VINTAGE FINDS: COACH Duffle Bag 9166

Question: if someone would suddenly rush up to you to ask you: ‘<insert name>, what are you actually good at in life?’. What would you answer? 

I’ve thought about it. And for me, one of the things that I’m actually very, very good at - and it’s unfortunately not something to be proud of - is… procrastinating. Some examples. Procrastination on studying for an important test, which makes me have to set my alarm at 2AM to study all night long (in order to save myself from total failure). Procrastination on leaving my house, which makes me running late everywhere I go. And procrastination on buying a descent leather bag, which made me walk around for almost 4 years (!) with canvas bags like a hobo. 

About that last one. Some people might see buying a bag as a moment of joy. I do not. Buying a bag - or actually the preceding never-ending search for that bag - is horror with a big H. Because you’ll wear the bag practically every day, it has to suit you perfectly. The color, the model, the quality, the amount of space - everything matters. And finding that perfect bag my friends, is a hell of a job. So the procrastination begins.

Fortunately, once upon a time there was a brand named COACH, who decided to make a few duffle bags back in the 80s. And fortunately, an American woman had bought one of those bags but decided in the summer of 2016 that she should sell it on eBay because she had never worn it. And fortunately, I looked coincidentally on eBay and it was love at first sight. And from that moment, we decided to spend the rest of our lives together. No more canvas bags for me. End of story.

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DIY: Blind Hem Stitch

Leopard trousers: ZARA, Sneakers: Stan Smith

Kicking off this new month with a sewing DIY. I’m going to show you how to pull off a blind hem stitch. A what? For those who aren’t known with difficult sewing terms - a blind hem stitch is similar to an invisible hem. You won’t be able to see it on the outside of your garment. It’s often used for trousers and dresses.

A blind hem stitch is a little more difficult than a regular stitch. It takes some time before you get the hang of it. I struggled a lot with it at first, but now that I know the trick, it’s a piece of cake. I hope that with this DIY, I’ve made it easier for you to understand. Good luck!

FASHION WEEK SS 17: Recap New York

They say that in fashion world September is equal to January. Why? Because this month is all about a new beginning. Or - to be more precisely – it’s all about the launch of new collections. 

We flip through our September issues and are being introduced to the new trends and collections of the new season. The Autumn / Winter season. But that’s not it. No, we’re also looking forward. Further into the future. Because, during the well-known Fashion Weeks in the fashion capitals, we’ll see the collections for next year’s Spring / Summer season. And this event, with the duration of four weeks, is happening right now!

Traditionally, New York is the first one to be taken over by the fashion industry, then London, Milan and last but not least, Paris. While all of the models, photographers, fashion gurus and journalists etc. have meanwhile moved themselves to the city of London, I would like to reflect New York Fashion Week for a moment.

Though I wasn’t there in person, I have seen all of the fashion shows via the website of Vogue. The shows of Tommy Hilfiger, Proenza Shouler and 3.1 Phillip Lim were definitely my favorite! I’ve put together my 60 favorite looks of the whole thing in this slideshow down below. What do you think?

FAVORITES: An Ode To Vagabond

For today’s article I wanted to share my enthusiasm for the shoe brand Vagabond. If you have never heard of this brand before, it’s a good thing that you’re reading this now. Because man, they’re amazing. And I think everyone should know!

Vagabond is a Swedish fashion brand, but they are mainly known for their awesome shoes. I would describe them as minimalistic, timeless and of high-quality. At the moment, I’m the proud owner of two pairs of Vagabond shoes.

LOOKBOOK: Monaco

After three weeks of laziness, tanning, sleeping in and basically doing nothing, it was time to say goodbye and to head home. Back to Holland. Back to real life. Which means finishing the renovations of my new room (soon more on the blog), working at the local grocery store all week and within two weeks starting my last year in high school. Fortunately I can extend the holiday feeling a bit, because there’s an actual heat wave going on right now and because I’m sharing a few photos shot on our holiday :)

During our one-week stay in San Remo, we decided that it would be fun to make a day trip to Monaco - a.k.a. the land of the rich people. It was just an hour's drive and we did the usual touristy stuff. We’ve seen where the rich people moor their yachts, where they gamble away their money, where they sleep for €2000, - a night and where they shop the most expensive clothes. *Sigh* What a life.

I was wearing a green suede skort (skirt on the front, short on the back), a white T-shirt from my brother’s closet, silk scarf around my wrist, straw hat, Ray-Ban sunglasses and a pair of summer sandals. Do you like it?

