Dressing the bump – H&M cropped animal print top

So, I stopped by Topshop the other day to check out their maternity range. I left empty-handed (apart from a pair of leggings) as the collection failed to impress me, especially when you consider their pretty high prices.

Instead I stopped by always cheap and reliable H&M where I bought this cropped viscose top for £13.

I haven’t really had any weird pregnancy-related food cravings, but when it comes to clothes I don’t seem to be able to resist animal print at the moment. Very strange.

Here I’m wearing it with converse boots (bought many many years ago in India), a long viscose skirt from H&M and a wooden second-hand bracelet, found in Chiswick (notice how I’ve colour-coordinated boots w. bracelet….wohooo).

Second-hand find: Old School Poncho

When I was a kid I would flick through our family album and see my mum run around in a brown, black and white wool poncho back in the late 70s. Years later when I was in my late teens wool ponchos were all the rage again and I turned to my mum: “What did you do with that old poncho of yours? Can I have it?” I made her feel real bad as she had given it to the charity shop ages ago, thinking that ugly thing would never come back in fashion.

Imagine how proud she was when she later found this one in pristine condition in the local charity shop. She paid 5 kroner for it (50 p) and sent it to me in Copenhagen. I’ve worn it ever since (well, on and off that is). It’s 100% wool, comfy and warm and some nice woman once put a helluva lot of effort into knitting it.

Second-hand poncho - Second-hand Louis Féraud Clutch - Vivienne Westwood jeans - Second-hand Charles David croco boots

What I wore: Hat, leather and Williamson cape

SECOND-HAND HAT - SECOND-HAND MATTHEW WILLIAMSON CAPE, H&M LEATHER DRESS, VIVIENNE WESTWOOD TROUSERS, DUNE BOOTS W. TASSELS, MULBERRY ROXANNE BAG. Photo: Mette Bassett

Fredagens pub-outfit. Denne flerfarvede uldkappe fra den fantastiske, farveglade designer Matthew Williamson er et af mine bedre genbrugskup. Den hang i Traid genbrugsbutikken på Westbourne Grove (som i øvrigt er en rigtig udmærket butik) og så lidt slatten og meget, meget fnulret ud. Pris 24.95 pund. Den pris kunne jeg ikke stå for, så den kom med hjem, og så brugte jeg ellers et par timer på at hive et lag fnuller af og vupti, så så den pludselig pæn ud igen. Jeg er vild med farvespillet i uldet, som skifter nuance alt efter lyset.

Indenunder ses min højt-elskede skindkjole, som jeg købte tilbage i sommeren 2007 for 900 kr. Den er blød som en barnenumse og perfekt til de dage, hvor man ikke rigtig ved, hvad man skal tage på.

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Friday’s pub outfit. This colourful cape from the very talented British designer Matthew Williamson is a closet favourite and was quite a bargain too. I saw it in the Traid Charity Shop on Westbourne Grove (one of the chain’s best shops). It was hanging on the rail looking rather limp and was covered in lint. But a quick look at the price tag (24.95) convinced me that it had to come home with me. I spent two hours grooming it, gently pulling off all the extra wool fluff and voilà: it looked almost like new again.

Underneath I’m wearing my beloved leather dress from H&M. I paid 100 pounds for it back in 2007 and it has been a great investment as it’s soft as a baby’s bottom and I wear it all the time.

Second-hand find: 80s Blue Jeans

Jeans og mig plejer at være en rimelig dårlig kombi, og de sidste mange år har jeg sværget til kjoler. Lidt ærgerligt, for nogle gange har man bare lyst til en praktisk jeansdag, og så tænker jeg varmt nostalgisk tilbage på de gode gamle, ukomplicerede folkeskoledage, hvor jeg levede i Levis 501 bukser og T-shirts.

Af en eller anden grund (læs : baller og lår) sidder de fleste modeller helt forkert på mig i dag, især Topshops, hvor jeg nærmest skal op i en størrelse 50 for at få hevet et par skinny jeans op over knæene. Nej nej, så hellere et par til en 20’er fra genner’en i Hjørring som dem her. De er det, man på godt gammeldags dansk kalder gulerodsfacon (= ekstra plads til problemlår, juhuu) og så er der temmelig meget 80’er Stone Wash over dem. De er vildt store i livet, så jeg snører dem godt og grundigt ind med et bælte.

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Back in the (seemingly uncomplicated) 80s a T-shirt and blue jeans (Levis 501 or 510 thank you very much) used to be my daily uniform. So easy, so practical. Fast forward to today and my body has changed and I have a hard time finding jeans that fit. Especially in Topshop where everything seems to be aimed at skinny teenagers and I almost end up with a size 50 before I’m able to pull the jeans up over my knees.

