I could share hundreds and hundreds of pictures and videos of my love on this random Monday. And by sharing just a few, I’d like to shine a light on the glorious mess that is love.
Love, like so many things in life, is perfect precisely because of its imperfections. A perfectly imperfect love and still the most important and profound love I have ever found in a man. And after all, what would a perfect love even look like? No clue, but let me picture it for a moment… yawn 🥱
I’ll stick with this man, with whom I share so much, like our sweet little Finn, whom we brought into this world together. Love with Martin has been a ride, sometimes wonderful, sometimes painfully and utterly frustrating, and sometimes so ridiculous that I laugh until I can’t breathe. From highs to lows and back again, from feeling so close to needing a little extra space or a lot, we always find our way back to each other.
And I ask you, on this random day, what even is perfect love?
Wishing all you amazing ladies a beautiful day. Remember to love yourself first, you deserve it. And also, remember that I love you ❤️
#ImperfectLove
Type “YES” in the comments if you also couldn’t care less about being sexy. 😂
Dungarees after 50? ✔️
Striped knee-high socks? ✔️
Chunky Crocs? ✔️
Oversized blazer? ✔️
Honestly, I couldn’t care less about looking sexy.
Maybe when I was younger—but those days are looooonnnngggg gone.
I’ve been wearing oversized clothes for years—and yes, very much on purpose.
Comfort. Ease. Being fully myself. Feeling safe. That’s the reason.
Wear whatever you want, for whatever reason you want.
Love you 🤍
Do you remember the moment you stopped apologising for who you are?
For me, it was becoming a mother at 40.
By the time Finn arrived, I had already lived a whole life. I knew who I was. And suddenly, holding him, I realised I couldn’t teach him to be brave if I was still hiding. I couldn’t teach him to take up space if I was still making myself small.
Having a child at 40 didn’t just make me a mother. It gave me the final push I needed to drop the act. To stop shrinking to make others comfortable. To just be me, loud, flawed, and completely unapologetic.
It was the end of my shrinking. And the beginning of my blooming.
Was there a moment that changed everything for you?
Outfit from my webshop and my beautiful bag collab with @clarisvirot 🩶
@and.bloom #motherhoodat40 #takingupspace #midlifeconfidence
You don’t have to dim your light for others. There is plenty of room for all of us to shine bright.
Whenever I look at another woman, I always see something beautiful. ✨
It could be her style, the way she holds herself, or just the energy she brings into a room. I can love her outfit even if it’s not for me, simply because it is so perfectly her.
I think the older we get, the more we realize that another woman’s uniqueness doesn’t threaten our own. We don’t have to dress the same, think the same, or live the same lives to admire each other.
And on the days when I catch myself thinking, “I want to be like her”? I don’t let it turn into jealousy. I let it turn into inspiration. I find a way to take that spark and make it my own. 🥀
What is something you love admiring in other women? Tell me in the comments. 👇
This outfit is from my shop. Th loafers are from Zara but a few years old, just like the straw bag. The underwear is Skims.
#andbloom #womenover50style #womenempowerment
LET WOMEN AGE! Styling my new trousers today.
I can think of endless ways to wear them, which made choosing very difficult. But I went for a shirt and blazer combination simply because I wanted to. Because these fabulous trousers can be styled however I feel like styling them.
If you leave BRANDS in the comments, I’ll send you all the brands I’m wearing in this reel via DMz 🤓
But special love goes to the cap designed by my Instagram friend Heidi: “LET WOMEN AGE.” @welcometoheidi
Nothing more to add to that message really. We are ALLOWED to AGE however the heck we want. Naturally, visibly, proudly, softly, loudly… all of it.
You can get this cap through Heidi’s account.
#supportotherwomen #always #letwomenage ❤️
Can we please talk about the zebra print? Because I absolutely love it. In this new collection from @10dayslifestyle you can mix and match it endlessly with so many fun pieces.
The swimsuit is personally one of my favorites, it’s super comfortable and also looks great styled with a skirt and a light cotton shirt. And of course I’ll always be a fan of mixing prints with prints, but the zebra print also pairs beautifully with more minimal pieces if you want a calmer look.
I also really love the steel blue suit, especially the boxy sleeveless shirt model. It gives such an effortless, chic summer vibe.
Do you already have summer plans? I honestly can’t wait until I’m back on an Italian beach again. 🌞🇮🇹
I made this reel in collaboration with #10dayslifestyle
And I love this outfit. I really, really, really love it. 😂
Btw, a very healing thing to do is to say “I love you” to yourself. Have you ever tried it?
Not in an arrogant way. Not because you think you are perfect. But because you finally stop speaking to yourself with harshness.
Saying “I love you” to yourself means accepting yourself with compassion. It means understanding that even on the messy days, the insecure days, the tired days, you are still worthy of love.
We are so used to giving love to everyone around us while sometimes forgetting the person who needs it too. Ourselves.