LET'S DISCUSS: Red Swimsuit

Swimsuits are back! They were off the radar for quite a while, caused by the popularity of the bikini. Such a pity, because swimsuits are really amazing. Apart from the fact that they’re not great for tanning, the swimsuit has many benefits. It's flattering, comfortable (no more fumbling with sagging bikini tops and bottoms after a jump in the water) and you can just throw a pair of Levi’s shorts on top of it and you’re good to go.

There are now all kinds of different swimsuits. Personally, I’m a big fan of the simple ones, with a scoop back, round neck and not too much going on. A black colored one was on my shopping list for this summer. Eventually I succeeded at J.Crew (a.k.a. provider of the best basic swimwear), however, not with the black one like I’d planned, but with a red one.

I don’t really know why – I normally never wear the color red – but I had to have it. However, I have to admit that I had my doubts at first. Wasn’t it a bit too sexy (à la Baywatch – the hit TV show back in the 90s), too showy? Too dramatic? It’s an eye catcher for sure. But I decided to just go for it, to step out my comfort zone. And I have absolutely no regrets.

So, I’m curious to know what you guys think of a red Baywatch-inspired swimsuit. Yay or nay? Leave a comment below and let’s discuss J
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CARE: Golden Tip for Creating Volume in Fine / Thin Hair

If  you're not blessed with natural big hair. If Mother Nature has given you fine / thin hair without a trace of volume. If even the strongest volume mousse doesn’t work - it won’t hurt to read along. Because within a minute, you’ll know the golden tip when it comes to creating volume in your hair.

The golden tip. Disclaimer: don’t expect some magic recipe because it’s actually very simple and logical. Are you ready? 

It’s all about keeping the hair as ‘light’ as possible. 

Because your hair is naturally lightweight, you don’t want to make it much heavier by using all kinds of hair products. It will only have a contrary effect and gravity won’t be your friend. 

So, a few do’s and don’ts for creating volume in fine / thin hair. 

Step 1: Smart haircut. A good start is half the battle. Layers can be a solution for limp hair. Not what you want? What you can do is ask your hairdresser to cut the outer layer just a little shorter than the rest of your hair. It’s hardly noticeable but gives your hair a voluminous look. Still not good enough? Well, maybe it’s time to face it. If you have (very) long hair, it’s much harder to create any volume. Think about cutting your hair a lot shorter. Shoulder length for instance. It’s probably the best thing you can do in this situation. I’ll ensure you; volume right away. I also did - and it’s one of the best decisions I ever made. 

LOOKBOOK: Montbron

Tomorrow we’re going to say goodbye to our current location, Village Le Chat, where we’ve stayed for almost two weeks now. But we’re not going home yet - no, we’re going to drive just a little further to the land of gelato, amazing food and colorful Vespa’s. Yes, ITALY!! I’m very VERY excited! Even more because I’ve never been there before, but begged for years to go there. 

We’re going to the city of San Remo, just a few kilometers from the French border. I don’t know much about the city itself, but I do know there’s a beach nearby, so that’s great. Also, from there it’s just a few hours to Monaco, Cannes and Milan, so there’s plenty to do and see :)

About the outfit. My mom and me shot this look in front of an old garage door, which we passed on our way to the grocery store in a village nearby called Montbron. 

I’m wearing a vintage Nike sweatshirt, which I bought in the vintage store I talked about in this post. The original sweatshirt was huge, but the fabric and crewneck were perfect, so I bought it anyway with the idea of downsizing it a bit with the sewing machine. The striped blouse underneath is from H&M’s men section; it’s therefore oversized which makes it perfect to tie up, to wear like a skirt or - like I did in this outfit - to wear underneath a sweatshirt so the collar gives a fun effect. For the rest, I was wearing my favorite Levi’s 501 shorts - with a red silk scarf in the back pocket -, Ray-Ban Round Metal shades and white slip-ons.

Do you like it? See you from San Remo! 

TREND ALERT: Leopard Print

For all of you who are lying on a towel on the beach right now, finally able to get a descent summer tan, with not a thing to worry about - we have to be realistic here. I don’t want to ruin your mood, but within a month it’s autumn. Trees will shed their leaves, temperature will drop fast and the sun will disappear for a long, long time. We have to prepare ourselves for the cold seasons – sooner rather than later. 

Besides managing the mental depression caused by the knowledge that the darkness is coming for us, we have to make our wardrobe ready for these harsh times. Start with checking your supplies. Chucky knits? Check. Items perfect for layering? Check. Black platform boots? Check. Replenish where necessary. Make a list of the things you want to add to your wardrobe. Oh, and uhm, you can put a leopard printed garment at the top of your list, because I’ll ensure you, you’re going to need it.

