Poor Loes had to take photos of my monochrome blue outfit with my failing camera. I had read somewhere that monochrome is trendy which made me combine the new blue jumper with blue items from my wardrobe. The jumper is more greenish blue and the bag has golden edges, but I still think it counts as monochrome; perhaps it is even better.
We decided to go to the Elswout estate even though you have seen the estate in previous posts. We are running out of new backgrounds.
Below: Loes.
Below: Entering through the main gate. Last year’s coat from kpa.haarlem looks good with this outfit. (Link to post about this short coat.)
Below: The jumper is tucked in on my left side to make the outfit a bit more playful. (Gosh, my hair looks good in this photo.)
Below: Just a few minutes before, this photo below was taken, while I was showing the pocket in the jumper. My hair was blown flat by the wind. I must have ‘touched it up” in the above photo. All fake dahlings.
You can see that the trousers are a little wide at the front; that’s what you get when you have no hips to fill the trousers. Odd thing is, that, if you see the photo of my back (below), they don’t seem to be too wide.
Below: The park is beautiful in the autumn. Passers-by, looked in bewilderment at my high heels. They were highly functional though; I picked up quite a few leaves with those heels.
Below: The green and golden branch earring by Lara Design. You can also see the texture of the jumper in this close-up. No idea why it sometimes looks a bit greenish.
Below: We arrived at the cutest little gazebo which has been restored after vandals had damaged it.
Below: Looking out from the gazebo through this beautiful window.
Below: The entrance of the gazebo provided perfect light for a perfect photo. (See the leaves I stacked on my heel LOL?)
Below: That bench was begging for me to sit myself down. I am wearing hold-ups (thigh-highs) underneath my trousers; my legs aren’t this tanned anymore.
Below: To show you a different styling, I changed my blue pumps for my green boots. Totally different vibe.
Below: There is an orangery at the Elswout estate. Every time I see or hear the word orangery I think of that TV series Escape to the Chateau with Dick and Angela Strawbridge. I adore that series and I am so hoping for a sequel.
Below: Across the orangery there are deer in the park. Oh, those autumn colours…so good. Just as good as spring colours.
Below: From the deer field you can see the main house.
Below: I had to stand on the balustrade. “Ladies and Gentlemen…”.
Below: My view from the balustrade with the deer in the field and the rows of trees on each side of the field. The aeroplanes had made a square sign in the air. Weird to see.
Below: Another head-to-toe photo with the green boots.
Below: Close-up of the cool green boots. I bought them many years ago in the sale.
Below: On our way back I took photos of Loes and this lovely lady stopped. She told us that she is a very keen photographer and loves to look stylish, which she sure did. Great dress and earrings.
Below: She offered to take a photo of us together. So sweet.
It was a lovely day in the park.
What happened in my life this week
Saturday was a brilliant day, a day when I met my group of friends called ‘the BVA girls’. You have seen them many times. Marianna (with an ‘a’ at the end) couldn’t come and she was sorely missed. You will see a full report on the blog shortly.
Sunday was a quiet day which I spent rearranging my closet, changing my summer shoes for winter shoes and boots. Then Ron ran into our neighbours Froukje and Petro and invited them in for a drink. As it was the end of the afternoon, we ordered (Indonesian) food and had a very pleasant dinner and evening.
Monday I saw mum (see below).
Below: Mum has turtle doves in the garden. They sit on her window ledge in the morning as if to say, “Where is the food woman??”
Tuesday Marcella came for the weekly Instagram video and of course, for some chatting. And in the afternoon I took two pairs of trousers to the seamstress.
Wednesday I drove to Leiden to meet Katrien who is sewing my coat. It is nearly ready. Had a fitting and we chose the button. Below: a terrible selfie of Katrien and me.
Below: Katrien head to toe with a vintage jacket.
Below: I was wearing this outfit that Wednesday. This same blue jumper, now worn with my cream-coloured trousers with suede boots.
Below: Close-up of the French Kande necklaces.
