Apparently I am in a quirky mood lately. First the silver pleated skirt and now a big puffy black co-ord. I was surprised how many of you liked the silver pleated skirt outfit. Let’s see how this outfit scores. It is another love or hate item, no wishy washy in between. I bought it at Vintage No 5 in Haarlem; weirdly enough, only the boots are second-hand, the co-ord is new. They sell a few new items.
A windy day in The Hague. Marjolein was my photographer and she took me to a church and after that to the Royal Palace Gardens.
Below: Marjolein in a purple outfit. The boots are EIJK boots and although more burgundy than purple, it is in the same colour family. We tried to find a corner near these church doors where the wind was blowing the least.
Below: Practicing a pose. I really like the photo, more than the first photo at the top. But I needed to use that first photo in order to give you a proper view of the co-ord. I hate fashion magazines when they don’t show the clothes properly (just a sleeve, or a couple of centimetres of the fabric).
Below: The brooch I am wearing on the top.
Below: It was a windy day with drizzle. Ideal for a photo shoot (NOT). Here you see the entrance of the Royal Palace Gardens. In winter it is, of course, not that pretty. It is open for the public so perhaps the royal family has a more beautiful garden behind a wall or so.
Below: Showing the width of the top. There are drawstrings on the bottom sides of the trouser legs which you can pull to your desired style.
Below: Part of the palace. It doesn’t look grand from this side, but believe me, it is.
Below: I found a post to hang from. My choice of bag was my puffy black bag.
Below: Art in the palace gardens.
Below: That called for playing in. We both crawled in it.
Below: Marjolein’s burgundy EIJK boots, complete with a little soil. We did stray from the paths.
Below: Then we found this building, which is for the Military Police.
Below: The Military Police let me be photographed in one of their watch booths. So kind.
I was still wandering around with no coat on and I was freezing. We found a cute restaurant and had lunch while our limbs warmed up.
What happened in my life this week
Visited Marita (below) for a coffee and a chat.
Ron accompanied me to see mum and he hung a little lamp on the wall by her bed. Because it is hard for her to reach across the bed and switch the light on, we bought a set of “in between sockets” with a remote control and we managed to put three lamps on the remote control. The fourth one will be added another time. Now mum doesn’t have to move at all anymore (joke).
We stayed a couple of hours longer and played Rummikub. Sometimes people ask me whether I let my mum win. NEVER. I think that is an insult to her intelligence and she proves that often enough, like this Sunday when she beat me three times. My score was nil. Ron fetched chips and croquettes and the three of us had a “meal” together.
I did a photo shoot with Kitty but because of the cold, damp weather it wasn’t easy. My hair is looking so, so bad since the last cut. Bad hair makes me suffer.
On Wednesday I had a date with Arian, an ex-colleague whom I really like. We were going to have a lovely day in Amsterdam. Well, we did have a nice day, catching up but it was raining all day. We were soaked. Very different from our previous get-together.
Below: Arian. She and I used to have the same opinion on the work we did together. Makes work a lot easier. I could say something and she could finish the sentence.
Kitty came round to give me the quick Photoshop lesson that I needed.
I also had a cremation this week. My friend’s husband had died. So sad for her. Poor girl was crying all the time of course. There is really nothing you can do to console. She said that too. In the end it is really up to you on how to grieve.
And on a totally different note, the painter has started in the house, repairing all the doors and walls where the paint has come off.
Greetje
I love the outfit! The texture reminds me of my MZ Wallace bags (all in black) and they are favorites. The outfit fits you so well and, as someone else pointed out, is youthful in the best of ways.
I’ve been busy with work for months and haven’t kept up with my favorite bloggers. I now have a little more time, so I’m looking forward to going back to see what you have been wearing and doing.
Well, I do know that two of my loyal readers think the outfit is awful. I can so understand that.
The majority however (to my big surprise) likes the outfit.
I hope you will have fun reading my old blog posts. If you have the time and the patience for it.
My first thought on the black outfit was “youthful.” You wear it well.
Oh that is a nice compliment. Youthful is how we all want to look. And is very different from ‘trying to look young’ (= bad).
I did doubt the outfit after I bought it, so I am very pleased (and surprised) with the positive reactions.
You look so, so good in this outfit. It’s fun, sculptural, and fashion-forward. Seriously just great.
Thanks Susie. Even though I picked it from the rack myself, I was rather uncertain about it in hindsight. All the positive comments flabbergast me. And please me of course.
