Colorful Camouflage - Nail art tutorial

Hello and happy Sunday (although the weather is shitty)!


I'm trying very hard to make some time for writing, but with the whole me-moving-to-Amsterdam thing, it feels like every day could use a few more hours. School's almost here (just one more week to go, exciting!) and my room is almost done, so stay tuned for the results (which I am very proud of :))

It's time for a nail art tutorial! I've always loved bright colors and happy patterns, it reflects my personality. My wardrobe and room are full of all kinds of colors and patterns too, so I like to adjust my nails to this. For this tutorial, I decided to choose two different color tones for a nail art design. The combination of blue and pink could turn out as a disaster, but not if you combine it wisely. That's why I chose to pick four colors: pink and blue as the main colors, and purple and turquoise to make the whole combination a bit more connected. The technique is to create some sort of a camouflage print, so it doesn't really matter if you mess up some parts a bit. Difficulty: easy.

These are the equipments you will need:

• Silver foil
• Five colors of nail polish, including white
• A nail polish with sequin confetti in it
• A dotting tool (on the left in the picture)
• A base coat

The colors I've used are the following:

Purple Pulse by Rimmel London, No. 180

Faithful Fuchsia by NYC, No 195

Blue Eyed Girl by Rimmel London, No. 840

Bright Back At You by Rimmel London, No 835

Mrs and mr Glitter by Essence, No 13

White by NYX, No. 149

Express Finish by Maybelline 

Step one:
Paint all of your nails white. This will be your basecoat. It doesn't have to be perfect since you're going to cover up all of the white nail polish with colored dots. If you don't use a white basecoat, the colors won't show properly. See it as a coloring sheet.

Step two:
Get your dotting tool and dip it into the first color (it doesn't matter which color you use first). Dip it into the nail polish and create random dots and spots on your nails.

Step three:
Repeat step two with the other three colors and make sure that you cover up all of the white nail polish.

Step four:
Pick up your toothpick and search through your nail polish for blue sequins. Place them, one by one, on your nail. I put about five or six sequins on each nail, otherwise I wouldn't be finished by 2016 or something.

Step five:
Let your nails dry a bit (they don't have to be entirely dry). Use your transparent nail polish as the finishing touch (don't push the brush too hard on your nails or your masterpiece will be destroyed).

And that's it, an eye-catcher on every finger nail! This design is perfect for an occasion such as a party, but it'll look great on an ordinary day too.

Good luck and see you next time!


Love,

Ruby

Online shopping paradises

Hello readers!

Let's face it, if you're a girl, you'd wish that you would have the time to shop all day, every day. I know I want to. Well, they made up this sneaky little thing in case you don't have time to actually go shopping. It's called online shopping. Perfect in case you don't mind waiting a few days for your item, and there are millions of online shops. In this post, I'll introduce you to a few of my favorite online shops. Even if If you haven't got a single coin, you could always just check one of these sites for inspiration, like I do. Or add them to your wishlist (let's not have a look at my own wishlist, or this post will go on forever).

Urban Outfitters

I can definitely say that this is my favorite shop of all times. It feels like every single item calls my name when I scroll down the site. I like the fact that they sell more than 'just' amazing clothes. They've got a Home department too. Here you can find furniture, accessories, cameras, books and so much more. As you may know, I'm moving to Amsterdam in a few days. So Urban Outfitters decided to open its first shop in the center of Amsterdam, just for me. How sweet, huh?

Nelly

Nelly is that kind of shop where you'll find something new every time you visit the website. Their collection is immense, they sell hundreds of different brands and delivery is always free! I bought my dress for prom at Nelly, and every time I take a look at it, I get those heart-shaped eyes. Now and then they've got a big sale, with crazy prices. In some cases, you'll pay 10 euros for a pair of heels. Enough said. Go on, have a look. It won't hurt you.

Nasty Gal

I like to wear things that at first 'scare' me a bit. Fashion is a way to express myself, and if I keep surprising myself with things I wouldn't immediately wear in the first place, I keep it interesting for myself. This brings me to Nasty Gal. Crazy platform shoes, cut out dresses and bodies, crop tops and huge statement necklaces. Not an online shop for if you're afraid to be seen. Don't mind what other people may think, if you love it, wear it. It's as simple as that. Nasty Gal is here for you.

Before making an online purchase, I recommend Googling for some discount codes. You'll probably find at least one working code, which makes the item that caught your eye even more attractive. Well, at least that's the way it goes with me :)

These aren't the only online shopping paradises I discovered, and I'm sure I'll find some more, so keep on following me on my blog and I'll be happy to show you a whole lot more! In the following weeks, I'm also going to post some DIYs, the final result of my new room and more..


