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: 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.

Mysterious Benefactor

I thought I could offset the darkness of this blouse/jacket/pant combo with the youthfulness of the socks, mary janes & headband. It might not've really worked. The matronly might've overpowered the whimsy and just looked confused, like an old, reclusive woman who has lost touch with age & time. A Miss Havisham.

This outfit really was built upon this strange jacket that I am sort of in love with. Ok, totally in love with. I tried it on at the store and Peanut said that it looked like something you would wear to cut hair (I think he meant a smock), he didn't really like it and I didn't buy it. But I went back for it after it haunted my dreams for a good week.

jacket: Charlotte Russe, blouse:Gentle Fawn,pants: ?, socks: Target,mary-janes: Dansko, headband: T.J. Maxx, earrings: Forever21.

photos by Peanut.

Shake Your Bottom it's Autumn

In typical Friday tradition, I donned leggings & a tunic to simulate jammies/weekend wear and give me my requisite Friday perk. It worked like a charm. My tattoo still bandaged, so I'm also sporting a scarf at pretty much all times now in order to mask the tacky white gauze on my neck/back.

navy cardigan: Merona, orange peacoat: Mossimo, mustard tunic & peacock earrings: Forever21, scarf & leggings: Target, clogs: Sanita.




photos by Peanut.