I love the outfit on you Greetje. It looks great and suits your personality. This day you were wearing if for a photoshoot. What other days would you wear it? I guess I am asking ‘how does this type of outfit fit into your lifestyle?’ I would like to be more adventurous with my clothing but don’t think I have the lifestyle for it. I love your blog it is creative, real and inspirational. It gives me hope that one day I might break free!!
You raised a very good question Claire. One that I should have asked myself before buying it. But in hindsight I don’t think it is a purchase mistake. I would wear it to meet friends in a café for coffee and I do that often as you know. Or go to the movie. Or to shop with friends. When I want to be casual and at ease.
It isn’t as warm as it looks. But if I put thick tights and a jumper underneath it could serve as a very warm outfit for freezing temperatures.
My advice to you is: break free NOW. As there is only now, tomorrow is uncertain. I have no idea what your lifestyle is, but outfits like this aren’t work wear. If you don’t work, I think you can wear anything. Having said that, I hardly wear any dresses anymore now that I am retired.
I LOVE this quilted ‘fit, Greetje! You’re so lucky to be tall and long-limbed – I would be drowning in this myself. The guard box photo is my favourite.
I live in dread for one of our “chosen family” group to die (as we lost our dear Karen nearly 4 years ago), but that’s the way of life, isn’t it? Doesn’t make it any easier…Sending you and your lovely friends, and your dear mum, and of course Ron and Watson (and the cat!) much love!
Oh Sheila, how horrible. I’ll text you.
I would wear this whole outfit – boots and brooch included! Love the shape of the top and pants. This is very much a different look for you and you wear it very well. It’s fun to mix things up a bit and try something out of your comfort zone. You always have interesting backgrounds for your photos.
I suppose because it is such a different look for me (you are right in that), that I was doubting it after I bought it.
Thank you for all your compliments.
This is a head turning outfit. I would be the lady following you to get another good look! Love it!
Hahaha…funny. I immediately pictured you in my mind, following me around. Thanks for the compliment.
Good outfit, I LOVE those boots.
And I wasn’t even looking for those boots. I saw them and liked them but they were a size too small (so I thought). Then the lady of the shop said “try them on to see what the suit looks like with boots such as these”. They didn’t only look great, they fitted as well. And they were unworn. Sometimes you get lucky.
Love the outfit. Addition of the brooch really contributes to the styling. It seems the perfect time of year for such an outfit – injecting a bit fun into the final winter months.
I would have loved the co-ord to be a fun colour instead of black. On the other hand, it would probably have been too much. I haven’t worn this brooch much but, like you, I thought it suited the co-ord.
Love the edgy high-fashion casual outfit! The volume creates such drama, while the quilting gives cheekiness. I have a Naf-Naf gigantic jumpsuit from the ’90’s I’ll have to get out and try. You’ve inspired me!
Good for you, the ’90’s are hot again, so I bet you can wear it and be really on trend.
One of your best in my opinion.
Just shoot me…here am I, thinking nobody is going to like it, too quaint, and everybody seems to really love it. That is such a surprise.
So very wonderful to see you! Your outfit is really cute and very cold weather. The northern US got 0.914 m of snow last night! Hard for puppies to potty!
We have a nice department store here that carries a line called I C Collections. They do the alternative clothing style your outfit is in. I wear some of their items along with a brand called Bryn Walker that I got a cute navy cotton jacket with a wide collar a few years ago. I like that they are their own style.
I’ll send you some pictures.
I’m near the end of my second round of steroids. I stood for about 20 minutes several times today.
I hope I can go to work around March 1. I’m kind of glad I missed all the mark downs and cold days with few customers.
I love the entire outfit on you and I would definitely add the jacket to my wardrobe. I always enjoy the photos in all your postings!
Thank you Kathy. I tried the jacket with a pencil skirt, thick tights and the same white boots and that looked cute. I also tried the trousers with a different top, which is trickier, but can be done.
The suit is warm, but not extremely warm although it looks like that. But if you put thick tights and a jumper underneath it would be hot. Hurray for your progress but…working again around March 1??? Sounds far too soon to me.
What fun this post is! I love the co-ord outfit — you look amazing in this! So stylish and creative.
Thanks Cynthia. I expected nothing but negative reactions, like “you look horrible in it”. But everybody is so positive. Just goes to show I don’t really know styling or fashion haha. But I did pick it from the hanger.
