Shopping Ban!

Like many people -especially women- I have a shopping addiction. When I'm bored, I go shopping. When I feel sad, I go shopping. But I also often go shopping for no apparent reason, or just because I want to buy something. And it doesn't matter whether it's online, or in local stores. I just have to shop!

My current obsession: black/white dresses

Whenever there's something I really want to have, I can only resist it for so long. It keeps popping up in my head, until I finally decide to buy it. And then -of course- I get buyer's remorse. Usually because it was something I didn't need, or because it was more expensive than I can afford.

I did one online order again next week, because I couldn't resist. Heavily discounted shoes, a cardigan, and a black/white dress. All very nice, but I do feel quite guilty! So I decided that this should be my last order in a while. Hence the title: Shopping ban!

I'm going to ban myself from shopping for 2 weeks. I will allow myself to go to the shopping mall or to visit online shops, but I'm not allowed to buy anything. And no excuses! No things such as: "I had a bad day so this purchase doesn't count".


The only things which will be excluded, will be:

• Groceries (naturally)
• Personal hygiene (shampoo, shaving accessories, toothpaste, etc)
• Daily make-up (foundation, powder, blush, mascara)

If I manage to keep up with it for the upcoming two weeks, I'll reward myself by buying something. Just something nice for myself, such as a cute top, or a nice lipstick. And then I'll set another shopping ban for myself.

So let's see how this will turn out!

How about you?
Do you also have a shopping addiction?


Love,
Nonette

Long time no see!

 

Spring is on our doorstep, but it doesn't seem to really want to push through just yet. I'm sure most of us are longing for the warmth of the sun, and the blossoming flowers again. I know I am!

During winter times I always feel more gloomy, with the cold weather and the dark days. Spring is probably my favorite season, because it's neither too warm, nor too cold. And I just love to see all the young animals, and to see the trees slowly become more and more green. I enjoy life most in spring.

A while ago I wrote that I was going to lease a horse, but because of several circumstances I had to call it off. Which is a shame, but I'm now in search of other possibilities to be able to be among horses more often.

As for my blog, I re-named it to 'The Equestrienne', because I feel blog names related to lolita fashion don't suit me anymore. Horses are a very important part of my life, so that's why I decided to call it this way.

But I won't merely blog about horses. I'll simply blog about life, all things I feel like writing about, all the things I like. I hope to at least be able to blog once a week, so let's hope I'll feel inspired enough!

Maison Martin Margiela Clearance Sale!

As most of you may know, H&M launched the Maison Martin Margiela collaboration collection in November. Apparently many items don't sell all that well, because they already landed on the sale page!

I thought it would be nice to make a list of my favourite picks which are still available, but for a good price! I personally think the prices of designer collabs always are very steep, so I never really buy anything from them. But this time, there's a lot left, and a lot of stuff I like a lot.

The first thing I noticed when the collection was launched, were these shoes with an acrylic heel! I absolutely adore them, but they were way out of my budget. They've now been discounted from €199 to €70.

I myself won't buy them though, because I have read they're very uncomfortable. But if you're one of those girls who choose fashion over comfort: hurry up before they sell out!

Next up are two dresses. I personally didn't like much of the actual clothes, but these are lovely!

This blue one is a horizontally worn dress. Perhaps not very suitable for your everyday wardrobe, but it's just such a fun design! I'd love to wear this dress.

The next one is my very favorite, because it's very pretty and classy. Half of it is a long evening dress, the other half a little black dress. The asymmetrical design looks great, it's experimental yet classy. I don't understand how this one isn't sold out yet.

Next is the upside-down bag. I really love it, and it's very decently priced now, too! My current budget sadly doesn't allow me to buy it, but I'd love to own such a fun bag.
I might be unable to resist it and get it after all, though.
















Next are two of the watch accessories. One is a watch belt, the other a bracelet. I love both of them, I think they'd look great worn. Sadly, I think they're still a little too expensive to justify buying them, even with half off the price.

And here's the two things I did order:

The first one is a hair lock necklace, which is a fun accessory and only costs €5. The other is the hitched-up skirt, which is one of my favorites from the collection, and I was lucky to be able to order it in my size! I really like the hitched-up side, it's an experimental yet wearable piece.

