Rocaille of the Day: The Perfect Summer Dress

I'm not sure if I professed my love for dresses before on this blog, but I do love how easy they are to wear; you just throw them on, add some accessories and you're out the door. I don't wear my collection of frocks nearly as often as I'd like in this climate, but even in Washington we sometimes get sunny weekends!


I scored this number on sale at Promod, a store that I possibly miss the most here in the US. The dress is everything I love in a summer garment: beautiful light fabric, simple design, flattering and comfortable. I paired it with last year's flip flops, an H&M leather belt and my trusty purple sunglasses.



Well, there's nothing particularly special about this outfit, but I guess I just wanted to show you my favorite dress of the season. What have you been wearing lately?

Rocaille of the Day: Alki Beach

The weather gods have blessed us with gorgeous weather this past weekend and altogether, me and Mr visited three different nearby beaches; but there was no sunbathing! Of course I took the opportunity and dressed in feminine skirts and dresses for a change, and this is my Saturday outfit:


You may remember this skirt from this post last year, and as you can see, it's still my favorite. This time I paired it with a grey Promod top I scored on sale, a wide black belt from Carry (also on sale) and my sequined ballet flats. I was planning on wearing a pair of wedge sandals, but there was too much walking involved.


In other blog news, I'm still working on a giveaway for ya and it should be up very soon, so stay tuned! I'm also dying to show you my July favorites, again it's been a long time since I last posted those.


How was your weekend?

After the cut...

I've been to the hairdresser, finally! It took her an hour and a half to cut my hair, but here's the final result:


You can sort of see in this photo that it's quite short with longer layers on top and a longer fringe. If I really really want, I can style it into a little mohawk, but I'm afraid it doesn't look as glamorous as Ginnifer's cut...

In case you're wondering about the black neckline and pearls, I graduated on Tuesday! In Poland, a graduation day is not in fact an official ceremony, but the day of the very final exam (the so-called defense of the thesis), after which your studies are basically done and over with :) I've graduated with honors and hold the title of MA in Applied Linguistics.


I opted for a very classic make-up with a shimmery champagne on the lid (Wet'n'Wild Walking on Eggshells trio), a mixture of Urban Decay Naked and Buck in the crease, Virgin in the inner corner and Creep as a liner. Base is Graftobian HD Glamour Creme foundation in Aurora with a bit of Buff mixed in set with MAC Blot Powder in Medium, blusher - La Femme Pink Velvet, lips - MAC Viva Glam Cyndi. The photos were taken after good 8 hours of wear, and you can see that the base lasted very well on my oily skin; I think it lasts even better than my Revlon Colorstay foundation.


I wore this simple black dress from Jake's with some black pumps borrowed from my mum, outfit documented by my dad in my parents' garden.

How was your first day of summer?

Rocaille of the Day: Rainy Weather

Despite the fact that it's already April, the weather has decided to ignore the sun and warmth traditionally associated with spring time and greet us with rain and cold instead (or, as a non-native Washingtonian, I'm just being picky). Anyways, this is what happened one lovely Saturday:

Don't know why, there's no sun up in the sky, stormy weather...

We've been debating whether to head outside for a good hour, since the sun was shining sporadically through the clouds but the forecast predicted downpour. And when we finally found ourselves outdoors in the beautifully blooming Bellevue Botanical Garden, rain first drip-dripped its way down from the heavy clouds to our slight annoyance, and then slushed full force behind our collars making us dash madly for the car.

Dress: Zara
Jacket: Zara
Boots (non waterproof!): Ecco
Purse: H&M
Scarf: Tally Weijl
Belt: H&M
Body suit: Forever21
Tights: ?

I love this dress and have worn it on numerous occasions, even though it has a tendency to slide upwards in the back and emphasize panty lines, as witnessed in the first photo. I wish we had Zara somewhere around here! On a different note, the weather has me seriously pondering a purchase of rubber boots. As a yet another side note, I've posted the first photo specifically for Kajal Couture - I might be a wrinkly old lady in the future but I sure smile a lot :)

How's the weather in your neck of the woods? Are you all wearing pretty Spring dresses and sandals or raincoats and umbrellas?

