Sunday 29 December 2013

4 good luck charms for 2014

Good luck charms weren't my thing until recently, as I don't really believe in luck. However, I do believe in good design and into weaving material things with good memories, so I kinda changed my mind. Here are my 4 favourites by greek designers for this year:


The Prigkipo girls made one of the most minimal and easily wearable charms this year. Made out of 925 silver in gold, black platinum or sterling silver finish, their charm looks like an old coin (on purpose) and you can wear it either as a necklace or a bracelet. It costs 23-25€ (depending on the finish) and you can find it in Prigkipo's Etsy shop and at their little workshop in 16 Thisseos st, Athens.

This cute and really affordable 2014 good luck charm shaped like a home was created by Zoulovits for the SOS Children's Villages. 1€ out of its 12€ price will be offered to their cause. Great price, good design for a good cause, and you can order it online = win! Find it here or browse all Zoulovits 2014 good luck charms here.

Yazzt Design is Antonis Kiourktsis and Antonella Nikolopoulou, two architects who make jewellery by scanning parts of the human body, translating them into 3D polygons and then 3D printing them using metal. Their 2014 good luck charm "Made on You" was designed by tracing the curvature of a woman's clavicle, translating it into a 3D polygon made out of 14 triangles and 3D printing it in bronze and silver. Find Yazzt Design on facebook here.

For the more old-school kind of you, here's the only traditional jewellery shop 2014 charm that passed my test. Zolotas made a whole collection of charms based on the ancient greek myth of Alcyone, where the halkyon birds got their name from. And when I say a whole collection, there are 35 pieces to chose from, from silver to gold to diamond-encrusted-platinum. Don't worry, they don't all break the bank. This gold-plated silver charm is totally affordable at just 30€, plus it's not year-specific, so you can wear it as jewellery forever.

Have you got yours yet?

Friday 27 December 2013

Holiday shopping at McArthurGlen

Well, you didn't think holiday shopping was over after Christmas, did you? First of all, the tradition here in Greece is that we exchange presents on New Year's Day instead of Christmas. Second of all, we have all these days - or should I say nights - of festive outfits still left to take care of, so keep scrolling for the lovely shoes, accessories and dresses I found during my latest visit at the McArthurGlen Designer Outlet, and some very helpful tips at the end.


First stop: Kalogirou
For the foreign readers out there (hi folks) let me enlighten you: Kalogirou is like the Neiman Marcus of Greece, but for shoes only. And they also make their own brand high-quality shoes! Now imagine all that, but also in greatly discounted prices. Sweet!

So here's what tickled my fancy:

Kalogirou green suede classic pumps. I am so in need of such a pair of sensible but lady-like heels.

Glamourness my gawd! Feng Shoe maroon peep-toes, 100€ down from 199€ and in my size.

For those of you complaining there is never anything good available in the most popular sizes, I found this simple black wedge by Jimmy Choo in 38. However, I cannot guarantee for how long it will be there.

And also for those of you who liked my "pony skin" animal print pumps, this is a great look-alike! Again by Kalogirou, 119€ down from 329€

Second stop: Accessorize
Accessorize always bring out my playful side, and their McArthurGlen branch allows me to endulge in this urge without breaking the bank. However, I'm still banging my head on the wall for not getting this white feather headband above.

Or this royal blue one. Blue compliments any red perfectly.

When I say playful, I'm not kidding. Cute panda bear ring anyone?

And of course, a slightly more demure choice, bacuase we are grown-up after all. I think.


Third stop: Toi&moi
Ok, Toi&moi is slowly and stealthily gaining the title of my favourite McArthurGlen shop ever. It has great choice of stuff every single time I go in, carries most sizes and always offers big discounts on the original retail prices. A win-win-win situation, if I might say so.

The pumps above were less than 20 euros. Small price to pay for such chic footwear.

Excuse the face, mind the jacket. Looks like high fashion, but for a fraction of the price.

