Trousers+Scarf: Gift from my aunt/Slippers: Birkenstocks/ Jacket: Lee/ Hat+Sunglasses: H&M

Sometimes you just do everything against your instincts... and it feels great. There's no shame in walking around in your jogging trousers. Especially when they are as pink as mine. Just don't wear them everyday.

Love,
Dominique

I mostly despise advertisments before a youtube video. I mean, sometimes the advertisment is longer than the actual video(!). Then you need to make a brutal decision whether it's worth the wait, which most of the times isn't... but you'll still wait.

This time was different. I genuinely enjoyed an advertisment and was surprised about the level of drool coming out of my mouth. I'm of course talking about the new H&M advert/collection. It's, dramatically put, to die for. Not lowering myself anyfurther down overly-dramatic-statements-lane, the new collection looks very sleak and sophisticated. It really brings out the big player in all of us and I can't wait to get my hands on some of the pieces.

Also something to drool over is the fall collection of Steady Clothing. Just watch the video and drool with me...



Love,
Dominique

Love,
Dominique

Dress: Marilyn Monroe Costume bought in a Thrift Store/ Cropped Top+Shoes :H&M/ Tights+Sunglasses: Wibra/ Ribbon: From a gift/ Button with "I'm nervous today": Gift from my mother

As the internet cliché goes, I'm missing some social skills. So first days of anything are nerve wrecking (especially first school days). Today was the start of something that ought to be a long running game, so I wanted to make a good impression. Unfortunately I can't get a word, not even a noise, out of my mouth when facing strangers. Approaching a group of jolly laughing strangers/future co-students is like the first steps to hell. dum dum duuuum

I honestly must say that I'm shocked that I sort of enjoyed myself. Which, after a dramatic intro, isn't what I had foreseen as an outcome. I've actually said things. Not at first of course. After approaching the jolly laughing strangers/future co-students, I find myself standing on my own (like, for quite some time). Then, out of the blue, this girl notices my shoes and says she has the same. Conversation time. However, the only thing I could sqeeze out of my mouth is "I like your shoes too". That's it. Nothing else. So she tries again, "How did you come here?". I'm stuck. Does she mean how I've travelled here or how I've found this particular school or... I go for the last one. All shivering and trying to find my words I stutter, what should've been a sentence, to her. End of conversation. Now I stand there uncomfortable, listening to their conversation and not participating at all. Saved by the bell, it's time to go inside.

Inside we're devided into groups, send into a room, getting talked at by the director of the school, getting stuttered at by sophomore students. And I like to believe that from there on I did reasonably OK. My button was a good icebreaker (I love it when a plan comes together). I even got some compliments, wich was weird because there were some "interesting" people walking around. Some looked like they just came from a 1993 Nirvana gig. And then there's me, trying to live up to my button...

Love,
Dominique

Jumper: Made by my mum/Shorts: H&M/Scarf: Miss Etam

Love,
Dominique


Sources: Picture 1

Dress+Jacket+Necklace: Thrift Store/ Hat: H&M/ Shoes: Local Outlet Store/ Bag: Efteling/ Buttons/ Olde Pictures of my mum and grandfather/ Old necklaces and earings from my grandmother

You can't start school without some 90's vibes...

Love,
Dominique

Blouse: H&M/ Book: The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde/ LP: MeatLoaf/ Ruler: Old one from my aunt or mother/ Stole: Made by my mum/ Bag: Thrift Store/ French Antique Medicine Bottles/ Dead Flowers

Love,
Dominique

Yesterday I went on the train ON MY OWN. Like literally me, myself and I (and loads of strangers). Earlier this week I went 50/50 on my own. Forth with my sister and back alone. Well, I thought I was alone. Turns out she hopped in some carriages behind me.

It was horrible and I almost cried (tears were already preparing themselves for a downfall). But when I came home and the day went on like usual, I realized that it wasn't that bad. However, those wise words I'd forgotten in the morning.

Once arrived at the station, I couldn't go back. First because if I don't go, I won't be able to go to school. And it doesn't matter how much I dislike school, I really want to go to school (would be a downright shame of all those books I bought). 
Second because I realize that I can't live my life to the fullest if I sometimes don't do things I'm afraid of. Like about 4 years ago I've been to Paris and it doesn't looks like I'll be there anytime soon again. So isn't it great that I've been pushed by my teachers (it was a school trip and pushed in the sense of "Sorry Dominique, but we really can't leave you here on your own with the hobos and thieves") to go up into the Eiffel Tower. And yes, you've cried hysterically all the way through, making all the other tourists feel uncomfortable, but you did it. And so it has to be the same with trains, right?!?

