MOVING / Hello New Love Aesthetics

It has been exactly 6 years since I wrote my first post on Love Aesthetics and my digital brainchild was born. It is the project I've been involved in for the longest amount of time in my life. My blog has lasted longer than high school. Though Love Aesthetics has slowly been growing into a thing on its own and has outgrown the format of just a blog.

Thank you all for reading and being with me all these years. The best thing about running this blog has been meeting so many of you talented readers and making a lot of new friends. There is a Dutch expression 'stok achter de deur' which literally translates into 'stick behind the door', which means a threat in the most positive sense of the word, an extra motivation for doing something. So thank you all for stopping by each time (and leaving all the lovely comments, I've read each single one of them), you have been my 'stick behind the door' to update Love Aesthetics, to keep the ideas coming and to push myself to deliver better quality each time. I can honestly say that I love you!

Please do come and take a look at our new digital place! There are a lot of new updates waiting!
I've been working hard on it the last month together with Fleur Glansbeek and can not be more excited to finally invite you over!








/ NEW WEBSITE !
http://LOVE-AESTHETICS.nl

L I F E / Notebooks That Keep Me Mentally Sane

The notebook and office supply obsession continues, stationery just radiates a feeling of productivity.
And on productive days, I am the most happy. I usually dedicate one notebook to one personal project. Every to do list and idea gets written or sketched in their proper place. Also to keep mentally sane when working on many things at a time, it is very nice to physically close one notebook, put it away and open a new one.

This week I reached a couple of personal epiphanies, there is a lot of newness in my head. So for this occasion, today I finally unpacked a very special, fresh, new notebook I had gotten as a gift from Maison Martin Margiela last year. I can't wait to fill it's pages, which are made out of fabric instead of paper.

from top to bottom:
set of rings: Asos
notes: Hema
mini Moleskine
fabric notebook: MMM
leather notebook: DIY
claustrophobic notebook MMM

W E A R I N G / Hiding In Big Bombers, Reading Mykromag

You might have seen some of these images last week on Vogue.nl already, but this mag and this gigantic bomber are too good to not share here too.

I can comfortably live in big bombers, like this enormous silk one. They are like a counterweight to ladylike tailored trousers and high heels and make the best little tents to hide in on airports. Where I spend quite a few hours last week.

Luckily the day before, Sonny Groo just handed me the newest issue of his fantastic Mykromag. It is bundle of interviews and every time the Myrkomag team manages to talk to the most interesting people from the industry. So don't expect standard Q&A's; If you read this magazine it feels like you're listening in on personal conversations. (Available at Athenaeum Amsterdam and Colette Paris)

sweater: Uniqlo
trousers: COS
Silk bomber: vintage
bag: c/o backstage
pouch: Jil Sander
notebook: Moleskine
Magazine: Mykromag

A C C E S S O R I E S / Still Life

Still lives are my life, this still life is my life.
I utterly enjoy arranging items neatly, finding order and making a balanced composition with them and photographing it. It is usually carefully and artificially arranged. But this little still life came into existence in a complete spontaneous way; with Giuliano, a bottle of wine and a piece of my clip in hair that was lying around (you might remember that I don't have anything against a little faux hair). It looked so fantastic that I had to recreate this moment the morning after when the sun was shining through the window and immortalize it with my camera.

wallet: Jil Sander
shoulder bag: &OtherStories

L I F E / Three Step Thrift Guide

90s Calvin Klein sweatshirt, oversized blazer, both thrifted

Those rare, thrifted, treasure finds never come on a silver platter. The contrary, the stuff on most vintage markets smells like a moldy gym locker, half the staff in thrift stores is there because of community service (no friendly shop assistant to hand you your size) and you're lucky if the stock is hanging on an actual hanger. Yes you really have to dig and work for it.

I've talked about reasons why I love to shop guilt free and why I think everyone should do some secondhand shopping; no extra strain on the environment, finding unique pieces and because of the better cuts and quality that clothes had before mass production. Because I'm always asked how I manage to find the best pieces among the trash, here is a little 3-step thrift guide!


1/ Look for fabrics
Those tacky neon track jackets might grab your attention so much that you overlook the black blouse in fine silk hanging right beside it. Try to discard everything you are not looking for from your view. Now, thoroughly go through the racks or piles and look for nice prints, good quality denims, nice worn down leather, silk blouses or wool blazers. Ignore the fits and sizing. Start off by only looking (and feeling) at fabrics.

