Mary's Fashion Diary

Tote bag stories: GIVEAWAY

noreply@blogger.com (Mary M.) — Thu, 04 Nov 2021 17:04:00 +0000

I must admit that out of all the fashion trends, I didn't jump right in on tote bags. In my fashionista years, I don't think you would have ever caught me wearing them, I had all these fabulous large bags with plenty of room to carry stuff (but which were also heavy, so I exchanged them for backpacks a couple of years ago).

This summer we traveled to Spain, and we noticed both in Madrid and Barcelona most people would carry tote bags. So we got our own tote bag from a store (we chose one in the colors of the Pride flag, I still love to carry it), because we would always have bottles of water and sunscreen cream with us. That's when we both learned tote bags are a game changer, they're so light and easy to travel with! The moment we returned to Romania, we both started wearing them on a regular basis.

Still, to me a tote bag is a great accessory to make a fashion statement. It's like a blank canvas waiting to be filled with your favorite prints/quotes/stories. That's when I got the idea I have to have one with Adrian's illustrations on it, and I'm so happy we were able to find a print on demand brand which would also align with our sustainability principles, while making a high quality product. You can find Adrian's illustrations printed on different items in his Printoteca shop or you can enter the GIVEAWAY I'm hosting on my Instagram here, where you can win a product of your choice from the shop!

And while we're on the subject of fashion statements, I am absolutely in love with my new joggers, designed by Smaranda Almasan. It's the first time I actually had to courage to try sequin pants, I just always imagined they would be difficult to wear and I would have to be extra careful, but luckily these are joggers, so they're so comfy I even took them out for a walk on this hill. It's also the first time I own something in the houndstooth pattern, and I'll admit I'm hooked, I've already decided on my next buy: a houndstooth top!

Smaranda Almasan joggers, Mango sweater, Salted Lemon tote bag, Adidas sneakers

Home series: the living room

noreply@blogger.com (Mary M.) — Thu, 07 Oct 2021 15:50:00 +0000

♪ Little Simz- Protect My Energy♪

I would say that part of me neglecting most of my hobbies (including this blog) has been because of the renovation of our new home. It took 16 months to complete, mostly because we didn't have sufficient funds and we had to take it step by step, but also partly because we both dreamed of some specific things, and we had to compromise when we couldn't afford them in the end. Now that it's finally done, I felt like writing a whole series on the subject, because this blog has always served as my personal diary- it hasn't been all about fashion, like it started, it progressed with my trips, art and music opinions, book reviews, and I love that I have gathered so many stories over time, which I can always read whenever I feel like taking a trip down memory lane.

And what better way to invite you into our home than starting with the room we usually have our guests in: the living room (also known as the room of compromise). This poor room has served as dishwasher holder, dressing room, artist studio- pretty much everything you can imagine over the last year and so. We both had this vision that one wall would have a vinyl & Vogue storage place and we would have the turntables on top so Adrian can mix and play music. Of course we had to adjust our expectations a bit and chose Ikea furniture- and this shelving unit ended up being our main bookcase for so many months, as you can see in the first photo of this post- we stuffed it with our favorite books while the other books were patiently waiting in bags for a proper bookcase.

Next up, is the wall facing the music station, the one with the couch. We both dreamed of a mint couch, but we also we're determined to find a couch that's super comfy. We were also super confident the living room and the hallway would be the last rooms to decorate, but the universe laughed at our determination- we found this couch on sale, it was literally 70% cheaper than the couch we had in mind and it was way more comfortable. The only problem we had: it wasn't mint, but it's still a pretty close shade, so out of my first paycheck as a resident doctor, we got it because it was the last one in store and we wouldn't have found a better deal months later. The coffee table is from Zara Home and I love how it matches the style of the living room. The only issue I have with this corner of the room right now? The lack of art on that big white wall- it's just that whatever we tried to place there, we felt like it wasn't quite right. I know it looks kind of sad right now, but I believe this wall is just asking for a masterpiece, so I'm sure it will be worth the wait in the end.

And, now for the wall which took the most compromise: the workspace wall. I dream of a home where we'll have a study someday, because the black computer and the gaming chair aren't really my aesthetic (I won't even comment on our huge printer, my dad got it for me 5 years ago, and it's equally ugly as it is useful, so we're not changing it any time soon), but in the end the result was better than I expected (I'll admit I was a bit dramatic and I was sure I wouldn't like it, but with the shelf on top with my beloved Minitremu Infinite Column and some of our beloved souvenirs, I'm happy with the result). And let's just take a moment to acknowledge the fact that Adrian chose to place his watercolor brushes into a vegan mayo jar haha. Somebody call Architectural Digest, this is interior design at its finest.

As for the bookcase, we had entirely something else in mind (the same goes for the desk), but we chose to have our holiday in Spain (Madrid and Barcelona) instead and ended up choosing the more affordable options from Ikea . I wasn't raised like this, for my parents traveling is the last on their priority list, but I'm grateful I found someone who thinks the same as I do when it comes to this matter, I honestly wouldn't trade the incredible memories we made on our trip for anything in the world. And I also believe that in the end this bookcase was the wise choice for our home because the hallway already had Ikea furniture in the same style, so I think both spaces complement each other beautifully.

This is it, the first virtual room tour of our apartment, we may have encountered many changes along the way, but I have to confess it's such a joyful room to be in! We love spending our days on our incredible couch reading good books or having friends over. So far, everyone has told us this room is full of positivity and it's their favorite.

I have to end this blog post with the some details of the skirt of my life, from Smaranda Almasan, because I just can't believe how well it matches the colors and the energy of this room!

Detail of my sweater from the "Bird of Paradise" collection, also designed by Smaranda Almasan💗

The comeback & the perfect kimono

noreply@blogger.com (Mary M.) — Fri, 07 May 2021 20:49:00 +0000

It feels a bit surreal writing this- do people still read fashion blogs anymore? I can't really handle the answer to that! I decided a week ago I'm going to start blogging again. It's mainly because I still love fashion so much, and people are getting tired of my way too long Instagram captions which tend to be odes to fashion items at times. I still want to have my little virtual fashion diary, because I love when I can read about what I believed in the past about one thing or another, or about the places I visited and what really moved me.

So, here I am- I'm an Endocrinology resident doctor now, which is what I always dreamed about when I thought what medical field I would like the most to work in. I also envisioned that with my first salary I would buy a pair of high end shoes, but oh, how things have changed since I was 18 haha. For the past 12 months, all our finances have gone into renovating an old apartment on a budget, which has been challenging, not only because it takes so much work and patience, but also because we are both fashion lovers and we had to put an embargo on buying new clothes.

Fortunately, we made an exception recently because my partner knew that what my soul really needed was this kimono from Smaranda Almasan's new collection "Bird of Paradise". To say I love the clothes of this brand is an understatement- I know at some point in my life I'll have all my closet filled with pieces from Smaranda Almasan and I'll tell you why.

First of all, I think you can see for yourself how they look- the silhouettes are just what I usually tend to wear, and the prints and colors are amazing! But what you really have to feel for yourself is the fabric- it's high quality and it has become my favorite thing to wear (in the winter season, it was the same with a sweater from the same brand, with the softest fabric ever).

I also admire the fact sustainability is a priority for the brand, therefore each piece is made on demand. It's exactly what I dreamed about when I had this blog and I was young and I could barely afford clothes from brands like Zara- I always felt guilty about buying fast fashion and I would always tell my mom the minute I'll be able to afford it, I would become a buyer more conscious to the environment.

When I first saw this kimono, I remembered why fashion has always been such an important part of my life- it was love at first sight, especially for the embroidery this particular design had. On my Easter holiday, literally every single member of my family admired it and asked me where I got it from so I decided I have to show it to you as well, and my sister took some photos of me on that same day.

How can something you wear bring you so much happiness? I guess it's the magic of a truly talented and passionate designer, you can literally feel how everything was carefully crafted, and that every single detail was taken into consideration.

