Sarajevo

By Elma B.

I visited my hometown of Sarajevo two weeks ago. The weather was quite lovely upon my arrival and then after the first rain (as is usual in this mountainous city), the temperature dropped significantly. 

I took a walk with a friend in central Sarajevo, and we snapped a couple of photos to show you my Sarajevo "street style." These photos were taken next to the BBI Center (a mall filled with cafes) and a park across the shopping center. 

Here, I am wearing a deep purple bag I purchased in St. Tropez, green skinny pants, a striped long shirt and nude pumps. As for my makeup, I am wearing bright pink vegan lip tar and with cat eyes. My accessories? Only blue crystal earrings. I hope you enjoy this brief snapshot of my gorgeous hometown of Sarajevo and my outfit of the day! Until next time...Xoxo. 

Me

Sarajevo

Introducing CROCHET DRESSES by KATIA PORTES

By Elma B.

Introducing CROCHET DRESSES BY KATIA PORTES...

Katia Portes is a Brazilian fashion designer with a focus on handmade crochet dresses. She has a great eye for fashion and the perfect hand to manually stitch crochet dresses. It all began when she was just a child  and started learning basic crochet stitches.  Here is what Katia Portes herself has to say about the brand: 

"Currently, with a huge number of people returning to vintage pieces and wanting to personalize their style, and steer away from commercial giants like Zara and Topshop, fashionistas and other trendsetters are turning to handmade pieces. The handmade clothing is exclusive and will not be spotted on million of other fashionistas: it is unique and tailored to your shape and size. The brand Katia Portes is personalized: it is exclusive and handmade. The clothes are for people seeking individuality and exclusivity. We began working with a few pieces, and had several well-known Brazilian artists wear my brand.

Summer Ready Skin

By Noreen Saleem

Hello fashionistas! 

Who’s about ready to show off their summer look? I am not only talking about wardrobe; when talking about summer, it is vital to have summer ready skin and a prim and prep body. Just imagine, while laying out at the pool and soaking in the sun, you need to be confident and ready for the crowd.

In the summer, it is all about having that healthy and glowing skin. You will have confidence if you have a great complexion from head to toe. To achieve it, you have to keep up to date with grooming. 

Summer Skin 

At Ease in Your Summer Skin

TIPS FOR A HEALTHY SKIN GLOW AND GREAT COMPLEXION

1. Waxing

Ladies PLEASE ditch the razors as they just make the skin rough. Please make it a habit to WAX. The results are so much better and last longer. 

Dining in London

By Elma B.

Last Saturday night, we decided to have a fun night out. One of the restaurants that I really have to come enjoy in London is Nozomi. Dining in London can be both exciting and cumbersome because there are so many choices. One obvious choice for a great night out with friends: Nozomi in Knightsbridge!

The first time I went to Nozomi, I really enjoyed the mostly young crowd and the house music. People there came from all over the world and the food was exquisite. The menu is healthy and by and large Asian food. Several plates amongst your party will suffice.  We had a blast dining there and met several young and interesting internationals. For more of our fun night out in Nozomi, see the photos below. 

Sarajevo

By Elma B.

My hometown of Sarajevo is one of the most gorgeous places in the world. The city that once hosted the Winter Olympics in 1984 is a home to world's major four religions: Catholicism, Eastern Orthodox, Islam and Judaism. Within one rectangle, in central Sarajevo, one can find a cathedral, an Eastern Orthodox church, a mosque and a synagogue. 

The people are very friendly, and the city is very quaint. What always stuns me about the city are its gorgeous surrounding mountains, which are very much akin to the Swiss Alps (as the peaks are covered with snow even in May!). Another stunning factor is Sarajevo's architecture: the ancient Ottoman cobbled roads and mosques border the Austro-Hungarian churches and building facades. The city echoes with an imam praying on the mosque's minaret and the catholic church bells ringing. 

Mount Street in Mayfair, London

By Elma B.

Good morning world! 

