AMSTERDIVE

Seven days, seven outfits part II – w/ Linda Nouta

Ana Seas

A pile of clothes, the blogger, and her stylist friend. Brace yourselves.

One year ago Linda and I got together, on a mission. To make my wardrobe great again. Today I am stoked to announce that we have done it once more. You might remember the rules of the game: there are no rules, basically. Linda comes and makes whatever the combinations she wants with the clothes I already own. Sustainability is the word here. Creativity as well.

In case you get excited about this experiment, know that Linda is launching her personal styling services, and she is offering a styling session to one of Amsterdive’s readers. Photoshoot included! Read more about that at the end of the article.

I am not entitled to interfere in Linda’s choices. The idea is that she surprises me, and stimulates me to think of new garment combinations. The non-interference part was easier this time, I must admit. I have always been extremely reluctant to let anyone give me outfit advice – I was convinced that, when it came to myself, I was the one who knew better. Besides, I took my self-expression pretty seriously. Since I come from a culture where people tend to feel entitled to comment on the way you dress – especially if they are your family – I had become this person who developed an aversion to people’s opinion on how I look. I guess now I’m healed. I don’t feel aversion of this anymore. I just don’t care.

This is the pile of clothes (left), and my favourite of the outfits she has prepared for me. There is one thing Linda and me have in common: the love of colour. Next thing, we both like to experiment. You know, this collaboration made me conclude that I love all the clothes I own. I carefully think through every purchase that I make and every garment I receive as a present. I have stopped buying fast fashion a couple of years ago (I do admit three slides during summer so I have to reframe again). Usually, I buy vintage / second hand. The other times I inherit things. I am good at inheriting. For instance, the jacket in the picture was my mother’s. When she realized I liked it so much she gifted it to me. The skirt on the right was gifted by an ex-flatmate, the earrings were Linda’s. HEARTS!!

For now though, let’s have a bit of fun looking at me weird-posing.

MONDAY

I am in puma meets leopard mode, here. And I do think it definitely gives me a sassy vibe. I will never stop believing animal patterns are empowering. I bought the skirt from Romy, a girlfriend of mine. It is a vintage item that belonged to her grandmother. This black buttoned-up shirt is OLD. I have bought it when I was at Uni and have owned it for twelve years now. Never wear it nowadays. You have seen these shoes on the previous edition of this saga. I love them despite the fact that they are a bit too tight for me (I KNOW). I have the feeling I will want to discuss business every time I put this clothes on. I guess this is the way Linda has found to solidly prepare me for my entrepreneurial life.

TUESDAY

However, if my clients are Dutch, I will have to wear this. Rule number one of Dutch fashion: if you see a woman looking sassy, throw some sort of potato bag over it. Linda is a firm believer in this formula so she had to reach to my We Are Public sweatshirt. I love it. I love everything about this combo, actually. Black + leopard print + strong pink + golden bracelets are a winning team for me. Oh, and I would have never come up with combining the black buttoned-up with the sweat, what seems an obvious move now, after looking at these pictures. I think I look cool here. Which is interesting having into account the actual sensation of wearing these garments, which was a bit like, ‘Hi, hello, I am here representing Michelin, you know, the tire company?”.

WEDNESDAY

My least favourite of the outfits. I scream boring despite the fact that I love this blouse, that belonged to my mother, and the shoes, that I have bought in Lisbon, eight years ago. I look like a boring aunt. These trousers are worn out AF (I’m throwing them away unless any of you wants them). The bag is cute but a) it is from my flatmate and I just used it for the pictures, and b) it is made of leather, I think. The shoes as well, now that I think about it. But let’s try not to get depressed now. Sorry, Linda, I can’t possibly wear this together.

THURSDAY

Here’s the way Linda found to make up for me. Putting a set together that translates who I am at this moment in time (or, at least, who I think I am). First of all, stuff in my head: yes, please. This is what I do to compensate for the fact that I was awarded rat-hair when I was born. Luckily, Linda has the same love of stuff-in-the-head that I do. Other than that, these earrings I am wearing were hers, as I have told you. Next thing I was happy about in this set: finally I can wear those über mini summer shorts. I don’t think they had ever seen daylight before. The final thing: the colour scheme. These are the colour tones that make me feel comfortable and cheerful. The cherry on top of the cake: I am warm in these clothes. Ten points, Linda.

FRIDAY

This outfit is so Linda. The flowery blouse was hers, and it’s a vintage piece. You might have seen it in this post already. The polka-dot sweater was one of those Amsterdam findings. I have picked it up… from the garbage! Someone had moved and left a whole bunch of furniture and bags of clothing in the middle of the street. And that’s how this piece came to live in my closet. I have bought the trousers in Lisbon, November last, in the only consumerist impulse I can remember having in years. Final words on the outfit: I like it! I feel playful, and totally see myself wearing it. I love to mix patterns but would never have come with the flower + polka dot combi. This is a good example why I love Linda’s style. I would happily go work wearing this.

SATURDAY (NIGHT FEVER)

Finally, my dear friend thought ‘let get the sassiness levels high again’. So she grabbed this blouse I wear in the comfort of my bed and said I’d put it on just with a black bra underneath. So I did. Ana, the hoarder, got this blouse from her ex-boss, by the way. I am Ana – in case you didn’t know -, and yes, my ex-boss was awesome and gave me clothes every now and then. The skirt is a lovely vintage piece; also a gift from an ex-flatmate. These earrings were Linda’s! When she saw them she admitted almost regretting having sold them to me. I would certainly wear this outfit for a preppy night out. Oh, and I have applied an extra layer of my favourite lipstick for my night-out outfit of the series.

SUNDAY

I have worn this vest / dress to the last edition of Where the Sheep Sleep. I love it, bought it at a vintage store in Paris for something like ten euros. The thing I have in my head (beanie?) was bought at a similar shop in Copenhagen. It was expensive for my standards but it was worth every cent for how cute and unique it is. All in all, this is pretty much of a man-repeller outfit. Linda wanted me to feature an extra colour block outfit: just with the wine red trousers and blouse on. I did but probably because I wasn’t a fan of this specific pieces together I came up horrible in the picture. So I have censored it. But I would wear this combination. Probably to a specific party or festival. Not sure how happy my partner would feel about it – but then again – if we were talking about a party maybe it would just fit right. Bring on those Sunday festivals, yo!

And now the juicy stuff or Da GIVEAWAY!

Did this whole thing sound fun to you? Linda is offering a similar styling session to one of you! She is going to your place, sniff your closet, help you come up with new outfit possibilities and bring a breeze of fresh air to the way you approach your wardrobe. It is not going to be about fashion advice; it is about playfulness and self-expression. It’s not about consumerism either, it’s about sustainability. You don’t need to buy anything new, you can make the most of what you have, put a couple of new go-to outfits together and have fun in the meanwhile. Oh, and I am coming along to take pictures of the whole process (if you want, of course).

WHAT

Styling session by Linda + Photoshoot by Ana (optional)

HOW

You have no Instagram? Then invite a couple of friends to like our Fb pages. You have no Fb? Then tag a friend on our latest posts on Instagram. Just click the links below:

@amsterdive Facebook

@amsterdive Instagram

@passingbylinda Facebook

@passingbylinda Instagram

WINNER

The winner will be announced on Tuesday, April 3 on our social media channels.

Let’s get this party started!

Seven days, seven outfits – w/ Linda Nouta, part I is right here, if you’d like to take a look.