Last week I took some time off work and spent every day with another one of my friends. I am fortunate to have many friends which means that 5 days were far too little to cover all of them. On Wednesday I started my holiday day with Helga. And on Thursday I met Marja for lunch (more about Marja later in this post.)
Photo above: having lunch with Helga at Native (again). Can you believe we were both dressed in blue and white?
Poor friends… I keep asking them to take photos of me and to go along with being featured on my blog. As I have the feeling not everybody loves this as much as I do, I will discontinue this. I don’t want to make my friends apprehensive when I ask them to go for lunch or dinner. After all, my friends are far more dear to me than photos or even my blog. Yes, I do have my priorities right.
Anyway, Helga survived and I think she wasn’t too bothered. I know Helga since I was 28. We were colleagues.
Below: Although taken indoors, this is a nice close-up of Helga. I love her shirt with the unusual sleeves.
Helga is 61, but would you believe it when you see these photos? No filters or photoshopping. She has a beautiful figure and an incredibly youthful skin.
Below: Greetje… 63..: spots and wrinkles and has had a lower facelift. (More details about what I had “done” in this post.) Still, I am not complaining. As long as I keep smiling I can get away with a lot.
Below: After lunch and some shopping (I didn’t buy anything!!) we went for coffee at Hofje zonder zorgen. Lots of people were having a high tea but we kept it simple. This was our view.
Below: Nextdoor, in front of the gate to the court with almshouses. I have already taken pictures here once before. In this post. Although you cannot see much of it. The sneakers (Essentiel) and trousers you have seen before in this post with Sylvia. The blue and white striped shirtdress and the necklace were purchased during my holiday in Spain last year. See here.
Below: The whole outfit of Helga.
Below: As we were taking each other’s picture for a “head-to-toe” shot, these ladies passed us. You can see why I asked them to be on my blog. These are women who put in the extra effort to look good. And so they do.
Now over to Thursday with Marja. Marja and I became friends when I was 32.
Below: Marja, a very cheerful woman. Actually all my friends are cheerful, come to think of it. Maybe that is what attracts me?
We went for lunch in Amstelveen, a suburb of Amsterdam. At Popov, a very nice restaurant where they serve freshly squeezed pear juice. My favourite.
Below: There are not a lot of pictures of Marja and me. I didn’t want to burden her too much. Here she is again. The guy behind her tried to photobomb. Marja was wearing a really nice dress, balancing the sweetness of the dress with a jeans jacket (always a good idea). And she loves heels (great legs).
Below: And this is what I was wearing. My checked silk shirt by Equipment, my G-Star Raw boyfriend jeans (such a trusted pair) and my pink French Sole ballerinas. I have seldom worn this shirt. It is not really me and I didn’t know how to style it (see two previous ways here and here). When I wore the combination below to the office I got sooo many compliments. Leaving me totally confused.
Below: The obligatory photo of the two of us. The guy of the flower stall took our picture. I will ask anybody whom I think will not run off with my camera.
I did feel obliged to buy some flowers afterwards haha.
Below: He had beautiful flowers, see them below. They both held for a week.
That is it for this week. More outfits and friends next week.
Greetje
Linking up to:
The Rich Life in the Wine Country with Adrienne’s issue of How I wear my… sundress, romper or jumpsuit.
Everything Just so, with Jill’s issue of How I wear my … sundress, romper or jumpsuit.
Not Dressed as Lamb, with Catherine’s Saturday link-up.
Not Dead Yet Style, with Patti’s Visible Monday.
You look awesome in the plaid shirt and jeans!
I am so pleased I finally know how to style this shirt. It will finally get some use.
Hi Greetje. Love the outfits and your stories made me smile as they always do. I do understand your remark about the Dutch being direct. Living abroad, this sometimes is a real challenge for me, both ways round really. Great that you have friends who do not only share the laughter, but are honest as well. Both highly valuable in friendships! Lieske
I do pick them!! 😂😂
Wonderful outfits, even on the strangers. It says something about you that you have so many good friends. My plan for the future is to hang out with girlfriends as much as you do, having fun and enjoying their company.
That sounds like a perfect plan. You know how much fun that is. Shopping with girlfriends is even better than just meeting friends, but I do both (to keep my finances sane).
