My cheeks were seriously blushed

Seriously. This picture must have been taken early on my talk, 'cause when I finished and sat down my friend Angela called me a "beetroot" . Thanks friend.

For those of you who didn't have the chance to hear me talk live about my blog at the 9th GGD, I'll play brave and post the video here. I have to warn you though, I'm too much of a chicken to see it myself and I really don't remember much of the stuff I said due to my panic, so I don't know exactly if it was good or not. Please be nice. Or mean, but in a polite way.

picture by karpidis and video by blogchannel.gr

UPDATE: It seems xblog.gr also has a post of my presentation with video. It gets scarier by the minute...

April's new buys

Blue espadrille sandals, BERSHKA

Kid-in-bunnysuit print t-shirt, PULL&BEAR


Pink peep-toe flats, BLOWFISH (bought in my hometown Samos)


Pink polka dot brown dress and yellow dress, H&M


Blue bag, PULL&BEAR


Light brown linen pants with woven belt, H&M

I can't wait for the weather to get a little warmer, so I can wear these cuties! Although, I must admit I've already worn the t-shirt and blue bag once or twice and I'm seriously contemplating wearing the dresses with a t-shirt underneath, like Queen B did with her Mango number.

Must experiment!

Homey

Spent all Sunday doing housework. It really pays off at the end of the day, when it smells fresh and clean and everything is in their right place.

Tomorrow I'll post all of last month's new purchases, including those blue espadrille sandals and the two dresses from H&M I was gushing about a week ago. Now, it's time to hide under my duvet and read some glossies until my eyes can't stay open any longer. Nighty-night!

The more, the merrier

I've neglected this for too long, but today seemed like a good chance to make up for it. Let me get to the point:

When I started blogging one year ago, there where only two other greek fashion blogs around, Shopping Therapy and Little Stylist. And back then I didn't even know about them! Soon after I discovered those two, more greek blogs started popping up in the blogosphere: Life Full of Fashion, Alecca Rox, Blog-tales, Chloe in the Sky and the first proper Greek streetstyle photography blog Streetgeist. And you may remember how inappropriately happy I was about them? Yeah...

Well, since then even more Greek girls decided to start fashion blogs and I couldn't be more happy. The more, the merrier is exactly the case here. But, being the procrastinator I am, I have neglected updating my GREEK FASHION BLOGS blogroll for too damn long.

So I would like to thank Marietta of Dreamville, Katerina B. of Queen B, Clemmie of Clemmie & Melroy, Hari K of The Soho Symposium, Mademoiselle Myrtillo, Jo of Exclusively Handmade* and Nina Mavalda of Las Niñas Y Los Niños for joining the Greek bloggers' clique and apologize for taking too long to add them. And those of you who haven't had the pleasure of visiting them, now is a good chance. Every girl is unique and different, and that's exactly what we love about them!

* Jo has now moved to theamethystandtheemerald.blogspot.com

(picture of birds on a tree by me, hence the fingerprints on the lens)

Geek Chic

I'm proud to announce that I have been invited to speak about my blog on the 9th GGD. For those of you who are not familiar with their innovative ways, Girl Geek Dinners is an initiative by women who love technology and like teach other women about it. I will be speaking about my story, how I got into blogging, what I have gained so far, and giving advice for anyone who is interested in doing something similar. And, guess what, you are all invited! (Sal, I thought of you being overseas and all... If you don't have time to book a cat nanny and hop on a plane, a powerpoint file of my presentation will be uploaded online after the event).

The 9th GGD will be held this Tuesday April 28th at the Microsoft Innovation Center, 103, Vasilissis Sofias Av, at 18:00. And remember, we girl geeks love our social media, so other than visiting ggd.gr, you can also join GGD on facecook, RSVP for the 9th GGD facebook event and of course follow GGD on twitter.

Be there or be square.

My new skirt and a short rant

After I saw how much you liked and commented on my other new H&M skirt, I decided to do an extra post about it. So, this is how I wore it to work the very next morning after I bought it. Yeah, those pictures are at least one week old. Apologies also about the skirt's wrinkly appearance, but you see, sitting behind a desk all day kinda does that to your clothes. Lo and behold*, my new black tulip skirt worn with a Zara t-shirt, a blue-grey H&M scarf, my trusty Pull&Bear flats and my pink bangle.

But that's not all.

