Somewhere between slaying a dragon, hugging a tree, destroying a ring and seducing an elf, I've been sitting through my exams and [drumroll] I've passed. Yay. So now it's time for some extreme relaxing... but not before I pick up my well deserved diploma.

So let's cut-chase to the important part: what was I wearing? How very kind of you to ask. Well, I was wearing a combination that was so Chanel, that it was remarkable that non of it actually was (except for the lipstick part, that was like so Chanel).

Gliding down the stairs I felt like a contestant of the Alexa Chung-look-a-like Competition. unfortunately I came second, after some girl called Alexa...suspicious...

Also unfortunate is the quality of my camera. Crappy cam was at its best during this important event, so non of the pictures are sharp (or even pictures). Just imagine the black and white blur is a girl looking a bit awkward. Because awkward it was. 

Because I had the highest score for Art, the Art-department decided to give me a present. Which is very lovely and I'm very gratefull. However, no one else got something extra's for their achievements. Although, I'm not gonna brag (I'm gonna brag), I also had the highest score for my English (I've even done it better than my teacher) and they didn't gave me anything except for some paper or something whereby I can apply for any school after my choice. How cheap!

This isn't the first time I did exams. And this isn't the first time I'm the only one who receives a present for the results of it. I think I'm doing something wrong.

Love,

Dominique

… or Monday. Or in fact every given day. Because wearing Saint Kidd isn't specifically bound to any day. Though Saturday is the day we wear Saint Kidd. Or in my case Friday (I know, it's all very confusing).

Last Friday I had my pre-Saint Kidd Saturday-day... party. Wearing Saint Kidd makes you feel instantly “cool and happening”. And as a bonus track: It makes you act like a pirate! (that last bit could just be me... argh).

 The mother of Saint Kidd (a.k.a. The Captain (a.k.a. Dougie Poynter from the all mighty McFly)), has based this company upon the story of William Kidd. William Kidd was born in the decade where pirates were more than alive. His mission was to capture those little buggers and counteract the French (sacrebleu).

Unfortunately Kidd wasn't that succesful and his debts kept groing. His crew pressured him and they began to raid any non-English ship. Making them look more like pirates than servants of the throne.

On the 30^th of January 1698, Kidd and crew made their biggest catch when overtaking the Quedah Merchant. An English ship. Although, both pretended to be French and without realizing it, Kidd made a massive-huge-oh my giddy giddy gosh- mistake.

He felt like to confess and clear the air with the English. But, of course, not before he buried the treasure.

Back in England they weren't that fond of Kidd's action and they put him at rest (DEATH PENALTY).

So, the first question that comes to mind: Where is the treasure now? Well our lucky captain had some luck left and found it! No gold, though. Some tee shirts and stuff.

So join the dark side. We wear Saint Kidd (and have cookies... an endless supply on cookies).

Love,

Dominique

Sources: Picture 1

It's often said that antiquity shows ought to be approached with caution, because of their great power to bore you to death. However that's not the case with Bargain Hunt. Bargain Hunt is most entertaining, thanks to its host Tim Wonnacott.

Basically with Bargain Hunt you've got two teams (red and blue). These teams compete against eachother by buying three items at a flea market within a certain period of time (I thought three hours, but am not certain about it... it doesn't really matter, so carry on reading). Then they try to sell them with a profit at an auction house. The team with the biggest profit wins. Although, the participants at Bargain Hunt are known to be unlucky... so mostly the team with the smaller loss wins.

Tim talks all the bits together, shows us something remarkable he's seen at the flea market, visits some old estates and gives commentary at the purchased treasures by the teams. Tim is sassy where needed and wears the most amazing combinations. He's not afraid for a pink glasses-yellow bow tie-tartan gilet-blue suit outfit. He will wear it with pride and elegance.

Tim is the personification of the stereotype Englishman, and I like it. Nowadays you don't see them as often as you used to do. So everytime Tim appears on the tv screen, I'm watching with delight and a cup of tea- and a notebook (we can learn from this man).

So lets go Bargain Hunting, yes? YES!

Love,

Dominique

Sources: Picture 1/Picture 2/Picture 3

Vincent van Gogh: Painted with words... A documentary whereby every word spoken by the actors are sourced from the letters that Van Gogh sent to his younger brother Theo, and of those around him (“This is Van Gogh's story in his own words”).

The documentary dates back to 2010, but that can't withhold you watching it (again and again and again). Of course produced by the BBC (who else???) and gives you a very identic look into the life of one of the most ingenious painters this world has ever known. And if that doesn't make you feel frizzy, Vincent is portaited by the one and only Benedict Cumberbatch [sigh].

