Nearly a year ago my friend Misja helped me to create outfits with clothes that were already in my wardrobe. She is a good stylist (not her profession) and today’s outfit with the silver skirt is one that she came up with. It is amazing what that necklace is doing for the outfit.
Marjolein and I went to the centre of The Hague to Plein and Lange Poten. (These are the names of a square and a street.) To my horror nearly all of the historic buildings were covered in scaffolding and hidden behind panels.
Below: I took this photo of a government building through a fence. It is good though that they are renovating as the building looks quite dirty.
Below: A brown door or a green door, both are perfect for blond hair. Loved the Mediterranean blue on the walls.
Below: No problem finding a green door in an old city either. The colour of the chain necklace repeats the colour of the boots. The chain earrings go well with the chain necklace, I think.
Below: After having taken the first photos, we found restaurant Luden for coffee.
Below: Marjolein was wearing such a fun cardigan.
Below: She combined it with a pair of grey checked trousers that has purple stripes and buttons on the sides. Terrific pattern mixing. In the photo the colours have an orange tint as we were underneath an orange roof.
Below: The terraces on Plein (square) were all full of sunbathing people. Wearing my second-hand coat, my Salvatore Ferragamo coat. It was a great bargain, soft as a kitten and warm (it was only the beginning of March).
Below: Front of the coat with a very old but treasured leopard scarf.
Below: Statue on the square of Willem I, Prince of Oranje, in bright sunlight. My skirt is reflecting LOL.
Below: I love this chocolate shop which formerly was a butchery. It says so above the store, Vleeschhouwerij van J.C. Kok means Butchery of J.C. Kok. That typography, the arch and then the old-fashioned bicycle, fabulous.
Below: We took photos of me standing in front of a musical instrument builder’s shop, because we liked the arch. Within a minute I got told off by the lady of the shop for not asking permission. I replied that the law says you can photograph any house or building which is visible from the road, without asking permission. She then claimed that the space right in front of the shop, was private property. Sigh…what’s her problem?
Anyway, the back of the green jumper is baby blue as you can see.
Below: The Hague has modern buildings too, like these which I really like.
Below: But my heart is with these old buildings.
Below: It was time to lunch at our favourite restaurant LEUK. I chose a club sandwich although you cannot eat these things in a civilized manner. Marjolein advised to eat the layers separately but I wanted the full flavour. Not a pretty sight but it was a great sandwich.
Below: Last photo is of this sweet doggie in front of the restaurant. He was spoiled rotten by his owner who was feeding him little bits of his sandwich. That is the way to make a beggar out of a dog.
You can see Marjolein’s cardigan and trousers through the window.
What happened in my life this week
Saturday we were asked to babysit our granddaughters while their mum and dad shopped for some necessities. It was fun and I gave baby Evy her bottle twice and coloured with toddler Zoë. Ron put Zoë to bed for her midday nap (he can change nappies like a pro), made her sandwiches and walked outside with her for a little while.
In the evening, we went for an Indonesian meal at a local restaurant.
Sunday was a day of doing laundry, washing hair and blogging. Nothing special.
Monday the physiotherapist was content with my progress but had to set my ankles straight again. Well, Rome wasn’t built in a day either. After that consult I had my breasts checked for cancer in the breasts bus as we call it. It is a mobile research facility and this national check-up is every 2 years for woman over 50. We have a great health care system in the Netherlands.
We had a guest for dinner, the mother of one of our neighbours. We know her from the time that we got French lessons from her. She used to be a French teacher. Lovely woman. She is house-sitting for her daughter and son in law. Ron cooked boeuf bourguignon and I made Eton mess for dessert.
Below: I was wearing this outfit that day. (Link to original post with this outfit with a different necklace.)
Tuesday my feet got pampered with a pedicure and she put bright red nail polish on the toenails again. I always start this in April and end it in September. In the autumn and winter my feet are in closed shoes and I don’t think it is worth spending money on a pedicure in that period. I have easy feet so I can take care of them myself. It is the nail polish on my toes I cannot manage.
