daarboven-tumblr
By On In Personal3,520 Comments

It’s been a couple of weeks since my last update. Ever since I cut down on shopping – yes, even more than before – I feel like there’s simply not that much to tell. I still very much enjoy this blog and will continue to post but I don’t want it to solely focus on consumerism. That said, I don’t know what I should focus on as I won’t be doing much traveling (saving to buy a house) and while I personally have a great passion for art, I totally understand if you guys don’t. So instead of going outside and live life to the fullest while overthinking my blog, grandma here decided to pick up Tumblr. I’m still trying to figure it out but it seems like fun. I’m sure some of you guys are on Tumblr as well, so please share your page below so I can follow you and waste my precious time on yet another social media platform, haha.

Also, I know that some readers have a similar blog of their own and I’m wondering how you guys feel about consistently writing about (potential) purchases, outfits etc. I enjoy reading and writing about it but I don’t want to encourage unnecessary shopping.

camille-silk-camisole-reformation
By On In Wardrobe495 Comments

summer wardrobe
Three weeks ago I wrote about my search for the perfect summer wardrobe. I ended up with three things on my list that I wish to acquire; a black camisole, a white linen blouse and a pair of high-waisted white trousers. I’ve been scouring the internet for hours and finally managed to narrow my choices down. Let’s start with the black camisole. I immediately leaned towards Everlane as they offered international shipping for two weeks. Unfortunately the reviews on their camisole (right) were less enthusiastic than I expected (lots of excess fabric under the arms) so I decided to pass on it. I don’t want to end up with an item that can’t be returned. My other options currently are a crepe Samsoe & Samsoe top (left), the silk Camille camisole (top) or crepe Coco camisole, both from Reformation.

reformation-everlane-linen-shirt

Finding the perfect linen blouse also turned out to be more difficult than I had anticipated. I tried the shirt from Uniqlo which wasn’t all that flattering. I also found a linen blouse at Massimo Dutti but the fabric felt a bit thin and I’m definitely looking for something with a more substantial feel. So again, Everlane was the first brand that came to mind. But I much prefer the blouse from Reformation (left) which has a pocket on the chest and looked really nice on Sara when I met up with her last week. She also offered to measure her shirt so I can compare it with some of my own blouses to make sure I order the right size.

white-pants

And last but not least, the white pair of high-waisted trousers. Contrary to the other items, I had no intention of spending a lot of money on a pair of white pants. Because let’s face it, life gets messy sometimes and I don’t want to pour a lot of money down the drain. My boyfriend needed some new clothes so I decided to do some research before we went shopping because I hate ordering pants online. I came up with a selection of trousers at Mango and the pair on the right looked really nice on me (honestly though, anything looked better than bare legs in that dressingroom lighting). I paid full price and it went on sale a week later. Don’t you hate it when that happens? So I’m going to return it and order the same pair online for only €25. Now I only need to figure out what kind of underwear to wear. I’m looking at boxers but can’t decide on the colour. Some people recommend red underwear while others claim that skin tone is the way to go. I have no clue whatsoever, so any help is appreciated!

So there you have it, several options I’m currently considering. I really want to buy that linen blouse and one of the camisoles from Reformation but the duties and taxes are holding me back. Maybe I’ll stick with just the linen blouse as the others really aren’t what I’m looking for and I’ll settle for the Samsoe & Samsoe top which is rather affordable and I can just get in store. What do you think?

opwinding-kounellis-stedelijk
By On In Personal277 Comments

I went to the ‘Excitement‘ exhibition at the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam this weekend which was, as the title suggests, quite exciting. The exhibition features some of my favourite art works and artists from different Dutch museum collections. I also have very fond memories of working with curator (and former director) Rudi Fuchs and some of the art works shown in this exhibition when I was doing an internship at the Van Abbemuseum and I conducted research for a reinstallement of one of his older exhibitions in 1983.

Earlier that week my boyfriend and I decided to undertake a last minute trip to Antwerp, Belgium. Biggest mistake ever! The weather was terrible and we were soaking wet after just one hour of strolling around. We did try to make the best of the situation and always enjoy each other’s company so we still had a bit a fun. One of the reasons we went, is that I had to return my A.P.C. bag to the store. Apparently I was one of the lucky persons to buy a bag from a batch with a production error. The girl at the store was well informed and incredibly nice and they’ll fix it for free so no hard feelings towards the brand. Shit happens. I should have it back in four weeks.

Remember my post on planning a summer wardrobe? It’s going better than expected as I have already found the perfect high waisted trousers. As for the other items, I’m still deciding. I’ll write a post on my favourite options soon and would love to hear your picks.

And finally, I moved on from JT and Drake’s One Dance is my current jam #noshame.

Extending the life of your clothes
By On In Care & maintenance218 Comments

From a very young age I was taught how to sew by my grandmother. I started by adding button after button on a simple piece of fabric she gave me even though people tried to convince her that it was much too dangerous for a five year old to be using a needle and thread. All ended well though and by age twelve I knew how to knit, crochet, embroider and fix my own clothes. A small hole or tear in a cashmere cardigan? I’ll fix it in five minutes and you won’t be able to find it. Sounds easy right? Because it is! With just a few simple measures you can affect the life span of your clothes tremendously.

Repairs
Learn a few sewing techniques so you can make small fabric repairs to your garments as needed. For instance, learn to sew on buttons or repair small tears or holes. Of course you can always bring your clothes to a tailor but honestly, save yourself the money as it’s super easy and isn’t that what (Youtube) tutorials are for? Here’s as great explanation on how to fix a small hole in a cashmere sweater. A small note: usually a new purchase comes with extra buttons or yarn, make sure to keep it all in the same spot. I keep them in a small box with a simple sewing kit (also great for when you’re travelling).

Storage
Much of extending the life of your clothing is making sure they’re stored properly. Yes, those designer wire hangers look great (looking at you HAY) but I strongly suggest you invest in wooden hangers. Thin hangers can put a lot of stress on the fabric and seams of your garment and ultimately stretch out the shoulders. This also goes for heavy pieces of clothing such as wool sweaters. It’s much better to store them folded on a shelf. Also, cedar products offer natural protection against damage from moths and are able to absorb any dampness or odours in your closet. When they loose their scent you can easily revive it by rubbing the cedar with sand paper.

Washing
This is going to sound really boring but read the care instructions before you wash a new purchase and line dry your clothes. Dryers can wear out garments in a hurry so it’s good to hang your favorite items to dry whenever possible. Hanging clothes to dry also prevents shrinking. For my Dutch readers, use ossegalzeep for the most stubborn of stains (sorry, I have no idea what it’s called in English) . It’s a biodegradable natural product that doesn’t contain any chemicals or bleaching agents which affect the fabric of your clothes.

I’m sure there are many other tips out there but these are pretty easy and work great for me personally. Of course I’m always open to other wonderful tips. Let me know!