LOOKBOOK: Und am Ende bleibt nur noch das Meer | weißes Kleid, Damier Azur & Adidas Sneaker auf Rügen.

Wenn ich ehrlich bin, wollte ich als jüngster Mensch schon ein Haus am Meer. Mit einem Pool natürlich und einem Brunnen und einer japanischen, roten Brücke, die über einen kleinen Teich führt. Teerosen im Garten, Pilasteräulengang vor dem Haus und einen Lustwandelgang, gekrönt mit einer milliardenfachen Üppigkeit an Rosen und Rosen und Rosen.

Und wenn ich so überlege, habe ich vieles aus diesem Garten im Laufe meines Lebens bereits geschenkt bekommen. Und das meiste in Baden-Baden. Es ist erstaunlich, wenn man darüber nachdenkt. Es fühlt sich an wie ein Puzzle, das sich allmählich vervollständigt und zur gleichen Zeit auflöst.

Am Ende bleibt nur noch das Meer, das ich mir wünsche.

Und du.

STATEMENT: 9 reasons to write more letter mail.

[en] The way we communicate has changed and has literally become 'instant'. It's comparable to other areas of todays fast moving throwaway society.

Breaking up via Whatsapp seems completely normal and the news keep on revealing different Social Media scandals including the NSA reading private messages of irreproachable citizens and the manipulation of the latest US election through the deceptive business practice of Cambridge Analytica with the aid of data of a millionfold Facebook users.

Well then I have to ask this: why not start to write letters again? Why not send greetings via postcards or confess your true feelings with a handwritten love letter? Nothing can express your emotions better than thoughts transferred on paper.

This post is a statement to write more and text less.

SHOOTING: les nymphéas.

[en] the musée de l'orangerie is a magical place located in the beautiful parisian jardin des tuileries and houses some of the most incredible impressionist artworks, not forgetting the enchanting nymphéas by claude monet in two oval-shaped exhibition rooms.

todays shooting photos were taken within one of these showrooms. i really love the works of claude monet and his nymphéas, or water lilies, range among my most beloved impressionist artworks. luckily i have worn a matching dress this day - sometimes whilst looking at the outcome i cannot mark the beginning of my dress or the painting in the background ... i like that thought because it also reflects my understanding about fashion as an artform - thus i believe that my outfit choice must have been planned by my subconscious.

have you ever been to the musée de l'orangerie?

model & styling: dahi k.

photography: alice b.

location:

musée de l'orangerie.

jardin tuileries

75001 paris

france

TRAVEL: paris undiscovered - my top ten places to visit in the city.

[en] paris ranges among my most beloved places on earth and it definitely has much more to offer than the eiffel tower. today i want to show you my top ten places in paris not every tourist might be aware of. good food and drinks included!

et voilà – here they are!

OUTFIT: a walk in baden-baden.

[en] baden-baden is perfect for long walks - for example along the lichtentaler allee with the gönneranlage and its rose garden and the beautiful dahlia garden. and the city doesn't lose its charm, even when it rains.

but baden-baden offers a whole lot more to see, for example the kurhaus with its extensive gardens and the theatre and trinkhalle, which are stunning examples of classicistic architecture.

on these warm and sunny autumn days i love to wear my blush coloured and ruffled dorothy perkins blouse and my light blue destroyed jeans.

have you ever been to baden-baden?

photography: hermann koch, dahi k.
location:
gönneranlage
lichtentaler allee 64
baden-baden
germany

TRAVEL: follow me to milano.

[en] hi peeps! It was on my lifelong travel bucket list to visit milan at least one time in my life. and yes, this year this dream became true (amongst so many others) but we have definitely spent too little time in this beautiful city to discover it entirely ...

in italian the milan cathedral is called duomo di milano. it's located in the eponymous district duomo in the vibrant heart of the city. this district is located in zona 1, where you can find the piazza del duomo, the luxury shopping district via montenapoleone and the parco sempione.

the majority of tourists usually strive through zona 1 and so did we.

while strolling through the district of duomo with its beautiful white cathedral and the galleria vittorio emanuele 2 (where you can also find the worlds first prada store) you can recognize many antique roman architectonic features.

the duomo di milano ranges among the most famous buildings throughout the whole of europe and the world. it's a masterpiece of human skill.

the high crenels nearly dislimned in the glistening sunlight and made this example of extraordinary architectonic work seem much more beautiful and surreal.

again i have been fascinated by the creative power of the human beings once they get to know the greatness and love of god.

