Zuzana, Bratislava streetstyle

Zuzana is one of the very few people I know who is very consistent with her style. Feminine shapes, lots of whites, nudes and soft grey, lots of tone in tone colour schemes, rich textures like ruffles and crochet, only to be contrasted by simple lines and vintage accessories.

Let's see the last time I've met her. Flowing floral dress, check. Ruffles, check. Tone in tone accessories, check. Baby blue denim jacket, check. Combine all this with a megawatt smile and blond locks and you'll get the picture :-)

 

DIY therapy: jeans pocket

Inspired by "do it yourself" projects, I joined this therapy group on the weekend. A little manual work can really do miracles for the buzzing in your head :-) And because I am loving the jeans on jeans on jeans casual look of the moment, I set up to bring into reality a T-shirt that came up in my head during a jazz concert. (Obviously, jazz concerts are so not the perfect tool to stop the buzzing :-)

So all you need is a plain white T, some second hand kids jeans with nice pockets (adult size jeans have huuuge pockets compared to this, but could also lead to interesting results) and tons of patience with small scissors and a needle.
And ta-daaaam, I am so ready to hit the streets with my camera and my brand new T-shirt. See ya!

p.s. big thanks to my dear boyfriend for taking the time and these pictures!

Wine country

Last weekend went with some friends for a wine tasting tour into the Male Karpaty hills that surround Bratislava. Closer to the end of the day this view is what greeted us at the Terra Parna winery. How could you not love wine? :-)

Leather and feather, Bratislava streetstyle

This lovely girl knew exactly what I was after :-) She knew about my blogger inspirations, The Sartorialist and Garance. AND she made her feather earring herself, in two minutes, just like that. That's another inspiration for the weekend, going to do some DIY therapy :-)

Have a lovely weekend everybody!

In the detail: Tassels

In the detail: Felted bag

Stuck in a weather you can't get out of, Bratislava streetstyle via Greece

Doesn't this outfit just exactly represent the strange weather we are having right now? Gently flowing summery whites are eager and ready to be basking in the warm sunlight, but yet they still have to be covered by gray layers, that protect them from wind and rain.

Guess I was too early to celebrate summer a few posts below. So dear sunshine, come out, come out, wherever you are....

Garden state of mind, Bratislava streetstyle

I love the little smirk on this girl's face. She wasn't in a very good mood when we met, which beautifully transformed into her attitude on the picture. 

Ooooh, and don't even get me started on her bag... It's one of those leather bags your dad or uncle carried his papers in every day, together with some home made sandwich, a neatly folded plastic bag and a shopping list of groceries. Early 80' I would guess :-)

Samuel, Bratislava streetstyle via Colorado

While I was shooting Sam I got asked by his friend if it's fair to shoot him as Bratislava streetstyle if he's from Denver, Colorado. Well, I would love to shoot Denver streetstyle, anybody to sponsor my trip? :-)

But the way I see it, when you travel, you take your energy, personality, style, mood and life story with you wherever you go. For those moments (days, weeks, months) in different cities you are a contributing part of that place, you influence its people, style and story, like it or not.

While I would like to use this blog as a proof that in my hometown of Bratislava and the rest of the country there is enough inspiration and creativity on the street to fill its pages, I will not ignore interesting photo subjects just because they're not local. But to be fair, I will mention their country of origin, to give you the full context of the post (like I did, in a metaphorical way here).

Anyway, the reason for this post is the "so very hot right now" stripes vs. stripes concept. On Samuel, it's kind of Sabotage meets John Travolta, no? :-)

In the detail: button up!

In the detail: Space boots

These funky boots were the first thing I noticed when entering a wine cellar over the weekend in the small town of Pezinok. The girl that belonged to them told me her mom bought them from some Vietnamese market, for 1 Euro :-) and apparently they're extremely comfortable. So not very haute couture, but very much pret-a-porter :-)

Girls of summer, Bratislava streetstyle

No need to say more - I believe the summer is definitely coming into town, yay hooray! :-)

Venice moments

Sometimes it just happens that by accident I end up shooting on black and white film (don't ask...). The last time it has happened I was for the first time (and unplanned) in Venice, waiting for a night train and sending out thankful thoughts to the Eyjafjallajokull volcano :-)

Braids, Bratislava streetstyle

I was actually stalking this woman for a while, waiting for her to finish talking on the phone, which she never did. In fact, she couldn't care less about being photographed, so I just handed her my card and left :-) But her image got stuck in my head - I love, love her naturally grown out "greyish" hair in the braid, which reminds me of the braids on the Alexander Wang Spring 2010 catwalk.

 Guess the points I am trying to make: 1. This is how you age gracefully., 2. The braids are back big time!