Thursday my friend Marjolein and I visited the Japanese gardens in The Hague. They are only open for the public two weeks in spring and two weeks in autumn. We tried to do a photo shoot but it was soooo crowded. You couldn’t take a photo without a lot of strangers in view. Fear not, I will photoshop them out of sight. It was again a lovely day with lots of sunshine; the photos will appear in a post in the near future.
Friday I went to my friend Lia whom I have known since I was 16. We killed ourselves laughing telling each other funny stories and jokes. Amazing, that after being friends for such a long time, we still have stories to tell. What a delightful day.
Below: Lia. Her hair is for real. Long and not a single grey streak.
Below: With Lia’s cat on my lap. My own cat isn’t this cuddly.
Below: What I wore to Lia and my new (to me) Volvo car (I know…rich bitch). The ‘poing’ I was telling you about in a previous post, turned out to be a warning that I am approaching a camera for speeding or driving through a red light. Seems handy, only I found out on an internet forum that not all cameras are registered and some cameras which are already gone (for 10 years) are still in the system. Never mind, it is quite a cosy sound, now that I know I don’t have to worry about it.
To end this post, here is a YouTube video I stumbled upon. If you want to get to know the Dutch a bit better, this Australian woman who lived in the Netherlands explains it pretty well. One note: our government encourages you to take public transport or travel by bike, but they do not discourage you to get your driving licence. The rest of what she said is very true.
Greetje
What a lovely setting for a photo shoot. Blue looks very nice on you, even if it isn’t one of your favourite colours. It’s one of those colours that has a perfect shade for everyone. I think the pants look like they fit you very well. I always have difficulty finding pants that fit me in the butt and the hips, both of which I have very little of.
Estates usually are good settings for photo shoots and we have quite a few around here. In the old days, a lot of wealthy people from Amsterdam would have their ‘country house’ near Haarlem.
These blue trousers fitted me from the start I think, but usually I bring my new trousers straight to the seamstress. If possible (and it usually is), she takes in the back seam, rather than the sides.
If you haven’t got the perfect figure, a seamstress is so necessary.
I loved the video! I find learning about other cultures delightful and it was fun to learn a bit more about yours. Thanks for sharing it!
And it is soo true. We are a funny lot, we Dutch LOL.
The blues are so pretty. Glad to see you mixed green boots with the blue outfit. I just bought a pair of green suede brogues and have had second thoughts as to whether I should have gone more traditional. I hope they look good with jeans.
So glad you didn’t go more traditional. If you put your mind to it, you will see that your green brogues will jazz up any outfit. Green goes with so much. With blue, beige, white, yellow, brown, black, camel just to name a few. I usually cannot resist mirroring the green with an accessory but it isn’t necessary. Just awesome shoewear will do.
Always fun to read your posts! Love that green and blue jacket with your outfit. And picking up leaves with your heels—much lovelier than a noisy leaf blower! I wore boots with heels for Halloween and after four years of “retirement footwear” I had to put on a knee brace! 😉
I know that your feet, knees and back will protest to high heels if you do not keep them used to it. Which is why I keep wearing them, but only at times when I don’t have to walk a lot.
Glad you liked the post.
Oh, I love love love all the blues, especially in the opening photo. And these are wonderful backgrounds. Fantastic shoot.
Thanks Linda. I forwarded the compliments to Loes, who took the photos. I wasn’t sure whether the pictures would be good as the camera kept giving blurry photos, but Loes just kept on taking more. “One or two photos are bound to be OK”, is her motto.
Those green boots are amazing and go really well with the blue outfit. And that plaid jacket… wonderful. It matches the blue clock! It’s a pity KPA Haarlem doesn’t have a website (or maybe it’s a good thing for my bank balance…). Have a good week.
Kpa is working hard on the website Liz. Start saving haha. I always find it a pain though, to order abroad. The shop isn’t doing my bank balance any good either but at least it makes me look good haha.
