LIFE | Coffee With Cocorosa, hand-me-downs from Dries and Ann

Yesterday I took a long train trip to the cosy city of Arnhem for a lecture and met with the lovely blogger Chantal from CocoRosa afterwards. We had a cappuccino, chatted about blogs and media, about New York and about fabulous shoes. Chantal showed me around her home town and brought me to one of her favorite spots; a fabrics-store with an amazing concept.

It is a project of the Arnhem Academy of Art and Design called 'Trickle Down' which refers to the handing down of left overs from established designers 'dripping down' to the not yet so established. It is basically a store filled with scraps, left over rolls of the most delicate and rare fabrics that come from Dutch and Belgian designers. Pieces of pink and turqoise metallic leather that were fetched from the Dries van Noten ateliers were hanging in the racks, extremely long messing zippers and a lovely, helpful lady from the academy who also used to teach Victor and Rolf among others.

I bought a couple of Riri zippers yesterday. But regretted not getting more of the unique pieces they offer. This morning my boyfriend and I decided to hop on the train and came back with more zippers, a piece of leather that looks like elephant skin and I found an amazing black metal clasp from Ann Demeulemeester. Now it's time to think about what to do with all these fantastic materials.

Trickle Down Fabrics
Kortestraat 26, Arnhem
Click to find them online

LIFE | Snapshot

Got snapped by the lovely Felicia from the Amsterdam streetsyle blog Dam Style.

Philly We Loved You!!

 

These photos are just of Eastern State Penitentiary, but enjoy the adventurous tales of our whole trip to Philly:)

Our time in Philadelphia was too brief, but we managed to have an awesome time...despite the crappy weather.  We arrived Friday afternoon and settled into our hotel for a couple of hours and then skitted off to south Philadelphia to head to a cute vintage shop and then we headed to a bar for drinks.  While there I drunkenly watched Slap Shot for about an hour and just laughed.  Then we went to Franklin Fountain per Veronika's suggestion before meeting up with her and her husband at a cool cantina for more drinks, food and chit-chatting.  It was pouring rain and just crazy trying to drive around there, but in the end it was a great first night in Philadelphia. 

On the day of Riot Fest we had to kill a few hours before the show, so we thought, "why not visit Eastern State Penitentiary?"  I am obsessed with Ghost Hunters and they've visited that place twice before, so it made perfect sense for me to go over there and experience some of (if any) the super natural.  Sadly, the only thing I came away with was a somber empathic feeling.  It was quite depressing, but the building itself was very beautiful (for a prison anyways).  Lots of windows along corridors, a beautiful synagogue and the fortress wall was made of glistening stones.

Our next stop was Riot Fest.  Zach and I actually got reacquainted at a show (nearly 9 years ago) so we have always had a common bond over musical taste.  Each year we try to fit in a few concerts and this year we got lucky and we were able to see about 5 great punk/hardcore bands all at once!!! I'll do a special mixtape post later this week and share some music with you all.

And that's that!  It was a terrific trip which would've been even better if it was longer.

LIFE | Today´s Fantastic Read

I´m on the tram as I write this with today's read on my lap; Fantastic Man. One of the best Dutch export products if you ask me. I'm keeping this post short because I can't wait to dive into this magazine and read the 16-page feature on Raf Simons!

The Scenic Eastern Shore

Before I hit the streets of Philidelphia and enjoy some fun times I thought I'd do a quick post with pictures I took earlier today while on the Eastern Shore.  The Eastern Shore is basically a long  peninsula that stretches from Delaware to Virginia with beautiful scenic lookouts.  I've always wanted to take a detour to a lookout so that's just what we decided to do. 

It was also so peaceful to listen to the sandpiper birds milling around on the beach and the breezy air blowing off the waters.  It was nice to sit and watch for a few minutes before we had to get back on the road. 

