Tag: design

The London Style

Hola everyone.

And welcome to another week. And to December. It’s freaking December. When did that happen? I feel like I’m stuck in between two places right now, where I want both summer back and a load of snow at the same time. But one thing is definitely clear – time is flying by and 2020 is gonna be here in a snap and I still feel like I just moved to London, like, yesterday. Honestly, all of this is way too crazy. And as fast as it all has happened, I still have the slight feeling that London has already taken its toll on me. In a good way. But please let me explain.

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I’ve always had quite an interesting relationship with fashion – and yes, this means this post will be about fashion. A true miracle is happening right now. Anyway. I recently talked to my housemate about this. How in my youth I used to buy and wear any stuff that was popular at the time. Simply because I wanted to be popular, because which teen doesn’t want that? So I dressed like everyone else. And, to be brutally honest, we all looked pretty dumb, I’m not going to lie. I still get the shivers when I think about the shirts we all got from the same stores with their stupid cartoons on them or the black tube tops preferably worn with leggings. One fashion faux pas after another.

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But then the moment came when I truly realized, for the very first time, that we did, in fact, all look exactly the same and mostly very unfashionable on top. So I started to develop my own style, which was heavily inspired by all the holidays and vacations I went on with my family. I made it my hobby to only buy clothes in and from different countries. They became a type of souvenir. Something I would wear and always connect to a certain trip. And on top of that nearly everything I got was unique, as the chance of someone visiting the same store in the same foreign country and buying the exact same shirt or pair of trousers was incredibly low to non-existent. Suddenly I started looking like nobody else in my class, which was met by mixed reactions – some of my classmates liked it, some, I am sure, hated me for it. But that didn’t stop me from my travels to finding own style.

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And then uni and moving to Vienna hit me in the face with the statement “you thought you were dressing in a special way? Ha. Cute.” like a truck. I felt like I had just got a glimpse of the box of Pandora. Of paradise. Suddenly everyone looked special and different and cool and I felt like the ultimate wallflower again. The girl from the countryside in the big, uber-fashionable city. Surrounded by all these new impressions and more importantly inspirations, I again went for a little hunt for my own, new, improved style. Of course, I still kept true to my roots – band t-shirts, black skinny jeans, destroyed Converse – but something had changed. I didn’t shop as much anymore but rather looked for pieces of clothing that had the potential of being in-style for all of eternity and therefore staying with me for my whole life. Obviously, I’m not one of the rich kids that can actually afford clothes that will never show any signs of wear or destruction, but I was still trying my best. I started buying stuff that complimented my style, that I could easily add to already existing outfits and clothes that we like to call basics, which is probably one of the most important rules I ever learned when it comes to fashion. Basics are your friends. Keep them close to you. They will serve you well, trust me.

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So I went on my journey, developed my style, stumbled over pieces that I still adore with all my heart and that are still a part of my daily wardrobe, but I knew there was still something out there waiting for me. The big leap. I had to think outside of the box. And that’s when Brighton and more importantly London came in. It is a known fact that London is one of the best looking cities with some of the best-dressed people living in it. And I am in the middle of this huge pile of awesomeness, attractiveness and immenseness of style. And even before moving to this fashion dream of a place, I knew I had to leave my comfort zone once and for all. Or at least widen it. Because London is very out there. And I am not. Or was not. I feel like that has changed in the past week, at least in my own little style bubble.

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Here are a few things London and the experience of living here have taught me about fashion so far:

  • fast-fashion is your enemy, avoid it as much as you can
  • sustainability for the win
  • comfort and style do really go together (miracles, I tell you)
  • you don’t have to follow every trend – they go away anyway
  • pride and confidence are the best two accessories
  • you can be and look like anyone/anything you want
  • be out there, it’s fun

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I know, sounds quite cute and all, but it’s actually more difficult to tick all these boxes than you would think. Being out there is a real chore and takes a lot of confidence. And for an introvert like me – who’s slowly becoming an extrovert, funnily enough – fitting in is always a bit more comfortable than sticking out. But when you go to a music university in London, which basically translates to Hipster HQs, the rule is stand out or die (not literally, obviously). So I’ve been soaking up the city and all the other inspirations like a sponge and the result is the style that I am calling mine today. And I am damn proud of it.

