Done with the jeans every day?

The right look for every day is hard to pull… not too chic but not over the top casual either..

Sometimes, when lazy, I just put on some jeans,a top and a blazer: done! Although this is never a bad look , below some ideas to spice things up a bit…

Looks worth getting inspiration from!



Savannah and Sienna, two stylish sisters… a good look doesn’t need to be complicated



Chloe Sevigny, always edgy…I love this look! The colors, the shape, it’s just suits her well. I would replace the sneakers by heels or ballerina’s but that’s just personal preference.



As always, Alexa pulls it of! Chilly? Just add some stockings or even boots and this combination is autumn-proof.



Easy does it for Katie Holmes…




A floral dress with leather jacket: tataaaa: ready!

To wear or not to wear those heels?

What is it about heels ? Honestly? They’re mostly: painful, expensive (often), and tend to fall apart which means you have to run to the shoemaker every week. Let’s face it… that simply does not happen with a pair of Birkenstocks.

I have several pairs of shoes which I like to call : my dining out shoes. They are gorgeous, but not comfy, at aaall. I can make it from the car to the restaurant and perhaps even to the bar next to the restaurant (if there are seats available…). But that is just as far as the night can go.

It’s a hate-love relation. Because on the other hand, nothing makes you feel quite as elegant or feminine as a nice pair of high heels. You will believe my discomfort when I stumbled across a study (side comment: can you believe it’s actually somebody’s job to study this? Really?) that claims that men don’t even notice if a women wears heels or not. I am taking the liberty to quote:
‘A study is looking at women between 18 and 35 and what signals are sent out when the they walk with and without heels. Male observers in the experiment cannot tell which figures are wearing heels.’

I find that very arguable! While wearing heels you just walk another walk …it does feel different. I’m thinking it’s the men…as a result I suggest the researcher repeat the experiment with female observers. A whole different study I predict.

In the meantime we will keep searching for the ultimate heels…some suggestions for Autumn 2010.


.
Dries Van Noten,my favorites... too pretty… These shoes are a reason to go out dining.



Lanvin...ultimate elegancy



Cuties from Tabitha Simmons



Lovely pumps from Elizabeth and James



Fendi's gothic romans, more of a risk but actually very wearable if you just go for it.

Enter : SOOMA…

No SOOMA is not a new brand, a designer jeans or a new perfume… It’s something that I sort of invented and it’s short for: Seasonal Object Of My Affection.

Allow me to explain: each fashion season I choose a SOOMA…Hmmm, that might not be correct; the SOOMA chooses me. Some supernatural power draws me to a certain bag, pair of shoes, piece of jewelry.. .Anyways, this object is then the item I long for, save for, want and must have. Preferably I get it at the beginning of the season, if finances do not allow I’ll go for the end of the season (meaning sales time): SOOMA’s are worth waiting for…

For Autumn Winter 2010 I am very happy to announce that my SOOMA has arrived… and it’s goooood. Really I should thank the universe since I was born on September 25th which sort of is the beginning of Autumn, so hurray…my birthday gift often is a SOOMA. Last winter my Sooma was a Wouter & Hendrix ring, gorgeous and so me! Last summer a watch caught my eye and this year a new bag has come my way…and she even has a name: Catherine (Marc by Marc Jacobs)! Needless to say Catherine is my new BFF and goes everywhere with me.

Can’t wait to see what SS2011 will bring…

A Fashion accessory with benefits…

My latest purchase is proudly glowing on my right wrist. And no it’s not a diamond bracelet that is glittering (though I would love that too…) it’s: the power bracelet. Or, as I like to call it: my fashion accessory with benefits.

So what’s the deal with this latest item that is , as many accessories, probably waaaay to expensive, but nonetheless a must-have? Basically it’s a silicone wristband embedded with a treated hologram .The hologram is designed to optimize your body’s natural energy flows. This magic bangle claims to increase physical performance and overall quality of life. Me like! Not that anything was wrong with my quality of life, but hey; there is always room for improvement…
And Beck’s has it.
Kate Middleton was also spotted wearing one...
So I figured… If it’s good enough for them it’s good enough for me!

I must say, I’ve had the bracelet for 2 days now and hmmm, not much has changed, but I do feel good and well balanced, as always…

An online poll cites following results:

Do Power Balance wristbands work for you?
• 41% I wear one now, and it works!
• 10% I have worn one in the past, but it didn't work. What a waste of money.
• 27% I have never worn one, but I'm buying one now.
• 22% I have never worn one, and I never will...not for $30 bucks.
1428 people have voted in this poll.

Soooo I guess I’ll just wait a bit longer and give my bracelet the time to adjust to my energy flows which are probably harder to balance than the average…
I’ll keep you posted!

WRAPALICIOUS dinner parties

I love throwing dinner parties.

The way I see it there are many reasons to love them.

