my life in pictures II.

all pictures taken from my instagram: @veenamccoole

1. A picture of the Ashton Studio at the Royal Academy of Dance HQ in Battersea, London. I've spent four summers in total attending ballet summer intensives at RAD, and it's been a year since I was last there and I miss it incredibly!2. At a carnival in Paris this summer, munching on one of the most delicious crepes I have ever tasted. 3. A stunning photograph taken this summer (by my mom!) of the sunrise in Douarnenez, Bretagne.4. Cathedral Notre Dame in Paris, one of the most beautiful places I have ever been to.5. I'm loving The Script's self-titled album. Science and Faith was getting a little repetitive after I spent the whole summer listening to it, so I made a wise switch back to "the oldies," if you could call it that.6. A delicious butterfly cupcake I had in Borrisokane, Ireland. Irish strawberries are the best!7. Me and a friend on top of the Ganda La Pass in Ladakh this summer. Yet another one of my summer adventures that I miss dearly!8. Sable Blanc (White Sand) beach in Finistere at midday; clearly all the French locals are dying for some sun!9. A picture from the Marc Jacobs x Louis Vuitton exhibition I visited in Paris this summer. This bag was from LV's collaboration with Takashi Murakami in 2003.

paris - part II

 With every passing hour spent in Paris, I fall more and more in love with the beautiful, stylish city. Not only is it brimming with unbelievably fashion-forward people who seem to treat style as a religion, it’s full of the most stunning architecture and colorful heritage which I’m eager to learn more about. Coming from a concrete jungle of buildings with sleek, modern façades and futuristic design, being surrounded by century-old splendor is a refreshing change I can’t express in words. 

As the pictures suggest, we visited our fair share of touristy places during our trip; Musee D'Orsay, the Louvre, the Eiffel Tower, Arc De Triomphe, check check check check. Hey, it was even Bastille Day during our visit! But even if we hadn't done all those things, I would have been perfectly happy to while away the days by simply roaming around the city, familiarizing myself with the tree-lined avenues, marveling at the overwhelming charm of Paris, and basking in the distinct French culture that the city is lathered in. While simultaneously munching on a crepe, or four. 

This summer was an exceptionally difficult one to pack for. After Paris, we’re due to go town-hopping in various parts of Bretagne for a few days, and then we’re off to Ireland for a week by the sea. I have one tiny suitcase and a weight allowance of 15kg, which I have to make do with for a whole month – including saving space to accommodate my potential overdose on retail therapy. I wanted to bring some stylish pieces to Paris, but I also wanted to dress for comfort and warmthat my other destinations. Therefore, I had to be prudent with what I packed and make sure that everything I brought could work wherever I go: be it on a boat, in a riverside caravan, at the beach, at a nice restaurant, or in one of the world’s capitals of fashion: Paris.

I kept my look simple with a lace top, a decorative necklace, my used-and-abused Longchamp bag which holds practically everything, a smart blazer to de-touristifymy look and help me blend in with the Parisians*, and a pair of simple black flats for all the walking we did.

* I swear to God everyone in Paris wears blazers – men included. I’m convinced they each own different blazers to fit every type of weather condition and occasion that could possibly come their way. Blazers are definitely part of the Parisian uniform!  

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