These two looks by The Row Fall 2024 Collection are everything I aspire to when it comes to dressing for work. Clean lines with a focus on the overall silhouette. A straight blazer with high buttons. A straight pair of trousers, or an ankle-length one with a very slight flare to them. Simple black boots or black leather sandals for when I’m just in the office or WFH. Not so sure about the small bags – I prefer a big one to carry my laptop around at all times. Opting for a bigger bag, then, makes the whole ensemble a bit more work-proof.
The other two looks by The Row below are the weekend versions of the above ones. Big coats (a girl living in a subtropical climate can dream…), and a subtle shade of beige to contrast the black. Besides the outfits, I love the neutral make-up. It actually enhances the boldness of the clothes, and complements the overall appearance. Some combed brows, light mascara, subtle blush and lip tint is all you need for these looks.
Christopher Lemaire and Sara-Linh Tran are the couple to go to for style inspiration. Whether I have to go to the office, or want to dress up to stroll the wet market on the weekend, I find myself going back to these images. Together, Lemaire and Tran prove that the right cut, shape and shades (and their flawless combinations) can be timeless and effortlessly chic.
I am interested in stepping up my wide trousers game, complementing them with oversized shirts in neutral, yet slightly matching shades. As for boots, black leather heeled boots have proven to be safe yet elegant choices. Adhering to a colour palette is essential here: Tran and Lemaire opt for black, navy, army green, beige and tan, and do not combine too many colours in a single outfit. Now there is one other thing which Tran by way of these pictures has convinced me to do… and that is growing my hair out.
Welcome to my very first blog post on this platform. Writing regular blog plots will be my new endeavour, during which I document my journey towards a new form of minimalism.
I honestly dislike frilly marketing buzz words related to self-improvement, such as personal growth, self care and self discovery. Notice the over-reliance on the word ‘self’ here? Foucault once wrote that this obsession with the ‘self’ through outwards perception of care and discovery is still an obsession with the outside world and not, actually, our selves. I personally just think these words ultimately just resort us to become selfish in all the wrong ways.
For this reason I will refrain from calling the theme of the blog any type of self-improvement or self-discovery, nor will I discuss minimalism as some form of self-help or whatever. There’s plenty of those type of platforms already out there.
Instead, I will describe my own experience attempting to define what I consider minimalism to be in my own life. The reason for this is because I found myself these pasts months having fallen in some sort of consumer trap. Having (almost) finished my PhD and having started a new job (after eight years of studying) were major life transitions after which I felt I needed to change the way I am perceived by others. For me, this slowly turned into somewhat of a fixation on looking, dressing and behaving more professionally – whatever this may mean. With this goal in mind, I kept buying new stuff for myself, my house and my wardrobe in order to be perceived ‘professionally’.
The problem with this is as follows. Once you start, there is no end to it. In sociology, this never-ending cycle of consumption is called The Diderot effect, referring to Diderot’s short story from 1875 called ‘Regrets on Parting with My Old Dressing Gown’. In this 150-year old piece, the philosopher complains about buying a red velvet gown, a garment he perceives to be so fancy, he now needs to upgrade every single item in his home and wardrobe in order to accommodate the piece. I’m experiencing a similar issue – albeit it in the form of my ‘professional’ wardrobe versus… basically the rest of my life, which of course isn’t always so professional.
So, what will this blog help me to do? First of all, by writing on it, at home, I will refrain from spending more money on other things (lol). Second, I am treating it as a frivolous experiment to documenting my spending habits. Therefore, I will attempt to not buy any new clothes for six months, except for any essential replacements. The goal is then to not only save money, but also to cultivate a more mindful and conscientious approach to consumption.
In the next post, I will set out some goals and guidelines for myself to follow. For now, I am happy to be blogging again, especially during a time where nearly everyone seems to have moved on to the extremely fast visual violence that is the current social media sphere. What happened to… words? (more on that later…).
I am extremely tired of these ultra shiny, streamlined beige interiors. It makes sense that they’ve irked the nerves of many, and have now come to be known to ‘sad beige interiors’. However, instead of being a sourpass and complaining about the visual landscape of interior social media, I am offering an alternative for my own eyes (and yours!).
Eric Rohmer knows how to make a moody and sultry summer movie. He also knows very well what a home should look like. A blend of your grandparents’ furniture, books, fresh flowers and plenty of natural sunlight. Now, why has nobody told me that decorating a home could be so easy? All you need is a neutral colour palette, a comfy chair and a good book setup and you are good to go. Now, all I need is the wardrobe to match…
You know, today, everybody is always rushing. Designers have to make collections one after the other. Actresses have to make movies one after the other. They have to do all that in order to still be there—to still be out there. So to step away and be absent and to lose yourself completely and to really come back and find yourself again—that’s something quite rare.
— Haider Ackermann, Interview Magazine
Keeping cosy
How can one not love consistency? The feeling of longevity and the idea of slowly building something have always appealed to me, rather than going for the ‘quick fix.’ I’ve constructed a little mood board to stay true to my winter ensembles and as an ode to the winter uniform; consisting of a jumper and/or shirt, trousers and boots.
