January 2013
4 posts
1 tag
November 2012
1 post
October 2012
7 posts
2 tags
DIY Hallowe'en
I love Hallowe’en! It’s been one of my favourite holidays ever since I was little. Even now, this is one of the times of year that I adore. One thing I’ve done for the last several years is insist on homemade costumes. This year I decided that I was going to be a skeleton after watching the video Hallways by Islands.
I made an iron-on skeleton rib cage t-shirt and tulle...
4 tags
Stock sales Antwerp
Even though the Brussels stock sale info has come through, I’m still waiting for the Antwerp hot list of designers that will be setting up their October stock sales. So far only Dries Van Noten has sent the invitation (on the same day as his Paris fashion show - well timed!)
Details below, when I get more info I will (of course) share!
Dries Van Noten Stock sale of fabric and clothing...
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To customise or not to customise?
That is the question that I’m asking myself about these shoes which I got for 10 EUR at a stocksale a few weeks back. Not sure!! They feel so perfect for spring-summer, but because we’re just entering autumn-winter, part of me wants to mask the floral print with either black or navy. If I take my time and do it properly I think it could look quite good, but I’m not convinced....
2 tags
The other skirt
I was just posting about a skirt on sale I got at the Petits Riens, on that same day I discovered this skirt in the 2.50 EUR bargain bin. At first I totally fell for the leopard print as it’s something that I’ve wanted to try out for a while and the originality of the cut. I glanced at the label (as you do) and saw…. it was Just Cavalli. For 2.50 EUR. NO WAY! Well I bet it...
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Thrifting
A few weeks back my local Petits Riens second hand store was offering a sale on skirts, everything at 2.50 EUR. Score! (and before this sounds too pathetic and penny pinching - allow me to qualify that this is the shop that I once found a vintage Gucci bag in great condition for 50EUR!!).
My first discovery was the skirt above, a high front slit makes it a little sexy, but the otherwise...
4 tags
September 2012
5 posts
2 tags
New season shopping
I actually got this in August and I always feel so chic buying new season in August or February, while others are still trawling the leftover sales items.
Speaking last post of being a print novice, here’s me going print all the way with this AW12 dress by Conni Kaminski. I feel like this is a really special collection and it features prints designed by Sarah Robin. It brings the dress...
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Not like me at all...
… to go shopping at and actually find something I like at Zara.
But here is the silk (!) skirt I found at Zara for 9.99 EUR.
It is a super pretty flower print in gray/black/white. And still as a print novice this is a gentle introduction.
I is super thin so I don’t think I’ll get much wear out of it in the winter, but for the autumn and maybe with tights and boots, it...
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Multi-purpose summer dress
It is probably beyond too late to still be talking about purchases made in the summer sales (although, since the SS 13 shows are underway maybe it’s somewhat appropriate to be talking summer? Or is that just wishful thinking/justification for the lateness of this post?)
Anyway I bought this Humanoid dress in the sales and it was a lifesaver during the super hot days in the summer (more...
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August 2012
9 posts
1 tag
2 tags
Lapis
I have to admit that blue is my favourite colour and so I’ve been waiting to make a bracelet in the perfect shade. I stocked up on lapis beads and added a bit of onyx to balance with a plated gold clasp. Love it!
(forgive the crinkly background - I photographed it on a white paper bag so the colours would show up more vividly)
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Hand me my leather...
(just managed a Tori Amos reference on my blog - yay)
Now that I’ve resumed blogging I can tell you about some of my fun sales purchases (you knew there HAD to be some). Though I have to say this year I was very restrained and only bought 2 items. Here is the first:
A leather jacket by Humanoid! (remember when I started thinking about leather jackets? Well at 50% off I found this in...
1 tag
Mude
I had one day to myself while I was in Portugal for my summer holidays and I decided to spend it in Lisbon!
Everything I hear about Lisbon being a fabulous city made me super eager. But if it’s only one day it’s important to prioritise. So I made sure to do a few touristic stops (the Berardo Modern Art Museum is amazing and entry is FREE).
Of course fashion has to be part of any...
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Bracelet trio
I’m still super keen to continue my bracelet making and adapt the styles to match the season. So what to do for summer? Coral and turqouise bracelets.
