Loes photographed one of my Christmas outfits, this gold and black jacket from Lolly’s Laundry. I bought it second-hand with the original price tag still on it. Listening to my friend Marjolein’s suggestion, I altered the high neckline into a small V.
I didn’t find it easy to style this jacket. It is rather big and wide; frumpiness is just around the corner, especially because I combined it with a pair of classic trousers and pumps. Not so sure that this is a good outfit, but it gives me plenty of room for the Christmas meal, which is a big plus.
On one of my cycle trips, I discovered three majestic town houses within a 100 metre distance of each other. They make very nice backgrounds, only the sun was really out that day. Difficult to take decent photos under such circumstances. Almost as difficult as with too little light.
Below: This is the entrance of one of the houses. Must have been a wealthy family who had this built. I think it is now inhabited by students or so as I saw a sheet as curtain behind one of the windows.
Below: As I stood in front of the big door, two cars with female drivers past my way. Both opened their window and complimented me haha. Also, a gentleman who passed on a bike, gave me directions: “You have to step out of the shadow, otherwise your photo will be too dark.” I love it when people get involved in our photo shoot and start commenting. Luckily Loes likes this as well; Ron doesn’t.
Below: I sit on nearly anything, like wet steps, in order to change poses.
Below: Around the corner was a similar house with more shadow. As we moved location, I had put on my coat again. This faux fur one was hidden at the back of a storage closet. I was going to give it to charity two years ago but couldn’t bring myself to. It is such a handy coat with big sleeves. Most of my coats have narrow sleeves and the sleeves of some jackets are too big for that. I am so glad I held on to the coat, although Ron thinks it is very old-fashioned. I told him it has made a come-cack haha.
Loes managed to take my photo without including the great big white truck that was parked on the pavement. Well done Loes.
Below: In front of the third town house. I bet the same architect built them all.
Below: Close-up of the necklace and the fabric. The camera was very unwillingly that day. There must have been something wrong with the camera settings as most of the photos were blurry. I am responsible for the camera setting but I didn’t want to check too often as we tried to be as Covid-safe as possible. Pity.
So, if you think you have to go to an optician because your vision is getting blurry…you don’t need to go.
I included this photo especially for Josep-Maria, a Catalán friend who was the first person to find my blog and comment in July 2012. I hold him in my heart most dearly.
Below: Loes. Photo taken in our garden. I like her shoes with this dress. You don’t see it that well in this picture but there is a yellow line around her shoes, matching the yellow stripe on the side of her dress.
Below: On Christmas day I wore the jacket open with a camisole underneath it. I turned the sleeves up but inside the sleeves to avoid showing the lining. It was all right but I am not keeping it as I don’t feel fabulous in it.
I wonder whether many people will bother reading this blog post in the Christmas weekend.
What happened in my life this week
Husband Ron stepped up to get me some blog photos in stock as it was rather pleasant weather last weekend. We went out on Saturday and also “shot” two outfits on Sunday. Yay. So nice. If the weather is bad in the next few weeks, I don’t have to worry. If the weather is nice, I will ask Loes to do another shoot. The more photos, the merrier I am.
My friend Helga came to visit on Monday. She stayed a couple of hours and brought cakes (yay again). Forgot to take a photo of her which is a shame as she looked really nice with a black jumper, black and white checked cigarette trousers and black high heels. She took my tip at heart to wear high heels indoors too and not just slippers. Your feet get too comfortable if you wear slippers all the time. Your muscles will ache if you try high heels after a long period of wearing slippers. I know Helga loves high heels. Another tip I gave her which she uses is standing on one leg when you brush your teeth, alternating the leg. That way you can keep your balance a lot longer as you age.
Below: I wore this dress that Monday. Link to original post. That horrible white line above the table is LED lighting. When we bought the lamp there were still fluorescent lamps with soft light available. I have to check whether you can get softer lit fluorescent lamps now as well.
Below: My Christmas arrangement for the dining table, or as I call it, my Christmas ‘cake’. You can see it on the table in the photo above.
