Older, not so wise yet

Oh boy, I've been of this blog for such a long time I thought I would never write over here again. Still, I like to recap about my time as a fashionblogger and why I think I might be too old now... Or am I just be a tad insecure?

distance stripes in a meadow: how Mlle W!

1. Too old for fashionblogging? Oh, there are so many good and quirky ages prancing around blogs these days. But do you really want to be seen as 'older' blogger?
2. No more a slave to the gym: I still have a good physique with feminine hips and a thin waist but my 3 times hardcore gymwork has been diminished to a softer set of movement. My body looks softer too. Do I need my rockhard abs to get into that bodycon dress?
3. I'm still an idiot! I guess my idiotic nature gotten me some blogviews in the first place. So many utterly gorgeous people on blogs that only get 2 comments, and my flawed self gotten 20 sometimes.
4. I'm over most brands. I still feel a thing for Balenciaga but I'm not entirely about their bag-aesthetics yet: their studs need to become as good as they were in 2011! 
5. I still depend on me! It's an older Destiny's Child song (Independent Woman), Beyonce's former girlsquad. I don't have a photographer and my own work is hilarious...
6. I'm hair-insecure. Lots happened, I just wish my hair was gawwwjus and blogperfect.
7. I'm still a narcissistic twat that likes to be seen. And that is a plus why I should go on blogging and doing the absurdly bad photography and poses ;-).

Long Time...

I just want to say I miss blogging...over here.

I always have been a rebel type so the blog has been a tool to express myself. When I started blogging over here, I found that most girls on fashionblogs were as perfect as models, or close to it. By showing myself in my imperfect state I wanted to set myself between them. Honestly, I never expected people to find me, and at a certain moment to be slightly popular as well!

How much I loved to be in this online community of fashionbloggers for a while...I also started to get more insecure. I was not the youngest one, nor the best in makeup, photoshop (what if..) or the thinnest one. At a certain point, I noticed that my blogposts started to get a complaining, negative tone. What the Flogger, right? That was not how I started out and neither how I wanted to have my blog.

I'm getting to terms with my insecurities again. People commented mostly positive reactions in the first place so I guess some of you like(d) me. In a way I hoped my online presence helped other people coming forward expressing and showing themselves, even if they do not fit the mold of #flawless and #perfect.

I'd still like to fashionblog again, with pictures. I always thought it was difficult to do, autocamera and all, but I loved the creativity and the madness of it. Also, the result of portraying different emotions that are not always the most pretty, but sometimes funny or intense. Like life can be: not always pretty or flawless, but a intense feeling of emotions or the occasional lull of being bored.

I hope to 'see' you guys some more in the future ♥

The 8 Of 2013...

2013 has been the year of changes...And some things stayed the same:13 3

1. Dressing up

I love dressing up: it's like grown-up dress up party picking up your fave character. I really would like more dresses like the type I wear in "After we Met", so whimsical. Only if there were more parties to show them off...
Ps: I do not dress up as extravagant in real life...I sometimes wear black & neutrals too, but don't tell otherwise my blog-reputation will collaps.

2. Blogging

My blog grew organically and I should tweak something about the layout. Then again, it's a clean layout right now and I often feel overwhelmed by other blog's references to every little part of their online life. Mmm, the header?

Do I feel ego-proud enough to put something like the one this one on?Not sure. Then maybe the one above with the circles.

3. Friendschips:

Let's talk about the girls! I love to be 100% open about my friendships but I keep the privacy on for them. I've met some wonderful women this year that helped me entering the modern dating scene, making me drink more alcohol, cry & laugh, and just having a ball with them.

4. Travel

There has been more travel than I blogged about: I'm already such a spoiled brat with all my luxury and designer brands, right? I cannot mention a favourite country as every country and city has its charms.

 

5. Blondes have more...(ehm, I forgot)

 I've been a blllllloooonnndeee for a while this year.

The blonde will get you more male attention: and we're talking quality and often not quality. I does come with complications that I have to hide my brunette intelligence otherwise some guys are too shocked to know I have an opinion. So I should practice twirling my hair like Cara over here:
As for women, they think I am a sweet girl with the blonde and that is actually really cute. I'd might change haircolour again: it's like fashion so maybe it will be brunette or purple...who knows?

6. Less Fashion, more style

2012 was the year I stocked up on a beautiful stash of Equipment blouses, a whole lot of 'cult-jeans' and a kaleidoscope of colours. I wouldn't say I have my core-wardrobe right now but the quality in the basics I bought in 2012 helps...

