Spain Away From Spain

Brighton has such a big food culture that after living in the seaside city for three years, I have become a typical Brightonian always on the look out for new restaurants to try. The multicultural aspect of the city is reflected in the variety of Mediterranean restaurants from Italian, Greek and Spanish. As a French native from Lyon, I particularly enjoy the cultural aspect of food. I was not disappointed when I went for a dinner to Olé Olé on a Thursday night where I experienced an immersion into the Spanish culture.

The Royal Pavilion: a peculiar architectural construction or the epitome of Brighton?

Although the Pier might be the first thing that comes to mind when thinking of Brighton, the Royal Pavilion is a significant part of the heritage of the city. Having lived in Brighton for three years, the Pavilion had become a familiar landscape in my daily commute to university. I would see many tourists stop in front of it to take the traditional picture from the gardens with the palace in the background. Strangely enough, I had passed in front many times and even took some pictures of the architecture but it is only recently that I finally got to discover what was hiding inside such a peculiar building. I did not know what to expect and I was in for quite a surprise when I discovered the exotic and extravagant decoration and pieces of art. Unfortunately, pictures are forbidden inside, which could also explain the mysterious character of the edifice. I would really recommend taking the audio guide as it gives such an insightful take on the decadent lifestyle of George IV at the palace.

Current playlist / a walk somewhere else

Long time no see. The hardest thing about university is to juggle your studies and your free time. In my course, I do not have a busy schedule and I have a lot of ‘free time’ that are meant to study more than to do others things. What happens to me is that I tend to tell to myself that I need to study and I exclude anything else. I know, it’s a bit intense but I am in my final year so I feel even guiltier if I take some time for my hobbies. I’ve realised that I haven’t written (apart from essays) or made graphic creations since I got to uni, which saddens me. The thing is that lately, I feel that I cannot just study all the time and that in the end I don’t even study that much because I am always frustrated that I cannot express myself in a creative way. That’s why I am coming back on here to write and post about things that I love because I need it. I have a notebook filled with ideas of blog posts but I always tell myself that I have no time or that my studies are more important. The truth is that I need to find my balance between uni and hobbies.

Well, music is something that I will never give up because it literally helps me in every aspect of my life. I cannot study or write in silence and at the same time in my little free time I escape by listening to music. Music is like breathing, it’s essential to me. So I thought I would share what I have been listening to lately. I’ve put some recent discoveries and some old favourites that I will never get bored of.

summer scent

Before I ever got into makeup, there was my first ever perfume. Since then, perfume has always been a symbol of femininity. Of course men do wear perfume but it was my first gift as a teenage girl so I associate perfume with womanhood. Scent is a very personal thing and I wore the same perfume for 7 years. It was a fresh orange flower perfume from a luxury brand that I would get as a Christmas gift every year. Everybody associated me with this smell and it was really hard to transition to another perfume. Two year ago, when I celebrated my 18th birthday, I had the idea to change perfume to mark the beginning of a new era. It took me one year to find a fragrance because I instantly bought a fragrance that had the same ingredients than my previous one. When you wear the same scent for years, it's really hard to let go of it. It's comfortable to wear and it smells like you. But I found a great perfume that blended with my skin. It's less known and more complex since it's from an exclusive collection. However, I don't feel like I am as attached to it than the previous one. I am getting comfortable with the idea of having different perfumes depending on my mood. I used to hate that idea and didn't understand how people could change their perfume just like that. Until, I went to Victoria's Secret store in London, one month ago during my trip with my cousin. I thought I would never like Victoria's Secret scents because I hate girly and sweet perfumes which I associate with the brand. Victoria's Secrets with its pink everywhere, sparkling bras and in your face femininity, everything that I'm not so fan of. Well I ended up buying 3 fragrance products and here is my thoughts about them.

diary n°001 - A good summer

BOOOO I didn't post as frequently as I planned and trust me it's not because I don't have anything to post because I have a long list of ideas. I just had a crazy busy month of June and first half of July. It was a good kind of busy and it left me more motivated and energized than ever! It feels good when your life is starting to get exciting and good stuff happens. To be honest, I had been frustrated for a while that nothing was happening. I have always been quite anxious about the future in general and I worry so much that my life is going to be boring. I think that's a common thing for teenager and young adult. Because of social media, you see even more what people are doing in a sort of distorted fairytale. They are all going on fabulous vacation, interning somewhere amazing, going on road trip, scuba diving and whatnot. And you are sitting in your bedroom wondering when it's going to happen to you. I have felt that for a long time so if somebody feels the same way, trust me, it will change but only if you do something (cheesy but true). So I picked myself up and starting taking steps towards my dream life. Here's what I did while not posting on this blog.

keep calm and carry a small makeup bag

Beauty is a big passion of mine which started in high school and truly expanded three years ago. Now I'm totally hooked and I follow way too much beauty blogs, makeup artists and beauty writers. I actually never wrote about beauty on my previous blog (I was all about fashion at that time) but this is about to change. You can be sure to find a lot of beauty related articles here so hopefully you'll like reading them. My approach to beauty is quite minimalist, I either like a smoky eye or a bright lip, but not together. Yes, I'm very French that way. But most of all, I adore skincare and hair products. Hello French pharmacies!

