PERSONAL | Musical influences

I do not think that the off-day needs much explanation because it is such a common phenomena. Today just had to be one. Started with heavy grey clouds along my mind and sky and a lack of, well, pretty much everything. Troubled thoughts, loaded problems. Today started as nothing and it ended up to be a discovery, moreover musically. As Pete Murray can express so precisely: "Dream yourself along another day, never miss opportunity. Don't be scared of what you cannot see, your only fear is possibility." I needed that little boost, a sunshine that reflects in the screen of my MacBook, the power of going on and going strong. I just saw the documentary about The Dark Side of The Moon, the best known album of Pink Floyd ever. It is brilliant to see how fifteen-minute lasting bombastic songs started with three chords and the psychedelic musical minds of those men. Real people with real passion, that is my inspiration for today.

INSPIRATION | Red, red wine

ARCHITECTURE | Shoreditch House

ph / Tim Soar for Dezeen

I often discover similarities between arts like styling, editing, painting and due to this project, even architecture. It is in the details of mixing materials, find matching -or controverse- fabrics, layering the structures, finding the ultimate combination between functionality and aesthetics. For me, the Shoreditch House in London did the best job. It is shaped like a traffic light, but in neutral colours. The old pub annex private members club has turned into one of the most oblivious boutique hotels in the surrounding area. The modern steel is adding the extra height the building desperately needed. The amount of contrasts put in one construct is adding a touch of modern simplicity into this age-old pub. Drinking a classic pint in a fresh surrounding. And fresh is what we like.

MY FAVOURITES | From COS

ph / COS

There is high street, and there is above high street. COS is a label that is definitely one step ahead of the H&M, Zara-like stores in individuality and quality. Unfortunately, the prices are also a few pennies higher than my regular buys. The newest spring collection is materialwise brilliant: stiff, thick fabrics and slightly oversized cuts. As I am a fan of colder colours, the overload of blue hues in the lookbook is right up my alley. Combine that with the ultimate springtrend: ankle-cut pants, and COS has stole my heart - again. I'd really like to get my hands on the simple sandals or a pieces with a twist, such as the odd trench coat in the picture beneath. Prices start at €15, but easily rise up to €69 for a draped top or €150 for spring coats.

Met een budget dat niet bepaald 'tot de sterren en daar voorbij' reikte maakte ik elke keer een vreugdedansje als ik iets voor niets vond bij een H&M of Zara. Toch heb ik de laatste tijd steeds meer voorkeur gekregen voor kwaliteit dan voor kwantiteit. De interesse verschoof zich dan ook van de high street labels naar kleinere, meer exclusieve merken als COS. De lentecollectie (ja, ik ben laat, het is praktisch al zomer) ligt helemaal in mijn straatje. Dikke en stijve stoffen, simpele cuts en lichtelijk oversized jassen, het is bijna alsof meneer COS me deze lente overhaalt zijn winkel over te kopen. Vooral de slank gesneden broeken op enkelhoogte en de simplistische sandaaltjes zijn items om bij weg te smelten. Helaas, bij een exclusieve look hoort ook een bijpassend prijskaartje: misschien is die three-piece French wardrobe toch wel een goed plan.

Hartenstraat 23
Amsterdam, Netherlands

Venestraat 17-19
Den Haag, Netherlands

ART | Kaleidoscope

ph / Rad Hourani

As I promised, here is the latest 'What's Comptemporary?' project by Rad Hourani. I like the fact that he is very abstract in collected inspiration for his collections and love what he does here. The fun thing of a good old kaleidoscope in the mix with stiff architecture. The effect is wonderful.

P.S.: Good day today: my boyfriend is finally coming back from India!

YES | I got accepted!

ph / Cover of ANT Magazine

I got very pleasantly surprised yesterday: I received a positive result for the study International Fashion & Branding at AMFI! After hours and hours of photographing, editing, writing and preparing myself for the interviews, I finally got in. A colleague of mine drove me to the bakery to celebrate this message with some pie! Above you can see one of the first projects of the Fashion & Branding crew years ago, the ANT Magazine (now Odd Magazine). With a history in magazines, I am really thrilled to be part of the community that takes care of the visual and textual translation from fashion into this sort of papers. I am absolutely looking forward to take place in that process. I also discovered that, due to the different start date of this study, I am able to visit Lowlands this year as well! Double trouble.