I was not too happy about 2013 trends: tartan? Just two pieces. The Pink coat? Everyone has one: I'll take lavender instead. Balenciaga?  I absolutely miss Ghesquière's aesthetic feel. So I browsed the Zara and I thought: "Meh, nothing appeals to me". 

But seeing the Pantone colour scheme of 2014 gets me exited again: hopefully in a variety of bags & dresses...

7.  Seven .....?

My 'dating' number!

This Cinderella's still waiting for her prince, or those shoes...

I kissed 7 men this year after becoming single. But modern dating has been complicated for me: I'm actually "such a prude" instead of slutty promiscious; I really had to think "what would other girls advise/do?"  Then again, as an older girl I think I can refrain from any duckfacing #selfies. I might pick up sexting and that means to keep up working out for 2014 so I can look like a Victoria's Secret model (her older sister)...

8. I give a hoot

 

About people, blogging, Christmas, fashion and life...& Xmas owls ofcourse...

 

So what have been your top moments of 2013?

Born to blog...

I have been blogging for almost two years, and I have been slightly mysterious about my intentions, so there you go:

The blogname "Mlle Wanderlust': Wanderlust as travelling has been a part of me since a young girl. Slightly spoiled and with a couple of bohemian parents, they took me places! Even a born and raised Dutch girl, I've spend so much time swimming in Spanish pools and later in Florida seas that I feel like the proper world-person. My first non-Dutch words were 'helados' (icecream), towels (after swimming) and later 'sawadee Kah' (hello in Thai).

I've started out being a mademoiselle (girl) and now I'm reaching the madame (woman) territory. I think I'll keep the Mlle name as my personality is still more girl than polished woman.

Style is more important than fashion, but I like fashion for playing with personal imagery. I'd prefer a feminine look over tomboy: however, Dutch cold will often get me into trousers & sweaters instead of my beloved dresses 'n skirt. Effortless is not really my game but I won't go into too much pain for beauty either: the middle way perhaps.

I often read the word 'nice' in the comments and I am truly flattered to be seen as a nice blogger. Truth is that I can be terribly honest at times being. I'm also one that stands up for herself and if I do the word 'nice' would not easily pop up again. Nevertheless, I aim to be nice as niceness is underrated.

The blog is not just narcisstic imagery: for me its about looking unexpected, fashion savvy and making people laugh and feel good about themselves. Perhaps people 'feel' this when they visit my blog, and that might be a part that I have some regular readers!

♥That was a bit of background story... xoxo for the rest of the week ♥

Friday's Instas

Orange you glad to see me? Or does my outfit match | creating my Earcuff post | A Virgin Mary Money saving bank? Ohhh, let's spend on that one

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Pretty Organic Olive Oil | Quote of the week | UO: trying another leather jacket 
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Natural shape | Flowermarket Amsterdam | a selection of my superfoods

This week has been a dynamic week. I posted this week Outfitted without too much thin-photoshop because I want to show that not every woman should get an eating disorder to look fashionable. And shopping, yeh, I'm in and out of changing rooms to try out various trends. The urban Outfitter's pic shows I often go tomboy-pose when trying on leather jackets. I like having voyeurs like the girl with the cute fringe who check if the outfit looks OK on me. She's my BBF now  ♥

LFW: Sarah (Framboise Fashion)

There's one thing when people suddenly gather around a person and exclaim "oh, I love her blog so much" and actually being impressed by someone's aura. This happened when I spotted Sarah from FramboiseFashion.com on sunday: she was having the perfect straight-volumised blowdryed tresses and the most gorgeous pinky hued combination on.

Monday she sported the brick-jeans tomboy look and i? Her aura and her spontaneity! This radiates in each and every combination and the tomboy look with the opposite hair of her saturday-do proves that she has the enigma to make the camera turn to her.

Fashion Fatigue

Short story: I'm slightly bored of being a fashion-orientated blogger

Longer story:
When I started this blog I wanted it to be multidimensional and travel orientated with a stylish undertone. Shortly, my blogtitle and header sums it up: being the hummingbird that spreads out creativity from other blogs, and digesting some of her own.

I was really hesitant about posting images myself online. I know it can become addictive for some fashionbloggers, but it never was in my case. When younger, I suffered from insecurity and had a period of having an eating disorder due to that. Posting my images online and the projection of being thin and glamourous made me question if I needed to be thin again. A woman like me who has a curvacious build, that is not always the best option. Nevertheless, it rekindled into not-so-good eating habits that I had to correct again.

