I'm so done with summer and so ready for autumn. At the moment we're having I'm getting ill weather with cold mornings and sweaty afternoons. One just doesn't know how to dress anymore! I've reached that point where I wish upon a star that the temperature will drop down to zero so I can wear all those jumpers (2) I've made during the summer. Although, if I'm wishing anyway, I just want the weather to suit me instead of me suiting to the weather. Because the chance is big that when it finally drops down to zero, I only can think about miniskirts and having this strange urge to go down bare legged. Oh well...

This week has been quite harsh because of school starting again (it's so confusing that most countries have different school programs in the sense of college in England means high school in America and it's very confusing because I'm at college which is very much like university, but isn't university. Very confusing indeed, so I'll stick with just school. We all know what that is).

This week I got complimented for my brows. Which does not happen that often (ever) and was quite nice. I'm also having trouble to get started again. I'm feeling a bit of the blues and just can't find myself motivated or atleast productive. *sigh* All soon to be passed, I hope. AND typing about things we soon hope to pass, yesterday I've found myself with some strange itchy redness around my ankle and it's all hot and everything and I thus hope it'll soon pass... too much information?


On Monday I wore trousers and a gilet from my men's suit, a blue jumper and fedora hat, from Primark, a star printed top from InWear, shoes from H&M, brooch from (?) and naturally a studded belt I've bought years ago somewhere in Germany (those trousers won't hold themselves!).


On Tuesday I wore a blue dress from H&M, a duster coat from Primark (yes, I did some shopping there. How did you guess?) and my now very trusted Mary Jane's with white ankle socks -both also from Primark-, my 80's/90's bow on my head, a ear-ring (ya get it) I got years ago in Germany and the occasional stole made by my mum.


On Wednesday I wore my alltime favourite Batman pyjama tshirt I bought years ago at the men's section in The Sting and some not-pictured pyjama bottoms. Wednesday was a good day because I didn't had to leave for school.


On Thursday I wore the same thing as Wednesday until I realized I was wearing that same combo for over a week and hadn't showered in three days. So I did some showering and put on some fresh pyjamas. As to be seen in the picture I was already thinking about what to wear on Friday...


On Friday I wore a brown/yellow checkered dress made by my mum, an off-white pinky-ish blouse with bow from InWear, my fedora and white ankle socks from Primark AND my new H&M loafers with black glitter soles (which you can't really see in the pictures, but I'll soon get some good close-ups for y'all).


On Saturday I wore the jacket from my men's suit (go back to Monday for the rest of it), a dotted skirt from the thrift store, stripy top from Vanilia, boots from H&M and a pearl necklace from an antiquities shop.


On Sunday I wore my Elvis Presley print tshirt with stripy pyjama bottoms. Nothing more. Nothing less. (also no makeup, I apologise for my naked face. Also, not to sound too sexy, but under my pyjamas I'm wearing underwear. But no, under my underwear I'm naked).

And that's it for this week! I'm very much considering to do the same next week. Ya know, wearing some clothes and such. So maybe y'all see that in the near future (or maybe y'all won't). Have a nice week, though!

Love,
Dominique

Yay!! My camera seems to be working after some die hard nerve wracking home doctoring. Basically I've just changed the cable from this camera to that from my old camera, which is in fact the same camera only an older model AND isn't working anymore because it's made a sure 2 meter high drop from the upper shelf from my parents' wardrobe to the lower surface of a room aka the floor. Not to be pointing fingers, but it's my dads fault. Not mine. Just to be clear. Still a shame, though. But talking about camera's that are working at this current moment, here are some pictures that my camera was hanging on to in this brief period of dispair (mainly those I wanted to use for my August favourites). Enjoy.


Love,
Dominique

Jack has a collar with two tags. One that's shaped as a star and states his name and our phone number. And one that's circular and states that he's had all the needed vaccinations. Together, when they go against each other, it quite sounds like those small bells cats often wear around their collar. 
In our neighbourhood there are a lot of cats roaming around. So everytime we walk the dog, cats will look around the corner thinking it's another cat. But it isn't. It's a dog. It doesn't take them long to realize this and hiss at him.

"At first sight, his address is certainly not striking; and his person can hardly be called handsome, till the expression of his eyes, which are uncommonly good, and the general sweetness of his countenance, is perceived."
Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen

I'm absolutely terrible at making friends. Or acquaintances for that matter. Last schoolyear was my first schoolyear at this school (what a sentence) and I immediately encountered many social skill problems. But these aren't new to me. I've always been more of the quiet keep your head down kinda gal than the I've arrived! kinda gal (except for when I'm at home. Just ask my roomies...). 

