Fall in Amsterdam is really the peak season for cute outfits. Amsterdam is lovely in the spring, but let’s face it, Amsterdam is a fall city. The color scheme of the traditional Dutch houses along the canals, the golden leaves lining the canals, even the burgundy lampposts in the heart of the city all point to this fact.
And while Amsterdam has a wild reputation, the true heart of the city is cozy. It’s like finding out our favorite bad-boy really likes to peruse a bookstore with a pumpkin spice latte in hand. The Dutch even have their own idiosyncratic word that means cozy: gezellig.
So, get ready to take screenshots, because I am about to impart some fashion knowledge that is both based on observance of super cute outfits I see on the streets and practicality.
Take Hat Risks
The Dutch take some hat risks, and it generally works out for them. When we visited Amsterdam last year to decide if we wanted to move here, our friends tagged along and one of them wore this hat and it was such a cute look. I’ve seen everything from berets (beige, never red) to bowler hats, but never baseball caps and especially not backwards.
Don’t Wear Jeans
Amsterdam is rainy. If you manage a trip and avoid the rain, then count yourself unique. I’ve learned to take my rain coat with me whenever I leave the house, even if there’s not a cloud in the sky. You don’t want to get caught in the rain wearing jeans. Not only does wet denim feel uncomfortable, but it takes forever to dry. You will probably be pretty far from your accommodations and will be stuck in wet jeans for the rest of the day. Fleece-lined leggings with a skirt on top is always going to be a better option.
Try Trousers
Fashionable trousers are all the rage, and I love it. Opt for flannel plaid pieces with high contrast for warmth and a bit of a dark academia vibe, but you could also go for a low contrast piece and try for a more chic look. Pair them with sweaters or a blazer for maximum impact.
Don’t Wear Long Skirts While Biking
You’ve got the cutest mid-length flannel skirt and you want to hop on a bike and cycle around the canals, right? Think again. The long skirt could get stuck in the bicycle chain and will be ripped to shreds. A skirt guard, a chain cover, or even a granny bike (omafiets in Dutch) could help prevent a catastrophe, but you can also tie your skirt up with a hair-tie to be extra safe. Some locals even tie their baggy pants so they don’t get caught in the spokes.
A Cute Crossbody is Everything
You will see crossbody bags everywhere in Amsterdam. They’re like fanny packs but we wear them over one shoulder so they can be on our person while biking. I have a cream waterproof one from Hema that I wear literally every single day, but I’ve seen locals with corduroy bags, even though they clearly aren’t waterproof. I guess once you’ve lived here long enough, you stop buying everything in waterproof.
These bags are super handy. I hate reaching into my purse only for it to move further down as I move my arm further down. But they keep your valuables where you can see them, just a few inches below your nose, right on your chest. I also don’t like having a purse swing from my shoulder while I’m biking, both because I don’t want anyone to be able to reach up and grab it and because I don’t want to make it harder to balance if it starts swinging back and forth.
Experiment with Prints
The Dutch love to wear bold and funky prints and I am here for it! (At least on them, not me! I’m too reserved for bold prints, and I prefer low contrast floral prints.) Bold plaid, colorful stripes, this is no exception in the winter. Even though it may seen like the Dutch favor black and other dark colors, underneath the raincoats it’s a different story. I’ve also noticed that Kelly Green has really been in this year with Dutchies, whether it comes in the form of a crossbody or a button up, the color has really been picking up lately.
Sweaters, Sweaters, and More Sweaters
You really can’t go wrong with sweaters in Amsterdam. Again, Amsterdam is the place to be cozy, with cafes on every corner and warm stroopwafels around every fifteen paces. For the ultimate cozy experience, grab a stroop and a coffee and head to one of the English bookstores (The Book Exchange , The American Book Center, and the English Bookshop on Kalverstraat). Finish off your evening at Canvas, a lovely restaurant with a rooftop bar that has one of the best aerial views of Amsterdam.
Don’t Forget a Raincoat
If this is your only takeaway from this blog, so be it. Amsterdam is rainy. You can get completely soaked in a matter of seconds. Your new furry coat, while cute, will be a walking sponge. What you want, really what you need unless you want to be soaking wet your whole trip, is a long and thin rain coat.
You don’t have to shell out hundreds of dollars for a puffy coat that’s also waterproof. As long as the coat is long, you will be fine. Now layer wisely underneath. I typically do a tee-shirt and a sweater underneath my raincoat, and that is more than enough, especially when biking. You are liable to find yourself in a broccoli bag situation if you bike with your raincoat zipped all the way up, where you start sweating from the insulation from the coat.
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