Smaranda Almasan Bird of Paradise linen kimono, H&M jeans, Converse x Chiara Ferragni shoes

This is my beautiful bird, I'm obsessed with this embroidery work!

The Missing Necklace & other tales

noreply@blogger.com (Mary M.) — Tue, 06 Aug 2019 21:41:00 +0000

♪Summer Days - Martin Garrix feat. Macklemore ♪

Long time no post, I'm about to turn 24 really soon and I have to admit I miss blogging. A lot of things have changed in my life- like the fact I have two nephews and one niece now. I love them all so much, I'm so happy I was able to arrange my schedule so that I could be present for my youngest nephew's christening this Sunday. Picking a dress for the occasion was stressful up until I visited Paris again and I went shopping at the Galeries Lafayette- Claudie Pierlot was literally the first store I entered there and this dress was waiting for me - 70% off, I call this one of the birthday gifts I got myself (the other one will be a donation to the charity which is closest to my heart).

As I got to the cash register, I noticed the saleswoman had her name on necklace , it was golden and so beautiful, I kept admiring it. I've always been fascinated with customized jewelry, I think I've been taking mental notes like " Get name necklace " even way back when I was a teenager, yet this item somehow still isn't part of my jewelry collection. I remember searching for a website about nine years ago (wow, I feel old just writing this!) and there was no suitable option, whilst I can buy it now from GetNameNecklace. Things change, the fashion industry has grown in the online world at an incredible pace, I'm happy you can now find things you only dreamed of having after just one simple search.

As I was getting to leave for the party my mom told me "the back of the dress is extraordinary, but" *sighs* "you could really use a simple, yet unique necklace in the front". I knew she was right, because I had the exact thing in mind- a rose gold necklace, small, with "Mary" spelled on it. I think you'll agree with me, seeing this photo with the front of the dress:

The party may be over, but my determination to get a customized necklace is not. And if you've been thinking about this type of purchase for some time as well, you can choose to buy here! The only reason why I didn't order one right after I came from the party is the fact that I discovered on their site infinity necklaces and rings as well, and I'm fascinated with them (again, rose gold is my favorite shade!). Therefore, I'm thinking of maybe getting the name necklace and an infinity ring. For me, jewelry is the most personal item you own in your closet. Of course I love to build a story around every single purchase that I make, but it's different when it's a ring, a bracelet or a statement necklace. It's probably because I don't rotate jewellery as often as I change my outfits, so wearing them on a daily basis makes me feel more attached to them. If you're a fan on personalized jewellery like I am you can go here! What about you- do you feel like jewels are the pieces you hold dearest? I'd love to hear your opinion on this subject!

Madrid: Day 3 or how to be an effective tourist

noreply@blogger.com (Mary M.) — Tue, 03 Jul 2018 18:16:00 +0000

♪ Reborn - Kids See Ghosts ♪

I wanted to post this back when I visited Madrid back in February, but then the second semester started and I never got round to pick my favorite photos from the ones we took on our last full day in Madrid. As this summer I'm going back to two places I've seen before, I was searching through the blog today for the travel blogs I wrote years ago and I realized how helpful they are to me! This blog truly is my virtual diary, just as the name goes, because there are many small details that I've forgotten in the span of 5 years about some of my trips, but the moment I read my old blog stories, it all came back in a matter of seconds. That's why I decided to share a guide on my last day in Madrid, while the memories are still unfaded.

Our third day was our most prolific one because we were determined to see everything we couldn't visit in the first two days. We rented a place on Airbnb in Lavapiés which is a neighbourhood famous for the amazing street art, the buildings are so artistic! We took a 15 minutes walk around the streets we knew we'd find the most amazing graffiti , en route to our next destination: Atocha train station. Although it's the largest railway station in Madrid, we visited it for a different reason: the station in famous the palm trees and luxurious vegetation it has inside! I loved it so much, if all the train stations would look like this, you would catch me more using a train. Next up, we walked past the Reina Sofia Museum, Caixa Forum and Prado Museum (photos & review on my first post of Madrid here ) to say our farewell, and we arrived at the end of Gran Via, in front of the iconic Metropolis building, where S. took some amazing photos I will cherish my whole life. Next up: Puerta del Sol where I finally found the perfume of my dreams on sale at Sephora: Black Opium by Yves Saint Laurent. Then followed a little break: we saw Plaza Mayor, Madrid's main square, had lunch at Mercado de San Miguel (and the best sangria ever!) and dessert at the world-famous Chocolatería San Ginés -they have a history of serving churros with hot chocolate and I was in heaven!

Probably the hardest thing in the whole day was walking after that lunch to the Royal Palace and the Almudena Cathedral , but once we got to visit the breathtaking palace, it all got better. After our last tourist activity, we managed to walk to our apartment and rest for one hour and then came the most exhausting activity of them all: shopping for our loved ones. The stores were closing at 10 PM so we had 3 hours to manage, and I actually ended getting some cool stuff for myself as well. I couldn't help taking a picture of all the souvenirs I got, I really have a lot of friends and family and I'm happy I was able to return with something for them, although the gifts occupied a whole bed and it took a lot of creativity to pack them, but I'm always up for a challenge!

Cos coat, Zara bag, Zara boots, Bershka belt, Jord watch

On the colorful streets of Lavapiés

The magic Atocha train station

With my best friend, I love traveling with S. so much!!

Sangria time! This is the part where a February post would come in handy, I forgot the name of the place we got this from, but it's in Mercado de San Miguel.

Chocolatería San Ginés

Palacio Real de Madrid (Royal Palace of Madrid)

Before entering the palace, go to the left to these columns to see one of the most beautiful views of part of Madrid- truly breathtaking!

Almudena Cathedral

Once again, I have to praise the Royal Palace, I just didn't want to leave!

Souvenirs for all my loved ones, I usually line them up on the bed so I can plan my packing

Te echo de menos, Madrid!

Gatsby Girl- the comeback

noreply@blogger.com (Mary M.) — Thu, 28 Jun 2018 08:33:00 +0000

♪ Kids See Ghosts - 4th Dimension ♪

It's been a long time since I last spoke to you. That's partly because the 4th year of Med School came with a whole other level of responsibility, and the summer finals I just finished were particularly difficult. But another big part played the fact that time spent researching fashion was downgraded on my list. 2018 has been so far the year my mindset and priorities shifted dramatically. With everything that's going on in our world right now, I chose to spend my spare time reading history and politics books.

Still, when I was through with my finals, I obviously craved the summer sales and although I got there 4 days late, I was lucky enough to find some really cool items for my summer holiday (more on that in a future post). One dress really caught my eye- a black flapper dress! I loved it so much, because you might remember about my obsession with F. Scott Fitzgerald's work and the fact that "The Great Gatsby" is always going to be in my top books list. I wanted to buy it so hard, but I really had to prioritize my budget and I already have a lot of black dresses in my closet.

But when I got home I couldn't stop thinking about it, so I had a thought- are there online stores which sell flapper dresses? I discovered Wardrobe Shop and although I would wear all those flapper dresses to a theme party, one dress really caught my eye and I really had to show it to you as well. You can see it in the collage above or find it here. I literally gasped when I first saw it- first of all- it's white& long, I instantly thought bride material! Secondly, it was like all my fashion knowledge rushed back and I could see the influence of three major designers- the front- Elie Saab, the back- Ricardo Tisci when he was at Givenchy, Miuccia Prada for the twenties vibes she channeled when she designed "The Great Gatsby" costumes. I literally can't explain how much I love it , I'm basically looking for a special occasion so I can have an excuse to buy it- but I still have 2 years of Med School left, so no formal dance for me any time soon haha.

