What easy styling this was, the combination of my white wide leg trousers with a colourful shirt. A no-brainer. I might take some credit for adding apple green shoes, an orange belt and pink earrings + bracelet. Which is why I kept the bag “quiet”. Adding another pattern or colour would have been too much for my taste, but I know women who can pull that off.
Loes and I started the photo shoot at 10 a.m. which gave us perfect light. Much better than afternoon light.
The day before, I had cycled through the old area of Haarlem and found a street that seemed perfect for a photo shoot. The street was very much into the European Championship soccer. Orange everywhere (Orange is the name of our royals).
Below: The bra made me laugh.
Below: A creative way of showing your support.
Below: Clever solution, a washing rack from the balcony. The fierce wind of the day before had messed up the clothes.
The Dutch were going mad anyway. So many supporters went to the games, the numbers grew from 40,000 to 100,000. For a small country like ours (18 million people in total), that is a lot.
Below: The crazy Dutch soccer fans on their way to one of the games.
Click on the video below if you also want to hear them sing the song that went viral, the Snollebollekes song…”From the left…to the right…“.
We made it to the semi finals and got beaten by the English, literally in the last minute.
What will always be in my mind, is how well all these Dutch fans behaved. There were even German and Dutch fans mixed in the stadium. Both countries were singing the same Snollebollekes song (it had been translated to German which only required the change of a few letters haha). These two countries were sworn enemies in soccer land. Also, when the Turkish team lost from the Dutch there were only three minor incidents which were quickly solved.
That is historic. I say this song is a peace song.
Over to the outfit.
Below: We started the shoot in front of these doors, secretly adding some more colour.
Below: Close-up of the door handles behind me. Had I been a mean person I would have unscrewed and stolen them. So good.
Below: The trousers came without belt loops. The tailors who also shortened the trousers, sewed some on at my request.
Below: Look at that, a bench for the sitting down pose.
Below: I love it when people put flowers and plants outside their house.
Below: Marvellous background. So in tune with the colourful shirt.
Below: Close-up of the earrings, the shirt, the bracelet and the belt.
Below: Purple is another colour in the shirt. Yay.
Sweet, beautiful cat came over to me.
Below: The day before I had photographed this soccer cat in the street, with a little scarf around its neck in the Dutch colours.
Below: Around the corner was a bright pink bench. PERFECT. As if I had my own props department.
Below: The apple green shoes which I bought earlier this year.
The first time I wore them and walked quite a stretch, I got blisters on my heel. The cobbler hit the shoe heels with a hammer a couple of times and I think they are fine now. Not as stiff.
I didn’t photoshop the veins on my ankles. It is what it is.
Below: Pretty facing brick.
Below: Time to photograph Loes who was matching me in colours.
Outfit shoot done. Time for coffee on a terrace. Summer has finally arrived.
Below: Loes on the terrace looking at the menu.
I started to take photos of things around us.
Below: The building we were looking at. Grand.
Below: The big tree, right in front of us. I get poetic when I see light through the leaves. Such a pretty sight.
Then I spotted two ladies sitting behind us and their image struck me. Well-dressed women, we need more of those. I got permission to take photos and put them on my blog.
Below: Lady number one, very colourful with great earrings.
Below: Lady number two in classic black and white. Always good.
Below: This mural has been there for ages. It is by comic artist Eric J. Coolen. The wall depicts several former guests of Het Kantoor, the pub opposite the mural.
Below: As we went back, I tore my beautiful shirt at the back of both sleeves. Last year, my seamstress had already inserted two pieces at the sleeves, to give me more width, but alas, the shirt is at the end of its life cycle. It always reminded me of Pat, my departed friend, as I bought it in Geneva, visiting her in 2016. See this post.
Oh well, shit happens.
Below: In the afternoon I put the colourful shirt in the bin (sad face) and put another top on. Fortunately, I have more in my wardrobe. I also changed the belt. Ron took the photo in our garden.
What happened in my life this week
Marcella (below) popped round so I could make some videos of her and take photos for her new website, Lara Design, which is getting a make-over. She came straight from the hairdresser and is now a bit of a brunette. Again, she succeeded in creating an outfit with a scarf that I like.
Our friends and neighbours Froukje and Petro came round for a drink, which debouched into dining out. It is becoming a tradition but a good one. Below: Ron and Froukje and dog Watson.
Ron always wears clogs in the garden. I wear healthcare nursing shoes because they are softer.
A visit to the hairdresser was expensive this time as I needed hair dye to use at home (besides the haircut). Before I went, I took a photo of my outfit. Very similar to the day before. Differences are earrings, bracelet, trousers and shoes. I think these trousers make me look skinnier than the wide ones. Are they still current? No idea.
