Real vs Steal

sure, no doubt. the steal can never replace the real, but when it comes this close it definitely is an acceptable option for all of us with a low budget.
and when it comes to trend pieces like a baby pink backpack, the steal sometimes may be the better choice.

sure, what makes a mansur gavriel bag so special is the perfect leather, but this topshop copy is a good option, as it is a real leather bag for just a fraction of the cost.

the price for the mansur gavriel backpack is 700 € (950 $). topshops version is on sale right now and costs 40 € (down from 105 €).

a pink backpack is not on my wishlist, to be honest not at all...but i think it's a beautiful bag and i wanted to share this awesome find with you! didn't do a real vs steal in a long time, but this one was definitely worth to revive this category.

get the mansur gavriel here and the topshop here

Life Saver

this little gadget is a life saver...no, actually not my life. my phones life. 
it's a power bank, a recharger for your battery. you simply connect it with your computer and charge it, and depending on the capacity it charges your phone. 

who of us doesn't know the situation. you are out somewhere, you're battery is dying and you have no charger. 
as we all are quite dependent or even addicted to our phones and all the comfort it gives, this can be a big dilemma. so what to do? go on cold turkey? 
no need for that when you have this power bank in your bag. it's not much bigger than a lipstick and fits in every bag. it comes in different colors, shapes and capacities. 

mine has enough power for a full battery with 300 mhz. i bought it on ebay for a few euros and guarantees a full battery whenever i need it. since i have it i take it with me wherever i go!

The Borrowed Look

 i called this post 'the borrowed look' because except jewelry and shoes everything was borrowed for this picture.
some weeks ago i was invited to a blogger night at a boutique here in düsseldorf. i met some lovely fashionbloggers from this area, we had some champagne, good conversations and browsed through the lovely fashion with a mission, find the perfect look. the best look had the chance to win a 50 € voucher.

as i am quite tall and not anywhere near a size zero it's always a struggle to find something that fits and actually is my style, especially in small boutiques. so i already was attuned to find a compromise i could live with.
but let me tell you, this is outfit is far from compromise. i love this look! i already fell in love with the white lace top a few days before when i visited the shop. i had the plan to compose my look around it, and then, that day forgot to wear a top underneath my clothes. so i had to improvise, and as all the jackets were too small i tried this amazing knitter. i love the combination of the sheer black knit and the transparent white lace. and how gorgeous is this stella mccartney look a like bag? its of the softest leather and available in different colors.

all in all i have to say this boutique is a great addition for düsseldorf! this city was missing something like this, every single piece is handpicked by the owner, who is a fashionblogger herself. she knows the trends and brings them to us for absolutely appropriate prices, no need to rob the piggy bank for an individual style. but be quick, the number of each piece is limited, which makes it even more exclusive!
i will soon post an interview with the gorgeous owner alina knips and give you all the facts about this gorgeous boutique!
for all who don't want to wait and check themselves, the boutiques name is 'La Parisienne' and you find it at Collenbachstraße 1 in Düsseldorf.

pictures were taken by her gorgeous friend, whose name i forgot (shame on me!), but shes on instagram and called 'the little black mag' (the gorgeous brown haired girl next to me). thanks to alina for sending the pictures over!

Flatlay Skills and Birthday Thoughts

because of the lack of outfit pictures and the fact that this still is supposed to be a fashion blog first, i decided to share some of my instagram pictures and flatlays with you.

i LOVE flatlays, lately i'm quite obsessed with them, so what could be more reasonable than to learn how to do them myself. first it was quite tricky to find the right place with the best lighting etc, but then i found out that i have the perfect light on my bed in the afternoon. and cause i'm working from home as a freelancer i can make some free time every now and then and practice.

i have so many beautiful stuff, fashion and accessories, that i want to share with you! but i still have the problem that i have no one to take pictures of me, so this is the best way. there will still be outfit posts, this is just another way to embrace my love for fashion and photography.
some of the pictures are taken by my (crappy old) phone, some with my nikon SLR camera.

here you see some of the items i got for my birthday last week. i turned 29 on tuesday and had a wonderful day with my family. now it's just one year till the big 30.
but hey, i have no problem with getting older. as 40 is the new 30 and growing up with sex and the city, i always looked forward and enjoyed looking back and laughing about the silly mistakes i made when i was younger. 
i grew up the last couple of years, and i would never ever want to be 18 again.
i love the advantages of being mature, i've grown through my experiences and yes, also through my mistakes. i learned to forgive, to love myself and go for the things i want. and the most important, i know who i am and what i want. at least most of the time^^

and what i really wanted were this prada sunnies! (haha, jaja, nice bridge, i know^^)
my mum got them for me for my birthday and they arrived some weeks ago. we ordered them online cause it was quite impossible to get them in store. even the prada store was out of stock, and after some research we found them with a good discount online.

since i'm looking for a new wallet for quite a while now i was really happy to find this jobis wallet on sale at tkmaxx, which my father got for me, just like the bag that was a sale find at mango.

the other presents were a lovely sisley sweater i got from my brother and a DKNY bra from my sister.  
oh and my favorite chocolate which just came out in germany, lindt intense with strawberry. i first tried it in paris and was on the hunt ever since! my lovely sister found it at karstadt. if you see it give it a try!

how do you feel about getting older? is it just me who gets excited about it? 

Hello Spring

i'm so glad that spring is here and temperature is rising. to see flowers and trees blooming boosts my mood every time, and now is the time! and i think nothing represents the first weeks of spring better than tulips, so i had to get some at the market on saturday, it highlights every room you put it in!

light trenchcoats, wide leatherpants and slip ons are all big trends this spring, so i combined them in one outfit. and oh, that zara necklace, it was love at first sight! i think pearls are going to have a big revivals, but we will see!
and no, i don't see a problem wearing black in spring. you don't need to wear colors to have a colorful live^^

so far, so good! enjoy the sun and blooming trees my loves, cause i definitely will!^^


shirt, pants, bag, necklace - zara
trench, slip ons - h&m
watch - daniel wellington
sunglasses - asos

The Green Scarf

this new silkscarf trend popping up everywhere (again first seen on elin kling) is a nice sophisticated way to upgrade a rather boring outfit. give it an even more glamorous touch with some cat eye shades. and as this green silkscarf was waiting for years now to see daylight after i bought it in amsterdam in 2008 it finally had its debut. 

so far i like this look, though it feels a bit stuffy. but, whats so bad about that? 
maybe we all need a bit more of that spirit in these days^^

Layered Necklaces

what can be more charming than a tiny gold necklace around a womans neck? gold is warm and the neck is a very sensual part of the womans body i think. and these delicate, thin necklaces that are on trend right now attract attention though they are so tiny.

i love to layer them, three are just perfect for me, and this combination is my favorite at the moment. though, i have different ones as well and when it comes to the necklace alone i like them more.

and for this trend you don't have to get the expensive ones, there are tons of nice affordable alternatives out there. cause, you know, it's not  all (real) gold that glitters.