PARC DU CINQUANTENAIRE

Spot check: the Parc du Cinquantenaire is one of my favourite places in Brussels. I especially love it in spring, when it's filled with people having picnics on the grass, enjoying the sun and the breeze of the fountain. This is where families come to spend time together, where first dates take place and where friends reunite after a long time apart. In a way, it reminds me of the Jardins du Luxembourg in Paris- both places have a very welcoming vibe and time seems to stop whenever you're there, admiring the park and the neoclassic architecture of the structures around it.

The buildings are actually museums- I remember visiting the cars museum as a kid and being fascinated by all the different models of luxurious vintage cars that were on show (still daydreaming about that Bugatti type 57, to be completely honest!) The sleek design of the cars influenced my sense of aesthetics more than I could realize- it made me develop a lust for something modern and futuristic, yet elegant all the same. As I got older, I felt a burning desire to dress as though I would be cruising down the boulevard in one of those bad boys- bright lips, wind in my hair, eyes tactfully camouflaged behind a pair of opulent sunglasses. The ultimate femme fatale. I'm channeling the same kind of vibes in this rather pure white/creamy look, the golden heels to mirror the shine of a polished car is an extra plus. Although I do love dresses, I always end up coming back to the suit for a glamorous look. It's simple and classy with a bit of a bold edge, or in other words- exactly what you want. Who said a woman is any less feminine in a pair of trousers?

MARBLE REIGN

Zara jumper, heels, clutch; Mango trousers

My family helped me move all my luggage out of my bedroom into the car on a sunny mid-September morning. They would barely let me lift a finger, I just stood next to the open car door and waited. After all of the typical good-bye rituals, I buckled myself into the passenger seat, took a last glance at my empty bedroom window through the rear mirror and drove off to the train station. Destination: London.

It has now been three months since the day I first walked into my room in halls and unpacked my belongings. I had brought so much with me- three enormous suitcases filled with books, clothes, photos, decorative pillows, anything that would make it feel like home. And it did. Nevertheless, I must've spent my first day in London resting on my bed, trying to fully understand the fact that I've moved to one of the craziest cities in the world.

Oh, how I've come to love that craziness. The city, always in a constant state of rush, always moving and changing, has a raw kind of charm. While, yes, there is one colour to describe the entire city with the entirety of its streets, buildings, sky and people (grey, what a surprise), it feels alive. And even though being in massive crowds can be overwhelming, it is easy to feel like you're a part of it all. Truth be told, often the more people you are surrounded by, the lonelier you feel. I appreciate the time I have with my friends now more than ever- it feels great to have a constant group of people to come back to after a long day spent at the university's campus in Oxford Circus, where everything being frantic is the norm. I am lucky if I get home before half seven when I finish classes at six, due to the cramped underground stations; at rush hour, it's like the hunger games in there. But once you're back out into the surface, you just carry on with your day as if you did not just wrestle that man with an umbrella to fit on the tube. Go figure.

I am now back home in my sweet sweet (not jut because of the abundance of chocolate and waffles) Brussels for three weeks. Twenty-one days of nothing but pure relaxation. The attic has been converted into my own little flat, now that my younger sister took over my old bedroom. I now have a floor all to myself. I've been keeping myself busy with this new interior design project opportunity, gathering bits from all over the house in order to create a space that is welcoming and cosy. My attic is my own little oasis, my getaway spot. Here, Chet Faker is on repeat and time seems to freeze on the pages of a Salvador Dalí coffee table book, in between the dancing candle lights, for a moment just long enough to realize that you're feeling right at home.

Cut-out

There's something ever so enchanting about nature in spring. Of course, artificial beauty has its own charm. I'm an architecture junkie. Whatever defies the laws of physics or simply is glorious in its construction and structure- I love it. But the feeling I get from seeing all the blossoms appear every May is completely different and actually quite hard to put into words. It really does feel like the world is coming back to life and it's so empowering. In spring, I always feel the need to try new things- wear combinations of garments I usually wouldn't, experiment with colors and so on. So here I am, trying out the whole romper thing. I know rompers have been around for a long time; in fact, I've had this one from Casper&Pearl for over a year, but never wore it. Thus, when the time came for me to pack and leave to a warmer place, I realized that the amount of summer clothes I own is very limited-- half of my wardrobe consists of coats and faux fur-- which forced me to pull out some ensembles that never got to see the light outside of the house.

I'm currently in my couple of last weeks of school... ever. After these two weeks and then a relatively long period of exams, I will be done with school for good. Stress and excitement are both on the menu right now and I'm pretty certain that it will remain this way for a while. At least until I get my hands on that diploma.