If designers like Dries van Noten dedicate in fact their whole collection to the print of this big cat’s coat, you know what’s coming. It will take over the street image this season. Coats, jackets, skirts, pants, boots - literally everything will be covered in leopard print. How cool, right? But as you know, leopard print itself isn’t something new, but what makes it this season so popular is the variety in the materials and the way of using – a good example are the velvet leopard pants à la Dries van Noten. 

Because it’s not the easiest print to combine, I thought it would be a good idea to give some examples of how you can pull of the leopard print. Enjoy!

LOOKBOOK: Peach

Bonjour à tous! Writing to you from my sunny holiday destination, La Belle France. Once again I’m finding myself in Village Le Chat, a bungalow park in a small village called Ecuras, where my parents own a vacation house. I literally have come here every summer since I was six, so it really feels like my second home. And I have no complaints, because life is good here. 

Wednesday is market day. All the people in the area come to the village of Piégut, about 15 minutes from here, to get themselves some local French products. A real French chicken, French strawberries, a French tablecloth, French macarons etc. I always go with my mother. On our way over there, we saw this gorgeous peach colored vacation house, which has been vacant for a long time. We pulled over and shot some photos.

I was wearing my new striped dress with short trumpet sleeves, which I bought just a few days before I went on vacation. I paired it with a silk scarf tied up in my hair - to give the outfit a kind of 70s vibe - and oversized tortoise sunglasses. And of course I was wearing the summer sandals, which I wrote an ode about in one of my previous articles, on my feet.

PERSONAL: Photoshoot

Last week I did a photoshoot. Yes, a real photoshoot. In stead of using my phone with the self-timer, balancing it on a shoe on a ladder in my shed to get a picture of myself - no kidding -, I was now being photographed by a budding professional photographer with a professional camera. In this blog post you can see some photos of the shoot. 

In case you thought photoshoots are a common thing for me … Okay, never mind. As you know photoshoots are no common thing for me. So how do I did end up in front of a professional camera? A girl from my school asked me if I wanted to shoot some photos with her. Me? Shoot some photos? But of course! I think that you should grab every opportunity that you get to feel like a model for a little while. 

So, who is the girl behind the camera? Her name is Isa Emmen, a sixteen years old girl with a real talent for photographing. Her portraits as well as her other photos are amazing. She has two Instagrams were you can admire them: @isaemmen and @isamaaktportretten. Why don’t you check them out! You won’t regret it :)

NEW IN: The Perfect Summer Sandals

Summer sandals. They never go out of style. We all know that our plastic flip-flops aren't always the answer during summer. But hey, sandals are! They're still as comfy and breathable as your plastic footwear, but way more stylish and chic! In other words: a real summer essential!However, finding a pair of cute sandals is easier said than done. It’s like looking for a needle in a haystack. There are so many different types of sandals - and apart from finding one that is really to your liking, it's very important that the shoes fit the shape of your feet perfectly. For example: avoid at all times the too-narrow-sandals-for-too-wide-feet look. I’m serious, you don’t want that. 

So that's the reason why I found myself only a few weeks ago - quite unexpectedly - the perfect summer sandals. I was just looking on Pinterest - doing nothing special, probably bored - when I saw them passing by. My heart skipped a beat. The sandals looked like they were literally made for me. The leather straps in the perfect color, the white platforms that makes me look a bit taller and the golden details which don't curse my jewelry. 

I found out that the sandals were from the Polish shoe brand Venezia. Never had I thought that I would find the perfect sandals all the way in Poland, but good things come from unexpected places. When I ordered them, I wasn't exactly sure about my size. I decided eventually that I'd take a size smaller than I usually do. They arrived shortly afterwards and - hell yes - they fitted!

You can't find love, love finds you is what they say, right? ;)

Get yours HERE

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DIY: How To Make The ‘Alexa Chung’ Denim Dungaree Dress

A few weeks ago I saw this picture of Alexa Chung on Pinterest. Bohemian top and a denim dungaree dress. The perfect combination for a cool and effortless outfit. And gosh, how badly I wanted to own a dress like this myself.

As a possessed person, I’ve looked everywhere. Every online shop that I could think of and every physical store nearby. Unfortunately, without success. Not a single store sold the ‘Alexa Chung x perfect denim dungaree dress’.