I am being a 30+ blogger and I was surprised insecurity about my body image would hit me again. But it did, and I decided to step back from posting images from myself. Instead, my frequent display of fashionsets to keep the regular readers entertained and posted upon fun deals and lovely combinations.

In contrast to this, I have become more proud of who I am and how my body looks like thanks to images of Beyonce in advertisements and other women who show that curves can be beautiful. I like my last images: I know I have a good porportion of glutes (bum) around and that makes me feminine instead. If you noticed: I never do back-shots because I feel that it looks better in real life than on camera. That is not about being insecure but about knowing what pose suits me better. Moreover, I do not like the "great post" comments that have an undertone of mockery underneath...being "great". I am not being a "great" and my body has a good BMI rate: neither being skinny nor overweight.

Basically, women like Chiara (the blonde Salad) were models in the past and have become famous by blogging afterwards. They are used and trained to be skinny and skinniness is not always an easy task to maintain. Remember, if you read Chiara's "about me" she states that she's a student in the first place: priorities! Modelling or fashionblogging is interesting for a while, but the future is not always secure based upon our looks and the way we dress. Fame is something that can strike suddenly, but dwindle again if yet another new-and-happening face/body/fashionwearer turns up!

I know that some women can get addicted to the amount of comments they will get and will try to keep the rate high or get higher. I often had the opposite of feeling slightly embarrased by a photo of me and posted something new after it quite quickly. Even though the comments were often really lovely.

But fashiontired: yes! I feel I'm exhausted of images to post up or things to say on this blog. I'm thinking about becoming more passive and start to post when I feel connected to this space again. However, the blog has taught me a lot and I suspect there are more women out there that feel the extra pressure of being thin because they are fashionbloggers. The camera can be brutal even if photoshop can be sweet (still: try to put yourself into the skinnytool and not having your face wrinkled up vertically...then the ageism will kick in instead of the fat-ism).

However, it has also been about communication! I think that 'talking' by images and style has been a way to connect to other blogger women and some men. Sometimes it has been funny to see that "great minds think alike" when you notice you had a similar style as another blogger for that day. So it has been positive as well.

[Fashion hide]

Sorry for this fashion hiatus. You might not think this, but I'm quite a perfectionist about some things: I wanted that photoshopped perfection that some of the bloggers have and my photos just came out funny:

By lack of good photographers & photoshop, I'd just enhance my features with Loubous: it's that moment when a pointy nose looks haute enough (and saves me on red lipstick).

For the time being I totally wanted to adopt Baby Nightingale

And I'd gotten a bit more redhead that I had to pair up with a sultry stare:

dress: DvF

*Finally a pose that works: I've opted the slightly-tilted 'curious' eyes* instead of that slightly open mouth some people do, but that doesn't look so good on me in photos.

Preparing for the new king by this Jovoy Candle "Vive le Roy" (fr= long live the king)

I also found some cows on the beach:

Trousers: Topshop | Top: Isabel Marant etoile | Bikini: Pucci (No, I'm not topless!)

Who ran away from me: they must think my eyes looked too hungry and they'd become steak.

I really love these Topshop wide-legged trousers I wore in there as a hint to Oriental SS 13.

 The Marant you have seen before over here.

and I had to handwash them:

 that feels so unglamorous but when you like your fashion, you have to be gentle about them. 

As for my personal style: I've been wearing eclectic (cow/beach outfit), feminine (DvF) to classic French style.

 Or, mixing it up a bit!

Head over Blog

 I'm trying to figure out a new header...

• Something whimsical?

 

• Something simple & descriptive?

• Or perhaps a sort of sophisticated in the style she has...?

 

4 Standouts of 2012

I'm gonna be entirely unoriginal on this front and sum up some favourite moments of 2012:

1. Blogger Community

I sort of grew as a blogger: Quite unexpectedly. I gotten feed and comments on my blog and my outfit posts. My way of approaching fashionblogging in an original (read: weirder) way actually struck better than if I would have gone standard. And why would I go standard? After all: It's my Art.

Anyway, I'm among other (blogger)women these days and even though commenting on the really succesful bloggers who get more than a 100 comments per post, I still like to see their lives are going well, and how they dress accordingly to it! And the ones that are just as talented and have fewer comments are a brilliant read/outfit-check as well.

2. TRAVEL

My name is still MlleWanderlust, although I wanna change it into MsWanderlust, less French and more age-including than mademoiselle (they basically hesitate between calling me Mademoiselle (miss) or Madame (misses) so I might leave that one out). But still Wanderlust because I love to travel...

