Ready to wear in Fall and Winter 2012/2013

And here it goes, two days of rain and a sudden drop of a temperature even in warm Turkey made me to put this post together, to finally get ready for the new season. It is strange this year how I feel a bit of a nostalgia towards colder weather and I am not being sad as summer is coming to an end. Possibly this summer's daily hotness of Istanbul -while only going to and back from work - has its effect. So let's look what should I be hunting for during next months in shops, as August's salary is approaching as well.

Gretchen Jonson

Gucci

Firstly, let me introduce you world's biggest labels and the most followed runways. As usually for a winter season, black will be the main color. As I am not any fan of black and I basically refuse to make grey and dark winter to look even sadder, collections of the biggest fashion houses seemed to me pretty sad, using too much of black for their Ready-To-Wear collections and lacking brighter and braver ideas: Chanel, Giorgio Armani, Donna Karan, Dolce Gabana, DKNY, Jean Paul Gaultier or Gucci. But even dark, also those labels came up with some nice pieces.

Let's look at collections I particularly liked and I believe they worth to be seen and possibly to serve as an inspiration:

Christian Dior

Christian Dior

Christian Dior

• Dior - contrary to other big and famous houses, was not afraid to go for different colors, warmer pallets, flattering silhouettes, harder but still flowing textiles with an extra attachment of originality and ornaments. Even collection of Haute Couture with successor of extravagant Galliano, Raf Simonis brought wearable pieces (besides extremely skinny models, collection was an experience worth to see again).

Oscar de la Renta

Oscar de la Renta

• Oscar de la Renta - brought a lot of flowers on the black ground (just as purely Victorian collection of Dolce and Gabana), old pink and silhouette of 50s.

• Luis Vuitton (and very similarly Marc Jacobs' own collection, especially when it came to big King-of-Alice-in-Wonderland-like hats, as well as silhouette extending from the breast and getting back narrow at the ankles) showed many elements being hot this season: big buttons, earthy colors, regular ornaments. Note Vuitton's in-detail tailored coats and easy-to-get scarf with an over-sized pin around neck of Marc Jacobs's own collection!

Luis Vuitton

Luis Vuitton

Marc Jacobs

Rocchas

Moschino

• Rochas - as the surprise of the season for me, it brought pastel old looking colors and geometrically regular prints with a hint of contrast color-blocks and bohemian attitude. 

• Moschino Cheap and Chic - not that cheap but certainly chic was colorful collection of Moschino, using a lot of color-blocking.

•  Diane Von Furstenberg - didn't disappoint as well. As usual, I admire her creativity in casual clothing which as only woman knows on how to show off wanted and hide undesirable parts of body. Diane used a lot of actual wine color, long glows and other many up-to-date particles. Looking at her collection you will find out how girl in Fall of 2012 should look like.

• Chloe - with lovely creamy colors, I am pointing it out as another inspiration for tatlı (sweet) girls.



Diane Von Furstenberg



Chloe

Secondly, let me talk a bit about next season's must-haves and inspirations being fashionable. 

Colors of the season: certainly wine red or "Bordeaux", beige, chocolate brown, mustard yellow, contrast or shiny orange elements, cobalt or Parisian blue, golden particles, and light-old pink and turquoise. Obviously dark grey, black and white rules but I know they will not become the main colors in my closet.

Materials: heavier but still flowing, (artificial, almost as latex-looking) polished leather (yes, good assumption, I will probably avoid it as well), knit and thick cotton, two colors wool (especially grey and white), colored fur (really?).

Inspirations: Victorian era especially colorful flowers on a black background, similar to Asian ideas, military, bohemian style, 50s and Lolita stay, male's cuts.

Chanel

DKNY

Gretchen Jonson

Dolce Gabana

Elements: contrast cutted or very high collars, significant and large pockets and buttons on the top parts of the clothing, large or shaped belts, long-sleeve gloves even above elbows, "peplums" or ruffles around belly (yes, not a big fan of that again), pleated skirts possibly under knees or even touching an ankles, wide shorts  (honestly, not really flattering cut tied around belly and only enlarging butt, nothing for me), black ornaments.

And what to get, not to spend much and keep a track?