Love,

Ruby

My prom dress from Nelly.com, useful for more causes :)
Photography: Jolien van Onna

My summer favorites

A very good, sunny morning!

One of the reasons that I adore fashion is that you're able to combine everything endlessly. From matching skirts and tops to matching your accessories with your heels, fashion could keep me busy for years. When I go shopping, I like looking for items which I can combine with things I already have. For example, when I think of a skirt during shopping, I start looking for accessories that go with it. In this post, I'll show you the favorite items in my closet at this moment. From clothes to shoes to accessories!

I bought this skirt while traveling through Europe in May. We were in the tenth and last city, Antwerp, and we decided to face our fears and check our bank accounts. And it was shocking. In a very fortunate way. We had more money left than we thought. Very, very tempting while being in Antwerp, one of my favorite shopping cities.. We went to River Island and I saw this skirt, immediately grabbed it and bought it. It's mine. I like the colors a lot, also the print which gives me a boho/aztec feeling. Definitely my favorite skirt in my collection at this moment.

Let’s switch to shoes! I got these Dr. Martens for my 18th birthday and ever since, I couldn’t go without them. When I got them I immediately wore them to work, which I regretted a few hours later. They felt so tight and my feet hurt like hell, but stubborn as I am, I kept them on and now, they’re comfortable (thank God). These Dr. Martens look like the regular black ones, but if you look closely, you can see an ingraved flower pattern. Such a cute detail! I wear these babies with a skater skirt, leather shorts or a maxi skirt. Choices are endless.

And last but not least, accessories. Arm candy is hot lately, it brightens up your look and completes your outfit. There’s a method: just put on a bracelet. And another. And another. And antoher. And so on. I collected different bracelets at all kinds of shops. Mango, H&M, and Sfera at el Corte Inglés in Barcelona. And as you see, I created a colorful combination of bracelets, it looks a bit like they were bought together. Complete your look by adding the finishing touch: a big ring on your finger and nailpolish in a bright color!

In the next blogpost I'll show you how to give old, plain t-shirts and other clothes a new touch by using just one simple tool, a tool every single person owns. Curious? Then stay up to date!

Love,

Ruby

What's in my playlist?

Well good afternoon!


As you may know, I'm very into music. Basically, I wouldn't survive without it. I'm always looking for upcoming concerts of my favorite artists, downloading music and carry my phone and headphones with me everywhere I go. In this blogpost, I'll be happy to introduce you to my favorite music of this moment. If you're into indie/rock, indie/alternative but also like dance and electronic music, I'm sure you'll love this. Here we go!

Let's start with the electronic music brothers Guy and Howard. I'm talking about Disclosure. Every song appeals to me. It's incredibly danceable, and every time I listen to a song of them, It feels like hear something different/new in it. For ultimate pleasure, listen to this with the volume turned up completely. Good luck with trying to sit still. This is 'F For You' from their latest album 'Settle'.

They're coming to the Netherlands! On November 11th they're planning to blow off the roof of Melkweg in Amsterdam. I already got my ticket, how about you?!

Vampire Weekend released their new album a few months ago. I immediately downloaded the whole album, because Vampire Weekend is one of my favorite bands of all times. I like how each song has something funny in it, either in the lyrics, the singing, a particular sound effect and so on. The last album is called 'Modern vampires of the city' and I find it hard to pick the best song on the album, but for me, 'Diane Young' stands a very good chance:

I'm working pretty hard on my must-see list of artists and bands because on November 19th, I'm going to Vampire Weekend too! They come to the Heineken Music Hall in Amsterdam and I've wanted to see them for five years now, so I can't wait!

Although I'm more into up tempo music, I can also really to enjoy slow and beautiful songs. Before I go to bed, I listen to my playlist 'Sleep' and slowly get tired and dreamy. This playlist contains a lot of Bon Iver, Mumford & Sons, Young the Giant and so on.. But a few days ago, I discovered this one: 'Heavy Feet' by Local Natives. It sounds like they thought so well about every detail in the song. From the drums to the piano chords. So, if I may suggest, close your eyes and slowly drift away to the sweet sound of this delightful song.

Hopefully, these songs speak to you as much as they do to me! If you know some bands, artists or songs that may appeal to me, please let me know by leaving a comment. I'm always open for new music. I'm moving to Amsterdam next month, so if you'd like to know how my apartment is going to look, stay up to date and keep reading!

Love,

Ruby

Charming Milan

Buon giorno!

