This Kenzo dress isn’t new but I’ve always worn it as a jacket (see this post), never as a dress. There are a lot of things about this outfit which have been ‘adjusted’. You would probably never spot the ‘adjustments’ if I didn’t tell you. I will however, reveal all my secrets, heh heh.
Secret 1 The shoe adjustment
Below: My friend Marjolein (the same one who came up with the pull tab to hang more clothes on clothes hangers) and I were talking about my purple slingbacks. How I adore them but I cannot walk on those heels. These shoes:
Then Marjolein said: “You have such a fantastic cobbler, why don’t you ask him to put another heel underneath them? One that is straighter and a little bit lower?” I added ‘sturdier’ and ‘black’ and this is what my cobbler came up with. Isn’t he fantastic? They now are like flat shoes (well…almost). (For the Dutch in the area: the cobbler is Hans Heine in Amstelveen.)
Let’s go on with the outfit.
Kitty and I went to a beautiful estate with a park, only there was a sign with a request not to enter. The reason was that the developmentally challenged people who live in the building on the estate have to stay in because of Covid. They cannot understand why other people are allowed to walk outside and they are not. Of course we didn’t go in but went looking for another background. We ended up at the town hall of a place called Heemstede.
Below: Waiting for the bus to arrive (just for the photo). Hadn’t seen that man looking out of the window haha.
Secret 2 What to do when a dress is too short
Although it is a dress, I always found it too short to wear as such. Thanks to the trick my Italian blogger friend Daniela (The Pretty Cute) taught me, I have elongated it with a flexible, elastic pencil skirt.
Below: On the left you see more of the pencil skirt but I thought those proportions weren’t right. It looked a bit dowdy. On the right it is a bit shorter. The way I (thought I) wore it on the shoot.
Below: We crossed the road to the town hall. After I saw the photos I realized the dress looked rather short, even with the pencil skirt underneath it.
Below: Ron and I got married here in 1995. The dress is longer at the back. I wished it were the same length at the front.
Below: Anyway… knees are in full sight. And the dress could have done with a bit of ironing. ‘Tant pis’ as the French say (too bad, never mind).
Below: We went into the park at the side of the town hall. Kitty made me laugh because she said: “Not that easy, is it? Walking down the steps, looking straight ahead and not falling flat on your face?”
Below: I like this shot. Can you see there is a snail in the statue’s eye?
Below: And there is a snail in her hair (at the right) as well. Poor woman.
Below: A view of the little park.
Below: Off we went again.
Now, for some details (please ignore the wrinkles and veins, I am old, it cannot be helped). My hair had given into humidity too.
Below: As you can see, the white dots have black and purple stripes in them. It is the exact same shade of purple as my shoes, so I couldn’t resist wearing those. I am a matchy matchy person. Note the flat pockets on the dress.
Secret 3 Another belt, another look
The belt is supposed to go through belt holes at the sides, across my belly inside the dress at the front and then buttoned up at the front, hanging loose. This way the back of the dress hangs free. I didn’t like it like that and wore the belt hanging loose at the back. See this post where I wear this dress as a jacket with the belt at the back. That led to torn belt holes at the side, even tearing the fabric of the dress itself; I couldn’t do that anymore. I really wanted to wear the belt around my waist only it was too short for that. So I had my seamstress add a little piece of blue fabric at the end and move the snaps.
Below: Top photo is the inside of the belt; you can see a bit of dark blue fabric at the right end, but you really do not notice it at all. Bottom photo is the outside of the belt with the moved snaps. The little blue addition is hidden underneath the snap closing. My seamstress would have been happier if I had let her take the whole inside fabric off, replace is with dark blue and use the gained fabric to elongate the belt. But that seemed ridiculous to me as it isn’t in sight.
Below: Kitty, my fantastic photographer. She is going on holiday for a couple of weeks, sob.
Below: In front of the previous town hall across the street.
Below: Walking towards Kitty, who was teaching me how to walk with my knees closer together. That had me laughing, I nearly tripped. I think I have to follow a course in catwalk walking. Only I always think a lot of models walk as if they are horses in a dressage competition.
Those were a lot of photos of the same outfit. Forgive me. I have spiced it up with secrets and different backgrounds.
What happened in my life this week
Saturday was a quiet day. Had a wonderful Facetime chat with Lisa (The Sequinist) at noon. As she has gone back to working in stock trading again, there is little time in her life for blogging. But… she said she is not ready to call it a day yet.