Another pair of super high and super affordable heels, in one of my favourite colours ever and with great snakeskin-print and lace detailing.

This is definitely on the short side of my hem repertoire, but I loved the colour so much I had to give it a go.

Fake black-and-white leopard fur. All you need is red lipstick.

Another pair of amazing heels in bright blue. Seriously, I went in craving dresses and the heels ended up stealing my heart!

This red shift dress was the thing I couldn't leave behind! Expect to see it in an outfit post anytime soon.

And this was an experiment on super-short gingham and over-the-knee boots. Not for me, but good I got it out of my system.



So, now that I've showed you my finds, let me also share my three valuable McArthurGlen shopping tips:

1. Arrive early. Shops open at 10:00am, so if you hate lines and not finding your size, be beat the other shoppers and be there at around that time.

2. Keep an eye for offers. Many shops give you extra discounts or gifts when you spend over a certain amount. For example, last time I was there, Oxford Company was running a "get an extra 20% off your buys when you spend over 100€" and Toi&moi gave away one free accessory when you spent over 50€. I got this amazing black perspex double ring seen above. Keep an eye for stickers or posters on the window displays and next to the registries advertising such offers.

3. Get the free map. Seriously, it's not just for first-timers there. There are so many shops in McArthurGlen, I guarantee you will forget to visit a couple you planned to and will regret it as you leave.

Happy holiday shopping!

Tuesday 17 December 2013

Calvin Klein, in your face

There are some brands that never pop up first in your mind when you think "make up". 

I guess Kalvin Klein is one of them. Too bad, as their quality shouldn't be ignored, especially around this season, when we are all out there looking for new war paint to get through the holidays.  It was about this time last year that I received this set of toys, and it only seems appropriate to post them right about now.

A red lipstick is always welcome in my beauty case. This one has a tiny amount of shimmer in it, which I haven't decided yet if I like or not. Actually, I am thinking of doing a mega red lipstick testing post this holiday season, so I'll be back with a more precise review on this.

I usually reach for my beige/brown/taupe eyeshadows blind-folded. However, if there is one season in the year that I am willing to experiment with eyeshadow colour, this is it! Like I mentioned on this other post, I usually apply loud eyeshadow colours sparingly, drawing a simple line and occasionaly blending it for a smokey effect. Full blue eyelids is something I'm not prepared to do just yet.

Green eyeliner, oh yes. For a person (read: me) who has been drawing cat-eye flicks on their eyelids for the past 5 years, any change that will save me from my boredom is welcome. This colour looks way less harsh that black - perfect for when you are going for a daytime look - and really compliments dull brown eyes like mine. A surprise winner!

Sunday 15 December 2013

I like my dresses midi and plenty

I'd tell you that online shopping is one of my absolute favourite things in the whole wide world, but I guess you've already have that figured out about me, no?

Instead, I spent this Sunday afternoon manically going through my ASOS saved list in order to decide how I'm gonna spend the 25% off everything coupon that's valid up until Monday December 16th, 8am GMT - that's 10am in Athens. 

Oh yeah, ASOS is offering a frickin 25% off the whole site, just before the holidays, no biggie. To see how calm I am, I managed to cram 21 dresses in this post. See? Really calm and focused and, oh-my-god, I don't think I can do this, I WANT EVERYTHING.

So guys, please help:
I've selected three of each colour, all in midi length. A girl has to have rules, right?  BTW, all prices are original, the 25% off is extra. Which ones are the winners?

Amber
Amber is a nice way to say "the kind of orange you can wear in winter". I've already bought the first one, and I'm seriously considering buying in other colours as well. Considering it will cost someting like 24€ with the coupon, it does sound like a bargain.

Black
Ok, I confess I have also bought the right one in grey. I think will make a great investment in black too, as one of those LBDs that's not too "L" and can be worn all seasons.

Emerald green
Well, you already know all about my love for green dresses, right?