What I especially find stunning is the way the words of Vincent literally turns into the art where we know him from. The way they have enlightened his inner thoughts into scenes... phenominal. While watching I could feel the genius coming out of my computerscreen. Also it gives you a good capacity of emotional experience. You witness how a bright spark as Vincent can be the enemy of his own brilliance. So, very impressive stuff.

Love,

Dominique

Sources: Picture 1/Picture 2

"We know what you’re asking: The fashion industry is racist? No way! Fully 20% of the models at New York Fashion Week are people of color, and since 20% of the world’s population is people of color, and… Wait, what’s that you say? The world isn’t 80% white? Don’t you watch television?".

This is the foreword of an article written back in September 2012 regarding racism in the fashion industry through the years. Their conclusion is somewhat shivering, most of their examples are of "recent vintage".

That's right: after the highlights of the 80's and 90's, where there was a good representation of black people on the catwalks and the magazines, it has fallen all the way back down again.

Nowadays, the "right" black model is a "white girl dipped in chocolate", this is a true statement made by an insider of the industry while filming the documentary "The colour of Beauty". This documentary is a part of a larger Canadian Government Project, trying to reveal the challenges minorities face on a daily base.

They revealed that there is systematic racism in the modeling industry – and it’s not going away anytime soon. The industry does not reflect the diversity of real life. We live in a world that is so diverse and where visible minorities are actually the visible majority.

Vogue magazine was started in 1892. In over 118 years and 1,416 covers, only 14 have featured minorities of any kind. That's less than 1%.

Carole White, co-founder of Premier Model Management, which supplies models to top fashion brands, admitted that finding work for black clients was significantly harder than for the white models. Because both magazines and fashion designers were reluctant to employ them. "We have had casting briefs which say 'no ethnics'. But we are better in London than Paris and Milan; there if you offer a black girl they will drop the book like it's hot".

Nick Knight, a photographer who is known for his shoots featuring unconventional models, said the lack of black girls was "a pitiful reflection on the industry. But it's not just fashion, I work in film and advertising and it's the same level of racism. And I do think that if we don't use a model because of her skin colour then it is racism".

The industry self points the finger back to us. According to the magazines, black models don't sell.

We are the ones who are demanding and it's a fact that the faces that sell us products are predominantly white. "Sadly we are in the business where you stock your shelves with what sells." So it is not their fault that minorities are not prominent on the cover or the catwalks, it's ours.

Fashion is probably the only industry that can discriminate on, not only skin colour, but in fact on everything. They are often the cause of problems. Hereby also talking about how thick, or better said thin a model has to be. We try to equelize those pictures. Minorities often have no resemblance than white models, which can give them a low self esteem about being different than the average white model.

By casually throwing a limited handful of minorities with “big names”, they cover the racism. We are not racist, look we have Naomi Campbell. She is black, she is on the catwalk, but she's the only minority there.

These minorities with “big names”, happen to have more diversity in them than all of the white models during Fashion Week. For instance you can't say that Chanel Iman, Naomi Campbell and Tyra Banks leave the same impression behind.

The individuals in the industry are not necessarily racist, but work in a system that is. They can make decisions that contribute to systemic racism. They are responsible for almost everything we see and relate to. We have a very narrow definition of beauty, which is mostly created by them. They try to make an illusion based on their creative insides and of course on their consuming market. They are responsible for painting a global picture of all aspects of society. I believe that there definitely need to be some changes made. What do you think? 

Love,

Dominique

Sources: Picture 1/Picture 2

The eyes are the window of the soul. We, mostly women, are very competetive when it comes to long lashes. The longer the better. Thanks to T.L. Williams (it's always a man, isn't it) we have the pleasure to make them even bolder than they actually are. Yes, I'm talking about mascara.

Invented in 1913 as a resource for his sister Maybel (who had a car accident and burnt her eyelashes), T.L. Williams made the first steps towards the sticky stuff we're now familiar with. He blend vaseline, ash and cork and smurged this upon what was left of her lashes and brows. Hereby accentuating her glance and, so the story goes, made her win back the love of her life Chet. Maybel and Chet married and of course lived long and happily ever after. All thanks to her big bro... thanks bro!

It were the big moviestars as Clara Bow, Greta Garbo, Jean Hartlow and Bette Davis who made the dramatic eye a succes. Everyone was eager to follow their footsteps. The ask for mascara kept groing and groing.

However to put the stuff on was a job on its own. Luckily in 1957 the first liquid mascara in a tube came on the market. Not yet ideal, but we're getting there. A year later the brush to apply mascara like we know it now, came on the market. Just in time for Twiggy's rage.