Wednesday my agenda was empty and the sun was bright. At first, I had put on a men’s suit (below). I had been inspired by a Dutch woman who styles a different outfit every day with clothes that are 95% thrifted. She posts those outfits on Instagram and she is really good at styling. Here is the link to her Instagram account, Wilma.vanbeek140.
Below: Wilma’s outfit which inspired me. Hers is more subtle with just the accessories in shades of pink. You know me, I am usually loud. And I don’t have a well-fitting white-blue striped T-shirt with long sleeves. Most T-shirts rise up above my bosom; they don’t make them roomy enough.
Because it was such nice weather, I decided to accompany Ron and dog Watson to the beach which meant changing into jeans and old shoes. In the afternoon I changed back into the men’s suit.
Below: As you know by now, my reward after the walk is cappuccino on the terrace. A fierce wind from the east spoiled the walk a bit, but behind glass partitions it was delightful.
Below: Ron loves things that create an interesting shadow. This sign says “Keep it clean“.
Thursday felt like summer with a temperature rising to 20 degrees C at 5 pm. I have been sunbathing in the garden from 15.00 hrs to 16.30. What bliss. Being retired is so good.
We didn’t go to see our granddaughters as baby Evy of 4.5 months was ill. Her parents took her to hospital for a check and they were praised for keeping Evy hydrated so well. No panic yet.
Friday my hair finally got cut again. It had been 7 weeks since my previous visit to the hairdresser and it was obviously a week too much.
Below: The colour is now a bit more honey.
Got to do my fitness exercises in the morning. Remember dear readers, in order to improve your chances of aging in good health, you really need to exercise. I hate every minute of exercising. Only because I know how important it is (and because I have a lot of discipline), I manage to do it twice a week.
Greetje
Greetje, thanks for the link to Wilma… wow! very inspiring , especially due to the quality of the items she finds that are thrift store finds. She reminded me of when I was about 13 or 14 and experimenting with colours… I would put together bangles that went with the outfit I wore that day, often handed down from another girl .I certainly did not have the range Wilma has, but a fun time for this junior fashionista!
Looking back at my photos taken from my recent trip to NL , I so enjoyed capturing the beauty of the old buildings …you are my inspiration there , Greetje.
Bruges, towards the end of my tour, once in Belgium, was lovely and not too busy on a sunny April 1st . Apparently Edwardian tourists saved this city, once the sea trade disappeared years ago. Wonderful shops and many patios open for lazy lunches. I was one of those people.
Now back home, I am now allowing myself lots of time to get sorted , after my journey …seems to be taking longer as I age …ha! But okay with that. My feet are still rather grumbly, though ,with all of the walking on uneven cobbles during many excursions. So presently watching programmes recorded while away , seated with my feet up… my personal prescription… and using soothing GEHWOL mint, lavender and rosemary foot cream. Bliss!
I am glad you enjoyed your trip to Europe and I am glad I could contribute. Now rest your feet and body and live your life in leasure.
Hello, You
You still manage to amaze me! Until you came alone I didn’t realise that there are probably lots of ladies like you, who don’t (or didn’t, in your case) mix and match the clothes they already have to make different outfits rather than shop for completely new outfits! I have never known any other way! Yes, I have bought special outfits, for family weddings, for instance, but for everyday dressing I always pick and choose from what I’ve got and voila! a different get-up! And when I buy something new it’s usually chosen to go with what I’ve already got. And no, I don’t look boring! I look adorable (says she modestly, before falling over, laughing)!
Seriously though, buying complete new outfits is seriously expensive and I’d rather spend my money on other things. Perhaps it’s a Brit thing? But each to their own and you have now started to build new/fresh outfits from your wardrobe, so good for you. Truly, you look lovely in all your outfits and you and Marjolein always seem to have such fun when doing your photoshoots. And you both look so good. As for the grumpy shop lady, maybe you should have asked if she’s like to be in the photo with you!
And isn’t that little dog cute! What a sweetie.
Have a good week.
Gee
My friend Anja who used to live three doors down was as amazed as you are that I kept sets of clothing in my closet and didn’t mix and match. It definitely is not a Brit thing to mix and match, it is a thing of a creative person. You see, nobody believes me, but I am really bad in thinking up new outfits. Even if I see new clothes on a rack in the shop, my mind goes blank and I have no idea what they would look like on me. Because I also find it very expensive to buy new clothes all the time (and be advised by a shop stylist) plus it is not sustainable, I now try very hard to mix and match. Hating every second of it.