Are you planning on getting anything from the sale?
I'm thinking of getting more, especially the upside-down bag, but I probably shouldn't. It's very tempting, though! I like this collaboration because it's very outspoken, and it definitely takes guts to wear some of the pieces.


Love,

Nonette

Today's look

Hello readers,

The other day I read an article, which had some tips on how to help yourself to feel more happy. Autumn has arrived, the days are getting shorter, it's cold and rainy... it often affects people when summer is over, and when we're slowly moving on to winter.

So I decided to share this tip with you, because I'm definitely willing to try it! Research has proven that when people feel down, they often don't spend much time on their appearance, because they don't feel like it. But, when you do spend time on your appearance, you feel better and more confident about yourself! It can make your day a little brighter.

You can spend time on your entire outfit, or just a small detail. Wear your favorite necklace, for example. Or wear your most beautiful dress with your favorite pair of heels. Or you could simply spend some extra time on fun makeup. Even a bit of your favorite perfume would do!
It really helps when you wear something which makes you feel good, even on those days when you feel like doing absolutely nothing.

Today, I decided to spend some extra time on my makeup. I've been really lazy lately when it comes to doing my makeup. I usually pick a natural color eyeshadow, some mascara, and that's it.

I decided to try out a look I saw in a magazine not too long ago, but I made it a little more suitable for daily wear.

The products I used are:

Yellow: Bourjois Smoky Eyes Trio 02 Or Baroque

Green: L'Oréal Paris Quad Pro 360 Kaki Taupe

Purple: Sephora Midnight Kiss N° 34

Mascara: Chanel Inimitable Intense 10 Noir

Eyebrow pencil: Rimmel London 001 Dark Brown

Concealer: Shiseido Natural Finish Cream Concealer 1 Light

Foundation: Diorskin Nude 010 Ivory

Powder: Clinique Blended Face Powder 20 Invisible blend

Blush: L'Oréal Paris Le Blush 115 True Rose

Here's the complete look. I decided to keep everything besides my eyes natural, because too much is never good. I like the way I look on the photo, even if it took some retouching. Because believe it or not, I have a huge red spot on my nose. Very charming, right? Thank God for concealer and Photoshop!

I hope you like today's look. What kind of makeup, clothing or accessory would you wear if you'd want to cheer yourself up?

Lastly, I would like to change my banner, but I have no idea how I would like it to look... suggestions are welcome!

Love, Nonette

Changes

Hello readers,

I'm so sorry for the lack of updates! I don't have proper internet access at my home and my landlord won't fix it, so I don't have the opportunity to update on a regular basis. It's highly annoying!

Lately, I decided that I don't feel like a lolita anymore. So I decided to not call myself a lolita anymore, and I most likely won't participate much in the lolita community anymore. I used to wear lolita on a regular basis, which later turned to wearing it only occasionally, at events. By now I haven't worn lolita in... probably a year. So I think I've grown out of it, even though I still like the style, and still consider it a hobby of mine.
I also think my interest in wearing it faded because of the changes in the community. When I first got into lolita (which was 2007 or so), it was okay to just wear some pretty make-up. But now, wearing wigs, lenses and eyelashes almost seem like a requirement. I don't feel like a pretty lolita anymore if I don't wear them, so for me the fun is gone. I never liked all those fake things.
I sold all of my lolita clothes, except two dresses and a blouse and cutsew, and some accessories I love. I'm still planning on wearing them every now and then. It's just that there are other things in my life now, which make me much happier. I've come to realize that in the end, lolita fashion really is just clothes.

One of the most important things in my life right now, are horses. When I started to wear lolita, I forgot how much I love horses and what a positive influence they have on my mood and confidence. I never got such a positive energy from anything else.

I'll get some photo's of horses printed soon, and these two will most likely be printed and framed. Most people who know me on Facebook already know these are two of my favorite photo's. I just can't get anough of them.

On the photo on the left you can see me with Omo, the pony I started out with a year and a half ago. She made me gain trust, and I did my first bareback canter in 10 years on her back!

The one on the right is me and Moira, a lovely Friesian. I was a little scared of tall horses, but she helped me gain trust. One fun fact: She always refuses to lift up one of her hind feet, but I managed to do so once I started feeling more comfortable around her. Things like that are a great confidence boost, so looking at this photo reminds me that you can get over fears, and that more self-confidence has a positive effect for yourself and others.

