#easy

Cowgirlblues at Julija's Shop

Isn't this the most beautiful yarn you've ever seen ? I immediately fell in love the moment I saw these cute balls in store ; had to get some and make another chunky sweater for me.
And so I did ; joy oh joy .. yesterday I teamed it with my easy peasy t shirt dress I found at Pull & Bear. I got the largest size so the dress is long and a bit oversized but that's just what I want for warm Summer days. Hate it when clothes stick to your body and make you uncomfortable : I like to feel free, not being afraid of every move I make when damp and hot outside.

Also, I got my special delivery from Model's Own nail polish this week ; I went for the metallic copper one .. it matches perfectly this sweet blush pink and grey. 

Handmade Knits made by me 


T dress at Pull & Bear

Chrome Rose Metallic nail polish  




geometrics & monochromes

zondag 19 april 2015

geometrics & monochromes


I was really looking forward to the HM S/S 2015 Conscience collection but wasn't able to check it out until yesterday (collection opened April 16th) ; especially the long dress in a linen/silk mix looked amazing when Olivia Wilde showed it in the teasers.

Have to admit, I even considered changing my final chosen nude dress for the upcoming wedding in June for this one, if it proved to be amazing and perfect for me. But when I saw it hanging in the shop it gave me a feeling of unease. The fabric is quite heavy and not as fluid as the skirt in that same collection. It looked more like my grandma's curtains, sorry if I say so. Social media gave some clues as all fashionista's were raving about the skirt but said nothing on the dress, not even a hint.
Also, if all sizes are still available, 3 days after launching the collection, I guess it's just not a good piece and must be considered a no-no on your wish list, right ?

However, I did buy the scarf. So Mr C and I strolled around town, paying a visit to our fave shop, Renaissance and did a bit of retail therapy.
We found a great Kenzo shirt with tiny Eiffel towers for him and a fabulous loose fitting mohair jumper by ACNE. Perfect for my dark blue culottes as the jumper is navy blue too.
Hearing the comments and compliments when I came out of the dressing room to check it in the mirror - I'm pretty sure this was a far more better fashion decision than a dress that looked fab online but cr*p IRL.

Teamed it with a chambray shirt and Stan Smith's for a family reunion last night - put on some Bal d'Afrique scent by Byredo and hoppa, I was, yet again, ready to roll !

Have a great weekend !!





#magic

my hair SOOS (straight out of salon)

Yay !
I can't believe today has finally come and has proven to be AWESOME !
After a previous visit to another hair salon in Antwerp, my hair was complete f*cked up and everyone, including myself, hated the gingery color they forced upon me. It didn't do anything for my complexion ; the color made me pale and frumpy.

After that experience, some of you guys know, I was still hunting for that perfect hairdresser who knows what he/she is doing and not gambling with someone's look or hair quality.
And may I say, I have found the guy !

Stijn is fun to be around with ; his tiny salon is quirky as is his style and he knows how color works.
He also understands what 'messy curls' or messy updo means and he's superfast when it comes to blow drying. Love the man for NOT using an ironing device on me .. how I hate this look.
Don't like slick hair, it makes me look ladylike and I hate that.
What's the point in going to the hairdresser and washing your hair again as soon as you're back at home ?
Such a shame.

I made Stijn promise, not to dissappear like my former hairdresser did - I would not survive - so I made all my appointments for June 6th over again and am happy to check another {V} off my to-do list.

Want that same hair too and you live in Belgium or Holland ?


#underground


Last night, we had the opportunity to walk the underground by feet. Discovering a whole new world, mysterious and brightened up with some special light effects. 
These subway tunnels have been ready for more than 30 years and these tracks we walked, never been used before, until now. 

So, last night we had the chance to walk the course and enjoy something we might never do in our lifetime, ever again. Loved it. Some of my pictures have a Si-Fi feel to it ; our very own version of A Space Odyssey, down here in the caverns of Antwerp.

Officially, the tramway (8) will open April 18th. 




#connected

clockwise ; balloons seen at the entrance of a pop-up store - my latest South African wool #diy knit project - hairdresser appointment this week and this is the look I want (picture found on Pinterest) - marble 

These days, I share more often a daily inspirational picture on my {newest} Instagram  account rather than blog about it. Call me lazy or just a person with a super busy schedule. Making sure my lessons and homework for photography school are done in time, work on assignments and make appointments with potential clients, knit in between shoots, take care of my family and household ! Hell Yeah !
I'm taking a moment of your time to introduce you to my latest adapated Instagram account.  Adapted ? I here you guys thinking. Well, sort of. I created an extra account, more pured-out, simple and very few selfies. I mean, I how much selfies can one take ? Sure, if you're a beauty blogger I can related to selfies and millions of lipstick colors a person wants to show off but not for me.
I slowly feel lots of things start to get more untained and sheer. Light pictures, lots of whites and marbles, just 1 object that says more than a 1000 words and nothing more. Loving these kind of accounts in Instagram. That's why I wanted to start again with a clean slate ; no more badly taken pics  and crappy selfies ; just nice clean pictures and things that inspire me.

I'm leaving you guys with a small collage on here ; if we are not connected yet on IG, please take the time and do so. I promise to take a look into your account and who knows, I just might be your next loyal follower ..
#wedding

clockwise ; dress Asos - chain Diamanti per Tutti - Hair by Stijn Haircare - clutch Valentino  or  Sketch (where I bought mine)
- shoes Gianvito Rossi or Ironie (bought mine here)- wool Cowgirlblues at Julija Shop (Antwerpen)


Finally got to the point I've found everything for the upcoming wedding party in June.
So glad to know everything is hanging in my closet -  from here on - I can only enjoy, relax and look forward to June 6th. 