Rocaille of the Day: Parisienne

What more can I say, I was feeling very French that day... To avoid confusion among the newer readers, I am NOT French - just aspiring to be, and in this great country, being European is often close enough. But I'm joking, of course.


Can you tell which fashion icon inspired my new haircut?

Body suit: vintage
Full high-waisted skirt: H&M
Black tights: ?
Patent leather shoes: Ryłko (which is a Polish company with amazing designs)
Pearl earrings: Bijou Brigitte
Dogeared 'Pearls of Wisdom' necklace
Pandora bracelet

I like this outfit. Again, it features some of my favorite wardrobe pieces: the skirt I had to have the moment I laid my eyes on it in the store, and the shoes were just too quirky to pass up.

Eyes: L'Oreal HIP 'Midnight Blue' cream eyeliner
Cheeks: Milani 'Luminous' blusher
Lips: NYX Mega Shine lipgloss in 'Dolly Pink'
Nails: Essie Holiday 2010 'Hot Coco' nail polish

Have an amazing weekend, my lovelies! We'll be probably hitting the slopes again, I've heard there's fresh snow... and maybe, just maybe, there could be a hint of sunshine? x

Rocaille of the Day: The Great 1970's

As a teen, I absolutely loved the hippie style and rocked it without hesitation: long hair, head scarves, turquoise bell bottoms, flowery tops, strings upon strings of beads... I embraced the whole package. While nowadays I'm a bit more weary of fluorescent clothing and excessive accessorizing, I still like to incorporate elements of the 70's style into my outfits.

Flowy top: C&A
Wooden beads: Orsay
Dark wash skinny jeans: Abercrombie&Fitch 'Erin' Skinnies
Purse: vintage (my mum used it as a school bag in her university days)
Bracelets: vintage (again, nipped from my mum) & Pandora
Boots: Forever 21

On a different note, my hair started getting in my eyes so much that I had it cut again last week. Do you want to see how it looks now? I'll be posting some spring trends inspired looks soon, so watch out for that. Hope you're having a lovely start of the week, my dears! x

Rocaille of the Day: Violet and Vest

Just a quick Saturday outfit post for you, lovelies - I know I've been slacking in posting these! Truth be told, most week days when I stay at home I just throw on some tee and my Victoria's Secret PINK sweatpants; not very exciting, right? I do however try to make a bit of effort for the weekends when we run some errands or eat out.


This outfit features some of my all time favorite pieces: my 'Viking' boots, these black shorts with a slight retro feel, a military-inspired vest and a purple animal print scarf. I really like wearing shorts with bright-colored tights, and vests are a fun way to dress up an ordinary top.

Scarf: Tally Weijl
Top: H&M
Vest: H&M
Shorts: Promod
Tights: ?
Boots: Ecco

I hope you're having a great start of the week so far... and see you in February! x

Rocaille of the Day: Halloween Edition

Ladies and gentlemen, without further ado...

Mad Hatter

Base: Revlon Colorstay foundation for oily/combination skin in Ivory, set with matte white eyeshadow from Coastal Scents 56 Piece Blush and Eyeshadow Palette
Eyes: Benefit F.Y...eye primer, eyeshadows and blusher from the CS palette, Covergirl clear mascara for brows
Contour: CS palette and NYX Powder Blush in Taupe
Lips: Inglot Gel lipstick no. 58 (review and swatches here)

Hat: Halloween City
Silk scarf: a gift from my mum
Black vest: Urban Outfitters
Orange shirt: Pierre Cardin
Pants: Nike
Knee-high socks: a checkered sock is from a random shoe store, a striped one is from Calzedonia
Red sneakers: Puma