I got the idea from the Liberty print ribbon (seriously a fad in the bracelet making world - I see it at every bead store here!!). My “twist” was adding the skull in gold/silver.
That lead to the turquoise bracelet, as...
3 tags
Vintage!!
Before I moved to Belgium, I’d never heard of Delvaux, the Belgian luxury leather bag and accessories maker.
They make beautiful high-quality items, but unfortunately the design is a bit stuffy, not a lot for an -ahem- younger customer. Then they brought in the lovely Veronique Branquinho, to freshen things up.
She designed a super cool duffle bag that I tried (and failed) to make my...
1 tag
Gotta post this...
…before it’s too late!!
It’s almost the end of summer and it’d be silly to post this any later, but my only souvenir from Portugal: new sunglasses (can you believe the one thing I forgot to pack for my trip to Portugal? My Miu Miu sunglasses!!).
Ok they are not the super decorated trendy glasses that all the designers seem to have around this summer, but they are a...
Back on that horse
(a photo of one of the reasons I’ve not been blogging - Brussels Flower Carpet appreciation)
Once you break the blogging habit, it’s so easy to get into a cycle of not posting, even though I have stuff to post!
First off, July was full-time childcare followed by a short vacation to Portugal (with no wifi). The first bit of August was spent recovering from the holiday (never as...
June 2012
8 posts
1 tag
DIY disasters?
I enjoy crafty projects, making my own jewelry, knitting, sewing, etc (as if you hadn’t noticed yet). Reading this blog you might get the idea that I’m some kind of do-it-yourself expert or that I’m super creative / artistic / have great attention to detail.
Sadly no.
I just don’t share the failures (picture above is completely random… I’m too shy to show...
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Tote to messenger bag
Since having kids, I’ve discovered that it’s impossible to get around without a bag that I can toss on cross-body and have my hands ready to (well let’s see) hold hands, pick up anything that has fallen/been dropped, push a buggy, hold back mad dashes in all directions etc etc. Bags that only go over one shoulder have a tendency to slide off my shoulder and I keep having to...
1 tag
V&A webshop
A secret online shopping browsing destination that I check out on a regular basis is the webshop for the Victoria and Albert museum. They are famous for their permanent fashion exhibit (closed when I visited last year). But the thing that makes the shop so interesting is that they often do collaborative collections with the designers that they work with. You can find super cool jewelry for...
1 tag
Leather jackets
I don’t own a leather jacket.
I have tones of blazers, casual winter jackets, long coats, a jean jacket and a few other light jackets for summer. But no leather jackets (and actually no trench coats either, but I was burned once when I bought an arty-assymetric trench coat when I was 6mo pregnant, let’s say that was a hormonal aberration!!).
So now that sales season is almost upon...
1 tag
Haircut
Ever wonder why all my pics for the website have me with my hair in some kind of messy up hairdo? (if you can call sticking your hair up in a messy bun a hairdo)
It’s because it had been 8 months since my last haircut and I was really due. I’ve been working on growing my hair out and it really didn’t bother me that much, till (like last time) today when I KNEW I had to get...
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Conversely Marimekko
Really feeling these Marimekko for Converse sneakers - super chic!!
You can check them out here.
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Indecision...
In my last post I talked about the successful (and easy) conversion of my Laura Ashley dress into a top.
Now to tackle the skirt!
This was more difficult as the skirt is several sizes too big. It makes a great maxi skirt (with pockets too) but the waist is far too big. So I tried folding it up and make a shorter bubble-style skirt. I’m not really sold on either look and I’m...
May 2012
8 posts
1 tag
Dress to top
I bought a Laura Ashley dress from the Petits Riens Retro Paradise shop in Brussels with the intention of creating a whole new look.
As a whole look this dress is far too prim and girly for me (not to mention head to toe in that print?? Maybe there’s someone out there that can make it cool but that’s definitely NOT me) so I decided to make a vest top and skirt.
First up, the...
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Bracelet!
I know I just said I’m into a more pared down look when it comes to my wrists these days, but I still have the creative itch! But in line with the whole “less is more” and “think classy” aesthetic, I tackled my next bracelet making project with semi-precious stones. And let me tell you the cost of supplies increases dramatically when you use these kinds of beads vs...
2 tags
You know it's summer when...
You get the urge to make jean shorts!
