" Come quickly, I am tasting the stars!"

A beautiful carousel ride, Dom Pérignon vintage champagne or a golden throne on your head. They all have royal attributes, and can make one feel on top of the world. What is it with people wanting to feel like royalty? Do we have a wrong image of what the good life is supposed to look like nowadays?

When I was little, I always wanted to dress up as a (Disney) princess and have loads of bling jewelery, wear fluffy high heels and have a long dress. Now being an adult, little has changed. I still want jewelery, I still want high heels and I still want beautiful garments. The only thing that has now changed, and this is for most grown-up princesses between us, is that we now want the fantasy to become true, and have the real deal, no plastic accessories and kitschy pink dresses.

For now, as a student, to get the royal feeling, I will settle for a cute headband, cheap wine and a bike ride... Oh well. Dreaming big is the key.

" Thanks for comin out God bless you, good night..."

Tupac Amuru Shakur. One of the best rappers ever, didn't only rap like an emperor but he also wrote some amazing poetry. His poetry you need to see; the handwriting, the clever symbols, the word play... An inspiration to many.

Suite dreams

These are all pictures of the Maison Moschino hotel in Milan, Italy. The hotel recently opened in February and has been quiet the hot-topic! The hotel used to be rail-way station, got renovated, and now turned into a sleeping beauty!

There is a whole fairy-tale theme going on throughout all these different rooms in the hotel- Red Little Riding Hood, Ball room, Bed of Roses, etc. These rooms really bring out your imagination and your childhood characteristic. I am totally in love with the whole serene look yet edgy. The hotel is chic... but not so cheap.

Shoe fetish

Christian Louboutin always amazes me with the amount of grace the shoes embody. The red-lacquered soles who have been the signature of the shoe brand have unfortunately been the victim of imitation more and more nowadays...Shame. Yet, I still believe that you can tell when someone is wearing a real Louboutin or not- it's obvious! You can even tell by the swagger of a lady who walks with the real deal. The shoe that has been made to make jaws drop, impress, ruin your bank account as well as your feet... Well, well, well Mr. Louboutin's quote states""> I would hate for someone to look at my shoe and say, 'Oh my God! That looks so comfortable!' That's not what I want to project. But I'm not a sadist. I don't believe suffering makes you beautiful. But comfort is not part of my creative process. "

These shoes are all from the spring/summer 2011 collection. If there is any sugar daddy out there who wants to surprise me, I'll be glad to torture my feet for the day with those stunners! If I get high heels, they need to be high...I don't do the awkward 7 cm in between heels...

High heels or no heels. Capish?

The best feeling about this all is when you can go to bed after surviving a whole day on killer heels and be totally satisfied cause you rocked it. Ahh the joys of being a woman!

If the sun sets you free, you will be free indeed.

Yesterday we got out early from school, took our bikes and went to a nearby canal. On the way we stopped by the store to get ice cream and some beers and just enjoy the sun!

While sitting on a wooden dock, in the sun, with great company, and a breathtaking view, we all came to realise how lucky we are to be able to study in such a nice city as Amsterdam.

Boats are passing by with people waving, swans approaching us seemingly interested in our ice cream, bike bells ringing and people singing...and in all that peace, we are still in the middle of the city. Wow! No traffic jams, no skyscrapers blocking the sun, it's unbelievable!

Later on, I went home and went to Cigdem's place to pick her up by bike and go to our friend's place for drinks and just some catching up with people outside of school. It is really refreshing to have people outside of school to talk to, especially when they are no fashion fanatics. Knowing that they haven't seen the latest collections or keep track of fashion magazines is so nice, since there is a world outside of fashion, and sometimes with school work you tend to forget that. I did catch myself trying to analyse the fashion influences of the print on their t-shirts... Fashion never sleeps right?!

We played some card games, music, had some drinks, and soon after falling asleep to a horrendous movie we decided to bike back home together. What a lovely day!

Pictures by Regina.

I've got butterflies in my stomach

These shoes give me butterflies in my stomach... Alexander McQueens' beautifully sculptured shoes introduce a whole new level of extreme obsession with detail and imagination beyond human capacity. That's talent. Touché, you can stay!

Eyebrows like twigs

Cigdem and I were avoiding work the other day, so decided to have a little fun with her Photobooth. She got all her anger out on my face, by doing this crazy make-up!

I usually apply my own make up each day, as it is a hobby of mine and it actually relaxes me. I love everything about make-up; looking at make-up tutorials, experimenting with different looks, and the fact that it can enhance one's beauty.

This look is dark and a bit extreme for normal day-wear, but whatever keeps me away from my school work does the job for me!

Chopsticks are no drumsticks

We had a little geisha birthday party for my friend, Alex his 19th birthday. It was meant to be a surprise... We almost got caught by him with our geisha outfits a few times, so it was a close call. But still, he enjoyed our efforts and eventually was somewhat surprised!

We all sat down, had drinks, messed around with chopsticks, and enjoyed the whole Asian vibe :)

I love Japan, and it is my dream to go there one day and experience the rich culture. So having this Asian inspired dinner party triggered my love and interest for Japan even more! I of course root for those who have been affected by the recent disaster, and hope that help will help and prayers will save.

