The ultimate fashion tip

If there is one tip that I find actually works, and that can be applied to states of stress, depression, sickness, nervousness, moments in which everything surpasses me, it’s to make the effort to look good. Whether by styling my crazy hair, getting out of the pyjama bottoms – I could live in them – or applying some make-up. It works.

It’s about feeling good about myself, whenever I catch my reflection in the mirror or on a shop window. If I look good, I have something less to fret about, adding ease of mind and helping me feel better. Think about the opposite: if I do nothing, go out without washing my face or choose the beaten up old pair of yoga trousers to dress for the post office, it’s
very likely I will soon regret not having made a slight effort.
Why give myself the extra worry? It can take less than five minutes. These are my rules:

1 – Regarding make up, bucket loads are not required. Maybe mascara and some lipgloss, or just some foundation and a light blush. Personally, I feel made up with just some brown eyeliner, concealer to cover some dodgy areas and lip balm.

2 – Never underestimate the power of a nice fragrance. It’s been scientifically proven – that’s “Jess talk” for I read it somewhere – that people wearing perfume feel better about themselves. I love refreshing body sprays, no fuss and quick to apply after a nice shower.

3 – Invest in some nice loungewear, or ask for it on your next birthday. It’s not the same to walk around the house in your pyjamas – which is absolutely fine to do once a week, with a tub of ice cream, and The Good Wife on repeat -, than to do so with some nice-fitting cotton trousers and a flattering top. This applies especially if you work from home. It’s just too tempting to make no effort, and speaking by experience, it eventually will make you feel pretty miserable.

If it works for me, it can work for you. Whatever you are going through, whatever is making you curse your life at the moment, you deserve to feel better, you deserve to be happy about the way you look. You deserve to smile. Never forget about yourself.

Picture: Fashion Limbo

How To Wear Brogues

Brogues: a man’s shoe fit for women? We began to spot them last year, worn by Alexa Chung and other celebrities. However, with the masculine/androgynous trend coming up this autumn/winter, we are going to see them everywhere. While I love my heels and wedges, I’ve always been a fan of … men’s shoes. A tad weird, I know, but I guess it just proves the point that, if I were a man, I would have the same ridiculous shoe collection as I have being girlie me. Not too freaked out by my musings yet? ok, I shall go on.

I initially got a grey come blue pair from Primark in Spring, loved their comfort and paired them with skinny jeans and chinos. A couple of weeks ago while browsing Spartoo, I fell for the ones pictured above (you can find them here). As soon as the postman delivered them, I don’t know what it was, I loved them even more. And I have already thought of 3 ways in which to wear these beauties.

Option number 1: Inspired by Alexa as seen here.

Blouse: Zara
Cut-out jeans: Etnies
Shoes: Clarks courtesy of Spartoo

Is it just me or do I look really tiny in this picture?

Look number 2: the masculine take. Probably my favourite. Comfy yet I felt quite sexy wearing some red lipstick and attempting to style my hair with a retro quiff and a ponytail.

Jacket: Zara
Top: Denny Rose
Shoes: Clarks courtesy of Spartoo

Option number 3: Girlie girl

Dress: New Look
T-shirt: Pull & Bear
Shoes: Clarks courtesy of Spartoo

So there you have it, three different ways in which to wear brogues. They also look great with a pretty cocktail dress, but the overall silhouette must be sleek, so avoid making the top part of the body too bulky.

Brogues are a style of shoes that you either love or hate, what is your take? Masculine trends for women, yay or nay?

Pictures: Fashion Limbo

What She Wore- denim dress & killer wedges

I’m simply too upset about what’s happening in my beloved London, so no ramblings today. However, I want to bring a bit of sunshine if you are stuck at home in front of your computer, or at work wishing for a holiday, so how about some inspiration with an outfit post?

Featuring my little sister and some killer wedges… because fashion is there to make people happy… or something like that! What can I say, I  just got back from treating myself to a skirt, yes it made happy, yes I may be shallow, but who cares? No deep thoughts today.

  Dress: Pull & Bear
Belt: Pull & Bear
Brooch: Musgo
Shoes: Zara Limited Edition Summer 2010
Purse: Dorothy Perkins

She’s pretty isn’t she? She is also a nurse, a pretty good one too… but she steals shoes, the ones featured here are my favourite pair.

