All Pretty Things

inspiration wednesday week 21

 

//no words//one image//every wednesday//

 

 

inspiration wednesday week 19

 

//no words//one image//every wednesday//

 

{Fashion Gone Rogue Ming Xi & Hyoni Kang by Will Davidson for Dazed & Confused February 2011 {via MFD-Multiple Fashion Disorder}}

inspiration wednesday week 09

 

//no words//one image//every wednesday//

 

{Burberry Fall/Winter 2012, via The Sartorialist}

inspiration wednesday week 03

 

//no words//one image//every wednesday//

{via The Sartorialist}

inspiration week 52

 

//no words//one image//every wednesday//

 

{via Kathryn Grady's Pinterest}

...on my wishlist.

 

Alpaca cable knit dress from COS. I wonder when their Amsterdam store will finally open...

 

inspiration wednesday week 38

 

//no words//one image//every wednesday//

 

{Cristobal Balenciaga}

inspiration wednesday week 35

 

 

This week's inspiration wednesday is dedicated to a very special woman with an exquisite personal style.

The moments I lived with her are precious to me and although I'll miss her always,

I intend to remember and celebrate her life dearly.

 

 

{via Les Composantes}

inspiration wednesday week 20

//no words//one image//every wednesday//

 

{Little Doodles}

the wedding dress

I thought I would share a bit about my journey in search of my wedding dress. Obviously and since we're 18 days away from our wedding, I can't tell you much about it, but I wanted to talk about the process itself, there will be time to talk about the dress afterwards. I have read many many brides in the blog-sphere talking about the search of their dress, the one you will only wear once and has to be perfect. And that's the thing about weddings, isn't it? Every step you take you are bombarded with the idea that it will only happen once, don't regret your decision. That is quite a pressuring thought, let me tell you.

I could say I started my search many months before I even got engaged. I knew the Pronovias catalogue by heart when I got engaged, ha! And I had an idea of what I wanted sketched in my thoughts. I even tried to sketch it on paper, it turns out I can't draw. So, Christmas came, I flew to my parents' and off I went to search the dress together with my mom and sister. Going to the shops was quite fun and I was quite relaxed, enjoying the huge dresses and layers of tulle, feeling like a princess. But nothing was really what I wanted. Mind you, it's hard to say whether a wedding dress is you or not; I mean, I hardly ever wear white, almost never a long dress and only once (remember?) will I wear a train! Do I feel like myself? eeh, yeah, I guess. I am lucky in the sense that because I'm a big dreamer I can easily imagine myself in Lady Di's wedding gown, no problem. But this wedding in general has been a huge reality check for me, so I could sense that a huge dress didn't really have much to do with our lives. 

Since I can't give any details, let me jump a chapter or two and tell you that I found a designer (her name will be mentioned after the wedding too) that made a custom dress for me. Yes, I am a lucky girl. She is patient and she listens and she created a wonderful gown for me. I can't thank her enough. I felt no pressure, no rush and she did always what I asked or advised me otherwise. She's a true professional. So I am happy. Last time I went to try it on I shed a little tear and I said "whoa!" like a million times. Happy, happy, happy!

But. Does this mean I don't have second thoughts? No. I still do. I sometimes feel I would have liked to shop much more before making the decision, other days I feel that my dress is 'complicated', that I forgot what suits me best while choosing it, that I never liked that fabric before so why did I choose it??...endless second thoughts. I've come to think that this is normal (for me at least) and if I get those thoughts I think back to the moment when I put it on and I gasped. I have seen the dress twice in my entire life and I'm supposed to have this very close relationship with it, that's hard to do when you've seen it twice! 

So to all the brides-to-be our there, if you're having doubts, the only thing I can say is that you're not alone! how can we not have doubts of something you do for the first time and only going to do once?

Oh, I can't wait to see you again wedding dress.

 

xoxo

 

the wedding ifs

...if I had bridesmaids, they'd be wearing this.