Have a nice rest of your weekend!

Picture taken by my friend, Jake.

You know my name, not my story.

When I was little, I always hated my name. I wanted a cool name like Elisabeth or Morganne, I was actually planning to one day change my name from Claudia, into a "cool" name.

But what is a name? Is it a form of identity? Is it really the answer to the question "Who is that?" ? I know more than 20 people that go by the name of Alex, yet they are all very different people, and not one of them seem to be soul mates for each other. On top of that, to be honest, I only know about 3 of those 20 peoples' story.

Judging people by their name, whether the name sounds cool or boring, foreign or familiar, each name has a face and a life attached to it. So, judging people by their name is like judging a book by it's cover- Unfortunately many people do it and miss reading some of the most amazing books in the world. The people that don't judge, may or may not like the story, but at least had to chance to turn some pages in that book, and see what's it about.

Whether your name is Mohamed, Hyun Jung, Emilio or just Alex. It shouldn't matter, because one may know your name, but not your story. At the end of the day we care about stories, not labeling.

No rain in the sky

- These colors of a rainbow create magic pon our skies.

Ziggy Marley is one of the many children of Bob Marley. His music reminds me so much of his fathers' music, yet still is unique. This song is the perfect way for me to start off my day (unfortunately I overslept) with a positive vibe and have an appreciation for life.

Today there is no rainbow in the sky, not even a ray of sunshine... Please, weather God's create a beautiful rainbow in the sky, and of course have a big pot of gold waiting at the end of it, this would make everything so much better!

Today is another day filled with school work. I am currently working on a group project- we have to make a clothing line for the ice cream company, Häagen- Dazs. We have lots of work, but we are still motivated to get it all done, so I'm sure we'll manage!

From am to pm

Me, Jake and Charly ready to go to the Fucking Pop Queers party at Jimmy Woo, a club in Amsterdam.

This party is really not so much worth dressing up for, since it's commonly known as a gay party. But as fashion students, dressing up is not a task ;)

I have never been to a gay party before, so this was something completely new. This was the first time I saw a man wear high heels (and I mean HIGH heels) and 2 men kiss. Yet, the best of all was seeing a drag queen- s/he was working it! Wearing a thick layer of make up, a platinum blonde wig and a maxi dress made the shemale confident and she totally stole the spot light.

I'm not a big pop fan, but when you hear the Spice Girls, you can't help but mesmerize about the times when you were young and each wall of your room was plastered with posters of your favorite Spice girl (Mine was Mel B). When everyone in the club sings along and knows each and every single word to the songs, it's like you are in a big karaoke bar.

Fucking Pop Queers was an experience, and I cannot wait for the next (monthly) party to come!

Current craving

Stella McCartney dress

I love how this dress looks like a classical still life oil painting.

Why not be a walking piece of art?

In ancient Egypt it was believed that still lives were painted with the purpose of when one would die, whatever was painted on the canvas would come alive, edible and/or usable for them. Let's see what happens to this dress...

Living in and loving Amsterdam

When I had to choose my university I had the choice to either go to Glasgow (Heriot Watt University), London (London College of Fashion) or Amsterdam (Amsterdam Fashion Institute). I visited all universities and was torn between London or Amsterdam.

Scotland was nothing for me, the university was located in the middle of nowhere, with the city center 90 minutes away. The view in your dorm room was a herd of sheep and mountains. That was a total no-go for me and officially out of the question. I need city life, I need active leisure time with city lights, colorful cocktails and street musicians playing their hearts out.

London would have been a one year program, and then I would have to reapply again for a new course, risking not getting into the new course. Plus, London living is very expensive. And on top of that, half of my school where I graduated from goes to London. I wanted something new, something fresh.

Amsterdam was the perfect in-between option for me; close to Belgium, my home country, I speak the language, and I loved the city from my first visit on. The canals, architecture, happy people, good food, and the spontaneous atmosphere made it all picture perfect!

Amsterdam has flabbergasted me in several different ways. Coming from a catholic country, where the church on Sunday is busier than any shopping mall, seeing Amsterdam so freely was a shocker. Seeing a presentable business man walk into a red, little window closet, coming out 10 minutes later, zipping up his pants with a dirty smirk on his face is something that you don't forget easily. Or the fact that rolling a joint on the tram after one gets off work is totally normal, no stares and no glares.

Unfortunately, those things tend to be the typical tourist things to do, and don't exactly captivate the essence of Amsterdam. If I think of Amsterdam, I think of little cafe's, vintage stores, museums, canal cruises, a chat with your neighbor, and of course, biking. The Dutch have a big biking culture, very eco-friendly and it's a great way to stay fit. With all the narrow streets, ridiculously expensive car parking and hopefully some sunshine, biking really is your best bet.

Amsterdam is so cozy, and you keep discovering new areas, streets and hot spots to go to. I am so happy to be living here!

"Throw your hands in the air, if youse a true player "

I have been playing softball since I was in 6th grade, and have always played pitcher- the person who throws the ball to the batter. My school in Poland would pick a traveling team to be able to go to different countries and compete against different schools. I have been to Turkey, Russia, Romania, Czech Republic and Austria in order to compete and represent my home team.

