trans•atlantic petals:The Hague

If Amsterdam is a quarter-life musician in chuck taylors & a breton stripe sweater, The Hague is it's rule-following lawyer cousin -- with a quirky sense of humor.

Our buttoned-up 2nd stop was quite a diverse one; with the cool, architectural artwork @ the MC Escher Haus & the surreal Lewis Carroll whimsy of Madurodam {a 1:25 scale model of a Dutch town; complete with all the famous landmarks}.

Here are a few shots from the royal courtyard.

jeans: tulle, blouse:Bit by Bit, cardigan & boots: Amsterdam, bag: Duluth Pack, rain jacket: Amazon {FREE with credit}, earrings: Forever 21 {gift from my mom}.

Another wise decision I made in packing for this holiday was to represent our home by carrying my Duluth Pack cross-shoulder bag. I recommend Duluth Packs for anyone, anywhere. They are beautifully crafted, rustic•chic backpacks, purses, totes, & more. The fine folks who make these satchels value their Midwest|Nordic integrity by guaranteeing all purchases for life with free repairs.

Learn about it.

photos by Peanut.

trans•atlantic petals:amsterdam fine style

The cool daytime temps in beautiful Amsterdam continue to dip with the sun.

This means that my tricky afternoon turned into an emergency evening.

It was time to bundle a bit. I stopped into the H&M: Dam Square and purchased a pair of sturdy brown boots, a couple of cardigans + some knee-highs.

This combination of staples actually sustained me through most of our trip ~ it certainly made a lot more of my items feasible via layering.

This new striped cardigan of I picked up flaunted it's camel colored elbow patches and it was a no brainer.

These boots literally saved our trip. There's no better way to say it.

I made a pretty blatant rookie mistake that I was well aware of & I know better than, and I ended up taking a risk and getting a wonderful pair of boots by the magic of fate.

So I'm not sorry that I made this decision.

dress: Forever21, cardigan, boots & knee highs: H&M, leggings: Target.

photos by Peanut.

trans•atlantic petals: i amsterdam packing mistakes

•Wise decisions I made on this trip;

1. Deciding to try to see things even if they might be closed.

2. Carrying this rain jacket with me at all times.

•Poor decisions I made on this trip:

1. Not checking to see if things might be closed...

2. ...while walking long distances to them in flip-flops.

Probably the two most important things to have with you on a trip to Europe are a positive attitude & a sturdy pair of walking shoes. I overlooked the latter. I checked the weather in Amsterdam & London every day/3 months leading up to our trip. It turns out that the 2 cities have very similar climates as each other as well as to Duluth.

So I packed a bunch of stuff that I would wear in my location during the current season. What I did not anticipate was that the weather {in all 3 cities} would shift and become very cool & rainy for days on end.

I did pack my new wonderful rain jacket that I got for FREE with Amazon credit - suckahs.

But I did not pack (or dress) warm enough on my first afternoon. Amsterdam has many broken, cobblestone sidewalks with sharp curbs, tram tracks & puddles.

My feet were cracked, swollen, muddy & freezing by 4:00pm {and I nearly snapped my ankle about a dozen times}.

It was time to {cautiously} march myself into a solution.

{A little over exposure and some red toenail polish really gives the illusion that my toes weren't actually bright purple & quaking.}

dress, earrings & headband: Forever21, cardigan, scarf & leggings: Target, flip flops: Old Navy

photos by Peanut.

Don't Call it a Comeback

There are various reasons which have lead me to this nearly-one-month long absence from this here blog. Some are big {Rob in Europe/no photag, deeper consideration of my philosophies re:this blogging endeavor...}. Some are small {being gone myself to join Rob for 10 days, thinking breaks are good in any case...}.

I really liked blogging when I first started. It felt like a fun stress release, a creative focus & an exciting way to reimagine my personal style & the styles of others. It helped me understand style more as a fabulous art-communication hybrid. Then it became something that I felt tethered to & guilty when I neglected. Then it became something I began to over-think myself out of even wanting to do. But then...

I went on an incredible trip {a couple of weeks ago}, and snapping the sites & moments on our big adventure made me remember something that I always loved about blogging nomatterwhat; I love the avenue that it provides for me to experience 'moments' {outfits, evenings, adventures, et al} that much more, to revel in it that much longer, to remember it that much clearer.