I guess most of you know top french fashion blogs The Cherry Blossom Girl and Le Blog de Betty. Hint: If you don't, visit them ASAP. Well, some time ago Alix and Betty teamed up with the french fashion portal Ykone for a week devoted to swedish fashion. H&M sent off (as in gifted) several pieces of their spring collection to the girls, who in turn, wore them and photographed themselves for their blogs. Alix's post was Ykone + H&M = ♥ and Betty's Ykonizer, you're Ykonizer Baby. Pictures were also posted at Ykone as Impossible n’est pas suédois par Alix and Mission suédois par Betty.

The skirt Alix is wearing? IT IS MY SKIRT! In lavender, yes. But MY SKIRT, nevertheless. I saw hers a couple of days after I got mine, and it made me SO HAPPY. Sorry about the CAPS, but I felt like screaming.

But for reasons other than extreme joy, too.
(WARNING: EXTREME RANTING AHEAD)

Ykone and H&M sent those clothes to Alix and Betty, so they just might wear them in their blogs. Why don't the fashion PR people ever do things like that in Greece? Seriously. It makes me want to scream as well. Haven't they got the memo? Social media is the new black! I don't want to sound too self-important or anything, but it's a fact that nowadays fashion bloggers play a big role in defining the next it-thing or launching the latest trend. And the fashion industry abroad recognizes and respects that. Alix and Betty get sent free stuff from H&M just to wear them. Susie Bubble is now study material for fashion students. Bryan Boy got a Marc Jacobs bag named after him. And MJ himself sent him the prototype, along with a handwritten note. How cute! And before some of you condemn those bloggers by saying that they just became part of the system and that big companies are just using them to sell stuff, allow me to argue that's just not true. Susie's outfits are always a thrift/vintage/ebay/newcomer-designer/designer-in-sale combo. And she may occasionally wear new designer stuff, but she never actually advertises or endorses big houses through her posts. And I'm sure she gets offered A LOT of money in order to tempt her. But I believe she has integrity and she would never recommend something she doesn't like just for profit. And most bloggers I personally enjoy reading, I do so because I trust they would never write something in favour of a designer just because they got sent free stuff. That kind of commercial endorsement just stinks miles away and blog readers are too clever to fall for it, anyway. And that's exactly why readers trust the bloggers when they actually do say something is indeed good. Because they're not trying to sell people anything, like magazines do. They just post about stuff they like. And that's honest.

I don't want to be too severe here. Of course advertisement exists and it is what makes the fashion industry go around. I do enjoy witty, informative ads. Ads that just let me know about a product's existence and its characteristics, and then let ME decide if I need it or not. And that are fun as well. But, I hate it when sometimes advertisers think we're too stupid to notice the difference.

And that's where the fashion bloggers come in.

So, a recap. What am I trying to say here? I'm saying that I liked what H&M and Ykone did. That I enjoyed their choice of promotion media. That I loved seeing two real girls like Alix and Betty wearing those clothes. I loved the clothes! I loved seeing the girls style them and photograph them themselves, instead of a pro photo shoot staring some unfamiliar 15-year-old model styled by a team of 10. How can I identify with that? And I hope the fashion people here in Greece won't take too long to realize what's happening out there.
That's all.

Oh, and yes... H&M, I'd love some free skirts, please!

Just before my dream

Came back from the friendly neighborhood bar and barely had the energy to take pictures, but I wanted you to see how I wore my new skirt.

Bubble hem skirt, H&M. Black wrap-around top, ZARA. Grey wedges, ZARA. Striped scarf, BERSHKA. Black leather obi belt, some shop in Volos. Multicoloured bead necklace, handmade jewelery shop in Samos. Silver hoop earrings, gift from my sister.

Windy but sunny

Not much to say. Just enjoying the spring sun and being back home. Our veranda is in serious need of some work. But it just falls apart every winter anyway, because of the sea salt the wind brings in. The pictures are from yesterday, just after I got off the ship and had breakfast with the parents at home. For travelling by ship for 11 gruesome hours, I wore a green Nike t-shirt, a cream Bershka cardi and my favourite black skirt, made from a Bershka dress. I have to tell you here, feel so much more comfortable traveling in a skirt instead of jeans. As long as it's not too short or too tight - which almost none of my skirts is anyway - it's perfect for hours of sitting down in a seat, reading or napping. Nothing to feel constrained in, just warm and snugly.
That's all for now.
Oh, and Frida the Siamese cat says hi.

Girly girl

New underwear is always one of my favourite spring purchases. And I'm talking about seriously girly, overly silly, disgustingly cute underwear. In this case, one sushi-themed three-pack, one princess-themed three-pack and one strawberry printed boxer brief, all from Oysho. Can't get any girlier than that.

On other news, I am currently back home in Samos island to spend the Greek Easter holidays with the family. But you know me, I'm blog-addicted, so posting will go on as usual. Plus the occasional cat photo.