A man came to look at our parquet floor. He is coming back to establish whether we can have it sanded one more time or whether we need a new floor.
Below: Relaxed home look. Black sweater, boyfriend jeans and bronze boots (see the real colour of these boots in the original post). The earrings are white, ochre and black, by Lara Design. You can see a close-up of them in this post.
Spent 4 hours creating new outfits with things from my wardrobe, based on new tan boots I bought. Everybody always thinks I like that but in fact I hate it. All those clothes that need to be hung back etc. Pfff what a lot of work. It was rewarding though. I came up with quite a few fun outfits.
Picked up vitamins from my friend Yvonne and stayed an hour for a chat. Wore one of my newly created outfits which is still a secret for you.
Facetimed with Susan from Une femme d’un certain âge. Always so nice.
Thursday was a day with changing passwords for Ron and getting his Apple ID changed to an email address he still actually has (…). Emotionally exhausting work.
Below: I was well dressed that day. The boots (high heeled) and the jumper (sweater) are brown, not black. Link to original post.
We spent the first Christmas day with Ron’s daughter and her husband. No cooking for me. Yay. In the Netherlands we celebrate 2 Christmas days, the 25th and the 26th, both bank holidays.
Below: Although at a distance we still had a lovely Christmas day with Nicky and Randolf.
See you in the New Year. Hope you will have a lovely New Year’s Eve.
Greetje
Well guess who’s going to start balancing on one foot while brushing her teeth! And wearing heels at home- such great tips!
I’m honestly baffled your husband said the black coat looks dated- I love it!
I’m wondering if the jacket wouldn’t work with some lighter skinny jeans and your bronze boots. I think “toughening” up the rest of the outfit would knock back the classic vibe… or maybe you just don’t like the jacket and you move on- life is too short to wear something you don’t like!
Love the blog, it’s my Sunday morning treat here in Texas!
Well Lauren, my husband is a great stylist but doesn’t really know what is in and what is out. Thanks for the styling tips on the jacket. I am going to give it a try tomorrow morning. The golden boots are a great suggestion. If I am not wowed by it, I will take your other advice and move on haha.
Glad you like my blog so much. Just published a new post.
I love that sparkly jacket! So fun! But I get that it isn’t quite “you”.
It looks like you had a good Christmas and Boxing Day! Is Ron playing an accordion or concertina? I can hear it now!
A very happy Christmas to you, Greetje, and here’s to 2021 being a better year (it’s a low bar!).
The jacket is a bit too classic for me, I think. Yes Ron has been practising on a few pull instruments like an accordion. Never know how they are called, but he only knows two or three songs. He is pretty good on a mouth harmonica. Wishing you nothing but lovely things for the new year as well. I agree the bar is low.
I’m a bit late to the party here but just wanted to say that you look great in the black and gold jacket. I agree with Anne below that it would look good with jeans – maybe black jeans with flat biker boots to up the edginess factor a bit. Love the 3 houses, especially the intricate carving on the pillars. They look a bit like hops – maybe the owners were in the brewing industry (?). Happy new year to you and thanks for all you do! Love your blog.
I am late in replying to comments as well. It has been a funny week. The jacket gets another chance: I will try it with jeans, but as jeans are the trousers I always go for, I wanted to give another pair a chance this time. The funny thing is, I do not own flat biker boots. Strange right? I do have black pointy boots with an edge.
I have no idea whether the carving on the pillars has anything to do with hop but the brewing industry was big in Haarlem in the old days. So you might be right.
Thank you for your lovely compliment and Happy New Year to you too.
The photo at the top of the steps of the third townhouse is excellent. Perfect look from head to toe. Not frumpy at all. The black furry coat is a keeper. It looks warm and cute. Kept hoping for a photo of Watson. Did he get a Christmas treat?
Really? The photo on top of the steps of the third townhouse? I nearly didn’t include that one because I have such a funny look on my face. The black furry coat isn’t going anywhere. It is a keeper. The jacket… hmm not so sure. Watson didn’t get a special Christmas treat, but he gets treats all the time. Next post I will incluse another photo of this very cheerful dog.