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You know, for someone like me, who’s from a different country and who recently moved to London, it sometimes is a bit tough to not feel like you’re just a long-term tourist. Suddenly you start asking yourself whether people look at you and think you’re from the city or just someone stopping by. And a few weeks ago I would’ve said the second option, but I’ve had a slight change of mind. Let me tell you why – I went for a little shopping hunt, inspired by all the people and things I’m surrounded by in this incredible city on a daily basis and by all the fantastic outfits I see online, and I found two outfits that have turned my whole world on its head. And this isn’t simply about a shirt and a fitting jacket in the same color. No no. I’m talking about actual two-piece sets, consisting of the most amazing pants and the coolest jackets ever to go with them.

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To be honest, I’ve been on the lookout for a nice monochrome set for quite some time. I see it in the city all the time and I felt like it was time for me to be part of the movement. And after a long and exhausting journey that included lots of late-night scrolling through clothing websites and weekend trips to Carnaby Street, I finally found the perfect set on Asos by the brand Daisy Street (click here to check it out). Corduroy. Orange. Oversize. And comfy as hell. It had to be mine. And after a few days of waiting, it finally was. And still is. The moment I put it on, I knew I had stumbled across something very special. Something that would change my style completely. And it did. Because it opened my eyes to a whole other world of fashion that had been hiding in my closet. But it didn’t just end there.

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I would definitely say I reached peak coolness when I bought what I would describe as the ultimate two-piece a few days ago. The ultimate suit. The one and only. It all happened during a Lazy Oaf sample sale that I went to with my friend Lauren last Saturday. Some of you might already know this incredible London-based brand that creates anything but boring fashion. In a nutshell, it’s my favourite brand, but usually way too expensive for me. Hence the trip to the sample sale. And there I saw it. The perfect set that I immediately had to get (click here to check it out). In total, we spent over two hours in that industrial building, digging through endless piles of clothes, completely focused on our mission of finding the perfect piece. I’m not gonna say how much I paid for the whole thing (pants + jacket), but I can promise you one thing – if you ever want to find a bargain and feel a deep love for Lazy Oaf, then the sample sale is the way to go. The prices are out of this world. I mean, they don’t throw the clothes after you just to get rid of them, their quality is still way too high and good for that, but compared to the original prices, the whole event is one big bargain.

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The set I got is basically awesomeness in the form of clothing. Oversize. The most beautiful colours with the most fantastic check pattern. Wide leg trousers. The perfect fit. Extremely comfy. And literally the best quality. The moment I tried it on in that big hall, I knew it had to be mine. But besides the nice fit and the awesome look, there was something I felt while I was walking around with it still on, contemplating of whether I should get the whole set or not – it made me feel like I was part of London. Something that the first set had already achieved as well a few days beforehand. And that certain feeling is essentially the reason for me writing this post. Because both things make me feel like I belong in and to London. Like I am part of this city, part of its style, part of its people. It makes me feel like I am a Londoner. Like someone who people look at and might think that they live in this city and are part of it. And that is something so incredibly important for me, something that fills me with so much pride and confidence that I can’t possibly put into words how happy it makes me. I’ve always wanted to live in London and be part of this dream. But being here and feeling like you actually belong here are two different things. At least they were for me, but not anymore. And it might sound a bit strange to say that simple pieces of clothing make me feel that way, but I think they did more than just that. They make me a better, cooler, more confident me. And for that, I am incredibly thankful. Also, the Lazy Oaf set definitely makes me feel like the ultimate boss and that’s just the coolest thing ever. But just look for yourself.

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So, in short: I’ve been in this incredible city for nearly three months now and I am finally starting to feel like I really, fully, truly belong here, which is simply the most incredible feeling ever. And it might be weird to have clothes be the reason for that, but for me, they are just so much more than that. I’m carrying myself differently and that’s all thanks to this fantastic adventure I’m on right now and to this city. London has changed me. And I’m happy about that.

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For those of you who’re currently looking for a bit of a changeup in your wardrobe, I can highly recommend going for a two-piece suit. It doesn’t just look absolutely stunning, but also has the perk of making you feel like a boss. And if you go for a simple one, you can easily add the separate pieces to other outfits and wear them with different clothes. That’s what I call highly functional. And yeah, besides that I can only hope that you enjoyed this post and that it maybe serves as a bit of inspiration for you. As always, I’d totally love to hear your thoughts and opinions, so please don’t hesitate to leave them down below. And, of course, I hope you’re all doing good, wish you a great week and thanks for reading. x

My favourite photographers

Hola everyone.

