Category: Inspiration

On May 14^th, only weeks after giving birth to her second son and launching her first collection, celebrity stylist Danie Bles opened her new, permanent vintage boutique supported by family and friends such as Anouk Smulders and Leontine Borsato.

A Dirty Habit

For decades wearing vintage clothing has been stigmatized, especially by the mainstream, as a dirty habit.  In the last few years though, as new vintage shops pop up everywhere we look, wearing unique, pre-owned pieces has become a huge trend.

 “Every time I tried to sell the concept of vintage fashion to my husband, he chuckled: Why on earth would you spend money on ‘dirty’ clothes? Only when we visited my favourite vintage stores in Paris, he understood”, Danie Bles explains.

Vintage Lovers

The godmother of vintage, according to The New York Times, can’t be anyone other than Barbra Streisand. The singer, who will perform at the Ziggo Dome in June, turned vintage into her signature style. Initially her love for vintage only translated into her personal wardrobe. However it did not take too long before her basement was a vintage shopping street. These days everyone from Sarah Jessica Parker to Kate Moss flaunt their eye for vintage. And while some struggle to incorporate their vintage treasures into their wardrobes, American stylist Rachel Zoe is constantly on the haunt for all things vintage and often shares her best-kept vintage shopping secrets on her website.

Mom Knows Best

Truce, the mother of Danie Bles, will welcome customers in the cosy boutique everyday and turn dreams into a reality by picking the perfect Chanel jacket or must-have Birkin bag for you. This is why we expect many high-heeled women to come knocking on this vintage heaven’s door soon. Especially since you can even hand in your own vintage designer items to sell here.

Address: Cornelis Schuytstraat 45, Amsterdam.

Next week, great American novel – The Great Gatsby – gets its glamorous movie premier. The classic story about a man returning from war and getting dragged in to the trials and tribulations of his neighbor Jay Gatsby, has a timeless edge. Besides it being an incredibly intriguing tale, it is also a true fashion feast set in the roaring twenties. And not only the clothing but also the amazing accessories. That’s why Tiffany’s will be launching a diamond jewelry collection in honor of The Great Gatsby.

The worldwide release of The Great Gatsby  has everybody waiting with anticipation. Not only are we dying to see the actors and how they will make the characters from the book come alive, but also the amazing costumes and jewellery already have us at the edge of our seats. Not just any jewels but amazing designs by Tiffany & co. appropriately titled ‘The Great Gatsby’ collection. In order to make every woman feel like a roaring twenties flapper girl, Tiffany & co.

The story inspired some striking pieces like ‘The Savoy’. A diamond and fresh water pearl encrusted headband with detachable brooch. This particular creation is inspired by a Native American design from the Tiffany & Co. archives.

Another amazing piece is the beautiful Chinoiserie inspired diamond and seed pearls platinum bracelet.  A different bracelet that caught our eye is the hand ornament bracelet with a daisy motif in diamonds and a cuff made out of cultured pearls and platinum.

At little Soho we also loved these amazing emerald cut aquamarine earrings, with diamonds and platinum. They simply ooze the spirit and style of the roaring twenties.

From May 16^th you can visit the theaters to see all the great costumes and jewels in action.

In honor of the nice sunny weather we’ve had this past week, we’d like to share this delicious, yet healthy spring salad with you. Does a salad with pomegranate, bulgur and pistachio sounds just as mouth watering to you as it does to us?

This lovely earthy salad with lots of fresh and spicy ingredients will make a great center piece at a dinner party. But also for a summer picnic, or a late night bite at home this salad would be perfect! The following recipe is enough for 6-8 people.

Ingredients: 

• 300 gr of bulgur
• The juice of one lemon
• 1 Butternut squash
• Mild olive oil
• Seeds of one pomegranate
• A bundle of spring unions
• A bundle of parsley
• 75 gr of pistachios

Step 1: Prepare the bulgur according to the directions     on the side of the box. Then mix some lemon juice (don’t use all of the lemon juice) and olive oil through the bulgur. In the meanwhile, preheat the oven at 200 degrees.

Step 2:  The second step in the recipe consist of preparing the butternut squash. Cut the squash in half, remove the seeds and precede to cut the squash in very thin slices. Spread the slices on a baking tray and season with salt and drizzle with olive oil. Grill them in the oven for about 10 minutes.

Step 3: While the butternut squash is grilling in the oven, you should start removing the seeds from the pomegranate (or use prepackaged store bought seeds). If you use a fresh pomegranate make sure that the white bit around the seeds doesn’t come away when you remove the seeds. It tastes quite bitter. Also chop the spring unions and parsley to fine pieces and roast the pistachios in a hot oven (or use a frying pan). Let them cool down and chop them roughly.

