on June 22, 2021
Shot on 35mm film by Nikki van de Poel @satallitejune
https://www.satellitejune.com/
At Romys home in the Netherlands
June 2021
I have been following Romy for some years via her very personal insight on her Instagram. She oozes bohemian style and lives a slow and whole lifestyle on her farm she shares with her family in the Netherlands.
We were delighted when worlds collided and we were able to arrange a distant shoot with her through the talented Nikki from Satallite June Photography.
Journalling with Romy
Tell me a little bit about yourself...
My sister and I were born and raised in Amsterdam by our mom. The three of us grew up in a colorful house on a corner next to the Vondelpark, my mom hated painting walls and floors but loved the outcoming and was always busy to redecorate and change things around at our home. I loved helping her with the painting part so from a very young age I got a lot of freedom to help her decide and create. That love for colors, textures and lots of prints from a young age also found it’s way into my clothing style. I always wore what I felt most comfortable in and didn’t really follow any trends. My style reflects a lot of my personality, I don’t have a hard time expressing myself at all in life.
As a teen I loved to go thriftshopping and hunting treasures. Still do. I just turned 30, married the love of my life almost 6 years ago and we have three kids together. We moved to our dreamhouse last year, an old farm that was build in 1784 just outside of the city I grew up in. My mom lives in a house on the same property which is an absolute dream. We are slowly making everything feel like ‘us’ around here. Which is something I love to do, creating a home that makes us and everyone that comes here feel welcome.
What or who inspires your style ?
The seventies, mostly. But also what feels good and very much depending on my mood. I hate clothing that’s too tight, I move a lot during the day (I think every mom can relate to that part) so I prefer layering. Dresses over jeans, cardigans or sweatshirts over dresses, lots of wool and other natural fabrics so I can adjust to the weather during the day.
Dressing for days with the children doesn't have to be boring right ? You always make it look effortless... what's your favourite go-to look?
I love prints. You won’t see any stains, or not that quickly. I always feel better when I did an effort to get dressed. Doesn’t have to be an all out outfit as if I’m ready to go out but wearing one of my favorite (and most comfortable dresses) always makes me feel better so throwing them on and a brush through my hair takes literally 2 minutes and makes a huge difference for my mood.
Your perfect day? How would it go and who would it be with?
I love the unexpected days that feel calm and whole. The days that when night falls you smile at yourself and realize how much you enjoyed the day. For me, in this phase of life, while juggling motherhood, years filled with broken nights, readjusting to all the feelings and anxiety that being a mom triggered for me, trying to squeeze in work, being a wife, a friend, taking care of our animals, household and so much more it’s so easy for me to turn into a very stressed person and forget tuning in to feel what I need before taking care of everybody else.
But I’m aware of the fact that I’m easily overwhelmed so I try everyday to calm down, take it easy and most of all to not be too hard on myself. We’re all doing the best we can. On some days that feels like more than enough and on other days it doesn’t. So the perfect days to me feel like days when life just ‘flows’ if that makes sense. I also have the best girlfriends one can wish for so next to my family they are totally part of my perfect days.
Music to make you feel good?
I really enjoy making spotify lists. If I want to, that list later on recreates moments. They’re like small bookmarks and everytime you hear one of those songs later on in life it brings you back. Sometimes it’s a good thing and sometimes it isn’t. I love the fact that music can do that. Right now I’m trying to find my way mothering three little ones which is mostly chaos but I know I’m going to miss this period so much when they’re older. My latest spotify list to mark all this is ‘lente2021’ and my spotify name is romycécile
Your favourite naked generation piece?
The Polly dress, the Florie blouse and Florie dress. Those, for me, are on my lists of ‘feelgood pieces to wear on shitty days, or just everyday’.
