Session de rattrapage : 50s cabbage roses (outfit)

50s skirt : vintage (Ebay)

tank : H&M

market bag : thrifted

necklace : we never sleep

 

 

First of all I have to say I tried; I tried taking new photos but I never got around to finish the edit, I tried to write a compelling post about my frustration with make up and beauty products, but once again most of the writing has been going on in my head.

 

But between editing the 200+ photos of the winter look book  and helping my friend organize a screening in a squat (which meant both lugging gear and performing my PR and DJ duties), I couldn't really put together a more compelling(or rather contemporary) post.

The truth is I pretty much love how these recently-scanned photos turned out.

They were taken at the end of one of those hot sticky summer days (people living in Bucharest know what Indian summer really means), with the sun slowly setting and the breeze setting in.

The skirt is one of my first vintage purchases and so far still my favorite 50s skirt - the fact that is slightly sheer, very full and doesn't get wrinkled easily surely helps. And even if I significantly gained weight since, I still prefer the snug fit of a 24-25'' waistband, anything else just seems to big on me.

Oh, the easy sandals+no bra days!

The photos were taken with my old Russian Chmena 8 that used to be my dad's - you set the focus by distance, there's basically no viewfinder and no light meter, so mastering it can be tricky but I had great results with it and it's super portable, so I kinda have to say it's my favorite camera so far.

Oh, I totally need to stop being nostalgic about the summer but it's OH SO HARD!

 

Session de rattrapage : Bathing beauties

 Ok you guys, I know you're getting sick of my big batch of recently unearthed film photos, so I'm gonna make this a little easier - I'm starting a new post series just for sharing old outfits and other random shit, photos taken on film only, so that you won't feel like I'm wasting your time.

I'm calling this session de rattrapage - it's the French term for when you failed or missed an exam date and need a retake. I find it a more elegant (and slightly guilty) term for catching up.

These photos certainly don't compare to the original Mack Sennett bathing beauties, but they do capture my passion for water and swimming. Maybe it's more beautiful swimmers than bathing beauties (just to be clear the term beautiful is for the photos, not the subject). Which reminds me of this lovely band.

I'm not a very good swimmer by any means, but I just looove being in the water.

This is probably just a lame excuse to show off my uber cool Michael Kors Swimsuit a silly swim cap (going to the pool cultivates good habits like the usefulness of a swim cap).

Lately I started doing a very Parisian/French thing - going to the pool. Aside from the smoking, small portions and copious bike ridding, the secret of slim French women might be going to the pool (and yoga). I mean, nobody here really talks about gym memberships or body building, but they do talk about going to the pool.

It's a really quirky system - every district of the city and the suburbs has a so-called municipal pool. That's right - a place for exercise subsidized by the State.

Sure the rates are decent (5 bucks a go), hours are freaky and don't really work with your schedule, you get kids, jocks and fat old ladies, but for a person who hates sports and exercise (and who's been complaining about looking like a pancake lately while eating her McDonald's), it's a pretty sweet deal. Except when the bitchy old lady from the register tells you she can't give you the discount rate without your actual card despite the fact that you were just there 3 days ago and had your discount card made. I mean, don't these people keep any evidence of people signing up? What if my card gets stolen or lost? You just have to pay the 10euros again in order to get the discounted 3.7euro rate. And of course there's no monthly rate or other discount plan.

Yeah, the joys and wonders of French bureaucracy...

But still, it's good to go and try and swim for an hour in the big boys pool (then sneaking to just float in the kiddy pool when the big one gets overcrowded), coming back stinking of chlorine, starving but happy.

I'm still working on discovering the least crowded hours (quite difficult for a place that only opens 4h/day), but it's a good habit that I'm trying to maintain.

So here are a few shots from last summer of a more happy swimmer in better circumstances (although I wouldn't call killer waves ideal swimming environment).

Do you guys exercise in any way? What do you do to stay in shape?

Oh, I also prolonged the sale for another day, so if you saw something you fancy there's still time to head over to the shop!

Beanies, beaches and the '90s ( a belated outfit post )

90s dress :thrifted

cardi :Monki

tote bag: ASOS

beanie : borrowed

everything else : thrifted

Yes, I'm still posting photos from the summer ; I guess there was just this number of nice photos that didn't get to be posted at the right time, so I just prefer posting them now than never (especially now, in what I like to call official coat weather).

Plus, film photography is just SO much better!

It is utterly seasonally inappropriate, but so in tune with my eternal warm weather longing; there's just something about summer, vacations, lazy days and wearing less layers. Naturally, I still complain about the heat when summer finally comes, but I can't help but maintain this escapist fascination with the season.

Not to mention my infinite love of sea/water; when wearing a trashy beanie in the summer because your hair is wet and cold, not for trying to follow some silly, when you dump a cardigan in your tote for the evening chill... Finding strange flowers and objects around the beach, driftwood, glass and old bottles.

Walking with your feet in the water along the shoreline after sunset.

 I don't remember the 90s all that well; my best testimonial about the decade are those photos of a very young me with short hair, crooked teeth, Matrix sunglasses and neon leggings. And probably my dad's fanny packs. Definitely the fanny packs. I'm not crazy about the whole 90s revival trend but there are those easy, almost frumpy elements I can relate too : long skirts,big cardigans,loose shapes, flannel plaids and work boots.

