One day, at the end of November, I spotted this sea green jumper in one of my favourite shops (LAB Women’s Clothing). I wanted more colour in my wardrobe, the jumper was in the sale, it fitted and to my surprise, it didn’t itch. The latter was the reason why I had never tried it on before even though I had seen it many times. That day in November I was tempted to try it on by another customer who said it didn’t itch and she was right.
I was already way over my challenge target of buying only 10 new items of clothing in 2024, so I thought I’d might as well buy some more. It’s like when you are on a diet and you have a bad day with not sticking to it, you tend to think “Well, then I might as well go all the way and eat that bag of crisps too”. Stupid of course, but human.
My 2024 clothes purchases amounted to 17. Compared to what I used to buy, that isn’t bad (she said…feeling ashamed) but it is way over 10. This year I will take on this challenge again. As it has saved me from buying clothes I regret. Are there clothes among the 17 I regret? Hmmm…actually yes.
1) The bright blue shirt (see this post) is short and boxy and even though I like the colour a lot, I think the shape is going to give me problems. I’ll give it another try.
2) The white trousers (see this post) were a bit of a stupid buy. Not that I don’t like them, they are great, but I already had a pair of white trousers with wide legs in my wardrobe. So, lovely as they are, they added nothing.
3) The burgundy blouse is too wide for my wide leg jeans and creased too much when I wore it with my silver skirt, the V-neck is too deep and there is too much blue in this burgundy to flatter me. On the other hand, it is exactly the colour of my burgundy boots, so I should try and make it work.
Still, 3 out of 17 isn’t too bad and all three items aren’t clothes I don’t like, I just think I could have done better. The other 14 items are top of the bill.
Anyhow, over to the outfit of this post. Husband Ron took the photos and we went to Prinseneiland in Amsterdam. It is one of the three Western islands which date from 1615. You can read more about them if you click the link in the previous sentence.
Below: There were many warehouses on the islands, now all turned into apartments. Big, beautiful and expensive.
Below: It is a sight for sore eyes.
Below: And they make a great background.
Below: I combined the sea green jumper with blue (jeans), orange (earrings, belt and bag) and my white and green trainers. Such an easy yet stylish outfit. I love it.
Below: View from one island to another. You can have a lovely walk on the islands.
Below: I find facing bricks fascinating. This one says “the narrow ship 1688“.
Below: Literally the facing brick says “In free land“, but it could also refer to a town with that name.
Below: Strange. On our walk we discovered these hares in a tree, one with a Santa Claus bonnet. I am sure it wasn’t meant to be, but they now look a bit ominous.
Below: One of the main drawbridges to the island.
Below: Too nice a bridge not to use as background.
Below: View from another bridge.
Below: An endearing memorial to a deceased man (Jan). It says: “For Jan’s pigeons. We miss you in the neighbourhood. Farewell. Died on the 23rd of December 2022.”
Below: Where there is water, there are houseboats. Amsterdam is home to about 2,800 houseboats.
Below: Another facing brick, the red fox.
Below: We were cold and longing for coffee so we left the island and walked to the Haarlemmerdijk, a long street nearby with many vintage shops (and shops that sell pot and cannabis).
Below: On Haarlemmerplein we saw a stand with oliebollen (deep-fried doughnuts), yummy.
I was talking to a little dog on its owner’s arm.
Below: Oliebollen can come with raisins or without. I chose one with raisins. They cover them with powdered sugar if you want (yes please). If you eat them outside, the wind will make sure you are covered in powdered sugar too.
Below: This cinema was built in 1913 for left wing propaganda and held 70 chairs. That wasn’t lucrative so it turned into a dance school, a lamp factory, a bicycle shop and a greengrocer. It is now a small theatre.
Time to go home.
What happened in my life this week
Saturday morning my IT-guy recovered the file with lost passwords. Pfff, that was close.