We hope your week is off to an excellent start with the summer being around the corner and the sunny days upon us. If you live in London or are visiting, you should visit Mount Street in Mayfair, which is quite picturesque, has excellent restaurants and some gorgeous designer shops, like my personal favorite: Christian Louboutin. 

For my outfit of the day, I decided to stick to my classic-chic style and add a bit of drama: a leather jacket coupled with my pastel pink owl pants. Below, I am wearing a vanilla tank top, navy long cardigan, pastel pink owl pants, huge round sunnies, wedges, Burberry bag and Swarovski jewelry. As for my hair, I just made it into a simple side braid. 

Next time you are in London, wear your trendy outfit and stroll around Mayfair's Mount Street on a sunny day to experience the city's chic neighborhood. Take a look at my personal photos below. Xo.

Mount Street in Mayfair, London

Hyde Park

By Merima Ramadanovic

While working as a model and living in London, I became infatuated with Hyde Park: its enormous size, bright green carpet-like grass, and its peacefulness away from London's busy streets. Also, I could not help but to notice how picturesque everything in the park was: from its fountains in the Roman gardens to its emerald and white lawn chairs. 

Below, you will find several photos that I took in Hyde Park while I was living in London. My outfits for all of the photos were casual: jean jackets coupled with a sleeveless dress and booties with fringes; leather jacket with jeans, unicolor green shirt, and colorful tennis shoes; or a very colorful shirt, jeans, black ballet flats and a thin brown belt. I adore simplicity for my style; for a bit of drama, I wear red or bright orange lipstick and black eyeliner to create cat eyes.

Thus, next time you are in London, put on your casually stylish outfit, stroll around Hyde Park and make sure you capture its beauty. Xoxo., -Meri

Me in Hyde Park

Hyde Park with Friends

Andalucía

By Josemi Moragues Tallada

Hello fashionistas! How was your weekend? I hope it was as splendid as mine! I have been interning for L'Oréal for nine months; last Friday, I decided to escape and enjoy a little of the beach and its warm weather. Above all, I wanted to relax and unwind.  

Thus, I decided to go on a road trip to south of Spain: Puerto   de Santa María. I had an amazing weekend during which I also had the opportunity to visit Cadiz and Seville.

I adore this entire Andalucia region: Puerto de Santa María, Cadiz, and Seville. After a trip like this one, I realize the incredible beauty of Spain. During my trip, I opted for casual looks, which are very comfortable. The key pieces for my outfits were shoes, jeans, basic tees and denim jackets. 

Thanks for following us, and stay tuned for more of my spring and summer adventures! Love, J.

Summer Trends for Men

By Nerina Hodzic Poplata 

What are some summer trends? 

Very Vibrant Colors For Men 

Clothes 

I would definitely have to say very vibrant colors for both men and women. This season, men can wear very bright colors to the office and while out with friends. For instance, a man can wear emerald green pants and an orange jacket. 

Sneakers 

Another summer trend for men are multicolor sneakers. Several years ago, sneakers were reserved only for sporty looks but fortunately all the men this season are free to wear their colored sneakers with a suit. 

Summer Trend Tips 

1. Combine complementary colors: blue with orange; red with green; yellow with purple.

2. To make the color mix more interesting, combine two complementary colors and use several shades of one of them, e.g., light blue shirt, dark blue pants, a royal blue bow tie and an orange jacket.  

3. If you opt to combine two light colors, e.g., lighter shades of blue and green, add a detail to your outfit in a bold color, e.g., red or yellow.

4. If you are looking for an office look or to dress up for an event, you no longer have to opt for the standard gray or black suit; instead, choose  a dark green suit. 

5. If you do not like the serious look of a suit, wear colored or multicolored sneakers. 

Summer Trends for Men: Salvatore Ferragamo

Summer Trends for Men: Paul Smith

Summer Trends for Men: Paul Smith

Summer Trends for Men: Salvatore Ferragamo

What to Wear to a Wedding?

By Nerina Hodzic-Poplata

Hello my dear fashionistas! 