i guess i have fallen in love with the beautiful duomo di milano. and yes – i definitely want to see it again!

unfortunately we didn't have the time to go inside the cathedral. that's a pity indeed because anytime i visit a cathedral or church i light a candle and say a prayer.

of course there are also many ways of having some divine (and glamorous) shopping experiences. the italian fashion metropolis houses the worlds first prada store within the beautiful galleria vittorio emanuele 2 and also hosts one of the most prestigious fashion weeks worldwide, featuring designers such as dolce & gabbana.

a stroll through one of the many designer outlets which you can find throughout the whole city was obligatory. we have also visited the beautiful zara store near the duomo di milano and the blue sand and immagine stores which sell italian-designed high quality apparel and accessoires at unbelievably low prices. i have found beautiful ruffled dresses at a cost of 20€ or less!

and you can also find my favourite pâtisserie in milan: ladurée - their saint-honorés and macarons gained world-wide reputation, not just since sofia coppolas masterpiece 'marie antoinette'!

i can't wait for my next visit and a delicious aperitivo with a view to the wonderful duomo di milano.

milan is also only 6h away from baden-baden if you travel by car – a mere stone's throw in my opinion!

milan – oh, what a beauty.

have you ever visited milano? which place is still on your travel bucket list?

SHOOTING: my marilyn monroe moment.

model & styling: dahi k.
location: villa rosetta, moneglia, italy.
camera: CANON EOS 600D

TRAVEL: follow me to cinqueterre - hiking in riomaggiore & monterosso al mare.

[en] hi peeps! seen one, seen all?! … some people argue that all the five villages of the cinqueterre in italy resemble each other, but i definitely do not believe that you can generalize it like that.

'cinqueterre' can be translated into 'five countries' and comprises the villages of monterosso, vernazza, corniglia, manarola and riomaggiore which are all located by the sea. no more than 7000 inhabitants live here.

the cinque terre are not accessible by car, but only by train. of course you could also reach the villages by foot. there's a great variety of beautiful hiking trails throughout the whole of cinqueterre and the surrounding area.

there are hiking routes for absolute beginners and advanced hikers – some do not take more than 40 minutes and on other routes you could spend the whole day.

every village is very scenic and charming. especially vernazza with its beautiful and colourful little houses and the picture perfect yacht harbour is worth a visit and should find its way onto your travel bucket list.

unfortunately we haven't made it there this time, but i'll make good for it in the future.

those who think that the cinqueterre are boring do not seem to be able to appreciate the beauty of this idyllic and peaceful place on earth, its friendly inhabitants and its beautiful flora and fauna.

it's no wonder that the cinque terre also belong to the world cultural heritage. even if the sun isn't shining the five little villages remain beautiful and charming - especially if you wander off the beaten track you can discover many new highlights.

lace dress: H&M (similar here, here, here) | earrings: saint laurent (similar here) |  | scarf: majea (DIRECT LINK) | floppy hat: H&M  (similar here) | marina drawstring tote: michael kors (similar here, here, here) | round sunglasses: ASOS (similar here) | watch: vintage (similar here)

SHOOTING: colourful statement sleeves & sun bonnet.

[en] SPONSORED - hi peeps! by and by autumn find its way into the realms of germany and i'm still full of impressions of beautiful italy and its warmth.

i hope that todays outfit post will bring you back the manifold beauty of summer and the feeling of warm rays of sun on your skin.

you might recognize the tunic i'm wearing because i have already mentioned it in my post about the beautiful boutique lo scrigno pisa where i had bought this amazing piece of apparel.

the photos were shot in the grounds of villa rosetta which had been our home during our trip to italy. every time i look at them i can smell the luscious scent of yasmine blossoms again … no, i'm really not fond of autumn. and yes, i must admit that i'm quite sad that summer dwindles and will soon bid goodbye until the following year ...

are you already missing summer? which season is your favourite?

TRAVEL: hiking at a height of 800 metres in liguria, italy.

