Surfer Hopes

I'm never going to be a surfer. When I was little, my Russian school had swimming lessons at the local pool, but putting my head under water seemed so absurd to me. These days I wear contact lenses, on top of everything, so water-in-your-eye sports is out. Beach-inspired colors and prints though? Yes please.

Top - Nicki Minaj for K.Mart

Skirt - Topshop

Shoes - J.Crew

IT's embarrassing how much I'm being asked about this top. Yes, it's from the Nicki Minaj collection, which - after reading this piece of fine journalism - I couldn't pass by. It's a damn fine collection, let me tell you, over-the-top prints and studs aplenty - and the top worked itself perfectly into our trip to L.A. Yes, this is a So-Cal beach. And yes, I know you want a piece of Nicki Minaj awesomeness right now. More L.A to come soon!

Sunday Brunch plus Heels

Recently, in a conversation with a friend, I found myself suggesting a "birthday brunch" for his birthday. He looked at me with heavy doubt. What can I say? I'd take brunch over any other meal, and I dress accordingly:

Jeans - Levis

Sweatshirt - Olsenboye for JC Penney

Shoes - Gallery Lafeyette

Earlier this year (or was it last year? Time flies!) I wasn't sure about the Olsen twins' "affordable" line. Compared to Elizabeth&James, their designer brand, Olsenboye lacked sophistication and flair, but then I found this - hey, who needs flair when there's bling - on a grey sweatshirt, fashion editors' favorite staple? For some reason, I keep pairing my new pair of jeans with grey. And architectonic shoes, which look pretty great on damp, wintry ground. 

Librarian chic

What's fashion if not surprising yourself - a.k.a finding yourself in some bizarre combinations that somehow work? This one, courtesy of being late and desperately wanting to try out my new leopard tights, is odd enough and yet delightful.

These two items came from estate sales - sometimes I wonder if my polished, get-them-with-a-tag habits are suppressed right now by the joy of amazing, one-of-a-kind vintage finds. The skirt and the sweater looked so grandma-ish I had to spice things up with rebellious tights. And a librarian with a twist was born. Ironically, the beautiful mural in the background couldn't say it better. 

Direction: Uniform

While everyone's busy with next winter's projections, I live in the present. And in the present, it seems like the big woolly sweater and the little flimsy skirt are best friends:

Zara

Band of Outsiders at Asos.com

Zara sale

Manoush

I love this array of looks - perfect for concealing the winter muffin top (everyone has one, don't tell me otherwise), perfect for showing off some leg (with little booties) and feminine without being flashy. Besides, this uniform will lead you straight into the ZARA SALE wormhole... And it's not such a bad place to be right now.  

Casual Friday

As promised here, I'm determined to wear more pants. It's not like I have something against them - but, being the lazy person that I am, pants (or other separates) require a considerable amount of coordination, and I don't like to think too much about it. Dresses are simple. Pants are for those who don't have commitment-phobia. I wore this look on the weekend, however, given it was a cold day and I love this shirt:

Jeans - H&M

Shirt - Men's from Analog

Shoes - Via Spiga

Yup, tribal pattern is still my thing. But more than the pants that led to it, I enjoyed wearing a completely buttoned shirt (I have a penchant for total buttoning, a penchant not easily achieved when you got breasts) and those atypical loafer-type shoes I just got on sale. The cousin of my favorite ballet flats, this shoe carries a foreign, yet exciting, androgynous spirit. Look where pants got me!

Lilly vs. Emma - the Cute-Off

Let's face it – Brits are just too adorable. It's as if the UK celebrities emerge into the spotlight knowing how to be sexy and subtle at the same time, and you can't deny the coolness factor - it comes with the accent, which I normally can't resist. So, I was thrilled to find two of Britain's most cupcake-like ladies, the recently un-retired Lilly Allen and the newly grown-up Emma Watson, competing for our attention this month with two new magazine covers. Who did it better (and cuter)?

Watson, whose new epic film Noah is coming to the theaters next month, is starring on the cover of Wonderland, a new British fashion magazine. Two versions of the it – jokingly named “Afro Prada Bruiser" and “Elf Alien Queen” on her Twitter account – are accompanied by a whole bunch of pages we're supposed to believe she guest-edited. Her favorite people are Pharrell, Lena Dunham, Lorde and her Perks of Being a Wallflower co-star Ezra Miller to name a few, demonstrating a very varied (albeit a tad mainstream, in a hipster sort of way) taste in popular culture.

On the other corner of the pond, the ever-so-bitter-sweet songstress Lilly Allen got herself a cover as well, with Elle Britain. The beautiful photo shoot (just how pretty are the logo letters, in tune with Allen's Miu Miu dress?) is very much in the spirit of her upcoming single "Air Balloon" and proves Lilly is back big time, and her interview is supposedly peppered with comments about feminism, media brainwashing and motherhood. Here's a teaser: "Of course I’d rather look like Kate Moss than look like myself,” she admits. “I wish I didn’t feel like that, and I think the reason we feel like that is because of the imagery we’re fed all the time. Women are still expected, in some weird way, to kind of… sit there and look pretty. And not talk.” I wouldn't guess from this video:

Emma's editorial debut hits the stands on Feb. 7, while Lilly's issue is expected in early March. So who do you prefer? The wise, tongue-in-cheek Allen or the bubbly, fun-lovin' Watson? Or should we just have a tea party with both of them? What a great idea!