Little red sparkling hood

The color red seems to be everywhere these days. It's taking over buildings and apartments...

... and popping out of bushes. I didn't realize so many of the trees and plants I see around me everyday would suddenly produce these bright red berries come fall. Yes, I'm a fall newbie.

All this red percolating in my subconscious came to a boil one afternoon after watercolor class. As I was walking through the centre of Haarlem, I was drawn to another jolt of red—this time in the form of a big SALE sign at WE, a local high street chain. Inside, I found this red dress with a skinny belt and promptly realized: I don't own a single article of red clothing!

With 50% off everything in the store, it was easy to remedy the situation. So now I have a red dress.

I remember reading somewhere that red and leopard print go together, so it seems my leopard print flats have found a new playmate. But so far my favorite way to wear bright red has been with gray. I've worn it with my gray wool blazer from Uniqlo (above) to go to my weekly ladies' lunch, and with a gray fluffy angora cardigan for a Sunday visit to the zoo. 

I've also found a new use for the bronze beaded fascinator I like to wear with this dress. It turns out a headband is perfect for keeping the hood of my rain jacket in place when it's too windy for an umbrella. 

I got a few odd looks on the street, but I shrugged them off. Sparkling in the rain is worth it!

Fall uniform

If I hadn't moved to Amsterdam, I would never have realized that I had a raincoat-shaped hole in my wardrobe. After getting soaked in the rain one stormy August night and getting sick the week following that, I decided that "summer" was as good a time as any to buy a rain jacket. 

The most important criteria: it had to have a hood, be waterproof, and cover my legs at least partially. It took a couple of afternoons combing the shops, I found this navy blue McG rain jacket at De Bijenkorf. I chose it for the semi-tailored preppy feel, as well as for the soft jersey lining and the cute little grosgrain belt that ties in a bow at my waist. I spent more on it than I had hoped to, but I felt better forking over the moolah knowing I'd get lots of wear out of this jacket. 

And I was right. This jacket already feels like a uniform, with all the rain we've had here. Although I must say I felt slightly odd wearing it out for the first time. It just didn't seem very... well, very me. Even Marlon gave a thoughtful hmmm the first time he saw me in it. 

This is my template outfit these days. I've gotten used to the rain jacket; I figure feeling "slightly odd" is a million times better than feeling downright cold, wet and miserable. Now that the temperature is on a steady downward trend, I've replaced my usual black stretchy cotton leggings with fleece leggings from HEMA, which feel awesome—like my legs are getting a nice warm hug.

The other part of my fall uniform is these brogue-slash-granny boots I scored on my day trip to Maastricht. They reminded me of the brown granny boots I used to own, which my mom brought back from Europe in the heyday of grunge. Ah, the Nineties.

Except my old granny boots didn't have the brogue-ish look of this pair, nor did they have this combination of black, brown and gray leather. Now resisting a pair of boots is always hard for me. But boots that go with everything? Oh hell yes.

Besides, it's fall. Lots of rain, getting cold and all that. I'm just being practical. Right?