Cobalt blue trousers with green and white necklace by Angela CaputiWide leg trousers are so comfortable! I completely fell for these cobalt blue trousers by COS. This time I was so wise to test out the outfit before I used it for a blog photo shoot. By wearing it, you’ll notice what needs to be adjusted. In this case, the waistband needed adjusting. COS has such a clever method for that. Part of the back is gathered with an elastic band and this band has buttonholes and one button, sewn to the inside. So you can adjust the waist to your desired width.

First I wore the waistband much tighter but I found it created a very short upper body (which is correct as I do have a short upper body). Also the right leg was a little too short, which is nearly always the case. As I loosened the button to the next buttonhole, the waist became wider and the trousers were mid-rise. Subsequently the legs became longer. Fabulous.

Below: The trousers, nice as they may be, are really a vehicle to show off this necklace by Angela Caputi, which I found on eBay. This is my fourth necklace by this designer, I love her work.

Green and white necklace by Angela Caputi

White earrings would have been the obvious choice but I wanted colour near my face, especially because I was wearing a white shirt (see the original post with this shirt). Marcella of Lara Design came up with a smart solution to my quest for matching earrings. She had simple wooden earrings and she sent me to a creative DIY shop to buy the right colour paint. We finished it with nail top coat for a bit of shine, et voilà, as the French would say. Genius.

Marjolein was my photographer and we met at Central Station in Amsterdam. I thought the neighbourhood behind the Dam square would be good for a shoot, even though it might be busy as it was Whit Monday. Well, it was soooo crowded. And the area behind the Dam square was hardly inspiring. Although the canal always paints a nice picture.

Below: Standing on the bridge of the Oudezijds Voorburgwal (I won’t bother to translate this street name). Gosh, Amsterdam is beautiful when the trees are green.

Canal in Amsterdam

As we walked on, we stumbled upon Hotel The Grand. And Grand it certainly is, boasting a rich history; from a 15th-century convent to royal lodgings, to the headquarters of the Admiralty to the City Hall of Amsterdam. You can read all about it on their history page.

Below: Stepping into their front courtyard we saw two giant rhododendrons. First background for the cobalt blue trousers. I am wearing my trainers (sneakers) with the outfit in this photo. The ones you saw for the first time 3 weeks ago in this post. So comfortable.

Cobalt blue trousers with green and white necklace by Angela Caputi

Below: Lovely old details.

Hotel The Grand in Amsterdam

We asked the doorman whether there was a garden (with less wind). He was very obliging, very charming and pointed us through the reception area to the garden, knowing very well we weren’t guests.

Below: Two photos of the reception area. Oh yes, very grand.

Hotel The Grand in Amsterdam

Hotel The Grand in Amsterdam

Below: The garden did not disappoint either. There was a restaurant but you’d hardly notice it. Underneath the trees people were having lunch. We took the photo from a balcony.

Hotel The Grand in Amsterdam

Below: This balcony. I had changed the trainers (sneakers) for flat shoes.

Cobalt blue trousers with green and white necklace by Angela Caputi

Below: I bought the shoes at kpa.haarlem and the brand is Bruno Premi. On their website you’ll see they also sell them in black and white but I quite like this camel with white. Rather chic and they go with so many other colours. They are very comfortable but I didn’t want to risk walking in them for a long time as I was wearing them for the first time that day.

Camel and white flat shoes

Below: Marjolein took this excellent photo of a female statue in the garden, with the windows reflected in the water.

Hotel The Grand in Amsterdam

Below: Same statue taken from the other side. The “pond” is only inches deep.

Hotel The Grand in Amsterdam

Below: We found a little secluded area with a mosaic table for “the sitting down photo”.

Cobalt blue trousers with green and white necklace by Angela Caputi

Below: Close-up of the table and the lamps.

Hotel The Grand in Amsterdam

Below: The helpful staff showed us another corner with these chaises longues.

Cobalt blue trousers with green and white necklace by Angela Caputi

Below: I took Marjolein’s photos in this spot as well.

Marjolein

Below: Being elegant in the sitting down pose LOL.

Marjolein

Below: This is my favourite photo of her. I thought she was quite the dare-devil as those mosaic benches were situated underneath trees which usually means they are not clean. Fortunately they were, perhaps the staff of The Grand clean them every day? Could be as we found the staff to be excellent. Helpful, charming and so willing to do you a favour. (And no, this is not a sponsored post.)

Marjolein

Below: Close-up of Marjolein’s earring.

Earring Marjolein

We thought it was a very good photo shoot and started to walk back to the station.

Below: We saw this antique tram on Dam square.

old tram in Amsterdam

Below: We passed a very quaint shop called Asian Spirit and walked in. There was a huge statue (tree?) right behind the door. So quaint, I immediately took a photo and only saw the sign “No photos” afterwards .

Asian Spirit in Amsterdam

Below: We had gone up to the first floor and came down with the lift. Marjolein had seen that the doors of the lift had faces painted on them. My face through the glass in the middle. Strange place.

Asian Spirit in Amsterdam

We went for lunch at department store the Bijenkorf (beehive), as we feared the prices of The Grand would be too steep for us. Ron had given me credit vouchers for the Bijenkorf at Christmas and I finally managed to use them to buy new body shapers. Expensive stuff and sooo boring, I never want to spend money on them.

What happened in my life this week

Mostly running errands. Of course I saw mum on Sunday but was so busy I forgot to take a photo.

Below: Lovely Marcella of Lara Design visited me and showed me her newly designed earrings. Silver coloured this time, which is rather unusual for her.

Marcella

Paid a short visit to Marianne to bring back her gold bracelet, which I had repaired for her. No photo as it was her PJ day.

Below: One of my outfits this week. The trousers I wore originally with this top (see the blog post) are no longer in my wardrobe as I gave them away. I regret that now, as I find the trousers below too short. They are nice, but not with this top and those boots.

Red and white outfit

Friday I had coffee and lunch with my friend Maurits (see below). Always so nice. He said we have been friends for 36 years now. We immediately set a date for another get-together.

Maurits

Below: Maurits brought me a big bouquet of peonies, my favourite flowers, even more than tulips. He cut and arranged them for me.

bouquet of peonies

Below: I had another bouquet which was getting old and we took out the flowers that were still good. Often when you cut ‘left-over flowers’ a lot shorter, they will last another week. I thought my arranging wasn’t half bad.

Bouquet from left-over flowers

The weather is still fickle here. One day warm, the next day cold. And even when it is warm, that north wind is still blowing, spoiling everything. So far, no bare legs.

See you next week.

Greetje

No Fear of Fashion

 

error: Content is protected !!