Shortly after I was invited to attend a dear friend's wedding, I thought "what should I wear?" What are the appropriate types of dress styles for a wedding? My main goal: to wear the dress to the wedding and its after party. 

Thus, I have been on the lookout, carefully observing high street brands and luxury designers, for a dress to wear to a wedding.  

Styles for Wedding: Zac Posen Dresses

My idea of an ideal dress to wear to a wedding: 

1. unusual; 2. different; 3. comfortable; 4. fancy; 5. not too short; 6. without too many sparkles; 7; any color but white (white is reserved for the bridge); and 8. new (not vintage and not a dress I already own).

I have not settled for any dress yet since I have not spotted one that has that effect that takes my breath away. Hence, I was thinking to make some sketches, pay a visit to my taylor and have her custom design a dress for me. Stay tuned!

In the meantime, take a look at some dress styles for a wedding, which are nearly perfect. Which one do you prefer? Help me custom design a perfect dress! Xo.  

Styles for Wedding: Oscar de la Renta

Styles for Wedding: Zuhair Murad

Fashion Film MCA, Bogota

Have you ever seen a fashion film? I just acted in one in that mimicked the Hollywood film Hangover, and the difference? The main characters were professional models in custom fitted lingerie.  

Model Astrid Ramirez

The fashion film director, Ivan Mosquera, explains how the idea came about:

“This fashion film was borne more like a personal infatuation with girls in sexy underwear and just being sexy. At first, all we wanted to do was to have a couple of models who were comfortable with their bodies and their sexuality dancing in front of our camera wearing different sexy outfits in order to make a musical montage with a very cool song. After a while, the little fixation started to grow and became more of a project for my partner and me, so he started to build a more commercial concept out of it and started to get people involved. Then along came our fashion designer, so we started to shape more of a story out of it. We started looking for girls that wanted to participate on our little Fashion Film then they became characters, and so forth. By the end of the pre-production there were more than 20 professionals involved in this little infatuation of ours and the rest is history.”

Director Ivan Mosquera

Acting in the fashion film has been one of the best experiences I have ever had; I am so thankful that I had the opportunity to model and act in it. The whole team, including the director, the sound crew, and the models, was so professional and talented. I really enjoyed working with them.

Me with the crew

We were modeling lingerie, and I absolutely loved what I was wearing. The lingerie was really classy; each piece was custom made for every model individually. There were four models, and we all had a specific personality. 

The whole set takes place in a hotel; at first, the director shot us as we were getting ready for a party and afterwards the director captured the after-party effects.

Unfortunately, I can’t say too much about the film until the debut of the trailer, which should be sometime in June. I seriously can’t wait to show you guys! Stay tuned for more! Xo. 

Window Shopping

By Elma B.

Since I am living in London, one of world's fashion hubs (the other three being Paris, New York City, and Milan), I thought to do a post dedicated to window shopping on Bond Street. In general, Bond Street hosts a variety of luxury brand, e.g. Prada, Alexander McQueen, Louis Vuitton, Tod's and Ralph Lauren. Now, you may be thinking "yea, out of my price range" but hold it, this may serve as an inspiration to find designs that are more suitable for your check book. 

Window Shopping: Alexander McQueen Shoes 

The luxury brands on Bond Street have all displayed their hottest and latest spring designs, which by and large set this season's fashion trends. Was there any pattern I noticed? Indeed: two colored patterns, whether stripes or checkered, seemed to be a reoccurring themes, e.g., Prada and Louis Vuitton. Below, I captured the window shops of Prada, Dolce & Gabbana, Alexander McQueen, Tod's and Ralph Lauren, respectively. Another reoccurring theme: sophistication and elegance. The classic message: less is more. 

Window Shopping: Tod's

Before you glance at my PERSONAL photos below, I wanted to share with you an interesting fact: a good friend, who had studied at Istituto Europeo di Design in Milan (a.k.a. Harvard for design), had revealed to me that window displays are a form of art. In another words, the window displays are professionally setup with a focus on lighting, interior design, body posture of the mannequins, and of course the merchandise on display. In fact, there are many classes at Instituto Europeo di Design dedicated to setting up window displays. 