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To close off this entry, I decided to post some pictures of one of my recent looks. As I said before, the trends I currently like are:
- Peter pan collars
- Studs and spikes
- Crosses

I'm not wearing any crosses on these photo's, but I am wearing some of my favourite things. Including my new boots! I was very lucky to find them in my size, because they were constantly sold out. Do you like them?

I'm also wearing my new mascara in the photo's, which is a new favourite of mine. It's the Chanel Inimitable Intense mascara. If anyone's interested, I might do a review!

That's all for now, I hope you liked the pictures, and that you're having a lovely autum.

Love, Nonette

Black or white, can't decide!

Hello dear readers!

How have you been? I have been quite busy with this and that, but I'm not updating my blog to write about that.

What I do want to write about is: peter pan collars!
I see them everywhere in the shops, and even though I've never been fond of blouses in lolita fashion with peter pan collars, I must say I really love this 60's style peter pan collar.

I'd been eyeing a dress for a while, and after a couple of weeks of checking if my size was still available, I decided to get it last week. But today, I saw a top which I also very much wanted to have, so I got it. But the problem is, they're very similar to each other, and I'm planning to return one of the two.

Which one do you like better? The top or the dress?

The dress has offwhite pearls sewn onto the collar, and the black one has white and silver pearls attached to it. I like them both an awful lot, so I'm having some difficulties as to which one I should return!

Other than that, I bought a small make-up organizer. It's really convenient! I always have my make-up stuffed in make-up bags, so I can never easily find what I need in the mornings. But now I can pick the thing I want to use without first searching for it, and just put it back right after using it. I think it will really help me to keep my make-up organized!

I put all the make-up in it which I use on a daily or regular basis. Doesn't it look neat?

See you again next time!

~ Nonette

Latest purchases!

Hello, dear readers!

It's been a while! I'm sad to say I've been a little uninspired lately when it comes to blogging. Many people use their blog to post pictures of themselves and their outfits and such, but I don't feel that comfortable with placing my face publicly on the internet too much. So I'm searching a bit for what I want to blog about, and what would be interesting for people to read about. Suggestions are welcome!

I did, however, create a simple watermark for my pictures, and I'll soon change the header of my blog! I want to bring some new life into this place.

That said, I wanted to show you my latest purchases. I've been shopping online at Zara.com, and stumbled upon some lovely sale items! I just had to place an order. I found a lovely blouse, and an awesome jacket. The items arrived yesterday, and I'm very happy with both of them! They had a massive discount, so they were a bargain!

I'd like to show you the blouse first. It's a very sheer and airy necktie blouse, which is very elegant and sophisticated. I wore it with my Moi-même-Moitié jeweled cross pendant, to give it an EGA inspired look. I really like how the blouse can be worn in either a dressy, or a casual way!

I only noticed after purchasing that the blouse is made out of mulberry silk. I'm not a very big fan of silk, which I mentioned in my previous post, but it does feel very soft and luxurious. I'll pay more attention to it the next time I order at Zara, though.

Next up is the jacket! I try to add more colour into my wardrobe, and when I saw this jacket I knew I had to buy it. Selecting a size was a bit troublesome, because Zara jackets tend to run small. But I decided to order it in my own size regardless, and thankfully it fits perfectly! Definitely wouldn't need a bigger size for this one.

I'm very happy with it, and I love the studs! The material is a very nice cotton and linen blend, and the color is a very bold red with an orange hue. I absolutely love it, and what I love even more is that it was discounted from €69,95 to €14,95!

I'm still searching for my own fashion style, because I like so many different things. I think this post really shows the two opposite sides of what I like. A studded biker jacket and a silk bowtie blouse? Two very different things, yet they perfectly suit my taste.

Studs n' Crosses

Hello readers, and welcome to my new followers!

I'm sorry for the lack of updates, I'm currently very busy with finding a new place to live! After the summer I'll return to University, and I'll move to a different city for that. I'm looking forward, but I'm also quite anxious about it! I hope it will all go well.