Went for an ice cream in the afternoon (Italian ice cream, the best) and popped into a sports gear shop to buy new summer shorts for my exercises. My old one was really finished after 16 (!!) years. Wore this tuxedo suit with a golden sequinned stripe down the trouser legs. These are the links to 1) original post and 2) the time I wore it at the British Bloggers Award. Last Saturday I wore it with sneakers. That jacket is superb, only it is really past its date. If you come close you see that I cannot wear it much longer.
Sunday. Anja (Curly Traveller) was going to get married on Wednesday and a bunch of girlfriends arranged a surprise Zoom video bachelorette party. Friends from Singapore, Belgium, Canada and the Netherlands joined. I had my iPhone with Zoom aimed at her front door, while her friend Tanja rang the bell and handed Anja champagne, a rose, cheese and raspberries. She was totally surprised. The Zoom party went on for about half an hour. Nice to be able to surprise someone like that. Below Anja and Frits looking at the Zoom party on the laptop.
In the afternoon neighbour and friend Froukje came over and we chatted in the garden but only for a short while as it started to rain. We were invited for dinner next Saturday in their garden. Yay.
Monday. Started with exercises in my new shorts. I bought shorts which have the shape of a little skirt which gives me the desired hourglass shape. All fake dears. I am an inverted triangle; there aren’t any hips there in reality.
Below: Wore this outfit (original post here with different shoes) the rest of the day. I prefer this shirt on other trousers and another top on these trousers, but I had to cycle in the morning and couldn’t be bothered changing after that. These lavender flat shoes haven’t had their spotlight on the blog yet. Oh well.
I received a phone call from my friend Peggy and we set a date to meet: next Friday she is coming.
Around 1 o’clock Anja came round for a chat in the garden. Always nice. I am going to miss her a lot when she moves to Spain this year.
Below: Watson loves Anja as well haha. He thinks he is a lap dog.
Ron had gone to the boat that day because he had a potential buyer to look at it so I walked Watson for a bit. That is the third time in a week. I am not too fond of walking the dog, to use an understatement.
Tuesday started with lying on the beach in the morning. Only for one and a half hour, completely covered in SPF50 (doctor said it is OK like that). Ron let Watson run along the waterfront in that time. Everybody happy.
Usually we have lunch on the beach terrace on such a day but I had to be at the pedicure at 1 o’clock so we rushed home. Had just enough time to get my nail varnish off my toenails.
Easy afternoon with reading in the garden underneath the awnings. No outfit photo.
Wednesday. After my exercises I got some birthday cards and did some shopping. AND…in the afternoon Anja got married to her Frits! I wore this Cabi dress as she requested happy, bright colours. (Link to original post.) I think it is ideal for a summer wedding. Boy oh boy was it hot that day.
Below: The happy couple, Anja and Frits.
Below: Of course, a normal wedding party was out of the question with Covid. But… we decorated the house and put champagne and wedding cake (delicious) on the table outside. All the neighbours put their car somewhere else and brought garden chairs for the guests to sit on (at the appropriate distance). It was totally informal and only for the people who live in our town, but it was still sooo nice.
Below: The bride and groom did the wedding dance. Even a ‘Saturday Night Fever’ dance.
Thursday: Bloody hot again. I only went to the dry cleaner and deposited my Nespresso cups at the shop to be recycled. That was it. Stayed in the rest of the day with windows and doors closed. Fortunately we have awnings and the house is very high, which means it is rather cool. We do not have air conditioning.
Wore this dress again as it is so light and breezy (link to original post) and changed the shoes (see shoes in this original post). Wore this for dinner with friends Georg and Marla in their garden. You have seen pictures of such scene a couple of times already, so I didn’t take any this time.
Friday. My friend Peggy came to spend the day with me. I skipped all exercises as it was too hot. I will make up for it in the weekend. We had a hot but lovely day together, going from shop to coffee place to lunch place to shop to coffee place. In the meantime, yap yap yapping away. Totally forgot to take photos, which is good.
I wore this very breezy dress with sneakers (below) as we had to walk a lot. I haven’t got cute flat sandals that don’t give me blisters when it is hot. A reader (Cindy) was so very kind to send me a couple of packages of Moleskin to help avoid blisters and I am experimenting with that tape at the moment. Too soon to tell whether it works with my delicate feet.