 

{Paris in the springtime cuff, from BHLDN}

After all this time...

...I still love this image. The colors specially.

{Vogue, May 2008}

bris-bris

Bris-bris is the Basque word for glittery. It's rather onomatopoeic, right? I love it. And I love bris-bris! Like this dress by BHLDN.

 

shoe shopping

Wedding shoe shopping is not being very successful...but it has been super fun! I truly thought this would be the easy part, as I looove shoes; yes, I've been called Imelda. I guess I need to look further.

Anyway, in my search, I found these flats by Jenni Kayne. Oh how I love them. The nude pinkish suede, the 90's shape, lovely. I wish I needed flats. :) And I also used the image for a little nude color palette for myself.

 

Have a lovely Sunday!

 

xoxo

inspiration wednesday week 07

//no words//one image//every wednesday//

 

{at Handmade Weddings}

inspiration wednesday week 05

 

//no words//one image//every wednesday//

(via Mirage}

the wedding ifs

If I were Barbie, I'd wear this dress for my wedding.

 

{Painting by Holly Farrell}

inspiration wednesday week 50

//no words//one image//every wednesday//

{Jarno Kettunen}

i.just.can't.stop.

.thinking.about.my.wedding.dress.

 

frozen streets

The streets of Amsterdam are frozen. I hate walking on ice. It makes me want to get a pair of proper boots. Not only because you can walk on ice, but because I like them. Proper classic mountain good quality boots. That's what I need.

{Visvim Folk Whymper Boots, from TRÈS BIEN SHOP}

the wedding ifs

If we had a flower girl, she would wear this.

{J. Crew}

 

 

 

 

inspiration wednesday week 47

 

//no words//one image//every wednesday//

 

{via Another Magazine}

Ok.

So maybe I said I wouldn't turn this blog into a wedding blog. And maybe I lied a bit. But you forgive me, right? I have been searching for dresses, color schemes, venues, menus, save the dates, invitations, rings...you name it, for about three months now. And somehow I can't stop looking at Grace Kelly's wedding portrait every time I go through my files. I am not sure if it's the color, her perfect face or the wedding dress. But I just love it.

 

 

these boots, me wants.

(Filippa K}

winter

I am considering getting one of these jackets for this winter. This one...

 

 or this other one....

 

 {both from Zara} 

Maybe I'll try them on this weekend. After years of avoiding 'beige', it's time to bring it back into my closet.

Happy weekend!

Loving...

...this Jill Sander coat. The whole look actually.

 

 

I was going through some old magazines and cutouts and I realized how much I still love it. Sometimes trends don't have any impact on me. In fact, it happens more and more these days, I wonder if it's an age symptom.

me want...

...this Ally Capellino bag. Thank you.

Blogging from...

...ONLY.com. Check it out (under Inspiration) and don't forget to click on 'Next Image'.

Hope you like it!!

Wasting no time

I only have a couple of holiday weeks left and I can't wait to start my second year at Artemis. But in the meantime I've been busy with other fun projects. One of them is still in progress so I'll show you when it's ready.

The first project I want to show you is this!

 

That (above) is my very first post at ONLY.com, where I'll be blogging once a month. So exciting!! Go check it in case you can't get enough of me ;) or you want to read other wonderful bloggers writing about fashion, style and beauty.

The second project I want to show you is a menu card I designed for Hidden Kitchen, a culinary event organized by excellent chef, writer and even better friend Amsterdam Foodie. She was looking for a rustic yet minimalistic look. And this is how the menu cards turned out.

{front}

{back}

More projects will follow but for that, I need to start working on them! So, for now, I leave you with this. I hope you like it!

Summer is not over

I know it's August, new collections in all places, days getting shorter... but I still feel like buying summer dresses and thinking of beach nights.

The fact that I discovered Ruche via Snippet&Ink is not really helping either...

