spruced by marlene

Can you tell what’s in the air? Spring! I spent half an hour for lunch just aimlessly strolling around, simply because I couldn’t get enough of the feeling of sun on my face. I could pack away all of my winter clothes, start walking around with bare legs and eat lots of ice cream immediately. Right, that might be a little premature. But you know what it’s not too early for? A new spring bag from James. „The Impatient“ in natural is the first of the fresh collection and has newly arrived in his online shop. „The Impatient“ – such a fitting name. I really can’t wait much longer for warmer weather.

Of course, it would be pointless to buy a beauty product that’s too beautiful to use. And yet I’ve had this lipstick for weeks now and have still to try it for the first time. Sometimes I open the packaging, press the push button that opens the tube and look at the fancy Chanel lettering. Then put everything back in its place. I just can’t bring myself to smudge the perfectly matte surface.

Silly, since I obviously got the lipstick with the intention of wearing it. Just like I got myself an eyeshadow set from Bobbi Brown for such a purpose. I’m sure that the brown shades would look lovely on, if I’d ever used them. Or the Clé de Peau concealer that would’ve been much more useful against the dark circles under my eyes outside of its box than in it. I’ve started using it now and it’s splendid. In fact, all of these pretty products are pretty useful. But it’s their appearance that got me first. I’d always rather get a soap dispenser from Aesop than any plain bar of soap. And doesn’t the glass bottle of Huile Prodigieuse oil from Nuxe look fabulous on my bedside table? Never mind that I forget to use it almost every night. The night moisturizer from Weleda however I never forget. I’d just never show it off, much like all of my other trusted natural cosmetic products, that I use religiously but that aren’t very beautiful.

So what do you go for? The look of the product? The contents? And what’s your favourite beauty buy that you’d use no matter how hideous the packaging?

„Marlene, we’d like to send you one of our jeans. Take your pick.“

That’s about as far as I got in the email before I popped right over to the MiH online shop.* How did they guess that I’d had one of their jeans on my wish list for a long time? I knew which model I wanted almost straight away. Then I sent my reply: „That’s a very kind offer. However, considering the current development of my figure, it’s unlikely that I will wear jeans again before late 2014.“

I’ve heard there are cases in which normal jeans last throughout the pregnancy, just with an elastic instead of a button. I’m not one of those cases. Besides, my son is already the child I deserve: very determined in his fashion choices. If he doesn’t like how something fits me, he starts kicking. Try as I might to wish myself into a potentially favourite pair of jeans, he doesn’t care. He, typical guy, prefers dresses. And maybe the folks at MiH have experience with the demands of pregnant ladies (and six month old fetuses), because they did rummage through their warehouse to find me one of their Extra Long Oversize Shirts instead, a silk shirt dress in army green. Unfortunately, it’s sold out on their website and I’m considering starting a petition to bring it back into their collection. Junior likes how roomy it is, I love it too and, best of all: I’ll still be able to wear it when my belly no longer serves as the perfect resting place for my laptop.

By the way, the jeans I would’ve picked is The Phoebe. First opportunity I get, I’ll have a chat with my boy about whether he likes them and, given his approval, buy them for a time when jeans are an option again.

Thanks to everyone at MiH, especially SJ, for being so generous and patient.

*I do occasionally get offers like that. I never take them unless it’s from a brand I’d support anyway. And when I do, I want you to know about it.

Why did I not have Rodebjer on my radar until now? After browsing Carin Rodebjer’s collection for next fall, I went straight to the online shop for a look at what she has in stock for summer. And I like that even better. It’s Swedish minimal, but with a relaxed hippie vibe. Minimal hippie? Why not. I’ve read so many show reviews in the last couple of weeks that a description like that starts making perfect sense to me. What makes even more sense: this kaftan. I’ll live in it come summer.

I can count the jewelry that I wear every day on one hand: a few precious rings, my watch, a couple of necklaces, all quite simple, nothing too loud. It suits me best. But Lara Bohinc me dream of everyday jewelry that has a little more drama. When I visited their Berlin showroom, Lucy, who does PR for Bohinc, was wearing one of the Lunar Eclipse necklaces in platinum over a plain shirtdress. Perfect! For me it’d have to be the Gymnastic choker, worn with a white tee, jeans, done. A piece like that can lift the most reduced outfit. Since the price truly does make the necklace a dream, I’ll add this beautiful ring from the same collection to my wish list instead. It gets its name from Nadia Comaneci. How dramatic.