Black on black - the perfect bargain

sweater: monki culottes, bag: zara shoes: adidas coat: camden lock scarf: asos

To my own surprise, the only piece of clothing I bought during my New York trip was a pair of culottes. Less surprisingly, I spent the majority of my money on food - all for the blog of course - writing Vegan Eats posts takes a lot of effort and time, ok? However, the one thing I bought I love dearly (so much that I forgot them in Luxembourg, ha). Back when I got my first pair of culottes last summer, I knew that I'd like to get my hands on another pair (or two), ideally a black one so that I can wear them with tights too. When my friend and I had some time to spare before going to watch a Musical, we had a stroll through a ZARA and I found these perfect culottes on sale for 20$, ka-ching! The perfect bargain: a piece I've wanted for a while, which is also the perfect basic/classic piece to add to my wardrobe, what a no-brainer. Though I had wanted to take pictures in Soho but never really got around it, I'm really happy with the outcome of these pictures. We took them on the Liberty Island (where the statue of liberty is standing) and the skyline of lower Manhattan adds a little something to the pictures. Ah, I already miss hunting for cool backdrops for outfit pictures in New York...

Vegan Eats | New York: Crêpes in Williamsburg

Crêpes = childhood memories.

When in New York... #2

Overknees & statement necklace

dress: primark boots: boohoo coat: camden lock

It's no secret that shoes are my biggest weakness, and boots in particular even more so. Ever since I first moved to the UK over two years ago and saw girls in flat over knee boots looking super classy, I've wanted a pair myself. I did get myself a pair of over knee boots with a bit of a heel about a year ago, but the fact that I live in a very hilly city and on top of a very steep hill often keeps me from wearing shoes that are even remotely uncomfortable or annoying to walk in. Just before I flew home for Christmas in December, a late night scroll through countless online shops made me find these beautiful boots on Boohoo and I managed to get them right in time before flying home for three weeks. Since I knew that I was going on a long city trip at the beginning of January, they arrived at the perfect time, as they're not only comfortable and give you some extra leg warmth in the icy New York weather, but they also easily change a whole outfit to something a bit more exciting than if it were worn with sneakers. I decided to keep the whole outfit simple with just the colours black and camel and added a big necklace I found at home which my mum gave to me years ago but I never actually wore. And then I found the perfect place to take pictures: in front of the NY public library - marble and cute garden furniture, how pretty!?

Brunching like a New Yorker

If someone asked me to name one word that I associate with New York City and its people, it would be brunch. Already the last time I was here, I immediately noticed how going for brunch on a Sunday morning isn't just a suggestion - it's a tradition. Everywhere you look in the city on a Sunday morning, terraces - in Summer and cafés are filled with people enjoying a lazy Sunday morning with friends and family. My friend and I had brunch in Williamsburg last Sunday (it definitely helped that Champs is only a ten minute walk away from our flat) but for yesterday, we decided to make our own New Yorkan brunch at home, bagels and all. We stocked up on vegan cream cheese (which is so much cheaper here than it is in the UK!), avocado, bagels, orange juice and even a vegan almond croissant for a sweet touch to our meal. We didn't have any coffee, so we went with tea instead but we still felt really damn New Yorkan still, sitting in a small Williamsburg flat, devouring our food and planning our day. After this trip, I feel like I need more Sunday brunches (home or out and about) in my life.

And to add the finishing touch to feeling right at home in New York...

... I wore my FRIENDS t-shirt! Yes, I'm that much of a cliché.

Exploring New York: Brooklyn Heights, Dumbo and the Brooklyn Bridge

The perfect backpack

backpack: wilbyclutch coat: cos shoes: adidas scarf: h&m

I've had a love-hate relationship with backpacks for as long as I can think - they were either extremely "in" or meeega "out". Who remembers walking around school with their Eastpack backpacks, carrying them so low that their only purpose was to look cool instead of actually supporting your back and the stuff you're carrying? Then at some point, all the girls, including me, started taking handbags to school and that's what I've been doing pretty much until now. For a short while now (or at least that's when I started noticing it more), backpacks have been popping up here and there and their designs have become more classy than practical looking, which I really like, as it can make a simple outfit look more special and let's be honest here - backpacks are just soo practical. Knowing that I'd be visiting New York again in the new year, I decided it was the perfect time to invest in a higher quality backpack that I would get a lot of wear out of. I discovered WilbyClutch back in Autumn and loved their designs and the fact that their whole brand is based on the idea of using animal-free materials added to the excitement about my discovery. All their bags are vegan and they offer all kinds of styles, including backpacks. They're a bit on the pricier side with their prices ranging between £60 and £90 but I do think they're well worth investing into, especially when you know you'll be using them to go to school/Uni/work or on a city trip!