A new year

The end of 2018

2018 has been a year of progress, for my body and my wardrobe.

The winds of change came from Down Under when I tried a new type of personality test.

The 16 Style Types programme by Inside Out Style blog’s Imogen Lamport Imogen Lamport and Jill Chivers of Shop Your Wardrobe, revealed much about my personality and how I make my choices around shopping and getting dressed.

The system is based on the more familiar Myers-Briggs personality test. It turned out I'm ENFP.

What was most significant was seeing that I’m a choices person. Not having several opportunities to choose from makes me feel constricted and depressed. I kills my creativity.

It was quite a surprise to learn that my focus on what I wear would often leave me no time for anything else. All too true! I need to set a timer that allows me to do make up and hair as I often kept that to a bare minimum where I could do better. 

A fashion photo shoot (my first ever!) in September showed me what a difference proper make up makes. I have the photos but not the rights to publicise them so a couple of selfies will have to do.

I'm rubbish at selfies!

A close up - my skin has never looked this good!

As I like to have several opportunities to choose from I’ll never be a minimalist and a small capsule wardrobe will never make me happy. There goes my carefully planned colour palette - it is just too limiting.

It took such a long time to come up with this, but it's too little

These facts sort of set me free. As the study also says I like to make up my own rules. I translated that into keeping my colour choices within a certain part of the colour wheel, in mid to lighter tones in the brighter spectrum, as they suit me the most. With my (external) Trumpification warmer colours work best. That narrows down the field but still gives me an endless number of colours to choose from that for the most part will mix really well.

After my trips this summer lots of items in my wardrobe had given up. Travelling was just the last straw! They were completely worn out, with holes in the fabric and frayed hems. Replacing them was a chance to change track.

Ever since the late  1970’s disco has had a huge place in my heart. During this last year there’s been so much shimmer and shine in fashion - and I can’t get enough. I wanted that to be a main feature in my outfits, in clothes, shoes and accessories.

Disco version of me in shiny everything!

By now my wardrobe consists of satin tops in lime and coral pink, shimmer knit tops in tomato, aqua and lime plus a single top in white sequin! Even some of my outerwear is sparkling. A little tweed jacket in a black-white-pink-blue-mix and a pink coat, all with some shimmer in the fabric. 

At the last Monies sale - a new purchase, and my aqua glitter top

New orange trousers and lime glitter knit top with old Monies necklace

Around Christmas last year I bought two pairs of trousers, in shimmering cobalt and black. I would like to have more trousers with some shine to them, but every one I ordered had to be returned as they didn’t fit. Instead I have orange trousers, and lighter, dusty blue trousers, plus the two identical pairs of cream trousers from spring.

Trousers are the most difficult piece of clothing for me. The advice in many books is to have them altered to fit. I tried a few months ago, but the result wasn’t good. I’ve found another place to try but is still debating with myself over which pair of trousers to risk!

The biggest problem however, is and will always be shoes!

My feet have been a problem my whole life. They’re very wide and very sturdy. In fact they’re so wide that one shoe brand labeled my width “jumbo wide”. How nice to know you have elephant feet! 

Since many of the shoes I’ve worn over the years have hurt my feet, and others just not fitted well enough to be actually wearable (no matter how much “stuffing” I added), I decided it was time to save my health and invest in a pair of bespoke shoes…

Handmade Italian shoes made to measure sounds terribly expensive - and it is. But I counted the pair of shoes I got rid of during just one year (when I finally realised I would never be able to make them work), and added up the cost - about the same price as my new pair of shoes!

The trick is that my shoe maker has a number of lasts that he customises and so makes it a lot cheaper than if he had to make a special last just for me. My price is then around £ 350,00 or a good 300 US Dollars. That’s not too bad. Especially since these shoes potentially have a decade of wear in them depending on how well they’re cared for.

With my lust for shine, and a few old pairs of shoes in remembrance, I chose to have a pair made in silver leather.