Maybe I've always been in love with the roaring twenties fashion because I read most of F. Scott Fitzgerald's life work back when I was in highschool, but after my research I decided that, at some point in my life, I wanna throw a Gatsby party and that I don't have to worry about finding the right dress, I'm so grateful for online shopping! Now, let's all remember the incredible costumes Daisy wore in "The Great Gatsby" for some inspiration:

I have to admit that before this discovery, I never thought about searching for vintage style dresses online, so you know how I get when I'm curious! Honestly, I was even more surprised to find Nataya Dresses, where they actually have a section called "Titanic Dresses". I found an iconic burgundy "Downton Abbey"dress, which I obviously wanted to share with you because I'm such a geek when it comes to TV shows, history & fashion. The fabric and the shade are marvellous, the cut would do me justice, that lace is so feminine, so now I'm basically wishing for a "Downton Abbey" party as well. What are your thoughts on vintage fashion- are you just as fascinated with the way people used to dress? Would you like to buy a dress like that? If so, would it be for a theme party or you'd actually wear it on a daily basis? I still think the first dress (the white flapper style) is totally wedding dress material- do you agree?

Madrid Day 2: Bernabeu Tour

noreply@blogger.com (Mary M.) — Wed, 02 May 2018 18:02:00 +0000

"I only wave the white flag when Real Madrid wins" - Rio , La Casa de Papel

Long time, no blogging, and when you write a travel story long time after the trip took place, it all comes out differently. Because you don't remember every single detail, but you know the feelings you had when you encountered certain places.

This is a very special post, and it took a lot for me to write it because there are a million ways I could do it. I could write it the day we took the photos, after Real Madrid beat PSG on Bernabeu, or when I got at home I thought about giving every single detail of the Bernabeu tour for the fans. As I am writing this, Real Madrid qualified for the third time in a row in the UCL final! Therefore, I decided to tell you a little story about my unconditional love for Real Madrid so you can understand why I'm smiling like a little kid at Disneyland in all these photos.

People tell me all the time " Don't you get bored of rooting for Real Madrid? What's the fun in being a fan for a team which is just expected to win everything?" Let's get one thing straight. When I became a Real Madrid fan, it was all about that Camerun effect they talk about in "La Casa de Papel" (meaning, when you see Brazil playing against Camerun at World Cup, you're always going to root for Camerun, it's human nature to root for the underdog). Real Madrid had a strong team, but weren't getting anywhere in the UCL. They were barely getting into 1/8 stage and losing there. And still, I fell in love with the team not just because of that, but I also saw they had something which represents me to the core: a strive for perfection. I'm aware perfection isn't achievable, but the drive for it makes you the best in your field. And every single player to be presented at Bernabeu had that in his eyes and a fighting spirit! No matter how many years went by, the spirit and the need to win everything is there. And I think that's the core of Real Madrid's team spirit, I love how when we're a couple of goals down they motivate themselves and come back stronger.

And one more thing I need to point out for the ones that tell me "it's so easy when you have the most talented players in the world". I don't know how far talent gets you. There are way more talented people who never earned even 1/100 of what Real Madrid players make. And why? Because I think this team has the most hard-working players. That's the right word. And I don't mean just the amount of time they spend on the field and in the gym afterwards, but the fact they dedicate every single aspect of their life to their career at this club. See how Cristiano Ronaldo eats in order to still run like that on the field. See how Marco Asensio describes his usual days at just 22 years old (my age). I saw an interview in Spanish a while ago and I'll give you the summary: practice, lunch, a nap, dinner, some time spent with family (sometimes watching football games) & he doesn't really like to go out in clubs etc. That's someone who deserves to lift the UCL at 21, so let's not just let the newspapers praise their talent. Committing to your job with such determination gets you the trophies!

And speaking of trophies, let's get back to my Bernabeu tour. I've never been so emotional like the minute I walked into their UCL trophy room. Because I remembered every single final I saw them take the trophy home. In the last two years, it was during finals season (just like it will be this year as well) and it didn't matter. I couldn't study, I just had to live in the moment and cheer them on, even in front of my TV and with stacks of books around me. And I knew, looking at all those trophies, we deserve to get in the final this year as well, and I'm so happy to blog about this now. Just when I thought the tour couldn't get better, after the trophy room we entered a room with a short movie projected on a black wall (the players are like twice your size, to get the picture). This movie made me shed some tears of joy because it was basically the whole route we had to take in 2017 for the UCL - all the goals and big shots. Even my best friend who wasn't a Real Madrid fan per se got major goosebumps and we stayed there to watch it 3 times. Haters will say it's just common marketing, but I know I need some good fairytales in my life, and that movie was the best. Real Madrid, with all the magic goals, comebacks, secret handshakes, tough-love from the fans, fantasy records, is in my heart forever! When I hear the word "CHAMPION" the team pops into my mind first and I know it will always be like that.

PS: The outfit photos are all taken at the Bernabeu because I took so many photos on the tour my phone died and we had to rely on my bff's phone for the rest of the day. I'm wearing a H&M kimono dress because the blue details match the stadium and also because, being one of the most popular teams in the world, the Real Madrid jersey is too high-priced for me! I keep waiting for a season that will make me fall in LOVE with the jersey, because I know for a fact I'm only gonna buy one haha.

A POR LA 13!

H&M kimono dress, Primark leggings, Zara boots, Zara bag, Pandora bracelets

12 is my favorite number because it's the day I was born, and I couldn't be happier Marcelo wears this jersey! Not only he is the best left-back, but you can see how he lives for the team, he really knows how to motivate everyone!

With my bff, who had the toughest job- take so many photos of me because I basically wanted a photo of everything haha. On the whole tour, I've only seen one more fan who took the amount of photos I took- he was wearing a 22 T-shirt (Isco).

Madrid- Day One

noreply@blogger.com (Mary M.) — Mon, 26 Feb 2018 16:04:00 +0000

I took some time before writing about Madrid because I needed to tone down the excitement a notch. Because travelling is so subjective and if I wrote this the minute I got back home I'm pretty sure it would have been all in caps and lots of exclamation points haha. But seriously, I never visited one city which made me feel so at home before this trip. It has everything I ever wanted: glorious art museums, my favorite football team in the world (spoiler alert : the next post will be exclusively about this), clean streets, magnificient arhitecture, amazing history (I basically wanted to move in the Royal Palace!), great shopping and INCREDIBLE PEOPLE! I will make a comparison to Paris, because it's always been the city of my dreams. When I visited Paris, it had all the things I previously mentioned (minus the Real Madrid team) but somehow I felt a sort of unease. I mean, it wasn't so safe to walk on the main boulevards at night (not the case for Madrid!), everything was more expensive and people were polite, but in Spain they're so loving and helpful! It's like they have a 6th sense for tourists who need help. I was sceptical at first because I never encountered such an hospitality in a big city, maybe we were blessed with this incredible experience because we stayed in the lovely neighborhood of Lavapies.

If you have been reading my blog for a while, you must know how much I love Andy Warhol. Although Andy may have taken his art lightly at times, famously saying "art is what you can get away with" I disagree with anyone who thinks what Andy did was not art. In my opinion, he is the father of the most fun & joyful art to watch: POP ART. My personality is a paradox, I admit: I can read for months books of history and stare in front of a Botticelli paintings for hours, but there is also a side of me who reads Mindy Kaling's crazy funny books and won't leave the sketches section Andy made for Vogue & so many fashion brands over the years! I don't get people who say you can be only into one type of culture/art. Pop art history is so fascinating, there are so many commercials which Andy invented and which are still going strong today and I bet you have no idea, I'm a fan and I just learned about the Absolut sketch on my trip to Madrid. Somehow, luck follows me when I visit a city: it's the third time I went somewhere and I found a pop-up Andy Warhol exhibition! This one in Madrid is really ground-breaking, with over 300 works of Andy, so much history and massive gift shop with all Andy Warhol things inspired (good thing I had my bff Simona with me and she only let me buy the small souvenirs, otherwise I'm pretty sure I would have spent most of my money on day one!). You can find it until May at Caixa Forum Madrid. I was so impressed with the fact they recreated one of Andy's project which people aren't really familiar with: CLOUDS. Andy made this from the NASA fabrics, in an era when everyone was obsessed with silver because it represented space and our hopes for the future. It's shocking how you can enter a room and just play with giant clouds, no they don't feel like helium balloons, you just want to move there, you could see everyone with a giant smile on their faces as they entered the room!