Serbian born Ana Kras is an artist who perhaps you know from her relationship with Devendra Banhart in 2011 (which caused quite the turmoil) or her beautiful handmade lamps, called BonBons. Her products and work are as graceful as the way she carries herself and that has not been left unnoticed by various media outlets. Ana has been featured in a couple of look books and shoots so far as a model, and her latest feature is a short film called ‘Shy Gestures’. As an exploration of creativity and instinct, Ana muses about her creative findings and inspiration. We see the interdisciplinary artist showing her work and her own personal style and it has left me wondering on the ways I could style that bright floral dress with my brown hair and some basic black sandals (and obviously how to become as talented as she is!).
A still from North by Northwest | Alfred Hitchcock | 1959
On Brands
The reason why I write a blog is because I don’t have a preset image of how I like to dress. Of course there are brands I like and I do have a general idea on what to buy, but I am constantly searching, on the internet, but also in the real world on how I would like to portray myself. The individuality that comes with dressing is a right given to us. There are cultures beyond ours where a strong uniform is forced upon its peoples and neglecting it can cause to severe punishment, some of them even leading to hazardous situations such as rape and or death. But not for us. We have a complete free choice on what we put on our bodies. But do we really?
In one of my first posts on this blog I mentioned walking around Amsterdam only to find nearly every shopping street looking the same, all containing the general H&M, Zara, Pull&Bear, Primark and what not. Both crowd and noise inside the stores were appalling: the shops are strongly aimed at 16-25 year old women, with loud pop music playing and windows filled with bright colours, look books and screamingly low prices. The women walking out of these stores were looking so strongly alike that it frightened me. Apparently they didn’t notice it themselves: because they came out with bags made of plastic filled with the ‘latest’ trends of the new season, which ironically most of the other people in the shopping street had just bought too.
Why do we feel a constant need to buy from big chain stores when it comes to shopping? To get the so-called ‘latest trends’? To get something for dirt-cheap and score the best deal? Perhaps because our friends shop there? Or simply because it’s easy? These common chain stores such as H&M and Zara are big business because they serve the general demand. This means the items are quickly made, follow trends but are never too ‘daring’ (because this would not sell to a great audience). The result is that these stores have become so powerful that it is nearly impossible for young designers and new labels to establish their brand on the market. In my opinion, dressing ourselves contains more than fast fashion and easy shopping – it’s an identity. This has made me think a lot about how I want to participate in this micro-world and mostly on what I want to support through my money and in which stores I want to spend my money.
All this pondering has lead me into making a new decision: besides my regular go-to brands that I trust and go to a couple of times every year for something new, I will spend more time on educating myself on local design and small designers. I’ll post my findings on the blog in this new category simply called ‘Brands.’ I know it’s only a small effort, but wouldn’t it be so sad if downtown would turn into a bland H&M and Zara shopping street? So let’s shine a light on some different stores for a change.
The Perfect Oversized Isabel Marant Coat
Finding a good coat that fits all your criteria can be a daunting task. I am a big fan of the large, oversized coats made by Isabel Marant. In every collection there is at least one number that fits everything I’m looking for. It may be the thick and sturdy grey wool, the cocoon type of fit or those overly cropped sleeves, I think they make anybody who wears them instantly chic.
What about them is just so perfectly je ne sais quoi? I think it all comes down to the dark grey-hues and the oversized fit. Remember when Kate Moss coined the term ‘hobo chic’ somewhere in 2008 by wearing her garments one size too large, usually in neutral colours? I think it’s that vibe that makes an outfit look pieced together in all the right ways. It’s as if you say: ”Oh, this? I just threw this on and ran out the door but thank you for complimenting me on my chic look!” To follow the style, keep things casual, a tad bit oversized with an air of nonchalance and wear clothes with a clear and simple cut. This coat ticks all of these boxes.
Of course the Voguettes are on to the hype, because ever since the coats have gotten popular around 2012 Catherine Roitfield has been spotted walking around le Jardin des Tuileries in her Isabel Marant coat. My favourites of all these grey numbers are the Bator and Baki coat – two thinner versions of the coats coming with a very oversized fit. Unfortunately they came out somewhere in 2010 and 2011 and after a quick hype on the blogosphere were no longer fabricated and became unavailable right after. Finding one on the internet has so far proven fruitless (and if I am lucky to find one they sell for outrageous prices), which leaves me to admiring these garments from a distance. I’m keeping my fingers crossed to hopefully one day own one myself and have my wardrobe feel ‘complete.’
Do you have any stories about amazing deals you’ve gotten on awesome pieces?
In France pregnant women are allowed to skip lines, it’s the law. I went to a special Christophe Lemaire private sale that was at my friends gallery and he walked me in a little before the sale started and was like “show your belly!” I had the whole sale to myself for a while. It was the calmest sale shopping I’ve ever done, and I have pieces I will keep forever from it.
I seem to have the toughest time finding jewelry and accessoires I like. When it comes to jewelry I go for understated, clean and fine pieces and I prefer gold over silver (although nothing beats the silver collection at Tiffany’s & Co). I hate anything that glitters or has too many details. As you can see, I am about as picky as they come.
My top priority when browsing for jewellery is that the items need to be chic. If I’d want to explain chic I’d be talking for hours, as it is usually just the right shape or shade that makes the pid d have that refined feel. Take Sophie Buhai’s line for instance, which has clear lines, no fuzz and an architectural feel to it. Some of her pieces are way too big for me to wear, but I’d imagine myself going to a dinner party wearing the stone necklace, or covering my wrist with one of her bangles on a casual date. It’s rare to find something unique yet at the same time so very timeless.