Step 4: Mix the bulgur with the butternut squash, spring unions, parsley, pomegranate seeds and the pistachios. Season to your own taste with the rest of the lemon juice, olive oil and salt. You will end up with a beautiful, colourful, healthy spring salad.

Recipe by: www.nadiaenmerijn.nl

Designer Brain Atwood has the ability to give a sweet and innocent shoe just a little bit of an edge. Surprisingly so, the designer is launching a shoe line especially for those sweet and innocent brides. And that means you can say ‘bye bye’ to safe wedding shoes, and ‘hello’ to the new and improved bridal footwear by Brian Atwood.

The great thing about this mouthwatering shoe collection is that you can customize your favourite pair to your heart’s desire. The line will consist of 13 pairs of shoes and one beautiful Swarovski encrusted clutch. We don’t the inside details on all 13 pairs, but the following two are very much promising…

Something blue

Looking for something blue on your wedding day? How about these amazing hydrangea inspired shoes. Hell, even if you’re not getting married these shoes would be amazing.  The shoes have stunning flower corsages around the ankle that would look amazing with any wedding dress. The sky high heels are encrusted with blue stones and look breathtaking. They are available in this beautiful blue version and there is also a white version that’s just as stunning but with a little less wow-effect.

Go for sparkle

Sometimes a girl can use a little extra spark, especially on her wedding day. The somewhat wider heel of this pair, ensures a little more comfort while walking down the aisle. The colour of the shoe is a beautiful pink/nude shade that goes perfectly with the amazing sparkly heel. It even has a peep-toe to show off your beautiful pedicure. As finishing ‘Atwood’ touch, it has a special ankle strap.

Not hearing wedding bells anytime soon? No worries, ‘cause Little Soho believes these Brian Atwoord shoes can just as easily be worn on normal night out as well!

Spring is a busy season when it comes to weddings. It most probably has something to do with the nice weather. Now what’s a good wedding without some tasty beverages? That’s right, not quite thirsty! That’s why Little Soho hands you 6 delicious wedding cocktails that will guarantee quench the thirst of all your wedding guests.

The Blushing Bride

This drink has to be blushing pink, just like the bride. Great about this recipe is that it’s perfect for mixing in a glass jug, to give it that real spring vibe. We start off with 10 oz. of sliced strawberries, mix this with 1 lemon, cut in half and sliced. Then add 12 oz. of pink lemonade. Next we add 2 bottles of fresh rosé and add 1 bottle of club soda. Stir to mix all the ingredients and garnish this with beautiful sprigs of fresh mint. Serve the drink in a classic martini glass and toast to the blushing bride.

Greenhouse Tonic

This is a real fresh spring cocktail, perfect for an outside wedding. Start off with 2 oz. of gin and add 1 tbs. of lemon-verbena simple syrup. Next step is to work on the ‘green’ part of this cocktail. We do that by adding a handful of dill, 3 basil leaves and 4 fresh slices of cucumber. Finish the drink with tonic water (add to taste) and throw in some ice cubes. The result is a perfect spring green cocktail that looks great served in a sturdy glass and garnished with a cucumber slice.

Honeymoon cocktail

This might by the most simple cocktail to make and is perfect for a classic themed wedding. Maybe even a wedding with a roaring twenties theme, because this cocktail screams flapper girls and slick gangsters. Start with 1 part of vodka and mix this with 1 part of lemon drop mixer, shake for the best result. Garnish this honeymoon cocktail with some fresh lemon slices and serve this in a classic martini glass.

Cherry Blossom

This is an amazing cocktail that would look really good at any party, but especially at a spring wedding with a beautiful glowing bride. What you need is 1.5 oz. of tequila; mix that with 1 oz. Patron Citronage Orange liqueur. Next you add 1 oz. of fresh lime juice and ¼ oz. cherry juice. Serve this tasty cocktail on lots of crushed ice and garnish with delicate rose petals.

Something Blue

No wedding is complete without something blue, so why not serve a fun blue cocktail drink. It’s guaranteed to put a smile on the faces of your guests. To give this drink a blue touch, Blue Curacao is needed. Mix 3 oz. of the blue goo with ¾ oz. of vodka and finish it off with ¾ oz. of sweet and sour mix. Serve this blue oasis in a long drink glass with ice; keep it very clean and simple because the color blue is a statement on its own.