What I really wanted to write about, though, are: shoes!
It seems to me that studded boots are totally hot right now. I see them in basically every store, and I love them!

These are seen in nearly every store in my area

Usually I'm only into really girly stuff, such as high heels or shoes with bows. I never quite liked this style of boots. But it's because of the studs that I do like them. They give them this rock vibe, which I love. And let's face it: I always like silver hardware on shoes!

The pair I'd really love to have, are these:

They're a combination of everything I love: black, studs, crosses, and rock. Someone please buy me these babies? My budget unfortunately doesn't allow me to buy them.

I did, however, win an auction for a Versace for H&M skirt. It ended with a low price, so I was happy. I'm not into all the crazy prints from the collection, but I did like some things of the Pelle Borchie collection a lot. Back in November when it was released I couldn't afford any of it, so I'm occasionally snooping around on Ebay to see if there's anything nice.

However, it seems I'm never truly lucky, because one day after I paid the seller got a negative review from a different buyer. While their feedback was 100% positive before that. So I'm a little anxious now, I hope I'll get the skirt after all. If not, I'll be sure to file a Paypal claim in time!

I love the little gold details

It's a silk skirt, and usually I'm not sure about silk because I don't like the way it's made. They gather cocoons from worms (which usually are bred and held in captivity), and it is said they're thrown into boiling water while the worms are still in there. Which is such an awful way of gathering the material.
But I suppose it doesn't hurt much to buy silk items second-hand, when no one is making profit from it.

I try to be more and more conscious about animal suffering. For example, I'm also not a person who buys a lot of leather shoes or bags, or who buys all kinds of feather fashion accessories. I do own a few, but I don't nearly buy all the stuff I'd like to have. Simply because I'd feel bad about it.

Cheap things are usually made the cruel way.

Style dilemma's

Do you know this feeling of not knowing where exactly you belong? I'm having a huge difficulty figuring this out lately, especially when it comes to fashion style.

Me wearing Moi-même-Moitié

I don't know what my style is these days. For the past few years I have been into lolita fashion, but in the past year a lot of things happened, and I started to wear more casual clothing. It's been a very tough year for me, and so I didn't have the energy to dress up in lolita anymore. And it seems the energy and enthusiasm I used to feel still haven't come back to me.

I do still like lolita fashion a lot, it's truly beautiful. But it seems I'm falling in and out of love with it all the time. One moment I can consider selling everything I own, the next moment I want to buy more things to match my items.

I suppose I'm searching for who I really am. On one hand I feel like I'd love to be a lady from the Rococo Era, wearing pretty dresses and riding in carriages, and my house beautifully decorated.

On the other hand, I feel like a modern woman, who likes to wear sophisticated tops and skirts which compliment the figure, in simple black or in bright colors. Someone who wants to make a career, and who likes to follow the fashion and make-up trends.

It's quite contradicting, to like both alternative fashion styles and fashion trends. I know I don't have to choose between them, but I wish to be confident in whatever fashion style I like.

I think that's the most important thing of it all, isn't it? To be confident.

Detail shots:
my latest casual purchases

How did you figure out where you belong?

What is it that made you feel confident in your own style?

L'Oréal Paris: déteste ou l'amour?

Hello everyone,

Last Friday my local drugstore had a special offer, buy one and get one for free on all make-up! Me being the make-up addict I am, I of course couldn't resist.
I bought two L'Oréal Paris products, and decided to write a little review! Might provide a picture later on of me wearing them. My skin looks quite disastrous at the moment, so I didn't want to photograph myself.

Anyhow, I needed a new liquid eyeliner, so I decided on the L'Oréal Super Liner Perfect Slim.

What it claims:
"Superliner is a liquid eyeliner in a special sponge tipped pen for the creation of fine lines or thick, sultry flicks. Colour is applied with precision and ease and dries without smudging."

What it does:
The sponge tip indeed makes it very easy to apply, and you can make the lines as thin or thick as you wish. It's also perfect for a winged liner look. It looks amazing when just applied, it's a beautiful intense black.

However, this liner smudged. A lot. By the end of the day I looked like a panda bear, and I didn't even apply it to my lower lashline. This product has to be one of the most smudgy eyeliners I have ever used!