... and Alice

Base: Revlon Colorstay foundation for oily/combination skin in Ivory, MAC Studio Finish concealer in NW20, NYX Powder Blush in Peach
Eyes: Wet'n'Wild Khol Eye Pencil in Taupe, Benefit F.Y...eye primer, Annabelle eyeshadow in Vanilla Chilla, Annabelle eyeshadow in So Foxy, Benefit Eye Bright on the waterline, Covergirl Lash Blast Length mascara (review and close-ups here)
Lips: The Body Shop Lip and Cheek stain, Inglot Gel lipstick no. 58

Dress: Carry
Belt: RE Reserved
Thighs: Calzedonia
Mary Janes: Adalberto
Dogeared 'Pearls of Wisdom' necklace
Sweetwater pearl stud earrings

What did you dress up as? xxx

Rocaille of the Day: Purples'n'Berries

I'm on the Outfit of the Day roll! Here goes another autumnal look from last weekend when we headed to Botanical Garden. It was very chilly and I regreted not having taken a scarf with me, but still, I was quite happy with the outfit: simple and comfortable with trendy touches, just how I like my weekend wear.

Light grey tee: C&A, last seen here
Purple cardi: H&M
Skinny jeans: Hollister Co., Laguna Skinny
Boots: Aldo, last seen here
Purple glass beads: Primark
Leather belt: Hollister Co.

Lips: NYX Long Lip Pencil in Deep Purple, last seen here
Nails: China Glaze 'Frostbite', see my review here
Hair: Air dried and styled with hair spray

As you can see, my skin is back to its pale, wintery self, but I quite like how it looks with a darker lip. What is your favorite dark lipstick at the moment? Hope you enjoyed this one and have a great weekend! xxx

Rocaille of the Day: 50's Inspired

This is what I wore to a dinner with Mr on Saturday. I have to admit, a full high waisted skirt with a fitted top is my favorite silhouette of all time, amazingly flattering for hourglass shapes. I'm lusting after a cupcake dress for Christmas...


I'm still struggling a bit with walking in these heels even despite all the advice my incredible husband has given me; and no, I have no idea how he knows how to walk in high heels! I love those laced booties though, simple but eye-catching. Any practical tips for a beginner heel-wearer like me, ladies?

Fitted top: Amisu for New Yorker
High waisted skirt: H&M, Divided
Black tights: ?
Laced up boots: Forever 21
Bag: H&M
Necklace: RE Reserved, last seen here

For those of you in the US, H&M are currently celebrating their 10th US birthday with some great sales - lots of items are either priced at $10, or are $10 off. I got my olive green skirt for just under 15 bucks! Check them out if you have a store near you!


Which vintage clothing decade inspires you the most? xxx

Rocaille of the Day: Lincoln Park at Sunset

I haven't done one of these in ages! I'm hoping to restore my outfit posts in the near future with a little help from the Mister, so fingers crossed for that.


This outfit is a premium example of my relaxed casual/weekend wear. Soft and comfortable jeans and a simple top accessorized with flat shoes and usually a scarf. I liked the combination of olive and pastel turquoise on the top, I think this gave the outfit a bit more freshness.

Long sleeve top: Promod
Turquoise scarf: Six
Jeans: Big Star
Flat boots: Aldo
Belt: Hollister Co.
Earrings: Claire's

If you ever visit Seattle, I highly recommend going for a stroll at Lincoln Park. The views onto Pudget Sound are simply breathtaking, and the path along the beach reminded me a lot of Vancouver's Seawall. Even if this Lincoln Park here wasn't the one that inspired the famous OPI nail color, it's still worth visiting :)

What's your usual weekend wear? xxx

P.S. How are you liking the layout changes? I'd been meaning to switch to 3 columns for a looong time and finally took the plunge. What do you think?

Rocaille of the Day: Golden Touch

It may have been the hottest day of the year so far and I had a) an exam to pass b) two classes to teach c) an appointment at the doctor's, with the extensive use of public transport in between. Yes, I felt sweaty and sticky, but with my favorite skirt on, a teeny tiny bit prettified.


Light grey t-shirt: C&A
Skirt: Camaieu
Gold sandals: Spring
Necklace: Reserved
Leather bag: Quiosque


Hair was put up in a bun and slept on; it looked pretty in the morning, but fell a great deal throughout the day. On the lips: Sleek Pout Polish in Perfect Plum. Interestingly, it didn't melt in the pot, so I reckon you can even take this one with you to the beach.