In this post I'm going to tell you all about a magnificent, fashionable city. Another city with a lot see, experience and, of course, a city where you can shop till you DROP. I am talking about the third city in the top three: Milan! Milan is the most important city in North Italy. The city itself has about 1,3 million inhabitants, but with the inhabitants in the areas around Milan included, we'll reach an amount of four million! We got there in the morning of May 12th and we left on May 15th in the evening, so we had about four days to enjoy the lovely weather we had there, but we also had time to see things different from shopping streets and monuments. 

The hostel we slept at was much better than we expected. The bathroom was in our room and just for the two of us. We didn't have to share the bedroom with other people and it was nice and clean. But the best thing was that we had a great balcony with a view over the center of Milan. Yes, we yelled when we got there. As the sun set in the evening, the last rays of sunlight shined into our room. It was amazing.

Yum!

We wanted to do as much as possible in four days, so we got ourselves a map and started marking the places we wanted to go. We saw that every Tuesday and Saturday, a market would be held on Viale Papiniano. So on Tuesday morning, we took the metro and went there. We found a huge market where all kinds of food, clothes, shoes and a lot of other things were being sold. It was very nice to take a stroll down the market and enjoy the fresh fruit, search for treasures and experience the atmosphere there.

Piazza del Duomo, lovely

The other day, we went to see Piazza del Duomo; a gigantic square in the center of the city with a cathedral in front of it, the Duomo. In the middle of the square, you'll find a great statue of Victor Emanuel II, he became the first king of Italy in 1861. The cathedral is so big that I had to cross the square almost entirely, just to get a full shot of the building. It was overwhelming. We also went to see the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele next to the square, named after the first king. This is world's oldest shopping mall! It has loads of shops, restaurants and hotels. The building has amazing glass arcades which provide the halls with natural light. In Galleria Vittorio Emanuele you'll find the great names in fashion, such as Prada, Louis Vuitton, Gucci and more.

Finally, a few tips to fully enjoy your stay in this lovely city:


1. Go and visit a market like we did! We recommend the market on Viale Papiniano. You can take metro number 1 or two, or tram number 14. It's a very nice way to get in touch with the locals in Milan, plus you're able to enjoy the freshest fruit, vegetables and other food. And if you search very well, you may find some real treasures for a bargain price.

2. Do yourself a great favor and look after your possessions very well! Especially when you're in a crowded place (not only an advice for Milan of course, when visiting a big city, always be careful with your belongings). Pickpockets just love markets, metros and trams. Keep. your. eyes. open.

3. Visit the Berschka on Corso Vittorio Emanuele, close to the Duomo and Galleria Vittorio Emanuele. Just do it. Not only because of the affordable and lovely clothes, shoes and accessories, also because of the experience.. This Bershka is the biggest in the world! It goes on and on and on. When we visited this immense shop, there even was a shiny vintage Chevrolet SS in the middle of the shop. So cool.


Hopefully you enjoyed reading about our favorite cities of the Europe trip! Each and every city had its own flaws, but in our opinion, Lisbon, Berlin and Milan were the best. Thanks for following the traveling posts, I hope I got you guys a bit traveler's high just like we are ;) 
Keep on reading!

Love,
Ruby

Feeding doves at Duomo 

Pastel Perfection - Nail art tutorial

Hello there, this one's for the girls!

Summer is here, and though it feels like autumn sometimes (it's raining cats and dogs while I'm writing this, welcome to the Netherlands) it's time for lighter colors and brighter shades. So while we're still waiting for better weather, why don't we start with giving ourselves a touch of summer?

Just like last year, pastels are hot this summer. And that's no wonder, soft colors can make your outfit look fresh and playful. You can play it safe and choose one item in a pastel color, but the dare devils among us combine different pastel shades in one look. Don't be afraid of looking too girly or childish, if you pick the right items and give it a little twist of yourself, you'll be amazed of what bright colors can do for you and your look.

I love to do nail art and to get experimental with it. The last time I went shopping, the pastel colors in the windows caught my eye and I got a new idea for a nail art design. So in this blogpost, I'll teach you how to make your nails summer-proof ánd in fashion at the same time! 

The items we're going to use:

We're going to create a fade-effect with pastel colors using a special technique. These are the items you'll need:

• Some toothpicks
• Silver foil
• Four colors of nail polish, including white
• A make-up sponge (cut)
• A basecoat

I forgot to buy nail polish in pastel colors, but I found out that mixing harsh colors with white worked just as well. Here we go!

Step one

If necessary, mix your nail polishes with white (using a toothpick) until you've got a soft pastel shade. Mix the colors using the silver foil as a palet. Repeat until youv'e got three pastel colors and paint your nails with it. Make sure to vary in color on your nails.

