Palladium Breakfast

After doing a photoshoot for Palladium wearing their leather booties, I was invited to the press breakfast at the attic of the brandstore of Amsterdam. The place was completely ravished, not on purpose though, but fitting the brand like the perfect pair of Palladiums. The raw and urban feel dominated with concrete walls and rusty handles. An exploration indeed...

Check out all the photos here.

And also check out the new video with Odette Annable wearing Palladiums summer boot on an exploration for hidden gems in LA

the Dam Runway

As living in the heart of town may seem like the perfect hotspot, it also has its disadvantages. Especially when you have an absolute urge to wear heels. Every single freaking day.

Ever been to Amsterdam? If yes, you must have visited Dam Square. Dam Square – often just called the Dam – and its lovely national monument dedicated to the fallen soldiers in World War II; its majestic buildings housing hotels, museums and stores; the royal palace that has been covered in scaffolds for as long as I can remember; the many, many tourists wandering around looking rather lost, and the troops of pigeons that hysterically hop around.

All of the above set the mood for the Dam, making it one of Amsterdam's most visited places. However, another very defining feature of this Dutch square are the – very lovely looking, but sometimes rather annoying – cobblestones. Obviously they add to the historical feeling of the square, which doesn't necessarily mean I couldn't live without them. These round, uneven stones make your supposedly very elegant float look as if you're suffering from a chronic unbalance disease. No, I'm not drunk at 08.30 in the morning, when upon catching the tram to my job, I stumble and hobble along and finally reach the other side of the Dam. Tiptoeing is not an option when wearing 15 cm platform wedges, as I would then undoubtedly crash and fall, and have those stones marked in my face for at least two weeks.

"And just like Mozes had a moment of divine interference when he thought of splitting the Red Sea in two, our ever thoughtful mayor came up with a – I must admit – rather luminous idea too."

But thank-the-freaking-lord; for one of the most prestige and eldest department stores is located at the head of Dam Square. With the endless stream of gloved and glittered ladies in desperate need of some old-fashioned high end goodies and the limited access to LV leather totes and Chloé clutches offered in an allure setting in Amsterdam, it seemed there was only one solution that would stop this house from facing a dramatic drop in sales. And just like Mozes had a moment of divine interference when he thought of splitting the Red Sea in two, our ever thoughtful mayor came up with a – I must admit – rather luminous idea too.

He created our very own Dutch runway: dividing the Dam into two halves, with one super long, sleek, stretched, marble runway in the middle. This way the Gucci gloved, the Marc Jacobs maniacs and the Fendi freaks can all make it safely to the other side and satisfy their fashion cravings and undying needs of buying the new collections. And, also quite important, I can now safely slide over the Dam Runway and reach my job without cobblestones printed all over my cheeks.

P.S. Dear God, please keep the snow away from Holland, as our Dam Runway gets just a tiny bit slippery when it's all white outside. (Don't even ask; I am so not telling you that story.)

Reminiscing

Me, Chiara (The Blonde Salad) and Sabrina (AfterDRK) for Fashiolista after a delicious breakfast at my new fav place Vin et Fleurs in NYC. 

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Fashion Week Madness

I just arrived from NYC, where I had the pleasure of going to amazing parties and dinners with Fashiolista's blogger friends. Right after our Amsterdam Fashion Week adventure, to which Fashiolista had invited five special guests (Denni - The Chic Muse, Alix - The Cherry Blossom Girl, Louise - Miss Pandora, Andy - Style Scrapbook and Carolina - Fashion Squad), it was now time for the Big Apple...

A couple highlights of the past few weeks:

- Attending the opening soiree of Jan Taminiau's surreal Haute Couture show

- Getting to do some vintage shopping with these five huge fashiolista's

- Enjoying a wonderful meal at Lionnoir

- Showing all the amazing highlights Amsterdam has to offer by boating through the canals with the G-star boat and enjoying the coziness of being amongst so many inspiring girls

- Flying out to NYC for fashion week and being able to hit the runways

- Attending the Evolving Influence Conference hosted by Independent Fashion Bloggers

- Exploring NYC's cosy restaurants such as Antique Garage and Vin et Fleurs (a little bit in love with the French owner)

- Catching up with old friends

- Doing some proper shopping with Afterdrk's Sabrina at Bloomingdales (bought these sunnies from Super), Scoop (where Sabrina bought this amazing Helmut Lang top) and Roundabout, where they have super reduced designer pieces. 

- Getting to meet lots of cool people

- Going to the bloglovin' Awards and having Chiara of the Blonde Salad win the award for newcomer of the year!

Check out all the pics of these past few weeks in the coming days at the official Fashiolista blog and start loving right away!

Photos stolen from Afterdrk

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Talking to the moon

Although it's already February, it's still a new year and a new day, and thus time for a change. Over the past month I've put some thought into my new year's resolutions, but struggled coming up with good ones. And as I heard the Maya's made a miscalculation, I feel pretty relieved I don't have to worry anymore about accomplishing every life goal in one year. I still have until 2220 to let all my dreams come true.

That's why I have made the decision of letting things come as they are, taking them one by one. Letting go has never been harder, but also feels so much nicer. 

"Thank God the Maya's made a miscalculation: now I have at least until 2220 to let all my dreams come true."

I must say, life in 2011 has been really kind to me so far. I've made a couple amazing new friendships, met some really cool people, attended fabulous parties and shows and now Fashiolista is even letting me go to NYC... 

Right now I couldn't be happier and more grateful for all this goodness that is coming my way. However, it does scare me a little, as the saying 'all good things come to an end' keeps whispering its way in my mind. All good things may come to an end, but let's hope that will only happen somewhere at the end of December, when a new year will mean a new start again. I promise to catch all the glistening confetti with my tongue. 

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New York...

It's a fact. I'm going to NYC for fashion week for Fashiolista... Too excited to breathe.
What to wear?!

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You know your life

is taken over by fashion week and all its preparations, when...

... you find yourself discussing the pro's and con's of different photographers with your colleague on the phone, while running like a maniac on the cross-trainer, all sweaty and out of breath. 

... in the middle of the night, you suddenly sit up straight, wide awake with one name on the tip of your tongue: "Yves... Saint... Laurent..." you whisper slowly, and the corners of your mouth start to curl. That's one outfit decided upon, you think pleased with this sudden brainwave. Completely relaxed you lie down again, to fall asleep with a huge grin on your face. Only to realise the next morning your name is not miss Roitfeld and you're actually a student with corresponding budget.

... making a doctors appointment you hear yourself saying: I'm very sorry, but there's no way I can come by next week as it's freakin' fashion week! 

... you start seeing the sheep you pass while on a train ride dressed in little red dresses and mint green cardigans. 

... there are a couple dozens of little coloured stars in your bed, due to the creative minds of a certain fashion label who decided upon sending an invite that made your house look like an explosion of the universe. Even months later you'll still find those little stars under your couch/in your bathroom/in your wallet. 

... you catch yourself thinking: what will the goodie bag look like? Instead of: what will the collection look like?

Amsterdam International Fashion Week: I'm ready for you.

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