After this whole incredible experience, we visited the Prado museum. I loved it so so much, Velazquez is a genius, I'm so happy I got to see so many of his works, the famous "Las Meninas" is so moving, we just didn't want to leave its side. Also, the Garden of Earthly Delights by Hieronymous Bosch left me speechless. I recommend visiting the Prado museum before the Royal Palace like we did because the museum is full of paintings of all the royals of Spain and when you get to the Royal Palace you'll be like "I know them all! I know their history! This king was painted by Velazquez". After that, we took a stroll and we ended up in front of this iconic Metropolis building and then enjoyed the exctiment on Gran Via because it was match night- Real Madrid was playing against PSG in UCL. It was one of my biggest dream to see the match on the Bernabeu but we couldn't afford the tickets. Still, watching the match in Madrid is a whole different experience than at home- the whole city freezes, everyone is so focused & you should hear the noise&joy when the team scores. They won 3-1 and it was a perfect way to end our first night in Madrid!

ZARA velvet dress, ZARA boots, ZARA bag, Primark tights, Jord watch, Pandora bracelets

In front of the Caixa Forum- the building is famous for its arhitecture, it includes this huge green wall!

Yes, I do want to wear this, I got a blue wide belt which would go perfectly with Andy's Flowers.

Best display of Marilyns ever!!!

With my best friend S. who had tremendous patience when it came to taking photos of me in the Warhol exhibition, I just wanted photos with all the paintings haha

Mary & the Marilyns

Blush Pink & Bucharest

noreply@blogger.com (Mary M.) — Sat, 10 Feb 2018 08:00:00 +0000

♪ Drake- God's Plan ♪

Hello, I'm back and in the mood for blogging! Maybe my absence is because I took Drake's "I'll be back in 2018 to give you the summary" lyrics to heart haha. But there are 3 major reasons I couldn't find time to blog lately:

1. Finals season- over now, and I'm not gonna lie, it was the most exhausting in my four years of Med School.

2. There aren't any photographers available on finals season (obviously) plus it's hard to look fabulous in the snow, I don't know how so many girls do it, I just get a Rudolph nose 1 minute into the shoot haha.

3. I have a new passion project. Eating healthy is one of my major 2018 resolutions and I started an Instagram page to document my journey, plus I wanted to share with all of you my sugar-free, low calorie & sometimes gluten free recipes. You can find them all on DietAndDesserts.

This is the outfit I wore on one of my favorite December days of 2017. I was in Bucharest for a Medical Congress and I planned the best day with my best friend Simona- I finally had the famous American pancakes at Maison Des Crêpes and I got to hang out with S.'s close friends and I love the fact we bonded over medicine and food because they're both passionate cooks, I learned a lot of cool tips that day. After that, it was time for a stroll at the Romanian Athenaeum, my favorite place to take photos in Bucharest (thank you S. for these photos & patience) it always reminds me of Paris. Then came the highlight of the day, I finally got to see the National Museum Of Art and I was mesmerized with Stefan Luchian's flowers, as always, Nicolae Grigorescu's work and of course, Brancusi's "Wisdom of the Earth"- I really got the chills when I saw it. We ended the day with a trip to Ikea and I was just over the moon.

I wore the exact same outfit yesterday and I remembered I never posted these photos. I love this blush pink dress I got in the Black Friday sales at Zara, still can't believe how cheap it was! But the star of the outfit is the Forever21 backpack I got on that same trip in Bucharest from Forever 21 - I mean, the velvet, the color, the size! It's the backpack I've been looking for my whole life!

COS coat, Zara dress, Primark leggins, Forever21 backpack, Stradivarius belt, Pandora bracelet, Jord Watch

Some New Year Thoughts

noreply@blogger.com (Mary M.) — Sun, 31 Dec 2017 12:42:00 +0000

♪ Drake - Signs ♪

I wanted to post a regular fashion post today, but after making these two Pavlova cakes I felt like it should be one of those introspective blog posts I tend to do sometimes. I will not talk about my personal resolutions for 2018, I just want to take a moment to be grateful for what 2017 has given me : a new home, where I can bake just how much I like, a major love for a subject in Med School which I did not expect, a better approach to my health issues, stronger relationships with my friends, an ability to prioritize better. That being said, it's hard to think that 2018 can be better, but I hope it stays just as good.

Still, when your personal life is so great, you tend to forget the issues our world is facing. When I was young, I would watch these comedies where everyone would mock the contestants in a pageant because they all said they wanted " world peace". And obviously, they didn't know how it could be achieved. I remember telling myself at 6 that when I would be older I would discover how you can do this. I'm 22, and I'm still clueless. I found probably the most inspiring speech of 2017 for me, a couple days ago. And I will leave you with the statement that I can resonate on so many levels:

"Ours is a world at an epic intersection, driven by the confluence of deepened globalization and disruptive technologies. We are at the brink of a fourth industrial revolution, which is redefining how we function as societies and how we relate to one another as human beings. Our hyper-connected world is at once bringing people closer together and widening the divisions between them."

- HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS CROWN PRINCE AL HUSSEIN BIN ABDULLAH II at the UN General Assembly, September 2017 (you can read the whole transcript here).

Therefore, without getting political, what I really want for 2018 is a safer world. With less tension and tragedies, less rash decisions taken by some world leaders. And I know it's completely out of my hands, but I can pray for it. And I will also pray that, if you are reading this, will have an incredible 2018. Full of love, laughter and good memories. Know when it's time to go out and take a break, but also don't forget to focus on your work. Find a balance, and if you're not happy with what you're doing right now, take a leap of faith. Be brave, be bold, be kind, but most importantly, be the best version of yourself!

Have fun at your party tonight!

Kisses and hugs, Mary

The Black Dress Factor

noreply@blogger.com (Mary M.) — Tue, 26 Dec 2017 19:04:00 +0000

♪ Mama always told me - G-Eazy♪

I hope everyone had a joyful Christmas, full of love and surprises from family and friends! For me, Christmas always has that special impact and it was even more special this year because I got to host it in my own home. Let me know if you'd like a post on all the decorations and cakes I baked, although you must have seen them all on my Instagram profile ( @marymanaila) .

This holiday also meant watching the second season of "The Crown" (I wrote about how much I love the show in a previous post) and also two weeks prior to being released by Netflix I started watching tons of documentaries about the royal family (I'm behind with my TV shows because of them &if you don't know me: it's something major!). And just as I was about to start the 5th episode of "The Royal House of Windsor" I remembered I took these photos at the Palace of Culture this autumn and I totally forgot to post them. It's funny because I was attending a Medical Congress and I had no intention of doing a photoshoot, but when I saw this setting I couldn't help it.

Also, I finally get to show you my favorite winter dress! I got it last year from Mango and I love its duality: last year I used to wear it with statement jewellery and it would seem like a casual chic look (it has these cotton stripes which seem both elegant and easy-going at the same time) and this year I went for the classy version with these over the knee boots. The lenght is divine and it has these cuts on the sides, such a wow factor! Do you have that one item in your closet which you can wear on two totally different occasions?

Thanks to my dear friend Codrina for the photos, they were taken in a rush and still, these are some of my 2017 favorites.

MANGO dress, ZARA boots, JORD watch, Pandora bracelet

Don't stress, do your best!

noreply@blogger.com (Mary M.) — Thu, 30 Nov 2017 08:00:00 +0000

♪ By Design - Kid Cudi ft. Andre Benjamin ♪

I needed to do some soul-searching because if you're reading this and you know me (in my natural environment) I'm really stressed about a lot of things. In theory, I am aware of what I should do to control certain moods, but throw in Med School, with tons of tests and hours spent away from home and there goes your zen state! At least in my case, and I think for me this comes from the responsibility my future job entails. I don't have time to learn a course about a disease, let's say. I never hear about it again, since it's not in the domain I choose. What if years later a patient comes with that disease and I'm not able to see the signs? This is exaggerated example, but you get the point. It has been really hard for me to live a balanced life in college. Something's gotta give! I found the cutest pink notebook at Stradivarius two weeks ago (dear Secret Santa, if you're reading this, take note haha) and it had a motto on it "Don't stress, do your best!". It may seem plain and simple, but it was just the boost that I needed.