H&M, once again

I was somewhat starting to feel deprived of nice swedish fashion those last few months. You know, the H&M kind. The December events here in Greece had left both the Stadiou and Ermou H&M stores destroyed. Having learned later on that they were both not destined to re-open, you understand why I was starting to get anxious. Had the big heads at the H&M headquarters in Sweden decided we are not worthy of a new store? Were we doomed?
But alas, strolling on Ermou one day back in March, I spotted the familiar two-letter-and-ampercent red logo. On a construction site, nevertheless, but there it was.
And stating April 9th as the opening date.

And what a happy day the 9th of April was! (Actually, I was there the day before, for the press party, but let's pretend it was the opening day, ok?) I started my mission by systematically scouring all three women's fashion floors to gather my prey. First impression: It carries the cosmetics line! Not so sure of the quality, but oh-so-cute packaging. Go for the make-up bags, I say. As for the actual clothes, t also looks like it stocks more of the sophisticated and better quality collections and less of the cheapo, multi-coloured stuff I was sick of seeing at the previous Stadiou flagship store. A good change.

Straight to the fitting rooms. Nice and roomy, as always.

My prey lies there, waiting for me to devour it.

A very nicely fitting blue dress, unfortunately made of 100% polyester, therefore not a wise choice for Greek summer weather.
Rejected.

A black tulip skirt in nice thick cotton, comes with its own fabric belt to tie up as a ribbon. And a cream high-waist full skirt with a balloon hem. Both in my closet as we speak.

Well, the skirts were not the only things I bought. I also got a pair of greenish brown linen high-rise pants, which - trust me - look much better than they sound, and two dresses. Two extremely cute dresses, with boned bodices and Grease-style full skirts. One in pale yellow and one in light brown with small pink polka dots. Polka dots! Did I mention they are cute? Photos to come soon...

SMALL UPDATE: Reader Staraki asked to know what I'm wearing in the first pics, so I thought I'll just reply here, in case anyone else is interested. I'm wearing the Mango skirt and cardi outfit I posted back here, but instead of the grey skirt, I'm wearing the same one in blue, as seen here. Hope I helped!

You CAN touch this

You CAN touch harem pants. And why shouldn't you? If done right, harem pants can be quite stylish. Not to mention damn comfortable.

Just some things to keep in mind, always in my humble opinion:

1. The longer they are, the better. Most harem styles are cropped and reach mid-calf. Look for harem pants that skim your ankles, for a more flattering look.
2. Harem style doesn't necessarily mean looking like you pooped in your pants. Try to find a style where the crotch *slightly" dropped . A crotch that reaches your knees can't possibly be a flattering look.
3. Keep them black, grey or any other darkish, neutral colour. Harem pants in bright orange is just looking for trouble.
4. Adding a belt will help make them look a bit more trouser-like.
   

Black harem pants, PULL&BEAR. Grey t-shirt, ZARA. Grey scarf, ZARA. Mustard-yellow cardigan, PULL&BEAR. Belt, ZARA. Bead necklace, H&M. Purple flats, OYSHO.

Fashion Architect is 1 year old

It's been a truly amazing year. So many happy moments I had and great friends I made because of this blog. If you are curious to see how it all started, now is the time to snoop around and read my first post. Or my archives in general. I contemplated doing a list of my favourite posts so far, but it just seemed too much. However, if you would like me to post something like that or anything else for that matter, don't hesitate and leave me a comment. I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Enjoy and here's to another wonderful year ahead!

Would you like to win this?

My work blog ermou mag is having an Easter contest and the prize is this gorgeous handmade flower brooch by Greek jewelery designer Lily Fragaki. To enter the contest, go to the post over at ermou mag and leave a comment with a picture of your latest/favourite spring purchase so far, with a description of what you think your style is going to be this summer.
Boss Vicky says international readers are eligible too.
Start commenting here!

Breaking news

To all Athens-based fashionistas:

Sprider stores are giving out 25% off coupons, to be used only in their two Ermou stores until Saturday. I was handed mine in Panepistimio metro station. If you happen to be downtown, look out for them!

The blogger's sister

Just as I was photographing my latest purchase, an eye-print t-shirt from Stradivarius, my dear sister decided to jump into the fun and show her own new acquisitions.


Sister models her new cream canvas bag and emerald silk scarf from Achilleas Accessories. According to her, she got the bag because it fits a standard-size A4 file and she just needed a new bag for summer and the scarf because she liked the colour. Good enough reasons, I say. Let's hear it for the sister!