Needing some more photos for blog posts, I asked my friend Ayen whether she’d mind taking pictures when I visited her. She didn’t mind at all; she was even enthusiastic about the prospect, so I chose this long black and cream dress to wear. It is a Spain holiday trophy and versatile to style.
Below: Ayen, my photographer of the day. We were colleagues for only 2 months back in 1986 I think and stayed friends ever since. She is now an animal communicator. For the Dutch, I will give you the link to her site. She is really good.
Below: The first thing we did, was inspecting her new apartment which is being renovated at the moment.
The first photo, at the top of this post is a beauty in my opinion. The contrast between the building site and the classy dress creates a lovely juxtaposition.
Below: Her apartment looks out on to a big communal garden with lots of trees. Ayen seized the opportunity to photograph the back of the dress and the stiletto heels. Those pumps are ancient. Very expensive at the time (brand Sergio Rossi) and they are totally my taste. I love such shoes, even though I haven’t got the life for it anymore.
Below: Ayen knew a church which she thought would be great as background for the photos and she was right.
Black with white/cream is a colour combination just begging to be brightened up with a vibrant colour. In this case I used a modern necklace which Sylvia of 40+Style once gave me as a present. To make the neckline wider to suit the necklace, I folded the fabric at the collar (the exposed lining is a lovely black and cream stripe) and secured it with safety pins.
Below: Close-up of the necklace. When I am wearing a statement necklace, I will always go demure with the earrings. I don’t want them to fight for attention.
Below: Close-up of the pumps and the puffer bag. The puffer bag is not leather and ever so handy, apart from when you need something from the bag; it is like searching in a duvet.
Those are HEELS my friends, wouldn’t you say? And I can actually walk in them quite well. Only our pavements and streets aren’t suited for such heels.
Below: Around the church is a lovely garden.
Below: As I was posing for this photo, some people photobombed behind me. They have now been turned into flowers and bushes.
Below: It was difficult to photograph the whole of the church tower as there were many trees around it, blocking the view.
Below: Lovely little detail on the roof.
Below: The head-to-toe shot of Ayen near a memorial statue.
Below: The same dress, this time without the belt and with comfortable puffer slippers. There is a theme going on here, folks. The slippers also came with me from Spain.
Below: I changed the earrings. They are corrugated cardboard and they hang from the little stud earrings I am wearing above. The neckline is back to its original state with the striped lining on the inside.
Below: There were some lovely houses around the church.
Below: Perfect background. ‘Hands-in-pockets’ pose, something my photographer Kitty always forbids haha.
Below: It’s an old area.
Below: I could have washed my feet, but I didn’t try the pump to see whether it still works.
That concludes this black and cream dress part. I prefer the dress with a belt, perhaps even with another, leather, belt but worn loose it is perfect for hot weather.
What happened in my life this week
Saturday was a busy day and started with coffee on a terrace with my friend Janneke. If you are a loyal reader of my posts, you will know by now that I drink a lot of coffee (mostly cappuccinos) and I sit in restaurants and on terraces a lot. I lead a very privileged life and I know it.
Below: Horrible selfie of Janneke and me haha. I used to work with Janneke and we became friends. A very intelligent and warm-hearted woman.
At noon I rushed off on my bike as Ron and his friends were waiting with lunch at the allotment garden. Ron had fetched herring for everybody (we were with 8 people). The herring is very fresh at the moment and he brought shrimps for me as I am not that keen on herring.
Sunday Ron and I visited mum who is gradually feeling better. She was even wearing shoes again. A friend of her had arranged for a wheelchair. I could persuade mum to let me take her to the village’s market square and have an ice cream in the sun. It was quite an outing for her. She hates sitting in a wheelchair but it does give her more possibilities.
She is doing small exercises to get her muscles back to a level that she can walk for more than 200 meters herself.
Below: Mum and her iPad. She plays WordFeud on it with me and several friends, she can email and save photos she receives by email and she is on Facebook. Not bad for an almost 94 year old woman, right?
That Sunday Marcella of Lara Design popped by to give me two repaired sets of earrings. I had dropped them two weeks ago and they had broken. Glass on tiles and mother of pearl on the street…they don’t survive. Marcella had added an extra pair of earrings as a gift. So sweet.
Monday was a day of vacuum cleaning, ironing, changing the bedlinen and fitness exercises. When I woke up on Tuesday I felt my operated eye for the first time. Did I overdo it? The leaflet says I am allowed to do very little for the first 14 days.
In the afternoon I drove to the town of Alkmaar which is a beautiful, historic town.
Below: Historic building. I created a blog post in January 2020 using this building as background.
Below: Drawbridge across a canal.
Below: The big church in the middle of the market square. Alkmaar is well-known for its cheese trade. Other posts I did in Alkmaar are this one and this one, showing you more of this beautiful town and its little streets.
