A couple of weeks ago, Lewis and I went to Berlin for a little weekend break. Even though I love Paris, it was lovely to have a change of scenery and explore a new capital city. We had both been to Berlin before but the last time Lewis was ill and we ended up in a hospital speaking very little German! Luckily this time everything went smoothly and here is a little diary from our trip!

We stayed in the beautifully calm area of Prenzlauerberg, a former punk area which has since been gentrified. We always opt for Airbnb apartments when we go away and this one came with two bikes! So, after a very early flight we set off on our Airbnb bikes to explore Berlin and get our bearings. We did the usual tourist stuff on our first day including going to the top of the Reichstag. Normally you have to queue to pre-book in advance (or you can do it online) but lucky for us, while we were in the queue we had the chance to go up straight away! I am a history nut so I loved learning about it and the views are pretty good too!

Unusual me, I didn't get round to hitting the city's vintage shops but we did come across this huge second hand store near Alexanderplatz called Humana. There are a few around the city and they have a huge selection of women's, men's, children's clothes plus shoes and material. I found this gorgeous cream wool scarf/shawl for just 6€, which I have been wearing constantly ever since! In the evening we went to see The Gaslight Anthem (the main purpose for our trip) at Columbiahalle and once again, Brian and the gang did not disappoint!

On Saturday, we explored the city by foot taking a (rather long) stroll from Alexanderplatz along the river down to the East Side Gallery, an international memorial for freedom where stands a 1.3km long section of the Berlin Wall covered in political, historical and moving art. I am absolutely fascinated by Berlin's history and even though it's the third time I have visited the Wall, I am still horrified but at the same time in awe that the people of Berlin had to face such control, which only ended just before I was born.

From the East Side Gallery we jumped on a U-Bahn to Tempelhof Park, an abandoned airport which, since its closure in 2008, has become a hang out for young people and families. It is absolutely incredible and should be on your 'must-not-miss' list if you visit Berlin. The terminal building, runways and signs are all preserved and that is one of the things I love about Berlin, there is so much history visible. I thought it was a perfect place to take some blog photos, which you can check out here. Once the sun had set we wandered through the beautiful neighbourhood of Tempelhof and stumbled upon a great crêpe place called Manouche. I know, you can take the girl out of Paris but you can't take Paris out of the girl! The food was cheap, tasty and there was a lovely cosy, friendly atmosphere.

We set off on the bikes again on Sunday morning, heading to Mauerpark Flea Market via the beautifully quiet streets of Prenzlauerberg. I love rummaging at flea markets and this is the most famous one in the city with such a range of stalls from vintage clothes and antique knickknacks to new jewellery and CDs. We picked up a couple of random old black and white photographs with the purpose of hiding one for my friend Nina who was arriving in Berlin just half an hour after we were leaving that night! Unfortunately, someone got to the photo before she managed to but it was fun to do a little treasure hunt anyway! There are also some amazing food stands at Mauerpark market and we opted for a vegan chickpea curry, which was delicious! From the market we headed to another Berlin Wall memorial, strolled through the central area of Mitte and then headed back to the apartment ready for our flight. 

I completely fell in love with Berlin, I cannot recommend it enough for a little city break and I can't wait to go back!

Izzie x

Vintage pink coat (similar here) / Vintage Levi jeans / Topshop faux fur scarf (old - similar here) / Adidas Stan Smith trainers

Location: Tempelhof Park, Berlin

As soon as I saw this gorgeous pink coat in my shop, I knew it had to be mine. I absolutely love the colour and the oversized shape. It was my coat of choice to my recent weekend break to Berlin, where I thought an abandoned wartime airport-cum-youth hangout was the perfect place to take some blog photos. I mean just look how amazing this park is! It felt so liberating to prance around on an old runway, knowing that decades ago huge aeroplanes would have been landing right where I was standing!

Izzie x

Grandma knitted jumper / Topshop jeans / ASOS leather jacket (old - similar here) / Vintage shawl / Stan Smith Adidas trainers / Pebbles & Chance ring

Location: Saint-Germain-en-Laye

I don't know about you but for me this weekend was all about jeans, jumpers and being super comfy. I have been meaning to show off this beautiful jumper ever since I started this little blog and finally here it is, shot in all its glory in the cute Parisian suburb of Saint-Germain-en-Laye. This jumper, made of gorgeous denim wool, is very special to me, not just because my Grandma knitted it for me, but because she actually started it when I was 8 years old and only got round to finish it for Christmas 2012! It makes you realise how quickly time flies and that it important to keep on top of projects. I have had a bit of a writer's block recently, which is why it has been a bit quiet here but I've got lots of posts planned!

This outfit also features my two favourite purchases from my recent trip to Berlin (post to follow). Let's take a moment to admire my amazing vintage shawl/scarf that I bought in Humana second hand store in Berlin for just 6€. It keeps me so warm and I just love the tassels! I am also so pleased with my circle ring purchase from a stall at Mauerpark flea market. I have been looking to extend my ring collection and Pebbles & Chance had a great selection - check them out!

Stay happy and keep motivated guys :)

Izzie x

Vintage slip dress / Vintage turtleneck top (similar here) / Calzedonia long socks / Doc Martens shoes

Location: Tiergarten Park, Berlin

At the weekend Lewis and I had a little trip to Berlin to see one of our favourite bands play, The Gaslight Anthem, and to do some exploring. It turned out that our Airbnb apartment came with two bikes, which was an amazing way of seeing the city and as I loved my cute baby blue one I thought I would feature it in some blog photos!

Slip dresses were my go-to piece this summer but I cannot bear to part with this one over winter so here is my way of styling them throughout colder months. Turtleneck jumpers are a wardrobe must-have this season, they are so versatile! I love the 90s look of layering mine under a slip dress for a bit of extra warmth. Then I just added some knee length socks and voilà! So remember, a slip dress is for life, not just for summer ;)

Izzie x