2/ Fits
Now that you have a pile of garments in the right colors and materials, it's time to further narrow down your selection: estimate the size by viewing it and keep ignoring those size labels. Size labels from other era's and regions can vary a lot, so it really doesn't say anything. A 'too small' little boy's blazer could be cropped and boxy on you. A huge 'too big' heavy wool grandpa blazer could be your next Yamamoto-style coat.

3/ Select
Look for the potential in these pieces, try to imagine how they would look belted, think about possibly cutting of length (or a frilled edge). Also inspect for stains or damages and keep in mind that these garments will look more polished after being washed and ironed.


Three Small Adjustments
/A dress can be cut at the waist to become a skirt or top. Something I used to do with my dresses when I was about 6 years old.
/Too big trousers can become fold over pants with one small adjustment like I did with these.
/Cut a slit under the arms of a jacket to get a French editor-over-the-shoulder-jacket look like I did with this DIY.

N O V E L T Y/ Min Kim

Earlier this week I had the pleasure to digitally meet Min Kim(25) during a little FaceTime chat. After seeing her wonderful work I tracked her down like a Facebook-stalker for a little interview. It was lovely to talk with the super kind and enthusiastic Min about her creative process, her home country Korea vs. living in London, playing dress up and individuality.

Ivania/ Please do tell me more about the story behind the collection

Min/ I like to tell personal stories with my collections. I am very interested in the small things, inspiration always comes from my own experiences; like memories of dressing up with my sister. These small things become bigger, wider and more serious as I research them. There are a lot of references to stories and episodes between women on a very personal level.

My inspiration for the graduation collection came from the 'PFD phase' (Pink Frilled Dress Phase), which most girls go through. I wanted to make an issue about this situation. In my research you'll also find images of girls dressing up in big circular dresses which create unexpected silhouettes.

Ivania/ Your research is really touching, as I have a little kid and get to deal with the 'prescriptions' society has for the genders; pink for girls, blue for boys for example. It can be interpreted as quite a feminist statement you make, would you call yourself a feminist?

Min/ Exactly, there are so many color choices, society should give more space to them so they can make their own choices. I never thought about it that way. I have never deliberately wanted to make a very feminist statement with this collection.

Ivania/ What are your future plans?

Min/First I'd like to gain some experience within a team of designers and to further develop my skills. I'd love to stay in Europe.

Ivania /There are a lot of interesting fashion projects coming from Korea though, wouldn't you want to go back?

Min/Trends in Korea are on a masse scale, most people dress to impress other people. I'd like to design for women who dress for their individual self.

Ivania /We’ve only seen this one collection from you, what would you call your signature elements, or which elements can be expected to come back in your future work?

Min/ The references to episodes, stories and relationships between women. And working with silhouettes that are a bit distorted like for example the circular shapes.

images courtesy of Min Kim< br /> photographs by Heewon Kim

W E A R I N G / Under Construction Dress

I've been working on perfecting the cut of this dress, it's getting pretty close but it's not there yet. It's a bit of a 2.0 version of a dress I made for Paris last summer. Although it still needs some work I couldn't resist wearing this little sample yesterday. Testing it out for a couple of hours even gave me some more new insights on how to improve it even more.

dress: Ivania Carpio
trainers: Nike Cortez
bag: &OtherStories

W E A R I N G / Athletic

The little pile of athletic wear is a full member of my wardrobe. The clothes on that pile get picked just as often as any other pile. Besides being worn for their intended purpose, my running tights are worn for everyday. If you have seen me out dancing, big chance that I was wearing my running gear. I love the actual sports elements (not sports inspired) in these tights and there is just something about them that makes you want to move.

tee: COS
coat: made by me
leggings: Nike
sandals: Topshop
pouch: Jil Sander

I N T E R I O R / Invincible Invisible

Spring calls for some rearranging. I like to decorate without using any decorative objects. The chair, clothes hanger, magazines and lamps all have clear functions and the soon to be empty clear cans will serve as little vases for individual spring flowers.

clear chair: Hema (old)
clear cans: Chinese supermarket
lights: local lamp store

A C C E S S O R I E S / Mini Backpack For Essentials

I'm predicting that this little baby will become a regular for spring/summer 2014. All my (tourist)essentials fit perfectly into this small backpack; my DSLR camera, wallet and my sunglasses case.