I’ve always been a fan of monochrome dressing, and you’ve nailed it! I did giggle about you high heels being very useful at picking up leaves!!!! Brilliant!
I must say I ADORE your green boots. I know they’re old, but where did you find them? They’re divine!
I also love the location where you did your first photoshoot. I wish we had places like that here in the Algarve but I really can’t think of anywhere!
Have a fabulous week, Greetje!
Hugs
Suzy xx
When I can make you giggle (or smile or laugh) my mission is accomplished.
The green boots must be at least 7 years old and I found them in a shop in the middle of our country. I think the brand is GC. I have never heard of this brand and it is very hard to make out the name on the sole of the boots.
I do know they were pretty expensive (coming from me, that is really expensive) but they were heavily reduced in the sale. Probably because they were green. They had them in black too but they were sold out.
In the Algarve you have places we don’t have dear. Every country has its own beauty.
I just love monochrome looks! The green and blue plaid jacket is beautiful, I love it! Your hair always looks good, you are a well-groomed girl. LOL . What a cute earrings, beautiful and original. With the green boots the outfit also works well, although your pose on the bench with the heels is … fantastic!
When I show my hair on the blog, it is never very bad. After all, it is a blog which is a bit of a fantasy world. I do my best to keep it real, so no wrinkle photoshopping, but I do chose the nicest photos.
The pose on the bench pleasantly surprised me too. I wanted to use it as the first photo of my blog, but it was in a landscape size and I always want a portrait size as first photo.
What a lovely set of photos. I watched the video. I laughed when she said the Dutch dress for comfort. I thought she hasn’t seen Greetje in her heels in the park!
Have a lovely week!
Hahaha… so true, I don’t usually dress for comfort. But now that I am retired, this happens more and more. I cannot say goodbye to all my high heels but I am definitely wearing them less.
Never forget, photos for the blog are supposed to create a nice picture, not always the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.
If you were to visit our country, you would see that most people do dress for comfort, meaning jeans and sweaters and black coats, preferably with a zipper and a hood against the rain.
That jacket is just so good with the all-blue outfit!
Thanks, and a no-brainer of course.
Your monochromatic outfit is just gorgeous! I love the fact that you created the outfit with items from your closet to go with the new sweater. I’ve mentioned before how much I enjoy seeing your friends and your mother in your posts. Such stylish ladies!
Poor mum and poor friends. Most of them aren’t that keen on having their photo taken and certainly not having it posted on my blog. But 9 out of 10 they consent, just for me. Sweet.
I can’t wait to see the coat Katrina is making for you! Thanks again for brightening my Sunday with your post.
Brightening your Sunday was entirely my pleasure Wendy. Katrien has almost finished the coat. Cannot wait myself.
I like the outfit with the green boots best, as it brings out the green in the top and makes the slight mis-match with the pants more deliberate-looking.
Great pics, Greetje!
I see what you mean Sheila. It depends on what you want to convey, I suppose. The high heels are a bit goody two shoes. And I’d rather be naughty too. I just don’t have your bravery in chosing Fluevogs, no matter how much I like them.
I will give you some of my hips! lol
Oh, if we could just do that, we could create perfect people. Hmmm…come to think about that, how boring.
Hi Greetje. I love the look of short trousers but, in autumn/winter, I could not wear them bare-legged with just shoes as I suffer from cold feet. I think, on balance though, I prefer a wider-legged hem with boots under rather than the short-legged hem with boots over. However, love the blue colour; so much more cheerful than black.
I don’t mind much whether it is a wider-legged hem or short-legged hem with boots. They give a different vibe. With a wider-legged hem you won’t see much of the boots though, unless you wear wider-legged cropped trousers, which I don’t. They remind me too much of culottes and they are not flattering on me.
Loved your blue outfit, my favorite color. Like you hope Escape to the Chateau comes back for another season.
Blue is not my favourite colour, at least not near my face, but I really like this jumper.
Let’s keep our fingers crossed for another season of Escape to the Chateau.