We spent the afternoon at Ron’s daughter’s again as it was her birthday. We congratulated the birthday girl, cuddled the grandchildren and thanked her husband for always being such a good host to us. He kept on providing us with bites and drinks. The birthday girl got a new raincoat from us.
Below: The outfit I wore. I did want to save it for an outfit post but in hindsight I don’t like it enough. The proportions aren’t right.
Sunday was a day of doing absolutely nothing. Well, we cleaned the house a bit, changed the bed, did some laundry, I washed my hair and did a bit of blogging, but that was it. Nothing eventful.
Monday the usual fitness and physiotherapy. Then I got some ‘oliebollen’ for our new neighbours a few houses down, who brought us the home-made cookies at Christmas. I thought I’d return the favour. There is a Dutch saying, ‘little gifts maintain the friendship‘. (We’ve always been a greedy lot, us Dutch LOL.)
Below: I wore my most comfortable, most modern and most quirky outfit that day, my puffy black co-ord. (Link to original post if you want to see better photos.) This outfit is a great background for my Angela Caputi padlock necklace with the red clip-on earrings. I struggled to find a good outfit for this necklace, and the co-ord seems to go well with it; both quirky.
Tuesday I met Marita for coffee at Café De Roemer. Both of us hadn’t realised it was the last day of 2024 and every shop and restaurant would close early, so it was short but sweet.
Below: Marita in a festive outfit of cream and blue.
Below: We got a booklet from our friend and neighbour Petro, which he created for Ron.
It needs some context for you to understand.
Ron helped Petro set up Petro’s Christmas village and gave him a few houses as a present (found on Dutch eBay), for fun, just because he wanted to.
A week later Petro created this booklet; it is ‘the daily newspaper of the Christmas village’. Talking about various subjects, amongst others about a building permit to expand the village.
Below: Ron wouldn’t be Ron if he left it at that. He reciprocated with protesting ladies against the expansion of the village. I translated the signs for you.
Wednesday afternoon, New Year’s Day, we went to Georg and Marla who served a buffet. Their daughter with her husband and children were there too, whom we know so well. It was a lovely and informal get-together.
Thursday the hairdresser coloured and cut my hair and this time I was very severe with her and she didn’t cut it too short. She is a wonderfully gifted hairdresser, but once those scissors are in her hand, you have to slow her down LOL.
Friday I met Aafke, a friend whom I hadn’t seen for a long time. As the weather was behaving long enough, she took some outfit photos for the blog, which you will see next week.
The weather is cold and nasty in the Netherlands and I am beginning to wonder why we don’t emigrate. I know the answer and we won’t, but boy oh boy do I hate this weather.
Greetje
Happy new year, Greetje and Ron! Sending you both good wishes for a prosperous and happy 2025.
I’m liking the new twist on your outfits, like the pops of orange and the padlock necklace. I am in love with your coordinate suiting! That’s very much my kind of outfit.
I wouldn’t feel too badly about going over your purchase limit for the year. You did really well on it.💕
I love the little interactions you have with people and neighbors. Ron’s gaggle of protesters is hilarious.
Thanks for teaching me another English word, gaggle. Never heard that before.
Of course I wish you and L everything happy in 2025 as well. I think I already sent you my good wishes, but I am not sure.
Winter. Ugh. I’m not a fan, with the exception of a pretty light snow, fires in the fireplace, sunsets on very cold days.
I love the black puffer outfit. I would really like a pair of those pants.
The green sweater is delicious. It reminds me of the color of a mint wafer candy we have that comes in pastel colors, including that green. The sweater looks great on you!
Those apartments! They are beautiful and a great backdrop for photos as you said.
The first thing I thought when I opened the post with the burgundy top was that it goes perfectly with the boots. I went on to read you said exactly the same thing. I hope that you find a way to wear it that you like.
The story of the Christmas village, the expansion permit and the protestors was very cute.
Happy New Year!
Reading your comment makes me feel content. You enjoyed the post and that is the whole point of my blog.
I agree with you on your winter take. Some things are nice (layering clothes and not showing so much skin is another one of them for me), but most things are not.
