Another year has come to an end

This year really flew by, didn't it? I can picture last New Years Eve as if it were yesterday, and in two days it'll be time again to celebrate the new year!

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 For the last two years, I believe I have been writing my New Years resolutions (a couple of them, anyway) on this blog so I can see how I did at the end of that year. It's become some kind of a tradition and I really want to do it again, but first, let's see how I did this year:

• Be more healthy: just like at the beginning of this year, it is something I am still working on. Sometimes it can be so hard to resist the tempation of junk food, especially when in company or when feeling not so great. But in the end, I always feel better when eating healthy, so I want to do that more often because it is better for me than just eating whatever I like, and feel good temporarily.

• Teach myself how to properly paint nails: I have been painting my nails more often than I did in the past, but nail polish is actually not allowed at myinternship, so I only wear a translucent one during the week and then sometimes I paint them when I go to school, or on the weekends, Speaking of nailpolish, I just dropped the brush on my boyfriends duvet cover so I have to be more careful. But at least the colour is pretty!

• Stress less about everything and think positive: Again, this is something I'm still working on. This actually became worse this year and I really feel like I just have to snap out of it. There was a time when I did not stress about things this much. so i should be able to 

• Be a little more outgoing: This is something that has improved so much and I am really happy about it! I still feel really self-conscious when I talk to someone or when I am on the phone, but at least I talk to people more now.

• Get organized: I have been trowing away/donating things I do not need anymore this last year, but I still have a lot of stuff that just needs to go. In a couple of days I'll be home again so I can tackle my bedroom. I am thinking of doing a purge/declutter challenge or something similiar, so that I don't have to do everything at once.

Next to these goals from last year, which I will be working on again in the next year, I also want to add some new goals/resolutions:

• Engage in some kind of sports: I already joined a yoga class this year, but I want to do something that really gets me in shape. Running isn't very safe in the dark around my neighbourhood.. Does ayone have ideas for free at-home sports?

• Learn to sing: Or, at least, just sing sometimes, just for myself. I'm not aspiring to become a famous singer but I really like music and it can also help with my stammer, so why not try it?

• Learn to read music notes: A few years ago, I had piano lessons and I loved playing the piano. I want to be able to do it again, but first i really want to learn to read notes because it would make playing much more easy. 

• Spend more time blogging: Since changing my clothing style, I have been thinking about what I want to do with my blog, should I continue, should I stop? Should I change things? I know one thing, and that is that I LOVE writing on here, I really like expressing myself through words. And I love the fact that you, lovely readers, actually read it and leave comments, and maybe you can even recognize yourself in some things that I write. That's how I often feel when reading other peoples blogs. 

This past year I have been watching A LOT of youtube videos about self-development, and this girl is one of my fsavourite Youtubers. She made a series about resolutions/goals and it's very inspiring, here's the first video of the five-part series.

What are your resolutions for next year? Let's make 2017 amazing!

With love, Jip.

What have I been up to lately ? - Week 35 + an important update

The last time I posted, I was about to go on vacation to Prague with my boyfriend. It was awesome. The city was beautiful and even despite the bad weather we had a great time. After the trip to Prague I had a couple of weeks vacation left. Since then, 'normal' life started again. But instead of going to school five days a week, I'll only go on friday. The rest of the days I spend at my internship which started a week ago.

I have my internship at a day activity centre for elderly people and I already like it so much! The people who come over there as well as the people who I work with are lovely. It is my job to keep the people busy with games, crafts, reading etc. Everyday is a bit different from the last and I don't work very long days, so have plenty of energy to do other necessary things like doing groceries and cleaning my apartment and other things. I could really imagine something like this being my job. To give you an impression of where I will spend most of my days these coming six months, I have found a 3D image of the inside of the building.

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You readers might remember a post from about a year ago, the one about a 'fashion identity crisis'. Truth be told, this year I found myself in the exact same spot again. I felt that I was limiting myself again because I always felt the need to look as historically accurate as possible. And when I liked something modern, I'd quickly look/think at something else. But after thinking about it for a long time, I came to the conclusion that this is my life, and I should wear whatever I want. If people won't like me for what I wear (or don't wear anymore), I won't worry about it too much. It is time for me to choose for myself. If I want to wear vintage again, I'll certainly will. But after that, If I tend to like some more modern pieces as well, I won't hold myself back this time the way I did again during the summer.

One of the first things which came to mind was: what will I do with my blog now that my style has changed? I had been worrying wether to stop blogging altogether, or maybe to change the name or something. But then I knew that I will always remain 'Old-fashioned at heart'. And that I'll find a way to update my blog so it fits the person I am becoming now.   I don't see it as a problem or something negative but as some kind of journey.

I hope you lovely people won't give up on following and reading my blog. I still love the blogging community and I even think this whole thing might sound familiar to some of you who wear or have worn vintage 24/7.

with love,

Jip.