Some days ago Maggie, from Futile Ramblings, wrote a blogpost about asserting people and how she struggles with it. I myself naturally could relate to those problems and felt the strange urge to comment (which I totally regretted afterwards but also didn't had the -figure of speaking- balls to remove it). What I typed:

I absolutely know what you mean! If I look back at my life so far, I sometimes feel like a complete idiot for not saying to someone I'M NOT OK WITH THIS. And I also often think of those weird situations it'll bring you (me) in for not doing so. Like for instance one time I was alone in Amsterdam (I study there) and had to get the tram to the station and while I'm sitting there this really weird creepy guy (who btw smelled really really bad) comes up to me and sits a little bit too close to me and started to babble something understandable into my ear and touched my arms and legs all the time and I was so not ok with it AND I DIDN'T DO NOTHING. I didn't said a word. I didn't got up and got out of the tram. I did nothing (even forgot to breathe for some time. Which I often do when I'm panicked. Not a good thing to do, though). And I've got a lot of these kind of stories (not all touchy smelly strangers related, luckily. But ya know, similar situations like mentioned in the comment above. And it doesn't help that I'm really shy and for some reason when I get out of my house my voice volume drops down to zero, so nobody can really hear what I say and when you ask to me what I just said I sort of slightly panick and will try to repeat it without bursting into tears. I'm a real fun one, I am. *sigh* But it's getting better!) and I often think that I must be some kind of idiot for not saying a word. But somehow my body or mind just don't want to start the drama, I guess (voice inside my head: NOT STARTING THE DRAMA?! A strange smelly weird guy just randoumly started to touch you ISN'T OK). But yeah... Hope I get a second chance next time (or I rather not. Keep your hands to yourself!). So yeah, you've quite evoked something in me. ;)

What a comment. *shakes head* However as I said "But it's getting better!" And for every mind blowing/OMG I'm the biggest idiot alive/it's a miracle I'm still walking straight-stories, there are also those kind of stories -my mum reminded me of- where I can be as determined and assertive as I want to be. Where I'm in control of the situation. Where I'm (un)comfortable enough to do something against all the wrong doings in the world! Alright, that's a bit exaggerated, but I feel like that within this year I've "grown" in that perspective. 

This particular situation happened to me at the beginning of the year. I'd never been alone on a tram before and I really didn't know who/what/where/when/how. There were more people on the tram who noticed sir Creepcelot and got him distracted and he eventually got out of the tram, which I forgot to mention in my comment. But it was late when I typed it and that wasn't really the point I was going for. But still it's very important to know that there are others out there who will be assertive when you slowly fall apart. Now I shouldn't solidly rely on that because the Bystander effect is a very dangerous phenomenon. Also the no bystanders at all is dangerous when you solidly rely on their assertiveness.

"I can't go back to yesterday because I was a different person then."
Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll

It's a well known fact that the first impression you make will be 1) only done once, 2) done within seconds and 3) very important for future interactions or the likes. However, impressions change. This is I think best illustrated by Monet and his series of the Von Rouen Cathedral. 


Monet has made a series of paintings between the years 1890 and 1894. Each depicting the same cathedral yet from different angles and through different weather. Making each painting distinctively different from the other. Yes, you can see that it's the same cathedral, but each will give you a different impression depending on the angle and weather and mostly on the time. And this is, I think, exactly the same for (first) impressions in general. Every day is a new day and thus gives us a new impression. We've got a firm framework build over the years, sometimes even filled up with bricks, but each and every day will come as it goes.

"Once the impression is captured, they declare their role finished."
Jules Castagnary

First impressions are important because we think all first generally are (just look at the YouTube comment section). But first impressions aren't always most reliable. One may look quiet and timid at first sight, but you know what they say still waters run deep.

However I'm hereby not declaring that all first impressions are wrong. It's just a (rapidly) passing moment in life. It isn't always the whole truth, but can certainly be a good measurement. For instance on that same first schoolday last year I met my friend Demi. We were both on the same train and made some small talk, nothing to be excited about and a bit awkward really. So when silence fall, she grabbed her phone. Nothing unusual you'd say, however her phone case had something among the lines of Don't blink, Grab the salt and text Sherlock on it. And I dare to say that our friendship has been dependent on that very first impression. Both a bit awkward but both underneath quite awesome, if I may say so myself. Also note to self: Phone cases ARE important.

"Impressions are like pearls; ideas are like the string that turns the pearls into a necklace. The string is invisible, but it is not dispensable and cannot be broken."
Mu Xin

First impressions are inescapable. In my experience I've learned that when more time goes by, every first will be as important but also maybe a bit more confident. However this may vary from time to time, you just got to believe that things happen as they happen. In the end you might learn something from it and you can try to not succumb to the same again. Or something similar...

Love,
Dominique


P.s. I'd made lovely pictures to go with this post, but ya know, camera still broken.

It's the end of summer. Just to be clear, this means that school starts again (for me literally on the 1st of September, the bastards!). These past days, however, didn't feel like summer anyway. It drizzled until it hurt and it rained until it drizzled. Which hurts. But don't let this all get your spirits down! Here are some things I've been (especially) loving this month. Maybe that'll cheer you (me) up...