The sound of cleats on the pavement, that leads to the softball field bumps your adrenaline level. A warm up tour around the field, with your whole team, creates team spirit. Warming up with the ball on the field, getting your hand settled into your leather over-sized glove. Stretching together; legs, arms, neck. After about an hour and a half of playing, walking off with red sand marks over your ridiculously démodé high waisted pants. It's all worth it.

Many people say this game is boring, and doesn't involve loads of physical effort. Negatory. Softball is not only a physical game, but also much of a mind game. My role as a softball (underhand) pitcher is to lead my team, and make sure that I can make a proper pitch to the batter, to either strike them out or let them hit. I also cooperate with the catcher, who should make sure whenever there is a person running towards the last base, that she can be on the base with the ball before the runner and get them out. What I love about this game, besides being able to put all your anger into your swing at the ball, is the group effort. We each have a responsibility on the field, and we all live up to it, if one fails to do so, then your team players help you out. The amount of concentration you need in this game breaks brains. People cheering, stress, tiredness, weather conditions, they all pile up and regardless of that, you still need to perform.

The actual pitch to the plate where the batter stands, involves a combination of skill and practice. You need to create a certain routine, so that every time you get to hit the plate, which is about 10 meters away from you. The angle you throw in, the spin you put to it, the amount of speed, steps and force, and the way the batter stands all play a role in order to get a good pitch. 3 strikes on the home base, or 3 swings without the batter being able to run means they are out. Steeee-rike!

I find the pitch to be graceful; the way you finish with your hand, just after throwing the ball- up in the air, almost in ballerina stand, as well as your feet- one pointed as sharp as a pencil.

Ballerina or softball player, find grace in the most unexpected places and it'll be magical!

Suicide Monday

Today is what I call suicide Monday. I call it this way because we start school at either 8.30 or 9.20, and have non-stop class until around 6.00 in the evening. This day is very hectic and exhausting, and you just want to die! I am currently in a toolshop for management. We learn about how to best sell our fashion products, what kind of advertising works, promotional options etc.

As I look around the crowded room I see (designer) bags under the eyes of majority of us, Blackberry phones being used constantly, and here and there a big gasp as a reaction to the weekend hook-up story. My stomach is screaming for a proper breakfast and my brain is screaming for an energy drink in order to stay awake.

Today after school, I have to meet with my group for a school project. We have to design a clothing collection for the ice cream company Häagen-Dazs. We decided to take inspiration from the different kinds of flavors they have in their ice creams, for example, chocolate. I would have to research chocolate- how it's made, study the country of origin, use the flavors' color scheme etc. Then use all this research and use that as a base towards your clothing outfits.

This day is going to last about 23864 years. Oh Mondays... How we love you.

Blog name

This, ladies and gentlemen, is Christopher George Latore Wallace, aka Biggie.

Biggie was a musical genius. He has created some of the best tunes around and this legend lives on, even 14 years after his tragic death.

Biggie has a song called "Juicy", and part of the lyrics go like this:

" Now my mom pimps a Ac' with minks on her back
And she loves to show me off, of course
Smiles every time my face is up in The Source
We used to fuss when the landlord dissed us
No heat, wonder why Christmas missed us
Birthdays was the worst days
Now we sip champagne when we thirst-ay
Uh, damn right I like the life I live
'Cause I went from negative to positive ..."

This is where I got the idea of taking a small fragment of the lyrics and using it as my blog webpage.

No matter what mood I am in, Biggie cheers me up, inspires me, and makes me think beyond the few musical minutes he plays a song in.

Music I love

I started to realize my real musical preference around the age of 14, when I first listened to Bob Marley. I was so fascinated and intrigued by the passion, the honesty and the talent that goes with reggae. I soon discovered reggaeton and dancehall, and fell in love with this music.

Now, my musical taste goes more to the dancehall side, which is still a genre of reggae, but more upbeat. The lyrics can be about politics, x-rated content, homophobia, or any current events. The lyrics usually don't move me too much, but the beat and the passion you hear with this music is the most important to me.

I am very critical and rather narrow minded when it comes to music. I judge fast, and I am not very experimental when it comes to trying out new music genres. I usually go on www.22tracks.com to get the latest music . 22 tracks offers many different music genres, so if you are not in tune with my musical preference, I am sure there is something for you out there ;)

Let's commence

Hey there,

I'm making my very first blog post from my little room in Amsterdam, where I currently study International Fashion Management at the Amsterdam Fashion Institute. I have been in Amsterdam since summer, and I absolutely love it here! I am originally from Belgium and lived there for 11 years, then moved to Warsaw, Poland. I graduated from The American School of Warsaw in May 2010, and eventually ended up here, in Amsterdam.

I've been meaning to make a blog for a long time now, but never felt like I have anything worthwhile to write about... Yet, now I am feeling a current urge to make this blog happen and actually get to it.

This blog will of course be about my fashion studies, but also about my personal life and where I'm from, my adventures, my passions and the people that I love in my life.

Enjoy!