And honestly, the relationship you have with yourself shapes everything. The way you walk into a room. The way you handle setbacks. The way you allow others to treat you. The way you heal.
The moment I started being kinder to myself, everything slowly changed. Not overnight. But little by little.
So maybe today, look at yourself a little softer. Speak to yourself a little gentler. And remind yourself that loving who you are does not mean you think you are perfect.
It means you understand you are already perfectly worthy of love, exactly as you are.
After my beautiful photoshoot from yesterday not in the mood for any nonsense, wearing AndBloom and my new favorite vest from @lallamarrakech
I am reflecting a little more on Mother’s Day this evening, writing this in bed, with a sleeping Finn next to me.
Until I was 39, I thought I would never become a mother, that I would never be able to get pregnant. Martin and I had more or less accepted that reality. And yet, somewhere deep inside me, there was always a quiet little voice whispering that one day I would have a son. I know that may sound a little spiritual or dreamy, but the feeling never really left me.
With a lot of determination, and medical help because of my endometriosis, I became pregnant with Finn. And so, at 40 years old, I became a mother after all.
Being Finn’s mother is without a doubt one of the most beautiful and joyful things I have ever experienced. I truly love being a mother. But at the same time, I also know with complete certainty that our life without Finn could have been beautiful too. Different, of course, but in another way just as meaningful and valuable.
For me, motherhood was never a given because of my illness. It was a very conscious choice. And I believe every woman should have the freedom to make that choice for herself. Whether you want children or not, both deserve equal respect. There is still so much judgment and taboo around that.
I do not believe every woman is automatically fulfilled by motherhood, and honestly, I also do not think every woman is meant to be a mother. Not every woman is a mother, wants to be a mother, or is able to become one. And not every mother became one entirely out of free will, even though it should always be a choice.
A lot of women feel pressured into motherhood and are looked at strangely when they choose not to have children. But it should always be a respectful conversation. And maybe we should stop asking women why they do not have children yet, or when they are having a second or third child. You never know whether those questions might be painful.
#motherhood #andbloom
This is basically my daily routine. Around 10 minutes of self-care and I’m on my way.
Type PRODUCTS in the comments 👇🏼 if you’re curious about my favorite brands and I will share them with you in a DM.
But this routine is about so much more than makeup, hair or clothes. It’s about taking a few moments for myself before the day fully begins. A quick skincare routine, doing my hair, a little makeup, putting on some jewelry, choosing an outfit that makes me feel good. Small things… but powerful.
Because when I take care of myself, I feel better. More positive. More confident. More grounded. More like me.
And no, I absolutely don’t *need* makeup to leave the house. I’ll happily run out the door barefaced to bring Finn to school, head to the gym, or run errands. But somewhere in my daily routine, I always create a little moment for myself. Some days it’s more, some days it’s less, but every single day there’s a moment where I choose me. Just like brushing my teeth. Taking my supplements. Drinking my water.
Self-care isn’t about perfection. It’s about consistency. It’s about showing up for yourself, even in the smallest ways. And often… 10 minutes is all it takes to completely shift the energy of your entire day.
🌸🌸🌸
Today we celebrate Mother’s Day in The Netherlands.
Happy Mother’s Day to the mothers, the almost mothers, the grieving mothers, the women still waiting, the mothers who lost their children, the daughters who lost their mothers, and the stepmothers who love as their own.
Today is for all the women carrying love, hope, grief, strength, and nurturing hearts. You are seen. You are appreciated. And you matter. ❤️
#andbloom #selfcaresunday #mothersday
If you want to know who makes this dress, just type DRESS and I will send you the link 🌸 But for now, let’s talk about something else…
Oversized fashion is deliberate. It’s the elegant drape of a drop-shoulder sweater, the effortless swish of wide-leg trousers, the unapologetic volume of a coat that feels like a very chic, very expensive hug. It’s about taking up space, not shrinking away. It’s fashion that allows you to eat a full meal, laugh from your belly, and sit down without doing mental geometry to figure out how your outfit will react.
At this point in life, I absolutely refuse to wear anything that argues with my body. We’ve earned the right to breathe freely. We’ve earned the right to look fabulous without feeling like a beautifully wrapped, yet highly pressurized, sausage. Oversized isn’t giving up; it’s waking up to the fact that style and comfort can, and absolutely should, coexist.
So, here’s to the oversized shirts, the flowing dresses, and the roomy trousers. May they always let us move, breathe, and be exactly who we are, without any restrictions.
#andbloom #oversizefashion #theperfectdress
Popping reds and stacked chains — it’s Friday, ladies. Spring is in full bloom, the sun is shining (at least over here), and we get to wear whatever we want. Life is goooooood. ❤️
I already have my favorites, and my own lipstick is on its way, but there are a few others I absolutely adore too. Today’s lippy is the Lasting Matte Veil Liquid Lip Colour from Kiko Milano in shade 10. 💄
#andbloom #weekendiscoming #positvevibes
