casual Monday evening

Hi, people!

As you can see, it's quite cold here in Zagreb at the moment. All the winter "equipment" is taken out of the closet. I didn't even want to go out yesterday, but my boyfriend somehow managed to persuade me. I just can't resist his beautiful big brown eyes. He's the master of persuasion! 

And when you're "forced" to go out there's nothing better than a warm mug of caffe latte or mulled red wine on cold Monday evening in a cozy bar... 

I know the quality of the indoor photos is not as good as the outdoor photos (especially during the daylight), but it's actually too cold for outdoor photo shoots when the temperature is 2 or 3 degrees Celsius outside. Brrrrr! I truly despise autumn and winter. :D

Coat: Topshop, A/W 2010/11

Scarf: Accessorize, A/W 2009/10

Leather gloves: Accessorize, A/W 2011/12

Jeans: Topshop, A/W 2010/11

T-shirt: Miss Selfridge, S/S 2011

Cardigan: Mango, A/W 2009/10

Desert boots: Eden Shoes, S/S 2010 (bought in Paris)

Bag: Accessorize, A/W 2011/12

Yes, I know these desert boots are visually not the most beautiful pair of shoes ever, but they're so warm, comfortable and soft. I adore them! 

Let's face it, I prefer commodity over visual impression. You'll see me wearing high heels maybe once or twice a year. I'm not like other fashion bloggers walking around in Jeffrey Campbell's Litas and other high-heeled shoes. That's just not me and I prefer to stay true to myself and my style. Not that I have something against high heels, don't take it wrong... I love seeing them on other people, it's just that I don't like wearing them.

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Petra

glitter

Hi, people!

It got quite colder here in Zagreb so it was time to put on some warmer clothes. Autumn and winter are not my cup of tea, I'd rather live in tropical climate, but hey, I'll survive... 

Yesterday we went to a newly opened bar called "The Beertija". It's quite cool and I like it a lot. You can choose between 160 types of beers and yes, they have my favorite one, Erdinger Urweisse. 

This was my outfit yesterday:

Sequined bolero: vintage

T-shirt: Zara, A/W 2006/2007

Jeans: Mango, A/W 2011/12

Brogues: Eden, S/S 2010 (bought in Paris)

Briefbag: vintage

Coat: Zara, A/W 2008/2009 

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Petra

"new" in - vintage

Hi, people! 

I've done some vintage shopping recently. I absolutely adore vintage clothes, bags and items and as all of you probably know I didn't get lucky with inheritance from mom's closet 'cause my grandma, my mom and my aunt threw away the majority of their old clothes and bags. The blue blouse I found a couple of weeks ago and the red clutch (both used to belong to my aunt) are rare exceptions. 

I really envy my friends who have more conscious female relatives and a bigger amount of vintage clothes in their closets... 

When you compare vintage clothes from 1970s, 1980s or 1990s with items sold nowadays in Zara, H&M, Mango and other high street brand stores, the quality back then was so much better! Clothes were made from materials of stronger quality, they were estimated to be worn for ages and trends didn't change as quickly as today. Real leather was used for bags, blouses and shirts were made of real cotton, jacquard, silk and not of viscose or polyester. 

That's not the only reason I adore vintage. Each vintage item has its own story and background, its own "soul". It was a part of someone else's life in the past and it radiates some kind of nostalgia for good, old times. 

These are my new vintage items. Wish I could know their story... 

1. Leather briefbag with crocodile pattern - bought from another Croatian fashion blogger, Barbara Repe (ar-ar.blog.hr). I saw the photo of this lovely bag in Barbara's "Sale" facebook album and fell in love immediately. I sent PM to the girl and the next day it was mine. The thing that surprised me a bit was its actual size - it's quite bigger than I expected it to be, but hey, it's even better! I really needed a big black bag. 

2. Leather bag with carved rose pattern - bought in Textile House second hand shop a couple of blocks away from my home. It was quite cheap and I absolutely adore it 'cause it's quite unusual. 

When I was a kid my mum used to wear quite similar bag. I was looking for it on the attic, in my grandma's closet, everywhere around house, but couldn't find it. 

3. Sequined bolero with zebra pattern - it was also love at first sight. My friend and I entered the second hand shop Ulični ormar (Street Closet) in Jurišićeva Street in Zagreb quite spontaneously while taking a walk around the  city center and I immediately noticed this sparkly sequined bolero. I'm not 100% positive, but I think it's from mid-1980s. Isn't it great? 

What do you think of vintage clothes, bags, shoes and second hand shops? Do you ever buy vintage clothes in second hand shops, on vintage markets or via eBay? Or have you inherited some vintage items from your moms, grandmas, aunts...? 

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Petra

autumn in Maksimir Park

Hi, people!