And just in case you are wondering, this is my go-to look for any type of travel.  Some super stretchy jeans and a loose top.  Its perfect for staying comfy while stuck in a car for about 6 hours and its also kind of stylish...if I do say so myself.  It's also a good look to sport while tromping around town and stepping into bars for a cold yummy beer:)  It's vacation after all!!

Top, H&M

Jeans, Forever21

Steve Madden Brogues, Plato's Closet

Vintage Necklace, Thrifted

Getting Snappy

The other day last week Zach and I took a little walk around our neighborhood and decided to take pictures along the way.  Not just outfit photos, but scenic photos.  I bought Zach this mini Diana camera last year as a bit of a surprise gift and for the first time this summer I finally remembered to take it along for a little trip.  It's such a cool little gadget and it takes really neat photos.  The only downside is, I have to send out the film to be processed since the local camera shop closes too damn early to be of any use to anybody.

Anyways, it was also fairly hot that day, which is why I'm wearing a summery frock, as opposed to the autumnal ones I've been wearing.  This dress was a second hand gift from one of my best buddies, Brittany.  She thought it was too short on her, so it was gifted to me.  Now I am wondering if this is a tad too short on me since I'm about 2 inches taller than Brittany.  Hmmm...well I think it's okay anyways.  Those darn Forever 21 dresses have a way of being confused as a dress, a tunic, or a top so it's up to us to make the better judgement...or lack there of hehe..

Oh and lets all have a moment of silence for these pretty brown shoes.  A little monster named Archie took a chuck out my perfect Brazilian leather shoes so now they are no more.  I'm shedding a tear just thinking about it.

Forever21 Dress, 2nd Hand

Vintage Flats, Thrifted--no more

Vintage Necklace, Flea Market

Vintage Camera Bag, Thrifted

Booking it To Brooklyn

This past Sunday while in NY, I decided to book it to Brooklyn with Zach and his uncle and take a trip to the Brooklyn Flea and then the Brooklyn Brewery.  My dress was a tad bit too fancy for such an excursion, so I threw on a denim jacket for an instant casual look.  I actually ended up totally in love with this outfit!!  Not to prissy and not too laid back.  The dress is actually something I purchased with a ShopBop gift certificate that  I won through a giveaway and its my first purchase from the Madewell line.  It's silk and soft and I can't wait to see what it will look like with dark tights for winter:)

The trip to Brooklyn was quite an ordeal only because the easiest train to get there ended up being closed for the weekend, so we ended up taking a very long subway which then led to a very long bus ride.  I was groggy from zero caffeine and just about ready to kill someone, then we got dropped at our stop about 15 feet away from a little cafe that served coffee from the sidewalk:)  So coffee in hand I was able to meander the Brooklyn Flea in Williamsburg with Zach and his uncle and had a ton of fun playing dress up in the vintage!!  Then we headed to the Brooklyn Brewery and got some yummy beer and enjoyed a very educational tour.  Yup, it was awesome!!  Of course, since we went to the brewery I also had to take a mini trip to Beacon's Closet where I found an awesome vintage Coach tote and striped vintage sweater:) 

Yup!! So that was my busy fun filled Sunday!!! (I miss NY)

Dress, Madewell

Denim Jacket, Gap

Vintage Belt, Thrifted

Swap.com Bag, ModSwap Party

Flats, UO

Greetings From New York!!!

I've been on a brief hiatus from blogging for a quick trip to NYC and just wanted to pop on the blog and say hello! I've been busy running around doing fun stuff, shopping, and lots of meeting new people. It's just so fantastic!! So happy to meet all the new people at the Mod Swap and then the Stylish Picnic. Great times!!

Photos coming soon!

LIFE | Sunday Kittens

Off topic: Yesterday our cat delivered four gorgeous black kittens!

Its A Wrap!!!

Sometimes I just want to put on a wrap dress and call it a day.  Today was one of those days I suppose.  I've already worn this dress about four times since I got it 12 days ago and its quickly becoming one of my favorite dresses.  The best part about the dress is the ties are so thin you can easily put a belt around the waist of the dress to give it a little more interest. 