Greetje,
Please, please do not stop writing. Although I don’t usually comment to your posts I enjoy them tremendously. I love seeing your clothes selection (you’ve been given me so many ideas how to style some of the items I have), the beautiful pictures, and more than anything your sense of humor. We all need beauty and humor!
Wishing you happy holidays and a better 2021!
Oh you just made my day Camelia. Comments like yours are so dear to me. It is very fulfilling knowing that you make a difference in someone’s life. Never thought I would when I started this blog. For the time being I am still very motivated to continue and your comment has increased my motivation. What is your nationality? Because you use the word “tremendously” I guess British, but I could be totally wrong.
Lovely holiday jacket and necklace. Perhaps a gold/ black chic combo pair of shoes would be a nice accessory for more pizzaz!! Love the Max Mara dress, interesting cut. Oh, your winter coat is a keeper! I’m always complaining not having a winter coat with wide sleeves to accommodate heavier sweaters.
Not fond of black next to ones face after a certain age. Too austere, on me it emphasizes all my wrinkles! Hate that! But the combo with the stylish skirt works well.
Does Ron play the bandoneon in the background?? Piazzola perhaps?!
Wishing you and hubby a Happy and Healthy New Year!
I am always curious to read what your comment holds for me haha. I agree that black near my face is not the best colour as you get older. Often I try and solve it by wearing colourful earrings or scarf. And sometimes I just don’t care (there are these days as well). The jumper (sweater) with the cream skirt is actually dark brown, not black. Yes Ron plays the bandoneon but only a little bit. He only knows two or three songs.
Wishing you exactly the same for the new year Daniella. Have fun ringing out this year.
I like the gold and black jacket, but it doesn’t look the best with the sleeves rolled up. Perhaps it may work better worn open over a fitted black dress with the sleeves not rolled up?
It’s important to have a winter coat with sleeves wide enough to fit over jackets and bulky sweaters, and you can tell Ron I said so 😉
Oh you just gave me an idea. I have a fitted black dress… Although…. that would make it even more classic. And I am not a classic person. I agree about the sleeves; they shouldn’t be rolled up. At Christmas I folded them inside to create a 3/4 sleeve length. I will tell Ron you said this about the black coat haha.
I actually have time to read (and write!) blogs over the holiday, so I’m glad you published a post. I LOVE the jacket! I’d keep it if I were you; it looks fab how you’ve styled it. It has a bit too much black in it for me to wear it, but I love it on you, it is just OTT enough 🙂 Wishing you fabulous holidays and a happy new year, lovely lady. xx
I was mighty surprised that you wrote another blog post. Lovely that you have found time to do that. I miss your flamboyant style in the blogging world. Funny that you love the jacket. I still don’t but we’ll see. For the moment it is in the give-away pile. Wishing you all the same dearest Lisa. Who knows, I might see you again next year?
I think the metallic jacket is fun, but isn’t something I can see you wearing on a regular basis. Still, it might be nice to have on-hand for parties and special occasions. The necklace looks perfect with it.
Yes, getting the light just right for photos is always a challenge! But the light is so pretty this time of year when the sun is lower.
I am not a fan of the “golden hours” at the end of the day, I prefer morning light. The jacket is too formal, too classic for me to enjoy it, so it is in the give-away pile. I will try it with jeans just for the sake of it, but I don’t hold much hope.
A beautiful jacket, with a very elegant print. I love your coat and also the necklace. Thank you very much for dedicating that beautiful close-up to me, you look gorgeous in it.
I loved the dress with large flowers, it is beautiful! Then your jeans and your pleated skirt, two precious elements that are very yours.
And to think I never owned a pleated skirt up until 5 years ago, when I bought that cream one at the Max Mara outlet. Now I have so many that you say it is very me.
The dress with the large flowers is indeed very nice, but my stepdaughter was very keen on it, so I gave it to her. There is a lot of love in sharing.
Thank you for your continuous following of my blog and wishing you a very Happy New Year.