New shoes - hand made in Italy and so shiny!

The fit is amazing! It feels like I can’t fall in these (I’ve fallen so many times due to ill-fitting footwear) and they go with almost everything - LOVE!

Finally, my daily training is beginning to show. I can walk up to 5 kilometers per day maybe three times a week now - a huge improvement!

For days when I want to be really grown up and serious I've found myself a pair of leather look leggings - very contrary to everything in my wardrobe. Adding a gifted, floor length kimono, heels and better make up I felt very dramatic Saturday night at a restaurant with friends and husband. I'm back to disco for New Year's Eve though.

For rock n' roll days

After a night out and still fighting a Christmas Cold

The beginning of 2019

Equipped with perfect shoes and a disco wardrobe I’m looking forward to 2019. I’m going to work on my make up skills, on my health, and possibly look for a part time job, to get me out of the house more regularly.  It all depends on my body. 

In any case, I’ve decided that my life needs more party so I'll start every day in 2019 with loud disco music!

I’m wishing you all a very happy New Year

Love Kaffesoester

Warmer times

Have I been Trumpified?

Regular readers will know that I have many issues with my hair, and with hairdressers. My last haircut was a disaster! I had brought an old photo showing how I wanted it. Apparently no help at all!

What I wanted on the left and what I got on the right

The photos also reveal that my skin colour has changed. Since last summer I’ve become addicted to sweet potatoes. The result is an orange tinge to my skin.

After months of hair horror I went the extra mile, or two, to see my old hairdresser. Fantastic! She cut and coloured my hair, so it’s no longer gray and white, but a slightly golden blonde. Adding the facts and you get Trumpification!!! 

Luckily I have more hair and less wrinkles!

Although the weather is really awful it's not quite as bad as the above!!!

With my new and warmer look came warmer weather too, and new outfits. In early April I had an appointment on a sunny Monday morning. I decided to celebrate with sunny colours that have always looked awful with my old, cooler skin colour. 

Enjoying warmer weather and colours

In all the colour and style books that I have, skin only goes cooler with age. Imagine the chok when I realised mine had gone warmer. Liver failure and bad kidneys were my initial thoughts! With so many other health issues it only seemed too believable. 

The coat is from Next, the trousers Evans and the scarf is from East

Fortunately the newspaper had a small article on the benefits of a diet containing lots of vegetables. It said that a healthy and sexy skin colour was one of the benefits! 

Taking advantage of good/not so bad health

With both liver and kidneys in great condition I saw no reason not to go to the cocktail bar (Mikropolis) with the mothers. Somehow I got dressed up to match the cocktail perfectly! The cocktail is called Pink Slip and is based on raspberry.

Now with matching cocktail!

The bar may not look the most glamorous, but the cocktails are out of this world! The necklace is by Monies, from November 2016. I have quite a collection now. With another sale coming up at the end of May, it’s likely to grow. 

The trousers are new from Asos, the knit is old from Bonmarche!

Collector's corner

To enjoy my necklaces on a daily basis I have organised my collection in plain view. The shorter necklaces are presented on professional displays like in a jewellery store, next to my shoes. 

The shoes are my entire collection, including those sadly worn out

All the long pieces are hung on a tie hanger (the two necklaces to the right are not Monies). Only two very heavy Monies necklaces are stored flat, in containers. 

Cheap hanger from IKEA

With the current arrangement I have easy access as well as a lovely view of everything. Plus, as you see: There’s room for that extra hanger that I keep in my closet!

Sunshine yellow

Due to illness I haven’t been out a lot, but managed to go to Louisiana this past Sunday. 

Same Evans trousers as above, New Look kimono from 2017 and H&M t-shirt

Louisiana is our top Danish museum for modern art. There’s an exhibition of Picassos ceramics on - and it was fantastic!

Sorry for the poor photography - and rather casual arrangement of the photos!