And welcome to another week. I hope, so far, your Monday has been great and that you’re all doing good. I’m currently sitting in my room at home in London, typing this, while my playlist (link here) is playing in the background. Unfortunately I’ve been ill the past few days, so this is how I’ve spent most of my time. Also a reason why I woke up today not really having a plan of what to write about. But then I remembered this one series that I started a few months ago and I immediately knew what I had to do. So, once again, the time has come to celebrate the amazingness that is photography and all the fantastic photographers behind these works of art that we, as human beings and art lovers, like to hang up in our rooms, look at and maybe even create ourselves. That’s also part of the reason why photography is such a phenomenal art form – it doesn’t exclude. There are no rules that decide what is good and what is bad. Everyone can do anything with a camera or a phone or any technical device that includes a camera. Photography is open to everyone and anyone and that’s why I love it so much.

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Obviously, as with any sector that includes humans and requires them doing something, there are a few people that are especially talented and fantastic at what they’re doing. This also goes for photography. In my past posts of this series, I’ve introduced you to the incredible Brad Heaton (click me) and the unbelievable Will Darbyshire (click me too). Both of these creative minds are artists I look up to and admire with my whole being. And today, I would like to introduce you to another uber-amazing photographer. Today, it is my honour, to introduce you to the fantastic Brittany O’Brien, who I got to know through my love for the awesome band Hippo Campus. Ever since then, I’ve been following her account on Instagram and, let me just say, when it comes to music photography, she’s definitely one of the best out there.

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Her way of catching moments and seconds through the camera lens and turning them into pieces of art is absolutely incredible. I’m especially in love with tour shots, but not from the concerts themselves but from moments besides the gigs. When they are just sitting around, maybe having dinner, lying in the grass outside. Normal stuff. I don’t know why, but they intrigue me the most. Besides that, Brit also does film photography, which I probably don’t have to explain why I’m a big, big fan of that. So, all in all, I’m so, so happy that I get to tell you about this amazing woman and her phenomenal art.

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And so, without further ado, let’s get to the most important part – the pictures. I dearly hope you enjoy them just as much as I do. All of them were taken during the last Hippo Campus tour (I got them from Brit’s official page, all credits go to her, of course). And yeah, what can I say – I just love them. Please enjoy.

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not my picture; all credits go to Brittany O’Brien

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If you want to find out more about Brit or simply can’t get enough of her pics, here are the links to her website and her Instagram. And yeah, please also let me know what you thought/think about this post, so please don’t hesitate to leave your comments down below. And, as always, I wish you all a nice week and thanks for reading. x

My favourite photographers

Hola everyone.

And welcome to another week. I hope, so far, your Monday has been great and that you’re all doing good. I’m currently sitting on our terrace at home, typing this, while my playlist (link here) is playing in the background. I woke up today not really having a plan of what to write about, but then I got an idea – I love doing series on here and I’m also very much in love with photography, so why not combine those two things? So that’s what we’re going to start today – a new series, dedicated to sharing my favourite photographers and their fantastic works of art with you. I’m already so excited. So, let’s get right to it, shall we?

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Brad Heaton

Choosing the first photographer to talk about might seem like a difficult mission for me, if you know me, but trust me, it was the very easiest part. Because, if you’ve got a photographer like Brad Heaton out there in the world, doing his magic every single day, the decision is always easy. Most of you will know him as the official photographer of Twenty One Pilots, but I regularly refer to him as a damn genius. Because he simply is, which becomes very clear once you take a look at his pictures.

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Brad has been part of the boy’s team since about ever, I think, as he’s also from Columbus, Ohio, just like Tyler and Josh themselves, so I wouldn’t be surprised if they had already been friends way before the boys became famous. And ever since then, Brad has been touring with them and blessing the world with his breathtaking pictures. Apart from Twenty One Pilots, he’s also photographed the likes of Paramore, Fall Out Boy, Steve Aoki and Hoodie Allen, just to name a few. In short – he totally knows what he’s doing.

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But that’s not why I look up to him that much as a photographic idol. It’s more because his pictures are simply out of this world. They make me feel things, a complex mix of emotions. And whenever I look at them, I’m immediately thrown back to my own Twenty One Pilots shows and the excitement I felt while being there, in the crowd, having the best time ever. Which again turns them into utter magical pieces of art, as they make me speechless and ramble about their beauty at the same time. They have the power to create an instant connection between the person looking at the shots and the people in the pictures. It might sound weird, but he really manages to gather the whole meaning of the clique and the boys and our special connection within one picture. Especially looking at the last picture I’m going to show you, my favourite one of his, I look at it and I instantly feel like I can see myself in it. I nearly fell off the couch when I saw it for the first time. Not just because it’s just so damn good, but also because it’s not only a photograph but a representation of the clique and the boys and who we are in this world. It’s simply perfect. And that’s what makes Brad and his pictures so special – for him, the fans and the crowd are just as important as the boys on stage. Another reason why the pictures he takes of the fans holding Tyler’s hand or fully being in the moment during the shows have a special place in my heart. And besides all that, Brad’s pictures always make me wonder how he manages to take his shots, as some seem to have been taken within the midst of the crowd, and they make me want to hear all the stories behind them. And, especially important for me as a lover of that certain photographic style, his use of black and white and the way he likes to stick to less colour and let the pictures tell the stories is just so beautiful.

