feb-mar-apr-shoppingreflections
By On In Shopping1,272 Comments

I know, I know, in a previous post I mentioned how I wanted to do a monthly update on my shopping habits but unfortunately life got in the way. Which isn’t so bad really because that left me little time to do some actual (online) shopping. So for this one I’m keeping it short and simple. These past three months I only bought two things; a new pair of jeans and a reusable shopping bag. Not bad right?

I could have done better in the jeans department though because I ended up buying a new pair from Topshop. I did some research on more conscious, environmental friendly brands but I haven’t been able to find what I’m looking for just yet. I’m super short so most jeans are much too long for me and these Jamie jeans are an excellent fit. They hit just above the ankle. I do feel that they sag a little after a couple of wears but I think I also lost a bit of weight. Let’s just go with the latter, just to cheer me up on this gloomy day.

Next up my Susan Bijl reusable shopping bag. Since the start of this year stores in the Netherlands can no longer hand out free shopping bags. A great initiative obviously and also a great excuse to buy another bag as I don’t fancy carrying around designer bags with vegetables and shower gel. When you live or work in Rotterdam it’s hard not to be familiar with The New Shoppingbag and with good reason. It’s  made of 100%  super strong ripstop nylon used for manufacturing kites, it’s water repellent and folds up really small. And it’s always nice to support a ‘local’ designer.

So that’s it after three months. It might seem as though I’m really happy with my wardrobe and I don’t need anything right now but I will definitely have to start looking around for summer clothing soon. Mostly tops as I wear them all year round (underneath sweaters and cardigans) and some can no longer be seen in broad daylight.

How did you do the past couple of months boo boo, shopping-wise?

By On In Noteworthy110 Comments

Happy Easter everyone! I hope you are all doing well. I’ve been MIA for a couple of weeks because I’ve been having some trouble with my neck and shoulder. I just woke up one morning and I could hardly turn my neck which got progressively worse over the course of a few weeks. So apart from sitting behind a computer all day at work, I decided to stay away from it as much as I could at home, hence the lack of updates. I also need to catch up with 50+ blogposts on Bloglovin’ so don’t be surprised if I comment on your posts from weeks ago, haha. That all said, I’m doing much better thanks to my physiotherapist and I should be back to my old blogging ways soon. For now, I’ll leave you with a few interesting things worth checking out.

* This recent article on The Business of Fashion sparked my interest. It focuses on the so-called ‘pink-tax’ and tries to uncover the reasons for the price differences between men’s and women’s clothing.

* The Gentlewoman just released a new issue with a great interview with Kirsten Dunst, gorgeous editorials and a collaboration with Sunspel, a British luxury brand for modern wardrobe staples. I love the narrow, slightly longer sleeves and high neckline of their t-shirt.

* And finally, I do have to mention something art-related as usual. If you get the chance to visit the Marcel Broodthaers retrospective at MoMA, please do! You won’t regret it. Expect a lot of beautiful, thought-provoking and humorous artworks from this poetic artist.

review: a.p.c. half moon bag
By On In Review1,366 Comments

Last year I bought myself the A.P.C. Half moon bag and figured I should write a review on it as there aren’t that many helpful reviews out there at the moment. I love to read about people’s experiences before deciding on such an expensive purchase so maybe this post will help a few people out.

Current prices and availability
At the moment €345. I got mine in Antwerp, Belgium last year for €325, so that’s a small increase of €20. If you take a look at the French website it’s €310 with an increase of €15. You should be able to get your hands on one in one of the A.P.C. stores worldwide. I’ve been to their stores in different countries and they always seem to have a few in stock. If you live in the Netherlands and you’re not a big fan of online shopping (we don’t have an A.P.C. store), check SKY in Amsterdam or Wendela van Dijk in Rotterdam. If you don’t mind some online shopping, get your bag here, here or here.

Dimensions
24 x 17 x 8 cm. Strap 65 cm.

Form and function
The name of the bag pretty much speaks for itself when you look at the design of the bag. It’s simple yet slightly different with its round shape. It comes in two different kinds of leather; smooth Italian leather and embossed Italian leather, the latter less prone to scratches. You’ll find a double zip closure on top with leather pull tabs. This brings me to a major downside of the bag, due to the stiffness of the leather and the limited opening, it’s really hard to get in and out of it and to organise your belongings. You can only hope to grab the thing you’re looking for. On the plus side, it has a nice long strap with an adjustable goldtone buckle so it can be worn on the shoulder of cross body. Inside, you’ll find a large interior patch pocket and cotton-blend lining.

Care and maintenance
I decided to buy this bag because I wanted a smaller purse that wasn’t as fragile as my Céline trio bag. To be honest, it’s still pretty delicate but I definitely don’t have to worry about scratches as much as I do with the trio. That said, I never put it on the ground and I think I’m pretty careful with every bag that I own. So if you like to throw your bags carelessly around, this bag might not be the one for you. It’s also not a good option if you like to stuff your bags. Although it might seem pretty sturdy, I know of several people who’s bags changed shape over time. That said, it fits quite a lot for such a small bag. I usually carry my daily essentials: my iPhone, lip balm, keys, passport, mints, deodorant, earphones and Comme des Garçons wallet.

Pros:

  • the price is reasonable when you compare it to other designer bags
  • lovely design, compliments guaranteed
  • it can be worn in two different ways, I prefer to wear it cross-body

Cons:

  • hard to get and in out of the bag
  • might lose its shape if you overstuff it
  • watch out for colour transfer on light garments

So there you have it. To be honest, I can’t decide for you if this bag is worth its price. I guess it mostly depends on how careful you are with your bags. I know I’m very happy with it and carry it at least a couple of times a week when I travel light to work. It has gotten a lot more wear than my Céline trio lately due to the weather. I carried it through rain and snow and it still looks great apart from some minor scratches. I can tell you one thing for sure though, it’s definitely an eye-catcher that will get you many compliments.

For all of you half moon bag owners, is there anything you would like to add?

benefits-of-a-wishlist
By On In Wardrobe667 Comments

According to Italian semiotician, literary critic and philosopher Umberto Eco the list is the origin of culture. In his book The Infinity of Lists Eco describes how culture strives to make infinity comprehensible and how it wants to create order. So how do we face infinity and attempt to grasp the incomprehensible? By creating lists. It could be the collection of a museum, a dictionary but also something as simple as a grocery list, a menu in a restaurant or when we’re talking about fashion blogs, the wishlist.

For me, the wishlist is the perfect way to keep my purchases to a minimum and to keep things in perspective. Although it might sound a bit tedious, I love to arrange images of things I’m interested in, creating collages as the one above and thinking about the ways I would wear them. Next, I always take my time to evaluate and reconsider every possible purchase before I finally settle for an item. Do I really need it? Will I still like it in 6 months? Is there anything else on my list that would be a better investment? It took me years to decide on my Balenciaga bag as I wanted to be sure it wasn’t just a temporary obsession.

Clearly, this way of shopping isn’t for everyone but even the simplest of lists can help you decide what it is that you really need and/or want. By placing items next to each other, it’s easier to compare them. Would you rather spend your money on 10 cheaper H&M items you just laid your eyes on or that gorgeous leather bag that costs just as much as those things combined and has been on your list for weeks, maybe even months? Trust me, you will be thrilled with every carefully considered purchase and it will become so much easier to refrain from impulse shopping.

If you were to compile a wishlist, what would take the #1 spot?