[en] hi peeps! standing on one of the highest mountains in liguria, admiring the golden light of a setting sun which left any photo filter unnecessary – this was one of the most extraordinary (and most beautiful) moments of this years roadtrip to italy.

it can also be regarded as a boundary experience.

as long as i can remember i have been suffering from an extreme form of vertigo. thus it wasn't a given that i'd join my girls on this trip, because, after all, it was the goal to hike up to a height of more than 800 metres above sea level – exposure therapy, literally.

of course i didn't want to join my travel mates at first. but they persuaded me, nevertheless, and told me that i might regret my decision at a later time ('the 3 big D's have to stick together – and we're also in need of one last moneglia-selfie!')

i'm glad the girls were able to change my mind.

it was a life-changing experience – and that's in no way exaggerated.

it was a very sponatenous decision to join my travel mates and thus i wasn't very properly dressed for an evening on a mountain top (which can get quite cold, even in summer). i can tell you that my tunic, shorts and leather jacket weren't sufficient and because of that i spent the rest of the night sneezing.

the climb was exhausting, of course, but the sight of the mountains covered in the golden evening sun, accompanied by italian rosé wine and omelettes with parmigano reggiano made up for all preceding exertions.

the bestsellinggerman author hermann scherer says that 'risky' situations unlock a bigger potential for feelings of happiness than so called 'soft targets' or, in other words, targets which you can reach effortlessly.

the experience standing on a mountain varies whether you climbed there yourself or were flown on top by a chooper or the like.

experiences which take a lot of effort offer a greater potential for happiness.

this roadtrip was full of confronting encounters, coping with anxieties of different kinds and deep conversations accompanied by italian wine. you definitely couldn't call this a journey of relaxation, but i don't care.

when i came back i felt more free, open and bold than before.

when I stepped through my front door i realized that i had changed. i realized that i could achieve anything if i only believed in me. i realized that it's worth stepping out of my beloved comfort zone to dare something new (even if some kind of initial help is necessary).

no beach vacation would have had the same effect onto my personality and onto my personal views upon life – but i would enjoy one nevertheless.

the day of our departure i also chose to quit smoking – after 10 very long years. i have tried to quit this bad habit several times before but never succeeded.

and now i can say that i did it, finally!

i'm very proud that i was able to achieve that because it cannot be taken for granted, if you look upon other spheres of my life which bring me to my knees, time and time again.

and now it's your turn: do you remember any occasion which caused you some effort but which also made you very happy in the end?

i'd love to read of your own experiences!

OUTFIT: i need vitamin sea.

[en] hi peeps! in my last post you had the possibility to follow me to pisa. after our daytrip we took some time to visit marina di pisa, a district of pisa where you can find different hotels, idyllic sandy beaches, rock beaches and of course the endless amplitudes of the deep blue sea.

i love the sea. it gives me an understanding of the infinite vastness of the universe. i love to see the horizon without any land which could destroy it.

it gives me a hazy notion that i'm only a tiny little dot amidst all this infinite vastness, but at the same time i can be a part of it and … it can be a part of me, because it suffuses me.
and that i can broaden my own life. that nothing seems to be impossible. that i can achieve anything i tell myself to do. that it's worth believing in your own dreams.

some months ago i wouldn't have thought that this year i'd finally be able to admire the beauty of the italian sea.

of course i also appreciate the beauty of a mountain panorama, but since i suffer from vertigo, i prefer the vastness of the sea and all the thoughts it awakens in me.

during our visit in pisa it was cloudy and rainy most of the time but as the hours passed on the sky brightened up and in the end we were blessed with beautiful sunshine and hot temperatures and it stayed like that when we headed off to marina di pisa to delight in the beautiful sea.

and what kind of traveller are you: do you prefer mountains or the sea? or do you like both equally?

TRAVEL: follow me to pisa.

[en] hi peeps! during our roadtrip to italy we thought that it would be a nice idea to spend a day in pisa. after all we're not always able to decide to visit a tuscan city because it's only one hour away by car. it was also the first time i have taken my CANON EOS 600D on a day trip and whenever i look at my photographs i can tell that the additional weight was worth it!

we have experienced a lot that day.

for example we were to witness the full range of weather situations you can imagine, like cloudy skies, mild temperatures, towards drizzle and showers of rain right up to summery heat and radiant sunshine which resulted in a nice sunburn on my shoulders since i forgot my suntan spray at home XD

since i'm not able to digest milk products of any kind, we ate 'italian' sushi in the all-you-can-eat restaurant ZEN which was very delicious and which left us full until dinner time. what i didn't like was that the waiters all seemed to be very rushed, but i guess that was simply due to the fact that the opening hour should end half an hour after our arrival.

we shopped our way through a typical italian fruit and vegetable market and i indulged in some delicious courgette flowers.

of course we also visited some of the nice downtown fashion boutiques and in a beautifully decorated fashion jewel called 'lo scrigno pisa' about which i will talk about in a separate post and where i was able to snatch a beautiful and colourful tunic.

