THE SHIFT.

I was wondering how this blog should really function, I mean to what extent should I share inner thoughts and feelings or instead of being personal should I just post photos of lovely vintage outfits and eye candies. I haven't decided yet. All I know for sure that at the moment it feels good to write about things that are on my mind. It might make me even more vulnerable and exposed to public despise but I decided not to care anymore. So if you're bored with my long babblings about how I feel or how my life is, please feel free to skip the text and just check out the outfit photos. At some point when I'll be more experienced with the whole blogging thing, I'll find the right text-illustration proportion for sure. :)

So now after this long intro I feel more comfortable with admitting that I feel terribly confused and sad today. It might be the consequence of the grey and gloomy weather and contrast between all the lovely people/nice things in London and Bruxelles and the grumpy faces/bad taste at home but I cannot stop thinking that something is wrong with my life. It might just be some sort of mid-life crisis and I'm still seeking the right attitude, but the fact is that I'm not sure if I feel happy on the track I'm currently on. Should I just consider this as a great challenge? Will fighting against all the adverse conditions finally make me strong and happy or should I take it as a sign to change and make that desired shift towards something all new and different, maybe choose a new track to follow?

Awww, ain't easy to answer, right?
All I know for sure that I will cure the uncertainty and sadness with spicy tomato soup and goat cheese toast tonight.
I would never deprive you from some new outfit photos, here is one from the Bruxelles weekend, I'm still selecting the ones shot with my friend's DSLR and I'll come back with a full photo recap for sure!
On this photo we are having fun at the Budapest airport before taking off and this is what I'm wearing:
vintage pleated mini skirt, vintage knitted top, asos knee highs and boots.

take care, mes belles!
xoxo,
katika

LONDON, les photos!

Here is a quick photo set, just to give you an update before I fly to Brussels! London was just as daring and fascinating as always and I felt miserable spending the entire day at the UK office attending endless meetings and presentations. A perfect London day would have included a visit to the opshops in Hackney, a check-in to Tate Modern and the Christmas Harrods, and hot&spicy dinner @ Nandoo's.
Whatever.
I was still in London and survived the day with attitude.
The last photo is the evening MTV Christmas location, the Shoreditch House roof terrace with a pool. Isn't it so very fancy?
xoxo,
katika

THE HEARTWARMING ONES.

These are the things cheering me up at the end of an awful, foggy and grey November day.

1) cuddling with Lulu on the couch while watching the latest episode of Gossip Girl
2) My latest DIY project, a cute crochet collar sewed to a grey sweater
3) The lovely JC Lanas ordered online I just cannot wait to arrive
4) David facetiming me from India (no photo:)

EXHAUSTED.

Gosh, I'm exhausted! I never thought being a single dog mom can be so hard. Especially with a demanding dog like Lulu.
I wake up early and instead of having a long and lazy latte on the couch, I'm grabbing my coffee, I'm combing my hair while washing my teeth to make sure I have enough time to exercise Lulu and shoo my guilt away that I'm leaving her home for the whole day. During my day at the office I try to be as effective as I can, shortening my lunch break to avoid staying in late and then back at home we rush down to have a long long walk and play a lot with other doggies to make sure Lulu is fine.
God, it's so much different when David is around! He is taking her to his office every day and Lulu is always with him when he is cruising around the city during the day.
I'm absolutely sure now she is happier with him. And probably she misses him as much as I do.

This is what I was wearing on this hectic and very cold November day:

vintage maxi skirt, H&M turtleneck and an amazingly warm faux fur vest.

Need some sleep now.

xoxo,
katika

THE BLUE CAPE.

I really love these photos. Today we went to my grandparents' little village for family lunch and I wore this beautiful blue vintage cape. I love the contrast of the vibrant blue and red and the fall nature. I won't say that I did not use Lars von Trier's Melancholia's opening titles as inspiration.
Photographed by my beloved sis.
This is what I wear:
Vintage blue cape, knitted top, abstract print skirt, Mango heels.

xoxo,
katika

HOME ALONE.

I'm the sort of people adoring to have company and the one happier to cancel invitations and programs when I finally want to be on my own. This is how I feel safe. Being alone means facing your ego, your fears and your neverending thoughts. You can easily put the volume down by switching on the TV or going online. But the bravest thing to do is just listening to them and then let them go. This is what I'm going to do in the next 2 weeks. David is in the other part of the world and for sure I'll have tons of programs that I can cancel, I'll also try to spend some time on my own. And listen. At least when Lulu is not licking a giant bone next to me on the couch.

This is what I'm wearing: vintage white blouse and knitted top and denim shorts, DIY bow, white lace socks and black wedges.
xoxo,
katika

BLACK FRIDAY

Hey, hey-hey! I'm was in a very TGIF mood yesterday as it was my nameday and it was black Friday in the US. It's the day when the official xmas shopping season is kicking off so all the big brands offer insane promotions. In the past few years given that my office is in a loft really out of the city I became a frequent online customer, I not only save a lot if time and get myself really cool stuff from shops and brands not available here but I also adore the excitement I feel when my parcel arrives! Yesterday a dream came true as there was a huge discount at solestruck.com, a site offering beautiful designer shoes and I bought my first pair of Jeffrey Campbell! Wow, you cannot imagine how excited I am about them!!! I'll make sure ti share it with you as soon as they arrive!
Oh, and this is what I was wearing on this beautiful day: vintage striped sweater, jeans from Zara, vintage leopard belt and fur coat.

Have an awesome weekend!
xoxo,
katika

ANNE OF GREEN GABLES.