I had this pair of grey jeans from an era when bootcut was all the rage (y’know the early-2000’s or so - although they say that the flared jean is coming back…). They looked good and all, just felt a little dated, I’d tried trimming the legs down to make a straight legged jean (my preferred leg opening) but still wasn’t...
2 tags
Prettier in pink?
I bought my newest pair of wedge sneakers from ASOS, but when I ordered on the website, I thought I was ordering a pair of grey sneakers. Imagine my surprise when the sneakers that actually arrived were closer to white/beige than grey….
DIY project to the rescue! Inspired by these pastel/beige ASH wedges I got started.
I had a pink paint marker lying around the house (as you do) and...
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Peacock!
I loved the mint Peacock top by OMSK-Belgium since January. I’ve been dying to get my hands on it. Finally I found it on the Famousbox webshop. I ordered it last Thursday and it arrived on Monday.
I was a bit concerned with all that sheerness, but with a black camisole underneath it is super cool. And it works just as well with (made by me) cut offs as it does dressed up with a (See...
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When is too much really TOO MUCH?
For the last year or so I’ve been hugely into the layered bracelet look. With a mix of friendship-style/chain/knitted/beaded bracelets worn all together in a clashing colour scheme and a chunky watch on top, my wrists were a personality statement. But as with anything time passes and it begins to feel a little, well, tired.
Now I’m not saying stop layering bracelets. Heck no!...
2 tags
Skirt to bag
Remember when I bought the leather skirt?
Well on second wearing I decided that it wasn’t as flattering as I thought (ever have that problem?) so it sat in my closet unworn. Which is a shame because it’s not a bad item, just needs some tailoring. Which I have no idea how to do properly.
So I thought I would try to convert my skirt into a bag. The first attempt was sad and...
1 tag
Just can't get enough...
Of wedge sneakers. I just bought my second pair. I’ve been scouting for a new pair for summer my other pair are black leather and not so summery, but it’s hard to find reasonably priced wedge sneakers in Brussels. So I went on an online hunt and found this super cheap pair.
But the down side? SO much less comfortable than the other (more expensive) pair I own. I wore them all...
April 2012
10 posts
1 tag
Summer dresses
The weather in Brussels this week has not been summer wardrobe friendly. We’ve had rain, wind, hail etc. Just the weekend before I’d bought a summer dress on ASOS and it arrived during this cold weather spell. It’s bright pink and so out of my comfort colour zone. But paired with a grey sweatshirt it can even work in this (awful) weather.
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Inspiration continued
Following on from the Chanel inspired necklace, and also from some leftover bracelet making supplies, I made the above bracelet.
It was from a pearl bracelet that had broken ages ago and was just sitting in the “bracelet bag” (where I keep my bracelet making supplies). I added the wire and golden colored beads and some spare leather cord and voila a new bracelet that actually looks...
1 tag
Channeling Chanel
So I’m enough of a fashion victim to be feeling the crystal vibe that Karl Lagerfeld sent down the Chanel runway for AW 2012. But who’s doing rough crystals at this point?!
DIY to the rescue!! And thanks to the Mila Keln Fashion blog for inspiration.
I made my channeling Chanel 2012 necklace with help from Nenuph’Art in Brussels:
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Surprising...
I was in the market for a new handbag and (having 2 kids) I need something “hands free” so I was looking for something that I could toss everything I need and go (and no extras). I’m afraid if I get a bag that’s too big I’d put too much in it (ever have that problem?).
Then I found a bag the perfect size at Zadig and Voltaire. But it had no lining, no inner pockets...
2 tags
Still chic
Tried on the latest collection “Highway to Hell” by Piece of Chic at Icon. Even though it’s just a simple shift dress which stays the same from season to season. The prints are usually a bit risqué and have a tongue in cheek element (last season it was all about prints that looked like fur). I’m not sure I’m brave enough to wear this collection, but I’m...
3 tags
DVF Kids
I think it’s pretty clear that I’m a bit of a sucker for designer collaborations. So when I found out that Diane Von Furstenburg was making a kids (girls) collection with the Gap I was pretty excited.
I had already chosen the dress I wanted to get for my daughter, but I didn’t think it was going to be available in Belgium and gave up. Until I discovered that the DVF store...