Below: The shop Vintage No 5 was my destination and I scored two tops and a pair of white jeans. The owner is a very nice woman who took this photo. I am wearing my white cherry print dress over black 3/4 cigarette trousers.
Because I felt my operated eye, I kept really quiet on Tuesday. In the morning I facetimed with my friend Nicoline instead of meeting her as she caught the Covid virus. It doesn’t make her ill but she did lose her sense of smell and taste, poor thing.
In the afternoon I drove to the cobbler to bring Katrien’s vegan leather boots. I had offered Katrien to let my cobbler take a look at a spot of damage on them. Contrary to leather, damage isn’t easily repaired on vegan material but he is a third European Champion Cobbler; I have seen him work miracles.
As the cobbler is in the same town where Marianne lives, I paid her a visit.
Below: Marianne’s son took our photo and made us laugh.
I was wearing the outfit with which my blog logo is created, just with different shoes. Perhaps also with a different waist size? The artist who drew me at the time already gave me an impossibly thin waist anyway.
Then, because I owe you another video, Marianne filmed me demonstrating walking in high heels. I searched on Google how to insert a YouTube video in the old (embedded) way and lo and behold…I did it!
I hate watching myself on video; that voice! The arrogance! Brrrr… and I notice the mistakes I make in English. Writing is much easier as you can edit the text several times and I also have a native speaking editor, Selina, for the finishing touches (or more).
Wednesday I kept quiet as well and didn’t do my exercises (my poor body). I am still helping Ron with his business and in that context I had a meeting with the administrator. Apparently I am doing a good bookkeeping job. It made me quite proud although that sounds a bit silly.
I picked up my dress at the seamstress who added two buttons and button holes to the dress. At the same time I brought her white jeans to take in, which I had bought second-hand on Monday (with the original shop tag still on them). I paid €80 for them which isn’t dead cheap. In Canada where my blogger friend Sheila (of Ephemera) lives, vintage clothes are much cheaper than in the Netherlands. Sheila’s clothes are 95% vintage which she combines with a crazy crush on Fluevog shoes and boots, which are eccentric and expensive. She has such good vintage finds and they all cost so little. I envy her for such abundance in vintage.
A quick stop at kpa.haarlem to buy Karlijn a cup of coffee and have a chat. That’s not easy as it is usually busy in her shop and customers come first of course.
Some gardening and blogging after that and another day was over.
Thursday I took mum to the hospital for a check. Good news: the wound is healing and will further heal. Bad news: we aren’t there yet. They changed the wound treatment and off we went again. I dropped mum off at the hairdressers and went home to wash my hair.
Friday. The day of operation eye number two. According to the surgeon everything went well. Kept really quiet the rest of the day.
Greetje
Love this dress on you and I don’t think it’s a formal dress at all. Jazz up with funky jewelry, wear with slippers or sneakers and it’s a gorgeous every day dress!
OK, I will take your advice at heart and experiment a bit. Thanks.
I like the bold necklace with the black and white dress – very classy. You know me, I pile on the accessories, regardless! What a nice surprise to see your Anne M. Bray outfit in real life (she drew me a couple of times, and both so skinny! Lol). I love your video – you’re demonstrating the key to wearing heels, which is, “Trust the heel.” Plant the heel first and then the toes – this is a rookie mistake with women (or men!) who try to walk in heels. You have to walk heel first.
So glad your mum is doing better (I love her black and white top), and that she got out, even if it was in the dreaded wheelchair.
Thank you so kindly for the shout-out and link! 80 Euros is $104 Canadian! I overheard someone when I was out shopping last week say that Victoria has hardly any consignment, compared to big cities like Toronto and Montreal! I think we have a pretty big selection here. You need to come back and visit and shop with me – bring an empty suitcase! 🙂
I would feel as if I was tiptoeing if I walked the toes first. With these shoes planting the heel first is easy as it is a sturdy heel.
Indeed $104 Canadian. Crazy compared to the bargains you so often get. Even for the Netherlands it was pretty steep being second-hand but it was new with tags on and I have been searching for good white jeans forever. Even with these I had to take them to the seamstress. I have an odd shape haha.
I would love to come back to Vancouver and go vintage shopping with you and Mel and perhaps even Suzanne. But somehow I don’t think that is going to happen.
How fun to see you in the yellow and black that was the inspiration for your blog logo. I like it! Hope you have a good week and take care of your eyes.
The yellow and blue (nearly black) outfit was nice but it doesn’t look as good as it used to, so many years ago. I don’t think I’ll be wearing it again.
My eyes are doing great and I have very clear vision now. Just another 3 1/2 weeks of putting drops in my eyes and then it is done.
I think the dress looks better with the quirky earrings, especially the orange cardboard ones! Love the cherry dress with 3/4 trousers, better than on its own with bare legs. Glad your mum’s feeling better and able to move around a bit. The pics of Alkmaar are just gorgeous. Look after your eyes and have a great week!
