Vintage Finds in the Streets of NYC

A new old Outfit Post for today :) I know that I am lacking on posts at the moment, but I'm in the middle of my exams and there are also other activities I'm doing beside of blogging ;-) But you can check my Instagram and Facebook Accounts for bits'n pieces of health, fashion and food :-P I've been thinking a lot about my time in the States lately and when I strolled through old NYC pictures, I found these :)

Here are some shots of me at the Hell's Kitchen Fleamarket in Manhattan. That moment I was really! indecisive about the purchase of this Vintage Oversize Blazer. I bet you know how it is: there's a super special item and then you don't really know if it fits to your wardrobe.. hmm.. and then you start thinking and thinking and doubting and well.. are you going to buy it? Hmm.. Sorry to all my lovely friends who go shopping with me and know that I do need my time to decide, and thanks guys for your patience ♥ 

So, it was a yellow-plaid LaFayette Blazer, which I threw over a Forever 21 shirt, black skinny jeans, my beloved and unfortunately worn-out Blowfish Boots and a brown scarf, paired with some brownish jewelery :) 

How do you guys like this rather colorful mixture on me? 

P.S.: I did end up buying the blazer, but since then I only wore it once for an art exhibition. I've decided to sell it at a flea market last year ;-) It was supposed to make someone else happy ;-)

Featured in NYC Issue by OFF COLOR

                

Last night, my dear friends from the online magazine Off Color dropped their 4th issue about one of the most amazing cities on this planet!!! Katrin, one of the two sisters, just came home from her short trip to New York and wanted to share with you what she has experienced. Not only do I share my love for the city with them, but I was happy to be featured in this issue again :) This time, I was asked to answer a few questions about what? Yes, of course, the city!!!

Inside you will find a NYC guide, some cool stores to visit and hot shots from people she met there, but I don't want to talk too much. Dive into it and let the pictures, texts, mood inspire you from the city that never sleeps and where Off Color was born.

Thank you for featuring me in this issue again :) I think you guys did an amazing job ♥ Please, keep up your work, do what you love and stay strong. Embrace the difference and stay true to yourself. Words from the NYC Ghost story:

You've got the resources, two hands and a brain.

You can make it anywhere.

The Brother's Sweater

As the title says, I've did it again and borrowed this light-grey sweater from one of my family members. When I woke up this morning, I've checked my schedule and did not feel like wearing something too fancy for school and my date with a dear friend. 

Hmm.. what to do when most of your clothes are still in the washing machine? Look around and see what you can find :) This morning, it was my brother's sweater and I've knocked on his door - he was still sleeping - and asked for permission like 'Hey there, can I have your sweater?' Haha, he answered with 'Just do it then!' :D I guess, he was a bit annoyed because it was 6.30am, but had no problem with me wearing his stuff. He really finds it weird that I like wearing Men's Clothes :D :D Teenagers -.-' duuuh :D

Having this relaxed and sporty item, I've tried to work everything around and put my personal touch on it. Oh and layering also mattered because the weather here is changing every second. So I first put my Urban Outfitters Tank Top with the NYFucking City Print on and then a more chic-item - the dark-grey sweater from Vero Moda - really don't know how to say it, but I usually wear that in a different combination, see here and then actually some blue jeans, which I didn't like, you know how it is, right? ;-) I've changed my mind and my running thermal pants made it to this outfit. Black sneakers, golden Vintage jewelry from and &Other Stories and a bit of Neon by Maugold did the rest ;-) Today's outfit was more comfy and sporty, but still had an edge, you like it? :)

This is one of my favorite summer shirts because on the day I've got it, the Urban Outfitters Store in Soho, NY had a promotion event going on and they were printing shirts and bags with different NYC prints for the customers for free!! :) Read more about my last days in NY back in 2012 :) Oh and you should go out and play ;-)

Thanks for the pictures K - OFFCOLOR.

Watch: Beyoncé's Directors Screening NYC

                 

This lady did the impossible and is motivating us to achieve more, 

dream big and live the life we are supposed to. 

No matter what, believe in yourself and 

do not listen to what they say.

Dreams by OFF COLOR

Dreams is the title of the 3rd issue of the urban online magazine called 'Off Color'. The featured artists from music, film, fashion, art and architecture talk about their hopes, aspirations but as well about their fears and doubts. Dreams is about believing in oneself and working hard to achieve these dreams. Whether you're a daydreamer or not:

Everything you can imagine is real. Picasso

Off Color is running by the sisters Kristina and Katrin Schmidt. Inspired by sleepless nights in wonderful NYC the girls started gathering together all their ideas and put it into their 'blogazine', which was launched in March 2011. 

