spruced by marlene

Happy New Year! And a belated cheers to a 2016 filled with joy and happiness.

I spent the holidays with my boys in the English countryside, which was blissfully uneventful. We ate lots, we slept lots, then we ate some more, then we slept some more, and did I mention that we ate? Lots. Waking up this morning in Berlin was a bit of a shock. We all stumbled around sleepily, trying to get ready for kindergarten and work, while mustering up the courage to go out into the freezing cold, all without hot buttered crumpets to sustain us.

But I actually love this time of year, when everything feels fresh and full of possibility. I might not keep any of my resolutions, in fact I’ve already broken one. Then again, who would start a new work-out routine on the first Monday of January without hot buttered crumpets as a reward? Exactly. No one. Luckily, one of my other resolutions is to not be so hard on myself this year.

Joking (almost) aside, I try to see resolutions as more of a general guideline than strict rules. A reminder of where and who I’d like to be this time next year. Making plans gives me energy, even if not every plan works out in the end. One resolution I’ve been trying to keep for a couple of years already and that I want to improve upon this year is the way I shop. To buy less, but better. To consider what I need and how much I’ll wear something before I hand over the credit card. To save up for what I really want.

Somewhere along the way, I’ll probably wander into Zara and come out with three trend-pieces that I didn’t know I wanted before I went into the store. And there’s satisfaction in that. What’s even more satisfying to me is buying something that lasts. I just found the perfect jumpsuit in the Sales in London, the one I’d been looking for ever since I saw this photo of Phoebe Philo years ago. It’s from Joseph, which means the price still pained me even at 50% off, and it’s not a piece I’ll wear every day. But when I tried it on, I immediately thought of all the different ways I would style it. And I looked at a woman in the mirror who came very close to my image of how I’d like to look.

It gave me an idea to start a new series on the blog called „something to save for“. Those pieces that are a little bit more special and would feel like a gift to yourself if and when you buy them. That don’t just feel like they would complement your style, but elevate it.

That’s how I felt about these earrings from Danish brand Kinraden the first time I saw them. Like all of their jewelry, they’re delicate and unique, not just in their design, but in the materials used to create them. Kinraden work with reclaimed precious metals and use Mpingo wood instead of gems. Yes, that black stone is actually a piece of wood cut into diamond shape. Cool, right? Giving myself a pair by this time next year might just be a resolution I’m could keep.