Just last fall/winter Sarah Law, launched the first collection of her handbag label Kara. Four main styles including this backpack come back every season in new iterations. I love how basic this piece is yet how many different personalities it can take on with the different materials used for it(mesh, leather, lambskin shearling). What is also new about this particular one from Kara's upcoming spring collection is it's smaller size; which I think is quite perfect and also forces you to bring nothing more than only your essentials. Thank you Sarah for the wonderful bag!

Bag: courtesy of Kara

W E A R I N G / Spring Means No Pants

Spring is here! Which means no pants.
My legs got to see daylight for the first time in 2014 much earlier than expected. And even though I utterly enjoy waking up to the sound of birds, seeing blossoms on the trees and enjoying a 15°C sunny day, a worrying feeling that there is something very wrong overshadows it all, there hasn't been a winter, it's full on spring in February; we're witnessing climate change.

jacket: Muji
sweatshirt: Uniqlo
slit skirt: &OtherStories (similar)
bag: &OtherStories
shoes: Weekday
glasses: Sunbuddies

D I Y / Double Bead Choker

Hardware and clear plastic, delicate vs chunky. My cup of tea!
Although beads are quite a staple ingredient when you think of DIY, I honestly never really knew what to do with them as besides being decorative I didn't see a clear purpose for them. But when going through some old DIY supplies and coming across these two ice-cube lookalikes, suddenly I knew just how to put them to good use. Here's the super simple, 3 step instructions to my double beaded, rose gold choker necklace.

1/ Measure how long you want the choker to be by putting a measuring tape around your neck. keep in mind that the opening should be around as wide as your neck so you can still can take off the necklace.
2/ Cut the metal bar to the right length and bend it around something round. I used a can of paint.
3/ Fill the beads with glue and put the ends of the copper bar through them. Let them dry and you're all done!

need
/ thin copper bar
/ two beads
/ super glue (clear)
/ pair of pliers

L I F E / Inspiration in Menswear

Lately menswear is becoming more like womenswear. Where changes per season are often seen in big ways; a drastic change of silhouette, color, print or theme. Whereas the changes in the menswear would often be more subtle, about what kind of stitching, tailoring, button placement, slight changes in proportions; a higher hem, an exposed ankle. Menswear has a certain delicacy to it.

The way men dress changes less or slower per season, compared to women. If the cliché of men rarely shopping is true (that they know what they are missing in their wardrobe, buy it and get out) you could say that my shopping behavior is quite manly. I never dedicate an entire day to shop. When I need something, I order it online or go straight to the store and rack where I can find it. You won’t catch me in a store trying on piles of clothes for fun. The men’s department always looks more ‘boring’ than the women’s department, because it is filled with mostly basics in basic colors.

I still find it immensely inspiring to look for these subtle whispering details on the classic pieces in the menswear shows, my boyfriend's closet or in stores as opposed to flicking through the often loud and ever changing womenswear collections. Menswear is still kind of a safe haven and a place to enjoy fashion in a less hysterical and fast way.

Also the practicality of menswear inspires me immensely. You should see the depth of the pockets in my oversized wool mens coat; they fit my wallet, my glasses including their case, some cosmetics and even my camera. MY. CAMERA. No need to even bring a bag. Isn’t it kind of anti-feminist that often form comes before function in womenswear?

shirt: Raf Simons via Tres Bien
jacket: Muji

W E A R I N G / Logomania + Joining Dutch Vogue

/ As of today, I am officially a member of team Dutch Vogue! It was an absolute honor to be asked to join their digital team and contribute to the site every week with some snapshots of what I'm wearing. These images are from my first post, and here's my introduction interview. Thank you for the warm welcome Vogue!

I don't really pay attention to sizes; in my wardrobe you'll find enormous grandpa coats, shirts from the kids department and also these trousers in size 44(literally ten sizes too big). I found them at COS and saw the possibilities; with two small adjustments it has become an oversized, asymmetric pair of wrap trousers. Wore it them with my vintage Calvin Klein tee, which makes it all look so nineties-logomania and loud that the outfit didn't need much else of anything.

tee: vintage Calvin Klein
trousers: altered COS
sandals: Topshop

I N T E R I O R / Old CDs as Mirrored Coasters

Instead of throwing away those old CDs and DVDs, I use them as coasters. While cleaning out old and damaged discs, I didn't want to throw away these iridescent and mirrored objects. They catch the light so beautifully when they are lying on the glass table holding a glass of water and the sun shines on them through the window. It is one of those little things that I can immensely enjoy.