I love, love, Love this quilted outfit with its Japanese sculptural lines. So warm as well, I hope? Oh how I wish I could see something similar here in London! I also like your friend’s embroidered blouse, but I would have less use for it… The new no-hands lighting system for your mum also interests me greatly, as reading in bed is one of my favorite pastimes. So far I can reach the lamp but I’d prefer to have symmetrical lighting instead of always leaning to one side…
It is reasonably warm but if you put thick tights and a shirt underneath, it will be even hot. The suit if from a company I would never have visited, but it is online and perhaps they still have it. (Here is the link but I warn you, the website isn’t very user friendly I am afraid: https://www.viadellerose.com/en
The no-hands lighting system, or rather “switch-on system” you can get everywhere, I bet. Like in a hardware store.
Love the outfit especially the white boots. I also love Marjolens boots reminds me of a pair I had a few years ago that were similar to hers and the same colour. It looks like you had a nice day except for the wind. I’m glad your Mum is keeping well its nice that you all had so much fun.
I wasn’t even looking at the white boots (they were a size too small for me, so I thought), but the lady of the shop said “try them on, just to see what they look like with this suit”. Not only did they look great, they fitted as well and were never worn.
Great outfit! Too wild for me but you look great!!!
Have a good week.
Thanks Anne. Although it is too wild for you, you still give me a compliment. Nice!
Greetje, regarding your hair, I immediately noticed how youthful it looks today. Is it that layers have been added? I know you are unhappy with it but sometimes we get stuck in a rut, which can be aging. You know like the lady who does not change her make-up for 20 years. Not you obviously, just an example.
PS: This outfit will also look so fab with platform sneakers. Modern!! I really love it.
I don’t have platform sneakers but that can be corrected (heh heh heh). And I think you are right, they will look good with the suit. With a lot of clothes really. Why don’t I have them yet?
My hair probably looked youthful because it was blown apart. A look that normally requires a lot of strange stuff from a little pot, the wet look or the wind look. And when I comb it and am extra careful it looks perfect, it might be a little too perfect. Especially with that bob cut, it might not look that youthful. But what I hate about it right now, that it twists and turns in ways I don’t like and it looks thin and tired.
Your outfit looks perfect for Alaska. I have to look whether I find a suit like this somewhere here. It looks so windproof and warm, while being incredibly chic. Not like the refrigerator clothes we wear up here for thermal comfort.
Incredibly chic…too much praise, I’m sure. It is a warm outfit but not really that warm. Of course you can put thick tights and another warm jumper underneath and nobody would notice.
No idea whether you can find a suit like this. Here is the link to the brand but their website isn’t really very good. It says you can choose English as your language, only that doesn’t work:
https://www.viadellerose.com/en
I think you are brave and creative, and that’s what so fun! I have also had second thoughts about something a bit too ‘different ‘ that I have brought home. In a recent case, I thought a printed long sweater was a ‘ look at me’ kind of situation, which I had regretted . It hung in my closet for a year…somehow escaping my editing for the consignment shop ( my lucrative side hustle) . We were seeing friends for dinner this week, two lovely fellows who often enjoy seeing what I am wearing. I put on the sweater with a coordinating top underneath in lime and found some wider navy pants, cinched it closed with a rich brown belt and found matching shoes in the same leather. Finished with coordinating hoop earrings found on a trip …Ta Da!
All the colours…swirls of teal , lime, and rich brown on a navy background are good on me, so once I had figured out how to put it together, I felt confident. It was a hit, so it will stay with me after all .
You sound very creative. Teal, lime and rich brown on navy sounds so good. Send me a photo if you have time. I am curious.
I absolutely love this outfit! Looks comfy and warm and perfect for the weather! I love reading about your week!
Another lover of the outfit, Yippee. It surprises me but it also makes me glad.
As for my week, sometimes not a lot happens and then my readers are out of luck.
Love this outfit and one of your best..you look fantastic and wear it well..I also like the wind swept hair in first photo.. the white boots…meh..but that’s me.
Gosh, one of my best outfits… I expected far more negative comments, but apparently I only instinctively know that something is good and when I start thinking about it and judging, the doubt creeps in.
The outfit is the best. I agree with Judy B. The bag, shoes, pin everything works! How fun this post is. Stop worrying about your hair. It always looks fine as far as I am concerned. Yet, I get it, I fuss about mine also for no reason, then get compliments. Go figure!!
I do fuss about my hair and especially when I am on a photo shoot. So you will always see the best possible. If it is really bad, I am not showing it haha. And I am pleased you like the outfit so much. Didn’t expect that.