Off Color focuses on anything creative, be it fashion, music, lifestyle or interviews. The girls love being in big cities, not only that, they have a passion for HipHop, RnB, Kanye West and Photography. 

It was Katrin who came up to me and asked me to be part of their current issue. After strolling through their last issues Urban Rebl, La Bonita and the concept of this one, I was excited to be in this project :)

What I love about Off Color: the blogazine is so down-to-earth. I like how they illustrate small and newcomer artists like Urban Germany or Efkan NY, but also show artists who work behind the scenes like photographer Nabil Elderkin and fashion designer Katie Eary. Additionally they give event and city tips, style advice and recommendations for current art exhibitions. The writing of the sisters is very appealing and it's hard not to read the whole thing at once :) Oh and did I mention that I love the quotes throughout the mag? Check out this incredible work and let them inspire you to dream. 

Street Art New York: All you have to do is to LOOK

I haven't bought any books since Paulo Coelhos, but for my farewell from my internship at LesMads, my boss gave me this: STREET ART NEW YORK by Jaime Rojo and Steven P. Harrington (Prestel).

Opening up this book, I've had to smell the photopaper and also skim through all pages. These great pictures of street art and graffiti in New York made me want to buy a ticket and immediately fly there. Even a friend sent me a letter, telling me that she just moved into the city and is looking for a roommate. Poor me, I'm not done with school yet, but hopefully I'll be back there soon :)

Back to the book: It's super inspiring and looking at the great works I was like: Yes, I love producing stuff and being creative! Be it spraying, drawing, writing, cooking, acting, dancing.. anything!!! What can be better than seeing your stuff on a wall? Or 3D in your hands, on the plate, in your sketchbook, anywhere! 

In the introduction Carolina A. Miranda says: 

Vandalism is often equated with the destruction of architecture. I'd like to argue that it can give it new life.

Jaime Rojo and Steven P.Harrington came across many unique images living in the city and have been collecting their discoveries through film and digital photographs for more than ten years now. With this book they are sharing a selection of great work from different artists-well known and not. 

Street Art New York is a record of these discoveries, the little moments when a piece of art peers at you from a wall and says Look. It's an ongoing dialogue between an observer and the street.

Street Art in New York, another reason to love this wonderful city. The energy and the creativity of all these artists are surrounding you wherever you look. 

Beloved all-seasons boots by Blowfish

Like these? Well, these shoes were my first shopping spree after arriving in the U.S. in 2011 and I have to tell you, I instantly fell in love, got them and wore them so many times. I don't know how many miles I've walked in these boots out of fabric, but I can tell you: MANY! Up and down the city like a bazillion times, they were with me travelling through the U.S: Florida, Puerto Rico, the Westcoast and then back in Germany, as well.

Two years, many walks, a bike accident which scratched them badly and special weather conditions later.. they are almost saying goodbye to me. Should I cry? Don't know, but I'm close to.. of course, Century 21 do not have them anymore and the brand Blowfish doesn't sell them on their online page. What to do? Super desperate, super frustrated, how am I going to find boots that nice again?

I wore them to skinny jeans, always!, to skirts to get a more street-used-look and almost to every occasion, yes, also to work. People have asked me where I've got them from and I was always lucky to say: Well, from the states :)

Now they are having huge wholes in the sole, so whenever it's raining, it's getting wet in there and a few stones got stuck already, too =D The fabric is not sticking to the sole anymore and now I'm thinking of duct-taping the inside but I'm not sure if it really makes sense to keep them. So, guys, what do you think? What do you do with those kind of clothes, the ones you love so badly, like really bad and then, actually YOU have to say goodbye. Do you really do it? Getting rid of them, do you try to get a new pair (similar though) or repair it?

Bite Club: Brooklyn x Asian Night Market in Berlin

Oh my world! Brooklyn in Berlin City!!! When I first heard about this event I was totally crazy about it and yes, once again, I just had to attend this street food market-kind-of-thing! Reading the Facebook invitation it remined me a lot of the food booths at  Smorgasburg in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Back in the U.S. I have been to several food fairs like the Renegade Crafts Fair and the Great Googa Mooga Food Festival and I loved it so much. Yes, I know that there are not as many healthy options, but I'm such a foodie and always need to try out new things and creations of others. Maybe I will then transform those versions into healthier ones ;-)

Check out what I've tried at the opening party of the Bite Club on Friday night at Badeschiff Berlin. Brooklyn meets Asian Night market they are saying! :)

This is it: Z Spoke by Zac Posen

Working as an intern at the fashion blog LesMads I've intended to get myself a souvenir for this three months I'm working here in Berlin instead of you know... going on holidays ;-) I wanted to get a classic handbag by the end of the internship, so that would be early September. 