My husband makes me laugh so many times. He has an incredible sense of humour.
And a Happy New Year to you too.
I love the color of your sweater. And I love the look with the jeans and sneakers. Those islands are beautiful, I really like that kind of architecture. Your photo of you eating that dessert is so beautiful, I love your naturalness.
I was quite pleased with myself for adding the orange touches to the outfit.
Thank you for all your compliments. You meant ‘eating the oliebollen” I presume? With powdered sugar all over my face? We have to keep thing a bit real, right?
Happy New Year Greetje! Really like that shade of green in your jumper. Sending a few Celsius to you from Australia. (Here in Melbourne it reached 39C yesterday which is most uncivilized weather..)
Happy New Year to you too. I always think that is so strange…summer in the southern half of the globe and winter in the northern half but international fashion sites and fashion magazines present the same season fashion. Or is that not true? Do the international fashion magazines in Australia present summer fashion? I am thinking of Bazaar, Vogue, Elle.
And I agree, 39C is uncivilized.
Your featured green sweater is so pretty. I love that color. And I’m with you on the cold weather. We have a cold week ahead of us and I am not looking forward to it. At least I have a luncheon with old friends which will be nice.
I am so glad that this sweater doesn’t itch…well, it does but only a tiny bit and I can stand that. It is a wonderful sweater to wear.
Have fun with the luncheon. Friends are the salt of the earth (my mantra).
That shade of green is very flattering on you! It really lights up your face. I’m curious where you would emigrate, if you decided to do so. Surely not the U.S..
There is a sort of shine in the green that lights up my face. If it had been more pastel it would not have been that good.
No, I would definitely not emigrate to the US. The health system there is so wrong. Probably somewhere in Europe. Italy perhaps. But I will not emigrate, despite the weather here. I am so rooted in the Netherlands.
Love your new green jumper and your black co-ord. As always I just love the pictures. I would so love to be able to return to Amsterdam and some of the other cities.
Hope your new year is lovely, and don’t ever beat yourself up for buying a few pieces of clothes that you really don’t need. Life is too short to “sweat the small stuff”.
Thanks Janis. And no, I won’t beat myself up for not making the challenge. This year I will try again though. I like the challenge.
I hope you will be able to return to Amsterdam.
You have a hit with that outfit…so you! Love the pops of orange!
Those apartments on the island would definitely be a wonderful place to live…although do wonder if elevators were added later during renovations. Yes, I agree, there’s definitely something unsettling about sodden hanging bunnies.
For 2025 are you aiming for a higher number of purchases, to accept your weakness for something new and novel? I am waiting for warmer weather to consign more clothes that I cannot fit in my smaller closets. Cooler weather clothing pretty well dealt with.
It continues to be drizzling and chilly here, but that’s west coast winters here. Quite like where you are, I expect.
Love the village & book fun back and forth. Ron obviously has a good sense of humour ( remembering the parrot)🦜 Cheers to a new year, Greetje!
I was quite pleased with myself for coming up with the orange pops.
To answer your question, yes, elevators were added.
No no no, for 2025 I am aiming to make the challenge of only 10 purchases.
Ron has a wonderful sense of humor, something which is high on the list of every woman I think.
Happy New Year to you too. March is approaching…
I’m saying what everyone else is saying — the green sweater is fabulous!
I think the sweater is a hit. Wore it yesterday and will wear it again this week as it is cold outside.
I LOVE today’s outfit… casual, comfortable, and classy! Marita’s outfit is lovely too.
It might be cold in the Netherlands, but you definitely don’t want to emigrate to the Canadian prairie! Yesterday the temperature was -30ºC and today is only a wee bit better!
My outfit is very apt for today’s weather…we actually have snow. Well, for a brief moment. It is already thawing; still cold though. But compared to where you live, it is like summer haha. I don’t think I’d survive in -30C.
Excellent outfits as always. I also love the shutters on the island village. Have a happy new year!