Probably it's because I can't shop (due to lack of work) that I dream about shopping so much but I promised myself that once I get a normal full-time job, the first salary will be destined to shopping. I know I probably won't do it and will end up paying bills and saving the rest like I always do, but I love fantasizing about spending money on clothes and shoes right now.

oh how I love this look

{via All Things Lovely}

School uniform...

...for work. I think I wore this two weeks ago, slow posting. (You can probably see the blazer better when you click on the picture.)

{School blazer from Massimo Dutti]

Fresh & New

My new pink plimsoles. Not too exciting, but if you haven't shopped for the past seven months, even 15 euro shoes make you smile, trust me.

{Bought at Urban Outfitters}

Inbox

I just opened my inbox to find a COS e-mail. They now have a children's line. I got this excitement/nervousness one gets when discovering something cool, like when I'm going shopping and I get nervous when entering a nice shop cause I know I'll like it all...I wonder if you know the feeling too...

Their children's line, as far as I can see and read, is a miniature version of the adult one, which makes it fantastic, really. I need to go to the store and steal my friend's child for shopping or something...

What is it?

What is it about oversized casual trousers combined with blazers that fascinates me so much?

{via The Sartorialist}

Loving...

...the color palette this woman is wearing.

{via The Sartorialist}

Loving...

...Jacqueline Kennedy's wedding gown.

Blue Tuesday

Yellow and gray Thursday

Hello

I've been absent for a very long time, I know. Summer has been busy. Loads of catching up to do both on the personal and professional level.

But I have been shopping quite a lot lately. Window shopping. And I have to say, I did not like what I saw. I am pretty sure this will be THAT year. The year when you can't find anything. When trends are not very defined, when you can wear 'anything' and you find nothing. The non-creative year. Do designers suffer from creative difficulties at the same time? do they call each other for help? I don't like the everything goes, it's usually a sign of nothing is going on. And I know that there are nice and creative stuff out there, but they have not been translated into high-street fashion. It's all blend and boring and not defined and I'm concerned I won't find anything I like!!!! Am I the only one??

Having said all this above, I did fall in love with a Pauw coat. It's what I had in mind, but then 7 times more expensive ;-). I wish I could sew, I would totally make this coat.

I'm back.

gray and brown

One of my favorite color combinations for fall+winter is gray&brown. In this pic from the Mocium fall collection (first seen at Lena Corwin), the contrast between the gray tights and the brown sandals is perfect. 

The whole set, the studio, the frames...ah...I just want to be the girl in the picture....

Sales

You know I don't like sales. But sales are handy. 

 

Yesterday it rained like crazy in Amsterdam. Luckily not while I was shopping. I didn't really intend to go shopping but I needed to return some jeans I bought thinking they were so comfortable but then realizing they were just too big. I entered Zara hoping I'd find something I really wanted for like...10 euros? no such luck. But I did go up to Zara Home. And I ended up getting two of these 'tafellopers' (in Dutch). And I love them! It has taken me ages to find some I liked!! I am that picky. The pattern somehow reminds me of of this dress I also love from Mocium seen at (and owned by) Lena Corwin.

Here it is, this morning while having breakfast.

 

Time machine

If I had a time machine I would go back to the 50's and wear these gowns.

Actually, I would totally wear this last one right now...

All via Vintageous.

I know it's summer when...

...my house is full of peonies.

...I got a blue and white striped t-shirt and a colorful bikini (both via H&M)

...I dream of one of these and a terrace on Saturday evening (created by Becoming a Foodie) 

...I constantly imagine myself at the Anemi Hotel (seen via The Style Files)

...

Still doubting

Yesterday I went shopping for a dress to wear to my friend's wedding. Entered Zara and came out with this gorgeous dress. I love it. And I wanted something like this, summery, flowery, not too formal. 