Certainly grey/steel-like tight stockings, big knit from a thick wool around a neck (as Marc Jacobs), big belt, high-quality leather (possibly chocolate brown) boots, gold-like accessories, thick wool (possibly long) sweeter. Very soon (well, depends on when local brands will publish their new collections online and when I will finally get my hard copy of September's Vogue - possible in Istanbul?) I will write also about reachable labels I like, such as Zara, Stradivarius or Mango and will get some inspiration.

Hermes

Giorgio Armani

Nina Ricci

Victoria Backham

Valentino

Yves Saint Laurent

Photos @ Elle.com

A little note on Kurdish issue

...  by Today's Zeman columnist

Just today I have read very nice example that illustrates PKK and Kurdish questions in Turkey. After a Monday's attack in Gaziantep, the matter has been up-heated in here again. Columnist that garbed my attention wears a veil, Merve Busra Ozturk writes: 

A little Kurdish girl in Gaziantep -  the city which lost
 its 9 citizens and more than 60 were injured
in a car bombing on Monday, October 20th,
allegedly committed  by terrorists
of Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK).

"A priest from a small, poor village sets off on a very hot summer day down a road that has no trees or any source of water for as far as the eye can see in order to pay his respects to his aged relatives in a faraway village. He sets out before sunrise and continues to walk throughout the day. By the afternoon, he is so thirsty and exhausted that he only has enough strength to walk to a small green lake, which he is thrilled to see. He goes to the lake, drinks as much water as he can, washes his arms and legs and lays down to nap beside the lake.

Just as he is about to fall asleep, a nobleman on a horse arrives and yells: “These lands belong to my king and my family. No foreigner can benefit from these lands. Get out right away -- now!” The priest then says: “You say that your king and family own this land. How, then did you obtain it?” The man replies, “We inherited it from our ancestors.” “And how did they obtain it?” “They inherited it, too,” the man replies. When the priest asks the same question once more, the man loses his patience and says, “My great-great-grandfathers obtained these lands by fighting.” The priest then stops and, smiling, stands up and begins to take off his clothes. “Take off your clothes, too. We are going to fight,” he says. 

Görmüş says this story perfectly illustrates our country’s Kurdish issue: The state -- the nobleman in the story -- has denied the rights of Kurds -- the priest in the story -- for years based on laws it has created. Is there a difference between the priest’s need for water and the Kurds’ demands to speak their language without fear? And did the Kurds not say “take off your clothes, too, we are going to fight” when the state rejected every demand they made?"

 Something catchy is about that story and again, the truth is somewhere in between...

moodboard - Istanbul II.

Being a visitor is so much different than being a resident

Our "I-don't-care" boat

It has been some time since I write... but only two reasons for that: 1. I finally get something to do at my work - what took me about three day even I guess they expected me to work about two weeks; 2. we had Bayram vacations and I went with my boyfriend (!) to Izmir. Well yeah, I have a boyfriend, I should have started to call him that way to get used to an idea I am not single anymore. It has been about a month we are officially together. Strange innovation of my life but I feel calm...

This year's Bayram was the second Bayram holiday I have ever experienced. This time less traffic-wise. Journey by car from Istanbul to Izmir which usually takes about 7 hours turned pretty much to disaster due to traffic and a trip there took us over 13 hours. Yes, everybody had that brilliant idea to leave Istanbul early morning of Saturday too (but I have heard other times were pretty much the same). 

Seferihisar

Since two years that I was in Izmir for the first time, many things have changed. And as I always connect places to people, I have became to realize that being a visitor is so much different than being a resident: there is not any occasion once you visit people that live near you, it is nothing special, it becomes ordinary and they treat you ordinary as well. Sounds a bit sad but this is what happened to me and my friends: once close guys excited by my presence, today, after we all moved to Istanbul - we became super-ordinary. 

But it may have something to do also with a psychological factor, I guess: always I met with them before, I was a single girl in between a bunch of Turkish guys. Nowadays, I took one of their friends and made him to be my boyfriend and now, we are excluded. Makes me sad and upset how unfair it is but I just need to learn to get along with it...

Anyhow, holidays were lovely and very much needed. I wish they took longer. I visited Izmir, went for sailing trip to Seferihisar, spent times with other couples (me!) in Foça, even survived my first drinking game ever... 

Foça

And summarizing holidays, I have to mention one more story, maybe that may bring a bit of political glance to my blog... 

