Wonderful London

As I told you in my last post I'm back from London! On Christmas Eve we landed safely with a big smile on our faces. We had such a wonderful trip, London during Christmas is amazing. I've dreamed about traveling to London for so long and it finally happened. I was really excited to visit this city myself instead of admiring the pictures on Pinterest haha. The window displays were decorated so beautifully and the streets sparkled from every side. I never visited London before and since the city is huge, we wanted to see as much as possible. I believe we've managed to do so, because we were on the run all day long, hopping on and off the subway from one place to another. Every now and then we took a little break with a spicy hot drink at a typical English pub, yumm! It was the perfect getaway to kick off the holidays!

I've plenty of pictures to show you, other posts will come up soon. Stay tuned! Have a lovely Sunday everyone! :)

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas everyone! I really hope your having a wonderful day, spending it with your loved ones with amazingly delicious food, lovely presents, and lots of coziness. For some people Christmas is the most difficult time of the year, so my thoughts go out to those of you. Even though it's a hard day, make the best of it. Enjoy these days to the fullest! <3

I've enjoyed my Christmas morning with my family, having brunch and opening presents while listening to Christmas music. I came back from London yesterday evening and I'm still pretty exhausted from the trip. But you know what? I really don't mind, because it was all worth it. I instantly fell in love with this city! Sparkling streets, cozy pubs, people wishing you merry Christmas, yes London is the city of Christmas. I'll tell you more about my trip soon! 

For now, I'm going for a walk with the dogs and start preparing our Christmas dinner. A big hug for everyone out there! Hope you're all having a very merry and jolly Christmas!

London Dreams

London, the Christmas capital of Europe. I've been dreaming about spending a few days in London for so long now and it's finally going to happen! I think there's no better place than London to experience the magic of the Christmas spirit. Well okay, maybe one city which is - of course - New York, but I'm talking Europe now haha. I've never been to London before, so I'm very curious what the city has to offer. The stories I hear and read about this city are all beyond positive, so my expectations are high.

Have you ever visited London? How did you like it? If you have any recommendations for a place to have lunch or dinner or in case you have any tips about the things that I absolutely have to see, feel free to leave a comment down below. I would love to read your comments. I'm already imagining myself passing the shops and admiring the window decorations. I'm sure I need to control myself not buying everything I see haha. Oh, I just can't wait to enjoy the twinkling lights while warming up with a hot beverage in a cozy English pub where Christmas music is softly playing in the background. An imagination that will come true soon enough. I'm so excited, I hope there will be some snow falling too, but I have my doubts!

Images via Pinterest

Edgy & TV

Eeeeek! Do you remember when I told you about the Mari Experience I went to a couple of weeks ago? I attended this beauty event where professional Dutch stylist Mari van de Ven shared all tips and tricks about hair and make-up. As I told you in this post, this beauty night was recorded for a Dutch TV program and guess what? The second episode just aired! It was SO weird to see myself on TV haha! I was trying to look away the whole time, because it felt a bit awkward to see myself so big on the screen. Not to mention the fact that every single person who watched this show could see me too - which made me feel even more awkward, can you imagine? I was too curious not to look at my TV ''debut'' though.. and honestly, if I can say myself, it wasn't so bad after all. Haha, I still can't believe it.. it was so weird.

I also promised you to show you some pictures, so here are some of the shots I took after my hair and make-up were done by professional stylist Mari van de Ven.

So what do you think? Do you like the colored ones or the black-and-white ones more? Let me know in the comment box down below. 

Have a lovely Tuesday everyone! :)

Crossbody Bag Crush

It's December and I'm sure we're all dreaming of a white Christmas this year, but I've been dreaming about a new bag too lately. I didn't have anything specific on my mind until a few weeks back when I went to the city for some shopping. I saw a beautiful crossbody bag and as of that moment I knew what sort of bag I wanted to have. That was just the first step though, because there're so many different crossbody bags, but which one do I like most? Hard or soft leather, quilted or not? I like them all! There's one thing I'm almost sure about and that's the color. Even though a little pop of color would fit perfectly in my bag collection, I'm 99,9% sure my next bag will be black again. But hey, what's wrong with that? It suits with everything, right?

I've been having a huge crush on the YSL, Chanel and Mulberry crossbody bags, but those are, unfortunately, not so budget-friendly. Luckily there're beautiful alternatives as well, which you can see down below. Which one do you like most? I secretly think Santa Claus knows which one I like most.. So Dear Santa, if you're reading this, I've been a very good girl this year... :)

1. DKNY, 2&4 Rebecca Minkoff, 3. YSL, 5. Mulberry, 6. Michael Kors

Preparing For The Season

Yay! It's December 1st and that means that the official countdown to Christmas has begun. Only 24 days left! Are you ready for the holiday season?