But my hunt went on: a few days later, I went with my mom to my old hometown - Amsterdam. You must know that, if you’re a sucker for good vintage clothes - Levi’s 501 anyone? - Amsterdam is place to be. So, my hopes were up pretty high.

Eventually I didn’t find them, but I did find something else. In every vintage store I went, there were racks full of denim dungaree shorts - all with the perfect denim wash, length and price (€25). So I thought, why don’t I make the ‘Alexa Chung x perfect denim dungaree dress’ myself and turn the bottom from short to skirt. And so I did.

So for the people who also saw this picture, wanted the dungaree dress, looked for it everywhere but couldn’t find it - this one is for you ;)

LOOKBOOK - STARS

Happy Sunday! As you’ve probably already noticed, today’s article is an outfit post. And I’m kind of excited for this one, because it’s all about my newest purchase: the coolest pair of wide trousers with tiny stars all over it!

Last week I scrolled trough the sale section at hm.com, when this eye-catcher passed by with 70% off! You’ll probably understand that I had to buy it.

A wide trouser could be seen as a difficult garment, because you have to be careful that it doesn’t get too clumsy. But, it’s not so hard to avoid that. The golden tip for wearing wide trousers is to combine them with a tighter (and plain - if your trousers are printed) piece of clothing. In that way, you don’t become a shapeless bag and all the focus is on the trousers.

Because of the lightweight fabric, the trousers are perfect for those chilly summer days next season. For example, combined with a simple white T-shirt and a pair of white slip-ons or espadrille wedges underneath it.
But also when you live in Holland where the summer takes a long time to show itself, you can wear these trousers. To toughen them a bit up, I’ve decided to combine it with a black long-sleeved rib top and - one of my favorite pieces from my wardrobe - my leather jacket from Zara. On my feet, I wore my new chelsea boots from Vagabond, which I absolutely love! Soon more about them on the blog. For now, thanks for visiting and feel free to leave a comment below! 

How To Create The Perfect Ear Party?

From left to right: golden dot stud earring from the jeweller - golden bar earring from ASOS - golden bar with chain from Luv Minimal via Etsy.

#EARPARTY. I’m sure you’re familiar with this hashtag. If not, I wonder where you’ve been in the past few months. Because the trend this hashtag is linked to, is hotter than hot. On Instagram and other kinds of social media, tons of pictures of the most beautiful ear party’s are passing by. The entire female half of the population exchanges their bald earlobes for ears, which are fully decorated, with many tiny minimalistic earrings. Moi incluse!

But how do you create the perfect ear party? That’s what I want to talk about in this article.

Creating an ear party consists of two steps. The first step is the place. This is the basis. Remember: asymmetry is the key. Go all crazy with one ear - make it its own little party - while you keep the other ear simple. In that way, it won’t get to shriek. For example, in my right ear I have three holes, which I vary with different kinds of golden earrings, ranging in size. In my other ear I have just one hole, with only a simple golden dot stud earring in it.

The second and last step is the most important. Because without the jewelry, there wouldn’t be any ear party at all. The simplicity of the jewelry is necessarily. You want to wear minimalistic and fragile jewelry which can easily be combined with each other. Play with different sizes. For example: combine one slightly prominent earring with two smaller ones. I recommend purchasing two simple dot stud earrings, because you can combine them very well.

Et voila! Let the ear party begin!

LIFESAVERS: The Best Moisturizer for Dry Hands

Luckily, the cold season has been over for a while now, but unfortunately our skin needs some time to recover from it. I myself experience that mainly with my hands. During the cold days my hands aren’t happy, no matter how much I take care of them. It’s hard to find the right moisturizing cream that can repair the damage. It can cost you tons of money.

But, if you’re one of the unfortunate with extreme dry hands (including myself), it’s you’re lucky day. Because I’ve found the cure!

The cure is where you wouldn’t expect it to be. It’s not some expensive liniment or some exclusive ointment, but this moisturizer can be found in nearly every home. I’m talking about the Dove Nourishment Cream. Doesn’t it ring any bells? You probably know what I mean when I say it’s the white cream in the blue-white tin.

Who would have thought that this simple moisturizing cream would be so effective, when it’s not specifically meant for dry hands? The white cream isn’t greasy, but soaks in really slowly. Unlike any other moisturizers I’ve tried, it won’t just vanish into your skin. And therefore it’s so good! I’ve rubbed it for quite a couple of months now every night before I go to sleep on my hands. The next day they’re baby soft, well hydrated and no longer any trace of dryness. Besides, this cream smells really good! And all that just for €2,-.

