shirts/sweaters to inspire me to be more creative with outfit choices.

Drawback: I can't buy too much because I'm going to the U.S. for Christmas and so there will definitely be some serious shopping there :)

Marc Jacobs

2008-02-04T20:15:00.000+01:00

My favorite fashion designer is definetly marc jacobs. His clothes are amazing; chic, pretty, sexy, and confident. The colors and fabrics are gorgeous. My favorite collection so far is Spring '08. So .. I feel the need to elaborate on its beatiful clothes.

The first dress is my favorite in the whole collection. I love the soft colors and the "paint splash" down the dress. Its calm and flowy and gorgeuos. The second dress reminds me of the silk Prada dress that I like, but more colorful. Silk is the perfect fabric (my new favorite) and a pretty silk dress is .. perfect.

The second thing I love about marc jacobs is the accesories. They are so..funky/original/creative/fun and completely irresistable. I plan on saving my money for a long long time and buying one of these awsome bracelets:

The third, but not final, thing that I love about the new collection; the shoes! An amazing idea..I can't even describe. You have to see for yourself, but they are just so incredibly.. wow! Weird...but they demand some R.E.S.P.E.C.T. :)

If you want to see the whole collection visit: http://www.marcjacobs.com/ Gorgeous, and completely worth your time :)

Zara Campaign Fall/Winter 2007/08

2008-02-01T21:39:00.000+01:00

One of my favorite stores is Zara, and while browsing their website I came across the most gorgeous ads. I love the backdrops for all the photos. And the contrast between the sharp lines and new-ness of the clothes to the old factory in the background. It definetly gets two thumbs up. The model is gorgeous as well as the clothes and so I cannot wait to go shopping there! The clothes are amazing in design, color, materials and everything else, and they aren't too pricey.

Futuristic Shoes?

2008-02-01T00:58:00.000+01:00

Lately I have seen a lot of sequined party dresses (cute) and futuristic themes in lots of new collections (spring collections are a little softer and pastel-y) but shiny silver shoes. This is one trend that I'm just not so sure about. I'm all about making a statement and being yourself, but maybe these shoes should stay far in the future..(but otherwise I love Christian Louboutin)

Fashion Wishlist

2008-01-31T19:34:00.000+01:00

There are very few things fashion-wise that I do NOT want, but on the top of my list are definetly some must-haves.

1.) Balenciaga Scarf - gorgeous colors, material and design. I love the metal ties at the ends.
2.) Prada floral print silk wrap dress - the color combinations of these dresses are amazing. mature yet not grandma while still having a classy edge to them
3.) Longchamp Paris Le Pliage Tote Bag in the Limited Edition Rose - ^^

To be continued..

What is Fashion?

2008-01-31T18:07:00.002+01:00

People have told me I'm fashionable. And I've never really know what that meant so I looked it up.

Fashionable [fash-uh-nuh-buhl] - adjective
1. observant of or conforming to the fashion; stylish: a fashionable young woman.
2.of, characteristic of, used, or patronized by the world of fashion: a fashionable shop.
3.current; popular: a fashionable topic of conversation. –noun
4.a fashionable person.

And so I thought to myself. Do I really "conform" to fashion, or do I take into consideration the current trends and then build on them myself. I like to think the latter applies to me. I hope I don't always wear what is popular, I just see things that appeal to me and work from there. And so begins the fashion diaries of me, the UNFashionista (living - Warsaw, home - Chicago <3).