Hundred years later and the cosmetics industry is still reinventing the sticky stuff that T.L. Williams once put together (or atleast that's what they are claiming over and over again).

It has become a status of groing up and indulged itself into the daily make-up routine. No way I'm going out without some mascara decorating my face (or to be honest: no way I'm going out without some lipstick decorating my face... I can always wear sunglasses).

Love,

Dominique

Sources: Picture 1/Picture 2

State your name, rank and intention.

The Doctor. Doctor... Fun.

Now Matt Smith has resigned his role as the Doctor, he'll need to be replaced by someone else who can tame the TARDIS, fight Daleks and safe the whole universe from disasters (and of course simultaneously being charming, funny, clever and what not).

Speculations run wild about who this newby might be. And more important, what will the regenerated kind wear?

Doctor Who is all about tackling the future with the past. Answers might be hidden away, so take another close look at the previous shown.

Every Doctor has his own trademark, wouldn't it be madly great if they manage to combine the boldest with the best. Molding a new Doctor based upon its heritage and own personality!

However Doctor after Doctor goes, while the TARDIS is always there. The inside may change from time to time, the outer area basically doesn't (a blue police box, what more do you want?). So why not add the allure of the TARDIS into the new design? I mean now we're free the speculate, we can make him be, do and look the way we've always imagined. We are in control!

So I've been digging through my wardrobe and put together an outfit for the new Doctor...

As you've might noticed, the look I'm going for is low quality and green TARDIS. You can't really see from this picture, but the coat is deep cobalt blue and the stole is very navy dark blue with grey highlights. The blouse is also grey, but some tones darker with deep pink roses. The leaves of the blouse are the same colour as the bow-thingy (technical term) and matches right up with the trousers. The blue comes back in the umbrella and the grey in the boots. The shoelaces match with the black hat and the socks (red-white striped with a blue anchor) matches with the navy colour of the stole. We've gone full circle here and looking back at the other Doctor's you might see few of the references back in their costume.

Love,

Dominique

Sources: Picture 1/Picture 3

Jack is fascinated by birds. He often jumps in the air, waiting for a time he can fly away. He even goes as far as eating their poo. “Eating their poo?”, you might say in disgust. Yes, Jack just can't get enough of the stuff. He will sniff and lick until someone obeys him not to do that (as indeed, it's quite disgusting). “What kind of animal is this 'Jack'?”, you could ask with reluctance. Well, to be exact, Jack is a Jack Russell terrier (a Jack Russell named Jack, I know).

The kind of animal you own is a resemblance of you. However, I'd like to doubt that. Jack and I are almost the opposit from eachother, yet somehow it just fits. He gives me something to talk about. For example:

Yesterday I was walking the dog, when I passed by the old peoples home. Normally a place of rest and utter dullness... only to be occasionally disturbed by the creepy weird looking ducks.

While I was walking and talking and not paying any attention to my surroundings, an elderly couple decided that my dog would soon be theirs [dramatic music].

They opened their garden fence and lured Jack into their direction. I was not having it and tried to pull him away. However the little dog is fast and stood already in their garden, actually lying on his back with his paws in the air. I was not planning to surrender to the evilness of the oldsters and tried to drag him with me. However they were trying to convince me that he wouldn't want to come with me anymore (as in the way: we will take it from here). 

Slightly panicking I pulled the dog leash just hard enough to get Jack on his feet and made my way to the exit. The lady said in a creaking evil voice: “You can always come by, he can play with us and it would not be a problem... see you soon” [evil laughter]. And I was just like “Have a nice day!” [keep on walking, keep on walking and DON'T look back].

Love,

Dominique

Sources: Picture 1

I like to mix patterns. Floral dessins with checks? No problemo! Plaid with polkadot? Ay sir, you know me well! In my eyes there's little that can go wrong when you mix it all up. It can make an outfit different, outstanding or even stirring. For me it's a game to find the most exciting combinations.

However sometimes you have to let a piece just be. For example my mother made me this sort of coat/dress-thingy with a lovely rich design, and I just feel like I ought to keep it at rest. I mean let the thingy speak for itself, as it is a rather fine thingy. 

Back on the “do mix”-road, I've found my ultimate check-mate in Tavi Gevinson. Sometimes patterns are associated with cultural assets. The one thing is inseparable from the other (like a plaid/tartan pattern with Scotland). So it's often hard to get rid of that feeling and just go with what it can offer you. Tavi made a modern impression by putting all these different, yet the same type of pattern together. Making the ultimate clash only the self-assured dares to wear.

Love,

Dominique