But I am still doubting. I have big well, breasts, and it's basically the only difficulty I have (meaning to write about this for ages) when buying clothes, especially dresses. Well, no, buying anything. And so, this dress has quite a big cleavage and that would been a small bra, and that means that I will be showing quite some flesh and I don't particularly like that. So, I don't know...I think I'll keep on searching...:-(

 

Letter to...

Dear Mrs. Acra,

What can I say? I am so happy to check your collection every day, again and again. I am so glad your designs are classic and successful. I have been wondering if you could just for a short while get into my head and have a look at that navy blue dress that seems to re-appear in my dreams and draw it for me. Cause I really can't draw, but the dress is haunting me. That would be really nice of you. See, I don't think you realize the extent of my admiration for your work...if I ever get married I will have no choice but to take a plane and fly to NY in order to get one of your wedding dresses, and I hate flying.

 

  

 

Mrs. Acra, please never stop creating. And if the navy blue dress comes to you in a dream too, please tell her I can't be with her but that she'll be happy with you. 

Thank you.

Sincerely,

Andrea, All Pretty Things

Another wedding

Do you also have weddings this year? I only have one actually. But since I have at least one per year, it does seem like yet another wedding in terms of dress finding/buying. Before I got to this age when friends start getting married I would dream of dresses I would wear to my friends' weddings. Now the whole fantasy has vanished and has been replaced by the horror of not finding what I want...it's not easy to shop for a party dress. 

 

I am looking for something easy to wear, elegant, and possibly NOT black. This YSL above could totally do it for instance. But I would also love to wear something more summery, more floral, like the Carolina Herrera below.

   

Moving to color, this Alberta Ferretti (below) wouldn't be a bad idea either...

 

Of course, the question is: how to find any of these in a cheaper version that I can afford? well, I will have to go and properly search. I wish we had a  J. Crew store in A'dam, cause any of these would be a possible and affordable solution to my wedding dilemmas..

Ah well, the search continues....

Sea salt

Summer has arrived in Amsterdam and I am dreaming about beach; southern France, Greece, Nantucket...anywhere with a coast and some nice souvenir shops (I love souvenir shops). I also discovered that I must have thrown away my bikinis from last year as I can't find them anywhere. It was time for new ones anyway. I would love any of these looks for this summer...{dreaming...}

Photos # 3, 5 and 9: Princess Tam Tam
Photos # 1, 4: Toast
Photo #2: Stella McCartney
Photo # 6: Raplh Lauren
Photo # 7: Creatures of Comfort
Photo #8: Gap

Sun+drinks+terrace= Vera Wang

I started fantasizing about how warm it's going to be and how lovey I will look having a drink in a terrace in the evening with the perfect make-up and feeling tanned (although I never am). And so I went online and searched for outfits for my imaginary summery wardrove and came back with all these Vera Wang.

Pastel means cake in Spanish

And indeed, pastel colors are a bit like cake colors. And the same way I love baking, I just love pastel colors since I can remember. I am a lucky girl this season. Long long long ago Sussie Bubble wrote a post "The Pastel Haze got the brain" and I started dreaming about pastel colors. My sister suggested I watched Marie Antoinette just to see the cakes and macaroons (they are by far the Valentino in cookieland) and I still haven't but indeed the images are very very sweet.

My skin is very pale and pinkish, transparent at places, but I can't resist to pale on pale. I also think it's a waste to chose colors because of your skin or hair color, so I never did or will do. When I was 16 I had a white bikini that I simply loved. Everybody kept asking why I had bought a white bikini while I am so pale; I kept thinking they were styleless (haha, evil laugh).

I am starting to loose my point..pastel colors, right. I went to Zara with a friend not that long ago and while I didn't want to buy anything I saw all these powdery pink dresses mixed with stone colors and I fell in love. It's like wearing a tutu and ballet shoes all day long!! Lovely.

Photos: Dolce&Gabbana, Wunderkind, Viktor&Rolf, Vanessa Bruno and Junya Watanabe.