Blogging and strolling through online shops everyday I've got caught on the black purses by Marc Jacobs. Still, they were super expensive or just sold out. I've kept looking because this summer sale was making me crazy. On the German luxury online shop EMEZA I've found it: EARTHA SOFT TOP HANDLE bag in black by Z Spoke Zac Posen New York. The moment I saw it, I had to order it because I was afraid that it would be gone... Oh my, working in fashion it's just super hard to resist on not shopping and not splurging.

At first I wasn't really sure of spending so much money for a designer handbag, on the one hand I was like: Do you REALLY need it? It's a lot of money... And then on the other hand I'd be like: Well, you're working and you're not getting into debts. You can treat yourself once in a while. 

My good friend Carla from San Francisco gave me some advice to it:

Just accept that part of you! You're not a nun! You're young and beautiful so what's wrong with buying pretty stuffs. But ask yourself if you can afford it. You should not stretch too much to make yourself suffer for long term. Everyone loves buying luxury things. I usually let my thought sink for a bit and be like 'Buy it first keep it for a week and if I still want it,then keep I'll keep it. Otherwise return for money back!'

This helped me a lot. I've ordered, it came last thursday and since then I love it! Although I was doubtful about the size of the bag, now it's very good since I always bring a lot of stuff with me. All in all I want to shift my shopping habit from 'Buying cheap, following any trend' to 'Less is More, quality instead of quanitity'. First thing when I'm back home: Going to a flea market and selling some clothes I don't wear anymore!

The bag is made out of cow leather and I'm not sure if I like buying real leather or not.. need to find this out in the future! Other than that I love the golden details and the lock. I hope it will take part of a lot of outfit options :) 

Shopping now, I only keep pieces I'd really wear/use instantly or which I really love. No blind shopping anymore! And always listen to your gut, when you have doubts, leave it.

Like my first designer bag? ♥

New Boho Chic: Free People + Anthropologie

Free People Presents "Roshambo" from FreePeople on Vimeo.

Beautiful people: 'Girls' actor Christopher Abbott and model Sheila Marquez are featured in this first short film of Free People. A love story takes place in beloved Brooklyn, New York and shows clothes from the brand. Free People and Anthropologie belong to Urban Outifitters, Inc. I recognized these brands when I was in the City and now that it's summer I'm longing for them again. Although I don't like UO as much, I adore Anthropologie, it has something more chic, more mature and feminine.

First capture in Berlin

M #1:  Gap Vintage top, Pieces jeggings, Zara sandals, Coach Vintage purse, C&A sandals, Snash Jewelry NY outline bracelet and rings.

Who loves everything vintage? I do! You can find real bargains in New York City, also known brands like Coach, Jacobs etc. I just love mixing and matching it with new clothes and accessories from small designers like my bracelets from Snash Jewelry which you can find here. 

Better yet, you can find her designs at Brooklyn Fleas and Markets. Some of them have the NY skyline cut out, others are more rough and have claws. You have to look what fits you best, I'd stick to neutral ones because they'd fit to anything.

Vegan in NYC

One of my friends asked me where I would like to spend my last night in the U.S.? 

I've told her that I would love to spend it in the city, but everything seemed very stressful with packing and getting myself ready to fly back home tuesdays. But anyway, I've decided to go! It's NYC, come on! :) It was a monday night and we went out for dinner in the West Village.

We wanted to try some vegan food and checked out Gobo. 

It was really good and I just love seaweed! So we've had the kale, seaweed, beet salad with toasted walnuts, the tempura shitake caps in mashed sweet potatoes & raisins and the roti canai with malaysian curry. Excellent food! And honestly I think it is much more challenging for a chef to cook and experiment with vegetables than it is with meat! 

For dessert we've had some healthy sweet treats :) Fruits covered in dark delicious chocolate at Forbidden fruit. 

I enjoyed my last night in the city and was thinking a lot about the past 13months...

A lot have changed and more will come.

Stay tuned,

heading back to good old Germany..

M

Last days in NYC

The last days in the U.S. were craaaazy! I've spent these days of course!! in New York City, driving back and forth from New Jersey. In the pictures above you can see that I was at the Williamsburg Waterfront with its Smorgasburg and Artists and Fleas Market again, I went to Chinatown and Soho to do a little bit of shopping, to spend the rest of my money :) I've visited some dear friends and had vietnamese lunch together and yes I went to the Afropunk festival in Brooklyn. I've got free hugs there, South African food (the bread bowl with chicken curry) and had the chance to see Janelle Monae live on stage!

I was really busy those days because I wanted to see everyone one more time before I leave this beautiful country!