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
that lemon life 