It was a pretty cold, grey day last Friday and since I got a day off and finally had some free time in the evening, I visited a garden center that was completely transformed into a winter wonderland. Each year I visit a random garden center in the neighborhood to admire the beautiful Christmas decorations. I love to see all the sparkling Christmas things! 

'Wow', was the first word I said. Baubles in every single color, in all sorts of designs. Oh, I got an instant Christmas feeling. At that moment I really wished for my own house. I got it all figured out what my interior would be like. And for Christmas, yes, I'm already dreaming about it haha.

This garden center also had a department that was completely transformed into a miniature Christmas village. What a creation, such a great work!

What are your favorite things to do to get into the Christmas spirit? Have a beautiful Monday! :)

Beauty Night Out

Happy Friday everyone! I just wanted to tell you quickly about the Mari Experience by Dorien I went to last night. Together with my mom and sister I attended this event where professional Dutch stylist Mari van de Ven shared all tips and tricks about hair and make-up with us. Some women were chosen to go on stage, one got a complete new hairdo, another woman got foundation applied on her face and someone else got a total smokey-eye look. A new hairdo or what kind of colors suit you best concerning the make-up, depend all on the person. Big eyes, small eyes, narrow or wide.. What kind of a person is it? It all the depends on the details to get the best out of you. It was great to hear these tips from such a good stylist. It was very useful too!

Images by Dorien

And then out of the blue, another Dutch stylist, Lucien Beijerinck, pointed in my direction. What me? Or is he pointing to the woman behind me? Nope, it was definitely me. As I got on stage Mari showed the public how to contour the face to create the illusion of symmetry. What a little bronze here, and a pop of highlight there can do!

Images by Dorien

Mari wouldn't be Mari without doing something with the hair, so to put a cherry on top of the cake, he created an edgy updo. An updo that would go great for Christmas, New Year's Eve or for a great night out. I absolutely loved the updo, I felt so cool haha! Oh and Lucien answered my long-waited question, 'what kind of haircut would a professional stylist recommend me?'. Well, he said that he wouldn't change a lot, but that strong bangs would make my look complete. Who knows what will happen the next time I'm hitting the hairdresser.. 

It was such a great evening, we really enjoyed a mother-to-daughter-to-sister night out. The Mari Experience show from yesterday is also recorded for the Dutch TV-show 4Me. This show will be broadcast on the 9th, 16th and 23rd of December on RTL4. Eek! I'm going to be on the Dutch TV, such a weird feeling!

By the way, I took some shots of my look after the show, I'll show them to you guys later! For now, I wish you a lovely weekend!

A Miracle in a Jar

Lots of face masks have been on my skin to minimize my breakouts. I have to say that my face felt soft and clean afterwards, but that feeling only lasted for the day. Everyone suffers from skin issues and it's not a big deal if it happens once in a while. I too am a victim of 'not having a perfect, flawless skin', I suffer from breakouts and blemishes too. I heard lots of positive stories about the GlamGlow mud mask, also known as the miracle mask. During Fall and Winter every skin tends to get really dry and this mask should give you a perfect, healthy glow. It also should fight against blemishes and breakouts, so in general it should improve the condition of the skin as well. GlamGlow is used by many celebrities and since they always need to look good when hitting the red carpet, this product must do something good right? I wanted to know where all the fuss was about, so I thought to give it a try myself.

I was a little skeptical at first, because I didn't experience serious improvements with other face masks and why would particularly this mask work for me? The GlamGlow SuperMud fights against breakouts and other skin issues, so that's why I decided to try this one (they have other masks as well). I applied a thin layer all over my face and let it dry. As soon as it dried, I saw dark spots popping up, meaning that those areas needed a little more attention the next time. I left it for about 20 minutes and rinsed it off. I was so curious for the result! What seemed? My skin was so smooth and I got a beautiful glow, it looked like I just got a facial. I was hooked!

I've been using the SuperMud mask 2-3 times a week for about two months now and I'm still very enthusiastic. My face truly feels and looks more soft and clean, and stays like this for more than just a day. I don't think this mask is the only reason my skin looks better though. Since September I've been skipping dairy products such as milk, cheese and chocolate, because it could be the case that my skin reacts badly on those products. Ever since then, my skin conditions have been improving. There you have it ''Beautiful skin comes from within'' haha! But anyways, what I'm trying to say is that I don't think my skin changes come from the GlamGlow mask only, but also from not eating/drinking dairy foodies (I do miss (hot)chocolate A LOT, especially during this time of the year!). Using the right skincare products, getting facials every few weeks and not using make-up brushes help a lot too. The improvements basically come from a combination of everything. I don't want to scream too loud though, I'm not there yet..