But, let's focus on today's topic: My small makeup bag I carry with me everywhere I go.
I cannot be without it. Every time I forgot it (which is rare), I suddenly need to touch up my makeup and I have to spend the rest of the day in a bad mood with a makeup that is running down my face. Not a pretty sight. Thanks god, it doesn't happen that often when I have everything I need in that tiny bag.

style inspiration: masculin/féminin

Visually, I am often inspired by youthful, romantic looks. I guess I like a sort of dreamy vibe (think Sofia Coppola's movies and Annie Leibovitz's photographs) and my graphics have often soft tones. However, when it comes to my outfits, I love to mix feminine and masculine elements. That is why if I had to describe my style, I would answer rock chic. I have never feel comfortable in a total feminine look. As a child, I don't remember being in a dress but I don't feel like I was masculine either. I am certainly not now especially as I have become quite the beauty and makeup enthusiast. But, trousers have always been my best friends in life. From a purple velvet trouser (this one was my favorite in elementary school), I evolved towards skinny jeans.

Here are two looks that are inspired by what I would wear without thinking twice about it.

back to the start

So...I have been absent for a long time. Actually, I did not really get to post much on this new blog. I guess I got really focused on my studies and I had to adapt to a new life. But I have missed having a personal space where I can express myself. I don't consider myself as a blogger like they are these days -what I mean by that is that they have become quite professional really. I am not even sure I have a readership on this blog but if I do, I don't want to promess you a post every Tuesday, etc. I have always been relaxed about it, it is my daily escape.

But what I can tell you about this blog is that it is going to be my personal space where I share my thoughts on fashion, beauty and also show my Photoshop graphics. I hope you will feel inspired by this written and visual gallery of mine.

Bisous
Marine

tenue du jour #1

Outfit of the day #1. Maje Top (summer'12) / The Kooples Neoprene Skirt (winter '12) / Repetto "Zizi" Brogues / YSL La Laque Couture in Bleu Majorelle (Nailpolish) / Bracelets bought on holidays (the orange one is one of my fav' and I brought it from Florence last summer)

When I stay at home and the weather is cloudy like today, I like to bring a little bit of sun with my outfit. I also experiment with my clothes to have some ideas for this summer. I particularly like the combination between my bright yellow top and the Klein blue nail polish that I bought recently. The shape of the skirt is very unusual but also very feminine so I like to keep it simple and pair it with a large tee. This skirt is from the winter collection of The Kooples, though the fabric is quite light. What do you think about this outfit guys ?

Bisous
Marine

Picture from : Marine Blackbird

how to - be a cool girl this summer? (part one)

During the crazy month of fashion week, I sit on my couch at home (nope, not in the vip list) and check out everyday style.com (aka the fashion bible) for the newest shows. I enjoy the creativity and excitement happening there. But it is only months later that I can relate to the shows and see what I can take from them and then adapt what caught my eyes to my actual wardrobe. After a never-ending cold spring, summer has finally come (well let’s not be so enthusiastic) and it’s time for changes. Since I was frustrated by the weather for so long, I already went through fashion shows, spotted new things that I found interesting and I even went shopping for new stuff (yeah). Here is the part one of the series “How to – be a cool girl this summer” or at least the girl I would dream to be this summer.

Crop Sweaters: It's one of the biggest trends out there. Carven (1&2) have sprinkled their collection with these adorable sweaters that I admit were not something I would have seen myself embrace. Until I realised that I’ve already worn a crop sweater during the entire past summer and I absolutely adored it. Mine looks like the one from 3.1 Phillip Lim (3) with short sleeves and black lace. I’m not lying; I wore it with almost everything from my closet. It makes a look more special especially on top of a simple tee with a pair of denim short and sandals. One thing I love love love (…) from Phillip Lim (3) and haven’t tried yet, is to combine my sweater with a check shirt/top. This year, I added the knit and long sleeves version in my closet and it is even more versatile. There are a lot of other ways to pair these two sweaters but I will show you how in another post.
Light Pants: This is not something I already figured out since I’m still looking for a pair of cool pants. I just love the attitude of the second and fourth girl; it’s kind of Paris nonchalant vs New York nonchalant. It’s just so hard for a young girl to find the right pant that is still fresh and playful and not so much “ladylike”. What I would keep in mind during shopping is to look for a colour that pops or for a mix of prints with a neutral colour. The last look (5) is from Rodarte (you will soon realised how much I’m obsessed with this brand) and it’s not about the pant (not so much wearable in real life) particularly that I’m so fond of but it is more about the overall aspect of the look that is interesting. For this summer, I’m looking for something easy, yet intriguing. The combination of the silk blouse, the big necklace and the sporty high-heels is a right balance between feminine elements and street ones.
Gold/Metal Accessories: A Canvas Bag is really cute for summer but it doesn’t add something unique enough to the outfit to be noticed. I just fell for Phillip Lim’s golden bag when I spotted it on the runway. It makes the look (3) stands out by simply adding something precious. In summer, jewellery is more relevant since we can’t dress up so much. I usually have a bunch of bracelets that I like to buy when on vacation in the local shops (great as gifts to your girlfriends).

Guys, have you spotted these trends as well? Have you tried them? I’d like to know as well what you would love to wear this summer.

Bisous
Marine

Credits : Pictures from Style.com / Carven, 3.1 Phillip Lim and Rodarte (Brands)

bienvenue

Welcome to Marine Blackbird! After almost two years without blogging, I come back with a new blog, new ideas and a lot of motivation to keep it going.
I hope you'll enjoy my blog. And If you want to laugh and look at what I was doing two years ago, go there: http://birdysdream.blogspot.fr

Bisous
Marine

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