I had a good chuckle over your sentence “I look adorable (says she modestly, before falling over, laughing)!”
I really like your version of Wilma’s man suit outfit. I always say that we don’t copy another woman’s look exactly, but we take inspiration from it and make it our own. That’s exactly what you did and it worked well.
The woman in the instrument maker’s shop must have been having a very bad day to treat you so badly. Definitely not a good advertisement for her business!
Well, to tell you the truth Elaine, I sometimes copy too haha. I call myself a copy cat.
The woman in the strument maker’s shop probably had gotten some bad news or has been in a fight with her husband or something like that. I don’t take it personally.
I love this outfit, Greetje. I love that the back of the jumper is a different colour and the matching necklace and boots really tight together, but of course, the best piece is that glorious silver ski skirt!
I am very proud that I have already come up with 4 outfits around this skirt. Two were my own creativity, one was styled by the shop and this one with the green jumper by Misja. What would we do without friends.
As l read along the first part of the blog I kept wondering how many compliments you must get?? I’m sure you are a beacon of color in a more muted sea. Hope baby Evy is recovered — good on Ron for being a nappy pro!
I do get compliments sometimes but not many. People are shy to give compliments. They are embarrassed to talk to a complete stranger. I bet it goes through their heads “She will probably think “Who are you?” or “I don’t need your compliment” or something like that. But 99 out of 100 people love to get a compliment. Which is why I dish out a lot of them.
Baby Evy is a bit better but we still need to monitor her closely.
Lovely outfits as usual. I particularly like the ‘man’s suit’ as it’s such an interesting idea. I would never have thought of repurposing clothes like that. How sad that the lady in the shop was such, as we would say, a dog in the manger. Fancy having a such a lovely front door and not wanting to share it.
I would never have thought of repurposing Ron’s suit like this either, but it was all over the fashion sites and Instagram for years now.
It grew on me.
The lady in the shop…perhaps she just had a fight with someone and lashed out to me.
I love that skirt! So cute and unusual. I would never wear it because I have fear of fashion, lol. I wear really quiet clothes. A lot of embroidery though. It is my one weakness. Well, I have a few weaknesses such as nice jewelry and handbags, mainly because I cannot wear nice shoes because of arch supports. I wear a lot of sneakers! I love that sweater! And I love how you show all the beautiful old buildings. Nothing is really too old over here in America, just mainly in New England. Glad you had a few days of warmth. The temperature here in Florida yesterday was 93 degrees F. so too warm! Long sigh, summer is coming and I hate it!
Aren’t you (and I) lucky that sneakers are all the rage. You cannot go wrong with them, even with a skirt or dress.
If the temperatures are getting even higher in Florida, and you hate it, perhaps move to another climate?
That green sweater is such a good one for you. And I love Marjolein’s cardigan, so fun! Glad you’ve had some nice warm days.
Sandwich looks yummy!
Marjolein knows her colours well too and knows how to style. Today was the last warm day for a while. Bummer.
I’ve always loved pleated skirts in this feminine length. This one, with this weave, is extremely original and goes perfectly with the color of your sweater. I love your necklace, so maxi. The photo with the green door, the blue walls, and your look has a beautiful color scheme, very well chosen. The coat is extremely elegant; I think I’ve seen it in other outfits, and I’ve always liked it. I hope the macro sandwich turned out well for you; it doesn’t look comfortable to eat, but it is extremely appetizing. I love the look with the suit jacket, the red striped sweater, and the macro flower; this nautical-inspired look suits you perfectly. Beautiful hair color, it suits you very well; you look gorgeous.
You are always so generous with your compliments, you make me blush. Thank you very much.
That stripe down the sides of Marjolein’s trousers make her legs look like they go on forever. Brilliant style. The silver skirt is lovely and what a fun idea. You can combine it with endless things.
As a matter of fact Susan, I have combined the skirt with a few things already. With a big woolen jumper, with a burgundy blouse and belt, with a neon pink top and now with this green jumper. I am getting my money’s worth.