* A N N E   O F   G R E E N   G A B L E S*
I know, mes belles, it’s getting a bit boring, having my daily outfit inspiration from a child novel for the second time now, but it’s so true, Anne of Green Gables was an absolute favourite character of mine as a child, her whole world was soo romantic that I was craving to do the same things, I even wanted to move to Prince Edward Island in Canada, I checked it on the map.
When I had to give my re-localization plan up, I tried to imitate the same things at my grandparents little village, I was so impressed how Anne loved the nature that as a dedication I went on hour long walks in the surrounding forests talking to the trees and birds and freaking my poor grandparents out who had no clue where I disappeared.
Even though I did not become a French teacher and my love’s name is not Gilbert Blythe and we are not living in a charming little village in the 1880s, I still love to play with the thought (and the dresses).

So here is today’s outfit, mes belles, worn in the smog covered Budapest, an adorable vintage Laura Ashley flannel dress with a romantic rose print.
Vintage coat & scarf, the hat is from H&M.

I hope you’ll all have a lovely weekend!!!
xoxo,
katika

DANCING WITH MYSELF.

hello mes belles, this is going to be a short post as I have to get ready in like 30 minutes to go to a friend’s wedding party and I haven’t even washed my hair yet, oh lalala! I hope there will be lovely music as I miss DANCING so much!!!! My friends are calling me vintage granny as I cannot attend the same electro & breakbeat parties I used to, I crave GOOD TUNES I can dance to !!!

Sometimes we turn our living room into a ballhaus with David, it’s so funny to dance together like an oldskool couple!

On this photo I’m actually dancing with myself as these clothes I was wearing yesterday made me to move!

I’m wearing a Bambi tee from Pull&Bear, a lace skirt from ASOS, and my fave Hunter wellies as it was raining cats & dogs!

Now I’m rushing to wash my hair, mes belles! Have a lovely Saturday night!!!

xoxo,

katika

TIME ISSUES.

The other day I was reading lovely Annika’s post on how we overplan every single minute of our lives and I could not stop thinking about it because she just nailed it.

I mean there’s this constant desire to fully utilize our time and we end up being so frustrated about all the things we have to do that the whole thing looses its positive context. It just makes us worried and stressed out. And then we think, okay, this is a hard time now but when we’ll go on holiday it will be very different, we’ll relax and chill out and take care of our souls’ needs.


Or that’s what at least I thought when we went on a 3-week holiday last year to Asia and as the date of departure was approaching I totally freaked out, I read the entire lonely planet book on our itinerary, visited all forums, noted useful hints & tips until I felt fully prepared. And then we arrived and I won’t say planning ahead was not useful but it was there I realized how important spontaneity is. That’s how after one week I managed to let my plan go and when a cool couple from Kent asked if we wanted to join them hopping to an island not on our list we said why not and those 6 days turned out to be the best part of the whole journey.
I know it has to do something with our ego being afraid of mortality giving us this urge to get the plan right, that’s how we feel secure.

As a Virgo, for me it’s even worse my whole life is in pre-written chapters and spreadsheets in my head. Even if a bit slowly but I learn to let it go…


Sorry for this long and probably boring post, mes belles, I just wanted to tell you that adding spontaneity to your life is not easy but it’s rewarding.

This is what wore today: a turquoise coloured vintage sweater found at a lovely Sunday morning market in Berlin, high waisted red shorts & black boots from Asos and a simple black blazer I don’t remember from where. oh, and the red beret is also vintage!

xoxo,

katika

VINTAGE TREASURE HUNT.

mes belles, I just cannot wait to share with you all the lovely new vintage clothes I found on my usual treasure hunt on Saturday. they are just perfect! there are 4 fave items, 2 very retro tops covered with flitters and 2 high waisted pencil skirts, a leopard faux fur and a b&w polka dot knitted skirt! check out the photos! I cannot wait to wear them all! more to follow soon in katika’s vintage gardrobe:)!

today we did NOTHING special and it felt so great! a perfect sunny Saturday afternoon downtown where we found the coolest street festival! it reminded me of my fave little hood in berlin, called prenzlauerberg, where i once would like to live with my bf & kids:)

Downton Abbey

is the new fave series of mine!

it’s still ‘la chaleur’ in the city, the last workday of the week and my bday coming up this weekend, I’m in a very Holly Golightly/My Fair Lady mood today!
here is what I wear today: a beautiful white vintage dress, a vintage straw hat, a vintage belt & bag. à plus, mes belles!

HUNGRY!!!

i’m just realizing that i’m actually so hungry that it gives me a headache. going home late from the office is getting usual but i adore my new boss! i’ll make sure i have some lifesaver snacks in my bag from tmrw!

byebye summer!

it’s pretty sure now that 2011 summer quietly moved away from here…

bad news as I have so many pretty dresses crying in the wardrobe. today i could not resist and picked one of my vintage favourites but now I’m sipping on hot tea and I make Lulu sleep on my feet not to freeze in the office. GRRRRRRRRRR.

move your ass!

never been harder to work out in the morning, but it’s bikini time next weekend, gotta start it today!!!!

BIRTHDAY.

tomorrow is my bf’s bday!!! i’m excited, i love surprises so much!!!

Broken Mirror.

i cannot believe that today i broke a mirror!!! does it mean that i may not get married for another 7yrs??!

this photo clearly shows, today’s been a real mess at work, I’m tired like hell but I’m on my way to lake Balaton to spend a marvellous weekend with bf and friends! details soon but I may reveal that there d be lots of wine and food included:))