we saw floating men in oriental garments – don't laugh at me but i believe that to be totally fascinating and i'm clueless about how the hell this should work!

we haggled at the souvenir market and i bought a pretty black pashmina scarf, christian devotional objects and a pretty crystalline leaning tower.

and, last but not least, an italian guy proposed to me, but unfortunately he wasn't for me … so that's something i'm still not able to cross off my bucket list XD

but what i need to mention is that i thought that the leaning tower of pisa was … more leaning, you know what i mean? it didn't seem 'leaning' enough, that's why its architecture wasn't really able to sweep me off my feet. nevertheless it's fascinating that it has been keeping this shape for so many centuries.

but the other historical buildings were definitely breathtaking, for example those beside the leaning tower. man-made masterpieces indeed.

i have also been fascinated by all the statues which you were able to discover throughout the whole city. all of pisa is redundant of an ancient and eventful culture which can't help impressing you with awe.

the little bit of tuscan nature which we were able to discover there made me very happy, too. i was so much looking forward to seing the cypress trees which are one of tuscanies manifold trademarks.

the city of pisa is a place worth putting onto your travel bucket list.

how about you: have you ever been to pisa?

TRAVEL: follow me to sestri levante.

F

[en] hi peeps! Some time ago i have gone on a roadtrip to italy with my friends danielle and dagmar. we spent most of our time in italy in the region of liguria – a divine piece of earth with splendid sandy beaches, sparkling blue sea and picture perfect towns which look very good on each travel pic you take.

in todays post i have picked out my most beautiful impressions from sestri levante, the neighboring village of moneglia where our bed & breakfast villa rosetta was located. paola, the owner of the guesthouse recommended this place and when we arrived there it definitely proved to be a must-visit for anyone travelling in liguria.

paola also suggested us an extraordinary location worth to visit: the vis à vis hotel with its beautiful panorama bar on the 5^th floor, offering a phantasmagoric view over the whole of sestri levante and its yacht harbour. the bar is more than suitable for enjoying an 'aperitivo', which traditionally consists of a glass of aperol spritz, rosé wine or other beverages along with little snacks. 

oh, what a dream!

we were lucky because at the time of our visit there was a local fair. pretty stalls offered a lush abundance of flowers, fresh fruits and vegetables and a stall with cute shabby chic furniture and decoration.

i must admit that i liked the picture perfect scenery of sestri levante much better than portofino. it wasn't actually planned by us to visit the latter, but because of a totally bizarre coincidence we had the possibility to visit it anyway.

have you ever been to sestri levante? what would your favourite 'aperitivo' beverage look like?

traditional italian aperitivo.

TRAVEL + OUTFIT: a picture perfect outfit location - villa rosetta in moneglia, italy.

[en] hi peeps! the past few days were blessed with much sun but that fotunately has changed since yesterday. if you're afflicted with rain and cloudy skies i want to send you some rays of sun in todays post! i have captured them when i stayed in italy some weeks ago. we spent most of our time in moneglia in the italian area of liguria, a really divine spot on earth. every town is so picture perfect, so typically italian and so wonderfully worthwhile for excursions of any time. our residence also was located near a national park where we amazing hiking tours were possible and of course we also made use of this! because of all this i felt a bit sad when we had to depart … and that's why i will return to italy in this years autumn!

todays outfit impressions emerged at the bed & breakfast we stayed at during our visit to italy. it's called villa rosetta and is located in moneglia. it really has been a picture perfect location for outfit photos. paola, the the owner of this lovely bed & breakfast, has taken very good care of us during our stay, made delicious italian breakfasts and offered us the possibility of amazing excursions i will definitely never forget. a beautiful and absolutely recommendable place to stay at during your visit in moneglia, sestri levante or cinqueterre. the only shortcoming could be the arrival which definitely isn't for people with a fear of heights (like me, for example! #exposuretherapy XD)

by the way this was my first time i had the possibility to experience the 'real italy'. when i was 12 years old i have stayed in italy for the very first time. we stayed in vals in south tyrol, which is best known as a skiing area.

now finally a wonderful time under the bright sun, the amazing blue sea, scenic towns only accessible by train, excellent olive oil, fried fish, pizza and pasta in manifold variations! … but i skipped the ice cream and i really could kick myself but, well, i wanted to follow my diet no matter what, and i guess that counts as a good reason – nevertheless i can tell you that i definitely ate much more carbs during these few days than during the past 3 months XD

have you already got the possibility to experience the 'real italy'? where have you stayed and which places would you still want to visit there?

model & styling: dahi k.
location: villa rosetta, liguria, italy.