I started accepting that I can't control every aspect of my life and I'm currently using the quote from that notebook as a mantra. It's okay to go with your friends when you have a two-hour break every Tuesday to eat fast food and take walks in the park. We laugh about how in our first years we would run straight to the library and make every minute of the gap count! I wrote this because maybe some of you are struggling with anxiety or stress and I need you to know that IT'S OKAY. You can change this, you just have to love and put yourself first. Surround yourself with positive people and save some time for your soul.

For this special post, I wore a special outfit. This is the dress I bought when I started my first year in Med School. I took photos of my outfit back then, and it was my first blog post away from home. As I am comparing the photos, I can see how much I've changed. And I'm not just talking about the fact that now I know how to apply makeup haha. And let's all take a moment to appreciate my dear friend Codrina for capturing this precious moment!

H&M dress, Zara boots, Jord watch, Pandora bracelet

Fall Florals

noreply@blogger.com (Mary M.) — Thu, 16 Nov 2017 20:05:00 +0000

♪ Hanni El Katib - Hearbreak Hotel ♪

I don't know if I also blogged about this, but I will say it one more time for those of you who are not following me on Instagram(@marymanaila): I haven't been in love with a fashion season the way I am with F/W 2017-2018 IN SO LONG! Today we're going to talk about my absolute favorite trend for this fall: DARK FLORALS. Zara is the best in this department, they have such a wide range of black dresses with floral prints on! I've been in a vicious circle of saving money and running to Zara afterwards, I might go tomorrow to buy one more floral dress. The thing is I'm not buying them just for the sake of the trend, but they're super classy and they work so well for the medical congresses I'm attending.

My absolute favorite (and the most expensive one) is the dress I'm wearing in these photos. I bought it for a Cardiology Congress, it was just love at first sight and I've been wearing it on a daily basis. I loved it not just for the intricate floral details, but also because it showcases another major trend for this fall polka dots&see-through fabric. And what better place to shoot these photos than the Botanical Garden in Iasi? Every autumn they have a special exhibition with the most beautiful flowers and this year I finally got to visit it with my friends. Special thanks to Codrina for having the patience to shoot this (& my beloved friends), it was by far our hardest shoot because it was super crowded that day and everyone wanted to take photos with the flowers. It was honestly more chaotic than seeing Mona Lisa at the Louvre haha.

What trend are loving most this fall? Have you purchased any floral prints yet?

ZARA dress, ZARA boots, Jord Watch, Pandora bracelet

Autumn Feelings

noreply@blogger.com (Mary M.) — Tue, 07 Nov 2017 14:28:00 +0000

♪ That Side- CyHi The Prynce, Kanye West♪

If Kanye can make a comeback to the music scene (oh, how I missed his music, such a good vibe!) then so can I. Every single college year starts the same- I never have time to blog. It took some time to manage my schedule and work out how can I crowd some small photoshoots with my dear friend Codrina. I have plenty of fall trends I want to show you, but I didn't have time to sort them and edit them yet. It's tricky, but the thing is I love Medicine so much that when the school year starts, it's all I can think about. That being said, once I settle it, I always start missing fashion & blogging.

We took these photos in that marvellous time frame when it's pure autumn, I adored seeing colorful leaves everywhere! I wanted to show you three items I've been wearing this fall obsessively, because I honestly think they're some essential items we should all own:

1. Sweater with a funky message- I love Tally Weijl because they have the best text on their shirts! My cousin Ioana picked this, I got it a gift from London and I can't stop wearing it because it's my favorite color and for some reason the text reminds me of that saying "Kanye attitude with Drake feelings" .

2. Black boots- autumn staple that's for sure, I own plenty of pairs but this one is very special because I got them from my sweet cousin Monica. One day before I left my hometown for college, I tried these with her, in navy. I sighed " if only they were black...". Two weeks later, I received them as a gift from her, they're custom made and honestly I've never had such comfy boots before.

3. Cosy COS Coat - I feel like screaming with joy about this purchase, I've always loved the COS brand and I wanted a new fall coat this year, this navy number is so versatile and easy to wear! I think you should invest in a coat of this lenght and color, because it's perfect to wear with both jeans and skirts, casual to formal.

What did you add to your closet this fall? How are feeling about the fall trends this year?
Tally Weijl sweater, H&M jeans, COS Coat, Pandora bracelet, Jord watch

Ruby Tuesday

noreply@blogger.com (Mary M.) — Tue, 03 Oct 2017 15:42:00 +0000

♪ Ruby Tuesday- The Rolling Stones ♪

I had such a tiring first day of college- 12 hours that I was once again ready to surrender and not blog today. You see, I wanted to blog today because I love my new bordeaux/ruby jacket and the title "Ruby Tuesday" was such a good pun! Friends tried to prepare me for how many hours you spend in hospitals during the 4th year of Med School, but you can't really understand until you experience it. I was also at gone for 10 hours today, but I then I remembered I have as many hours in a day as Beyonce, so I'm writing this post!

I'm not going to focus on the negatives, like prioritizing making sandwiches at 6am over my makeup routine, but I'm going to point out some positive aspects in my life:

1. I'm in love with athleisure right now. I found these pants the same day I also found this top and for me they're both perfect examples of this trend. I love the pants because they're so comfy and these white stripes on the sides make you look so slim and tall. As for this ruby satin top, I love the fact it has a zipper and you can also wear it as a jacket, it's the perfect fall investment, so easy to match with jeans, sport pants or even a bodycon dress.

2. College may be back, but so are my friends!! It's great to share your hardship with eight wonderful people, I'm lucky to have such a support system.

3. I'm hosting a giveaway on my Instagram @marymanaila because I really feel the need to give some of my favorite products- I thought of this because maybe some of you are not excited about going back to uni so maybe the #GIRLBOSS book and some L'Occitane products will cheer you up!

4. I discovered the Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Frappuccino last week and it blew my mind, I called it my best coffee of 2017 and I still stand by my choice.

5. I started cooking 'sugar-free' (not with sweeteners, but with honey/maple syrup, all about that natural sweetness right now) and I made the best banana bread I could ever imagine, it's divine when I put peanut butter on top of it!

6. The same day I found the best coffee in the world, I was lucky to find the last MAC x Nicki Minaj "Spice" lip stain in the store. It matches my Naked Heat makeup so well, just what I needed!

Have a productive week & remember to always find time for what you love!

Wearing: Zara pants, C&A top, Converse shoes, Pandora bracelet, Jord watch

Changes

noreply@blogger.com (Mary M.) — Fri, 22 Sep 2017 16:44:00 +0000

♪ Macklemore feat Skylar Grey- Glorious♪

I've been meditating about a lot of stuff lately, but this happens every single fall I have to leave for university. This post is quite symbolic, because here you have the last summer dress I purchased and wore, the last photos I took with my long hair (head over to Instagram @marymanaila to see my new cut) and the last time I had my bff Simona snap photos for the blog..for the next three months. I can't stand the fact my family doesn't live in the same city as I do (gonna miss my god-daughter so much, she just turned 6 months yesterday) and that my bffs are attending college in Bucharest, but I know it in my heart that it's the best path to adulthood. I value the fact I've been on my own for three years, because it meant stepping out of my comfort zone a lot. And that's the key to growing up in my opinion. I will say there's place for improvement, there were many times I chose to buy a Zara dress instead of buying more expensive ingredients for my meal or the other way around...Being a leo, I'm really impulsive when it comes to buying lavish things and every year I promise I'll be more careful with my finances. Let's see if I can do better this year (although, after becoming obsessed with Benefit cosmetics, I highly doubt it!).