You might like these posts as well:
WORDS | Authentic Self
QUICK | Editor's note
LOWLANDS | Festival in vogelvlucht (Dutch)

FILM | 3x Rad Hourani

Collections #6, #7 and runwayshow #4 of the just-discovered artist Rad Hourani. His (no-)background and intense curiosity inspire me. This man still believes in the equivalent of heaven; he got rid of all the restrictions: No gender, no season, no rules, just epitomizing the values of freedom and unisex elegance. I stumbled across RAD by total accidence, by fascination of his beloved project 'What's contemporary' (more about that later). In my humble opinion, this man has accompanied a lot more then any other fashion designer, with a thick layer of philosophies covering each collection. One to remember.

WANT | From the old, dusty archive

Shirt | Akris
Necklace | Sou Bretton
Shoes | Camilla Skovgaard

I just came across an old picture in my Downloads-folder that is likely to burst one of these days. I am not sure if my screen will hold the amount of aesthetically approved outfits and items that have been wandering through my computer. So, from the old vaults from my MacBook, I show you a little FreshFix-archive jewel: this small collage from Anywho.dk. Three simple pieces, combined in one perfect outfit. The white drapery thing is in the middle of a blouse and a kimono, the choker is brilliant and adds that bit of colour, and the shoes, well, those are the only ones I had to replace with these Camilla Skovgaard loves. Maybe spice things up with quilted leather shorts, but know that time cannot replace style.

DESIGN | Sköna Hem

ph / Madeleine Söder

Sköna Hem was the name I never had associations with, it was a myth of brilliant styling and effortless design. Since I saw this editorial from the living-magazine, I am ashamed I never took effort to learn Sköna Hem better. The detailing and decoration in this images by stylist Linda Åhman is amazing, very personal and warm.

This house in Oslo belongs to ceramist Maria Øverbye, who lives there with her husband and three daughters. Originally built as a school, even after the renovation the residence's still got some raw and unfinished areas left. Original cultural heritage from 1893. Even though the walls are in the typical Scandinavian white, there is no unpersonal feeling of a clinic, thanks to the paintings and artwork allover the place. The perfect mix-and-match of vintage, rawness and design shoots this interior up on my list of inspiration.

Sköna Hem was een naam die ik veel voorbij zag vliegen, maar waar ik me nooit verder in verdiept heb. Ja, laat mij de cone of shame (Up!) maar dragen. Inmiddels heb ik dit Scandinavische design tijdschrift van voor tot achteren uitgeplozen en ontdekte ik de fantastische styling en fotografie van dit prachtige huis in Oslo.

Kunstenares Maria Øverbye heeft dit authentieke stulpje geheel gerenoveerd, met wat hulp van manlief en drie dochters. Ooit functioneerden de ruimtes als schoollokalen en sommige muren en hoekjes van het huis zijn geheel intact gebleven. Dit is typisch zo'n huis waar je doorheen loopt en ergens in je achterhoofd een lessenaar op een schoolbord hoort tikken. Cultureel erfgoed, all the way from 1893. Het kenmerkende Scandinavische minimalisme wat het design tegenwoordig geheel heeft opgeslokt is duidelijk aanwezig. Toch maakt de hoeveelheid wit het huis niet tot een klinisch, kil ziekenhuis, maar meer tot een rustgevend geheel. De persoonlijke details, de perfecte mix van vintage, design en een rauw randje promoveren dit interieur tot nummer 1 op mijn inspiratie-lijstje.

WORDS | Serendipity

FRESH FINDS | Fashionblogs

Angelica Blick | Angelicablick.se
Angelica is probably not the freshest find of this list, but certainly here to stay. Her casual attitude, loose hair and brilliant sunglasses are key-items of every look. This girl got it. Angelica's style is often maritime, with big blue coats and off-white knits, other times more boyish, styled with cool leather jackets and checked blouses. An allrounder in fashion, that's for sure!
Arizka Sehoko | Devil in the Detail
'The most courageous act is still to think for yourself. Aloud.' And that is what Arizka Sehoko does. Feminine, sophisticated looks topped off with a scent of boyish cool. Loads of bright colours, awkward lengths, high heels and a sniff of grunge.
Iina | Pure Love
The girl next door who prefers cheap above designer, neutrals above brights and boots above sandals. With a love for oversized sweaters, I absolutely share the nevermind-attitude Iina spreads. We also have several H&M items in common, and I like to see how she combines them. Besides that, who wouldn't fall for her Weekday booties?
Marcella | Fashion Distraction
Marcella likes to wear things a bit upstyle, in contradiction with the blogs above. The details in her outfits are always unique and outstanding, styled from head to toe. The influences of the citylife are noticeable in every item, from florals to studs and giant sunglasses. And yes, this girl likes them short (but chic).
Charlie May | Girl a la Mode
I might be wrong, but I guess Charlie May could be the shy one of these five. Her pictures emit a certain inconvenience. Always smiling, but not with the confidence you see in the blogosphere. Maybe that is the reason I like Charlie May most. Her outfits are clean and simple with loads of whites and neutrals - perfect for spring!