The only downside of this GlamGlow mud is that it's quite expensive (€49,95 - 30ml), but since you need only the thinnest layer on your skin every time you apply it, the jar doesn't get so empty that fast. On top of that, this mask really improves your skin, so it's definitely worth the money! Have you already tested this miracle mask? If so, what do you think about it?

*Commercial links

Rome On My Mind

Oh boy, how much I miss Rome. Exactly today five (!) months ago, I waited for my flight to take off, to head back home to my family and friends. Wait.. what?! Five months ago?! Well.. yes indeed, I can’t believe myself either. The period of time that I’ve been back is the same period of time I spent my time abroad in bella Roma. This is yet another confirmation that time flies by so fast. I still see myself walking in the early evening after work - the sun still burning on my shoulders - passing the ancient Colosseum while I'm on my way to Campo de' Fiori, where I meet up with my friends to wine and dine Italian finger-licking foodies. For some Italians that's just the normal way of living, but for me that was enjoying life to the fullest. I still remember my last day and night like it was yesterday. Every day I think about my time there and I just can’t let it go. I barely can’t bear with anything that holds a memory and since my time in Rome consists of perfect memories only, I think you’d understand why this city is still on my mind Every. Single. Day. Wish I could snap my fingers and be transported back to Rome, back to my life there. But yeah, life goes on, I know that. We'll see what happens in the future... :)

Happy Tuesday!

What a beautiful Tuesday so far. Even though it's really grey outside and there's a light drizzle of rain every now and then, I'm having a good day. The reason is probably because I had a great run and workout this morning and also because I've accomplished some things of my - still - to-do list. 

Now I’m going to prepare myself for the evening, because I’m going to Amsterdam to see Enrique Iglesias' concert with special guest Demi Lovato tonight. I'm singing along with his new CD the whole day already haha. I'm so excited to see him! Last week I bought a new shirt that has a v-neckline and some leather details. I think tonight’s the perfect night to wear it for the first time. I’m still considering whether I should wear it with a pair of blue or black jeans and with what kind of heels.. Let’s see!

Teddy

Here it is, my two favorite colors in one outfit. Black and white, what else? I love these kind of outfits because it's simple, but still special. Today's main garment is, obviously, the teddy coat. Everytime when I put on this coat and feel the softness of the material, I ask myself how I ever could have doubted buying it. I wasn't particularly looking for a coat, especially since it was way too warm to even think about wearing a coat, but as soon as this teddy caught my eye, I just had to try it on. What seemed?! It was so soft I didn't want to throw it off haha. Hope you're all having a lovely weekend!

Coat / S. Oliver

Heels / SuperTrash

Bag / Bulaggi

Watch / Michael Kors

Autumn Leaves

'An early-morning walk is a blessing for the whole day' is a quote I can totally relate to at the moment. Now that it's Fall and the leaves are falling down, I'm happy to be living in the woods because now I can enjoy my morning walks with the dogs even more, especially when I put my favorite music on. The crunch the leaves make under your feet, the crisp air that cools the skin, the foggy days, the rustic colors and the cozy sweaters, socks and layers.. oh how much I love it! 

By the way, talking about my favorite music, I must admit that I've been listening to Ed Sheeran non-stop lately, he's such a great singer-songwriter. His songs are so touching and they give me goosebumps all the time. Last week he gave a concert here in Holland. Unfortunately, when I wanted to buy tickets, his concert was already sold out. A real bummer, but hopefully I have more luck next time.

Outfit with Faux Fur Vest

Oh happy day! The sun came out earlier this week and I could leave my coat hanging on the hook. I am - or perhaps was - not a big fan of jackets and coats, so I was glad I could wear something lighter that still gave me enough warmth. This faux fur vest is the perfect solution for warm days during Fall. 

As I already told you here, I've been craving for a faux fur vest for some years, but I somehow never managed to buy one. I mean it's not really comfortable to wear both a furry vest and a coat at the same time. I already get hot flashes by thinking of it haha. Anyway, each year, I regretted that I didn't buy such a cozy vest for warm Fall and Winter days, so there was no doubt buying a furry one this year. I think you might see this garment passing by more than once as I absolutely love it and because I have plenty of outfit ideas in mind. How would you like to wear it?

Faux Fur Vest / Zara

Coated Legging / SuperTrash

Heels / SuperTrash

Watch, bracelet, ring / Michael Kors

Bag / Bulaggi

Faux Fur Vest

Colder days are ahead of us, so it's time to get the warmer clothes out of our closet. I've been searching for a faux fur vest for some time, but I actually never managed to buy one. I don't know why, but I somehow didn't. This year, though, I told myself that I really should buy one, because this garment easily cheers up an outfit and just because I love layering. 