Forgot to mention that I love your black faux fur coat. It is fashionable now, and I would also consider it a classic. Looks so cosy too.
Often my husband is right as he has an eye for styling. But what is in and what is out, is not on his radar.
Yes, totally get it, mine is the same
‘Frumpiness is just around the corner’ is a phrase I will steal! You have styled the jacket well, but I empathise when you say it doesn’t make you feel good. Agree completely with Bonnie about the care you put into your photos. Hope you enjoy the rest of the holiday season.
Oh, you made me very proud. If a native English person (and I assume you are) wants to steal a phrase I came up with, my English mustn’t be half bad. I am going to give the jacket another chance on jeans, but I doubt whether I will like it then. Who knows though. The backgrounds of my photos, bring a lot of pleasure into creating this blog. Happy New Year to you Carole.
Yes, English is my first language. Let us hope for a better 2021!
The jacket is gorgeous! I like it even more open. I would wear it with skinny jeans. Seasonal greetings to you!
I am going to try it with (skinny) jeans. The reason I haven’t for this post is that I always combine everything with jeans. Especially for Christmas I wanted something else than jeans. But I doubt whether I am going to love the jacket with jeans. I will let you all know. Thanks for the compliment.
Of course we still read in the holidays! Good to see that you had a lovely Christmas See you soon!
Google Analytics shows a little less readers with this post than the week before, but not much. I am now having 6.600 unique visitors per month, so my audience is still growing. Yay. See you next week, the last time before I will not see you for a long time.. boo hoo.
Always enjoy reading your blog and seeing your stylish outfits, as well as the scenic backdrop of your photo shoots, and hearing of your weekly activities. It’s a fun glimpse into life there, and even with the Christmas holiday, I’m glad you took the time to share with your friends and fans. Wishing you a Healthy and Happy New Year in 2021!
Thank you very much Cheryl. It was my pleasure. Creating a blog post is my hobby, not my work. As I have time, why not do your hobby, right? Reading that so many of you appreciate it, is a big reward. I wish you a healthy and happy New Year too.
I love you that you blog properly at Christmas. So many don’t. Thank you, Greetje.
I don’t need time off from my blog as it is my hobby. It isn’t my work as I don’t earn anything with it. There are slightly less readers this week but for the real fans, my blog is there haha.
The gold & black jacket is one of the nicest outfits I have seen on you. It really suits you.
Oh dear… it just goes to show how different we all are. I still don’t like the gold and black jacket because I think it is far too classic for me. I am not a classic person. But thank you for the compliment anyway.
Thank you for the tip about standing on one leg as you brush your teeth — great suggestion. I love the black-and-gold jacket, especially open with the black camisole under it. Reading your post is great “me-time” on Sundays 🙂
The standing on one leg as you brush your teeth is a tip from my GP. She said it improves your balance and strengthens the muscles in your upper leg which apparently you need a lot. I got the advice when I did my knee in.
I thought that the black camisole solved my issues with the jacket but after seeing the photos I still think I have many better options. As Marie Kondo says: “If it doesn’t make you feel fab, get rid of it.”
I certainly always look forward to your blog.
It arrives Monday morning here in Tasmania and it’s the first one I turn to.
Very much enjoy the lovely backgrounds to your pictures – as someone wrote earlier you are one of very few who takes the time and makes the effort to do this – and it is great!
I never get tired of hearing you look forward to my blog. It is my reason (that and the fact I am an extrovert) for blogging. The posts are always scheduled at 17.15 Amsterdam time, so depending on where you are in the world, you will either receive it on Sunday or Monday. The backgrounds isn’t only to please my readers, I also think they add interest to the photos and I want to keep on improving my blog. I suppose it is the same with a fashion shoot in a magazine. An outfit against a plain wall is a less attractive picture than against an interesting background. Mind you, there is less focus on the outfit in the latter situation.
I enjoy reading your blog, hearing about life in the Netherlands and, of course, seeing your outfits! This year in lockdown again in Ontario, it was a welcome treat to see you posted this week. Thank you! I’m wondering whether an oversized look for the jacket might be better? Wide leg trousers with brogues, a wide belt and close fitting top, with the jacket open over top.