Cherry Collins

The Cherry Collins is, yet again, perfect to serve on a beautiful spring day, and is also one of our favorites. Start by cutting cherries in half and add 2 oz. of cucumber-infused gin.  Next add 1 oz. of lime juice. To finish off this spring wedding drink, add some tonic and garnish with fresh fruit like lime and of course cherries.

We love just love ourselves some fresh flower fragrances. Especially with Spring just around the corner! But sometimes we just want something a little more natural, so why not make our own floral water spray. And yes, by this we really mean, making your own floral spray to fill your home with a Spring scent. No laboratory required just some smart cooking and quirky ingredients.

So what do you need to make your own wearable flower bouquet?
A large metal pot with glass dome lid, a ceramic ramekin, bottled water, turkey baster, flowers, a cutting board, a knife and surprisingly ice.

Laboratory at home

1. Remove the petals from the flowers and chop them a little. Not to fine, it’s just to relieve the fragrance a little more.  Place the ramekin in the middle of the pot and spread the flowers around it. The ramekin is there to catch the fragranced water.
2. Next we need to add water to the flowers. It’s important to use 1 ½ cups of water for each cup of flower petals that is added. The recipe suggests bottled water, because the quality of water isn’t the same everywhere. Good thing that we in the Netherlands have very high quality tap water, so you can go either way.
3. Next step is to place the dome glass lid upside down on the pot, than add the ice to the top. You may think it’s strange, but the ice will stimulate condense, which is very important in the progress of creating your own scented water spray.
4. Put the pan on low fire and let in simmer. Use the turkey baster to remove excess water from the lid with ice and add ice when required. When the flowers loose there color you are done with this batch. There should be water in the little ramekin, which you can remove using the turkey baster and squeeze into a beautiful glass bottle.  You probably have to do more than one batch to fill a full size bottle.

When your flower and water mixture boils, water vapor will rise infused with the fragrance of the flowers. When this vapor rises in the pan, it will hit the cold lid and transform back in to liquid, also known as condense.  Because the lid is a dome shape upside down, the water drops will fall in the middle of the pan right in to the ramekin.  It’s like having a little laboratory at home.  Repeat the progress to fill your glass bottle.

These are a few of our favorite scents…

Great flowers to use are:  roses (especially sterling roses), jasmine (very fragranced), chamomile (tea will work great), lemon thyme (fragrant herbs are amazing), lavender (need we say more), orange blossom (fruity and sweet), honeysuckle (summer personified), magnolia (soft and sweet), verbena (fresh lemon smell), coconut (delicious), peony (ultimate flower scent) and frangipani (sweet like summer). Of course you can play around to find your perfect mix and distinguish yourself from everybody else.  Have fun brewing!

Source: The Beauty Department

Splash at the Conservatorium Hotel Amsterdam

How does water taste? And how does it smell? You will find out at the ultra-exclusive, uberfashionable event Splash at the Conservatorium Hotel in Amsterdam.

The ever-stylish Conservatorium hotel (check out our upcoming magazine for the ultimate guide to this hotel – Little Soho is in love with it) has done it again: after partnering with Amsterdam Fashion Week and Vogue’s Fashion Night Out, the hotel is giving us an ultra-stylish, exclusive fashion event that is a must-go for everyone who loves good food, beautiful surroundings and fashionable company.

On Sunday, March 10^th, the hotel hosts Splash – a culinary fashion event involving water, food and perfume. Head chef Schilo van Coevorden – renowned for his exciting Dutch fusion cooking – partners up with world famous Master perfumer Angelo Orazio Pregoni. In a never-before seen event at the hotel’s Symphony Room , both the master chef and the ‘Nose’ will take on the challenge to give water a taste and a smell by transforming it into a gastronomic menu and a fragrance involving the same ingredients. At the end of the night, you will not only be entertained by slow cooking that will tantalize your taste buds, but you will also have seen and smelt how exclusive perfume is created.

Seatings for this event are by invitation only. For information and bookings, contact SCHILOMEETSANGELO@CONSERVATORIUMHOTEL.COM

Splash, Conservatorium hotel, Van Baerlestraat 27. 1071 Oud-Zuid, Amsterdam

As the frenzy surrounding the Oscar’s started to peak, last night was quite a busy night in Los Angeles. Stars have been preparing for this night weeks in advance. Getting facials here, having a little nip/tuck there (the trick is to look fresh and not over-botoxed)… And of course dozens of stylists have been working themselves into a near- nervous breakdown with what is probably considered the most important part of the evening: ‘The Dress’.