Packing for Prague

It is vacation time! A few weeks ago, my boyfriend and I booked ourselves a bus trip to Prague. I have never visited the Czech Republic before so I'm really curious. I heard from a lot of people already that it is a great place if you love history and there should be a few vintage shops as well! I didn't pack a lot as I planned to do a bit of shopping while I'm there. In my suitcase I only took one dress (I am wearing a 2nd dress), a pair of pyjamas, my toiletry case, some underwear and socks, (I did some laundry yeaterday, hoping it would be dry on time. It wasn't. So I took a towel and rolled everything up. Maybe it will dry) my phone charger. That's about it. I also took my little blue rucksack to put in a few things for when we are traveling: a book, a not yet started crochet project, my sunglasses, wallet and phone and a notebook. 

I think I'll have a great week and I hope I can take a couple of photos. My camer is still missing so I'l have to make do with my phone for now.

With love, Jip.

5 types of shoes every vintage girl should own

Hello dear readers!

It's been a while since I last wrote. I kind of lost my blogging mojo and wasn't sure what to write about and if I should write at all. Sometimes I feel like I haven't made any blogging progress over the past six years and other blogs look so polished and have great content. But I like blogging. I like to write and I love the blogging community. I even got a few ideas for different categories of posts. So for now, I'll just keep blogging.

I've been thinking alot about how to build a vintage wardrobe lately as I find myself having no basic pieces of clothing to match more special pieces with. I have collected A LOT of stuff since I started wearing vintage back in 2010. I also sold or gave away quite a few things but still, I don't have a wardrobe which really works. I feel like I have to start from scratch (apart from keeping pieces which I absolutely love - or would never part with) which is scary, but I'm also kind of excited.

As you know, I wore modern clothing a while back and even though I was happy with the newfound freedom I gave myself, I didn't feel special at all and clothing was not as much fun anymore. I slowly started wearing vintage again and it has been like that eversince. But now, for once and for all, I want to have a fully functioning wardrobe with clothing that makes me feel awesome.
 I'm going to write posts about building a wardrobe as I go through this experience myself. Perhaps it is useful for some of you.

Let's get cracking!

Shoes are very important to finish a certain look. So much details have changed over the past years. Materials, shapes, heels etc. It can be really hard to find vintage style shoes that look the part, but luckily there are some very timeless shoes out there which are still being made and sold today. Here is a list of shoes I think every girl should own. I'm focussing mostly on the 30s/40s here but these will work for any 'vintage' decade I think.

1. Oxfords

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Suitable for almost any decade, a good pair of oxfords is definitely a good investment. If you choose good quality and get run-down soles and heels fixed, they can last for quite some time. Depending on the height of the heel they can be very stylish or just perfect for wearing every day, especially if you have to go to college, run a lot of errands or like to walk a lot.

2. Pumps

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Every girl needs to own a pair of pumps. When paired with a nice dress and some jewelery, you're ready for a party in no time. They are also very versatile. If you pick the right colour for your wardrobe, you can pair them with lots of dresses and seperates.

3. White sports shoes

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These have been around since the 1920s and are availabe in clothing/shoestores when Spring comes and the weather gets warmer. They look lovely with a playsuit or summer dress and a cute straw hat. They are very comfortable as well so they are great to wear while on vacation or a trip. And the great thing is: these shoes are made of fabric so you can just put them in the washing machine when they get dirty!

4. Penny loafers/moccasins

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A signature shoe for 40s and 50s looks. This type is a timeless classic and you can still find these in stores. Usually availabe in brown, black or dark blue, these make a great wardrobe staple to pair with dresses, skirts and trousers. And they look so cute with a pair of white socks!

5. Wedges

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This type of shoe was very popular in the 40s and they are in fashion again now, which makes it really easy to find 40s style shoes for summer. You can buy these in all kinds of colours, or even make a pair yourself! Despite of the usually high wedge, they're quite comfortable as well, so great for a day at the beach!

I hope this post will help you find some great vintage style shoes to build your wardrobe with. Also, I'd love to hear from you, dear readers, what you think about this kind of post. It might be a start of a whole series about wardrobe building!

With love,

Jip

What have I been up to lately ? - Week 9

I thought it was time to write on the blog again. School keeps me really busy and we have a long schedule so there is very little free time unfortunately. However, this week I am enjoying a short break from school at home, which begins on Monday again. I still got tonight, tomorrow and the entire weekend to enjoy some free time.

Apart from not having much time I did not really feel like writing. Or like doing anything. Since I 'moved out' I have been feeling really homesick and doubting things and decisions I have made in life so far and it feels horrible. School is fun and I am learning a lot, but at the end of the day I sometimes dread to go back to my flat, by myself, cook and clean by myself and then spend the evening by myself.. and then being alone once I wake up. I like that things are quiet but I feel lonely, except for when friends, family or my boyfriend comes over.

When I first decided to change schools during the summer, I was all excited about moving out and have an entire different life, but now it does not seem that fun at all. I've become very anxious and sometimes I don't feel like this is my life, so much has changed. I miss little things, but also the most basic thing in the world: being home. Unfortunately it is one of the things you miss the most when they're gone. that's when you discover how nice it really was, and then feel bad about not enjoying it while you had it..