The cappuccino years, Bratislava streetstyle

I borrowed the title of this post from the last book in the series about Adrian Mole, because the tone in tone outfit of this young man just reminded me of the colours of coffee (even with the beer in hand :-)
I didn't read the book about Adrian Mole's adulthood yet and not sure I ever will, I am scared to destroy the picture of the teenager I carry around in my head.

Anyway, coffee anyone?

Bratislava tea style

I really hope the weather will soon change to the sunny, warm May it is supposed to be, because I found an excellent open space (and air) office to spend my time at. It is a tea house in the so-called Medical Gardens, with colourful carpets, soft cushions and little wooden tables.

And I know I won't be alone there :-) this girl in beige and fresh spring colours was sweet enough to let me photograph her while relaxing. Only now I notice that she's probably reading a travel guide. Good night, going to dream of far-away countries that smell like tea...

One man's trash...

 ...is another man's treasure, as the saying goes. I love to go through "other man's trash" at flea markets and antique markets (I still have to practice my bargaining skills though, they would pick me to pieces in countries like India...)

Recently I got hold of the "white on white" vase (I love the structure of it), a few old frames and an old photograph of a baby boy. Normally I don't like to have photographs of other people around me - it just feels funny to have their faces, lives and energy in my home, but this one just screams life optimism, innocence and well... style :-)

If you happen to know flea markets worth visiting, please let me know! :-)

Janko, Bratislava streetstyle

I have to tell you something about this little guy. He was a bit shy while being photographed, but his mum told me he loves to take pictures himself. He builds up a scene from his toys, photographs it, changes the scene, photographs it again, changes it again, photographs it... and keeps on going until he has complete story, captured in photographs. Not only is he adorable, but so smart as well. I love it!

Daisies, Bratislava streetstyle

 

Imagine you just got a really, REALLY pink helmet with daisies on it from your boyfriend (aaaaaw, so sweet!) and he wants to take you on a ride, with that helmet on your head (like, really?!). You go outside, trying to be unnoticed (hope nobody sees me...) when the first person you meet, goes: "Hi, could I please take your picture?"

I think she looks absolutely lovely in her new helmet :-) They were actually both really nice, so thank you guys, have a safe ride!

Ema, Bratislava streetstyle

You may have already seen Ema here and in case you were wondering, yes, she is a model.
The upside of Bratislava being a smaller city is that from time to time you can bump into the same stylish people you have already met, like I recently bumped into Ema coming straight out of the gym.

(Note to myself: reconsider go-to-gym style... )

People watching

Speaking of dogs (previous post), recently I have met a fellow streetstyle observer in one of the old town houses, who was kind enough to pose for a picture.

Katka & Dorka, Bratislava streetstyle

It just started to rain cats and dogs (ha!) when I met up with Katka and her dog, Dorka. As a firm believer in evoking good weather and sunshine with her outfits, Katka was wearing ballerina flats, while me, prepared for the worst, had my rain boots on :-)

On a side note, I love, love the splash of candy colours to this outfit! Inspired, I went to the nail salon and came out... with very dark navy blue. Oh well :-)
Let's hope the sun will come out this week!

Somewhere over the rainbow, Bratislava streetstyle

This is a "Hello and welcome" to all the new people who took a look at tonbogirl this week :-) Even though the weather is supposed to be blah during the weekend, I wish you all a colourful one!

Rock and roll 2010, Bratislava streetstyle

This is my new friend Linda. Born in Russia, raised in the USA, now studying medicine in Bratislava. I met her on her way to a quiet place to study for her exams. I never thought medicine could be so... fashionable? :-)

Style alert! Everything is getting rolled up this season. Jeans, sleeves, cargo pants, harem trousers, utility pants, chinos (like the ones Linda is wearing). Pick your own, this is the new kind of Rock and roll!

Little guys, big style. Bratislava streetstyle

Just as I was getting frustrated with not too many interesting guys and men to shoot on the street, I met these two boys on the same day and I knew: there's hope :-)

Inspiration: Uoldbag

Okay, I NEED to have one of these suitcases one day.... Made by the very talented Lisa Tilley, each bag is one of a kind, made from vintage and found objects and materials. There's nothing more to say, I am in love...

Refreshingly black, Bratislava streetstyle

In the summer, when your eyes hurt from the bright sunshine and all the whites, nudes, florals and pastels around you, a piece of black garment can be so soothing and refreshing at the same time. One more reason to love black :-)

Fine lines, Bratislava streetstyle

I caught this girl just before she entered the Academy of Fine Arts. Her colour scheme is yet another example of the popular blue-white-brown spring palette that you could already see here.

Blue velvet, Bratislava streetstyle