about summer
By On In Personal1,114 Comments

Thanks for all of the responses on my previous post. For some reason I always felt a bit alone in my dislike for summer clothing and assumed that people love to dress for summer. Luckily the weather is even more fickle than usual, going from a sunny 26 degrees celsius to a rainy 15 degrees in a matter of a single day last week. So that leaves me some extra time to contemplate my upcoming purchases (above one of my most recent non-fashion related purchases, a photograph by artist Rory Pilgrim). Another thing to think about is how I’m going to spend my summer holiday. As of now I still have seven weeks of vacation days left until the end of the year so I might as well take three weeks off in July. Let me know if you have any good suggestions for short city trips around Europe.

And speaking of summer, I can’t stop the feeling that JT’s new song is going to be my summer jam. I don’t care that some people call it a poor man’s Happy. I will be dancing in my living room while haters stay pressed. Have a great weekend!

planning a summer wardrobe
By On In Wardrobe494 Comments

I’ve never had a summer wardrobe. In my teenage years I felt very uncomfortable about the keratosis pilaris (chicken skin) on my legs so I never wore skirts, dresses or shorts. Such a shame really because I’m sure no one would have noticed. Instead I stuck to jeans. Yes, just jeans, even in 35 degrees celsius weather.  I don’t even know how I survived but here we are, over a decade later and I still don’t know what to wear during summer. So I figured I should take my own advice and start a summer inspiration board on Pinterest to find out what my perfect summer outfit could be. That probably sounds a lot easier than it was as I collected over 1300 images which included hardly any outfits for 25 degrees celsius and over. I did manage to select two images that I would like to be the starting point for this years (and first ever) summer wardrobe.

Both outfits are relatively fuss free without showing too much skin and ridden of any unnessecary frills. They’re casual with just the right amount of chicness. I could probably get away with both outfits at work if it wasn’t alway so chilly in the office. Also, the colour palette (see below) isn’t that much different from my normal colours of preference so if I were to buy a few summery pieces, I could easily make them work with my existing wardrobe. Material-wise I’m going to stick with light, airy fabrics such as linen, cotton and silk.

summer-colours

So now that I’ve established the style and colour palette I would like to go for, what’s next? Truth be told, I’m not necessarily looking to invest a lot of money in these summer pieces because over here we’re lucky to reach a temperature that allows for bare legs for a few days. I’m willing to make an exception for tops as those can be worn all year round. Although it feels like once this is posted, everything will be set in stone, here is a moderate list of things I would like to purchase in the upcoming months:

  1. A black, preferably silk, camisole (although I still have to figure out what to wear underneath)
  2. A white linen blouse
  3. A pair of loose high-waisted trousers (should try them to see if they work for my body)

And now onto my favourite part; the collages! Let me start by saying that the collages are merely a visual aid for myself.  €380 for a pair of white trousers is pretty outrageous. However, I would like to find something similar with a more reasonable price tag. The straw hat and crocheted bag are nice and functional accessories and both are organic fairtrade products. The camisole would also look lovely on cooler days with a pair of jeans, a cardigan and my black loafers. The trousers are a bit more challenging but I can see them working with a tucked in striped top or simple tee as well.

Please note, some of the links below are affiliate links.

summer-outfit-3

From left to right, top to bottom: Pachacuti straw hat (€92), Uniqlo linen blouse (€25), Margiela Beach Walk (€110), Totême shorts (€265), K. Jacques sandals (€212)

 summer-outfit-4
From left to right, top to bottom: Mar Y Sol Portland tote (€133), Isabel Marant Dallin trousers (€380), Equipment silk camisole (€125), H&M leather belt (€10), K. Jacques sandals (€212)

outfit-daarboven-13-5-16
By On In Outfit2,099 Comments

It will come as no surprise that my spring uniform is pretty much the same as last year’s. Why change a winning team right? I took my loafers to a cobbler to get the heels replaced before I stored them last year so they would be good to go for spring. The t-shirt is an oldie from COS and will get plenty of wear this summer along with the trench coat from my previous post. That is, unless someone at work starts noticing that small chocolate milk stain which I have been able to hide up until now. I sometimes wish my outfit posts could be a bit more exciting for you guys but in the end these are the things I feel most comfortable and put together in.

GET THE LOOK

 

etoile-isabel-marant-trenchcoat
By On In Wardrobe415 Comments

Six years ago I bought an Isabel Marant trench coat on sale in a little shop I had never heard of. At that time it was rather difficult to find anything Isabel Marant in stores and when I tried it on I was sold immediately. I loved the fabric, the colour and the length. Each spring I became more hesitant about wearing my beloved coat because I didn’t want to ruin it. Now, the colour has faded a bit and I can see some damage at the edges of the sleeves but clothes are meant to be worn so I already took it out for another spin. And guess what? I usually don’t buy backup clothing but two weeks ago I came across the exact same coat on Vestiaire Collective. I knew I had to have it. Thankfully, it exceeded all of my expectations as it arrived to today and looks brand new. This is a purchase I won’t regret.

What’s the one thing you would definitely buy again just to have a backup?