Birthday girl

 

Today is my birthday! ( as if that is not clear enough from the pictures, title and balloons) I never had this kind of balloons, not when I was little - actually back then, you could barely find regular balloons -  so I thought I would treat myself not with a cake, but with some fun, colorful photos I could revisit  years later and smile with joy. 

 I hope you like them as much as I do and I wish you all have a great day as much as I will!

 

How to survive the sale season

 

You know how the sale season can be the highest temptation for any fashionable addict to spend money and ever so often, on things you don't actually need. I am guilty of this myself, I ended up having shoes that I wore only two times in two years, or skirts that were not in my style (back when I didn't know what my style was, I was experimenting with everything) I used to buy things just because they were pretty and I couldn't resist the beauty, but I have allowed myself to do that as long as that piece of clothing or jewelry will never die along with the trend.

   

Over the years I have learned from my small mistakes and I developed a plan that really helped me not also save money, but also to maintain space in my closet. Most of the clothes I bought during sale season did not fit my style I ended up selling them or giving them to my friends, so after I cleansed my wardrobe, I decided it was time to reevaluate the way I shop, both online and offline.

   

Here are a few tips to help you survive the sale season without ending up broke:

 1. Make a list from the beginning and set up a budget: You know the sales are coming up and you need let's say a new white shirt or a leather skirt. Set up a budget to buy the exact items you need and hit the stores that you know you could find your desired items. If you did not spend all your budget on the items from your list, you can reward yourself with a little bonus, like a cute necklace or a cake from Starbucks - I know I would! 

 2. Avoid impulse buys: This might be hard, but if you do not have a unlimited budget, you might want to try to avoid this, because all the items you see might seem pretty and lovely, but just take a minute and think: "Do I really need this item?" or more importantly "Would I be able to wear it with the pieces I have in my wardrobe?" There is nothing more frustrating than to buy a top that does not match any type of skirt or pants you own, therefor you will need to buy a new pair of pants or skirt just to be able to wear it. It's definitely not worth it if you end up spending way too much money. 

 3. Don't shop just for the sake of the discount: This has been a real struggle for me, because I was always attracted to a discounted price, even though that specific item was not necessarily on my "to buy list". The higher the discount, the more attracted I felt towards buying it. This is a trap, because most consumers tend to buy that item just because it has a 70% discount, but you really want to ask yourself: "Do I love this item so much that I would I buy it at its full price?".  If the answer is"NO"  then step away and move on to the next item. It's simple, if you love something that you feel you can't live without and the price doesn't matter, then you know it will make you happy.

4. Avoid trends that will fade: Every season there has to be at least two or three trends you see in all stores and there is this immense urge to dive in all of them at once, but you always have to think if that specific trend is suited for your style and if it isn't, move on to the next one. Because you will end up with a closet filled with clothes that you will never wear!

In order to understand which trend will come back next year and which are the ones who die, you need to make a little research beforehand. Study trends and you will know that iconic pieces like a perfectly tailored suit will forever come back again and again and it is very likely that pink snake skin boots will not be a must have item in the next season.

5. If possible, shop with a partner: And by partner, I mean a male friend or your husband, because we all know men do not have the same patience and excitement as we women do when it comes to shopping, so they will be able to grab you by the hand and drag you out of the store if needed, or ask you the same questions I asked in this article, because we might forget them in all the excitement, so a partner will be able to help you think over your decisions.

And that is all folks!

Thank you for reading and tell me if these tips ever worked for you or if you have other suggestions I could also use, there is also room for improvement!

Winter games

This is not my typical kind of post, but since I really enjoy taking these photos, I thought: "why not share them here as well?" I like skating, in fact, it's the only sport I am fond of, because it's artistic - go figures. Not that I am an expert or anything, but I do enjoy watching all Grand Prix skating finals, World championships, so whenever there's a competition, I am there, stuck in front of the TV and cheering for my favorite skaters; I would really love to see a competition live, I think the vibe it's totally different. 

So yes, this is the only sporty activity I enjoy, next to swimming, too bad it can only be done in Winter time. 

We are here on the Central park's frozen lake, the ice was really thick so you could skate all you want and the best part is that it is free! It's totally safe when it's really cold of course, I hope it will last longer so I can enjoy this a little more.

Stay warm!

 

Gracious like a swan, am I not ?

Five years

 

 Five years people. I started posting on this little virtual place five years ago and I don't regret it for one minute. I really can't believe it has been that long. Looking back, I can still feel warm memories from when I met my blogger friends, all the collaborations I made with people and brands and it's been fun and I hope it will continue for at least another five years! This calls for a celebration; I should bake a cake. One decorated with marzipan shoes and vintage purses, that would be fun. 

 Thank you for being supportive all this time, it really means something!

   

 Wearing: Orsay top, thrifted skirt and belt, random brand shoes, gifted earrings.

 

Weekend getaway: Alba Iulia

 

 It's the middle of the week, but let's take 10 minutes to remember the weekend, shall we? I hope yours was relaxing and pleasant, I know mine was, even though I suffered a bit from the cold - I even got the flu, no surprise there! 

We decided to take advantage of the last free few days we had before starting our jobs again, so on Friday, we booked a room at a hotel in Alba Iulia for the weekend, and on Saturday morning we embarked on this little exploration tour. We had the opportunity to stay just a few meters away from the citadel - which is the main attraction in Alba Iulia (see photos bellow with our view) so it was nice to stay in cozy and not walk like 3 km just to get there. I was really impressed by the citadel, I know it is very appreciated by tourists, but I have to say that I never actually entered a place like that and expected to see like a little small town within. There were cathedrals, museums, a Univeristy, caffes and even a skating rink. It was a very nice place to walk around, on the grounds and the terraces, which are quite big, I mean it really takes a while to make a full tour around the place. And the view is really something.

 I bet that it is one hundred times more beautiful during the Summer. I can already imagine gardens filled with flowers and another set of pictures taken while wearing a long feminine dress around the castle.

If you ever decide to make a tour of  the Western part of Romania, Alba Iulia is a must see!

 I hope you enjoy the photos!

 

Have a great week guys!

In the white zone

 

 In less than 12 hours Winter installed itself without a care throughout the country. It's been snowing almost non stop and now piles of snow gathered on the sidewalk forcing you to rather skate than walk, which isn't quite convenient.

 And just when I decided to return to Cluj, the weather made this turn and I really hope that my train won't be delayed because of this. 

 But just like any other human being, I got excited at first seeing all this great whiteness around me and of course, some photos in the snow were a must! Sometimes I really miss my childhood innocence. 

As we speak I am on my way to spend the New Year's in Cluj and I really hope it will be fun. I also hope that all of you will have a blast as well and that all your wishes will come true in 2015! 

One more day left, can you believe it?

   

 Wearing: Brshka coat, H&M scarf, vintage beret, Ne Yorker jeans.

 

New items in my wonders!

Remember how last weekend I went shopping? Well, here are the goodies I bought (also include the sweatshirt from the previous post) and which I can't wait to wear. I wanted to brag about it, because that is what I usually do, online and offline. Yes, I am a proud being. Anyway, now I am almost broke and still, I continue to make new shopping lists - this will not end, I tell you!

   

 Have a fantastic weekend darlings!

 This time I will spend it cooking! Wish me luck.