No. 149, White by NYX - No. 835, Bright Back At You by Rimmel London -
No. 294, Lexington Yellow by NYC - No. 195, Faithful Fuchsia by NYC -
No. 01, Express Finish by Maybelline

Step two

Now you've got three different colors on your nails. Take your make-up sponge and dip it in a pastel color. Select a nail which has a different color then the color on your make up sponge. For example, I used blue on yellow on my pinky finger. 

Step three

Tap softly but quickly with the sponge on your nail. Create a fading effect by making small moves with the sponge from the tip of your nail until the half of your nail. Repeat this until the transition of colors is very vague. This is the effect we want to achieve!

Step four

Now that you've completed step three with every nail, it's time for the finishing touch. Let your nails dry a bit, it's not necessary to let them dry completely. Gently brush the base coat on your nails. Don't push too hard with the brush, the colored nail polish may come off and that would be a shame. I put on two base coats, just to make sure my nail art design will last longer then a few days. 

And here you go, summer nails in fruity pastel colors! I received a lot of positive feedback on this design last week, so I wanted to share it with you guys. Just remember that it takes time and a few attempts to get a perfect result, but don't give up! If you've got a question, please don't hesitate to leave me a comment, I'll be happy to help you out. Good luck, see you next time!

Love,

Ruby

Tadaaaaah!

Berlin Berlin, ich liebe dich!

Hi guys!

This post is about Berlin and its must-sees! We arrived on the 4th of May and we left on May 7th (at 06:30 pm. You should have seen our faces). We almost didn't make it to Berlin, because some stupid conductor almost tore my Interrail ticket in two. She even gave us a deadly look when we yelled 'NOOOOOO'. Count to then, count to ten.. When we arrived, we had to walk for twenty minutes to the hostel, and it was very hot. We expected it to be pretty cold in Germany, so we wore our trousers and coats. Couldn't have been more wrong. So when we got to the hostel we switched to dresses and went exploring.

Berlin was the second city we visited on our Europe trip, and it amazed us. It is a HUGE city. Thanks to its rich history, friendly inhabitants and great amount of sights, this city made it to the top three. So here you go guys, on two: Berlin!

Tricks at Reichstag

Berlin is not only the capital of Germany, it's also the biggest city in the country. It has almost three and a half million inhabitants (told you it was huge). The day after out arrival, we put on our walking shoes and started walking. We got a free map at our hostel, but it was very inconveniently arranged. The result was that we got lost (jut a bit, I swear). So in our best German, we asked a local the way. Ten minutes later we found it: Reichstag. It is the building where for instance the elections take place every five years. The building has a huge field in front of it where we enjoyed the sun while listening to music, read in our books and took lots of pictures. We also watched a man in his underpants playing on the grass with a rubber boat.

Shopping at Kurfüstendamm!

Secondly, we visited the famous Brandenburger Tor. On top of the monument, you can see a chariot (pulled by four horses) with Victoria in it, the goddess of victory. Between 1789 and 1791, it served as the entrance to Berlin from the country Brandenburg. We also went to Checkpoint Charlie, the Sony Center, the Holocaust Memorial, the KaDeWe (huge shopping center where they've got all the big names: Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Michael Kors..) and a lot more.

The second day we wanted to go shopping and see a lot of the city itself, but we didn't want to lose lots of time by traveling. So we rent two bikes, and it was so much fun! A big recommendation for everyone. At every corner of the street, you'll find a little bakery or something with a sign that says you can rent bikes there. They're literally everywhere. We cycled all day long, and it was a great way to discover the city without having to miss things.




Here are some advices to enjoy your days in Berlin to the fullest:

1. As I said, rent bikes! It's about 10 euros per person for a whole day, so very affordable. You'll lose a lot of time if you go sightseeing by foot, so is your time limited? Then get on that bike!

2. Fancy a day full of shopping (just like us)? Go to Kurfürstendamm. This is the biggest shopping boulevard in Berlin. It doesn't matter what your style is, you'll find everything you're looking for here. There is an Urban Outfitters (my favorite shop of all times), a Bershka, a Stradivarius, tons of H&Ms and so on..

3. Are you a backpacker or do you just want to sleep cheap? Go to a youth hostel and ask for dormitories. We slept at Baxpax Mitte hostel. Yes, you do sleep with approximately 10 other persons in a dorm, but you'll pay about 12 to 15 euros a night. And that means more money left for other causes.. (did anyone mention shopping?)

Hopefully you enjoyed this Berlin post! Keep on reading, the last city in the top three is Milan. Another city with so much to offer and to see. Stay posted!


Love,
Ruby

I want to ride my bicycle, I want to ride my bike..