I don't want to give that gift up yet.

I've had some moments lately. I'm excited to share them with you.

blouse & tights: Gap {outlet}, cardigan: Merona, skirt: Uncommon Items {Milwaukee}, belt: Charlotte Russe, earrings: Urban Outfitters, hobo bag: Miche, scarf & oxfords: Amersterdam, nail polish: Sally Hansen Salon Series ~ Summer Plum.

photos by Peanut.

Take From Me My Lace

Everybody|Everywear {lace}

This month's EBEW invitation is lace. I don't wear much lace {though I adore the antiquated appeal of it}. Fun fact; my wedding dress contained not a stitch of lace, in favor of gauze.

Whether white & crisp or black & slinky, it's tough to deny that lace balances young, doll-like qualities in masterful measure with elegance & wisdom.

I met this challenge by creating a faux bib on this sundress, layering a full lace blouse beneath it.

dress & earrings: Forever21, lace turtleneck: United Colors of Benetton, cardigan & boots: Target, tights: Gap, nail polish: China Glaze ~ Flyin' High.

photos by Peanut.

A Serious Woman

I feel very serious in this dress.

It's deep navy color & structured line is much more earnest and architectural than my typical choices. But when I saw it on the rack, the pleated shoulder seam caught my attention and eventually I decided that the sweetheart faux-neckline was such an effective balance of modest and tart that I simply couldn't pass it up.

{Bonus: it was $13.}

All perfection aside, I simply couldn't ignore the opportunity for a little whimsy-contrast. These shiny yellow ballet flats are from a tiny pink shoppe in Milan, Italy called Lolita. I got them last summer on a trip there. They are comfy & fun {+ these bad boys were only $10 USD}. This sweet headband was a gift from my wonderful, fabulous friend Ilsa. Thank you soooo much again, love!

dress: Charlotte Russe, cardigan & tights: Gap, headband: gift, yellow flats: Lolita Milano

photos by Peanut.

Springing Forward {?}

I think spring might be here. I'm trying not to get ahead of myself. But I have some intel ~ my step is lighter and my car is overly warm in the afternoon sun ~ we might be home free.

Some exciting {non-baby related} changes are happening in this neck of the woods. Details to follow.

My cousin hand-makes these button bobby pins; which are adorable & also have the distinction of being the only decorative pins I have worn that do not slip, even with ALL DAY wear in my straight, super fine hair!

Get some!

dress: Forever21, turtleneck & boots: Target, vest: Charlotte Russe, earrings: Gordman's, tights: Gap, sunglasses: Aldo, button bobby pin: Sassy Peaches, nail polish: China Glaze ~ Flyin' High.

photos by Peanut.

::Eight=of=Thirty::

This is one of my favorite dresses. It was given to me as a birthday gift from my bestie a couple of years ago. It's very lightweight, so it's great for the summer. But I like to rock it in the winter too.

I saved this dress for this particular day in the 30-for-30 because the very friend who gave it to me is coming to visit! I'm so excited!! We're seeing the And Then There Were None {the show that I have been designing & executing '40's 'dos for} and we'll be seeing P's show, Frost/Nixon, with the lovely, amazing JennieB & her main squeeze.

When I first chose this, I had P tell me what color tights I should wear. He said, "red comes to mind". I concurred. Then I grabbed this peachy scarf. He said, "You're such a daredevil." To which I replied, "I'm not jumping out of an airplane." Color swatches must terrify some people.

dress: Anthropologie (gift), cardigan, tights & boots: Target, scarf: gift, earrings: vintage (gift)

photos by Peanut.

::Six=of=Thirty::

Uh oh, I feel like I am getting road-weary of this 30-for-30. I need encouragement -- help!

It's going to be time to get really innovative soon, all my obvious ways of wearing items are running out. I know me, and I will look for ways to side-step the rules.

What are y'all doing to stay energized and inspired?

dress, boots & cardigan: Target, cami: Old Navy, tights: We Love Colors, earrings: Urban Outfitters, nail polish: China Glaze ~ Refresh-Mint, cowl: knitted by my mom :)

photos by Peanut.