TRAVELLING LOVE: the most beautiful impressions from amsterdam.

TRAVELLING LOVE: 3 days in amsterdam.

[en] not long ago i have made a 3 day trip to amsterdam with my dear friend a. the city has been on my bucket list for a long time but due to work, my relationship, our house moving and the whole shebang i did not really get to travel around – apart from the small trip to the shoe step of the year in hamburg last year. i must have lagged far behind the great amount of fashion bloggers who already have visited the dutch capital. but the city is still pretty nevertheless!

our hotel, the hampshire manor was incredible. the elegant interior and our extensive, spacious and stylish room compensated for the long and unwieldy trip which we had previously taken upon ourselves.

amsterdam is comparatively small as a capital or city and very idyllic with all of its canals and bridges and narrow, colourful houses. the population scarcely breaks the one-million barrier and for each inhabitant of the city there's at least one bike. generally the city is very bike-friendly and rather not designed for automobiles. two wheels are better than four in Amsterdam.

since the city is very small it is worth to explore it on foot. i prefer this way of exploration because then you've got the chance to experience the atmosphere of a new place or city much better than by hiding yourself away in subways and similar. but what is also loads of fun is taking the tram. the network is extensive so that every corner of the city is well connected. it also drives very slowly, which offers a great view onto the city, together with the panorama window displays. if you pass the nights near oosterpark just like me and a. the tram is a great possibility to get faster into the urban core – although a walk wouldn't have taken more than 30 minutes (who could state this about paris, berlin or even london?!). furthermore i have never seen a ticket boot directly INSIDE the tram! and the tickets are also very cheap with 2,40€ for 1h and 7,50€ for 24h.

today i want to share some of my most beautiful photographic impressions out of amsterdam with you, along with some advices about what to see and experience. the city itself is incredibly photogenic and offers loads of great sceneries for outfit shootings. furthermore amsterdam offers a broad cultural program, great museums, picturesque little cafés and restaurants and a laid back, multicultural and open lifestyle. a canal tour is essential, especially if the weather is as nice as how we have experienced it on day 1 of our trip. to experience amsterdam from the water is priceless!

it is optional to visit one of the countless coffeeshops which can be found on every corner in amsterdam. but the city offers so much more than the possibility to get high or to stare at naked boobs in display windows.

TRAVELLING LOVE: hamburg - pearl of the north.

TRAVELLING LOVE: wissembourg, alsace - sweet french cliché.

[en] hello my dears! today i want to show you some impressions of our trip to wissembourg some days ago. wissembourg is a small town in the region alsace-lothringen.

a beautiful little town with half-timbered houses with cast iron balconies, overly decorated with odorous flowers, beautiful cafés with many seatings outside, and small courses of a stream where children were playing in the sunrays filtered through the manyfold trees and nature all around and inside the town. 

it was beautiful. 

we were strolling around the town, taking photos of the beautiful gothic cathedral sts pierre et paul, buying postcards for the family and drinking amer bière (with that ah très délicieux picon orange liqueur) at restaurant du saumon and in a small kiosque le boy bought me a french vogue. 

i was wearing a white H&M dress and a cardigan which i have bought in baden-baden some weeks ago. i never want to look like a typical tourist but good as always, if not also better. you should always present your best self. 

wissembourg is solely less than an hour of travel time away from our home and already a whole new world you can indulge in. it was like a little vacation, to stay in this pretty place and to hear my most beloved language, french, again. me and my family lived in paris, france, when i was 2 years old, and this might be the reason why i'm so much in love with the country, the food, the beverages, the people and the language and why it feels like home, every time i stay somewhere where i can hear and taste a tiny little bit of french life.

IMPRESSIONS: baden-baden is so nice, that you have to name it twice (bill clinton).

[en] hello my dears! today i want to introduce you my new home town, baden-baden. the post title is a quote by former president bill clinton, who is a huge fan of baden-baden. in my opinion he is definitely right. i love the whole city, its architecture and its atmosphere, the black forest all around & the mindset of its inhabitants. if you visit baden-baden, you definitely have to take a stroll at the lichtentaler alley, eat a mango ice cream at the ice-cream shop capri, have a coffee or afternoon tea at café könig and play roulette at the casino.