Lousiana also has a few pieces by Per Kirkeby, probably our most talented painter in my time, who sadly passed away last week. As I was so incredibly dressed to match (by coincidence) I had to have a photo!

The necklace is of course Monies and the bag a Mango from 2017

Since I'm no great model, here's a chance to really see what I'm wearing, except for the very simple red and pink outfit:

My first ever outfit with yellow and orange

Finally a chance to air my platforms from Yours Clothing, size 6EEE!

Now, if any Monies fans get to visit Copenhagen in late May, the sale is on May 31st. from 10:00! As always I will be first in line, from around 09:00!

See you there?

The depressing waistline

Menopause has struck! One annoying problem after another has been pestering my life. So, I gave up my reservations about hormones and went to the doctor to have my pills!

First it took forever to feel any effect. Then it only took ONE week to add FIVE centimeters to my waistline. For the last two weeks I have been fighting the centimeters with water and vegetables - which is against my nature!

To disguise my big belly I was forced to invest in a gorgeous but pricey new top:

Top from the Italian brand Persona

However, not all things have been bad - I have been contacted by people who want to buy my services as a freelance writer, in marketing. In connection to that I had a few business meetings. And what better excuse for a new top?

Here is a close up of the jewellery and the fabric, which is a lovely heavy viscose

Long necklace from Monies in horn, leather and brass

Today I also remembered to turn my back on you:

Backside of new Persona top

It felt lovely to be invited to business meetings, discussing cases and my PRICE! As a student this is an unfamiliar topic - but not unwelcome!

Last week I went to another meeting. Inspired by my newly purchased book Parisian Chic by Ines de la Fressange (recommended by Patti at the Not Dead Yet Style blog), I wore a navy dress with my vintage leather coat

Navy, royal blue and orange = Classic?

I don't think the book mentioned this exact colour combination, but it worked for me. When summer finally finds Denmark I'm going to wear the dress with my white skinny jeans and tan leather sandals.  

If you don't recognise the dress, here's a photo without the coat but with my blue leather bag by Danish Adax:

The royal blue bag is great with navy

Armed with my new hormone pills I hope to get more energy for blogging (and dressing!) as well as following all you inspirational bloggers. With other professional events coming up I'm going to need inspiration and tips for dressing this impossible body in a creatively business appropriate way - quite a challenge, right?

Lots of love to all of you!

Vintage leather coat, blue Adax bag, OLD silk scarf + bangles

The (senior) graduate

Last week turned out to be insanely busy!

Tuesday was Graduation - and my lovely photographer husband was there with his camera...

Another CC dress - and Monies necklace and bangle

I'm probably the oldest graduate from Copenhagen Business Academy, ever! But I had such a great time there and never felt my age being an issue. And I don't feel one bit like Mrs. Robinson although I'd love to look like her!

On Friday a friend and I went shopping for Saturday's dinner party. On the way we passed one of the many charming inner courtyards of Copenhagen

Bamboo, herbs and Helleborus (Click the photo to enlarge it)

Bamboo is one of my favourite plants, and I'm going to try planting again this summer. I've killed a few on our old balcony, but I think the new place is more protected from wind and sun. So maybe they'll survive this time

Later on our tour through the city we just "happened" to visit a jewellery workshop - a true gem :-)

Jack Sparrow would just love an earring from Lene Vibe!

Lene Vibe's pieces can be bought from a couple of shops in the US - but you'll have to see her website about that.

As we were admiring and trying on a few things we were offered a glass of port, in beautiful vintage glasses - and I had to take pictures to prove it!

Just the place to get the creative juices flowing

My favourite was a two strand necklace of Tahitian pearls, worn on my shoulders and joined on the front and the back with a gold ring and a large drop shaped pearl

It's going to take time to save up for this one!

Luckily my own ring (from another jeweller) was ready to pick up. That was the proper consolation for having to leave this incredible necklace

My hands are actually blue from Danish winter weather!

