summer Archives – DAARBOVEN

By JessicaOn June 13, 2016July 13, 2016In Wardrobe495 Comments

Summer wardrobe: narrowing it down

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.

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.

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?

By JessicaOn May 20, 2016July 13, 2016In Personal1,114 Comments

About summer…

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!

By JessicaOn May 16, 2016January 3, 2017In Wardrobe494 Comments

Planning a summer wardrobe

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.

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:

A black, preferably silk, camisole (although I still have to figure out what to wear underneath)
A white linen blouse
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.

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

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)