What do I actually dress for?

In case anyone wondered, I am a PhD student specialising in the migration patterns of  high skilled migrants, at the Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam.

To finance that, I moonlight as an editor and translator in the combination English-Spanish, with a slight twist of Dutch. This is the Netherlands, after all. Currently, I have a very good client in Arnhem, the Netherlands, that’s why I commute everyday. A medical association that shall remain nameless. I also (mostly) work for different NGO.

In my free time, I like browsing through websites of clothes that I cannot get (a.k.a. any brand in the US) , checking my email compulsively, reading compulsively as well and writing short stories. I also like thinking about combinations of clothes that make me look good. Then again, I don’t always succeed in practice.

I have been diagnosed with IBS (it may be a bit gross to read, so click at your own peril), which means I try to eat super healthy, and I follow a strict gluten-free diet for medical reasons. So no luscious cake postings on my feed. That makes me sad!

That’s me all excited about finding gluten free treats at a random food place in NYC

And that’s me eating a fabulous gluten free hamburger in NYC

If I could have one wish it would be to move to NYC where there are so many options to eat gluten free safely, and buy clothes to further develop my quirky style.

I am Mexican by birth and Dutch by choice 😉

For a visual overview:

It’s the weekend again! (Why I wore 2 different outfits in 1 day) Part 2

So on Saturday we had the Gay Pride Parade in Amsterdam.

It is generally an occasion for much rejoice, regardless of your sexual orientation. It is just an opportunity to o a bit crazy and enjoy the weather.

Then again, this is the Netherlands, so let’s not get too crazy with the sunny days.

So the parade was almost over, when we got this:

I still had a dinner date with great friends, so I needed to go home and change. I was wet to the bone, so I decided to not even try to dry myself. But I also wanted to be comfortable.

So I changed into a comfy cropped black pants / bright green boxy shirt combo, and ran out the door.

I managed to be fashionably late (never a good thing), but all was forgiven over a mojito and tapas.

Talking to friends about life, and the universes was a great way to recharge for work on Monday.

Some inspiration for this project

Since I returned from the US, I have begun following some bloggers who serve as an inspiration for this blog. My favourite are (in no particular order):

Jean, with her Extra Petite blog. She has some killer work outfits that can be turned into more going-out outfits.

Annie, at Stylish Petite. Her outfits are so light, yet look so polished –and comfortable!

Wendy, from Wendy’s Lookbook, because she wears flats sometimes and I appreciate that.

I love the way these fashion bloggers dress, and I love how they are so secure and comfortable in their own skin.

That brings us to my biggest problem. Unfortunately for me, I cannot just waltz to the next Ann Taylor, Loft, or Banana Republic sale to buy petite sizes. (Also, importing clothes … yikes! Definitely outside the budget range)

Then again, I live in gorgeous Amsterdam, so I am not complaining

See? It is gorgeous!

However, when it comes to clothes…

People here can be so tall that they don’t find long enough clothes, so us petites make a very tiny (no pun intended!) share of the market.

The challenge is, then, to find pieces that I can wear off the rack (like skirts, or blouses with 3/4 length sleeves), or that I can easily alter.

So these bloggers give me inspiration, but they also have made me think of how I can get around the issue of height in a country where nobody else has that issue.

Wish me luck!