27 August 2019

THE NORMALIZATION OF PLASTIC SURGERY


"Beauty is in the eye of the beholder" - I have always been a firm believer of that saying. Beauty does not have a single definition, it means different things to different people. However, it is undeniable that there are certain societal standards that aim to define and set an image of what it means to be beautiful. Naturally, they can vary across cultures and countries, but it's indisputable that they exist. So, where do they stand today and what does plastic surgery have to do with it? The short answer is: a lot.

Let me start by saying that I have nothing (or, well, not much) against plastic surgery. You're free to do whatever you want and if you feel that surgically altering your appearance will genuinely benefit your life and give you the confidence boost you need, then why not? I know how it feels to grow up hating a part of your body and having to deal with being made fun of because of it. I have a crooked, not very aesthetically pleasing nose, that naturally does't correspond to the general standard of beauty, and of course, I've been ashamed of it for years. Truth is, if I had money to spare and if I didn't really care about my health and well-being, I probably would consider "fixing it". But what you (and I) need to remember is that

An external solution does not fix an internal problem.

Why is that? By going under the knife, and that also includes fillers, botox and such, you succumb to the idea that there was something wrong with your appearance in the first place. And let me tell you: THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH YOUR APPEARANCE. Yes, you might not consider yourself standardly beautiful and you may not fit into society's frame of beauty, but guess what? Not many people do anyway. The magic in imperfections, as cheesy as that sounds, is that they set us apart and make us unique. Plastic surgery does the exact opposite - it unifies our appearance and if that isn't scary, I don't know what is. Remember how much you hated your school uniform? Now imagine turning your face and body into a uniform. 

If you're insecure about the way you look, chances are that plastic surgery isn't going to fix that. Because that insecurity stems from within. It may be because your parents never told you that you're beautiful, or because some boy in middle school told you you have a "big nose", or because you've been fed a false image of perfection by traditional and digital media your whole life, or perhaps all of these reasons and more. So, what I'm trying to say is that this idea of unachievable beauty you have in your head is rooted deeply into your subconsciousness. And as it is with any problem, if you don't work at it from its root, it's going to keep resurfacing.

I haven't chosen a picture of Kylie Jenner by chance. She is the perfect example of trying to fix insecurities by surgically rebuilding and enhancing her entire face and body. Kylie has grown up in an appearance-centered family and in the public eye, which has had significant impact on her life and self-image. Of course, she is entitled to her decisions and is free to do whatever she wants, but as a public figure of immense global influence, she is responsible for setting trends not only in fashion and makeup, but also in the standards of beauty. What that does is mess up an entire generation's perception of beauty which is already filtered through social media and Photoshop, and creates a strive towards "perfection" which, by the way, does not exist.

What can you do about it? Fuck it all. No, seriously, in this specific case, the refusal to care is an act of rebellion. If you, within yourself, know that you are beautiful, and are secure in that statement, no norm, mean comment, or even Kylie Jenner, can change that.

But remember, self-appreciation is a lifelong journey you go on by yourself, for yourself.

xo,
Kalina
31 May 2019

LIFE UPDATE: WHY I HAVEN'T BEEN POSTING


At this point, I'm not sure if anyone has noticed, but I've been pretty MIA on my blog - I checked and my last post was from a month and a half ago, and I have a reason (or a few) for that. Basically, the biggest one is that I started working as a content writer and you can imagine how that has affected my inspiration and motivation to write and post. Don't get me wrong, I love writing, but doing it professionally every day has drained me a bit, as pretty much every job does. I still recognize what a privilege it is to be able to do what I'm passionate about, it just means that I am going to spend a little less time writing here. And that's okay.




The other major reason is that I am not sure about what I want to do and how I want to present myself on social media. The influencer market is overly saturated and you all know that I had my fair share of it, but that is not something that interests me any more. That being said, the items in these photos are still gifted and I am including links to them, so I understand how it may come off hypocritical of me. What I mean is that I just don't believe in "traditional influencing" any more (holy shit, can you imagine that the influencer market is so new and we already have traditional and new approaches, I love the 21st century). I don't want to hide behind the picture-perfect mask and present an unattainable version of, well, a normal person. I'm going to be editing my photos less, showing more imperfections and talking about things that really matter to me from now on. And not care as much about the image I present to the world, but rather my own perception of me, because that's what's most important.



I want to promote self-acceptance and transparency in what I do, because I owe that to everyone still following me, but also to myself. I don't care about marketing strategies, best times to post and numbers of followers anymore. I just want to focus on making this journey enjoyable for myself and my readers, and I hope you can agree with me.


Jacket and Pants Co-Ord: Shein // Trainers: Fashion Days

 Code Q1star10 for 10% off over $60 on all orders on SheIn.com!

xo,
Kalina

18 April 2019

NEON GREEN












Neon green top: Shein // Leather pants: SheIn // Bum bag: H&M // Coat: New Yorker

I have finally fallen victim of the neon trend. Neon green in particular is something I've always wanted to try and seeing it paired with a tan, has really made me embrace it. Another thing we've been seeing for a while now is the bum bag which I thought wasn't my thing, until I realized how convenient it is. Now I love it! And you already know I'm all about leather pants, so this outfit is me all over, but in a new way.

Btw, you can use code Q2star10 for 10% off orders over $60 on SheIn.com!

xo,
Kalina
9 April 2019

WHEN IN DOUBT, WEAR BLACK








Top: H&M // Leather jeans: SheIn // Boots: Bershka // Coat: New Yorker

I've been really loving leather look trousers recently and to my surprise, they're very comfy, too. You can never go wrong with an all-black outfit, especially when you have no idea what to wear, so that's always my go-to. The weather is getting warmer though and last summer I made a promise to myself that I wouldn't wear anything black and this year I am planning on doing it again!

You can use code Q1star10 for 10% off any order over $60 on SheIn.com!
xo,
Kalina
15 March 2019

SHINE, THE REST OF THE STARS ARE WATCHING
















Dress: SheIn // Heels: Vintage

I can honestly say that shooting this dress, I felt like a princess. I've never worn something so sparkly and glamorous and I absolutely loved it! The weather was sunny and the location was just perfect. We had the privilege of shooting at The Sea Terrace, which was the best location ever.  The view is amazing and they offer all kinds of food, but their desserts are what always tempts me the most! It's a must-visit when you are in Varna.

xo,
Kalina

П.П. Ако искате да спечелите тази рокля и вие да се почувствате като принцеса, можете да се включите в играта ми в Instagram!


22 February 2019

A WEEKEND AT THE SPA











Navy Swimsuit: here // Green Bikini: here // Stone Bikini: here

What do you do when you get an offer to shoot some swimwear in February? Go to the spa! My friend and I had a great time at the Arena Mar Hotel in Golden Sands (if you watch my Instagram stories, you'd know) and ended up with some good photos to show off the bikinis from Cupshe. This is my first time wearing their pieces, but they're very high quality!

What's your perfect weekend getaway?

xo,
Kalina