Conclusion:
Great application, but the lasting power is very disappointing. I will not repurchase, and I'm not even sure if I should continue to use it, or if I should just bin it.


Next up, the L'Oréal Rouge Caresse Lipstick in #01 Fashionista Pink!

What it claims:
"Don't just stroke your lips, Caresse them. Lips say yes to this Caresse. A flutter of kissably soft light-weight feeling colour. Its delicate texture glides onto lips creating a veil of colour with a lumious shine."

What it does:
First of all, the colour is gorgeous! It's a very delicate soft pink with a blue undertone. I really love it, even though it may not exactly be the best colour for my skintone.

The texture is very creamy, and it takes a few layers before the colour shows up on your lips. It's very subtle. Which I personally like, I'm not a big fan of very heavy lipsticks. I think you could say this is somewhere in between a lipstick and lipgloss.

The lasting power isn't all that great, because of the creamy and liquid-y texture, it fades quickly. But it does feel nice on the lips, and definitely keeps them moisturized! I think it's a matter of personal taste whether you'll like this or not. If you're looking for fashionable but subtle colours, I'd say: give this lipstick a try!

Conclusion:
I'm very happy with this lipstick, and now I want to buy it in more colours! I like how subtle and moisturizing it is. The only downside to it is the staying power, but it's so nice and creamy to apply that I don't mind.


Have you tried any of the newly released L'Oréal Paris products?

Most treasured lolita items

Since I saw others posting about their most treasured lolita pieces, I decided to do the same. I believe Josine was the one who originally created this idea, her blog is right here!
I don't wear lolita fashion often anymore, but the clothes are still valuable to me. So here it goes!


† My first lolita piece

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My very first lolita dress was a simple Baby the Stars Shine Bright jumperskirt. It wasn't completely my style, but at that time I couldn't afford dresses from brands I really liked, such as Moi-même-Moitié or Alice and the Pirates. Still, I wore it a lot, and I liked how cute and doll-like it looked.
Later on it became my dress-I-don't-mind-getting-dirty-or-damaged, so I wore it a lot to concerts. I now don't wear it anymore, but I'm also not sure if I really want to sell it or not. First lolita dresses are always special!

The photo is quite terrible, but I don't have anything better.

† My most beautiful lolita piece

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I don't own this dress anymore by now, but it was the most beautiful dress I ever owned in my entire life: the St. Peter's Reversed Cross Lace OP from Moi-même-Moitié. I bought it new with tags, and wore it only a couple of times to meetups or for photo's. I was always afraid to dirty or damage it, and later on it made me feel too dressed up, so I didn't wear it anymore. As gorgeous as the dress was, I decided to let it go in the end, because I hadn't worn it for 2 years. A beautiful dress like this is supposed to be worn! I sold it to a friend, who looks truly gorgeous in it.

† Most used lolita piece

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I'm not quite sure, but I think it has to be my black Moi-même-Moitié cutsew! On its own the fit is awful, it's way too short for me, yet too wide in the waist area. But I always wear it under my JSK's, and I really like the way it looks when worn like that! It still is my favorite cutsew to wear under JSK's. I never liked blouses.

† Most comfortable lolita piece

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Well... my opinion is that lolita clothes aren't comfortable. Period. But if I had to choose, I think I'd choose my Metamorphose bloomers. Back when I still wore lolita quite regularly, I used to take off my skirt and petticoat when I got home, and just walk around in my bloomers for the rest of the day at home.

This is the best photo I got of my bloomers. You can see its lace sticking out from under my petticoat. I like this unintentional Marilyn Monroe photo, it was a fun day! (Denise, let me know if you're okay with this photo on my blog!)

† Lolita piece with the most emotional value

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This will have to be my Moi-même-Moitié Blue Jeweled Cross necklace! I had been wanting it forever, and it does have a special meaning for me, but I'll keep that for myself. It's really beautiful and even though I don't wear it a lot, I love it to bits. I often just like to look at it and see how it sparkles.

† My most expensive lolita piece

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Without a doubt: My Moi-même-Moitié Holy Queen print JSK. I spent ages looking for it, as it was my dream dress. In the end a friend in Japan managed to get it for me at Closet Child, but the price was quite high and the exchange rate horrible. Nevertheless, I never regret it. It's my most beautiful and favorite dress now, and the color and print are gorgeous <3

Never For Ever

When I was a child, I listened a lot to Kate Bush. I don't know how or when I got it, but I had a cassette tape of her album Never For Ever. First of all I loved the album art. I could look at it over and over again and always discover something new. It fascinated me, even as a kid. It was a little scary, yet beautiful.

