What I was wearing this week.

I am the last one to ever complain about warm weather, but this week has been ridiculously over the top. It was hot hot hot!!!! Even now as I am typing this blog sweat is dripping down my back, and it feels like I am melting.

Packing a suitcase in this weather feels like a cruel punishment, but I try to think of the 4 weeks vacation that we have plannend ahead instead. Tomorrow we are leaving to Surinam. I bought Diya a camera as a present, since she did so well in school this year. So be ready to see some cool pics from her of the Surinam sights.

I leave you with what I was wearing this week: looking forward to your comments!
Summer dress from the Haagse Mart (new find).
T-shirt from We, Zara shorts and shoes from Sasha.
Tanktop from We, Zara pants (new find) and flip flops. I think I will be wearing this outfit during the trip to Surinam, since it is soo comfortable.
Summer dress form the Haagse Mart (new find).

What I was wearing this week.

This jacket is from Theme, and I've had it for more than 15 years. It's a great tailored English jacket. Today I tried it on again, and it actually still looks great. Shirt from Vero Moda, legging from Pieces, and shoes from Geox.This is actually a Zara summer dress (bought it in Spain years ago), which I always wear as a shirt. The leggings are from Pieces and the shoes from Sasha.I had a party on Saturday, I decided to wear my new Mango dress. The shoes are from the Cinderella Otazu limited edition collection (2009).Mango dress with a Zara summer blazer.This is what I wore for my meeting at Jackie Magazine. I forgot to ask them if they liked my outfit (argh). Zara jacket, Vero Moda shirt, Zara legging, and shoes from a little store in Spain.Leather jacket from Zara, H&M summer top, Zara jeans, shoes from Sasha.I wore this outfit on my mother's birthday. Happy Birthday mum!! Zara cardigan, black comfortable summer one piece from Spain, and Gold coloured sandals from Grendha.

Great food: Dauphine

Cafe-Restaurant Dauphine, (+31) 020 462 16 46, www.caferestaurantdauphine.nl

Yesterday I had dinner at this wonderful restaurant called Dauphine in Amsterdam. The food was excellent and the service was great (which is quite unexpected in the Netherlands). I had the lobster (very attractively priced at 20 euro's), my friend Milena had the Lamsrack. Though Milena warned me about the battle I was about to face with my lobster, my appetite for lobster was even greater. So when our plates arrived I was ready and waiting with my about-to-crack-you-open-lobster tools.

The plates looked superb, the garlic Lobster was served with freshly cooked sandless spinach, and what seemed like a mix of mashed chickpeas baked with a little crunchy skin (yummie). All of this came with some melted butter on the side (even more yummie). It all tasted even better than it looked, though most of it ended on my neighbours plate, in my lap, my hair and even on my knees (didn't notice that one until I was in my car). That is what you get when you ignore Milena's warning.

For dessert we both ordered the Chocolatetruffelterrine with a raspberry sauce, it was over-the-top-delicious-had-to-open-up-my-belt so good!

Other delish orders on the menu were the hamburger with fries (I don't eat beef, but the looks of this one almost won me over) and the plateau de Fruits de Mer (seafood display). I recommend you try this restaurant yourself next time your in our capital city.

And this is what I was wearing (pictures were taken before the lobster attacked me):
Zara Jacket
Dress by Mango, shoes from Sasha

Let's Kiss! (Keep It Simple Sugar)

H&M top, Bershka pants and H&M shoes.Zara blazer, Vero Moda white tee, legging from Pieces and short grey boots which I got in Spain.

When I dress in the morning I go for effortless chic (and ofcourse it takes a lot of effort to look so effortless, as we all know). I love putting together off-the-rack pieces from H&M, Zara and Mango, and combining it with other items or accessories creating new and fresh looks. Looks that are distinct and different. To me this is personal style. I think most women go for safe and familiar looks. When we find something that looks good on us we tend to stick with it. There's nothing wrong with that ofcourse. But let me share a secret with you. Stepping out of your comfort zone, will bring you much JOY!

How? you ask, well let me tell you: You probably have some great pieces in your closet, now take your favourite shirt, and (hear me out now) instead of getting the jeans that you usually wear it with, try those great baggy pants that you have, or that skirt that you bought ages ago, which fits so nicely at the waist. Spice it all up with a belt (try a big or a small one and see which one looks better). Wear a nice jacket, or cardigan with it. And instead of wearing does flats (because there so damn comfortable), get your high heels out (even when you are just picking up your kids from school). You never know who might notice you. The result is a fresh new look, that will make some heads turn your way.

Just try combining the things you would never have thought of combining, and save yourself the money you would spend on a personal stylist. You can do it yourself!

But remember Keep It Simple Sugar! Don´t overhang yourself with necklaces, bangles and other pieces of juwelery, thinking it will make you look fashionable. Oh no, no, noooo: it will only make you look like a rundown Christmas tree. The key is to choose some great accessories like a good bag, belt, nailpolish and shoes. These can be colourful. But keep the juwelry to a minimum.

For example. For the past month I haven´t worn any earings, I mean I love them and I own a lot of them (really a LOT). But it just felt like too much. The only jewelry I wear nowadays is my watch and my ring. Both of which were presents from my parents, well actually the watch is still my mums. But I love it so much, she let´s me wear it everyday.

What I was wearing this week.