Hmmm.. your idea is good but… I don’t own brogues (they are not my style), wide belts look aweful on me as I have a short upper body and very little and a short waist. And last: a close fit top is not a good idea anymore at my age haha. Nevertheless, thank you for co-thinking to rescue the jacket. I am very glad you enjoy my blog.
Thanks for replying! I love thinking about how to put outfits together so thank you for indulging me. Looking forward to your next post.
Happy new year!
And I always take suggestions seriously. I love all the help I can get.
I love your opening outfit. I too appreciate the backdrops that you take such care with. Happy New Year.
Linda
This gold and black jacket gets a lot more bonus points than I thought it would. The backdrops make the photos so much more interesting. The starting point of the blog is still outfits, but I want to make the range a bit broader.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from Canada.
Thank you and a very Happy New Year to you too. May 2021 be a lot better than 2020.
No matter if it is a holiday, I still look forward to your lovely blog. You should not get rid of the gold and black just tuck it away for a while if you are not sure.Glad you had a nice visit with family. I am another fan who loves the effort you put into your photo shoots. That is the only way I may ever see your beautiful area. Thanks for all you do and look forward to a better new year.
I haven’t got much storage space, we have a small house and I have a lot of clothes. So, to speak with Marie Kondo, if it doesn’t make me feel fab, it has to go.
The backgrounds and different scenery are nice for me too. They provide a nicer “product” or better said: I like the photos more myself as well. It is my hobby and my pleasure to create this blog and I am glad you are enjoying it. Happy New Year.
Hi – Love your relaxed home look, but I’m always a fan of jeans. Maybe try the gold and black jacket with jeans to loosen it up?
Have a happy new year. Hope 2021 is an improvement for all of us!
Like you, I am a fan of jeans. Normally I would try this gold and black jacket with jeans, but I just think it isn’t worth the try. But who knows. Tomorrow I will combine it with jeans and have a look.
Happy New Year to you too. 2021 best be better for us.
Thank you for the time and careful effort you put into your posts. The clothes are always interesting and very nice, but the scenery is a huge draw. I do not know of an other blogger who puts the energy into lovely backgrounds as you do. Very much appreciated. I also enjoy the snippets of your week and stories of Ron and Watson. Happy New Year, Greetje.
Thank you very much for all these compliments. It is so lovely to read. And it means I am on the right track. I want to entertain and the scenery makes things more interesting. Which in turn makes it more interesting for me to create. It all works together. The snippets of my week were an idea I got from another blogger who does this differently but she her way did inspire me. That is the nice thing about blogging…instead of calling it copying you can just say ‘I was inspired’ haha. Happy New Year to you too.
It looks like you had a lovely Christmas. Is Ron playing an instrument (accordion?)? Wishing you all the best in 2021.
Yes we had a lovely Christmas, in spite of the circumstances. And yes, Ron is playing accordion, but not very well, only a couple of songs. He also plays ukelele (only a few songs) and he plays the mouth harmonica pretty well.
Best wishes for 2021 for you too.
Happy Holidays Greetje, always look forward to your blogs and today was no exception.
That is so nice to hear Lynda. I never grow tired hearing such nice compliments. Hope your holidays will be lovely too.
You think not too many people will read this? Because of lockdowns many of us have plenty time for our favourite blogs. Our family is in Ireland and the US (we are in France) so there is no way they are with us. We are just happy to be well. Seasons Greetings and Happy New Year sending a special ‘hello’ to the wonderful Ron.
I looked at the statistics and about the same amount of people have been reading my blog the past two days. Could of course become more because, as you say, we cannot visit each other and haven’t got that much to do.
I will tell the wonderful Ron you said Hello haha. Hope you will have a nice New Year’s Eve in spite of the circumstances.
What a pretty gold jacket! And yes, balance is important to retain as we age. I work on maintaining it every day. Happy holidays!
Happy holidays to you too Ally. The gold jacket is too formal for me. It is looking for a good home.