I stopped listening to it because everyone started to like the Spice Girls, and I wanted to fit in so I followed them.  Even then I was already an outcast, which was in primary school.
Anyway, a little while ago I decided to look up her music again on Youtube, and I discovered I still like it very much. All the songs from Never For Ever sound familiar, yet in a new way. I didn't understand them as a child, and even though I did appreciate the music, I appreciate it in a different way now. I mainly liked to dance ballet to it when I was younger, now I just like to listen to both the music and the lyrics.

My favorite songs from the album are Army Dreamers and Breathing, which both are quite powerful songs that touch me. But I also like The Wedding List and The Infant Kiss. Babooshka is a nice and catchy song, and I think the lyrics are very recognizable for many women. A lasting marriage is so rare these days...

My most favorite song by her, though, has to be Wuthering Heights: her debut single and a very famous song. I suppose nearly everyone will know that song.

Overall, I think she's an inspiring woman. I have no idea about her personality, or her current career, but when looking at her video's from around 1980, I see a graceful yet kind of eccentric woman. Definitely an example for me!

One other artist I liked very much and whose music I still listen to, is -of course- Michael Jackson.
Do you still listen to the same music as when you was a child?

Red & Crackles

Recently, I've started to like Rimmel London as a makeup brand. I never really liked it, because their eyeshadows weren't very pigmented when I bought them, so I never really bothered to try anything else.
I've been wanting a nice red lipstick for quite some time, but they're quite hard to find. They're usually either orange-y, or they lean more towards a bordeaux shade. But finding a true, stylish bright red? That's quite a mission!

Rimmel London came out with a Kate Moss lipstick line a while ago. I don't care for the name, but the #10 looked so nice that I had to buy it. It's a very deep, true red. I love it! The only downside is that it's quite hard to apply nicely, so I ordered a lipstick brush for it. Also, it doesn't stay in place very well, it really rubs off to anything that touches your lips. But it's nice, and the color is amazing!

Crackling nail polish seems to be quite the trend at the moment. I had already seen it before online, but I don't like to order makeup, because I like to be able to hold it in my hands the moment I buy it.
But now, you can basically find the crackle nail polish all over the drugstores! I was hesitating between the drugstore's own brand, Miss Sporty, or Rimmel London. Since Rimmel London is the most expensive of the three, I decided to go for that one. I must admit, I'm not one to buy very cheap or unknown brands. They tend to be quite disappointing.

Anyway, I decided to try the polish out, and I really like it! The application takes some getting used to. When you apply a thin layer, you get small crackles, while you get big crackles when you apply a thick layer. I'm not very good at it yet, so it became a little messy, but it's not bad for a first try!

Here's how it looks. I applied it over my Max Factor golden glitter nail polish. I like the effect!

All in all, I think I'm starting to like this brand. I might buy more from it in the future!

Do you have a favourite red lipstick? And do you like the crackle nail polish trend? Share your opinions!

Glittery scents

This winter holiday season, shimmering powder in a nice bottle with an atomizer seems to be quite the trend. Personally, I LOVE it. A bottle with an atomizer looks so pretty and cute!

I already saw two different ones in my local stores. Here's one from Catrice, which retails for only €4,99. So even if you don't like shimmer powder, the price is low enough to simply buy it for the bottle. It looks nice as decoration on your make-up table.

Of course, also high-end brands have released a shimmer powder in an atomizer bottle. Here's two examples. L'Or Celeste by Givenchy, and Vol de Nuit by Guerlain. I love them, so chique!
In addition, these high-end brands have also added a fragrance to the powder.

Do you like them as much as I do?
I'm going to check out my local drugstore tomorrow, to see if they restocked the Catrice Shimmering Powder. I wanted to buy iy today, but sadly it was sold out. They usually restock on Tuesdays, so let's hope for that!

