defiance magazine

Many people have enquired about the bicycle dress in the fashion section of my magazine - well, I'm happy to say it's now available at www.narrina.com. It really is a remarkable dress. I've never had as much fun creating any garment as I did this dress, partly because of the print, but mostly because of its sustainability - organic and consisting of six pieces wrapped into one package.

asos + unidays

asos ankle strap pumps in cream

asos ankle strap pumps in black

When I first came across ASOS, I was overwhelmed by the amount of things they offered - rather like that feeling you get when you are starving and peruse a menu and feel absolutely certain that not only do you want every dish offered, but that you could easily consume them, too. So with the introduction of UNiDAYS, which offers discounts to college students, I came to the self-satisfying conclusion to purchase the items that I absolutely love without reservation (returns are free after all and weirdly efficient). How do I judge which items deserve this speedy disposition? Well, I imagine navigating to my Saved Items section and seeing the red strip that says "Out of Stock." If I suddenly feel nauseous and the world seems to be shrinking, then I know I've developed an uncanny attachment to an accessory.

A sad (or not so sad) truth is that there is no "well-dressed" without "well-heeled." Indeed, I could churn out and dawn the loveliest dresses, but if I paired them with a bunch of dilapidated rubber galoshes, I might as well toss out my sewing machine and relocate to the swamps. This is why, ASOS, thus far, has been my greatest discovery (next to insomnia cookies and the reversible zipper). These ankle-strap pumps have become my favored pair of shoes for the summer - so favored, in fact, that I purchased them in all available colors (with the student discount, of course). 

I had been a woeful observer of UNiDAYS during my days living in Warsaw. So when they arrived in the US around the same time I returned and I could fork over my Parsons email ID for the 10% discount, I was smugly pleased. Now excuse me while I stalk my email for their next 25% off promotion - I have my eye on a pair of sweet sandals.

simplicity

Finals are over, and had this been a normal year, I would now be facing three months of summer vacation. Instead, I get a one week break and then the whole process will begin again with my summer semester.

If you want to check out the project that resulted in a full 48-hours of consciousness and broken friendships ... take a look at defiancemagazine.blogspot.com, where you can view my magazine in the only post there. Though this was a group project, it turned out that I assumed the role of an entire team and became not just the Design Editor, but the Photo Editor and the Editor-in-Chief. Sigh. Where's my ice cream?

triangle below canal street

Lately, my feet have been carrying me from my home in the financial district to the streets of TriBeCa. Now that the weather is turning (or will turn) warm, I've begun to forego the rudimentary subway convenience and make use of my legs. TriBeCa is by far my most favorite area of Manhattan to wander around in, and along with FiDi, East Williamsburg and Dumbo, has joined my list of reasons why Manhattan isn't as horrible as I imagine it to be the first thing every morning. By the end of the day, in fact, I'm almost partially slightly glad I'm here - now all I need is a studio walking distance from the Chambers Street 2 train station.

i ...

... really want to go home. Where is that, you ask? Well, the closest place to it (and ever was) is Warsaw. Why? Because I'm thinking of bike rides through my quiet neighborhood in Wawer, hummus in Sam, tea on Plac Zbawiciela, day dreams on the grass in Pole Mokotowskie. I always prided myself on being able to transition effortlessly, on leaving things behind to move forward, and yet, six months into my 5 year stay in NYC, and I find myself with one foot obstinately planted on Polish soil. 

In any case, this semester is finishing off in two weeks (insert panicked face - projects due, deadlines approaching), but I only really have a one week break before returning for summer semester. So I'll be in NYC along with the sweaty tourists - probably more sweaty than them as I haul around my supplies - enjoying every minute of the concrete cinder blocks I must now call home.

from 10 am to 8 pm ...

... I have been slaving away in an empty studio on the 12th floor of Parsons (on a Sunday), rotating through assignments like a well-oiled machine - 3D, drawing, 2D, drawing again ... I just reached home and decided to air my complaints to the wide world of the web in order for anyone and everyone to sympathize with me. In regards to the wonderful hot pant set in the photo above that I made a while back for this years spring/summer - floral things are (like usual) all that make me happy (along with cats, cookies, berries and 99 cent pizza.)

she's homeless?

So, if you're wondering where I've disappeared off to, it's to the wonderful world of apartment hunting. Finding an apartment in Manhattan is no easy task, in fact, I feel that there are forces that govern this metropolis to ensure people DON'T find apartments the first, let's say, 150 times. Whatever the case, my situation is looking pitifully dire, and I better settle on one soon before I find myself sitting on the sidewalk with two suitcases and a sewing machine.