Below: Another outfit of this week. Comfortable, not too hot and not too cold (with the cardigan). But I find it a bit much. I would rather wear either the scarf or the cardigan. With a note that I am not a cardigan person at all. I like it because of the bright colour. (Link to original post with this outfit.)
Below: The same outfit but without the cardigan.
I did a dumb thing; I hesitantly bought a pair of neat off-white shorts at kpa.haarlem. What did my mother used to say? “When you are in doubt, don’t buy it.” Thinking I could style it and my legs weren’t that old (but they are unfortunately) I tried a lot of tops that afternoon. None worked with the shorts. The best styling would have been a jacket which is a no-go. I might not have minded suffering to look good when I was in my twenties, but now that I am 70, I am not going to put on shorts on a hot day and combine it with a jacket which would make me swelter. So I took the shorts back. All the better for my challenge of only buying 10 items of clothing this year.
See you next week.
Greetje
The picture of the sun through the trees is very lovely. And such sweet kitty photos. I liked them. It’s too bad about your colorful blouse. It looked so good with your pants.
Trees with sunshine through their leaves is one of my favourites. The blouse is a matter of “Oh well, no use crying over spilled milk”. It has served me well. I am quite curious to see what Amanda can create with it and I hope she can wear it for a long time.
Greetje, I love your colorful shirt, Ralph Lauren isn’t it? So sorry it ripped!I liked both of your tops! The colorful door has happy flowers, so nice but I don’t want cobra door hadles! I hate snakes!
All of your pants are in style in the US; all skinny styles are out.
The lines of orange laundry are SO funny! I also loved the muriel!
It is indeed Ralph Lauren. Very fine cotton. I have never seen a snake, so I am still neutral towards the animals.
Glad you enjoyed the post.
Another batch of great outfit photos and such lovely scenery! It is a pity the shirt was damaged as it looks so good with the wide leg pants. Echoing a comment above; not sure why you aren’t a cardigan person as it looks really nice on you.
With all your lovely comments on the cardigan, I decided to embrace it and start loving it. Thanks.
I liked all your outfits, especially the blouse and the green shoes. I hope Amanda can make something else of it – would be lovely to see the fabric again – it’s so pretty! You look great – and so does Loes! I really enjoy the scenery and building, appreciate you sharing these lovely pics.
The “rag” is on its way to Amanda. I am quite curious what she will create and I hope she can wear it a long time.
Thanks for reading my blog and giving a comment. Much appreciated.
Despite you not being a “cardigan girl” it looks lovely on you. A very charming outfit.
I think I will have to embrace this cardigan. Looking at the comments it is better than I think.
Love your outfits and the street scenes. I have been seeing posts of an artist that takes photos of laundry pieces hung to look like animals. That orange laundry would be perfect!
The things artists come up with haha.
Glad you like my little blog.
I so agree that I am no longer willing to suffer for fashion. I’m beyond that.
Such a shame about the blouse. It looks like it was a very light cotton which is always fragile.
I love the striking colour of the blue trousers.
Good on you for taking the shorts back. I didn’t think they even allowed returns in The Netherlands.
But we have suffered for fashion, haven’t we haha. In our younger days.
The blouse is indeed a very light cotton or better said, was.
Almost all shops allow returs in the Netherlands. Usually within 5 days and you don’t always get your money back; instead a voucher.
The blouse is beautiful, it has a very nice print, and it looks great with the white trousers. You are really very original in supporting the orange players. I love the decoration of your streets, with so many plants and flowers, it is very cheerful and pretty. The foreground is beautiful, the earrings and belt are very stylish.
The Dutch supporters were the biggest stars of the championship, don’t you think?
I agree with you on the decoration of the streets with plants and flowers. Of course not all streets are as pretty as this, but in most streets you will see at least a few plants.
What a shame about the shirt! It will be interesting to see if Amanda can turn it into something else! The green shoes are very elegant. I find straight or narrow leg trousers make me look slimmer than wide legs, particularly as I’m short, but wide legs are more fashionable this year. You can carry them off.
I am very curious to see what Amanda creates.
Because I am quite tall (1m75 which converts to anything over 5ft. The internet keeps giving me different numbers), wide leg trousers aren’t so much of a problem. My “problem” is a short upper body and a very short waist of only an inch.
So sad about your lovely shirt, but awesome that one of your readers will make something from it. I love the outfit with the green cardigan, but if you don’t like cardigans, you don’t!