Rushing home, we stopped by to see a former high school of my boyfriend. I admired his desire to see it and also a range of respect he had towards it. I can't imagine myself doing the same, even I love my high school - certainly not that much. 

Almost running to its gardens, this really big and strong man realized that two main buildings, apparently some historically important, were destroyed and place actually looked like they have never been there before. I saw big teardrops he tried to hide. He was sure this was a pure political movement: in Izmir, this school is supposed to be one of the best, producing intellectuals and open minded people. Now, its capacity rapidly degraded. He mention under investment in Izmir by government: roads weren't repaired for ages, buildings - same story. Does Turkish Prime Minister have that goal? I will keep an eye on that.

Beauty really matters or Nothing is more useful than useless

Some days seems more inspiring than others. It may go together with moon's position or just a simple fact how I sleep or wake up. Anyhow, last two days I feel very artistic. Again! Good for me! And in my case it means I am searching for all available beauty - beauty in people, surrounding, culture, food, music... all types of beauty. 

Yesterday, I discovered philosophy of Roger Scruton. Why Beauty Matters is a documentary British philosopher prepared for BBC in 2009. He brings a conservative point of view to discussion on what actually is "the beauty". And in many of his ideas I can find mine as well:

• beauty is not subjective but an universal matter humanity needs for its inner-development
• since 20th century, beauty has been replacing by "originality" that Scruton names "cult of ugliness"
• he disagrees with an idea that since the world is disturbing, art should be disturbing as well
• if the work of art would be just an idea, anybody who has an idea could be an artist
• consumer-oriented society values all it has use of, thus values of society are utilitarian. As beauty has no use, it is undervalued. However, he claims: "Nothing is more useful than useless", accompanied by examples of love or old still-standing buildings compared to already crumbled grayish apartment buildings
• it is not nostalgia but knowledge passed from generation to generation what makes beauty of what it is.

I very much agree with those pointed truths. And I also share those conservative societal approaches and by generations proven facts which we should keep in minds and not to run after every single extravagant idea that is purely different, nothing else. I am learning to perceive beauty and I believe everybody can build up such knowledge. Unfortunately, Scruton did not give me an answer where is the line of what is beautiful and what is not (I am decided to look for his book on that topic, if I find it in Istanbul - hate internet shopping). Enhanced by mood of I-need-to-know-more, I watched another, rather superficial document of BBC. It talked more about human's beauty which I wasn't that interested in but still it had two interesting points:

1. movement (of body) is what attracts
2. symmetry (as key of health) is visually more attractive

So what is beauty to me? All that bring warm feeling inside - sometime even hot tea - and even there is an universal beauty, red lines are featured very subjectively: just as I find beautiful Istanbul with all its old ugliness and the same time, I am still afraid once my parents will visit the city, they won't find it attractive at any sense. 

Series, audiobooks and blogs

Besides the fact work is it its peak of boring season, I am forced to browse internet basically nine hours a day - highlight of yesterday certainly happened to be the Season 10 of Project Runway, to which I have a slight addiction. "I must stay true to my own point of view"-times are back! I even discovered Dallas of 2012 made it to whole season, so it may (might, so far I have seen first ten minutes) fulfill some of my evenings as well. Right, addictive big time! 

Walking to work - I daily walk about one hour, as I find it being the only training thought I still didn't manage to subscribe for any gym, mostly due to money-wise approach for now - I have started my next audiobook. This time it felt more up-to-date for me than ever: Sister Carrie of T. Dreiser moves to Chicago and seeks for a job, has to struggle even though she knows she is used to better standards and dreams about a bright future. What does that reminds me of? Hah, lovin' when any piece of art reminds me of myself. Will see where will Carrie end up. Could Dreiser become my Woody Allen no.2? Any idea on good audiobook after this one?

Besides books, audiobook, some TV (right, BBC is the only one I can watch in here so far), at work I read a lot online. This post was supposed to be dedicated primarily to fashion blogs that I personally like or fallow or from time to time get an inspiration from. So just few hints:

• Certainly inspiring teenager with a slight suicidal fashion style is Tavi Gevinson. Besides fashion, she inspires by whole visual concept of vintage middle-class American meets Lollita meets rally of witches. I admire her talent to capture usual, adding old style plastic momentum.

• Eccentric Bryan Boy - following rather high fashion, he has his point of view as well, able to inspire and pick what is chick in that world. 