Window Shopping: Ralph Lauren

Take a look below, and let us know what is your favorite window display? Which are your favorite designs this season?

Window Shopping: Louis Vuitton

Window Shopping: Prada 

Men Fashion Trends: Blazers

By Elma B.

Many of our male readers have pointed out that they would like to see more posts dedicated to males regarding fashion and lifestyle. Thus, this post is for Club Fashionista men (and any Club Fashionsita ladies looking for gift ideas for their special someone). 

Men Fashion Trends: a Well Fitted Blazer

What are some of the men's fashion trends this season? Better said, what is a piece that can boost any man's style? One obvious answer is a well fitted blazer. I emphasized well fitted because in order for any clothing piece to be trendy and fashionable, it has to be well fitted to your own figure. If it is not, take it to the nearest tailor! 

Think this may be too much trouble? Nonsense! A perfectly altered blazer is an article of clothing that you will be wearing all the time; hence, it is worth having the blazer altered to fit your measurements. Moreover, women prefer a well fitted blazer to an oversized one that looks sloppy and like you just time-traveled from the 1990s. 

What to Wear Beneath a Blazer? 

Spring Trends

By Elma B.

Hello beauties!

Last evening, we decided to have a fun evening out: pink cars, fashion, and a Lebanese dinner! Since it is fairly breezy in London (considering it is late May), we had to throw on fairly warm spring clothes. So what are some spring trends? Although there are many, I will discuss our outfits below.

Spring Trends, Fashion: 

Colorful vest and pants- a colorful vest coupled with colorful pants (e.g. skinny, flared or boy cut pants) is a safe and an easy option. Another safe option: a light scarf, which can give a sense of style to your outfit.

Leather jacket- if you are a bit bolder and would like to make a fashionista statement, leather jackets are another must. Leather jacket is easy to throw on and match almost anything, e.g. pants, skirts, and even dresses. 

Spring Trends, Beauty:

Hair- braid your hair to the the side. Another option: part your hair, make two braids on the side and pin them up. 

Make up- bright lipstick. Bright lipstick is always a fun, easy and a fast option to add a bit of color to your face. If wearing bright lipstick, it is usually better to wear lighter eye make up.

Spring Trends, Accessories: 

Flowers in your hair-wear a hippie like head band.

Bright sunglasses- wear any color, e.g. emerald, pink, and red, sunglasses will brighten-up your outfit. 

Chunky colorful neckleces-wear  any color, e.g. emerald, red, and orange, to brighten up your either already bright outfit or a monotone outfit. 

Spring Trends: Colorful Vest 

Spring Trends: Leather Jacket

Introducing the Next Kate Moss: Merima Ramadanovic

By Elma B.

When I first saw her, I could not help but to think about the striking resemblance between her and the young Kate Moss.  Her eyes are piercing green, her hair is golden brown, and her lips are very pouty. She is 5'9 (175 cm), graceful, and slender. 

Her name is Merima Ramadnovic, she is only 21 years old, and and comes from Bosnia. Currently, she is taking some time off from her studies and working as a model here in London. 

Merima is a professional model, who has worked on various runways in former Yugoslavia (e.g. for the designer Sanja Djeba, Alesandra Lovric, and Brone Rajic.). Also, she has worked for campaigns like Bellissina, Azel France, Bros Jeans and been featured in regional commercials (e.g. for BH Telecom, Vakufska Banka, and Megabon). In addition to being breathtaking beautiful, Merima is intelligent; she is majoring in biology (a sophomore) at the University of Sarajevo. 

Here are some photos of the striking, natural and elegant beauty: Merima Ramadanovic. Some of the photos are completely natural (i.e., no filter and no photoshop), and others are from her photo shoots. What do you all think, the next "it" girl and the next Kate Moss?

Merima Ramadanovic

Natural: no filter & no photoshop

Natural: no filter & no photoshop 

Natural: Without an Ounce of Make Up

Merima Ramadanovic