I love both outfits on you…. my favorite is the plaid shirt and jeans!
My Mother speaks her mind, but not sure if it is age (79 years old) or the fact she is Dutch (she has lived in Canada since she was 25)
Might be both with your mother, although I think it is the fact she is Dutch. When you are 25, your character has firmly set. I bet she was always like this 😊.
I really like the colors in the plaid shirt on you. I’d bet that’s what people were responding to.
We cheerful people do tend to seek each other out… 🙂
I think you are right. On both occasions.
I love your first look! And the two ladys look very chic! You had a great ,,Friends Holiday,,! BTW, Helga has a good bum!
Helga has a good everything. She really rocks a shirtdress. I remember the time when we were colleagues and she had on a red, pretty snug, dress. It had little buttons at the back, all the way from neck to legs. Very sexy when you have a good bum.
I love all the outfits – your friends have such wonderful smiley faces just like you and the blue and white outfits are amazing – and as for your plaid shirt, I just love it. Sometimes the best thing to do with a shirt that we’re not sure of is to just throw it on with anything and not think too hard, and then the proof shines out from the mirror or the photos. The shirt really is fabulous – I love the colours and they are reflected in the pretty flowers you bought – maybe that is why I am so enamoured 🙂
I was quite pleased with myself to come up with these outfits. Took me a while though. A year with the long shirt dress and two years with the checked shirt haha. I hate getting everything out of the closets, getting it wrong all the time and having to hang everything back. I suppose I am lazy. The smiley faces are “directed” by me: “say cheese”. You know the drill.
What a great idea, to take a week off and spend days of it with your friends!! You have beautiful friends and everyone dresses so stylishly. I love that pic of you with the colorful shirt, jeans and flats. I agree with your coworkers. It is a lovely combo. Glad you had fun! – Amy
http://stylingrannymama.com/
I presume I get attracted to friends who mirror me in some ways. Laughter and style might be the two major components haha. No not really. Laughter yes. Style I don’t care. As long as they are good people.
I love both outfits on you, but that plaid shirt is amazing. If you ever get tired of it, I will buy it! You’ve styled it PERFECTLY with those jeans and the yellow necklace. It is so nice to see you with your friends and to see a little slice of your life as you swan around the Netherlands! xx
I like that..: “swan around The Netherlands” haha. I can see myself go. And I am still surprised that the shirt meets so many complimens. Nice though.
Isn’t your girlfriend Helga stunning? Wow!
I admire your ability to ask strangers to take your photo.
I love the plaid patchwork top.
Looks like a wonderful time was had by all.
bisous
Suzanne
I know, I should not have all these gorgeous looking friends. Just plain ones. 😂 Just kidding. With friends you look beyond the surface. Asking strange people to take a photo isn’t really that hard. Most people are friendly and if you ask them politely and with respect, they love doing you a favour. The shirt looks like patchwork but the pattern is actually woven into the silk. Yes, it is silk; I went overboard with this purchase and I am so pleased I finally know how to style it.
The colours in the plaid shirt look so good on you – you should definitely keep it! I enjoy seeing what you and your friend get up to when you get together. My friends here are not really keen on being photographed but the opposite is true when I spend time in New York – we take sooo many photos of all of us!
It is the same with Street Style photographs. When I ask a woman in Amsterdam whether I can take her picture and put it on my blog, 99 out of a 100 times I get a yes. In Haarlem (much smaller city), there are far more nos.
Question…do you think I could pull off a version of your fabulous shirt? Maybe try and scale it down a little? Or too much volume for me? YES…I totally love this look on you and want it for myself…
Which one, the checked one? I don’t know. I find it difficult for me and you know I am not a stylist. I don’t know these things. The only thing I know is that I fall in love with something a petite can wear which makes me look like a man. If the reverse is true too…. Actually.. I really don’t know.
The light blue and white shirt dress one.
Ah.. that one I actually saw on a petite girl in the shop. She wore it with black cigarette pipe trousers, a long black suede tassle necklace and black low heeled sandals. Looked so cute on her. I have tried that look too, but for me these 7/8 white trousers with the sneakers work better. So I suppose it is all down to proportions and what works for you.