Edit: It seems to be that my camera isn't working properly, so I need to go to the doctors with him. That doesn't cheer me up. Made all kinds of lovely pictures. Meh. Luckily we still have the internet full with them...

This month has been very printed word-loving...


A picture of Jerome K. Jerome with a dog.

At the beginning of the month I'd discovered this book by Jerome K. Jerome called Three Men In A Boat (To Say Nothing Of The Dog). I was so in awe of the book that I decided to buy a real copy of it. And for the same money I also got the second story (apparently he'd written another one) in one book! If that ain't a bargain, then I don't know what is!


As I've mentioned once before on this bloggy-blog the Advanced Style book by Ari Seth Cohen is my future goal (note: not to become his book, but to become someone in his book. Although, to be fair, when I reach that age he'll probably will be in there too). The book is like the blog but than in book formation: amazing.

The Best Of: Hema Breiboek (= knitting book). Hema is like the Dutch department store (only now also with stores in Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany, France, Spain and England. Which was very weird when I was in Paris and saw a Hema, because that's like one of the most Dutch things you can imagine. And it looked all the same like the Hema here, except for their smoked sausages. There wasn't any! Smoked sausages are a distinct smell in their stores here. No Hema without smoked sausages!). The Hema knitting books were published between 1976-1992 and this is, as stated in the title, the best of. And look who we see there posing with some knitwear? It's Patsy! I love her! Well, you can't really see her as it is, so just look at this lovely picture of her... *sigh*


And, staying patriotic, the Dutch version of Harper's Bazaar just got released and I must say that it's very aesthetically pleasing. There's an interview in there with Paloma Faith which I found very pleasing too. Their editorials look very neat and yeah, I love it. Keep it up team!

Moving on to makeup. This month I've rendered myself into buying two new products -both from Chanel- I've never had before, but now I already can't live witout. Within this short time it's become an essential part of my day-to-day makeup routine. I'm talking about the Le Volume De Chanel mascara in waterproof and the Écriture De Chanel eyeliner pen. Both are in #10 noir (there's nothing more black than Chanel black!). I've used different Chanel mascaras before, but am absolutely in love with this one. It gives you the right volume without cluttering.

I'm very bad at doing my makeup and eyeliner used to be my biggest nightmare (I've got shaky hands). But not anymore! This eyeliner is very easy to apply and stays on until the last minute of your day (sounds a bit grim, but ya know what I mean). For instance: My sister was doing the dishes and thought it'd be funny to throw the excess soap into my face. She startled me very much and not only got I to be perished by stupid soap, I additionally cried for about 10 minutes (not joking) and afterwards all that violence EVERYTHING STILL LOOKED UNTOUCHED! It survived both attacks! If that ain't witchcraft than I don't know what is...


Some time ago I finally bought Hugh Laurie's music on CD. However now I seem to be listening to him 24/7. I listen to it on CD, I listen to it on Spotify and I listen to it on YouTube. I'm dedicated!

Inbetween those 24/7 I've also been listening a lot to the AM album from the Arctic Monkeys on Spotify. I really like it but it. A bit more "slick", but I think still very distinctive. AND I've naturally been listening to Paloma Faith. Those 24/7 are longer than you think! ;)

I've never been a sweets kind of a person, but I've always been a biscuit kind of person (runs in the family, but more about that in a soon coming blogpost... ooooohh! Cliffhanger!). If you follow me on Instagram you probably know what's my favourite biscuit of the moment: Gluten free Milk Chocolate Digestive Biscuits. These are from Glutafin and are one of the tastiest things you'll ever stumble upon! I also like their regular digestive biscuits, but I mean, the chocolate one is just asdfghjkl;


And last but not least the original television series of Charlie's Angels. These series were shown on ABC from 1976-1981 and I think it's very amusing. And the clothes! Someone talk to me about the clothes! I know that the series sometimes got to be referred to as "jiggle tv" or "T&A tv" (tits and ass television) because of their socalled provocative clothing. Which I find 1] very (woman) degrading and 2] not true! I don't know where they were looking, but I don't see it that way at all! I mean in the episode I'd watched today Kelly (Jaclyn Smith) was wearing cream coloured trousers with turtleneck. Only the turtleneck was mostly covered by this fur-like jumper which was a bit oversized and was perfectly topped off with her wavy hair and I can't find a picture of it on the internet. *sad face* Or Sabrina (Kate Jackson) who wore this vintage navy-like jumper with a same coloured turtleneck with trousers and well basically I love all their outfit choices and I want it all hanging in my wardrobe in 3, 2, 1... *opens eyes* a girl can dream.

And that's it for this month. I'd love to know what you've been loving! *sobs*

Love,
Dominique