Velp is my father’s hometown, and where he lives again today after 40 years of living abroad in Hong Kong, Japan and South Africa. Just a few miles away  from Velp is Arnhem, a charming little city on the Eastern side of the Netherlands and very close to the German border. It is home to the well known Arnhem Fashion Design School, where famous Dutch pret a porter designers Viktor & Rolf graduated in 1992.

Amsterdam is hands down my favorite city in the Netherlands, but I also love Arnhem because it’s safer, smaller and more quaint. Typical of the Netherlands, the bicycle is a preferred mode of transport for people of all ages.

In true Dutch style, today’s adventure started off with coffee (tea for me) and a biscuit before taking the bus to downtown Arnhem. It’s all about spending quality time with my Papa when we visit Velp, but I did steal a wonderful hour to browse the shops and check out street fashion while the boys were reading and computing in a café.

On the street the number one look BY FAR is skinnies or leggings worn with flat or low heeled, mid-high or knee-high light grey, cream, tan and chestnut boots. Both slouchy and sleek. This was topped with a sweater, cropped leather jacket or trench coat and a statement scarf. Almost everyone is wearing a scarf – blokes too. Cross-body bags and flat shoulder totes were the order of the day.

If people aren’t in skinnies or leggings , it’s all about the skirt.

I saw quite a few people in white or off-white jeans with tan or chestnut boots. Some with denim shirts and tunic cardigans. Delicious! I’m definitely copying that look when I get home. And I just realised that tan boots (lighter than chestnut and darker than cream) are next on my boots shopping list. So fresh!

Lots of people were wearing trenches, in many different styles – from classic belted black and fun tomato red styles, to voluminous crinkle sateens in mushrooms and white. Not surprising given that they are perfect for the weather right now.

One surprise for me though: far fewer people in booties than I expected to see.

In the stores I saw a dominance of neutrally toned palettes, denim everything and one to two inch heels. In fact, the Netherlands is shoe heaven. I could have come home with 10 pairs of gorgeously fashionable and comfy shoes, but by summoning all my willpower I managed to limit myself to one pair. I opted for an eccentric looking black and purple studded kitten heel almond toed pump. They are going to be 8-hour city shoes for sure.

In addition to the neutrals, citron, coral and turquoise are strong colors. Styles that stand out are cropped pants, harem pants, camouflage, strong shoulders and tunic blouses.

So far I’m loving the fashion, but food is also shaping up to be a highlight of this trip. We had a fabulous Indonesian lunch (Indonesian food has virtually become the national food of the Netherlands), and finished off the day with tea and freshly made stroopwafels. Directly translated, “stroopwafel” means “syrup waffle”, and that’s exactly what they are: wafer thin waffles glued together with hot caramel syrup. A typical Dutch treat and one of my favourites.

Spring had sprung in Arnhem so although it wasn’t cold, it certainly wasn’t warm either. So out came one of my Springtime FFBO’s – skinnies, light coloured boots, military blazer and bright accessories. Greg and Papa couldn’t miss me with my bright new L.A.M.B. bag (in YLF colours, of course).

Most fashion and style loving ladies have a thing for either handbags or shoes, or both. There are many, many wardrobe items to have heart palpitations over. Why then do so many of us have a weakness for shoes and handbags? They aren’t even clothes.

Perhaps it is because shoes and handbags are instantly noticeable statement pieces. More often than not, especially as we get older, shoes and handbags also become investment pieces. And sometimes even status symbols.

I too have a thing for shoes and handbags. But as much as I love looking at fabulous shoes, appreciating their design and their power to improve an outfit, I am a Bag Lady at heart. My handbag collection is far more impressive than my footwear collection and I enjoy looking and shopping for handbags more than I enjoy looking and shopping for shoes. I swap out my handbags very frequently and I am hopelessly devoted to each little darling that accompanies my outfits.

Are you a Shoe Lady, or Bag lady? Try not to say that you’re both (I know it’s hard). Perhaps you’re neither?  And if that’s the case, tell us why shoes and bags don’t light your fire.

Business casual and business formal dress pants are often a hard wardrobe item to fit, especially if the hips, waist and thigh area are your fussy bits. I wish I could prevent the situation where you have to try on many, many pairs of dress pants before you find ones that work (or have the potential to be altered to work). But alas, much like jeans, that’s the nature of the beast.

If you’re looking for a pair of classically tailored, no-nonsense dress pants, you’ll find these fit tips useful. Hopefully they will help you to eliminate some options before even trying them on.

Style Considerations

First, consider these factors when it comes to the design:

• Look for good drapy fabric: Dress pants love weighty substantial fabrications which allow them to fall straight down to the foot. Think wool-rayon-polyester and cotton-rayon-polyester blends with a hint of stretch for extra comfort. Crease lines are optional.
• Beware of side entry pockets: This doesn’t mean that you should ignore dress pants with side entry pockets because at times they can work. But styles without often look better. No pocket lining showing through and no gaping pocket openings when you sit down. Alternatively, subtle front slant pockets and back welt pockets work well too.
• Look for flat fronts and a wide waist band: A wider waistband has flattering corset effects. A flat front is definitely a sleeker look than pleats, especially when you sit down (no poufing). Belt loops are optional.

Fit Considerations

These are the important factors to consider when it comes to fit:

• Waist fit: You’re after a tailored but comfortable fit. Nothing too tight. Remember that a waistband can be altered to fit if it’s too roomy.
• Grazing hip fit: The fabric should glide over the hips, thighs and bottom area and drape straight into a bootcut or wide legged hem. Not too snug and, as far as possible, no whiskering. If the pants whisker on the thighs, size up and adjust the waist to fit. A bit of whiskering is fine on jeans but dress pants should be fairly whisker-free. For dress pants a looser fit is better than a snug fit – unlike jeans.
• Waistband position: A waistband that rests above the high hip and below the navel is good, so think mid to high-ish rise. This creates the illusion of a flatter belly, whereas an overly high rise can accentuate a rounded belly.
• Rise length: Getting the length of the rise right around crotch point is extremely important. Too short and you’ll end up with camel toe. Too long and you’ll look short in the leg and awfully long in the waist. Opt for a tailored fit that does not cling to the crotch, but that’s not too long either.
• Leg length: The black slacks below are the perfect length, almost skimming the surface of the ground. Unfortunately, you’ll need to commit to a heel height with dress pants.

These black bootcut dress pants hang perfectly. The fabric is lustrous and substantial, and the front slant pockets are flattering. The waist band is not quite as wide as I would have liked, but this is a small price to pay for a good, clean and flattering fit. Not bad for $78 and available in sizes 0 to 16 in navy, black, charcoal and chocolate brown. If you’re battling with dress pants, you might like to start here.

Greg and I are at the airport waiting to board our flight. We’re taking a two week trip to Europe to visit family and friends, and do a little work on the side. My precious Papa lives in Arnhem in the Netherlands so we’ll be going there first. Then off to Amsterdam, Brussels, Antwerp, Zurich and Milan.

We’ll reduce the frequency of posts while we’re away, but there will be at least one a day. If things go really well I will write some thoughts along the way. Failing that we’ll do a series when we return. Either way, I’m excited to share Spring 2010’s Euro trends with you so stay tuned.