CLOUD NINE

You know what's fun? Walks around town while dressed as an ice-blue marshmallow/cotton candy/blueberry milkshake. It feels so refreshing to finally incorporate some color into my otherwise monochrome wardrobe. Dark looks are my usual go-to's, especially in winter, but you never know when an exception will occur. This was one of those times. I had to dig for a bit in my closet to find this pair of white jeans that I hadn't worn in ages, but it was worth it. No matter how much I've always been in love with wearing all-white, this time the outfit was calling for a touch of this dreamy blue faux fur. The ice queen vibe is on point, if I shall say so myself.

NEW IN: GOLDEN HEIGHTS

The pair of heels from my dreams. I've got a reputation for being a full-time gold enthusiast; I'd never say no to some precious golden goodies! Combine 'statement' with 'eternal class' and you'll get these babies. From Giuseppe Zanotti to Saint Laurent, many designers have created their own model of golden shoes. By far my best purchase from Zara this season, these heels are waiting to be taken out on the streets and into fancy palaces. Can't wait to find the perfect outfit to wear them with, it could be a suit or a little black dress, these beauties go with absolutely everything and can make any look go from casual to dressy. Definitely a must-have for this upcoming spring!

DECEMBER ON INSTAGRAM

Even though the quality of my iPod that I take pictures with isn't great, I like sharing moments from my life on Instagram. I know that January is reaching towards its end, but I'm still making a little recap of my posts from December. These are some of my favorite shots from my own Instagram (@vaemilija), too, so I hope you like them!

Picture #1 This is a photo that my sister took of me when the sun was setting and we could see the light disappear gradually, but quickly. I was going to post this look on the blog, but the quality turned out quite horrible. This was the only shot that was actually acceptable to show to the world.

Picture #4 As much as I love reading, I don't find the time to do it ever so often anymore. That day-- it was during the last holiday, I believe-- I finally made time to read a part of "Steppenwolf" again. My settee is probably the best spot on the surface of Earth for reading- it's drowned in natural light and is as comfortable as can be. 

Picture #5 A never-before seen picture from back in November when I visited Paris with Mom. Took this one on the Alexandre III Brigde that I had dreamed about visiting for so long.

Picture #6,7 Some Christmas decorations from around the house. We always pick a color palette for our Christmas decorations and this year it was burgundy, gold and crystal, mostly. I loved the setup of our coffee table and turned it into an abstract image with the mirrored effect that I love so much, as you may have figured out by now.

Picture #9 Printed photos from Paris, again. I always take lots of pictures when I travel and I have uncountable amounts of folders with files from all over the world. Recently I've decided to get my favorite pictures printed out. It makes those pictures feel so much more valuable and tied to beautiful memories. I don't have an album for those yet, but I keep them in a little box. Just in case one day all digital files go extinct, I'll still have something to hold on to.

DARK SOUL

Zara faux fur coat + shoes, h&m gloves+clutch

Another, more picturesque title for this look could have been "golden treasures in the depths of a dark blue stormy sea", if you wish. I fell in love with this navy fur, there is something so dark and yet royal about it, which of course is why I was instantly drawn to it. What is more, this somber vibe is all that surrounds me these days. I'm currently in the middle of my exams -- two out of six, done -- and I must say it's not exactly the most fun I've ever had, keeping in mind the stress and all that.

COBALT

Stefanel shawl, Asos hat, Zara pants, Jeffrey Campbell 'Prickly' platforms, h&m sunglasses+clutch

Photos from autumn. Contrasting blue with the yellow and orange leaves. Autumn is the dreamiest of all seasons to me. While winter and snow make the world appear smaller and cozier, autumn makes it seem like there are no boundaries. All the rows of trees that have dropped their leaves create an endless alley towards the unknown, which I find so beautiful.

I found this blue shawl somewhere in the house ages ago, but only decided to wear it now that I gifted myself a fedora of the same color. It's like they belong together- edgy elegance combined with glamorous tomboy.

I would also like to wish you all an amazing start of 2015! Enjoy every moment of it, make it good.

REFLEKTOR

Pull&Bear jeans, Jeffrey Campbell 'Prickly' platforms, COS coat, clutch c/o Banggood.com 

One can't go wrong with jeans and a white blouse. The simplicity of that combination opens the door to endless accessorizing possibilities and I, of course, went for what could be called a 'futuretro' vibe, combining both vintage-looking garments and edgy statement accessories.

It's all about mixing mundane pieces with eye-catching unusual ones. They complement each other so well, creating a contrast between two styles and merging into one simultaneously.