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Anyhow, since I mentioned fragrances: I'm quite obsessed with them. I have managed to control myself and not buy any fragrance so far (can't spend money at the moment), but I do go to the perfumery store all the time to try out some. I'm the worst!

The ones I like most so far are:
- Chanel Coco Mademoiselle
- Miss Dior Chérie
- Lancôme Trésor in Love
- Nina by Nina Ricci

There is a special winter edition of the Nina Ricci fragrance, called Snow Princess. It looks very appealing to me, because the bottle resembles a pearl apple with golden leaves. And I happen to love gold and pearls.

I haven't found this edition in the store yet, but the fragrance is said to be similar to the original one, which I love. So far, this one seems to be the most afforable one, so I might get myself a bottle of it. Whether it will be the Snow Princess edition, or the original Nina.

Which is your favorite fragrance for this season?


Love, Nonette

Failed drawing

So, I tried to draw a horse today for the first time in about a year, and... it didn't turn out very well.

The nose is way too small, the ears aren't in the correct places, nor are the eyes and cheek. And what can I say? I simply suck at drawing manes.

Here it is:

The last drawing I made was in August 2010, which was this one. I must say I was more pleased with this than the drawing of today. But again, sucky manes. I've never been good at drawing hair!

Yesterday I rose on a horse called Proud Lady. To be honest, I'm a little scared of her, because I don't have very good experiences with her. Every time I brushed her she tried to bite me the entire time, and the last time I tried to lead her to the pasture she started rearing. Now, a rearing horse is a very beautiful sight to see and it makes great poster prints and such, but when you're walking next to a rearing horse, it definitely isn't something desirable!

Riding Proud Lady went pretty well yesterday, though. Actually, I think it's been a while since I had such a good lesson! Especially canter was very nice. Proud Lady is, from what I've heard, an anglo-arabian horse, so in canter it feels as if she's walking on clouds!

I conquered my fear by riding on her again, and it went so well that I wouldn't mind if I'll have to ride her again next time. But I will need to work on my fear of being around her at the stable. Because she still tried to bite me a lot.

Frills or Manes?

Okay, so I thought I'd be motivated to write about lolita fashion again, but it seems I'm not that much into it anymore. I do still like the fashion a lot, but I don't care for it on a daily basis. There used to be a time when I'd feel special or like a princess in lolita, but I think I've grown past that. By now, it's just clothing to me. Very pretty and expensive clothing, which I only wear for special occasions.

Lolita fashion isn't the thing that makes the world a better place for me anymore. What really makes me happy, are animals. Particularly horses. When I ride a horse, nothing else exists that moment. Just me and the horse, even if we're surrounded by other people. While in lolita, all I worry about is the other people. "What would they think of me, what will they say behind my back?"

Generally, I'm not exactly a people person. I distrust people. And I believe that's what I like so much about animals: they have a pure heart, they're always honest. They won't ever pretend to like you, they will either like you or they won't. And they will show it to you, they will never hide the way they feel about you. And if you do something they don't like, they will let you know. But if you treat them correctly and with love and respect, they will give you so much back in return.

I suppose you could say that my world is about animals. And it's my dream to someday mean something to them. I would love to someday start a barn for old or mistreated horses. For horses who just need a place to spend their old days, and for horses who need to recover. I think that is my dream.

One of the earliest pictures I have of myself with a pony

The last photo taken of me with a horse

Lolita fashion and brands

Hello everyone,

After some time, I decided to write an entry again, because I've been thinking about the following for quite a while: Lolita fashion and brands. And with this, I don't just mean brand clothing inside of lolita fashion, but the way lolita fashion has influenced the way I feel about wearing brand or non-brand things in general.

Before I got into lolita, I don't think I ever wore brand clothing. Sure, it was nice for me if I'd have an expensive brand item every once in a while, but I never paid much attention to it. The same goes for makeup: as long as it did its job, I was fine with it. I didn't care about brand names at all.

But now I have noticed that I don't like to buy offbrand things or replicas anymore.
For example, there's a bag from Dior which I'd really like to have. You might know it, it's the well-known Dior Saddle Bag. I completely love horses, and what's more awesome than owning a designer bag which is equestrian inspired?

Saddle Bag by Christian Dior

However, these bags are insanely expensive, the prices of lolita bags are nothing compared to it. But I don't want to own a replica of it. I want to own the original.