I am always amazed by the lovely settings you find for your photos. Do You often research them in advance?
I might make an exception for the green cardigan (grin).
Yes, often when I am on my bike for health reasons, I cruise around town and keep my eyes open for a setting. But it also happens that I just start driving. And when I am in another town, anything is good because it is different.
What a lovely post to immortalize your gorgeous shirt. I enjoyed the photos of the orange ‘supporters’ fun.
Thanks for your comment. Seems I succeeded in entertaining you.
So many great photos, and I understand about the lovely shirt
…sad when a much loved item just gives up! Perhaps Amanda can make something inspiring from some of it and share her creativity.
What caught my eye was the cyclist whizzing by in front of the grand building. So Dutch! I love my bike, which has both front and a rear wicker baskets. Here, it’s best to wear a helmet, even though I am on quieter roads or pathways, often to the beach. My neighbour, who cycles as exercise while dealing with MS ( yes, he can! ) urged me to wear a helmet since , when falling , one’s head often hits the ground first! Although I love the idea of having the wind in my hair, I think he’s right.
Oh yes, cycling is very Dutch. At the moment we have the problem that (especially) teenagers ride on so called fat bikes. They are electric and they go very fast. All of a sudden the safe cyclist lanes are now lethal.
More and more people in the Netherlands start wearing helmets as well. Especially because so many people have electric bikes.
The number of electric bikes is increasing here in Rhode Island as well. I really dislike them because they seem flimsy to be on our country roads and lanes. I love the streets, the cats, and the two colorful women out for a coffee. Of course, drinks in one’s own garden is so restful.
We have bike lanes throughout the country, to protect the flimsy bike riders. With the introduction of the fast electric bikes, the big fatbikes and the cargo bikes, those lanes are no longer safe for the normal cyclist.
I love all the photos it’s too bad about your shirt maybe you can find one that’s similar. I especially love the green shoes that’s my weakness, I haven’t bought any in a long time maybe it’s time. I love the street you took all photos on it’s very attractive. Can’t wait for the next picures.
I am on the look-out for a shirt replacement. It might take a while.
You haven’t bought any shoes in a long time? And it is your weakness? Girl, what is happening here?
Shoes are my weakness too and I am so glad they are not part of the “only 10 items” challenge LOL.
Sorry about your beautiful shirt but so happy it is getting recycled. Lots of great photos in this post – thanks. I liked the little library next to the outside flowers and planters. I have one in front of my garage. Once a librarian, always a librarian!
Have a good week.
I am curious to see what Amanda does with the fabric.
Those little libraries are so good. It gives me the feeling that people are nice. I didn’t know you were a librarian.
I too love that shirt. Maybe in one of your 10 items you can find a good replacement this year!
In the past I have seen good replacements, but I thought the shirt would hold out longer.
I will be on the look-out.
It’s a shame about that shirt! I really liked it. And I think you look good in the wide pants, but the skinny ones are good too! It has been in the 90s here in Florida since early June so we are hot here! I wear shorts every day but my legs still look great at age 75. My husband says i am lucky! Hope your weather improves soon
It is good to have choice. I don’t really know what is in or out of fashion.
I agree with your husband, you are lucky. I ruined my legs with too much sunbathing.
What a shame about the shirt; it’s so good on you. Hope you can salvage something from it!
I think the shorter, pleated trousers look great, and not outdated at all. It was so nice to chat with you this week!
I am not the best seamstress in the world. And I already had it “fixed” before. So I take my loss. Pity but such is life.
To tell you the truth, I don’t have much knowledge of what is in or out of fashion.
SUCH a gorgeous shirt! Don’t throw it, surely the material can be used again?I’ll pay you to post it to me and show you what I’ve made it into… but perhaps I am too late. I also love the black and white ‘starburst’ top, and also the top on Lady Number One. What great clothes you have in Holland, I wonder if I will ever get there again. If so, I’ll plunge into shops with your advice!
Loved the imaginative Orange everywhere… much preferable to our St George’s flags, though an unfortunate echo of Modi’s crowd in India!
In early middle age I realised my knees had changed, I also tried culottes and bermudas but they also didn’t suit me any more. So now it’s mainly trousers in this cold summer but I do hope for skirt weather soon!
I saw your comment just in time. The shirt was already in the bin and the bin bag about to be thrown away. I rescued the shirt and washed it (of course). You can do the ironing LOL.
Mail me your address on greetje@nofearoffashion.com and I’ll send it to you. But I warn you, the fabric is delicate and 8 years old, so probably a bit weary.
In the Netherlands it should be better weather next week, but I believe it when I see it.