Forgive me the strange look on my face. Here is the link to the original post where I have different shoes and necklaces with the dress (it was too hot this Friday to even think of necklaces).
Greetje
Ah, lovely Greetje! I’m a fan of Kenzo, but some of their details are tricky to work with – I’m glad you altered your dress/coat to make it more wearable for you (just put my name on this one, would you? Ha!). Love the purple shoes matching the purple in the pattern!
Your CABi dress is awesome and perfect for a hot wedding day! Congratulations to the new couple – that looks like a fun celebration.
I am also a fan of Kenzo. We have the same taste in Kenzo and Essentiel. I will put your name in this dress as well. Shelley challenges you to a duel over my black leather dress (just so you know haha).
Anja will read all the comments on this post, so your congratulations will reach her. The celebration was without stress, very relaxed.
BEAUTIFUL BRIDE!
YOU’R NOT BAD EITHER……….
COVID CANNOT STOP LOVE!
XX
Thanks Elizabeth. I told Anja to read the comments on this post to see all the congratulations. You are right: love cannot be stopped.
The cobbler did an excellent job on your pink shoes – those heels look much more comfortable! Congratulations to Anja and Frits on their wedding. Celebrating a special event like a wedding or graduation is very difficult these days but people are finding creative ways to be together and safe at the same time.
My cobbler is after all a three times European champion in shoe repair! How about that. I have told Anja to read the comments on my this post. So nice. She really liked the street party. No stress, no hassle, very relaxed and loving.
Smart of you to adjust the heels rather than not wearing a nice pair of shoes! I really like the dot pattern on the dress.
Congratulations to Anja and Fritz! It looks like a lovely celebration. I love her sparkly wedding dress and cute boots. A very full week for you!!
It wasn’t smart of me really. My friend Marjolein gave me this idea. I was only smart to follow her advice haha.
Indeed, this was a full week for me. Now I get the retired people who always said:”I cannot understand how I ever found the time to go to work”.
Beautiful! Love your posts, , fashions and lovely views of your city.
What is the beautiful blue mirror (?) seen in your interior photos?
Hi J, I do my utmost to amuse you. Glad I seem to succeed. Well at least in your case haha.
The blue mirror is part of a zinc cabinet. It is an army officer’s washing cabinet, schleppt around by his help during the Boer War in South Africa. On either side you could hang a towel. Now I hang my jeans there.
Love the purple high heels in the more comfy style Greetje. As always a nice week review, the shoes with the green dress…lovely!,
Well, thank you very much my dear; twice really, as changing the high heels was your idea. The shoes with the green dress are nice but high maintenance.
Your blog always makes me smile. Love the locations, love your sense of style and fun, love the week’s recap. Thank you!
My pleasure entirely DeeDee. I love every aspect of blogging. After years of searching I have finally found a hobby.
wow! love the wedding! i love their style–so great….also, anja i love the outfit with the pale frayed hemmed jeans and pale pink shoes!
xo eva
Thanks Eva, I like those pale pink shoes as well, and the rest of the outfit, but together… hmmm I can do better. (By the way, did you have my name mixed up with Anja’s? Or should the sentence be slightly different?
Oh, how gorgeous Anja looks! Fantastic <3
Yes indeed. And so it should be. The bride is in the spotlight and needs to shine.
Love the bright green dress on you Greetje.
Yes, that green dress is a hit. And so nice and lightweight. Great for summer.
Hello, Greetje! Greetings from Missy, English teacher from southwest Georgia. As ever, I love best hearing all the details of your everyday life – so different from mine, and so far away. I always choose a favorite picture from each blog. You don’t make it easy to do so, because you look great in everything! My favorite “lewk” of them all from this blog is the brightly-colored button-up shirt with the low-rise cropped jeans, thin belt, and cute flat lavender shoes! If I could, that’s the ‘fit I’d choose to wear! You look so very young and pretty in it! Thank you for this blog and for sharing. ♥️
I love your comment but have no idea which outfit you are talking about. I don’t think I own lavender shoes. I went through 9 pages of my Outfit Gallery and then gave up.
It is not that everything suits me; it is just that over the years I learned what suits me and what doesn’t. The same with colours. Clothes are my hobby, and I spend a lot of time on this hobby. You get better all the time. And I don’t show the horrible outfits on the blog haha. Although, in hindsight, I can pick quite a few outfits I would never wear again.