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Looking at all these aspects combined, I’m sure it’s no wonder why I admire Brad this much. For me, he’s one of the most talented photographers out there and an artist I aspire to be, even it’s just on a small scale. He’s a genius. And for that, I have to thank him. And also for always providing us with quality backstage content. Thanks, Brad.

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And now, without further ado, let’s get to the most important part – the pictures. I dearly hope you enjoy them just as much as I do. All of them are from their current Bandito tour, which started at the end of last year (I got them from their Facebook page, all credits go to Brad, of course). And yeah, what can I say – I just love them. Please enjoy.

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not my picture; credits to Brad Heaton

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Last but not least… my favourite. No words can describe how much I love this shot.

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If you want to find out more about Brad or simply can’t get enough of his pics, here are the links to his website and his Instagram. And yeah, please let me know what you think and until then I wish you all a nice week. Oh, and just a short info that I won’t be posting anything on Friday, as I’ll be spending the day chilling outside the stadium in Klagenfurt and then admiring Ed during his show. But, I’ll of course tell you everything about it as soon as I get back next week. So, see you next week and thanks for reading. x

At the seaside

Hola everyone.

How are you all doing today? I hope so far you’ve had an amazing Friday and that you’re looking forward to the weekend. I, for my part, have been enjoying my time at home the past two weeks and am currently mentally preparing myself for Ed’s show next week. My friend and I want to try and get front row, so the plan is to get to the venue as early as possible and basically stay there the whole day, which is something I’ve never done before. But we’ll try our best. We’re coming for you, Ed.

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Besides that, I’m currently also processing the past months I got to spend in Brighton and London, which is partly what I want to do with this post right here as well. I’ve been going through all the pictures on my phone and I just couldn’t help myself but choose my favourites. And now, obviously, I can’t help but have to share them with you. You guys know how much in love I am with photography and as I haven’t done a photography post in a while now, I thought it was time to change that.

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Some of you might already know most of the pictures if you’ve been following my blog for a while now, but I’m sure there’ll be a few surprises in there as well. All of them were either taken on my phone or my Sony camera, but I do really love all of them equally. I just love looking at pictures and sharing them with the world so much. Photography is art. Nobody can tell me otherwise.

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As always, I hope you enjoy the pictures and please don’t hesitate to leave your thoughts and comments down below. I’d love to hear what you think. And, of course, I wish you all a nice weekend and thanks for reading. x

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My favourite music videos

Hola everyone.

And welcome back to another Friday. Another musical one. But also filmic, you could say. Because today, I’d like to share my all time favourite music videos with you. Some of these are just pure happiness in video form, some are plain beautiful and some of them are just so funny, cool or aesthetically pleasing. Overall, I just love all of these so so much and even if some of them are old, I always love going back to them and watching them again. And I hope you enjoy them just as much.

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Ed Sheeran – Lego House

I mean, you guys know that I love Ed with every single cell of my body and my entire soul. So it won’t be a surprise that one of Ed’s videos had to be part of this list. And, I mean, just watch it. What is Ron doing there? Why do they look like the same person? How crazy is it that stalkers like that one really exist? And am I the only one who thinks that the video doesn’t fit with the lyrics at all?

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Twenty One Pilots – Tear In My Heart / Jumpsuit

Guys, what should I tell you? They are my beans. And one video is about Jenna and even features her, so obviously you have to say awww really loud at the end. And the other one is a cinematic masterpiece and also the one video that got the Trench era started. So yeah, I don’t think I need to explain myself. Just watch them, honestly.

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Martin Garrix – Pizza

Here we have the video that counts as pure happiness in video form. I am actually a 100 % convinced that it’s impossible to watch this video and not smile like a super happy person. It’s one of those videos that simply make you grin. Marty is just too cute. And yes, the song is called Pizza because he loves Pizza so much. And the video shows him with his fans, who he also loves. So, in total, the video is pure love.