After a couple of great spring summery days the weather has failed us once again (no surprises so far). Wardrobe wise this meant I had to face some challenges, and as you know I am always up for challenges. So here's the result.
Zara vest, WE basic white tanktop, boyfriend jeans from Bershka and my Sasha heels.
I always get asked how I put my hair up like this, and it is so easy. Just make a very high pony tail, and take little strings of hair from the tail and pin them down. And you're done. Great for those bad hair days. Warehouse high waisted jeans, basic tee from Only and my black leather jacket from Juno.
Same leather jacket, Zara legging, Only dress and shoes from the New Yorker.Getting ready for a bike ride with my daughter.

Can you believe the weather: friend or foe?

Spring is finally really here. The temperature has been rising to a mind-blowing 22 degrees celcius (just allowing myself to be a bit cynical here, after the cold fall weather we've been having, 22 degrees actually does feel like a warm unexpected blanket of love). I was actually a bit confused, wardrobe-wise that is, trying to switch from jeans and trousers to leg-baring skirts and summer dresses. Better be safe than sorry seemed to be this week's motto, not trusting that perfect weather, and wondering when the sun would be dissappearing again. Leaving us in the cold with no coats, umbrella's or hunter boots in sight. So out came my cardigans for those chilly moments after dark, carefully stored in my tote bag.Sunday: 25 degrees and wearing a Mango army inspired dress.
Saturday: 20 degrees, BBQ at my sister's house, vintage Zara shirt and Pieces leggings.
Friday: 22 degrees, vintage Zara skirt, WE basic V-neck shirt, vintage Zara cardigan and open-toe high heels from Sasha.
Thursday: 15 degrees, chilly, Black leather jacket from New York Look (NYC)(which cost me way toooo much, but worth every dollar spent), black and white tee form Zara, skinny black jeans and boots form Manfield.
Wednesday: 16 degrees, wearing my Balmain inspired H&M tee (customised), my Pieces legging and open-toe heels from Sasha.

Style-icon pur sang: Giovanna Battaglia!

www.garancedore.fr/en

At a certain age you cannot wear certain things anymore. Instead of going against it, I think we just have to accept this as a given fact. I mean nobody wants to see a 30+ woman in a mini-skirt, unless that woman is Giovanna Battaglia ofcourse. Giovanna is the fashion editor of L'Uomo Vogue, and used to model for D&G. And that is exactly the reason why she can wear anything and we cannot.

Anyway, so when choosing an outfit in the morning I keep that in mind, and luckily it comes naturally to me, since I am really not interested in wearing any kind of shorts unless I am on vacation in a very warm place, where the sun shines all day long and where hiding your legs would be considered a crime. (and yes though it is hard to imagine for those of us living in the cold western European part of the world, these places actually do exists)

For the past couple of days the weather has, to put it mildly, not been sooo nice. But today it actually seems the sun has found its way back to Holland for a change, and we all know what this means. WE CAN DRESS UP AGAIN!!!

I just wanted to share some of my outfits of the past couple of days with you. (keep in mind that the weather was not as nice then, hence the covering up of the legs) But I promise you some more fashionable attempts for the coming days.

Fashion hit or miss?

Yesterday I was opting for a rockerchic kinda look. So I put on my ripped jeans legging from Pieces and my black suede booties from The New Yorker. But by combining it with a striped Zara jacket I think I made it a little less rocky and more chic. Did I succeed?

From the stores to my closet

See the dress on www.mango.com

No I do not pretend to be as fabulous looking as those pretty twenty something year old girls that spend their days blogging about their fabulous personal style. And no I am not being cynical right now, they really are gorgeous and I love them for having some sense of style, and sharing it with the rest of us wannabee stylish people. The only thing I am wondering about is where are all the stylish women of my age, my age being 30+? Or is it just not done to showcase your personal style on the web after you have reached the big 30? And am I entering the danger zone, by doing it anyway? Well it is a risk I am willing to take. Because though I love to see 15 year old models strutting up and down the catwalks (no really I don't), and I get inspired by those 18 to 25 year old girls showing their (street)style online, we thirty something women don't want to copy that. Won't and can't.

I think women look their best after 30. Because at that age they know who they are and what they want out of live. They have come to terms with themselves, they know their strenghts and weaknesses. They have fully accepted themselves and are confident. Well at least most of us are.

I'd like to see these 30+ women showcasing their wonderfull style. Style they have developed throughout the years. Women who are mothers, wifes, emloyees, and still manage to look their best. As you already know I am a big fan of the Sartorialist, not just because he takes great photographs, but because he captures stylish people of all ages in front of his lense. People that are not all fashion editors or have jobs in the fashion industry. His best pictures are those of men and women of a certain adult age. And unfortunately I have not made it to the Sartoria-list. I have no illusions on ever making the list, don't get me wrong.

But still I would like to show you my style, why? Not because I think I am so fabulous, on the contrary. But because I'd like to show you how I, a 30 something working single mum with little time on her hands, tries to look stylish. Let me remind you that I am not comparing myself to those stylish youngsters on the web. I could never compete. It'll be me giving you a look at what I do with all those fabulous clothes available in stores, and how I combine different affordable pieces form stores like Zara, H&M and Mango (my favourites) to try to dress stylish at my age (which is 33 to be exact). Do I succeed? Well you be the judge of that.

Maybe someone somewhere will feel a little bit inspired too.