So for the last 10 years I’ve avoided most blue jeans like a cat avoids water. But once in a while I give them a second chance, like this pair. I found them in one of the cheap charity shops in Hjørring and they only cost 2 pounds, so no harm done if I end up not wearing them. The shape is what we in Danish call “carrot-shaped” as they get narrower at the bottom, and this leaves plenty of space for the problematic thighs…yehaaa. And I kinda like the 80s Stone Wash as well.

SECOND-HAND WOOL/SILK SWEATER - SECOND-HAND BELT - SECOND-HAND JEANS - OFFICE WEDGES. Photo: Mette Bassett

H&M CROP TOP - YOHJI YAMAMOTO LEATHER BRACELET - SECOND-HAND ESCADA BELT - SECOND-HAND JEANS - DUNE BOOTS. Photo: Mette Bassett

Second-hand find: Leather trousers

Min store kærlighed til læder og skind, farven sort og rock ‘n’ roll stemning bliver ikke mindre med alderen. Derfor slog jeg til, da jeg så fandt dem her til 25 pund i Octavia Foundation genbrugsbutikken i St. John’s Wood. De er måske lidt firseragtige i designet, og gør ikke sindssygt meget for min bagdel. Men fik jeg sagt at det er læder, så de er tilgivet…

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My great love of all things leather, black and rock ‘n’ roll doesn’t diminish with age so I went for it when I found these trousers in the Octavia Foundation charity shop in St. John’s Wood. Price 25 pounds. Maybe they look a bit too much like something straight out of the 80s but I don’t mind. It’s leather so they’re forgiven.

H&M CROP TOP, YOHJI YAMAMOTO LEATHER BRACELET, SECOND-HAND LEATHER TROUSERS, DUNE BOOTS. Photo: Mette Bassett

Second-hand find: W long black dress with side slit

Photo: Mette Bassett

Forrige fredag gik jeg en tur over til Swiss Cottage for at købe en gave. Jeg skulle i byen om aftenen og anede ikke, hvad jeg skulle tage på og smuttede derfor liiiige ind i en af de udmærkede genbrugsbutikker, der ligger i området. Skulle slet ikke købe noget, bare tjekke sortimentet, men så er det, at der altid popper noget op foran en på tøjstativet. Øjnede denne lange kjole af mærket “W”, som jeg ikke kender. Men den var 100% viscose, og man er jo vild med lange kjoler for tiden. Og den højt skårne slids var så fin (her er nylonstrømper dog et must). Så den røg med hjem, og da den var nyvasket, røg den da også lige på inden byturen. Pris 6 pund.

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Last Friday I walked over to Swiss Cottage as I had to buy a present. Later that day I was going out in East London and after a quick look in my closet I had convinced myself that I had absolutely nothing to wear. So I thought why not pop into one of the rather nice second-hand shops in the area. Just wanted to look, not buy. But that’s how it always goes: when you don’t want to spend any money there are tempting finds everywhere. I spotted this long black dress and really liked the deep side slit (tights underneath is a must though). I don’t know the brand “W” but it’s 100% viscose and very comfortable. Price 6 pounds. As it had just been washed I ended up wearing it that night.

Photo: Mette Bassett

Photo: Mette Bassett

What I Wore: Hat, Boots, Balenciaga & Burberry

SECOND-HAND HAT - SECOND-HAND BURBERRY - SECOND-HAND L.K. BENNETT BOOTS - BALENCIAGA CITY 07. Photo: Mette Bassett

Ooooh, det er blevet lidt køligere her i London. Og det regnede i går. Det fejrede jeg ved fluks at iføre mig min hat (købt i Chiswick for 10 pund), min genbrugs-Burberry (købt for 30 pund i  St. John’s Wood) og mine lange, bløde-som-smør snørestøvler fra L.K. Bennett (var som nye, da jeg købte dem for 30 pund i genner’en i Chiswick). Balenciaga City tasken er årgang 2007 – et af de år hvor de brugte det blødeste læder. Den er en af mine absolut favorittasker.

Jeg kan virkelig anbefale at spare op til en dyrere kvalitetstaske i klassisk design, da man ender med at have den i årevis, ofte årtier, og så bliver man glad hver gang man tager den over armen, netop fordi kvaliteten er i top.

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Oooh, it’s getting a bit chilly here in London. And yesterday it rained. I actually don’t mind at all as it gives me a chance to wear my black hat (10 pounds in charity shop in Chiswick), my second-hand Burberry coat (30 pounds in  St. John’s Wood) and my black lace-up boots from L.K. Bennett (were as good as new when I bought them for 30 pounds in Chiswick). Last up is one of my favourite bags: a black Balenciaga City from 2007, one of the years when they used the softest leather for the bags.

I can really recommend buying fewer, but more expensive bags in classic designs as you end up having them for many, many years. And it’s such a nice feeling carrying a top quality bag over your arm.