Any members of your family with shoe-stealing tendencies?

Pictures: Fashion Limbo

On Shoes and Emotions – a Sunday outfit

It’s funny how a pair of shoes can stir emotions other than the usual satisfaction of a new buy. Today I want to share something with you – more than an outfit post.

I apologise for the quality of the pictures, we’re still learning to use the new camera.

I may have mentioned it before, but there was once a girl in my life that made me smile on a regular basis. I did the same for her for the 8 years I knew her. We weren’t related but we felt like sisters to each other. I bought my first pair of Adidas with her, the boxing boot type. It was a rainy day, and instead of spending the day in London as planned, we deviated towards the Bluewater shopping centre.

We also shared ugly times, rough patches, stood next to each other when our hearts got broken. We went on holiday together, shared silly inside jokes. She was my best friend.

She disappeared from my life two years ago.

I still don’t know what went wrong. Somebody hurt her so much she suddenly felt she could trust no more. She banned everyone from her life, including me. With no warning, she evaporated into thin air.

I’ve cried for her, missed her until it physically hurt.

I don’t know where she is in the world, I don’t know what happened to her. In a way, she is still inside of me. I think of her almost every day and hope she has found whatever she needed to make her smile. I have a billion reasons to curve my mouth in such a way, I just need to remind myself more often.

Dress: New Look, Belt: Massimo Dutti, Shoes: Adidas courtesy of Spartoo

Pictures: Fashion Limbo

Style and the City – Antwerp

If there’s a city you are missing out on, that’s Antwerp. And I have the perfect girl to tell you all about this town : The Styling Dutchman. I talked to this fun fashion icon about shopping, food and more. If you are looking for the ultimate cool weekend get-away, search no more, keep reading.

De Wapper fountain in the middle of The Meir, Antwerp’s main shopping street

How do you define your personal style?

I have always had a knack for quirky style, being a bit of a punk in my teens and slowly moving towards more of a feminine silhouette as I get older. Right now I’m into prints, colors, midi skirts, vintage and Mad Men!

Style is…

I am drawn to people who have a very cohesive look. A look where the hair, the face, the personality, the clothes, the colors and the accessories all match to exude a clear personality. When you see a person that has found that look that matches them to perfection, they almost come across as a perfectly styled character from a movie.

.

The Hof van Liere, just outside Annebeth’s University Library

Tell me about Antwerp

I actually live in a tiny little village outside Antwerp, but study there. Antwerp is a beautiful city with a very metropolitan feel compared to certain other Belgian cities, like Ghent or Bruges. It’s very open, very international, very ahead of the pack and very clean but still with lots of personality. In Belgium, Antwerp is known for its arrogance but me as a “Dutchie”, I fit in nicely. Dutch people are considered arrogant by Belgians too, you know. There is this joke where they say that people from Antwerp see Belgium as only having one real city, and consider the rest of Belgium just parking space, haha!

What are your favourite places to shop in Antwerp?

Do I really have to say it?? T2 VINTAGE!! Just of the main high street (the Meir) and jam packed with treasures waiting to be discovered for ridiculously low prices. They have monthly sales and prices go down to 1 euro a piece!

🙂

Annebeth styling it up over at The Styling Dutchman

Best things to do in Antwerp over a weekend?

The Antwerp Zoo! My favorite animals there are the otters,  they never fail to cheer me up! Also, the zoo is an awesome place to stroll around in your Sunday’s best. You have to think of photo ops as a styleblogger 😉

If you could only eat in one restaurant in Antwerp, which one would it be?

Sushi, sushi, sushi!!! The amazing all you can eat sushi restaurant in the Keyser Center, Kaiseki, just outside the central train station and it makes me hungry just thinking about the place now. The entire district just outside the train station is filled with lovely places to eat. We went to a pitta place slash Mediterranean restaurant a while ago that looked really iffy from the outside but quite lovely on the inside. Also, my favorite pizza place Leonardo Da Vinci! I failed miserably at recommending one place, didn’t I? Oh well that’s how I am when it comes to food: insatiable.

.

Annebeth Bels is a student of Communication Science at Antwerp and the style icon also known as The Styling Dutchman. A pro at outfit posts, her site is a must-see in fashion blogging.

Pictures: The Styling Dutchman