Fuchsia
I never thought I'd like such a loud and girly colour, but I do. It's a great alternative for those times that red just seems too cliché.

Navy blue
A great alternative for when black just seems too depressing and everything else feels obnoxious. And the fabric and sleeves on the first one are making me weak in the knees.

Jade green
What, you thought I'd be over with justone shade of green? These babies are great for someone who looks best in cool hues, but doesn't want to look blunt.

Dark red
I couldn't leave red left out. However, I also wanted to point out that red isn't just one colour: Cherry, oxblood, burgundy, ruby, maroon, carmine are shades that are subtle and elegant, and can be worn by anyone afraid of the candy apple in-your-face hues.

So, in case you haven't been paying attention and went on a full blown oh look at all the pretty dresses salivating mode, the fact remains: ASOS will run its 25% off offer up until Monday morning. Which ones will make it?

Wednesday 4 December 2013

Because who is perfect?


"If you want to make a human being into a monster, deny them, at the cultural level, any reflection of themselves."

This the quote by Dominican-born writer Junot Diaz, used at the beginning of this article I just read on ADWEEK.

Pro Infirmis, a Swiss advocacy organization for the disabled, created this video campaign, devised for the International Day of Persons with Disabilities.



A series of mannequins was created, according to the exact measurements of people with conditions that affect the shape, posture and size of their body, like scoliosis or missing limbs. The mannequins were then dressed in glamorous clothes and displayed in the festively decorated fashion store windows of Zurich's Bahnhofstrasse, one of the most famous and expensive shopping districts in Europe.

This is seriously one of the most beautiful, touching and well-conceived ads ever.

Tuesday 26 November 2013

Vogue Watches GIVEAWAY

Vogue Watches is a greek company making watches since 1982. The family behind it is actually three generations into the watch business, having started in 1918 selling swiss watches in Thessaloniki.

Today, they make high-quality modern watches with fun design and they have the prettiest website I've seen recently, where you can see the whole Fall Winter 2013/14 collection and campaign, plus a list of the retail stores that carry the brand. They also run a very well-managed FB page, that you can "like" if you prefer your info coming in the social way.

This purple cutie is made with steel and polycarbonate, works with quarz, is waterproof for 10ATM and comes with a two year warranty. Its retail price is €135.

Do you want to win it?

Leave a comment below, saying which is your own favourite purple item or/and what you would match your purple Vogue with. Don't forget to also leave an email or another way to contact you if you win. I will pick the winner on Monday, December 2nd and send them an email. If they don't contact me within 24 hrs to arrange the delivery, I will have to pick another one. This giveaway is only open to Greece and Cyprus residents. Sorry, international readers!

Good luck!

Monday 25 November 2013

Unconventional orange

One afternoon, refreshing cocktails and girls playing dress-up with designer clothes, shoes and accessories. Doesn't take much to organise a fun event, does it? Still, it's never that simple.


A few weeks ago we found ourselves at MoMix, as the guests of Cointreau Fizz Garden

Celeb stylist Alexandra Katsaiti was there too, along with hand-picked items from the collections of our favourite international and Greek designers, in order to help us create our own orange-hued outfits, giving our own interpretation on Unconventional Parisian Chic.

Orange definitely isn't my colour, so one (or two) Cointreau Fizz Cucumber cocktails sure helped to bring on the inspiration...

...along with Alexandra's endless energy and fun attitude.

And fellow blogger Stephanie found her new orange best friend.

Hands down the best-dressed of the evening.

As for my Parisian Chic Unconventional outfit:
I wore my own Celine shirt dress (bought from Troc), a vintage leopard-print silk scarf worn as a hair band, and accessorized with more of Alexandra's stuff: a Pericles Kondylatos statement necklace made with beads and real chantelier crystals...

... and a bright orange Louis Vuitton Epi Leather Alma. The orange pumps on the first pic of this post were by Vassilis Zoulias.