Since we are absolutely into travel ànd fashion it’s hardly a surprise A.S.Adventure is one of our favorite shops for finding that particular piece of gear or clothing. So when this cool shop asks us if we would like to select our favorite items from their fashion collection and write our very first outfit post about it, we didn’t hesitate for a second.
Or maybe we should have hesitated just a bit? Blogging about fashion is very different from blogging about travel experiences, as we soon found out. Anyway, we did have a lot of fun making this post work and discovering all the fab collections A.S.Adventure has to offer. So let’s embrace this post as a new adventure, this time into the fabulous world of fashion.
Our challenge
Of course you all know A.S.Adventure by now: the shop is not only an outdoor and travel gear specialist but also a big player when it comes to lifestyle and fashion brands. We had to choose a fashion outfit (and some accessories) for spring, and we went 100% for the yeah it’s the weekend-look. The wide choice and variety of brands made us a bit insecure: where to begin? Anyway, we did manage to crack this puzzle of choices and we both walked home looking fancy and brand new.
Nina’s outfit (and why she completely stressed out)
When Nina goes shopping she usually has a pre-defined goal and knows exactly what she wants. Is she going on a city trip? Does she needs something for a party, or something relaxed-looking to hang out with friends? But in this case she could choose whatever she wanted, no limits. And ow boy did she stressed out quite a bit. Positive stress, but still…stress. Help, I don’t know what to pick, where do I begin? Should I go for the fancy tough look or an elegant dress? I like almost everything…aaargh! At a certain point, after running for more than an hour left to right and back, she managed to pick 5 (five!) tops she really liked. But of course: five different tops doesn’t make an entire outfit. Okay, restart Nina.
Admitting she needed some help picking out the outfit she had in mind (before the shop would close its doors) was the first step. Second step: relying on the guidance of the shop assistants: let them do the running around. A winner’s idea!
And so this was her final outfit: a cool jeans, a colorful blouse, a classy bomber jacket and a pair of fancy silver sneakers. I gave her some very approving looks and told her how cool she looked. Finally, mission accomplished.
Why this outfit?
Nina: “I’m a real jeans-junkie and there’s always room left in my dressing for yet another pair of cool jeans. Since I’m not that tall (okay, so I’m short) it usually it takes me a while before I find that perfect jeans-match. This Levi’s jeans however suited me well immediately. It is made of a super stretchy jeans fabric, and I just love it; very comfortable to wear. The blouse is from Vera Moda and it was love at first sight. Thanks to it’s cool flower print this top is perfect for both casual and fancy events. The khaki bomber jacket is from Tom Tailor Denim. The brand promotes itself as ‘fashion for the young & twenty-something’, but hey, this chic was twenty-something a long time ago and also rocks this bomber. So don’t be afraid to sniff around in this collection too: fashion has no age-limits, wear what you like and what suits you. The silver sneakers made by SPM Shoes and Boots were recommended by one of the shop assistances. True, I had my doubts about the flashy color, but the shoes teamed up perfectly with the rest of the outfit and it didn’t take long before I liked them a lot.
And the necklace and sunglasses? Bought this summer during a holiday in Rhodes, Greece. These are the kind of ‘souvenirs’ we usually buy when traveling. It’s nice to wear them daily, as a reminder of the great times we had on our trips.”
Jempi’s outfit: a piece of cake
Now me: I’m another species, a man. Therefore everything went just a little bit more smooth (factor x 100 :-)). To be honest: nobody can stop me when I’m in a shopping-mood. While Nina was running around the store and panicking about the fact that she would never find the perfect outfit, Mister Calm Down and Be Cool managed to get completely dressed in record time, and the outfit looked awesome. Okay, so I had the help of an enthusiastic sales girl named Kansas (how cool can your name be!). She knew exactly what I had in mind and created the perfect outfit for me. A rugged and casual look: supercool jeans, military style parka, a hoodie, spring style shirt and a pair of übercool black leather sneakers.
Why this outfit?
These are three important criteria for ‘free time’ clothing: it has to be functional, comfortable but also cool. I have – like most of the men I guess – a love/hate relationship with shopping. There are times that I simply refuse to go inside a clothing shop. However, when I’m in the mood nothing can stop me, I will buy clothes ànd lots of them. A.S.Adventure is the perfect shop for a shopping mood like that: it’s so easy to find the things I like and want. No problem to shop for a complete new outfit from a-to-z.
My first (and most favourite) piece of coolness was the Superdry’s military style parka (Rookie Duty). Almost a classic jacket but thanks to the little details this parka looks also tough and cool. The khaki colour makes it easy to combine and the jacket is perfect for wearing early spring. I also chose a Superdry sweater to go with the jacket. The PME Legend jeans was a pleasant surprise: a slim fit model with just enough stretch to fit perfectly (confession: I like it when my bottom looks good in a jeans). The black Camel Active sneakers made me happy too: the black leather was a cool match with the jeans, hoodie and parka. I’m a real sneakers fan; these are the kind of shoes you forget you’re wearing them, because they are so comfy.
And just to be complete: the army cap I’m wearing is a souvenir from Bangkok, Thailand. I have it for several years now (lost and re-found it also several times) and I’m kind of attached to, it is part of my style.
The things we learned
- Shop till you drop. First of all: choosing a complete outfit in a store like A.S.Adventure is both fun and difficult, because there are just so many things to like. If you feel lost or need some advice, don’t hesitate to ask help from the guys and girls who run the shop. They know their business and can suggest new and fresh ideas that completely matches your style. Just do it, these folks are happy to help you.
- Posing is not easy. In fact it is insanely difficult. You probably know that feeling when you see yourself in a picture: “OMG is that me? aaarghh!…” When taking pictures we usually start putting up our most silly and funny face, but this was ‘serious stuff’ and we were supposed to act casual/normal. And I can assure you: acting and posing ‘casual’ with a camera right in front of your face all the time, is not as simple as it seems. Lots of respect for all those models and fashion bloggers who do this kind of stuff all day long.
- Sunny winter days are beautiful. And very cold. And very short. Taking pictures in a spring outfit on a freezing cold winter day (-6°C!) is not really a thing to enjoy: it was hard-nippled cold. And also: the days are very short and you really have to hurry up to take as much pictures as possible during the hours right before sunset (the most beautiful natural light).
- Outfit posts are fun. Our first outfit post tryout was both fun and very interesting (stepping out of our comfort zone). The final pictures were not so bad as we thought they were going to be, and the hot chocolate drink after the ice-cold foto shoot was without a doubt the best we ever had. 🙂
So what do you think? Would you like to see more of this kind of posts (or please never again)? Let us know!
We want to thank Joke (Marketing A.S.Adventure), Rudolph (Manager A.S.Adventure Store Bruges), Kansas and the whole A.S.Adventure Store Bruges Sales Team for their help and making this (fashion) adventure even beter. Thanks folks, you rock!