At the moment autumn is at its prime. It's still quite warm for this time of the year, so it would be a sin not to use such a beautiful, sunny Monday afternoon for a walk. 

Today I went to Maksimir Park, one of the biggest and most beautiful parks in Zagreb. My best friend's Brazilian boyfriend from Rio de Janeiro arrived to Zagreb yesterday so we showed him around a bit. He immediately fell in love with Maksimir Park. Well, who actually wouldn't? It's such an amazing place! Since I live quite close to Maksimir, I go there almost every day and do short offroad cycling tours through the forest on my Trek 3700 WSD bicycle.

T-shirt: New Yorker, S/S 2012

Cardigan: Miss Selfridge, A/W 2009/10

Jeans: Diesel, A/W 2011/12

Bag: Accessorize, A/W 2011/12

Trench coat: Topshop, S/S 2010

Sneakers: Converse, S/S 2009 

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Petra

don't stop me now!

Hi, people!

This week has started perfectly well. No bee stings, no problems, no health issues. Everything's just fine and normal again and it's such a great feeling. 

Yesterday I finally visited my hair stylist, he dyed my hair a bit darker and cut my bangs a bit. They were already way too long and it was quite difficult to style them properly... 

It was quite warm yesterday so there was no need to wear a long-sleeved shirt or a cardigan under my leather jacket. Autumn is here, but is not as cold as it was last week and during the weekend. 

Leather jacket: Zara, A/W 2012/13

Lace top: Zara, A/W 2011/12

Jeans: Topshop, A/W 2010/11

Brogues: Eden shoes, S/S 2010 (bought in Paris)

Bag: Accessorize, A/W 2011/12

P.S. Look what I found in the attic! I think this amazing electric blue blouse that used to belong to my aunt dates back to the early 1980s... I'll just have to bring it to my tailor to narrow it a bit (especially in the waist area) 'cause it's too big. And then - action! 

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Petra

(Queen is my favorite band of all times, I grew up listening to them and adore them since I was five or six. Freddie Mercury (his real name was Farrokh Bulsara) was such a great singer, in my opinion he's the best male vocalist ever. His voice was so powerful and yet so gentle and melodic at the same time. Rest in peace, Freddie, you were true legend!)

high hopes

Hi, people!

As you can see, my face finally looks completely normal. There are no traces of the bee sting anymore. Thank goodness! It's been a week and I could barely wait to look like a decent human being again. 

I just had to break the gray and cloudy day with those colorful jeans. I know they're a bit edgy and difficult to combine and not for everyone's taste... All you gotta do is calm them down a bit with neutral colors like beige, white, black or brown. 

Otherwise, everything is completely normal again. Yesterday I watched Sacha Baron Cohen's The Dictator on DVD with my boyfriend, it's such a great comedy, not as good as Borat or Bruno, but still... The movie is completely politically incorrect, making fun of really everything and everyone (from Arabs, Jews, WASPs to vegans, politicians, dictatorships, democracy, totalitarianism), but still it's hilarious. If you haven't watched it yet, you should definitely do it!

Here's my outfit for today:

Trench coat: Topshop, S/S 2010

Denim jacket: Topshop, S/S 2010

Jeans: New Yorker, S/S 2012

Bag: Accessorize, A/W 2009/10

Tank top: H&M, S/S 2011

Sneakers: Converse, S/S 2011

Encumbered forever by desire and ambition
There's a hunger still unsatisfied
Our weary eyes still stray to the horizon
Though down this road we've been so many times

The grass was greener
The light was brighter
The taste was sweeter
The nights of wonder
With friends surrounded
The dawn mist glowing
The water flowing
The endless river

(lyrics: Pink Floyd, High Hopes)

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Petra

alive and kicking

Hi, people!

Sorry I haven't posted for a while, I know I promised some autumn outfits in the last post, but I had a serious bee sting allergic reaction. Goddamnit. You all remember the bee incident last Sunday, right? Well, everything was fine until Tuesday morning... When I woke up on Tuesday my right cheek was quite swollen, I couldn't open my right eye and everything was blurry. I went straight to the emergency room, received Synopen and Dexamethasone shots  from Tuesday 'till Friday, Claritine anti-allergic pills, I was holding ice on my cheekbone all the time. The right part of my face looked like Jackie Stallone's or Jocelyn Widelstein's face. Really. I'm not kidding! 

Now I'm fine, but those anti-allergic shots made me drowsy and groggy so I couldn't go anywhere, I was sleeping the entire time. 

My cheek is still a bit swollen, but it is barely seen after all the shots and pills. I look like a human being again, not like a victim of a bad facelift. 

At least the poor bee that stung me is dead now and I'm still alive and kicking. 