In retrospect, this looks like a very grungy 90s outfit; to me, every single element of it has a practical explanation (including my now-obsolete sun hat).

At the same time I think it's pretty and stylish. And that's why I love every piece of it.

International Blue (Back to Paris)

 Call it what you will - electric blue, royal blue, jewel tone...For me it will always the the International Blue, that loud unique shade patented by Yves Klein, the one he smeared upon naked ladies and huge canvases.

The strong, instantly recognizable blue, the one no other artist was allowed to imitate.

With all this history in mind, I can't help but think of Vonnegut's Bluebeard and his character's failed abstract expressionist painting - a huge blue canvas from which the paint started peeling off to his embarrassment. His Satten Dura-Lux Windsor Blue is a direct Klein reference to me; and who couldn't appreciate Vonnegut's sick sense of humor?

I wasn't much into Vonnegut at start, as I must have read a horrid Romanian translation of the book, but once I read Cat's Cradle in English I instantly became a fan.

Only this whole blue deal might be a little more than a chromatic rant - I think I've got the blues.

Autumn has sure come suddenly this year - the rain and cold caught up with us while being at the seaside.

So seeing those summer photos already makes me nostalgic about a vacation that's barely over. Don't get me wrong, I do love turning leaves and berries and digging out warm sweaters, but I think this year we've been so warmth deprived that I can't really say I'm very happy about the upcoming cold season.

At least I have beautiful photos from all my photographer friends that will help fuel my summertime fantasies.

But in the meanwhile there's the whole folie de la rentree, with the upcoming Nuit Blanche, FIAC and this weekend's Fete des Jardins, the Paris-wide parks and garden outdoor celebration. They probably know this is the last weekend when the weather is still nice enough to do all this.

Oh and did I mention school starts in a week as well? Also - Halloween is just around the corner!

Hope everyone had a great summer. What are you guys looking forward to this autumn?

Summer's almost gone... and a beach outfit

I know, I know everyone's probably sick and tired of Jim Morrisson references,but a lesser known fact is that I used to be a hippie and obsess over The Doors, Woodstock and the '70s.

Reading Patti Smith's Just Kids got me nostalgic over that period again; I was never a big Patti fan (besides loving Horses) but this little memoir is a thrilling and highly emotional book. Naturally, it's a highly romanticized account, but there's a little bit of everything - Chelsea Hotel, The Factory, Harry Smith...even mentions of Hank Williams and lots of literary references.

Being a Mapplethorpe fan it's pretty incredible to learn all this history about the evolution of his work. Regardless, I think it's a highly inspiring book for any aspiring artist or creative. And such a pleasant read!

And of course this used to be one of my favorite songs to listen to in late August, early September, when the weather gets slightly chiller, leaves start turning but school is still a couple of weeks away.

In Romania la rentrée is around September 15th, which kinda had the same effect on everyone as Labor Day has for Americans. The French tradition hails the end of summer somewhere around the first two weeks of September and October 1st.

I spent the last week in Romania at my favorite (now less) deserted beach and now it's time for editing photos, packing and flying back to Paris very soon.

I left the shop and my dear plants in the hands of my trusty roommate, so there would be no shipping delays but unfortunately no updates either until October.

I'm already thinking about shooting in Pere Lachaise, maybe filming a little Super 8 promo film, finally visiting the Gustave Moreau Museum I've heard so much about and just getting wrapped up in all that 19th century gloomy autumn atmosphere.

I still haven't got the summer out of my system but hey there's still a few days left, right?

bises,

sandra

Summer SALE!

Yep, it's finally time for that!

I'm offering 20% off in the Etsy boutique throughout this whole week! Great way to fight the heat, huh?

Simply type in the code SWIM20 at checkout in order to get your discount.

Shop HERE.

ps- new items coming next week, including the cutest princess 50s circle skirt, an adorable 30s dress and the coolest 90s lace mesh. stay tuned!

The Sweet Movie collection is now in the shop!

I could blame it on the heat ( we are living through the hottest days of the year, it's been in the 90s here for two days already).  I could blame it on my flaky computer. Either way, I only finished listing the dresses this morning. The good news is that now they're finally online. And they're totally beach/summer heat appropriate.

Shop HERE.

Preview: Mid Summer 2013 Look Book

... with a little delay, here's what I've been working on over the past two weeks! Our new summer look book! It's the last shopping call before the big vacation and preparing for autumn...

It's been in the 90s here constantly for a while now and they say it's gonna stay like that for a while.

So, long story short the main inspiration has been Sweet Movie and vacation vibes in Paris. Which means I raided my closet (that very special precious dresses trunk part of the closet actually) and the usual scoring spots and came up with pretty much the cutest dresses around.

It's heartbreaking to say goodbye to all of these beauties, but I'm trying to finance my trip home this summer, so sacrifices need to be made. There's treasures from the 30s to the 80s, with a lot of novelty prints and sailor accents.

Full look book tomorrow, the dresses will be in the shop on Thursday. Until then you can of course make me an offer on the old inventory and enjoy a little discount on this lovely heat-fighting dress.