Neela Vermeire’s Trayee: A Spicy Masterpiece
I’m not easily intimidated when it comes to reviewing perfume – it is not Newtonian physics, where there’s only one correct answer. You smell what you smell, everyone’s perceptions are different and equally valid (if not necessarily equally detailed, knowledgeable or interesting). Reviewing Trayee gave me pause, however. It is such a complex and multifaceted perfume that I’m not sure I’m able to even capture the general mood, not to mention the nuances.
Best of 2020: Lockdown
Let me first assure you that I do not think that lockdown was one of the best things to happen in 2020. But the fact is that it happened – and continues to happen – to most of us and coping with the situation has become an important life skill. So I wanted to briefly mention some things that have started or continued to make sense in lockdown – either to do or to buy or to enjoy.
Best of 2020: Books
This was a weird reading year for many, but my reading rhythm was largely untouched by the pandemic. 2020 was final proof, if any was required, that my ability to read depends mostly on how busy I am at work.
Best of 2020: Skincare
I didn’t initially plan to talk about skincare favourites this year, as it seemed irrelevant. But then I realised that – unlike with makeup which I wore very little and didn’t really buy – skincare had in fact been an important part of 2020 for me and I believe for many others as well. And as I do actually have some new firm faves, let’s get to them.
A (Belated) (Christmas) Wish List
This isn’t really a serious Christmas list – first of all, it’s obviously way too late for that and second, I don’t expect anyone to give me these things. It’s mostly a collection of objects I like and consider getting for myself, in case realistic. The good news is that I don’t get as excited about things as I used to; the bad news is that IF I get excited, it’s almost guaranteed to be something expensive.
The Planet Called November
It was the legendary Estonian cosmologist Liidia E. Öpik who gave the planet its name in 3027. She said it reminded her of going to the beach in November when at home: “It’s the month that kills off all the light and hope and uses the corpses to decorate its damp house. But it’s also strangely beautiful.” (That was, of course, after the devastation of the Big Change had been addressed and the Earth’s biosphere and climate meticulously restored to its ‘authentic’ state.)
Lockdown Life: Audiobooks & Red Dresses
Belgium is in lockdown again and I must admit I find writing about clothes in this situation difficult. It’s not that I think I shouldn’t or that I believe it’s somehow wrong to contemplate garments when the world is suffering, I just mostly don’t feel inspired*. Which is unfortunate, as I still have some nice pictures from my photo shoot in Estonia, which I haven’t posted.
8 Cleansers: A New Favourite and a Rant
The most frustrating times as a blogger are not the times when you don’t have anything to write about (I rarely have those moments, there’s always SOMETHING), but the days or weeks when you have things to say but no time to say them. My notes app currently looks like a graveyard of abandoned blogposts. And I feel I have written a similar introduction to many a post in the past…
This Is Not My Dress and Other Thoughts
This is going to sound arrogant (and perhaps it is), but I rarely find people whose thoughts on fashion I’m genuinely interested in. The insiders can be uncritical and take themselves way too seriously, the outsiders often don’t understand how the industry works and/or are bitter because they are outsiders. The best person to have views on style – and on most things, really – is a somewhat disillusioned (former) insider.
Skincare During a Pandemic: Discuss
A few people have asked me for a skincare update, which I’m happy to provide. It’s interesting that while attitudes towards clothes and fashion have almost uniformly moved in the direction of “less” and “not a priority”, beauty is a more complex issue. There has obviously been some rethinking and reassessment, especially on the makeup front. But while I know a number of people who have simplified their skincare routines, I probably know more of those who have found solace in pampering or have used the teleworking situation to engage in some hard-core retinoling.