These photos were taken yesterday. The outfit is nothing too special 'cause I was still groggy from the last Synopen shot I received yesterday morning and I really wasn't in the mood to pick what to wear... 

T-shirt: Dorothy Perkins, A/W 2010/11

Skirt: Naf Naf, A/W 2010/11

Studded cardigan: H&M, A/W 2010/11

Sneakers: Startas Borovo, S/S 2011

Bag: Accessorize, A/W 2011/12

Scarf: Topshop, S/S 2010

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Petra

red and white stripes

Hi, people!

This post could also be called "The awkward moment when..." 'cause something quite awkward happened today while I was waiting for my best friend on the main square in Zagreb. I got stung by a bee! On the main square, not in some forest or in the village or while I was eating fruits or drinking juice! The damn bee collided straight into my face, right under my right cheekbone. I really didn't realize what had just happened until I took the sting from my face. Actually, it didn't hurt at all, only itched for a couple of minutes and luckily my face didn't swell as much as I thought it would, my cheekbone is only slightly swollen and it can be barely seen. 

Grasshoppers are much more dangerous and their bite really hurts, trust me! Seems awkward and totally out of mind, but they DO bite. I experienced it this summer on the seaside while I was washing my teeth. Suddenly, the grasshopper jumped on me and bit me under the left collarbone. Damn, it was painful... As if you were stabbed with a knife or a needle. Now I'm even more afraid of those damn, ugly creatures. 

And now the outfit part of the post... The battery on my little Canon camera got empty. Since Dad took the charger to a business conference in Split (we share the charger 'cause my parents have the same camera, but their charger got broken a couple of months ago) and there was no way to charge my little IXUS, I'll show you one of the "lost" summer outfits. The photos were taken a month and a half ago while it was still warm - 30 degrees in the evening  and during the entire night. God, I miss those days...

Dress: Topshop, S/S 2009

Clutch: vintage (1970s)

Flats: Blink, S/S 2007

Yes, I know, the photos aren't of the best quality... It was the time when Mladen (my boyfriend/photographer) was still having difficulties with the little Canon and was getting to "know" it. His photos improved a lot since then. 

I'll get my charger back tomorrow, so expect some recent autumn outfits pretty soon!

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Petra

rock on, little black dress!

Hi, people!

This little black dress is one of my favorite items from my wardrobe. I found it in Zara in Barcelona in July last year and almost didn't buy it 'cause I have quite similar white lace dress (also from Zara), but Mladen (my boyfriend) persuaded me to buy it in the end. Now I'm glad I listened to him, didn't regret it at all

.

The photos were taken on Wednesday. It was quite chilly outside in the evening (although it was warm during the day), so I had to wear the leather jacket and the boots. 

Yes, I know, half of the city is wearing these studded boots nowadays, but nevermind. I bought them in January and absolutely adore them. 

Little black dress: Zara, S/S 2011

Leather jacket: Zara, A/W 2012/13

Bag: Accessorize, A/W 2011/12

Studded boots: Zara, A/W 2011/12

Necklace: a gift for my graduation thesis defense (got it from my friend Petra B. :) ) 

And now I wanna present you my friend Iris, one of the most stylish girls I know. :) 

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Petra

paint it black and gray

Hi, people! :)

Yesterday I was in such a hurry - had two job interviews, additional MS Office testing in one of the companies I'd sent my CV, then I met my boyfriend and our friend Tomislav unplannedly joined us after work. Those two job interviews were the main reason I was dressed so formally. 

I'm still waiting for the results of the MS Office testing and those two job interviews. Hope something will work out 'cause I desperately want to start working. 

As you probably know, unemployment rate here in Croatia is pretty high and young people of my age who got their college or university degrees wait for job for a long, long time. I can't complain yet - it's been only three weeks since my graduation thesis defence. 

But, hey, let's talk about other stuff, something more positive... 

Leather jacket: Zara, A/W 2012/13

Top: Zara, A/W 2012/13

Cropped trousers: Zara, A/W 2012/13

Bag: Accessorize, A/W 2011/12

Flats: Tommy Hilfiger, S/S 2012

Necklace: a gift (bought in Barcelona in 2010)

After the outfit part I want to share something completely different with you. I know My Perfect Lounge will love this part of the post. :D This is one of the best beers ever: Erdinger Urweisse. Paulaner Hefe Weissbier (wheat beer) is great too, but Erdinger Urweisse has a special place in my heart - its taste is amazing, it's so refreshing and full at the same time. I love all the types of beer, but wheat beers are my favorite, especially the German and the Austrian ones. If you prefer wheat beers, along with Erdinger Urweisse and Paulaner Hefe Weissbier you should also definitely try Franziskaner Weissbier, Schneider Weisse (tap 6) and Schlenkerla.

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Petra