My greatest travel discovery has been France (read/see pictures here). I'm not talking about Paris. Paris isn't France and I wanted to explore the real France a bit better: and I did. So cute knowing that whole Holland goes to France for years and I have skipped it for so long. It has been quite fun to visit some parts of it, but I consider it a difficult country too with habits that sometimes gotten lost in translation.

3. Company: Freja

I had been looking for an adoption cat since summer '12 and found him this autumn: LOVE at first sight! He grew from a docile cat into a really active, jumpy, affective and sometimes teasing fuzzball, and I love him the more of it.

4. Somewhat excessive Consumerism:

GOSH, I remember last year's post saying I'd discovered all designers and intended to spend less? NO WAY...too much cash flew out to Givenchy, Chloe, Yves Saint Laurent, Balenciaga and Hermes.

I am not going to promise to spend less, because I might do the opposite again when I make such a promise. Just going to try to tone down and get lovingly with Topshop and the likes again. After all, I like the brands but I found out they are not the best thing ever. E.g. I sold my Givenchy Antigona after not loving it enough, which was the best anti-consumerist thing I did in 2012!

 Ps: What were your 4 highlights of 2012?

Versatile blogger

Surprisingly I have been awarded for a award by someone who knows me for a longer time on twitter. People who know me on twitter probably think I'm slightly delusional for the frequent flow of baloney I put on, and in a moment of sanity remove of it again...

Twitter is my cheapest psychotherapist for expressing my stream-of-conciousness: a real life therapist is 20 euros these days in the Netherlands so I confine to twitter to keep down the costs, so I can dwell into more superfluous materialism I display on this blog frequently.

The Award: the versatile blogger. I had to make up 7 questions and answer them myself.

Do you have any style influencers?-

I love the 50s moviestars as those women had feminine curves, just like I have. I am not so sure about contemporary actresses as they are frequently styled by a group of stylists that have some monopoly on style, however, I think Ms. Jolie is stubborn enough to stick to her own style so I will pick her.
But mostly I love seeing the styles by other bloggers as they are real-life women with real-life budgets and they still know what works for them and play with styles.

Nobody tells the Angelina to do standard dressing, or posing

Have you worn anything as of recently that made you feel exciting?

I do not get that bubbly feeling as I got when in my twenties, but I saved my first pair of Louboutins to wear in Paris for the first time after having them for two months. It really was magical to wear them.

Are you involved with someone/dating/engaged/married/divorced?

My ex proposed a couple of days ago and now we broke off again. Then he called me again. I think facebook calls this state "it's complicated".

Returning to fashion: Why this blog?

I often state I don't try to be fashion but try to maintain stylish and that is basically it. It's more a thing of having your chatty friends talking and showing each other what you wear, only on an international level. I cannot stick to fashion alone with this blog, because I adore travel, that explains the name. However, the earlier Vogue's often had this escapist way of photography, so fashion and travel have always been intertwined, hence I think it can be both. 

What age did you really become interested in fashion?

When I moved to the Caribbean at 17 years old and started reading the international (American) Vogues, Elles etc and then my interest in fashion started to boom. Also, I started going clubbing and everyone was always dressed to impress in the Caribbean whereas Holland was kinda tame during those days, for being "you are already crazy enough being normal". Even though my bestie and I had little money, we made our clothes and tried to wear something new every time we went dancing, based on the beautiful pictures of the American Vogues.

In Caribbean: acessorising the Doberman with a red hat

 I remember having to return to Holland when 20 and I wore these red strappy platform heels going out between people wearing lumberjack blouses and dodgy shoes: let's just say I was the odd one out. These days people are more fashionable and crazy high shoes are to be seen here these days.

What is your next step on this blog?

Blah, I'm not the type being into planning or talking about reinventions because life is as fickle as it comes. I think my organic spontaneity is a part I started this blog and I keep on doing that...Perhaps I get my booty into some clothes for photoshoots again. I might change the header in something more megalomania-egocentric cartoon of me myself and I. 