As it is, choosing an Oscar- dress is not something to be taken lightly. Pick the right one, and your stardom can soar to unexpected heights. Unfortunate enough to choose the wrong one? Rest assured that the humiliation will haunt you for years and years to come. Now that Oscar-night is over, we take stock of how all these efforts have paid off. Which dresses were the most beautiful of the evening? Who was the belle of the ball?

Metallics were hot. Nicole Kidman en Naomi Watts both appeared in beautiful liquid sequined gowns. The dramatic shoulder detail on Naomi Watts’ dress stood out and looked absolutely beautiful. The coloring of Nicole Kidman’s dress matched her hair beautifully. Naomi Watts’ wore a gown by Armani Privé, and Nicole Kidmanwent for L’Wren Scott.

Selma Hayek en Charlize Theron both looked like ethereal queens. Both wore beautiful structured dresses. Charlize Theron’s dress was by Christian Dior Couture and Selma Hayek wore Alexander McQueen.

Rene Zellweger and Jessica Chastain went for nude metallic. They were both fabulous, fitted dresses. Jessica Chastain went for a sweetheart neckline with a small train, whereas Rene Zellweger went for a more square and structured shape that accentuated her physique. Rene Zellweger wore Carolina Herrera and Jessica Chastain wore Armani Privé.

Old Hollywood beat out young Hollywood. Dear young actresses, take note: this is how you dress for the Oscars. In bright neon colors that were completely on trend, two of Hollywood’s grande dames weren’t afraid to command some attention. The dazzling and ageless Jane Fonda (75) looked gorgeous in canary yellow Atelier Versace. Another ageless beauty, Sally Field, looked stunning in red Valentino. Sally Fields’ dress had a light see trough effect that showed skin in the right spots. They both covered their arms and looked striking and age-appropriate.

The fabulous curvy women Adele and Octavia Spencer stole the show by wearing elegant dresses and accentuating their curves. Adele chose a dress by Jenny Packham, a black creation with lots of beading. Even though she looked absolutely stunning, Adele did complain that the dress weighed 15 kg. Octavia Spencer chose a shade that complemented her radiant skin color. The dress was from designer Tadashi Shoji, and is characterized by amazing draping around the shoulders. She embodied old Hollywood with the ball gown.

Tomorrow, love is all in the air! Valentine’s day is only one day away and that means you should already have a present for your lover,… or not? If you are still looking for a present and you don’t have any idea yet,  we might be your ‘lovelife’ savior.

This creative DIY Valentine’s gift does not only look great but it’s also usable. A cup that only you and your lover will have, and also has a personal touch.  The only thing you need to have is a white mug that has no prints on it and some porcelain pen or paint.

First, wash your mug with a degreaser and dry it thoroughly with a clean towel before you paint your mug. When it’s dry, start drawing the design on your mug with the porcelain paint (available in craft stores like Pipoos or Schleiper). Put your mug for 30 minutes at 350 degrees in the oven when you are done with the design, this will help to prevent the sharpie from smudging.

Make this present extra personal and loveable by filling the mug with some sweet treats your lover likes. Don’t forget to wrap up your Valentine’s gift and show him some love!

The Lobster House in Amsterdam truly was the place to be for everyone who’s in love with the luxury casuals by Dante 6. The trendy new restaurant served as the perfect setting for a the down-to-earth Dutch brand, creating an original and intimate way to showcase their new F/W ’13 collection.

While enjoying some food and drinks, an amazing intro movie, projected on the vintage white-painted brick wall, gave us a delicate teaser of what was yet to come. A stunning montage of images, varying from images from nature (shot by a documentary-maker from National Geographic) to kaleidoscopic abstract images of colors, set to hypnotizing and energetic music, led us into the actual fashion show.

A show that, like the intro-movie, was original and mesmerizing. On three spinning platforms, all the models stood stock-still and stunningly beautiful for us to get a perfectly detailed look at them. From black to jewel-toned blue, from forest green to golden brown and from blush red to deep purple; all the warm shades of fall and winter were shown.

Feminine tailored dresses, knitted cardigans and stunning suede pants stole the show.  Layering, a trend that we’ve seen from Dante 6 before, seems to be making a comeback for the upcoming F/W season. Mixing and matching leather with silky blouses and comfortable knitwear will also still be in style. And we’ve already picked our must-have: a deliciously cute hat we’ll be fighting over come next winter.

As the evening came to an end, we found ourselves actually longing for summer to come and pass, and F/W ’13 to begin, that’s how beautiful this collection is. Make sure you mark your diary with a reminder to whip out your wallet the second this collection hits the stores. Believe us, you’ll want to. But for now, take a look at the mouthwatering photos from last night.

The entrance

The models backstage

A closer look

Part of the new collection

The Finale