Right. So I carefully stepped in (causing a piling up behind me), sat down, put some music on, grapped my wool and crocheting needle and made my way. Nothing happened. I carefully stepped out (again causing cluttering) and waited for like an hour. I went to the local market, looked around, realized that I felt utterly uncomfortable (I always go out with someone by my side. No, I'm not really independent. I know) and went back to the station. Missed my train. Waited. Waited some more. And yes, there's the train again, only this time it's very crowded and you can't sit anywhere alone. So I assemble all my courage together and asked if I may could sit down next to a men (his stuff was on the other chair. Don't you just hate that?). He nods. I sit down. He already sits down and now his knee is touching mine and he's trying to make small talk. It's HORRIBLE. I go way left into the chair, trying to avoid any contact, while he's sitting there broad-shouldered, broad-legged and broad-mouthed.

At some point in the journey, the train gets less crowded and seats are getting empty. Now, as a newby, I don't know what to do. Would it be rude to change seats. Would people look at me in disgust (by the way, the men was smelling rather, uhm, remarkable)? I don't know and couldn't take the risk of doing something wrong. So I stayed next to my unfortunate companion, hoping he would get out anytime soon. But he didn't. The train filled again and there was no way out. Or that's what I thought. We've arrived at my end destination, oh holy mercy! I stand up, trying not to harm anyone with my bag (it's a small place and a big bag) and made my way to the exit. He also stands up, but I know we probably won't see eachother ever again, so I don't mind (well, I did a bit). I stepped out (you know the drill), searched my bike and rode away. It wasn't that bad. Monday again?

But now to the important part: What did I wear? 


Shirt: Action/ Skirt: Thrift Store/ Necklace: Versteeg/ Belt: H&M/ Shoes: Primark/ Socks: Zeeman

Love,
Dominique

Stole: Made by my mum/ Scarf: Gift from my aunt/ Wooden Box+Green Tin Box: From my Grandma/ Headphones: Hema/ Book: The Liar by Stephen Fry/ Brushes: Wibra/ Buttons: From everywhere and nowhere...

Love,
Dominique

Top+Skirt: Made by me/ Jacket: Only/ Shoes: H&M/ Hat: Bought on the Antiquity Market Belgium

When making this set I was inspired by the cover of Parallel Lines by Blondie and La Loge by Pierre-Auguste Renoir. As my friend said to me "It sounds like you've just googled random stuff and put it together", but nothing is less true.

I'm an ultimate impressionism-fangirl and everytime I see this painting I feel like I'm staring back at a piece of me. You see an all dressed up woman sitting on a balcony at the opera. She looks voluminous and well aware of herself, yet her face is soft and numb. She doesn't particularly looks sad or happy or taken by the circus around her. She's physically present, but her mind is set of into the sunset.


The same is with Blondie. Debbie Harry is of course the persona of a rock chick. She knows the what, who, when and where. But at the same time she's out of this world. Living a dream and reaching for the impossible.

So I've tried to capture this in my "design" and think I've come close enough... I mean, you can signal almost every feeling through the medium of crocheting.

Love,
Dominique


Sources: Picture 2/ Picture 3

Skirt+Jacket: Sheila de Vries/Turban: River Island/Scarf: Miss Etam/ Sunglasses: H&M/Shoes: Schoenenreus

Sheila de Vries used to be the designer of former queen Beatrix. So when I saw this set hanging in a Thrift Store, I couldn't believe my luck. The left sleeve is a bit discoloured, but I can live with that. My mum asked when the aeroplane was leaving and I almost pinned an old KLM button on (but I couldn't get myself making holes into 100% silk).

I love the puffy shoulders of the jacket. It's so 80's and makes me think of those princess dresses you see in fairytales. The skirt is a simple high wasted pencil skirt and accentuates perfectly. Although I can't picture Beatrix in it, it got some royal attitude.

Love,
Dominique

I was walking the dog in my pjs and saw that for the second time in a row there was a full moon. Only, because it's so foggy, the moon is really blurry and there are these clouds in front of it and it looks really pretty. I wanted to take a picture of it and when I came home, I took my camera and went into the garden. I looked up, but there was no moon to be seen. So I went to the front of our house, looked up, and there was still no moon in sight. Now I went upstairs, gazing out of the windows and even from the attic I can't find the moon. I don't want to go out for a second time this evening, because I don't want to push my luck while wearing pjs, no make up and flip flops. I mean once walking unseen into the darkness is natural, but twice is stretching it.

Love,
Dominique


Source

Dress: Superstar/ Hat+Shoes: H&M/ Necklace: Flea Market/ Flowers: Action

Pierre-Auguste Renoir - Young Woman with Hat Veil

Love,
Dominique


Source

Also check out H&M's sister & Other Stories. I just found out about them and am in love. I want it all, I want it all and I want it now!