There are a lot of things going through my mind, and it all started from reading Lilly Singh's book "How to be a BAWSE" (twice!). She is honestly unstoppable, I admire how she hustles relentlessly, it's honestly the best motivational book I've ever read. I love following her journey on youtube, she truly is the definition of a SUPERWOMAN. Next on, another movie really touched my heart- "Carrie Pilby". I will admit I pressed "play" on Netflix only out of superficial reasons- William Mosley was on the poster (if you watch The Royals, you know what I'm talking about!) but I was so moved about this movie, and about one major part of it in particular: her favorite book is J.D, Salinger's "Franny & Zooey". I highly doubt there is one reader other than my mom who remembers that I wrote one passionate post about this book and even took photos of it 5 years ago haha. I won't give you any more spoilers, but it's one of those cute young adult movies which melts your heart and makes you realize some important things. On a totally opposite note, I also want to talk about the TV show "The Good Place", because for me it was mind-blowing! You think it's your average comedy sitcom, you watch it because you love Kristen Bell and you're intrigued about the concept: in the afterlife, you either make it to "The Good Place" or the bad place and Eleanor(Bell's character) was sent by accident in the good place- hence the drama and impossible situations. The action builds up, and at the end of season one, you get one major plot twist- like "Who is Gossip Girl" level of MAJOR. I should've expected it from the minute I saw Kristen Bell in the cast haha. To me this was so interesting because the creators of the show managed to turn this cute, funny comedy into a dark & deep show. It really puts things into perspective, I honestly recommend it!

Okay, rant about movies&books over, but I really felt inspired and I wanted to share this, maybe it will help you too. Wishing everyone an amazing weekend, although the weather is not really on our side.

The Boyfriend Jeans Dilemma

noreply@blogger.com (Mary M.) — Thu, 14 Sep 2017 13:16:00 +0000

♪ Flume- Never be like you ♪

I've always been very passionate about standing by my fashion choices, because I'm the type of person to try some things before they are cool or embrace the craziest trends. Most of the times, the first person to question my choices is my mom, because she is quite conservative when it comes to fashion. Ever since I got into Med School, there is a new phrase she uses "I'm not saying I don't like it, it's just something a doctor shouldn't wear". This is, of course, also what she said when she saw these boyfriend ripped jeans. I love my mom, but this is where we agree to disagree. The thing is, I'm in LOVE with these jeans not just because I found them on a major sale when I most neeeded them (on the last day of Untold it rained and I had no jeans in my luggage so I just went to the mall and found them in a heartbeat), but also for the fact they have the best glitter game, exquisite fabric and they fit my curves! I'm not saying I would wear them to the hospital, but I don't get why society virtually sets these crazy rules, I see it fit to wear them whenever I please in my spare time.

I'm obviously thinking on a larger scale right now, there is always a general opinion you shouldn't wear something if you have a certain profession, or dye your hair a certain way or have tattoos. I have decided I will never judge a person by their style, because I believe everyone should feel comfortable in their clothes. There are always these high standards, but society has to evolve at some point. Take pants for example, what would it be like if women never started wearing them? Can you imagine going everywhere wearing a big fluffy skirt and a dreadful corset?

I'm honestly grateful I'm a regular woman and that I'm able to make my own choices, I don't mind the scrutiny. I've been really passionate about the history of the British monarchy lately and I finally had the courage to watch "The Crown" on Netflix. I'm using the term "courage" because portraying history on television is a really delicate matter. I never expected it to be so raw and emotional, to show the events in every small detail- the resemblance with the actual photos and films of the time is spectacular! As most little girls, I used to dream and admire the concept of royals when I was young (Prince Charming was my absolute favorite haha). The fascination never faded away, but I see it with such different eyes right now. I mean, here I am, talking about being free to choose my glitter-y ripped jeans and HRH Princess Margaret had to choose between the love of her life and keeping her title and family. It really puts things in perspective.

PS: You absolutely have to watch the show "Victoria" as well, it's fascinating!

Photo credit: My bff Simona ♥

ZARA boyfriend jeans, Primark top, Musette flats, Pandora bracelet, Jord watch, Carolina Herrera sunglasses

The Plaid Playsuit- Name day & Cachet GIVEAWAY

noreply@blogger.com (Mary M.) — Fri, 08 Sep 2017 07:30:00 +0000

♪ Blondie - Maria ♪

Today I'm celebrating my name day with a very special giveaway because you, my dearest readers, deserve it! I'm feeling really chatty today, so there are lots of things I will blog about in this post.

First of all, let's talk about my name, because I to make some things clear. My birth name is Maria. Ever since she was a little girl, my mom dreamed about having a baby girl named Maria, she just loved it and my dad thought it would go great with my last name. Maria is one of the most popular names in Romania and I personally prefer Mary because when I was 10 I joined Stardoll and I made so many friends there (that's how I learned English actually) who would always call me Mary! When I started to blog, many of my Stardoll friends (we kept in touch thanks to one wonderful invention called facebook) read it so I just went by Mary. Here's where it gets funny. My family started to read my blog as well and they just started calling me Mary as a pet name. The rest of the people I know call me Maria, but I love the fact that I'm called Mary at home, it feels intimate. There are downsizes to being named Maria (all sorts of songs about my name, I hear people calling my name on a daily basis- I have a very close friend called Maria in college, you never know which one of us is requested at some point) but I love the fact I always get to celebrate my name day, it's always an important day in my family!

Therefore, I wanted to mark this special occasion with a GIVEAWAY. I teamed up with Cachet, the amazing brand I wrote about here. You may have seen on Instagram my Odyssey Iphone case arrived and I absolutely love it! What you should know about me is the fact that I'm very particular about dressing up my phone. The first big brand purchase I ever did? A Marc Jacobs Ipad case, just so you can get the picture - I just thought "I may not afford to dress in Marc Jacobs, but my Ipad sure will" . I kept this philosophy in my life and the cases on my phone reflect my mood, my style, different occasions. I'm also particular about quality, so the Odyssey Cachet case really ticks all my boxes, it's limited edition and it came with a certificate of authenticity.

I wanted to show you how I match my outfits to my phone & also talk about the 2017 fall trend report. Plaids are back in style, and better than ever! I got this lovely plaid playsuit from Zara, their store is full of plaid, but I loved this piece because you noticed I have a thing for playsuits, I loved the color scheme (you can never go out of style in black & white) and I can't wait to wear it with my black thigh-high boots when it gets chilly! I also love my new black&white earrings, they're the gift my parents got me for my name day, I was obsessed with the Dior pearl earrings and this pair sort of reminds me of them.

So, what do you have to do in order to win one limited edition Cachet mobile phone case? Pick your favorite one (the whole collection is here) & just follow these 3 (MANDATORY) easy-peasy steps:

1).Follow Cachet on Facebook , like this Facebook photo & comment under it which Cachet case you would like to win. (you can see the whole collection here)

2). Follow Mary's Fashion Diary through Bloglovin' / Facebook / Instagram (@marymanaila)

3).Leave your name, email address, Bloglovin number/Facebook name/Instagram name on the Raffflecopter form .

EXTRA ENTRIES:

One extra entry if you share the link of your favorite Cachet case on your Facebook profile (the share has to be public)

One extra entry if you follow me on two of my social media accounts instead of one (specify which- Bloglovin'/Facebook/Instagram)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

THE GIVEAWAY RUNS: 8th of September- 30th of September and it is INTERNATIONALLY OPEN.

DESIGNS are AVAILABLE FOR THE FOLLOWING MOBILES

iPhones

iPhone 7

iPhone 7 Plus

iPhone 6/6s

Samsung Galaxy

Samsung Galaxy s8

Samsung Galaxy s8 Plus

Good luck & have an amazing day! Ols

ZARA plaid playsuit, Musette flats, Cachet case, Pandora bracelet, Jord Watch

https://www.bloggiveawaydirectory.com

The Floral Playsuit

noreply@blogger.com (Mary M.) — Wed, 06 Sep 2017 10:28:00 +0000

♪ Portugal. The Man - Feel it still ♪

Summer's over, no matter how hard for me it is to accept the facts. And whenever one season is over, I make a top in my mind of my most-worn clothes for the past three months (it's a real struggle, quite the Oscar of Fashion haha). I do this because whenever new trends arise, I can't help buying some pieces which I end up wearing the whole season! The next year I wear those a couple of times and I obsess over some other new buys. It's the circle of ~~life~~ fashion.