So, now I'm some sort of an expert in what to wear // not to wear as a wedding guest, I might share some tips in this following blogpost.

1. Once you get the invitation, find out what the couple desires as wedding guest attire. If the invite says "white tie", you should opt for a full-length ball gown in a neutral color such as brown or dark blue or black. Glam make up and jewelry are recommended.
"Black tie" however leaves you to choose between a cocktail dress or a full length ball gown. Again, opt for a neutral color such as black, blue or brown.
"Formal" or "Black Tie Optional" gives you the choice between a long dress, dressy suit or a cocktail dress in a neutral tone such as grey, blue or black. 

However, sometimes the wedding party or bride wants to work around a theme and color.
It's not crazy to ask her what she has in mind ; better to be prepared than showing up in something out of the question and wonder why you get ditched in all wedding photographs and get evil looks from mothers in law and BFF's of the bride !

Never EVER wear white ; exceptions made on this rule are by special request of the bride herself. I've heard of brides wearing pale pink or cloudy blue and even red. If the wedding party requests guests to wear black and white only, you can ditch the rule above. If you decide to wear white, make sure your dress doesn't look like a bridal gown. You don't want people to come up to you and congratulate you with your nuptials {if the bride finds out she will make sure you'll be branded a 'persona non grata'  for all weddings in the future} ; maybe a white dress combined with a black bolero or scarf are a good idea to express you are a guest and not the happy bride at the venue ! 

2. The dress shown above is my personal choice for the wedding in June. I opted for a soft fluent fabric, easy to wear (= comfortable), neutral, full-length, sexy but not too and with a hint of bohemian  to it. My hair will be partly braided and maybe have some extra bling like a tiny headband (I'm leaving my hair stylist to make that final decision). I just bought this long pink gold chain with geometrical hanger to break the neutral tone of the dress ; it might also add some of that boho style. It would not have the same effect with a short chain ; I really like the idea of the hanger dangling from left to right as I walk around.

3. My shoes are metallic bronze ; heels are 8,5 cm - that's about 3,3 inches high, just to make sure I can walk around in them all day long, even make some dance moves on the floor late at night.
The metallic is neutral too but dark enough to stand out ; nudes would not have worked here. Have to admit they look very festive and chic. I did my best to buy something festive, shoes with a hint of gold or copper, but demure enough so it doesn't upstage the bride and her sparkling gold Louboutins.

4. To add a bit of bling, I fell in love with this army green Valentino clutch ; the rhinestones make sure it will stand out and sparkle all night long ; the studs in the front hint that this is my bag as I'm fond of edgy details. Loving the fact I could wear this afterwards (it has a chain) for a night out or to make a simple outfit look a bit more special.

5. Finally, I will make my own knitted jacket in this amazing soft salmon mohair and silk. As the theme of the party will be pink and gold, it might add just something warm and unique to it all. There will be a rooftop party and even if it's June, chances are high it might be a bit chilly up there.
In Belgium we are never sure on what to except, weather wise. 




#structural 

Dea Simonsen for Umlaute
Let me just show you what I'm obsessing about lately.
Surely, I know I have plenty of placemats already but who can resist these beauties ?
Saw them at De Vitrine fair in Bruges and can't stop thinking about them. 
They hold all things I like ; structure, marble and geometrical. 

Another thing I'm really drawn to lately are all things copper or pink gold. 
Just can't explain why but it looks so damn chic !
My friend Valerie, who works for Hilite, triggered my obsession with her Parachilna lighting collection a couple of months ago. 
We definitely need to change our current spots so maybe we can make some change and consider a hanging fixture instead. Parachilna is number 1 on my wish - list for sure.

by Parachilna






Nudes & Gold

maandag 6 april 2015

Nudes & Gold

Nudes & Gold : dress Asos - shoes Saint Laurent - bag Delvaux - bracelet Diamanti per Tutti - perfume Byredo

I finally found the perfect dress for an upcoming wedding in June. Took me so long to find the right color ; the search for the model I had in mind was way easier than I expected. It's just that I'm not into bright and heavy colors. Being a brunette, I could've easily made it myself not to hard to find hot pinks or bright neon dresses ; but every time I tried on such a bright colored frock, it felt like losing my identity, my safety net and so much more.

As I always try to stay true to myself, what I like and what I'm wearing, the hunt went on for the longest of times. Surely, there had to be at least 1 dress suitable for the occasion.

Trying to be as respectful as possible towards the bride, I listened carefully to all of her wished and color tones she would like to see on her wedding ; I was really freaking out, finding but this heavily bright pinks and greens or the traditional royal blue (SO boring)
It's the brides day and all attention must float towards her and her wedding outfit.
So, finally I'm very happy with this easy, fluent, bohemian maxi dress ; now I only need to find the perfect shoes and clutch - I'm thinking copper or rosé gold - and the hunt for the perfect hairdresser is still on.

Remember my last post about finding a new hairdresser as my previous hairdresser dissolved into  thin air ?
Well, the one I'v tried last time, messed up my color badly, leaving me looking like a straw haired ginger .. it made me look very pale and drab. Not a good look.
The comments from family and friends close to me all said I needed a hint of chocolate brown to make my blue eyes pop again !
Meanwhile, I've been taking good care of my hair, using masks and light brown color foam to make it look look decent again.

New hairdresser + new appointment April 17th.
Can't wait ; I have good faith in this guy. At least he said all the right things when I made the appointment ; no cut, darker on top, maybe a hint of ombré at the lenghts.
Plus, I understand he actually knows what I'm talking about when I mention 'messy curls' ..

to be continued ..

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