All right, enough free therapy for me on this blog for today. Let's nominate some other ones:

• Rose from tramped-rose.blogspot.com (the best mix of editorials and art: I often repost her work)

• Jessica from chicgeekblogger.blogspot.com (fab commentor and inspiring blog)

• Tarraco (?) from tarracostyle.blogspot.com (there is always a story behind her poses and clothes that leaves you thinking)

• Ang from ang-closet365.blogspot.com truly versatile and most creative with making face (makeup)

• Matt from bucketsandspadesblog.com girlfriended bloke, lots of fun tech-y information and sometimes a outfit post when (probably) his girlfriend made him stand in front of the camera

• Lita from quiestinquiestout.blogspot.com (the name is already spellbinding)

• Carmen from momentsofwoman.blogspot.com (every woman needs a room of her own, or a moment)
• madeoftears-madeoftears.blogspot.com Teenage angst, a beautiful person & the emotionality of words combined in one blog (and I love the boldness of the name as crying can be healing)
• ? from matterofstyle.blogspot.com I used to DIY a lot but these days I lack energy for it. I still love seeing other people being creative and I hope to be creative too soon.
• ? from laceandtea.com I should have the age of a domestic goddess. Ehm not really, but I love to look at other peoples houses being impeccably interior-designed and hope one day I get a pre-designed house in one of those styles, and the necessary cleaner to keep it that way.

Oh, and the person who nominated me is the cherry-tastic Tali-who-almost-gets-married-in-a-white -DIY-leather-dress from Rockmyheels.com. Thanks gorgeous!

5 Things most fashionbloggers think are IT

Disclaimer: this post is slightly sarcastic with my lame idea of humour: ofcourse, irony stems from a feeling of rebellion agains the standard, but if you do those things I mention, don't feel offended I don't do them (or make slightly fun of it), It's just my lame ironic nature!

Not that it has been mentioned to me before, but I figured out I don't really look/behave/dress like the generic fashion-blogger. I have 5 reasons for that...I think I have more reasons, but I summed up the top 5 what lots of fashionbloggers do, but I don't...

1. Michael Kors watches

It's actually one of those things that I consider cute & a touch of tomboy on other girls, but I saw them in real life at the Dutch pseudo-elite department store (Bijenkorf) & I found them to be cast-offs of real luxury brands, such as Cartier, Rolex, or even similar priced Balmain. Brings me to Balmain that I really like his watches and the designer Rouseting is intensely attractive too. So I'll either go cheap and unknown, vintage, Balmain, or I'd really spend one day.

2. Excessive arm-parties

Too much dangling going on for me: I like a few, classic, thinner bracelets with a architectual element (so square instead of round, eg, this COS bracelet). I already get nervous of the *clinky*clanky* when wearing three at the same arm: two is ok, though.

3. Trichotillomania

Excessive hairtwirling: I really don't get it. I slightly do: it's flirting, right? But it seems like an obsessive compulsive disorder on some fashionbloggers that is not for the sake of flirting anymore but for the sake of spelling out "I'm a real fashion-blogger". As for flirting device: I find it nervous-looking and a bit of too fragile trying to be a little girl instead of a femme fatale: femme fatales apply lipstick; little girls twirl hairs. Did I mention it breaks of your hair like mad too?

source: here, but this is displayed on about 80% of female fashbloggers

4. 'The tilted Salad': 

I think Chiara coined that face and I find it difficult to read the body-language behind it. Is it "do you like me?"-face or the "don't mess with me or I'll hypnotise you with my gorgeous eyes"- face. I know it is 'fashionbloggers-standard' face right now but I don't get it...Similar as the hairtwirling.

I do like the original, Chiara, though: she made a trademark of herself by being one of the first and the most marketable in the field: that attracts copycats, ofcourse.

5. The "John Wayne"

'Clazzy' pose from Elena @ Denimology

I see these a lot on jeans-review blogs specifically...I think it is handy to show you how it looks from the backside, but some poses are just a bit too hardcore for me: I mean, legs spread? when would I stand around in the supermarket or in a shop like that (or work, not the kind of work I have). Or do these women have a horse-riding past, or such? So that one is for the men browsing around and not really for fashion-sake. I don't mind but why disguise it as fashion??? I think Elena from Denimology (above)  is the most caricature of all (here) but I honestly don't browse the jeanssites enough to really compare: I prefer jeans on a classier model.

Ok, not entirely a blogger (or she is these days) but she does 3 (ring party, 'tilted salad' & the twirly hair:

Ok, I actually did the 'tilted salad' in the Forest (G) post but I was thinking: "I hope this is standard enough?" or, "do I pass the convential fashionblogger test?". Not really spontanious to me and I feel it doesn't reach real fashion anymore that shouldn't be about rules.

That is why most women (& some men) I follow have a original edge that strike the fashion-cord without being too eager to belong to the 'fashionblogger'-tribe. I hope I can become as good as them :D