In this post I'm showing you the top 3 pieces of Summer '17 in my closet. These photos were taken the very day I worn these three together, back when my best friend Simona gave me my bday present early, this gorgeous black Stradivarius backpack (it saved my Untold experience, you should always bring a backpack instead of a bag at festivals). What I love about it is the fact that it's black, so it's super versatile and matches everything in my closet and those floral details, they just bring everything to life!

Next up, we have the nude Musette flats. These were not bought on a whim, this is a well-thought purchase I've been saving money for- I waited for them to go on sale. I've owned a navy pair for three years now, worn them non-stop and they're in perfect condition, so I know I'll be buying my flats from Musette for life, their quality is exceptional!

Now, la pièce de résistance, the ZARA floral playsuit. I can't remember the last item I got so many compliments on, I love this playsuit with all my heart. I also love the ruffles, you know it's been a huge trend this summer. I've worn this piece to all the parties and family events I attended this August, I've worn it out on casual walks, on trips, just everywhere! I can't explain how much I love the print and the color scheme, but I want to point out two things I never expected to enjoy so much when I bought it: the fact that I can eat how much I want at a party (you can see how the ruffles come together at the front, no more tight dresses to worry about haha) and how everyone compliments me on my "dress" - it's actually a playsuit, but those front ruffles hide the shorts. Honestly, I'm so sad I won't be wearing this for at least 6 months, it's become my favorite piece!

Did you buy a piece that you've worn obsessively this summer? Are you ready for the fall trends and shopping?

ZARA floral playsuit, Musette flats, Stradivarius backpack, JORD watch, Pandora bracelet

With my bff S. (thanks for taking these photos!)

Untold Day 3- Unforgettable

noreply@blogger.com (Mary M.) — Mon, 04 Sep 2017 14:14:00 +0000

♪ Tinie Tempah- Holy Moly ♪

Honestly, I've attended many music festivals, but when I think about the most memorable night for me, my mind instantly goes back to the third day of Untold 2017. It's because that day we had our fair share of surprises- from the food we tried to the artists we decided at the last minute to go check on smaller stages.

We got to the festival early in order to have lunch there and experience the activities. I had the best streetfood experience- a hotdog and homemade fries, topped with their homemade sauce, I was hooked. The maracuja lemonade from Meron served as the best dessert. I was also determined to be there early in order to see Tinie Tempah live (we managed to be in the second row). Living in Romania, Tinie Tempah would always be in the top 10 with his pop/rap/hip-hop hits when I was in highschool and honestly, thanks to him I discovered I was the most attracted to this type of beat- and that's how I started to try and listen to rap. The rest is history, I've been mainly listening to rap for six years now. My favorite album will always be "Demonstration" for all the fashion references and for the whole vibe. He dropped his YOUTH album this spring and it has so many tracks I would play on repeat while stuck in traffic! During the concert, my best friend S. would be like "I heard that in your car first". Therefore, I was excited to see him live for the first time. He did not disappoint, there was so much energy, love and showmanship, it was truly a performance I'll always remember!

I honestly thought it couldn't get better after Tinie Tempah, but little did I know- the whole night was going to be EPIC. The Hurts followed and my heart just melted! After that we took a leap of faith and went to other stages to see Romanian artists and we had so much fun, the energy was crazy! Then we tried some ice-cream crepes- they tasted incredible, but it was not such a good idea to get ice-cream crepes during summer- there was ice-cream everywhere and my black dress had to pay the consequences (luckly, the spots got out quickly, because the dress is all lace).

After we got to the main stage- something mind-blowing followed- Marshmello's mix. I knew who he was, but I did not know we would mix at least 15 of my favorite rap songs- I was in house/dance/hip-hop/rap heaven, his mix was just my cup of tea!! I remember I just couldn't stop smiling and singing my favorite lyrics! Armin van Buuren followed and he is considered the ultimate king of Untold, in case you didn't know.

I had such an amazing time, I will keep these memories close to my heart forever, and I also loved what I was wearing that day. I found this black lace dress at H&M, on sale for 12 euros, it was the last one and some of the lace was torn apart. I bought it anyways, because I paid 1/3 of the original price and I solved the problem quickly with a needle and a black thread. I was told it's a basic festival piece and I couldn't agree more, it was so comfy and chic at the same time!

H&M dress, Bata sandals, Stradivarius backpack, Carolina Herrera sunglasses, Pandora bracelet, JORD watch

Stationery Love

noreply@blogger.com (Mary M.) — Wed, 30 Aug 2017 07:00:00 +0000

I realized today I never shared with you one aspect that fundamentally represents me: my obsession for stationery (or maybe those of you who follow me on Instagram have noticed this over time!). It started early on in my life, my mom still drags me out of the stationery department in every store (shoutout to you, mom, for letting me buy all those cool notebooks today!) and my friends know they can never go wrong with some cute invitations, a diary or glittery pens. One really important aspect when I host a party is the invitation. I'm really particular about my ideas, so I usually do them on my own. Come to think of it, I think that's why I started using Photoshop in the first place. My funniest work yet was for my house-warming party, I won't go into details but I will say this: Codename: kids next door haha.

Therefore, you can understand that I'm always looking for inspiration when it comes to invitations (thank God for Pinterest!). I was searching for birthday invitations the other day, when I came across Basic Invite. Honestly, I felt like Carrie Bradshaw entering a Manolo Blahnik store! The templates are beautiful and tasteful, and you choose every single detail you'd like for you invitation. And this is where it got amazing to me: they have the same thinking when it comes to colors as I do-the more shades, the better. You can choose from their +180 colors, and you can change the color of each element on your card-talking about shades of pure joy. If I'm being honest, I would probably end up doing them all in rose gold foil, but you know me and my obsessions by now haha. What really got me over the moon was this wedding invitation I found on Pinterest(collage number 3) which came in a hot pink envelope and then I discovered they have over 40 different colors of envelopes. Like, honestly, how do I go back to my homemade cards after seeing this? I gotta step up my game!

You know how my brain is ultimately wired to fashion (I mean, I do own a fashion blog). While going through their surprise party invitations I actually started thinking what I would wear for such an occasion. I thought I would make some visual moodboards to share them with you. It all started with the first card, for a birthday with an ice cream parlour theme. I don't know who Sarah is, but two things are certain: she is brilliant for choosing this theme and her friends are so lucky to attend this! I would wear some pastels to match the ice-cream for sure, and the dress would have to be ethereal and loose (there is ice-cream involved after all, I wouldn't come in skin tight jeans haha).

For the second scenario I was even more excited, because I found this first birthday invitation. That's obviously because I love my god-daughter so much (it's her name day today, by the way: Happy name day, little angel!! ) and I can't wait for the day she'll turn one, because I know she is going to have an epic party (I'm already making a moodboard on Pinterest). What would I wear? A dress for sure, but I would try to keep it light and casual, and in the childhood theme, so I guess those Chiara Ferragni slip-ons would do the trick (keep daydreaming, Mary!)

And let's not forget about wedding invitations, because everyone knows they are the trickiest (I grew up watching Bridezillas, so many flaskbacks right now). I honestly feel like you can't fail if you choose Basic Invite, because it's all on you. You make every single choice, and they have this unique option of custom samples. It's great to see everything on paper and the color in real life before sending out hundreds of them! I also love the free address collection service- you share a link they provide with your guests, they can write their address once they click on it, and you receive a nice list of all the addresses you have to mail your cards to.

How do you deal with special occasions, my dear readers? Am I the only one who cares about every single detail (especially stationery) so much?