• I don't really read much of what Carrie posts in her blog Wish Wish, Wish, but her vintage inspired fashion and pictures she makes are grazing for eyes. Very French/UK!

• And being in Istanbul, I need to mention also Burcu and her blog Istanbul fashion addict. I don't particularly admire her own fashion or clothing style - as it often reminds just of any Turkish mall's creation. I mention her rather to point out Istanbul has its bloggers as well, although I would welcome much more Turkish influences and Istanbulian tips from her. But so far, I haven't found any other in English. Will seek more...

moodboard - Istanbul I.

Vintage Istanbul

During last weekend I visited several places around Cihangir - pretty bohemian quarter of Istanbul with a lot of internationals, where I could finally hear mostly English (note: will have to hang around there much more!). 

My classy heart full of 40s, 50s and 60s emotions that would love to owe a nostalgia shop, just as Gil Pender, was flitting. Even overpriced old  craps (as one of my Turkish friends named it) those shops of Cihangir offer, they are eyes pleasing and next time, i certainly need to spend there more time, possibly money and (note no.:2!) to bring a good camera.

Yeah, vintage! I just wanna become a Bond's girl of Istanbul... will look for aqua turtleneck, I already have some Russian features anyway.

So what is vintage in my new house? Unfortunately, nothing yet. But I plan and want. Besides cardboard box of my new fridge that became a temporary coffee table, noting more hipster-ish. Need to progress in relations, need to progress at work, need to progress in my wardrobe and in my flat-decoration. Credit caaaard, where are you when I need you?! I know where - waiting for a working permit to be issued by Ankara's I-donno-whom. Oh, if those people know how much I need it now... 

Vintage, will be posting about it certainly much more!

How to settle down in Istanbul

One of houses in Princesses Islands

… hmmm, if I have known, I would create a seminar about it. But so far, I am just learning. Though, I can give some tips.

• check out visa, residence permit and possibly working permit options. As law for foreigners changed recently, it is possible to apply (firstly) for a year lasting touristic visa, which enable you to travel abroad even though you have no resident permit. That option will give you time to apply for all permits you need. Whole procedure is pretty much time consuming and frustrating. My company fixed all that so I can't say much about each step, unfortunately (fortunately for me).
• find a flat, best way through hurriyetemlak or sahibden. 
• decide on districts where you would like to live as first. But even a trendy district doesn't guarantee a nice location - every street is different, literally. Usually, nice districts in European side, not far from metro are Nisantasi (more expensive), Sisli - Ferikoy, maybe Mecidiyekoy, Fulya (pretty hilly), some streets of spooky Harbyie, noisy and full-of-life Taksim, student-full and cozy district of Cihangir, and one a bit far from metro Besiktas - I might have spelled them wrongly, sorry. But there are many more obviously.
• decide on a size and positioning. Istanbul has mostly big flats that are older. And smaller places aren't that usual, thus kinda new and more expensive. Count with it!. Similarly, there are many places offered, which are so called zemin floor: in my perception, pure wet basement. To my opinion, avoid them not to catch a mold or something.
• you will need quite a cash at the beginning as EMLAKs, local real estate agencies, charge you to pay one month rent extra just to them. I literally hated that idea but you might be lucky as I was: through Hurriyetemlak.tr I found a flat promoted directly by owner, so I didn't need to pay that ugly contribution to their fluffy offices. (Most of Emlak promoters were simply too mean and unhelpful that I would be willing to give them a kurus.) Similarly, one month rent is a standard payment for a deposit.

One of Istanbul's poor districts but to me,
still somehow beautiful

• register for utilities: gas, electricity and water. Pretty much a simple procedure, where you go to the office of your supplier - ask your landlord or locals - pick a number and sign a paper. Remember that once again, there is a deposit to be payed per each of those items. I guess gas was the most expensive, about 600 TRY. Count with a half day off. People from gas company also came to restart my gas-meter or anyhow it is called. Even it took him about three minutes, guy was late so I get late to work.
• get internet, possibly TV and a phone line. I am still dealing with that but generally, the best options should be Turkcell, Turknet, TTnet, and some others. Can't say which is the best, I haven't decided yet myself.