OOOOH…that sounds lovely!
You and Helga looked very coordinated; amazing coincidence! You both looked nice.
And those two women you spotted on the street indeed look very cool!
Again Street Style photography is so nice. When Sylvia and I were in Alkmaar we alo had coordinated outfits: blue, white and red. Funny, isn’t it?
Days spent with friends are always fun and you definitely have so many of them!!
Nothing wrong with the checked shirt, it suits you. Have you ever tried it with the Marella cream coloured skirt?
No, but I have tried two other tops with the Marella skirt. I think this one is too wide for that skirt. But I will give it a try.
I was off visiting friends in other parts of Minnesota and Wisconsin so I’m a late reader of this most recent post Greetje.
You know how much i enjoy going along with you and your girlfriends!! (exactly where I’ve been) Your latest ” lunching” and posting of the fun and love you share with many friends is what you do best. It adds so much warmth and realness to the places and styles of Amsterdam as well as your travel locations. I hope your friends will continue to allow you to include them!!
I love both of your very cool and trendy tops. I have a shirt that is exactly like your colorful, multiplaid silk blouse. I think the patchwork look has a bit of bright and unexpected humor and the fact that it’s silk makes it classy!! I also think you styled it perfectly!
You and your friends Helga and Marja having summer fun and lookin good are a joy to behold!!
Thanks Jude. I am sure you have had the same fun with your friend(s). It was a lovely week for me. More to come.
Oh my there is too much to comment on that is wonderful in this post. I love the view from the window in the coffee shop. I could sit there a long time thinking. Wrinkles are beautiful. They mean you have had a life. The ladies you happened upon are lovely. And all you friends looks fun and happy. I love you blog it always gives me a lift. Thanks.
That is what this blog is there for: to make you smile, to make you laugh, to give you a good feeling. I am very pleased with your comment.
Isn’t it wonderful to have cheerful friends? It’s no surprise of course you are such a positive minded person. You and your friends look marvelous here and yes, always keep smiling.Thank you for your very kind words on my blog, XO
Well, you ain’t so bad yourself honey! Talking about kind words… thank you.
I feel in love with this look on instagram! Love the mirrored effect of you and Helga with the blue stripes! Your friends are so chic, loved the head to toe shots with the hats! You also look fabulous in the mixed plaids! I love these posts when your friends shop together. Friends are the best treasure, but your clothes come in second.. and quite well !
I agree, many people are quite nice to take photos, and then I always reciprocate. Win- win!
💋
Elle
http://www.theellediaries.com/blog/
Often these encounters give nice conversations too. I always give women I photograph my calling card, so they can check up.
I loved meeting Helga and Marja this time. Cheerfulness is a great trait to have in friends. And no wonder you have so many like that with your sense of humour and positive outlook.
I adore your big blue and white striped tunic thing. YEAH! The colourful blouse, I love that too. It looks great as you did it. I could also see it with a short bandana neckerchief around your neck maybe, with those little white dots. Or not. It might not work. Hahaha! But really, this piece looks great on you.
Sometimes I post photos of friends which I think look really good, but they don’t like them. I’d rather not post them than risk making them uncomfortable. I may follow your lead. But it’s too bad because I like meeting your friends. Oh well. Your priorities are right.
Not all my friends feel uncomfortable, some of them even really like to be featured. So you will see them in the future. I just have to be more careful in knowing, feeling, asking whether they object or not.
Question…do you think I could pull off a version of your fabulous shirt? Maybe try and scale it down a little? Or too much volume for me? YES…I totally love this look on you and want it for myself…
Which one, the checked one? I don’t know. I find it difficult for me and you know I am not a stylist. I don’t know these things. The only thing I know is that I fall in love with something a petite can wear which makes me look like a man. If the reverse is true too…. Actually.. I really don’t know.
The light blue and white shirt dress one.
Ah.. that one I actually saw on a petite girl in the shop. She wore it with black cigarette pipe trousers, a long black suede tassle necklace and black low heeled sandals. Looked so cute on her. I have tried that look too, but for me these 7/8 white trousers with the sneakers work better. So I suppose it is all down to proportions and what works for you.
OOOOH…that sounds lovely!
The colours in the plaid shirt look so good on you – you should definitely keep it! I enjoy seeing what you and your friend get up to when you get together. My friends here are not really keen on being photographed but the opposite is true when I spend time in New York – we take sooo many photos of all of us!
It is the same with Street Style photographs. When I ask a woman in Amsterdam whether I can take her picture and put it on my blog, 99 out of a 100 times I get a yes. In Haarlem (much smaller city), there are far more nos.
You and Helga looked very coordinated; amazing coincidence! You both looked nice.
And those two women you spotted on the street indeed look very cool!
Again Street Style photography is so nice. When Sylvia and I were in Alkmaar we alo had coordinated outfits: blue, white and red. Funny, isn’t it?
I loved meeting Helga and Marja this time. Cheerfulness is a great trait to have in friends. And no wonder you have so many like that with your sense of humour and positive outlook.
I adore your big blue and white striped tunic thing. YEAH! The colourful blouse, I love that too. It looks great as you did it. I could also see it with a short bandana neckerchief around your neck maybe, with those little white dots. Or not. It might not work. Hahaha! But really, this piece looks great on you.
Sometimes I post photos of friends which I think look really good, but they don’t like them. I’d rather not post them than risk making them uncomfortable. I may follow your lead. But it’s too bad because I like meeting your friends. Oh well. Your priorities are right.
Not all my friends feel uncomfortable, some of them even really like to be featured. So you will see them in the future. I just have to be more careful in knowing, feeling, asking whether they object or not.
I was off visiting friends in other parts of Minnesota and Wisconsin so I’m a late reader of this most recent post Greetje.
You know how much i enjoy going along with you and your girlfriends!! (exactly where I’ve been) Your latest ” lunching” and posting of the fun and love you share with many friends is what you do best. It adds so much warmth and realness to the places and styles of Amsterdam as well as your travel locations. I hope your friends will continue to allow you to include them!!
I love both of your very cool and trendy tops. I have a shirt that is exactly like your colorful, multiplaid silk blouse. I think the patchwork look has a bit of bright and unexpected humor and the fact that it’s silk makes it classy!! I also think you styled it perfectly!
You and your friends Helga and Marja having summer fun and lookin good are a joy to behold!!
Thanks Jude. I am sure you have had the same fun with your friend(s). It was a lovely week for me. More to come.
Oh my there is too much to comment on that is wonderful in this post. I love the view from the window in the coffee shop. I could sit there a long time thinking. Wrinkles are beautiful. They mean you have had a life. The ladies you happened upon are lovely. And all you friends looks fun and happy. I love you blog it always gives me a lift. Thanks.
That is what this blog is there for: to make you smile, to make you laugh, to give you a good feeling. I am very pleased with your comment.
Days spent with friends are always fun and you definitely have so many of them!!
Nothing wrong with the checked shirt, it suits you. Have you ever tried it with the Marella cream coloured skirt?
No, but I have tried two other tops with the Marella skirt. I think this one is too wide for that skirt. But I will give it a try.
I feel in love with this look on instagram! Love the mirrored effect of you and Helga with the blue stripes! Your friends are so chic, loved the head to toe shots with the hats! You also look fabulous in the mixed plaids! I love these posts when your friends shop together. Friends are the best treasure, but your clothes come in second.. and quite well !
I agree, many people are quite nice to take photos, and then I always reciprocate. Win- win!
💋
Elle
http://www.theellediaries.com/blog/
Often these encounters give nice conversations too. I always give women I photograph my calling card, so they can check up.
Isn’t it wonderful to have cheerful friends? It’s no surprise of course you are such a positive minded person. You and your friends look marvelous here and yes, always keep smiling.Thank you for your very kind words on my blog, XO
Well, you ain’t so bad yourself honey! Talking about kind words… thank you.
Isn’t your girlfriend Helga stunning? Wow!
I admire your ability to ask strangers to take your photo.
I love the plaid patchwork top.
Looks like a wonderful time was had by all.
bisous
Suzanne
I know, I should not have all these gorgeous looking friends. Just plain ones. 😂 Just kidding. With friends you look beyond the surface. Asking strange people to take a photo isn’t really that hard. Most people are friendly and if you ask them politely and with respect, they love doing you a favour. The shirt looks like patchwork but the pattern is actually woven into the silk. Yes, it is silk; I went overboard with this purchase and I am so pleased I finally know how to style it.