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Lewis Capaldi – Someone You Loved

This gem here just came out a few days ago, but guys, beware, you might need a handkerchief/tissue. Because yep, this one is a bit sad. Just a teeny tiny bit. And on top of that, the cause is just as lovely as the video itself. Well done Lewis, seriously.

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Tom Rosenthal – Hugging You / How Have You Been?

Honestly, Tom’s videos are just as beautiful as his music. For the context, the first video is basically made of clips of people hugging, all around the world. Tom asked for them and the result is just so damn wonderful. And the other video features one of the cutest and most fantastic type of animation I have ever seen. I honestly have no idea how they created this, but I wish I could do that. Literally a piece of art.

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So yeah guys, I think those are my all time favourite music videos. I’m pretty sure I forgot  one or two, but oh well. I hope you guys enjoy the videos just as much as I do. Please let me know what you think about them down in the comment section below. And, as always, I hope you’re doing good and wish you a lovely weekend. And, of course, thanks for reading. x

White Skin, Black Ink

Hola everyone.

And welcome back to another Friday and another month, actually. Happy February. I hope you’ve all had an amazing week so far and are looking forward to the weekend. You know, while thinking about what to write for today’s post, many different ideas came to my mind, but none of them really inspired me, nothing ignited that certain fire every writer needs. And then I thought about the one thing, that has been rooting in my head for a few weeks now. Tattoos.

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You guys know that I’m a huge sucker for this certain type of art, this beautiful art that turns the body into a canvas. And it is indeed art. One I’ve admired and loved my entire life. I myself am proud to call myself a canvas for this art, so far I’ve gathered three pieces, spilling on both of my arms. They still make me stare at them and adore them every single day and I don’t think that will ever change. And like many before and after me, I have also become an addict in and of the process. Which is also the reason why I’ve been thinking about tattoos and design ideas more than I usually would. My body has started aching for more again. Aching for the pain, that always ends in beauty. I even miss the weeks of caring and nurturing afterwards. I miss all of it. I simply want more.

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So, as every addict, I’ve been trying to get as close to actually getting a tattoo as possible. I literally created my own folder just for designs of different tattoos that I would either like to have myself or just like how they look and maybe want to incorporate into other designs. So, here I am, craving a tattoo, with a folder full of pictures of different tattoos and I can’t seem to get comfortable with any of them. Because, as I should probably tell you, I am one of those people, who only get something inked, when there’s an important meaning to the piece. It has to mean something to me, something big. Because this way, I get a life-long guarantee that I will forever love the tattoo. Even if I might not be the biggest fan of the look overall in like 40 or 50 years, I’ll at least love it because of it’s story and background. But this time, there was no story. At least I couldn’t think of a design for my stories.

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Until now, I’ve still got the folder and designs, I’d really love to get inked. I’ve grown a big fan of silhouette tattoos or ones picturing a hand holding flowers or something else. And I’ve always adored tattoos of plants and flowers, preferably in color. Which is also why I really want to fly to Korea, even if it’s just to walk into the ‘Studio by Sol’ tattoo atelier to add some cute rose or sunflower to my collection. Also, speaking of that studio, I highly recommend checking out its Instagram and those of all their different artists. They are bomb, no joke. And I won’t even mention that I really want to fly to New York to visit Bang Bang, because, who doesn’t?

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But, here comes to exciting part. Yesterday, while brainstorming for possible designs with Leni, I kind of got the perfect idea. Or at least a good one, I’d say. I’ve always wanted a tattoo that resembled my endless love for music, but as many people, I am literally sick of quotes like “music is my life” or some kind of boring music note or something. Not that there is anything wrong with them, they just aren’t my cup of tea, personally. So I thought, how can I bring some of my ideas together? And in the end I’m now trying to stuff silhouettes, music and space and maybe even some geometric design into one package, shake it really good and then see what’s going to happen. At least that’s the plan for now and so far, I’m really happy with it.

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But what about you guys? Do you have any tattoos and would you like to get more? And do you also have to have a meaning behind them or do you just get what you’d like to have on your body? Please don’t hesitate to leave your comments and thoughts down below, I’d love to start a little tattoo discussion. Also, as you can see down below, I’ve added some of the design ideas I’ve been working with lately, so you can get an idea and maybe even some inspiration for yourself. As always, none of these pictures belong to me, they were all done by amazing artists, who I’m bowing my head to. I hope you like them. And yeah, I think that’s all for now. I wish you all a great weekend and thanks for reading. x

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