Thank you Anne. The shutters are magnificent. Probably need quite some maintenance, but doesn’t everything nice?
Happy New Year to you too.
I love the sea green color and jeans too! The pop of orange is so fun!
Thanks Marian. I was pretty pleased with myself, having come up with adding orange. A third colour often makes an outfit more interesting. Sometimes used sparcely, sometimes in heaps.
Hi Greetje, the saying ‘little gifts maintain the friendship’ is so true.
I think that for a first go you did quite well with your 10-item challenge – I”m sure you’ll bring the number down this year!
I must say, those warehouse apartments look stunning – it must be lovely to live there on those islands. Happy New Year!
Happy New Year to you too Patricia.
I will certainly try and make the 10-item challenge this year. My Achilles heel is the fact that I am pretty bored with the items already in my wardrobe. I have seen and used them so many times now and I get bored easily with clothes anyway. We’ll see how I will be doing.
The warehouse apartments are certainly stunning. A few friends of mine live in such places and they usually (but not always) have a very high ceiling, the room dimensions are huge and the places are full of character. Living on those islands must be like living in a village. One with many tourists.
You look terrific in the new sea green sweater outfit. Perfection! I also love your “bubble wrap suit with the lock necklace. Thanks so much for the tour of the islands!
The “bubble wrap suit” haha, good name. I will call it that from now on.
I was glad Ron was prepared to drive to Amsterdam for the shoot. Another backgroup makes a nice change. And the weather cooperated for once. Cold but no rain.
One of my favourite colours! I too am wary of jumpers that may scratch… glad this one is smooth and soft.
I’m in total admiration of the count you are keeping on your purchases, and which works and which don’t. My own purchases are so random – fortunately now limited by having less money, but there’s sometimes the syndrome of ‘Can’t resist a bargain’!
I recently shared and gave away some clothes to friends, which was satisfying. But the process is by no means complete. WELL DONE YOU for getting further along the path to sustainability.
BTW I love the bubbly black trouser suit , it reminds me of cuddly bears — pandas perhaps? Your ensembles always retain a certain elegance in any case.
How interesting to see the Red Bioscope cinema, and hear of its later incarnations. in the 1990s I met an octogenarian who had been part of the great upsurge in 1919 when even England nearly had a revolution. In the 1930s he became a dance hall manager (still Red/ anarchistic I think) and later on he and his rebel friends had a rule-breaking nudist group that used to dodge the police by crossing two borough boundaries around a lake.
Probably the Netherlands beaches were more enlightened!
Did I mention that old friends of my mother’s were involved in the wartime Resistance? Not socialists, business people but did not want the Occupation. Life decisions must have been so difficult in those days and I sometimes wonder what I would have done if things got tough. Maybe run away to the USA? But my parents’ generation were made of stronger stuff.
Don’t flatter me too much, it is only this year that I have been able to constrain myself a bit with buying clothes. We all walk different paths at different times. Best not to judge others, right?
I usually could resist a bargain, because often the things in the sale weren’t the things I was craving for. My mind swiftly goes to the next season (at full price).
I liked your story of the octogenarian (had to look that word up). The Netherlands beaches weren’t more enlightened. Nude beaches only became popular after 1960. The big sex freedom era.
As for who is a hero, who is in the resistance, I have read an interesting research about that. It turns out that nobody set out to being a hero, circumstances forced them and left them no other choice. Like for instance if the resistance comes to your door with a little child and asks you to hide it, not many people will say “Go away”. Apparently that is how we become heros.
Gorgeous sea green colour. It looks lovely with orange. I would never have considered pairing the two shades. You do have a styling gene Greetje :).
Well, Lise, perhaps I have one styling gene haha. Early on in my blogging years Sylvia of 40+Style taught me that three colours in an outfit is better than two. Sometimes you have to only add a little bit of the third colour, it depends. She was right, it does make an outfit more interesting. For the rest…no styling genes, just a passion and perseverance haha.