Also, I've been shoe shopping a lot lately, and I noticed that if the shoes are just from a random store which doesn't sell any well-known brands, I don't like to buy them. It's quite ridiculous thinking about it, but I think of such nameless shoes as bad quality. I really prefer to wear brand shoes now.

Equestrian inspired Miss Sixty boots

 I would really like to own this pair of boots by Miss Sixty, once again equestrian inspired. The bit clasp around the ankles is just so cute! I love it. I think Miss Sixty has become my favorite brand when it comes to boots. I ordered myself a new pair today, in brown. I am in desperate need of new boots, but I didn't want to settle for any other brand.

For make-up, I also prefer to buy brands now. I remember the simple days when I'd just buy a 15-euro foundation at the drugstore. But now, I won't go for anything less than high-end brands. Foundations I have been using lately are from Clarins, Lancome, or Yves Saint Laurent. I did buy a drugstore foundation a while ago because I wanted to try it out, but I just don't trust it somehow.
Also, it doesn't help that most foundations from the drugstore don't contain any SPF. Could be easily solved with a primer or moisturizer of course, but somehow it doesn't feel right to wear a foundation which doesn't even contain any SPF.

One of the foundations I use

When it comes to things such as lipstick, eyeliner or eyeshadows: I don't feel the need to buy high-end brands of that stuff, thankfully. But I will not settle for a drugstore's own brand, or something like that. I only buy from L'Oreal, Bourjois and sometimes Maybelline. Those are my three favorite drugstore brands.

Now I wonder, how does it work for you? Did you also start to pay attention to brands in general, because it's such a big deal in lolita fashion? I think it has hugely influenced me.
Don't get me wrong though, I don't look down at all on people who don't feel the need to wear brand. In fact, I sometimes wish I wouldn't care so much about it. But once you start to care, it's very hard to turn back again. Especially if you're already a shopping addict, like me.

The replica-hate in lolita fashion also made me care more about wearing brand things. One person once told me she thought I looked ridiculous in Moi-meme-Moitie, because I carried a replica bag from Bodyline with it. Such things make me very insecure. So maybe that's also why I started to care about brands more and more.

Long entry, sorry!
But it would be interesting to hear about other people's experiences and opinions on this matter. Feel free to leave me a comment, and have a nice weekend!

Nieuw speelgoed!

Zoals ik laatst had geschreven, ben ik gezwicht voor de Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 lens. Afgelopen week heb ik hem opgehaald, en ik ben er heel blij mee!

De lens op mijn camera, de Canon EOS 550D:

Het is een standaard portretlens met een vaste brandpuntsafstand, die iedere fotograaf eigenlijk in zijn bezit zou moeten hebben. Een super lens voor portretten, vooral door de hoge lichtgevoeligheid. Ik ga hem denk ik vooral gebruiken voor portretten van mensen en dieren, maar ook wel voor andere dingen zoals stillevens en natuur.
eigenlijk wil ik ook nog eens graag een macro lens hebben, want ik vind het erg leuk om close-ups te maken van de natuur. Maar die zijn nog wel een flink stuk duurder dan dit lensje, dus voor nu moet ik het hiermee doen.

Genoeg gekletst, hier is een 'zelfportret' die ik met deze lens heb geschoten. Met zelfportret tussen haakjes, omdat ik hem via de spiegel heb genomen. De onscherpte in de foto vind ik erg mooi.

En hier volgen nog wat meer foto's, die ik vandaag heb genomen om de lens voor het eerst echt uit te proberen!

Ik had geluk dat er een vlindertje neerstreek op een bloemetje binnen mijn bereik:

Deze foto leek mooier op mijn camera preview, maar ik post hem toch:

Spelen met onscherpte:

Spelen met het felle zonlicht:

 En een super lief ezeltje! Ik hou van ezels ♥

Ik hoop dat je de foto's een beetje mooi vond, opbouwende kritiek is welkom! Maar vergeet niet dat dit de eerste keer was dat ik met deze lens schoot. Ik weet dat ik nog veel moet leren ^^;

Oh, en ik wou nog zeggen tegen mijn volgers: dank jullie wel! Leuk dat jullie mijn blog willen volgen ^^