Can you even deal with this level of perfection? #invitationgoals

Untold Day 2 : The Chic Choker

noreply@blogger.com (Mary M.) — Wed, 23 Aug 2017 09:02:00 +0000

♪ Summer Bummer - Lana del Rey, A$AP Rocky, Playboi Carti♪

This spring one major 2000s trend came back: the choker. I didn't know what to think of it, because back when it was in fashion I was 10 years old and I would wear one non-stop. Therefore, I kind of associated it with childhood, and I couldn't bring myself to buy one. It all changed when my cousin Ioana was abroad on vacation and she asked me if I would like a cool choker from Tally Wejil. I was intrigued, because she told me it had several charms, it wasn't just a simple choker. Little did I know she would also pick a dress from Primark in the exact same color as the choker! When I received these two items together I knew right away- "here's my second Untold festival outfit!". Kudos to Ioana for her flawless fashion choices, it was such an amazing gift to receive!

The dress is super light and breezy, truly a summer dream and the best choice in terms of festival wear! The only thing I had to add is this wide belt, which fortunately is purple, because the dress doesn't really emphasize your waist on its own. I absolutely loved this look, it was effortless, comfy and cute at the same time!

Special thanks to my best friend Simona for taking the photos!

Primark dress, Bata sandals, Bershka belt, Tally Weijl choker, Pandora bracelet, JORD watch

Couldn't resist the temptation of a floral swing photo, I'm only human haha

The best lemonade I had in Cluj- Passion Fruit from Meron

What do you do when H&M has such a beautiful background? M is for Mary obviously!

Pretty Prom Dresses

noreply@blogger.com (Mary M.) — Sun, 20 Aug 2017 14:15:00 +0000

Hello there, dear readers, I've been away for the last week, celebrating my sister's birthday. This included three days of intense shopping, she basically upgraded her wardrobe- highschool mode: on! It was exciting because all her life she didn't show much interest in clothes, she would always make me pick her clothes from Zara kids and that was it. I've noticed a big change in her behaviour this year, and it's so fun to shop with her and have an ice-tea at Starbucks in between shops! Now that she's starting highschool, all the old memories came back to me, one of them being PROM.

I decided to blog about this because I feel like in the four years since I graduated, the online prom dresses industry has gotten insane! You can basically order anything you have on your mind online: lace, embellishments Elie Saab style, Kardashian style dresses which bring out every curve, and all in any color you wish! There still remains one issue- the price. After some research, I was shocked to discover Cheap Prom Dresses - with the discount they have right now, they cost like half of what I paid on mine!

I found all these super affordable prom dresses on Shirs.co.uk and I thought I would make a mini guide with what I believe is trending right now when it comes to prom dresses because they are all too beautiful to resist! I also love the fact they upload photos of the customers for some dresses, this way you can imagine how it would look on your better.

First and foremost, there is always going to be THE BLACK DRESS. Many girls opted for a black dress in my generation, because it's timeless, you can always wear it on future occasions and black exudes elegance. But I feel like in the present, the black dress game is incredible!! All the ample skirts, Grace Kelly style, some paired with a lace crop top, or a backless cut, I just love the selection of Evening dresses they have at Shirs!

Secondly, let's talk about MADEMOISELLE PASTEL trend. Back in my prom days (God, I sound so old) we were all obsessed with Elie Saab and Valentino couture or Maria Lucia Hohan. Unfortunately, back then there weren't many dresses to resemble them in the high street stores and you couldn't really find someone to do those subtle embellishments. I see this is no longer a problem, I couldn't take my eyes off these feminine, graceful dresses! If I were in highschool, I would wear the bottom right one in a hearbeat, I feel like it's tailored to my soul!

Navy Love - Ever since Kate Middleton wore that iconic engagement dress, people went crazy for navy lace! I'm in that group as well, these long dresses are so beautiful and perfect, I can't honestly pick a favorite out of these four!

How do you feel about the online prom dress shopping? I love the variety, we never had so many options! I can't wait to help my sister pick hers four years from now! Who knows what new exciting things will be trending then?

Untold Day One

noreply@blogger.com (Mary M.) — Mon, 14 Aug 2017 13:06:00 +0000

I turned 22 this weekend and it turned out to be so much more exciting than I would have expected! The same goes for the Untold festival I attended again this summer! Last year, I didn't know what to expect, but I loved every minute of it: good music, great fun and amazing food! This year I came with certain expectation: I wondered if the DJs I loved last year would have better sets or I would be disappointed. Not only my favorite artists were better this year, but I also finally got to see some live acts I've been dreaming for ages: Tinnie Tempah, MO, Ellie Goulding, Hurts. I also discovered Marshmello this year, and he made my top 3 (along with Afrojack and Martin Garrix) because I found 10 of my favorite rap songs remixed in his set (he seems like a K Lamar fan, I loved this!).

I don't normally post photos on the blog with people in the background (I've been taught since my early blogging days this is a major faux pas) but I had to share with you the outfit I wore on the first day because the message on my T-shirt is my favorite! The fact that it matched my number one skirt was also a plus, I don't think I ever got to post any photos of this skirt on my blog.

As I'm writing this post and seeing the photos, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's voice from Beyonce's "Flawless" comes to mind:

"Feminist: the person who believes in the social,

Political, and economic equality of the sexes"

ZARA skirt, Stradivarius T-shirt, Bata sandals, Stradivarius backpack, JORD watch, Pandora bracelet, Carolina Herrera sunglasses

Also notable: before heading to the festival, we had lunch in my favorite place in Cluj, Marty, where I was finally reunited with the best cheesecake I had in my life: it's an Oreo& Nutella cheesecake, I had to show it to you:

Tourist in my city

noreply@blogger.com (Mary M.) — Thu, 10 Aug 2017 17:07:00 +0000

♪ No complaints - Metro Boomin, Offset, Drake ♪

I'm finally fully rested after the Untold festival, and I'm ready to blog about my amazing vacation! It started last Monday, when I went with my bff S. to Iasi. S. is a Med student in Bucharest, so every summer she wants to visit me to Iasi, she's grown fond of my city. She also visited in April, when we attended the Students Medical Congress together, but this time it was special because we didn't have to cram into my one-person bed in my dorm room, with me having moved out into my own home.

We stayed for three days, as we left on Thursday morning to Cluj to attend the Untold Festival. Whenever S. comes to Iasi, we have our traditions. One being going out for a walk in the Botanical Garden (not exactly a walk, more like a workout if you know those stairs I'm talking about haha!). There were 37 Celsius degrees that day, but we managed because it was so beautiful! I'll also include some photos from the meal we had after at Buena Vista, my favorite restaurant when it comes to South American food.

For my outfit, I chose something that would be equally chic and sporty: my IVY PARK bodysuit. It's actually from the first Ivy Park collection Beyonce launched, it was super hard to get my hands on this one because it was the most popular piece in that collection, it had to be shipped to U.K. to my cousin and he brought it to me two months later. I love it, and every time I wear it I remember that commercial where Beyonce asks "Where is your PARK?". It may sound cliché, but it's so true, we all need that place where we can meditate without a care in the world. Also, this summer sales were my favorite because I finally found the perfect black shorts at ZARA. I've been looking for the right pair for three years now, I love that the fabric is so light. Also, I'm wearing my backpack I got from S. for my birthday, she had to give my gift early because it was perfect for Untold, I could dance without a care in the world this way!

Ivy Park bodysuit, Zara shorts, Bata sandals, Stradivarius backpack, Jord watch, Pandora bracelet

When we arrived on Monday, we ended up doing the very M. & S. thing we always do- have ice tea & chat. I swear time just freezes when we're at Stabucks with that forest fruit tea in our hands, it's magic.

The food we had at Buena Vista after- the best chicken crust to my knowledge is here, all the South American condiments are on point! I always end up ordering this simple plate because of this. For dessert, their famous pancakes which are made from corn flower, topped with chocolate sauce, banana and nuts.

On our last day, we met up with my cousin to eat lunch at La Pergola (the best Italian restaurant outside of Italy!!) and see Dunkirk. I had to share with you the best chocolate cake, I wish I knew the recipe: