The best part of this silver and blue silk blouse is that it has sleeves. It is smashing for me on a hot summer day as it is very lightweight and the sleeves cover my arms. That is a combination which is hard to find.
Blue, silver and white aren’t really my best colours, but the shine of the silver compensates for that. I learned these differences between shades, saturation, shine (fabric) and what they do for you from Trinny Woodall. I follow her on Instagram and with her Closet Confessions (videos) she shares her styling experience.
Ron took the photos at his allotment garden, the Saturday before Mothers Day. My stepdaughter Nicky and her boyfriend Randolf were visiting us as this was outdoors, which was safer than indoors. We were touching nothing of each other and kept the required distance. Even Nicky dared this and she hasn’t left her house for two months other than to go to the pharmacy. She is really careful.
Below: The table is set and the stick across the table is the distance measurement.
Below: Ron took some great shots of the outfit. I ordered the white trousers and when I saw how they were on me, I ordered them in hot pink as well (see blog post). Trousers, blouse and the silver belt are all Essentiel Antwerp. Again, the little red bag by Malene Birger is perfect for the pop of colour. Such a versatile little bag. The silver slingback pumps are Michael by Michael Kors. I bought them a couple of years ago and think they look so good. However, they are not the easiest shoes to walk on. Very little space for my toes. The red earrings are clip-ons.
Below: Nicky and Randolf arrived. It was a very hot day and we were all very grateful for the sunscreen above our heads.
Below: Watson was grateful for the shade as well.
Below: Ron had switched his jeans for shorts. Where else would you hang your jeans but on the window handle?
Below: Ron being photo bombed by both dog Watson and me.
Below: Yes, my husband is wearing clogs. They are clever things to wear when you have a garden.
Below: Did you notice I had switched shoes? These red ones have a little more room at the front than the silver pumps and they have a sturdier heel.
Below: Soon food and drinks were on the table.
Below: A few photos of Ron’s pond.
Below: The goldfish are real, the crocodile isn’t.
Below: The sign says: Laboratory for unusual experiments. The folded material above it is the brilliant sunscreen.
It was a thoroughly pleasant afternoon.
What happened in my life this week
Saturday. I needed to go to the cobbler again. Cobbler and seamstress are two very important people in my life. I was wearing another Essentiel outfit. Link to original blog post.
As the cobbler is near where Marianne lives, I paid her another visit of course. Having discovered the timer on my phone, I could make a better usie. Marianne is packing everything and moving in with her son for a week while her floor and what is underneath it, is being renovated. Not an easy job.
Sunday was a grey day. The photo of what I wore isn’t very sharp. If you want to see a better one, click to the original post with this purple blouse. Didn’t do anything but blogging and reading.
Monday. The weather was bright and sunny again. That does make such a difference. Had a chat with my neighbour and friend Froukje, outside her front door. Cycled to another part of town to return a big vase which my colleague had used to put flowers in front of my door when I retired. Had a chat with her for 15 minutes, also in front of her house. And I laid in the sun in the afternoon. It doesn’t get more exciting than this. Beginning to feel I am getting bored.
Tuesday. A visit to my doctor (GP) to have her check all the spots on my body. I do that regularly to discover any signs of skin cancer at an early stage. My adoration for a tanned body is of course a dangerous one. This time, for the first time, it was bingo. I had a little spot on my nose (a notorious skin cancer place) which I didn’t trust. She said it was a very slow growing skin cancer spot (it would take at least 8 years to develop). In this early stage of a few flakes every now and then it was easy to treat. She used liquid nitrogen and while she had that stuff at hand, treated three ugly old ladies spots as well. They weren’t malignant, just ugly. I must rethink my sunbathing habits.
Wore this skirt and jumper, which I bought in Turin. I tried to wear it with the fabric belt on top (right below), but decided I liked it better with the jumper tucked in (left below). Link to original post of this skirt with bright blue top and with this black and white leopard jumper.
In the afternoon I had a very nice Facetime conversation with my friend Lia and after that I spent half an hour with Loes in her garden, before she had to run off to deliver groceries to elderly ladies. Crummy iPhone usie quality, but this way you see that Loes is still in the picture (pun intended haha).
For the first time since I am home, I got bored today. Oh dear, what does this mean for the future?
Wednesday. Had coffee and cake with Anja whose birthday it had been the day before. We chatted for a couple of hours. In the afternoon I picked up shoes from the cobbler and took another pair to him. Met Loes again in the street and took a snapshot.
As I cycled for exercise I passed this pretty door and took a picture with my iPhone.
Thursday. Got up early, well…so I thought but was mistaken. I had to dress in a hurry. When I grabbed a few things in haste, I accidently came up with a new outfit, which you will see at a later date.
Busy day. The allotment garden of Ron was the first stop where we had coffee with his neighbours (at the appropriate distance). With delicious cake. In the afternoon I picked up clothes from the seamstress and had a chat with her outside her front door. Went to the jewellery shop to change watch batteries and then had a meeting with somebody from my street at her atelier. She is setting up a new business and we discussed several aspects. Back home just before dinner.
My mother’s hairdresser sent me a photo of mum, looking good again. Mum decided as the outgrow was so big due to the lock-down, she will let it go grey all together. It is a bit of an odd photo but she looks so good, I had to show it. She will be 92 in August.
Friday. I got really worried about the fact that I am susceptible for skin cancer now that the doctor found that spot. I also read the blog post of Anna (Anna’s Island) about her skin cancer journey and decided to take my head out of the sand where I had buried it and read the articles about sunbathing. I have to let go of tanning which is a big, big change in my life. Others may think “so what? It was wrong all along, glad you finally wised up” but it is really a big change. And the fact that my chances of developing skin cancer are much higher than I hoped, is keeping me awake. Classic case of regret after the fact.
I had bought cute shorts at kpa. but after reading about skin cancer and the fact that covering up is better than using sun protection cream, I knew I was never going to wear them. The owner of the shop kindly took the shorts back (I hadn’t worn them yet, just tried them on with some blouses at home). They were going to be the main subject for a blog post. Now this is the only photo you will see of them. I changed them for a dress and Kitty and I did a photo shoot about the dress at the end of the afternoon that day.
Greetje
Hi Greetje
I have fair skin and auburn hair so a magnet for skin cancer. I live in sunny southern Alberta meaning the sun is almost always a factor all year round. I’ve been using Vichy sun screen for about 10 years, 60 SPF. It is not greasy at all.
I love reading your blog and seeing the lovely photos of your outfits and jewelry.
Erin
Fair skin and auburn hair… yep.. that is very rarely a good combination for sunbathing. I know of one girl who had that combination thanks to an Italian father: auburn hair and being very tanned. She stopped sunbathing when she was 20 though and I haven’t seen her since. I bought Vichy 30 SPF and it is so greasy! It stays that way the whole day. I have to find another one.
I am glad you enjoy my little blog and will continue my efforts to amuse and entertain you.
This is such a nice post – always love reading about your week and you are right your Mum looks amazing for 92!!!
Learnt a new word too “use”, I love it!
Have a great week,
Yvonne xx
Glad you enjoyed my post. And eh.. it is ‘usie’ not ‘use’. Or was that a typing error haha. And yes, mum is going strong.
Great photos indeed and the outfit looks good in real life too! So lovely to see you again.
It certainly was. And we will continue seeing each other for as long as you are here. Very carefully.
I so enjoy your outfits ideas. I wish we had Essentiels in the San Francisco Bay Area. At least I get to see their line through you.
I grew up in Hawaii and of course baked in the sun growing up with no sunscreen. The warnings didn’t come up until much later and of course now that I am also 65 there are a lot of “Well, it comes from tanning all those years”. I haven’t gotten the cancer warning yet but wish you the best in treatment and prevention.
Perhaps Essentiel will expand to America as well. They are already in the UK.
As for skin cancer… I am in the process of finding out what I should do, what I can do etc. It will take a while but I’ll get there. Fortunately the warning was very mild. Still a warning.
Fabulous outfits, Greetje. I’m drooling over those wide-legged trousers, and that gorgeous green blouse in the last photo with the shorts. Skin cancer runs in my family too – I’ve been wearing SPF 15 (minimum) every day on my face, neck and hands since I was 17, and I fully sunblock whenever I’m going to be outside. You can still wear your shorts, just start wearing sunblock!
Glad to see you out and about, socializing at a distance. I’m also starting to get bored.
Your mum looks amazing for 92!! Wow!
I have problems with these sunblock and sunbathing creams. They make my skin sooo greasy. I cannot wear a watch or other jewellery. I am still in the process of finding out what is good and necessary for me.
Yes, mum does look amazing for her age, doesn’t she?
Sylvia is back in the Netherlands, so I expect to see her a few times. At a distance of course.
I so wish I had a pair of clogs. I used to have them for gardening when I was a teenager and in my early twenties. They are the best gardening shoes out there. Too bad I can’t find a pair here!
Love your silver pumps and open-toe heels. Great looks. Stay safe and healthy.
It is difficult to send you a pair because you really have to try them on for size. Otherwise I would have. You just need to come over to the Netherlands, ones it is safe again, right?
My silver slingbacks are terrific. Just wished they were more comfortable.
Your mum looks amazing. You do too, of course! I appreciate the way you are honest about your fashion mistakes as well as your successes. It is still sunny in England, so I hope it is warm in The Netherlands too. Have a great week!
It is really warm in the Netherlands. And has been for months. With the odd week in between when it was colder. We desperately need rain. For the plants, the crops, the rivers, the foundation of the houses. I never thought I would long for rain, but there you have it.
Mum does indeed look good, much younger than her age (no sun bathing…).
Being honest is my nature, my character. I always am and find it very easy. What good would lying do anyone? Isn’t reading about successes AND failures much more interesting? Plus, it takes a lot to embarrass me haha.
Your mom is lovely — beautiful skin, hair, and bone structure. She certainly does not look her age. Too bad about the shorts, as you have great legs, but you are so wise to be concerned about skin cancer.
No, indeed, my mum doesn’t look her age. She never sun bathed and it shows.
Instead of the shorts I now have a maxi dress. Covering a lot mor skin haha.
I love your sunshade at the allotment, It is very stylish. I haven’t seen like it in England.
I had never seen this type of sunshade in the Netherlands either. No idea where my husband found it. He is always ‘googling’ to find things. What I do know is that it was pretty expensive. But I say it was worth the money.
I think it’s a good idea to protect yourself from the sun. I have had several pre-cancerous spots and a Mohs surgery on my scalp. I worried my hair wouldn’t grow back but it did. Meanwhile I developed a liking for cute hats so there’s always that. You look great and I enjoy seeing your family and friends.
Well… I looked up Mohs surgery, I had never heard of it. Thanks for telling me. How on earth did you (or the doctor) discover a skin cancer spot on your scalp?
So glad your hair grew back. The last thing a woman needs is a bold patch on her head. Unfortunately hats don’t suit me and I find them very warm in summer. Plus, they always get blown off my head. The only good sun hat I have ever experienced is the one the people in Asia use in the rice fields. The hat is raised to let the air flow through underneath it. But to walk around with an Asian rice hat on…? Hmm… no.
Greetje! love silver shoes like this! i have high heeled, low-heeled closed pointy toed, but i do not have a pair of the slingback style yet!
lovely,
xo Eva
I so agree, silver shoes and boots in any form or shape are the best. And golden is another good option. Metal goes with everything.
Your silver and white look is quite elegant! And you could always add one of your colorful necklaces too if you wanted more color.
I’m very impressed with your pond. Is it a lot of work to maintain? And do neighborhood cats go after the goldfish?
I love to ‘do’ elegant but I would call this casual chic. Ron’s pond at his allotment garden hardly needs any maintenance. He has a pump and a filter in it and that is about it. And he has to feed the fish. There aren’t any cats on the premises as people cannot stay the night. Herons are the ones to fear. Which is why Ron has several ‘islands’ floating in the pond. For the fish to hide under.
Just two nice things I have to say. Your mom is darling and looks so modern in the blue and white top. She should keep the gray as it’s tres flattering. Another thing…keep the shorts! They are great on you, just don’t sun bathe in them. As you know, moderation is the great key to life. Love your comments on life. You are the best.
Yes my mum didn’t sun bathe much and her skin reflects that (sigh). And she will indeed let her hair go grey now.
The shorts I cannot keep, I have already returned them. Never mind, I was never much of a shorts girl anyway. I only ever had one pair when I was 28 and that was it.
Thank you for all your compliments, they make me a bit shy (but not shy enough not to enjoy them haha).