I have been collecting stones for this ring for a couple of years, when I visit the annual jewellery fair in Copenhagen.

The largest stone is a Gold Rutilated quartz, the orange one is a Cognac Citrine and the smallest one is an Ethiopian Opal, surrounded by gold dots made from and old ring I inherited from my Grandmother, who passed away recently.

As you can see I have extremely large hands with short thick fingers. With the large stone placed this way, it gives the impression of slightly longer fingers. A great trick from my jeweller Trine Starup

On Saturday we had this serious dinner party - with the "Gourmet Club", in the evening. But first we went for a birthday lunch with my cousin and her husband. I didn't have time for pictures of my lunch outfit, but I managed to get a quick one of the evenings outfit.

Apart from my new ring I built an outfit around the usual recipe these days: Dress and jeggings. This time in winter white:

Yet another CC dress, pearls and the RING

The shoes are soft suede ballet flats from British Clarks bought on a trip to London in June 2014.

I'm always very careful about how I wear pearls. They seem to age me very easily. But with the jeggings the whole outfit is dressed down which tones down the ageing effect.

The shoes were a bit of a life saver with all the running around that a gourmet dinner demands!

This week is going to be quite busy as well with lots of meetings and job hunting. I hope I'll find time (and light!) for more photos of each outfit, some close ups too, maybe? Anyway, the Scandinavian winter is upon us with snow and freezing cold wind, so I'll be demonstrating my layering skills.

Stay warm everybody and have a great week!

Flowers in February

As part of the on going FABruary Style Challenge by Imogen Lamport of the Inside Out Style blog I'm wearing flowers today -  I've paired my fairly new double ended zip top with my pink skirt.

Winter flowers

The temperature has gone down again, so based on my earlier experience with FABruary Style Challenge I'm also wearing a jacket, which isn't that uncomfortable under the coat, and of course a scarf.

I'm also mixing pattern here!

This top is so beautiful that I had to have some more photos - and my loving husband gladly stepped in to help!

Not sure this is the best angle....

Statement rings were the challenge on Friday, and I do have a nice one! Sadly the weather forced me to wear jeans again - but with a new-to-the-blog top!

Remember you can click the photos and see a larger version

After having mentioned the jeans it is probably best that I show a photo of them, although they've appeared many times lately.

If you like the necklaces, there's a photo of them below.

The top is from - well take a guess! It's very comfortable, and would also look nice with my navy pencil skirt.

My treasures!

On Saturday I wore some daytime sparkle, on my coat! I wasn't doing anything special indoors, or so I thought, so I decided to pay extra attention to my outdoor look.

The little white bits are snowflakes.

The sparkly bits were a golden brooch and a hand crocheted silver shawl, made by my mother. As if sparkle wasn't enough I also added a bit of colour, teal gloves and orange bag.

I've had enough of snow for this winter, thank you!

Later Saturday we had unexpected dinner guests, so the planned blog post was postponed, sorry! Anyway, most readers would be busy with other stuff, I told myself - and would have better time on Sunday.

Colour blocking outfit

Above is how I looked as I was headed out the door on Sunday, down to the shops for a few extras - now that another unexpected party had announced their arrival!

Too much flash, I know

Tomorrow's FABruary Style Challenge is layering. That may be a tough one for those living in Australia, but so perfect up here in the dark deep freezer called Denmark!

There's just one last photo of my flower top, which will be my contribution to Patti's Visible Monday party at the Not Dead Yet Style blog - the weekly party that makes me put an extra effort into dressing every Monday morning!

Thank you so much for your patience with this long post!

As far as the weather forecast goes we will have snow and frost, and quite a bit of wind. No wonder I'm dreaming of moving to Spain!

Then on the bus home tonight I heard a woman speaking Spanish right behind me. So, if I can't come to Spain, Spain will come to me!  

Enjoy your week, and remember to check in on me and see how I handle challenges such as wearing coloured shoes, lace and being blue.



Lots of warm hugs to everyone!