• furnish your place. Obviously, IKEA was the first and cheapest option for me for many items, but still, furniture itself isn't inexpensive in IKEA. Try web, second hand shops or so called spots with slightly cracked stuffs in half prices.
• bargain, bargain, bargain. While furnishing, from sofa, through tables, even electronics, every shop (maybe except IKEA) you may save hundreds, even thousands liras. I was quite shocked you may even bargain on fixed cataloged prices of fridge.
• most of shops will deliver furniture for free. Even IKEA offers very cheap option (about 15 TRY per item) although shop is far.
• for each of those actions, bring a Turkish friend. English speaking with no Turkish language just as me can't do anything.

Soon I will continue with another steps, as I will be passing through them myself. By that time, I hope this may be useful. 

Cheers, its Friday!

Why? Why? Why?

So why did I move in here? Well... Telling a story, people from West said they admire my braveness. People from East asked if I have a man here. I moved to Istanbul from my previous destination – Brussels - mostly because I have been offered an interesting job that seems challenging – but so far, over summer season, it is more than chilling. Similarly I founded challenging Turkey. 

I have been in Turkey before several times, once for whole summer traineeship. But this time it had to be for real. Even though I have couple of friends in town, obviously, I will need to get more people what will be nice, but the same time… maybe its coz of my mid-twenty age crisis or the fact I always go somewhere and superficially make more and more light friendships – I might get easily frustrated of not being surrounded by many people but same time being lazy and pro-active to get to know them. So this is what I will be challenged by here, as I see it now…

Anyhow, I love adventures! Being from a little city, I seek for every opportunity to travel and most of the time, I managed so mostly through variety of projects and scholarships, what made me to work my ass off. 


And it shaped my personality: I can’t simply sit on my butt and do nothing. Relax? I am not familiar with that term. Action, action, action! So I left all behind, packed three big baggage and all things I have learnt and had within myself all the time... Sound a bit pathetic... It wasn't :)

First two months I stayed with a friend(s) of mine I have known since two years and in a few days I will finally move to my own place – as soon as I get a bed. My place is at the same street as my friend’s so it will be fine. However, being together so much, I feel like after two months we need some little breaks to breathe, both. And I need to meet more variety of new people. I feel excited and will be writing about it.


Optum ya….

Settling down in a new flat

Just a week ago I finally managed to rent a place, I have been searching in Istanbul for about two months. Finally, place is not too big, not a basement - what seemed impossible, not in a spooky area. 

My new apartment seems perfect. However, it is empty, so empty... and I will have to furnish it so that I will feel amazingly cozy. But, no savings - all I spent on travelling, so it will take time. But - another but, I am no patient... hmmm... hard times ahead :)

So far, I managed just to get some little things and a sofa. See? Amazing deal on handmade couch constructed of items I particularly selected. As here is Ramadan, meaning also no weddings, furniture business go slow and I could bargain a lot! 400 $! 

Thus, I need to go further. I am impressed by that English and French country style housing with a lot of old pink-turquoise-white combinations. On budget, it will be a long race. Fortunately, IKEA has some stuffs inexpensive and I wanna go for my own ideas as well. 

Show room at one of malls

But where should I get such clear and nice pallets I could play with? 

Delighted fragrance

...and a bit of old, unfortunately not my own pics I admire.

Istanbul has and had an atmosphere, particular in every corner of the city. Does every city smells differently to you? Brussels smells like a mixture of caramel on waffles and French/Belgium fries. Helsinki does simply, as a white color - as white color must have a certain smell. Istanbul has a fragrance of cay and burned kebab meat with a dab of strong unfiltered coffee and breeze from a sea.

And Istanbul it is...

... let's begin with a bit of environment around me. Constantinople, Istanbul, isn't this a pure beauty?

Hey and Merhaba - as I have learnt...

I decided to go for it and start blogging... with dots...

I have recently moved to one of the most exciting city in the world: to ISTANBUL and I am settling down. So I will be blogging about all things I will find interesting in my new life: what I will see, meet, what will make me happy or upset... 

What I am recently dealing with is my new flat, that I just get a week ago and soon will start with its decorating on budget. Further, I wanna talk all about gorgeous city of two continents, which I have chosen to be also my city for some time - about Istanbul! I want to share my experiences of living in "the city". And what else? All other things I find fitting to a blog: beauty, fashion, experiences and travelling... will see, but I am excited!