You look awesome in the plaid shirt and jeans!
I am so pleased I finally know how to style this shirt. It will finally get some use.
I love your first look! And the two ladys look very chic! You had a great ,,Friends Holiday,,! BTW, Helga has a good bum!
Helga has a good everything. She really rocks a shirtdress. I remember the time when we were colleagues and she had on a red, pretty snug, dress. It had little buttons at the back, all the way from neck to legs. Very sexy when you have a good bum.
Wonderful outfits, even on the strangers. It says something about you that you have so many good friends. My plan for the future is to hang out with girlfriends as much as you do, having fun and enjoying their company.
That sounds like a perfect plan. You know how much fun that is. Shopping with girlfriends is even better than just meeting friends, but I do both (to keep my finances sane).
I love all the outfits – your friends have such wonderful smiley faces just like you and the blue and white outfits are amazing – and as for your plaid shirt, I just love it. Sometimes the best thing to do with a shirt that we’re not sure of is to just throw it on with anything and not think too hard, and then the proof shines out from the mirror or the photos. The shirt really is fabulous – I love the colours and they are reflected in the pretty flowers you bought – maybe that is why I am so enamoured 🙂
I was quite pleased with myself to come up with these outfits. Took me a while though. A year with the long shirt dress and two years with the checked shirt haha. I hate getting everything out of the closets, getting it wrong all the time and having to hang everything back. I suppose I am lazy. The smiley faces are “directed” by me: “say cheese”. You know the drill.
What a great idea, to take a week off and spend days of it with your friends!! You have beautiful friends and everyone dresses so stylishly. I love that pic of you with the colorful shirt, jeans and flats. I agree with your coworkers. It is a lovely combo. Glad you had fun! – Amy
http://stylingrannymama.com/
I presume I get attracted to friends who mirror me in some ways. Laughter and style might be the two major components haha. No not really. Laughter yes. Style I don’t care. As long as they are good people.
I love both outfits on you, but that plaid shirt is amazing. If you ever get tired of it, I will buy it! You’ve styled it PERFECTLY with those jeans and the yellow necklace. It is so nice to see you with your friends and to see a little slice of your life as you swan around the Netherlands! xx
I like that..: “swan around The Netherlands” haha. I can see myself go. And I am still surprised that the shirt meets so many complimens. Nice though.
I love both outfits on you…. my favorite is the plaid shirt and jeans!
My Mother speaks her mind, but not sure if it is age (79 years old) or the fact she is Dutch (she has lived in Canada since she was 25)
Might be both with your mother, although I think it is the fact she is Dutch. When you are 25, your character has firmly set. I bet she was always like this 😊.
Hi Greetje. Love the outfits and your stories made me smile as they always do. I do understand your remark about the Dutch being direct. Living abroad, this sometimes is a real challenge for me, both ways round really. Great that you have friends who do not only share the laughter, but are honest as well. Both highly valuable in friendships! Lieske
I do pick them!! 😂😂
I wonder if my friends feel the same way, Greetje!! I know a couple of them like it when I take the photos for the blog, but if they don’t say anything, then you wonder???
But you definitely have your priorities straight—our friends make us better people!!!
XOXO
Jodie
http://www.jtouchofstyle.com
You see, we Dutch don’t have this problem, really. And especially not my friends. They are so honest, they give it to me straight. I often have to laugh over their dead honest remarks. Remarks which would shake people from any other country to the core haha.
I really like the colors in the plaid shirt on you. I’d bet that’s what people were responding to.
We cheerful people do tend to seek each other out… 🙂
I think you are right. On both occasions.
I wonder if my friends feel the same way, Greetje!! I know a couple of them like it when I take the photos for the blog, but if they don’t say anything, then you wonder???
But you definitely have your priorities straight—our friends make us better people!!!
XOXO
Jodie
http://www.jtouchofstyle.com
You see, we Dutch don’t have this problem, really. And especially not my friends. They are so honest, they give it to me straight. I often have to laugh over their dead honest remarks. Remarks which would shake people from any other country to the core haha.