Firstly I love to eat, it’s a simple fact: eating makes me happy . I’m the type of person that discusses the details of dinner at breakfast…

Secondly, I love it when our house is filled with people and laughter. I guess I’m a people pleaser, please don’t take this any other way as I mean it.. I just like to make people happy! And how better to do that than by giving them food and boose.

In addition, I enjoy talking! And for some reason, during a nice dinner discussions run freely.

In the fourth place, but equally important, dinner parties give me a great excuse to splurge on new table cloths, ridiculously overpriced napkins, elegant glasses, candle holders... and so on. I am a firm believer that details are important and that the right setting is just a must, not an option. I’m sure my friends at Zara home agree…

Finally, I love cooking...however I don’t like being in the kitchen the whole time while the guests are left alone and I am missing all the fun.
I recently found some dishes that can be premade and just need to be served or put in the oven, how nice is that! I am totally pro WRAPS, they are tasty and you can go just about anywhere with them. My most recent wraps?

Wrap filled with goat cheese, courgette and small pieces of red onion, put everything in the wrap, put a little oil over the wrap and place in oven for about 7 minutes: DIVINE! For those who like it: ad some fresh coriander….hmmmm…

Wrap filled with smoked salmon and mango-soft curd cheese mix… soo simple: just mix up small pieces of mango with soft curd cheese, put in the wrap and READY! At the latest dinner party, this dish scored…

Wrap with grilled chicken and humus, served with ratatouille this can be a main dish! And to make it even better, this is really healthy too!

Let’s start cooking, all this talk about food makes me huuungry!





some evidence of my splurges



I love flower patterns in summer!

Book Lovers

Although August is tipping over to the wrong half (the half where summer will soon be over…) you might still have holiday or lazy weekends in prospect.* And what better to do than read a good book?

Personally, I am a booklover, I keep lists of thing I’ve read and obviously there’s a ‘to read’ list…I even have the annoying, time-consuming tic to always end a book even if I’m hating it and still have 500 more pages to go. I am planning on breaking that habit next time a bad book crosses my path. I haven't forgotten how long it took me to finish the last one…

I read just about anything from fiction to non-fiction to magazines (I believe Vogue is thick enough to be called a book, not?). I even stock old magazines, I just can’t get myself to throw them away…and fashion goes in cycles so they could prove to be very convenient when the 2010 style returns in 2030! The library is my must-see spot and the smell of old books just makes me feel wise (I specifically say makes me feel, not the same as actually being wise…)

So, anyways, looking for something to read? In the non-fiction department,you’ll just love ‘life is too f***ing short’ by Janet Street-Porter. The book has been lying in our house for a couple of years now and I still read it now and then, or at least parts of it. It’s hilarious and practical, a great combination! In fact, every woman should have a copy..176 pages long Janet explains us, in her own funny way, on how to get what we want out of live. Some of her valuable tips: tell yourself every day you’re bloody brilliant since nobody else will, get rid of so-called friends that actually bore your arse off (her language, not mine…), eat healthy but don’t get caught in a supercomplex diet that will make you miserable, accept that we cannot change men and never will be able to do so..we will give them grocery lists and they’ll come back with all the wrong stuff, accept it and move on! Janet gives advise on just about anything in life, from her averse for beauty editors to what to cook.

It’s all common sense if you think about it, but fact is that we need a little reminder every now and then… This book could be that reminder and you'll have a laugh while reading it!

* if this is not the case, wait for rainy fall weekends, we’ll get plenty of them…







My old magazines collection..after cleaning, and okay,only part of it...there are some more piles...

Once, twice, three times a Lady

This winter as a revolt against the boyfriend blazer, boyfriend pants and in fact the whole baggy look ENTER: the ultimate lady.

Catwalks were full of ultra feminine styles and who could oppose? Allright, baggy jeans, shirts etc. are comfy and all but every now and then a lady wants to feel like, well… a lady.

To create a ladylike look think hourglass shapes, cleavage (no overload please!), high heels or cute ballerinas, bows, cute skirts and girly details .

For the total ladylook take an example from Gossip Girl’s Blair Waldorf. Too much for you? (I agree, even Blair sometimes has difficulties pulling off the Blair look…) Choose one or two pieces and you are in trend. My favorites: adorable Lolo ballerina’s (Belgian, woehoe!), Asos' bow belt for the sweet touch,Souvenirs de Pomme earrings and a great dress from Asos...lovely!

Also have a look at Prada, D&G or Louis Vuitton for inspiration. If these ladies will not sway you away I do not know what will!



Blair Waldorf in Gossip Girl



Cute Lolo ballerina's, check out www.lolo-theballerina.be for more styles!



Asos belt





Lovely earrings from Souvenirs de Pomme,www.souvenirsdepomme.be




Dress for ultimate ladies, asos.com







Real ladies at Prada, D&G and Louis Vuitton










I recreated the look with an H&M skirt, Primark shoes,Accessorize earrings and oooh a great Miu Miu bag, which unfortunatly was a present (helase, not to me, but from me,quite painful to give away). Now all I need to do is shop the winter version of this outfit. I am on a mission!