If you haven’t got it already, I would say; run ASAP to your nearest drugstore!

DIY: How to Customize Your Levi's 501

The vintage Levi’s 501. These are definitely my all time favorite jeans. The thick denim, the washing, the model - everything is just perfect. If I could choose, my whole closet would be loaded with them. Unfortunately, as you might know, these jeans are hard to find in the right size. You have to be very lucky to come across a perfect one.

If you are one of those lucky few and finally get your hands on a Levi’s 501, it can sometimes be a bit shapeless and not very flattering. But that doesn’t mean that you can’t change that. If the Levi’s fit perfectly around your hips and bottom, you can easily customize the rest of the jeans entirely to your body. In today’s article, I’m going to show you how you can easily do that yourself.

How to Make More Money? Buy a Mannequin!

Fi-na-lly! The cold and dark winter has come to an end and the first rays of sunshine are peeking through the clouds. It’s spring!

I like to consider this season as a fresh start. A clean slate. And there’s no better way to realize that, than with the big spring-cleaning. Let’s focus on the wardrobe. Around this time, I like to go through all of my clothes and select the garments which I never wear anymore or which doesn’t suit me anymore.

With the summer appearing on the horizon, I always get such an inspiration boost. My wishlist is never-ending. A red swimsuit, a denim jacket, the perfect white blouse, vintage Levi’s shorts with patches, and lot’s more. I want it all. And since saving money isn’t exactly my strong suit, there will be not enough money to check my list.

So the question is: how do I make more money in a short amount of time? Simple. Take advantage of the spring-cleaning: sell your old clothes! Old clothes out, new clothes in. Put the whole shebang on eBay, Tictail, or any other online marketplace. If your garments are still in good condition, it may bring quite some money.

However, the success is in the pictures. Potential buyers want the type of pictures, which one could find on a real webshop. Yes, including the pictures with a model. Since most people don’t have an actual model just lying around, that’s going to be hard. But nowadays, you can buy something that comes pretty close. A mannequin! A few clicks on the Internet and within a couple of days, you have your own plastic model. And I’ll assure you; she will bring you a lot of money.

LOOKBOOK - Grey

Hello everyone! While I ardently wish that I would be in Milan right now to attend Fashion Week, I’m stuck in the drizzly Netherlands preparing myself for next week’s test week. Meh.. There comes a day when I also will be present at this event. Promise!

I’m kind of excited for today’s article because it’s going to be my first outfit post. Yay! I’ve wanted to realize this much sooner, but I never actually did it. Until last Sunday, when I changed the name of this blog and felt like I wanted to breath new life into it. So here it is! Hope you like it :)

As you can see, I was in a kind of grayish mood (which suits the weather here perfectly). I paired a long grey wool-blend coat with a pair of flared leggings in a darker shade of grey.

About these leggings. I’ve bought them actually a while ago, at the end of last summer, but I never really knew how to combine this item properly. Since I guess that they were actually made for jazz dance - the description on the web shop said ‘Jazz-pants’ … - I didn’t want to look like I was going to a dance class whenever I threw them on. So, since then, they were lying somewhere in a corner of my closet.

But when I decided a few weeks ago to purchase a classic Come Des Garçons striped shirt, the problem was solved. It was, in my opinion, a perfect match.

I finished the look with a pair of Stan Smiths at the bottom, because they look good with everything - especially with a pair of flared leggings :)

New Year? New Name!

New year? New name! After blogging almost 2.5 years as The Yellow Coat at theyellowcoat.blogspot.com, I’ve decided that it’s time for something new. Why? Two reasons.

1.     The name itself. In the past few months I’ve felt more and more that The Yellow Coat didn’t suit me anymore. That was the name I had come up with after I was totally in love with - can you guess it? - my new purchased yellow coat. Since I simply don’t wear it anymore and therefore it’s at this point somewhere far away in my closet, I just felt like it was time for a new name.

1.     The length. Also, the length of my blog address bothered me. theyellowcoat.blogspot.com is just a bit too long. I wanted to move to a blog address that has ‘.com’ at the end instead of ‘.blogspot.com’.

Since this blog is supposed to be a personal blog, with my view on fashion, lifestyle and all the other things that are keeping me busy, I felt like the name The Yellow Coat had a lack of personality. So I thought; what is a better solution then changing the name of this blog to my own name?

So, from now on, the name of this blog will be Roos Koks and you can find it at rooskoks.com. This article was just to announce this change. I will be back soon with a usual article.

Happy Sunday!