Even though I called it moving out, I don't see it that way anymore. I still live at home, but because of the distance and the lack of public transport from Germany to the Netherlands, I live in that flat. I go home whenever I can, during most weekends and vacations. Unlike most people, I do not plan to go live back home fulltime after finishing school. Mainly because I'd like to live together with my boyfriend by then, but also because I wouldn't be able to find a job there and support myself. I'd have to rely on my parents again.

Did anyone have such a hard time moving away for school/college? How did you cope? And, most important; does this horrible feeling go away? Even after months? I'm really, really afraid I won't be able to feel 'home' somewhere other than my parents home. I don't even know if that's normal.

Enough about that, I'd like to tell you what I have been doing for the past few days during my vacation!

Friday was the last day of school and I went to Ahaus with my sister. We had hot chocolate and visited some shops. I really like to spend time with her.

The hot chocolate was really nice!

I didn't do much on Saturday. My boyfriend came over on Sunday, I baked a lot of things that day. We spend the entire Monday together and cooked 'Homity Pie'. It was delicious! I do have a 'before' photo but forgot to take one afterwards.. I will make this again so I'll try to think of making a picture. Here's the recipe if you're interested.

We went for a walk and it was really cold, I like to wrap my scarf around my head when I'm freezing. I'm slowly starting to wear vintage clothing again, i just love it so much. It feels so special.

The pie just before it went into the oven. It was delicious!

My mum visited a friend on tuesday and I went with her, I also did some shopping that day. I bought a cute 40s style dress and 6 pairs of thights which I desperately needed, it is so cold! Yesterday my mum, my sister and I went to a big charity shop and we bought some clothing. I love charity shops, they're really cheap. Which is nice, as I can't afford a lot of things.

Tomorrow we are planning to walk in a park where there are lots of animals, I'm really looking forward to it. I'm not sure yet what I'm going to do on Saturday, I might clean a little and do some crafts, maybe some sewing. On Sunday there is a special day here in Alstatte, called 'Sandhasensonntag'. If the weater is nice enough I might be able to take some pictures and write a post about that. On Sunday evening I'll go back to my flat, and my boyfriend will be there too, which is really nice.

That is all for now!

With love,

Jip.

Looking back and forward

I actually meant to write and publish this post yesterday, on December 31st but time went by so quickly, so I'm writing it today.

Yesterday I celebrated New Year's Eve with my boyfriend and his friends. I recently got a cold and didn't feel very well so I went to bed about 2 AM. Despite that it was a very nice evening. Because I only had my mobile phone with me I could not take any proper pictures. I tried to upload some but the resolution is too low to publish here, I'm sorry!

It is the first day of a new year and even though I could do it at any point in the year, it is a day on which I like to reflect on what happened the past year and just think about all the nice things and things that still need improvement. Last year I wrote down some resolutions for 2015 with the note that I would take a look at them just before the end of 2015 to see how far I've come. Let's take a look!

• Be more healthy: This is a thing I am still working on. I have made some progress, though. I spend less money on junk food but I sometimes get tempted to eat something bad, like crisps, and I find such things hard to resist. I have been thinking of limiting myself to junk food at set times each week. For example: I'll have crisps only on Saturdays. If you have any tips on eating healthier, I'd love to hear them!

• Teach myself how to properly paint nails: I haven't been painting my nails a lot to be honest, just for special occasions. Yesterday I painted them in a nice silver colour to match my evening shoes and I only had to paint them once without accidentally covering my fingers with polish as I've done sooo many times. This motivated me to paint my nails more often because it turned out I can paint them!

• Stress less about everything and think positive: Again, this is something I'm still working on. I have been living on my own for almost two months and that really caused some stress. Especially because I moved the same weekend terrorist attacks took place in Paris. I felt so scared. For three weeks I felt a little numb, afraid of terrorist coming to the Netherlands any minute. It was exhausting. Luckily I feel much better now.

• Be a little more outgoing: I still stammer. Some days are worse than others but since I went to a new school and got to meet new people I have been more outgoing. I even compliment strangers on their clothes sometimes. And I don't mind calling people as much as I did before. 

• Get organized: Since I live on my own in a tiny room, I have discovered that I simply have too much stuff for my living space. I also feel restless when it is a mess, I feel so good when I tidy up, clean the place and be able to sleep in a bed that's just been made. I still make a mess of things sometimes but I throw away garbage quicker than I used to do before because I know it makes me feel good.

I feel proud of myself, I might not have achieved the biggest possible goals but one's got to start somewhere, right?

I will work on the same resolutions on this year and I'll see how I did by the end of 2016. If I set too many goals for myself I know I won't be able to catch up with all of them properly so for now I'm just going to be happy, try not to stress about everything and enjoy the little things in life.

Even though I'm a bit late, I'd like to wish you all a wonderful 2016!

with love,

Jip.