Love,
Dominique

Dress+Shoes+Fingerless Gloves: H&M/ Other Dress: Made by my mum/ Necklace: Thrift Store/ *DVD: Four Brothers/ Book: Visual Encyclopedia of Art Impressionism

*Mainly because of punk-ish Garrett Hedlund


Love,
Dominique


Source

Shirt: Zara/ Dress: Danity/ Top: Primark/ Book: Hello Kitty/ Painting+Vase+Barbie from 1967: From my grandmother/ DVD: K3: De 3 Biggetjes/ Book: Keep Calm for Ladies/ Flower Crown: Bijou Brigitte

Love,
Dominique

It won't be long before I return back to school... like next Monday. With returning back to school I obviously mean: going to a new unknown school I've visited once in my life. So to prepare myself for what the future withholds, I've decided to make 3D Collages of Inspiration (well, I didn't really had anything to do except for freaking out... what might explain the level of composition. Bare with me). Think of it as a poor representation of a countdown, because oh yeah this will return for the coming days. So sit back, relax and enjoy the show.


Hat: Flea Market/ Scarf: Gift from my aunt/ Shirt: InWear/ Skirt: Made by my mum/ Bag: Thrift Store/ Fan: Museum Store (Hermitage Amsterdam)

Love,
Dominique

“One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well.”
Virginia Woolf

Today I watched this documentary about Antoni Miralda. Antoni Miralda is a multidiscplinary artist and is known for involving food into his projects. He says that not gold, but the "holy stomach" will rule the future. People listen to their stomach. You always have to eat. Life depends on it.

Miralda is somewhat of a food specialist and the social rituals around it. Former chef cook Ferran Adrià of three star restaurant El Bulli said: "He could've been a professor in anthropology of food. This gives his work weight. It is done not only to the aesthetic and the artistic aspect, there is also an important cultural significance".




He has an utopian and pragmatic attitude towards his work. His relationship towards food and its role is more obsessive than a fetich, he says. Although, if fetich means something that gets you up and influencing every step you make, driving you around and keeps you running, than you may call me a fetishist. 


He's fascinated by how multi cultural food is. He's quite the investigator and has seen, tasted and experienced it all. He tries to find a way for people to look further than their own existence. It doesn't matter where and when you were born, education and experience have the upper hand.

Miralda is known for combining simplicity with complexity. "It's his intention that his art is hard to understand", says partner Montse Guillén, "he says that people do not have to understand his work. They must be amazed".  


Miralda makes the celebration of the meal almost synonymous to life self. We're all afraid for oblivion, only Miralda lives in another dimension. Thereby he creates a dialogue between the artist and the beholder. Through this conversation he wants the beholder to realize that they are walking a certain path in life and how it all is connected by food. 

Love,
Dominique 


Sources: Picture 1/Picture 2/Picture 3/Picture 4

Shirt:Primark/Skirt+Shoes:H&M/Socks:Moonlight/Bracelet:Lucardi/Hat:Antique French hat bought on the Antiquity Market Belgium

“I only hope that we never lose sight of one thing – that it was all started by a mouse.”
Walt Disney

Mickey Mouse was created in 1928 by Walt Disney and Ub Iwerks and is a worldwide known icon. They wanted to name the mouse Mortimer, but Walt Disney's wife (Lillian Marie Bounds) thought that Mickey was more suitable. Though in 1930 Floyd Gottfredson came up with a certain Mortimer Mouse who would try to steal the heart of Minnie Mouse. Minnie Mouse of course being Mickey's longtime girlfriend.

As stated before, Mickey Mouse is a worldwide icon and on the 13th of January 2013 it's been 83 years since the first comic strip was launched.Which equals the first expansion of the franchise of the famouse mouse. Since then the mouse has been everywhere. Like literally everywhere, from teapots to slippers, from slippers to over 130 films and from 130 films to his own star on Hollywood Walk of Fame.

So you could call Mickey a grand mouse and therefore very influencing to many generations. It's all about Mickey and that's why I'll dedicate this outfit to the multi tycoon and his creator. May Classic Disney live long and prosper.


 "Laughter is timeless, imagination has no age, and dreams are forever."
Walt Disney

Love,
Dominique


Source

Jacket:Lee/Dress:Charlotte Sparre/Tights:Dappermarkt/Shoes:Schoenenreus/Hat:H&M

Love,
Dominique

Coat+Jeans:H&M/Shoes:Primark

This unfortunate soul was struck by lightning and went down. He's still standing tall... only now without branches. It's a shame, but that's nature.



Love,
Dominique

Years ago I watched this documentary about grown ups dressing up as stuffed animals. They dedicated their lives to the art of walking around, basically, in a costume. Everything they did was related to their lifestyle with the ultimate goal: becoming what they pretend to be. So when I was walking around in the Primark the other day and saw this beauty hanging, I couldn't resist the temptation. From now on you'll only be seeing pictures of me in a dog suite... doesn't that sound good?!?

Love,
Dominique