Showing posts with label Istanbul. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Istanbul. Show all posts

Sunday, 25 August 2013

She looks like a tourist

The day before we left Istanbul, we visited the Topkapi palace and I dressed absolutely like a tourist. This means I combined most things people carry for an entire holiday in one outfit.

Straw hat, check.
Hi-low maxi dress, check.
sandals, check.
Sunglasses, check.





It was a very warm day and I was glad that I wore this high-low summery maxi dress.  I wore the scarf to add a dash of colour to the cream coloured dress. 




I was also greatful to be wearing a hat as it was really hot and and the sun was really direct. 




The palace looked absolutely glorious and the interiors were beautiful.






The stained glasses in the queen's room brought the most beautiful blend of colours and light in the room. 



The intricate detail in the pattern on the walls was mesmersing as well.






I did a little tourist like posing, and throughly enjoyed it!

Even through the window grill, the city outside looked beautiful.




Even through the window grill, the city outside looked beautiful.




The Bosphorus although calm, made big ferry boats look like tiny fishing boats.






After a lot of walking through the palace, we had lunch at Konyali Restaurant at the palace and had the best view of the Bosphorus.




I'm glad we visited the palace on the last day, because you know what they say, save the best for last!

Sunglasses: Michael Kors similar here
Hat: H&M
Satchel: Urban Outfitters
Dress: Primark
Scarf: Primark
Gold Bracelet: Some Place Beautiful (link)




Monday, 19 August 2013

The Grey Jumpsuit


A jumpsuit is one of my favourite pieces of clothing to have. It is very versatile and if worn correctly can be the ultimate comfy-chic outfit.

I took this grey one with me to Istanbul on holiday. There were a number reasons why I took this jumpsuit with me.

1. Jumpsuit =comfort
2. trouser= covered legs = no restriction to enter any mosque/ museum
3. Jersey material= light weight= very comfortable

I could go on like this but you get the picture!




There were a number reasons why I took this jumpsuit with me.

1. Jumpsuit =comfort
2. trousers= covered legs = no restriction to enter any mosque/ meseum
3. Jersey material= light weight= very comfortable, perfect for a hot weather

I could go on listing justifications for taking it along, the truth is I could think of nothing better to pack for a holiday than a jumpsuit.







I have always been a fan of the colour grey and half of the clothes I own are probably grey. However this is quite a unique shade of grey to my collection of grey clothes. The tar grey colour of the jumpsuit makes it really easy to pair it not only with jackets, blazers and scarves but also with accessories.



I had only taken two scarves with me in a (failed) attempt to pack light and ended up wearing this black floral scarf from H&M on most days.

My personal opinion is that the best place to see a city is walking through its by-lanes and that is exactly what we did. Unfortunately that also meant that I jumped at every opportunity I had to rest on a bench, as below!




Being a tired tourist is never fun, but the satisfaction of being able to see the city in a different light made it worth it!








Sunday, 18 August 2013

Istanbul

I have wanted to go to Istanbul since I was child. The fact that it is the only city in the world split between two continents always intrigued me. Being such a unique hot-pot of diverse cultures, I was sure the city wouldn't disappoint me, and as expected, disappoint it did not!

Istanbul is a beautiful city and I absolutely loved it! Right from the moment I stepped out of the plane, I knew my journey would be a very eventful and memorable one.

The holiday started off on a rather anxious and eager note as my friend's flight was delayed by 8 hours and I had to patiently waited for the flight to arrive. Thankfully a kindle and Starbucks came to my rescue.

Also, I used this time to get holiday ready. A little bit to toe nail colouring never hurt anyone.



When my friend finally arrived, we went straight to the hotel, dropped our bags and left to explore the city.


As expected, the city was beautiful. With old mosques right in the middle of a modern city, I realized that in addition to a blend of European and Asian cultures, the old world and new world blend in together in Istanbul seamlessly.

The Blue Mosque was absolutely magnificent and was totally worth the long wait in the queue to see it.




It was full of visitors, some were there to pray while others, like me, had come to see its beauty.




The interiors of the Blue Mosque were breathtaking. The entire celing was covered in very intricate mosaic artwork.





Most mosques and religious places in Intanbul have a rule that men and women must wear clothes that cover their knees and hence I carried all my midi dresses on this holiday. I also carried a couple of scarves along in case I had to cover my head while I was in there.

It worked out quite well I think, as I got to combine my two favourites; midi dresses and scarves.

Along with the scarf, I accessorised my outfit with a hat. This, like the scarf was also a practical accessory to protect me from the blazing Istanbul sun!




I carried this satchel bag with me as my holiday bag as it was small enough to carry along comfortably but big enough to fit everything I needed.





All in all,  the first day in Istanbul was mesmersing and left me wanting more of the city!





As feautred;

Hat: H&M 
Nail Lacquer: Estee Lauder Pure Red 
Bracelet: Some Beautiful Place (Link)
Dress: Zara
Satchel: Urban Outfiters
Scarf: H&M
Sandals: Primark