Not buying a fur vest happened almost again. I saw one hanging in the shops, I tried it on and hang it back on the hanger. I can be so picky sometimes haha. If I'm in search for something, I mostly want to buy the exact same thing. But of course it's not always possible to find a similar one. The furry vest I tried on earlier, somehow kept popping up in my mind. If such a thing happens, it's a good sign right? Reason enough for me to go back to the shop, try it on once more and buy it. Now I'm so happy I did!

Before I show you my outfit with this faux fur vest from Zara, I have made some inspiration collages I'd like to show you.

1. Zara, 2. Vila, 3. SuperTrash, 4. Mulberry,
5&6, Michael Kors, 7. SuperTrash

Black is always a good idea and as you probably now I wear it a lot. I like to cheer up an all-black outfit with a little extra. This outfit would go great for an evening out or when you go out for dinner.

1. Zara, 2. Vila, 3. SuperTrash, 4. Mulberry, 5. Acne Studios,
6. Daniel Wellington, 6. SuperTrash

Also for casual days , this furry friend is good to go. If you go shopping or plan to have lunch in town or in the city, grab a pair of jeans, pick a nice grey sweater and put on some nice boots. A scarf will make the look complete.

1. Zara, 2. Ralph Lauren, 3. Levi's,
4&5. Michael Kors, 6. Shabbies Amsterdam

And then there are those days where you spend hours in the cold lecture rooms or at the university's library. Even though I'm not studying at the moment, I experienced those days myself. I complained about the breeze in the rooms and sometimes I even kept my jacket on. How weird is that haha. A faux fur vest will definitely keep you warm at school or at any other place.

*Commercial links

Photo of the Day

Coffee, nail polish and a brand new issue of LINDA., a Dutch magazine for women.. A relaxing moment after my morning run and my daily workout. I ran a little more than 8km straight this morning and that smile on my face is not going away. It feels so good! My goal is to reach 10km straight, without any pauses. I'm getting there, I just need a little more practice. :) Maybe I should do a separate post about my runs and workouts. What do you think?

I'm having a day off from work today, because later on I'm meeting up with my Dutch friends whom I met when I was doing my internship in bella Roma earlier this year. I'm so excited to see these girls after 4 months. We really need to catch up a lot!

What are your plans for today? Have a relaxing Thursday everyone!

My Four Favorite Bloggers

Hey sweeties, happy Friday! What is a better way than to wake up, have breakfast and read blog posts as your morning coffee readings? It's relaxing and it always puts a smile on my face. 

I thought to share a list of my favorite bloggers today. A couple of years ago, when the world of fashion bloggers wasn’t so popular as right now, I started following my first favorite blog called Mariannan by Marianna. Up until today, I'm a loyal reader who's excited for every single post she writes. She's not the only blogger I'm inspired by though. Ever since I discovered the world of blogging, I've been reading many blog posts and I can easily say that I've created a list of bloggers I instantly followed. From all the blogs I follow on Bloglovin', there are at least four bloggers who can absolutely be considered as my favorites. A fun fact is that these four fashion and lifestyle writers all happen to be from Finland. I don't know why, but I guess I just really like the Scandinavian style. Their passion for fashion, their writing style, their photos.. They just really inspire me. And on top of that, I really can find myself in their style too. Everyday I look forward to reading their new blog posts. These four girls are my sources of inspiration and they're the reason I started blogging myself in the first place. Thank you ladies!

So listed in a random order, here are some photo collages of my four favorite bloggers.

1. Jonnamaista

Images from Jonnamaista

2. Mariannan

Images from Mariannan

3. P.S. I love fashion by Linda Juhola

Images from P.S. I love fashion

4. Alexa Dagmar

Images from Alexa Dagmar

Do you know these bloggers, have you ever read some of their posts? If  not, make sure you check them out soon! Who are your favorite bloggers? Let me know in the comment box down below. I'm looking forward to it!

Blue Jeans & Black

As promised before, here my outfit from last week. Last Friday's outfit was definitely one of those outfits where I feel most comfortable in. I love anything involving a blazer and a tee. Those two are just the perfect casual pieces for everyday use. I have a black, burgundy and a purple blazer, but I've been craving for a beautiful white and navy one. Soon soon, hopefully!

Outfit details

Blazer / Vero Moda

Tee / Zara

Jeans / Kuyichi

Heels / SuperTrash

Watch, ring / Michael Kors

Necklace / Pieces