I’m writing these words sitting in the Eurostar back to London. I just spent a long weekend in Belgium, 3 days in the capital, Brussels, and a full day discovering Antwerp for the first time. This trip to Belgium didn’t disappoint and if you’re curious about these destinations, I’m also writing mini weekend guides compiling what we did, where we ate and all the cool little shops we stumbled upon.
I’ll publish them throughout the month. All the places we chose to visit are on the “slow and conscious” side of life, and I try to highlight small local businesses primarily, as this is the main theme of my blog.
Obviously, I tend to follow my own advice and packed according to the weather and activities we had on the agenda (i.e. a huge storm). The weather ended up being rainy, greyish and windy as expected, and temperatures under 10°C.
I focused on warm and comfortable pieces paired with sturdy boots. I also brought versatile outfits that could bring me from day to night as we had a late Valentine’s date planned as well.
Antwerp being one of the fashion capitals of Europe, I also knew I wouldn’t come back empty handed. There was definitely no need to overpack, quite the opposite. I kept a bit of space in my suitcase for new vintage treasures and other exciting finds.
If you’re curious to know what I brought back, head to Substack and become a member of Slow Fashion Weekly. My exclusive newsletter, which I send every Friday, includes new discoveries and unique stories I don’t share anywhere else.
A versatile shearling coat
I’m wearing a coat from Stand Studio I bought on The Outnet during a flash sale in February. I was looking for a shearling coat for a while and eyeing this one in particular. The colour combo makes sense with the rest of my wardrobe and the material is also vegan.
The green cardigan is vintage. It’s a birthday gift I received from one of my oldest friends from Paris. She found it on the French vintage e-com Imparfaite Paris. I curated a few similar options below. However, there are a lot more on Etsy if these don’t suit you.
The boots are also a new purchase. They’re from a small London brand called Asra, which I found on Instagram. They fit like socks and were perfect for the crappy weather. Underneath, I’m wearing the flow yoga unitard by Lacausa (gifted), which I like to wear when I’m travelling and sightseeing. It’s very comfortable by design.
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Comfortable everyday knitwear
On day 2, I wore the coat mentioned above with another outfit. This gorgeous jumper is from French brand Sézane, which is a B-Corp. I received it recently as a Christmas gift but did choose it myself. I love the colour and the material is very soft and fluffy.
The jeans are from the small sustainable UK brand, Seventy + Mochi. They’re made with a mix of GOTS certified cotton and hemp. If you’re curious about this brand, you can find out more about their sustainability credentials on this page.
My bag, which I wear almost every day, is made of recycled polyester and from scandi brand Ganni. I found it on The Outnet. It comes in two sizes. Mine is the bigger one and you can really fit a lot of stuff inside, which is basically why I bought it ahead of my trip to Budapest last October.
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A statement mini skirt
On the last day, the weather was slightly better so I switched my trousers for a skirt. It’s a mini from Claudie Pierlot, which I found in a sample sale a few years ago in Avignon. It turned out to be one of my best buys as I wear it often. My lightweight padded jacket is from Danish brand Mads Norgaard Copenhagen, and also a piece I wear on a weekly basis. The t-shirt is vintage and the cardigan is from American brand Everlane. I had my eye on it for a while and bought it during Black Friday last November.
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Photos: Nick Morosi & me