I’m a very conservative dresser but I think you wear this well. I enjoy seeing all styles even if they may not complement me. You have a fierce spirit and it seems very carefree and fun. On a side note, the ornate door in the photo is gorgeous. I appreciate the varied scenery in your photos. Thank you!
That is a big compliment from a very conservative dresser. You have an open mind. Bravo and thank you.
Absolutely love the black co-ord! I probably would have never even tried it on, but it looks so great on you.
Oh great Janis. I loved the look on the hanger in the shop. And I loved it when I tried it on. I wasn’t that sure anymore the day after, but hey, I bought it, so I’d wear it. Just pull a confident face and everything will be OK haha. Glad you like it.
I love the wind blown look of your hair and the pin is spectacular. Not so sure about the outfit. It looks so comfortable but is not very flattering. On the other hand, I would love to have those boots!
You are right, the outfit is certainly not flattering. Edgy, different and comfortable might apply. But certainly not flattering haha. So I get your point. Wind-blown hair can be good, as long as the wind doesn’t blow right in my face. Makes me look like an idiot.
I love this outfit! It works so well with your long legs and slim build. Everything about it appeals to me, as does the choice of the black puffy bag. The whole look is edgy, but not over-the-top. Good choice. I’ve been enjoying your blog for many years. Thanks for sharing your life with us, Greetje!
Thanks for reassuring me Judy. I was doubting the co-ord the day after I bought it. But it is so comfortable. I now wear it and pull a very confident face. Apparently it fools everybody haha. Besides, most people don’t care at all what other people wear. But still, you liking it, pleases me a lot.
Love the flunky -look of the black outfit…and looks comfy. I think there is a side slit at base of the pant. Nice, and new here in Western Canada. I bought a black and white “huge” look winter jacket recently and have been hesitant to wear it, but now that I see you in all that “huge” quilt look, maybe……….
Oh, you introduced a new word to me, one which I cannot really translate with Google either: “flunky”. Do you mean “baggy”?
If you bought the jacket, I think you should wear it. I know the feeling of doubt though. Believe me, the day after I bought this co-ord I was like “WHY?” Totally doubting it. But I decided to wear it anyway (really comfortable) and pull a self-assured face to fool everyone. Fake it, till you make it. And if you look confident, everybody usually thinks it must be good haha.
I’m not positive, but I think the word she meant to use was “funky” which means modern and stylish in an unconventional way.
That’s fine Elaine. I can understand that you are not positive. Quite frankly, I am surprised so many people like the outfit. I expected the opposite as it is not figure flattering.
Love it! I think this is my favourite since I’ve been reading your blog
Thanks ! My readers never cease to amaze me. Here I am, thinking “this outfit is rather an acquired taste; I think it won’t go down well”. And everybody reacts in quite the opposite way. Just goes to show what I know (=nothing).
I love this outfit! Is looks fun, comfortable, stylish, interesting, and a little different. I like your hair blowing around and the sense of fun and whimsy.
The outfit is certainly comfortable and I would even go as far as saying ‘very different’. I just have to pull a face that says “Aren’t I fabulous in this?”. It may fool people haha.
At the moment I absolutely hate my hair. I still have to wait three weeks before I can see my previous hairdresser. And it will take at least half a year, I’m afraid, before my hair will be the way it always have been.
The outfit looks good on you because you have long legs. My legs are short in comparison to my torso, so this is a big no for me. I might wear the top but with a fitted pair of pants. I do like it in black because I wear black a lot. In general, I’m a much more conservative dresser than you are! That’s why I like your blog. I get ideas about what to wear.
My long legs have saved me from a lot, in matters of style. Funny that you should say you get ideas about what to wear, while you are a much more conservative dresser. I would have thought that all inspiration you’d get for me would be too far out.
I love this on you! It’s fun, playful, different …
OK, another lover of the outfit. To tell you the truth, I wasn’t so sure afterwards haha.
I love it!!
Wow, a lover. So far, one reader on the fence and six lovers. Didn’t expect that. I even doubted my decision to buy it afterwards.
OK, so I love this look, even if it is black, haha! The texture and shape lightens it up a bit, and the white boots work really well.
I’ve also been in a “have fun with it” style mood lately.
Thanks Susan. But from now on, I will concentrate on colour again. I am done with the black.
I’m not sure about the outfit, but your smiles in these photos radiate health and happiness.
I suppose I’ll just have to smile and laugh a lot and everything will be forgiven haha.