With the days getting shorter and natural light disappearing in earlier hours, I've turned to reading a lot. The embroidered settee next to my window has become the perfect place for a good book, a cup of tea and occasionally some macaroons. It's soothing and calming, especially on stressful schooldays and let alone autumn evenings- for some reason this transitional moment of the year is the hardest for me. 

What's helping me get through this right now is Salvador Dalí's autobiography- yet another shocking work of art by the provocative artist. It gives you a feeling of insanity. It's ever so strange yet fascinating to read a person's whole life story told by the person them-self, especially when they have such delirious thoughts and a very high idea of their own persona. A great and inspiring read, to say the least.

Leather

top+hollow cut boots c/o Younghungryfree.com, backpack c/o Tomtop.com h&m leather skirt+beanie

I'm always up for head-to-toe black ensembles. This time, not only did I opt for a monochrome outfit, but I also decided to go for an all-leather look, mixing up different textures of the same fabric- with the sleek skirt material contrasting with the rather rough one of the crop top. I've also gone back to beanies, mainly because a. I've always had a bit of a rebellious side that begged me to bring the beanie back, and I couldn't put that part of me to sleep, no matter how hard I tried and b. because I want to personalize them by adding a piece of fishnet in the front to create a laid-back but classy look that I've been seeing around quite often now and, well, love was imminent.

It's my final year in school and I'm taking every opportunity that I get to work on my scholar work before anything else (except for when all I want is to relax and watch a good movie or listen to some good old music, of course). Managing to keep up a blog at the same time seems to be a bit tricky and has been for the last year or so. I have high hopes that things will go back to how they used to be- regular posting and a lot of interesting content that I could share with you!

Blood Orange

Clutch c/o Banggood.com; Zara suit; Jeffrey Campbell 'Prickly' platforms, h&m sunglasses

"Blood orange... She's so pretentious. Shut up, it's f*cking red". Yes, I may have been watching Project Runway again. And yes, I am yet again clothed in a suit and this is certainly not the ultimate one you'll get a glimpse of. I'm aware you have hitherto witnessed me sporting my bright pink suit and now this beautiful red one that I purchased from Zara last winter, but there are more of these bad boys to make appearances on the blog. I went for what has become my signature look in this past year: black coat plus baroque-printed scarf plus whatever goes underneath. That's how it's done: top that off with some lipstick, a clutch (thanks for this bejeweled treasure, Banggood!) and about two to three kilos of chains around your neck and you're good to go!

This past week has been crazy-wazy for me. Two festivals- Summerfestival and Rock Werchter, both amazing. Hearing all of the songs I usually listen to on my iPod being played on huge speakers and then seeing some of my favorite bands performing live (Alex Turner.... swoon...), dancing in a crowd for hours, which subsequently led to not feeling my legs the next morning... It surely was a couple of nights to remember. It's kind of difficult to get over the usual post-concert depression, but I'm coping with it; thankfully there's ice cream and macaroons to prevent me from going insane. Summer's exactly what I was hoping it to be and as I promised to myself, I've started painting and drawing again, which is proof that everything is stress-less. I'm in my own little oasis, enjoying every minute of it.

Rhombus

Pants c/o Awwdore.com, Platform shoes c/o Sammydress.com, Hollow cross cuff c/o Alohahelsinki.com, Sunglasses c/o Choies.com

As it turns out, I have a huge thing for printed pants. I've strayed away from leopard and paisley in the recent few months (goodbye, "grunge" times), but I'm re-discovering other patterns to sport. In this case, rhombus. It's as graphic as a regular checkered print, except it has a more obscure harlequin vibe... and I love it. Bold and statement-worthy, that's what always attracts me. Just like these swirly retro sunglasses that I'd completely forgotten about until I cleaned out my accessories storage the other day (talk about productive post-exam hours). It's crazy how many little treasures one can find and enjoy again after rummaging in piles of... well, all sorts of stuff. I've also welcomed a lot of new additions to my jewelry box, like this cuff from Alohahelskinki, as well as a couple of necklaces from their shop which you'll be seeing on here soon. 

What is more, I've finished my exams earlier this week. I was rather impatient to wait to wake up every day with the sun caressing my face, suddenly becoming aware that I can do anything I desire without having to think about when to go to bed or how early I'd have to get up the next morning. I'm planning on dedicating more time to painting, as I've recently- and may I add, very randomly- decided to buy a canvas and some acrylics, as if to compensate for the long period of time when my collection of paint brushes had been left unused. Speaking of, it's about time to take up what once was another activity I'd spend most of my time doing: blogging. I'm expecting myself to publish much more content than I ever have. I'll do my best to keep my own promise with the intention of not letting you or myself down. It's a deal!