Smog or Smug

'You are what you breathe'

We are slowly destroying our planet - that's a fact. Smog is just one of the many consequences of our careless actions. We may not feel the effects instantly but our lungs are suffering, we are suffering and so is the rest of planet Earth. In the recent years the fashion industry has been making bold moves in the right direction from banning fur, to sourcing sustainable materials and making products from recycled sources - these changes have given us hope. Fashion = change and change = fashion. I tried to combine these ideas and placed myself in the centre stage of an anti - smog campaign. In my eyes, it would go a little something like this..

PS. I don't usually work with bold colours and prefer a much more colder and desaturated edit. However in these photos I really enjoyed the strong lipstick reds of the street art against its dark background. With temperatures reaching -12 here in Poland, face mask wasn't only worn for smog reasons.

HAT - HUF

FACE MASK - RAISED BY WOLVES

BOMBER - ADIDAS ORIGINALS

PANTS - ADIDAS ORIGINALS

Ocean Blue - Gozo

The isle of Gozo, lies only a twenty minute ferry ride from mainland Malta. Time seems to freeze here as the streets are emptier and the sea wilder. Yet, the architecture on this neighbouring isle won't let you forget that you're still stepping on Maltese soil..


SWEATSHIRT - ADIDAS ORIGINALS
JEANS - ONE TEASPOON
SNEAKERS - ADIDAS EQT

Valletta, Malta

Malta - a perfect example that you don't need to look too far beyond your continent to find a unique destination. With the possibility to fly anywhere in the world we tend to overlook the places that are  much closer to us. Well, the beauty of Europe is that with just under a 3 hour flight from Warsaw, Poland - you can experience a completely different culture, architecture and language that has influences dating back to over 5000 years BC. With its rich historical background and plenty of UNESCO sites, Malta is like a portal that takes you back in time and makes you feel like you're on a set of a period Hollywood movie. Hence it comes with no shock that the makers of Gladiator, Troy and even the popular Game of Thrones series chose this special island when filming..

This small island country is an absolute gem that finds itself within the Mediterranean archipelago. As its first settlers were Sicilian you'll find a lot of such influence all across Malta. Whether its it in the language, local food  (the ricotta cannoli was definitely my vice) or the buildings that to great extent showcase Roman influence, you can almost feel the different layers that moulded this island and gave it its identity. The language itself is a hybrid mixture of French, Italian and English that over the years came together to form the Maltese spoken today. What more, certian words and phrases even echo the Arabic language.

As this was my second time there, I decided to explore the beautiful streets of the capital - Valletta. This impressive fortress like city is astounding in every possible way. Whether you want to explore museums, eat a deliciously fresh seafood dinner or simply roam around the streets, you'll find it all here. I personally really enjoyed just walking around Valletta and finding the effortlessly stylish architectural details that grace this city. The pastel coloured walls are to die for and naturally create a harmonious backdrop to any outfit. Considering that, I still went for a creamy coloured outfit. Here is my nude toned smart casual Valletta get up..in sneakers of course!

*Last but not least, I have a little treat for you all as you can get 30% off all designer purchases at the American Outlet store with the code MARIAA2017 - valid until 31st of December 2017 - just in time for Christmas!*

TOP - RALPH LAUREN KNIT VIA AMERICAN OUTLET
SKIRT - TOPSHOP
SNEAKERS - ADIDAS ORIGINALS NMD CS2
BUMBAG - OBEY WOMENS
NECKLACE AND EARRINGS - WASHED ASHORE ADORNMENTS
BRACELETS - BOHO BETTY

BUT FIRST, COFFEE

It's fall. That transition period which marks the end of summer and patiently leads us into the less anticipated winter time. The leaves may have already changed into kaleidoscopic colours, yet with the weather still taking it easy, I have been taking advantage of the last days of comforting warmth aka - I have constantly been rocking summery kicks and outfits.

As most of us these days, I am always on the go.  Therefore a drink that I can take with me whilst working is absolutely essential to my daily routine. Yes, I am an absolute coffee fiend and a morning without a good caffeine dose in my blood just doesn't exist. After 5 years of Med School, I have learnt that a good kick start in the morning can really make or break the day and I'm not the one to take a risk on this one..

It does't matter where I am in the world or what time of the year it is. Cappuccinos, lattes or americanos I love them all, however recently I noticed that I didn't feel too well after excessive amounts of dairy. I figured that this is most likely partially due to the fact I have replaced much of the dairy in my diet with dairy free options. For example, I started using almond milk instead of regular cow milk  in my oatmeal. I believe that because of the change in my eating habit, my stomach doesn't tolerate dairy as well as it used too, which posed a slight problem with my cappuccino habit. Whilst searching for new products, I came across Jimmy's oat milk based Iced Coffee. It's a super delicious and a great dairy free alternative to normal coffee. What more if turned out to be ideal when I am in a rush and lack the time to prepare my coffee on the hob!

Whether I am working at home on some projects, rushing to the hospital or simply waking up in the morning, coffee is an essential element to my day and Jimmy's Iced Coffee is helping to keep my daily agenda on point - home or away! Will it become part of your routine? Give it a try!

To learn more and check out all of the other coffee options and flavours that Jimmy has on offer head over to:
www.jimmysicedcoffee.com