A C C E S S O R I E S / Elevated Birks

Adding something rarely results in something that is better. Though this elevated take on the Arizona Birkenstock might be an exception. The platform gives you just a tiny bit of extra height and literally lifts the entire sandal to a new level. Also like that the hardware is white and visually blends in with the white leather. Will not wait for better weather to wear these.

got them here
(also come in black)

W E A R I N G / Short Hair and Long Coat

Chopped off quite some centimeters off my hair, it has been hovering around shoulder length for years and this is the first time it reaches a bit above the shoulder. Main reason was to keep it healthy so I was sad to see a bit of length go, but now I like it more than expected (and luckily it is still just long enough to be tucked into my coats and jackets).

Making this turtleneck box top is what kept me up two nights ago. I found a really nice mesh which is more like a fine square gauze than it is a fabric which was perfect for these boxy stiff garments.

coat: COS(old, similar)
mesh turtleneck: made by me
trousers: thrifted
trainers:Nike Air Max 1 glow in the dark
bag: DIY

B E A U T Y / 'Stories Cosmetics

You might have already heard that &OtherStories is opening a store in Amsterdam this fall on Heiligeweg. What might still be a little underrated about them is their cosmetics department. It is great. There is just so much effort in it; from the scents to the colors matching their clothes and don't get me started on the graphic design on their packaging, I love the simplicity of it. Another great thing is that they take some responsibility for the environment; most of the packaging is fully recyclable and if you bring back your empty make up/skincare packaging to the store, you get a 10% discount off your next beauty purchase.

When visiting them in Stockholm last October for the Co-Creatives project, I got a box filled with their skin care products. These are my three favorites, very happy about having them available closer to home soon.

/ Moiré Anti stress serum
My favorite thing about it is its fresh, unisex, clean laundry type of smell. Has a really smooth consistency and is absorbed quickly into the skin.

/ White nail polish
Applies like a dream, hardly leaves any streaks and has great coverage. Two things that are extremely rare in white nail polish. Though it chips of quite quickly, so you have to apply a good quality top coat over it to keep your nails white for a couple of days.

/ Plush Balm
Super rich, fragrance and paraben free lip balm. I've also been using it on my hands (which can get so dry in winter) a couple of times when I had no cream in my purse.

W E A R I N G / Last Year In London

A time when everyone just happens to be in the same place at the same time. And everyone tries to cram in as many meetings, appointments, shows and events as possible in only a few days. That's fashion week. The schedules of the shows have just been released and the planning has begun. I'm planning to keep it calm, I've never been a fan of the madness and always only go to the events of the people and brands that I love. Nonetheless, it still takes quite some emailing, calling to make it all work.

While I'll spend my day puzzling away with the agenda, here's are some pictures from last year, February 2013 at London Fashion week taken by Claudiu Berechet for an interview with Stylefan.

bomber: Filippa K
trousers: H&M
nose piece: Maison Margiela
dress worn as top: American Apparel

N O V E L T Y / Jef Montes Ritualistic First Show 'Illuminosa'

Attending the Jef Montes show at Vodafone Firsts Fashion Lab was like attending a ritual from another planet.

The image of a burning communion candle appears behind the runway. The first girl comes out, holding two blue tubes in her hands like candles and steadily walks down the runway to a slow beat. Halfway she suddenly, yet slowly turns around the tubes and blue ink starts pouring out over her chest, staining the white gauze dress and leaving a blood like trail behind on the runway (see video!). The following models step through the ink, staining the bottom of their gowns and shoes and spreading the blue fluid.

Dripping wet hair and bleached brows. The blue fiberglass pieces are so shiny and smooth in the way they move that they seem liquid. The references to traditional catholicism and this high tech futuristic outcome. Hearing Jef explain all his hard work and thoughts behind it personally (little details like; embroideries are on the left side because that's where your heart is), and seeing the finished product of his ideas right next to him was incredibly moving.

The amount of techniques, the extensive fabric researching that has gone into this collection blew my mind. Fiberglass weavings, burnt silk to create a pattern, steaming and heating synthetics to make the fabric bulge and appear wet, tiny tiny beaded details, hand painted fiberglass panels, wool binded to fiberglass just to name a few things. No matter how many backstage pictures, ultra close ups or live videos you show, there is nothing like seeing these couture pieces in real life. Kudos to Jef.

/ thanks to Vodafone
/ backstage photos by Romeo