INSPIRATION | Detroit Ruins

ph / Yves Marchand and Romain Meffre

Dazed Digital caught my eye with a breathtaking exhibition of photographs from the duo Yves Marchand and Romain Meffre, considering the decomposition of the once so lovely city Detroit. As I am not that into glamourous ballrooms and shiny ceilings, I might even like the current state of neglect better then the originals. Especially the colours are so pale, wonderful pastels what once were bright purple and green. The images shot are from several places throughout Detroit, the Lee Plaza Hotel and Adams Theater for example.

"Ruins are the visible symbols and landmarks of our societies and their changes are small pieces of history in suspension. There is nothing more exciting than visiting something mysterious like a derelict castle or an abandoned theatre. As we explore deeper into the ruins the journey raises ideas and questions and we learn about architecture, society and history. What is interesting for us is the confrontation between the ideas embodied in the architecture, such as optimism, power, belief, creation and fantasy and the transformation into ruin, the end of the cycle. This change is very powerful. Ruins are a spectacular demonstration of our nature and its paradoxes, our ability to create and self-destruct."

Want to read more about this style of architecture and photography?
INTERIOR | Alexandre Herchcovitch
ART | The desert took my home

RUNWAY | Neil Barrett

ph / style.com

"It's like taking XXXL men's sizes and cutting them back onto girls," Neil Barrett explained the oversized coats and supersized silhouettes. He did the best job he could designing my autumn wardrobe. Seriously, this man is the better half of my creative thoughts. I am a big fan of his sober colours, cape-like dresses and strong cut. A sniff of sports and sweatshirts translated into a sophisticated pair of pants, the classic biker jacket in a new, fancier material, the ponyhair details. Jawdropping amazing. Curious to see more?

FILM | Summer with dark edges

Hogben and Pugh. Truly an inspiring pair of artists working together to create a combined work of art. Even though this is the Gareth Pugh S/S 2011 campaign of last year, it gives anybody an instant boost for this summer yet to come. The first rays of sun hit me, but the raw, dark edge Hogben gave this video appeals to me as well. Multiplying, blurry vision, perfect accompanying music and powerful women, this duo creates a strong arty vision. Next up is a 3D-film?

NEW IN | Snakeskin heels

ph/private

After several affaires with heels in dressing rooms, I realized the ultimate 5 inch stiletto and I would never get a happy ending. This pair of heels reminded me of the Surface to Air/Whyred ones I wrote (and drooled over) earlier about. No, these are not that amazing (or expensive), but have a similar idea and silhouette. Found these snakeskin heels somewhere between the pastels and neons at Zara Amsterdam. Turn left at the coloured skinnies and yet again left at the tie-dyed blue shirts. A woman's map to fashion!

I especially like the small snakeskin details and the missing platform, as I didn't dare that much inches without one. I still have to get adjusted to this pair of heels so bring on the blister bandaid and nailpolish...

PERSONAL | Life

'Life is what happens while you're busy making other plans'. Thanks to mister Lennon and his Plastic Yoko for translating the last days in a few words. I have spend some time with friends I had not seen in quite a while, enjoying a pizza over diner, chit-chatting the night away. I experienced sorrow and sadness in a personal circle. My boyfriend left me (just temporarily!) for India the next two weeks. It was all about meeting and leaving behind, about joy and pressure. Life is a splendid chain of happenings, going faster and faster.

Fashion is following that same road. By forcing designers to fulfill one or more collections each season, the creativity has been pushed over limits. Paris Fashion Week ran after Milan, who ran after London, and squeezed somewhere in between is New York falling behind. As an editor, I look over hundreds of photographs and outfits a day, moreover being a curator than a creative director. Information is everywhere, and sometimes a bit overflowing. Best cure? Sipping a cup of white jasmin-tea, enjoying my new clothing and camera in silence. (And secretly browsing through some streetstyle. Just because you can not beat the bloody passion for aesthetics out of me. Proof is above, from Tommy.)