I have to put more effort in styling this dress, you are right. These were the easy choices. The cherry dress…hmm I am inclined to agree with you that it looks better with the tight trousers, but I so want to wear it as a dress.
My eyes are doing great. Just another 3 1/2 weeks of putting drops in my eyes and I am done.
The first photo is my favorite picture of you ever. Normally black and white is too high a value contrast for your coloring, but it works here. The relatively even distribution of light and dark makes it perfect for you. I love the pattern, cut, and drape of the dress. Your Sergio Rossi pumps look perfect with it. You look fabulous.
I bought Sergio Rossi heels last year. They came with a written warning not to put nonskid pads on the bottom of the soles. This would upset the perfect balance of the shoes, the card said. My shoes are surprisingly comfortable and stable to walk in. An example of getting what you pay for! Just because their designs are simple doesn’t mean they didn’t put a lot of effort into it.
Saysee Rizental is right this dress would look great with boots.
I totally agree with you on the Sergio Rossi heels. They do deliver their value. Unfortunately that is not always the case. I have tried other famous shoe brands and the shoes hurt even as I fitted them. Not all of them put the extra money we customers pay, into a better product.
I told Saysee that I don’t wear summer dresses in winter or autumn. Too cold. And when I put a warm top underneath it, it adds a size.
Since I received your post, it’s now officially Sunday! Love your black and white dress and all of the beautiful photos of you, your friends, and wonderful buildings and gardens. Thanks for always brightening my day.
I hope your cataract surgery went well. Now you’re all done!
Have a good week.
What a nice compliments you give Anne. Thank you very much. It is so nice to hear that my blog efforts are appreciated.
My second cataract surgery went well too. I now have very clear vision. What’s left, are the numerous drops in the eyes. Less than 4 weeks to go and it’s all done.
Absolutely love the black and white dress, extremely elegant even on a ladder in a renovation site. 🙂 Could you see yourself wearing boots with it when the season changes? The cherry dress is a cutie with the leggings. Thank you for all the beautiful pictures including the little town. And last but not least I am glad your momma is doing better. I also have a mom that is 94 and uses technology (phone in this case) all the time. Way to go ladies!
I usually do not wear summer dresses in winter or autumn. I find them too cold for those seasons. Wearing a warm top underneath them makes me a size bigger. But I agree that boots would look good with this dress.
I am trying to keep up with technology to avoid becoming ‘an outsider’ when I get old(er). It is hard though when you are not working and there is no necessity to learn.
How beautiful this dress, I love the design and the print, it is very elegant. I love the necklace and the earrings, both very original, as well as the background chosen for the photos. Although I like loose, wide dresses… in this case I like it better with the belt on, I thought your figure would be perfect. I really like your white dress with cherry print and also the look with black pants, it’s stylish. Very cute in your video, I love the look and your cadence.
As I promised…many dresses on the blog this summer. And all to please you haha (just joking, although you did make me stop and think).
I have another big, wide dress which I love on a hot summer day. You will see it soon. And I don’t expect you to love it.
When I looked at the photo and the video with the lime yellow dress and the yellow high heels, I thought… “hmmm… I don’t think I am ever going to wear it like that anymore”. I am getting older and not everything looks as good on me as it did 7 years ago.
I like the black and white dress, slimming, classy. Mum is cute as always 🥰.
The dress is probably only slimming when belted haha. It is more like a potatoe sack without the belt. Or as we say in the Netherlands “soup dress”. No idea why.
I love this dress on you, both with and without the belt. The first picture is fabulous. You always find such interesting backgrounds for your pictures. Your mum looks so well and is quite inspiring. I hope you soon have excellent vision and are fully recovered. I always look forward to Sunday and your blog so thank you.
Let me tell you that it is hard work to find interesting backgrounds haha. I learned that industrial backgrounds can work really good with an elegant outfit. The apartment in renovation gave me the idea.
Mum is doing well and we both have high hopes the wound will heal soon.
My vision is indeed very good. I just can hardly read without reading glasses but that is not a big deal. If I am only carrying a small bag with no place for reading glasses, I take a small, flat magnifying glass with me. Just in case.
And I am very glad that you enjoy my blog so much. It fills my blogging heart with gladness.
I really like the peasant style yellow dress..very colourful and more your style..The black and white from Spain is nice especially when belted but…..
Indeed, but….I haven’t got many occasions to wear high heels and a formal dress. Hello… why did I buy this thing then? Reflex from my corporate days??? Hmmm… I might have to change my shopping ways.
That’s a versatile dress. I think it’s more “you” with the belt & heels, but the other way looks comfortable and nice for warmer casual days. I love that top image on the ladder, too. Well done!
I am always looking for different poses. Usually I fail at that and sometimes I get it right and that is very satisfying.
You are right about the belt and heels being more me, but I have to adjust to my new lifestyle.