SECOND-HAND HAT - SECOND-HAND BURBERRY - SECOND-HAND L.K. BENNETT BOOTS - BALENCIAGA CITY 07. Photo: Mette Bassett

SECOND-HAND HAT - SECOND-HAND BURBERRY - SECOND-HAND L.K. BENNETT BOOTS - BALENCIAGA CITY 07. Photo: Mette Bassett

Shopping ennui – What I wore

OLD H&M SHIRT - VIVIENNE WESTWOOD TROUSERS - OFFICE WEDGES - WOOD WOOD PLASTIC NECKLACE. Photo: Mette Bassett

Jeg har vist gang i en slags tøjdepression. I hvert fald har jeg været voldsomt uinspireret på tøjfronten det senest stykke tid. Er totalt træt af sommertøj og bare ben, og så har jeg besluttet mig for ikke at købe noget nyt, da skabet allerede bugner. Samtidig gider jeg heller ikke eksperimentere og lege med det jeg har, og genbrugsbutikkerne siger mig heller ikke noget for tiden (hallo, så er der seriøst noget galt!).

Tror at det hænger sammen med at det kan svært at se pointen i at “dresse up” når man arbejder hjemmefra, hvor ingen løfter et øjenbryn hvis jeg sidder foran computeren iført morgenhår og joggingbukser.

Når jeg endelig skal ud, som i dag hvor jeg skal ned til Waterloo og undervise, så vælger jeg ofte det enkleste jeg kan finde i skabet. Det blev så til en omgang sort/hvid. Krydser fingre for at tøjglæden snart vender tilbage men glæder mig samtidig over, hvor få penge jeg bruger for tiden 🙂

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Lately I’ve been strangely uninspired when it comes to outfits and clothes in general. I’m a bit sick and tired of summer clothes, bare feet and dresses and I’ve decided not to buy any high-street items as I already have a stuffed closet and always end up not really using the new things I buy. And the charity shops aren’t really calling my name at the moment either (quelle horreur!).

But mainly I don’t feel like experimenting with what I have in the closet. I guess when you work from home, no one notices what you wear anyways, so why bother taking off those comfy sweatpants.

And when I have to actually go somewhere, like today when I’m going down to Waterloo to teach, I just grab the simplest outfit I can find. Today’s theme ended up being black and white. Exciting stuff. Fingers crossed my shopping gusto and playfulness will be back from holiday soon (although this shopping ennui is doing wonders for my finances 🙂

OLD H&M SHIRT - VIVIENNE WESTWOOD TROUSERS - OFFICE WEDGES - WOOD WOOD PLASTIC NECKLACE. Photo: Mette Bassett

What I wore – black & blue polka dots

SECOND-HAND POLKA DOT TOP - VIVIENNE WESTWOOD JEANS - ALDO WEDGES. Photo: Mette Bassett

Hoppede i dette outfit i går og videre ned til dette hyggelige sted, The Waterway i Little Venice for at spise og drikke drinks med et par veninder.

Genbrugstrøjen her er håndvævet og af mærket “Villi Hamilton, Canada”, som jeg aldrig har hørt om. Den er et par år gammel og købte den for omkring 10 pund i Oxfam genbrugsbutikken på Edgware Road. Jeg er ret vild med de vilde kontrast-polkaprikker.

English: I quickly jumped into this outfit and out the door yesterday evening to meet up with two friends at this lovely place, The Waterway, by the canal, where we ended up having dinner and drinks.

The jumper is hand loomed and made by “Villi Hamilton, Canada” – a brand I’ve never heard of, but the quality is pretty impressive. I paid around 10 pounds for it a couple of years ago in the Oxfam shop store at Edgware Road. The vibrant colours and vivid polka dots put me in a good mood.

Photo: Mette Bassett

Little Venice, Maida Vale. Photo: Mette Bassett

What I Wore – Friday @ The Pub

Jeg sværger, jeg er det seneste stykke tid blevet en meget, meget gammel dame hvad angår fodtøj. Jeg har gået i mine superbløde, flade “gummi-Jellies” så længe, at mine fødder er blevet sarte som en barnenumse, og blot den mindste gåtur i andre sko får vabler til at eksplodere frem på hælene. Må snart til at shoppe i Ecco.

Fredag aften tog jeg mig dog sammen og hoppede op på mine Office wedges, før jeg tog ind og mødtes med husbond + hans kollegaer på pub i Soho. Fødderne gjorde heldigvis ikke oprør.

English: I swear, I’ve become a very, very old woman when it comes to footwear. I’ve been wearing my beloved, soft and very flat Jellies for so long now, that my feet explode with blisters as soon as I put them near anything that resembles normal, firm shoes.

But Friday evening I said “enough is enough” and forced my feet into my Office wedges before meeting up with the husband and his colleagues at a pub in Soho.

H&M JACKET - SECOND-HAND TOP - H&M SKIRT - OFFICE WEDGES - CHANEL BAG. Photo: Mette Bassett