I'm so glad you liked the last one, lovelies, and I hope you enjoy this outfit as well! I picked up a very nice pair of flowery summer pants and new sunglasses yesterday and I'm planning to feature them quite soon, so keep your eyes peeled for that! Have a fabulous Sunday evening! xxx

Rocaille of the Day: Back to school

I've profited from the occasion that I was alone at the house today and took a couple of photos in the garden to show you my 'back to school' outfit. By 'back to school' I don't mean that school year in Poland starts in June (that'd be silly even for Poland), but rather that I am back at high school, and this time - as a teacher. I'm having my English teaching internship now and today was the first day that I actually taught a class of 17 year olds. I was trying to make myself look 'mature', but let's face it: I look like I was 17 myself.


Striped tee: Reserved
Red skirt: H&M
Belt: Reserved
Sequined flats: Deichmann
Coral earrings and shell bracelet: presents from Mum
Watch: Fossil


I'm confined to wearing glasses right now because of the allergy to grass pollen; normally I never wear them. Do you girls also prefer contact lenses? They're much more comfortable in my opinion!


I opted for neutral eyes with a splash of color on the lips; sorry if it's worn off a bit, it was a long and very hot day! I've got a bit of Covergirl Tapestry Taupe shadow on the lid with MAC Satin Taupe blended in the crease and Prestige Powerful Purple liner smudged into the lashline, which is one of my favorite everyday looks. On the lips: MAC Jest lipstick.


Let me know if you enjoy this kind of posts, lovelies, and have a great week! xxx

Comfortable Outfit of the Day

Recently, I have been popping into stores more often than I usually do. Sometimes I walk out barehanded and dissapointed, and sometimes I like a lot of things and happily decide to splurge. Sometimes I'm all for a sensible approach, which consists of looking for clothes that you might actually need, and sometimes I just prefer to go for it and buy something that takes my fancy, no matter if it's a necessary addition to my wardrobe or not.

These past 2 weeks proved to be quite fruitful, and I decided to share :) In fact, I really wanted to do outfit posts more often, but every time I intend to, I find my looks nothing special, or like today, the photos really do turn out rubbish. But, the hell with it, I'm going to show you what I've been wearing today anyway.

I'm trying to convince myself I look so bottom-heavy because of the camera positioning...

The photo features:

Ivory top from Reserved

Slouchy purple cardi from C&A

Blue and purple leopard print scarf from Tally Weijl (love!)

Brown trousers from Tally Weijl

Shell bracelet

I love how comfortable and soft this cardigan is, and I love the color, kind of milky reddish purple. I got it yesterday and like it so much I could sleep in it :) It also has sort of special pockets, which unfortunately can't be seen in the photos. The scarf is another favorite and my mum got it for me on our trip to the mall last week, and I've been wearing it almost every day since. I like the square style best, and, as unbelievable as it may sound, is an only animal print garment I own (well, I never understood the whole leopard print fad, but now I kind of do ;).

Would you ladies have any advice for outfit shots (other than having a tripod, which I obviously don't)? I tried various different setting today and the result is still not satisfactory. I'd much appreciate your help. Have a fantastic Friday night all! xxx

Outfit of the Day

I just couldn't help myself and when I saw this skirt at H&M I knew I had to have it!

I love everything about it: a midnight blue fabric with tiny silver sparkles, the high-waisted cut and the flowiness, the bow at the front and my favorite 60's feel! It's the only skirt I have which you have to wear with a top tucked in, and ironically, I really like that, even though I hated this when I was a little girl :)

As you can see, I paired it with a burnt orange top from Orsay I've had for ages, new black and white disc earrings, my favorite shell cuff and strappy sandals I bought some two weeks ago from C&A for only 55 zlotys or 11 pounds, if you like (these two former elements were added later). This outift proved perfect for the weather outside, as it's scorching hot at the moment!

What's your favorite summer outfit?