To add more to my ultra easy dress I put on some cute vintage wedges and then put little pigtail buns on my head for some whimsy.  I've been more inspired to actually do my hair lately and I'm kind of liking this!  I  lived in this hairstyle when I was 14 years ago.  I think I was mimicking one of the girls from Sweet Valley High or something when I got obsessed with cutesy hair styles.  Which probably means I'm too old to put my hair like this.  Meh...I don't really care. 

So my plans for Labor Day are funtastic!!  I'll be heading to a baseball game with Zach and my Dad and then later on Zach and I will be going to his mom's place to watch House Hunters since Zach's Uncle Norman will be on the episode!!!  I'm so excited to see someone I know on TV and then see how they edit someone's personality for "reality".  They proclaimed Norman as "opinionated" so lets get see:)

Jacket, Thrifted

Dress, Thrifted

Shoes, Friendly Fox Vintage

Belt, UO

Cooped Up for Irene

So I've been cooped up in the apartment waiting out the storm and I've become quite bored.  We still have power so I figured I'd use good use of the electricity by doing a quick blog post:)  I got dressed up just for the fun of it and made a very bright outfit.  I've had this pretty Liberty of London for Target tunic sitting in my closet for ages and thought it'd be fun to sport it on an ultra stormy day.

And just to give you all a glimpse into my day, I've been busy doing house work since I haven't much to distract me and also I've been watching the news covered via internet streaming and radio.  So far we have flooded streets and a water main break in our area, but we're safe and sound in our cozy apartment.  Taking the dogs outside is quite the chore though.  Nothing is fun about that.  Hahaha...And they don't appreciate it either:)

If you all are on the east coast, stay safe and dry!!!  Hopefully I'll be back to regular photos and what not more sooner than later.  The streets are lined with debris and branches and clean up may take a while in our neighborhood.

Tunic, Target
Vintage Shoes, Thrifted
Cuckoo Clock Necklace, Jaclyn1423
Hat, UO

LIFE | Lois, The Coolest Of Them All

Mommy was proud when Lois picked her own clothes this morning and went for a pair of ripped acid wash jeans and a simple white tee. We went to buy her a pair of new Vans, I opted to replace the black ones she already has. But on our way there Lois spotted a girl in the bus with a pair of bright red ones on her feet. After that there was no way I could talk her into that black pair anymore.

LIFE | School & Writing For The Fashion Business

Briefcase: Vintage

Notebooks, Agenda: Bijenkorf

Book: Writing for the fashion business by Kristen K. Swanson and Judith C. Everett





Today was a day of shopping, not for the new fall arrivals but for school supplies. Summer has ended and it is time to get back into those school benches. I study journalism but have aspired to specialize in fashion journalism long before I even started studying. I've been trying to built an archive of fashion magazines and books that will serve me as references. A book that gets picked up so often that I do not even bother to put it back on the shelf is; Writing for the fashion business by Kristen K. Swanson and Judith C. Everett.



For everyone who has ambitions like mine I recommend you to buy this book. Whether you want to work in public relations, become a magazine editor, write critical pieces for newspapers or make scripts for videos. This is a guide full of all the basics that you will need to know. The content of the journalistic chapters is very much like the book we use at school(Basisboek Journalistiek) Basic book for journalistic writing. It provides writing techniques that are tuned to the fashion industry. The PR and marketing chapters provide a good insight on how the opposite side of fashion works. How advertisers work to get brands out there and what their strategies are to manipulate the media.



The book explaines practical things like how to do an interview, how to review a fashion show and even has a few pages on how to avoid sexist writing. It also shows how to write letters if you want to borrow clothes from a brand or get seats at fashionweek. It is an immensly handy book to have on the bookshelf in case you are in doubt about anything during your writing process. The content on these 604 pages is too diverse to give a proper review on. But I can almost assure you that whatever question about fashion and media that pops into your mind right now; Yes the answer is in this book.