Saturday 27 May 2017

It's easy being green!

To those of you who have been reading my blog for a while, it will come as no surprise that I love green!


Still, trawling through my photo archives, I was amazed about the number of my outfits containing at least a splash of green.


Among Dove Cottage's homewares and decorative items are quite a few green treasures as well.


Clockwise from top left: miniature enameled copper teapot, vintage apron, Tala pastry cutters and enamelware colander.

Then, of course, there's the garden, at this time of year a lush jumble of greens: a verdant room, its walls clad with cascading ivy.



However, it has only been in the last couple of years that I started being attracted to all things green.

When asked for my favourite colour as a small child, I'd have said blue, hence the blue dresses I often seemed to be dressed in.

In the early 1970s, it would have been that obiquitous colour of the decade, orange, which featured prominently in the wallpaper of my choice.

Then in the late 1970s, and into the early 1980s, I was a Siouxsie & The Banshees fan and wore a lot of black.

My thing for green must have already been lurking in the background, though, as I remember falling in love with a bright green daisy print mini skirt which was on display in a small local department store around 1980.



Oh, how I coveted that skirt, which I envisioned myself wearing with black fishnets and a black top. And my black leather jacket, obviously!

One little problem: it was child sized!  But every time I was running an errand for my Mum, the row of little skirts was winking at me. In the end, the lure of the green skirt proved to be too strong, and there was nothing for it but to try on the largest size which, being of slight built, I'm happy to report fit me perfectly.



And it was money well spent too, as I wore that skirt to death. Hence, it is not the fabric of the actual skirt in the photograph, but rather a well-worn 1970s tablecoth I found at a flea market last year.

It subconciously reminded me of the skirt and, if the print is not exactly the same, the shade of green certainly is.


If you remember, I bought an emerald green quilted dressing gown at a flea market a couple of weeks ago. At the time, I only showed a close up of one of its ruffled pockets, but as Cate told me she'd like to see a full length view, here it is, being worn by Angelica.


That same week, I made another green purchase. Here I was, browsing Think Twice's rails during one of my lunch breaks, when, out of the corner of my eye, I saw a flash of bright green in the coats rail.

I have been looking for a green vintage raincoat for years and - if they turn up at all - they are either too small or too large, or the wrong shape, length or fabric.

Could this be what I was looking for at last? Gingerly, I pulled the coat from the rail and ... oh, my: pure 1960s, with those cute metal thingies decorating the pockets and the half belt at the back!


The label confirmed what I'd already suspected, and it was in pristine condition too. Brand new, in fact, as I later found a manufacturing label sewn into one of the pockets. And the good thing is that it fits me!


Vintage shopping is never about a quick fix and sometimes you have to be very patient, but nothing beats the feeling of finally finding what you have been looking for!


I was wearing green last Saturday as well, although its shade was of a very different kind.

This short-sleeved dress in muted grey-greens has a flower print in pink, red and purple, which prompted my choice of accessories: pink belt and ring, and wooden beads in the exact colours of the dress's flowers.


On Sunday, I finally wore my poppy dress, which I combined with a green belt and cardie, to which I'd clipped a fuchsia flower corsage (a hair clip, actually!) in lieu of a brooch.


We were having brunch with Jos's eldest daughter and her family, and went for a walk afterwards, in order to feed a cute pair of donkeys! The family's dog, Stafke, had to be carried part of the way, as the poor little mite, not used to long walks, was getting out of breath.


A final splash of green was worn on Monday: this fresh green polka dot peplum top (a firm favourite from Think Twice) which I combined with a salmon pink floral skirt I charity shopped back in March.

I seem to be in the mood for green and pink, a combination I think is Spring personified.

I'm thinking of pink blossomed shrubs and trees, but also of one of my favourite garden plants, which is currently in bloom, the double Aquilegia 'Nora Barlow'.



I saw a photo of them in a gardening magazine when we first had our garden, and searched high and low, until one winter's day I stumbled across one measly little plant in a local garden centre.

Of course, it being in the middle of winter, I had to have faith as well as patience, but lo and behold: by May its first few buds had appeared which opened into these frilly pink and white flowers, looking almost as if they are wearing crinolines.

Shadowplay through Clematis armandii leaves, kaleidoscope Alliums and dewdrops captured in a poppy flower bud

They are still going strong after all these years and as they self-seed wherever takes their fancy, we now have flowering plants in at least three different locations.

Have you ever been wearing an outfit inspired by a favourite flower?

.

43 comments:

  1. A fellow green lover! I've always loved green since I was a child...

    What fabulous photos you've taken of green clothes, objects and plants. The outfits are all fabulous and I do like how you've paired green with pink - it is so summery and reminds me of ice cream; pistachio and strawberry, maybe?

    Well done on finding the perfect green raincoat
    - patience brings its own reward!

    Finally, I just adore the green enamelled teapot - how gorgeous is that?

    Have a fab weekend
    xxx

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    1. Oh, now I've got a craving for pistachio and strawberry ice cream ;-) That little teapot is sweet, isn't it? Mind you, it's less than 10 cm high! I've got a couple of them, bought in Glastonbury (the town, not the festival) years ago! xxx

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  2. Nora Barlow is so pretty, Unfortunately I lost mine, but I've just bought some penstemons to add perennial summer colour. What a find your green mac was! Love the shade of green and half belt...you never see them these days.Xx

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    1. I do love Penstemons as well, Fiona, but for some reason they are not commonly found here. And I do love a coat with a half belt ... xxx

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  3. mwhaha, I love to read about your 'fav color evolution' as it has been very similar to my own evolution!, and I'm also developing a taste for green! and pink!
    Love to see you in all that green color, so many fabulous outfits. Lovely grey dress and matching beads, and so cute accessories. Lovely poppies dress and green cardi and cute accessories, once more. Actually, I always love your accessorizing, you rock!!!
    gorgeous in green!
    besos

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    1. Thank you Monica! Accessories do make an outfit, don't they? Besos xxx

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  4. Hooray, you found a green raincoat!
    I love green as well. That teapot! What a beauty.

    I had to laugh at the small dog being carried. We had a poodle years ago that would put up with about ten minutes of walking before he sat, and refused to move. He was worse than a child.

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    1. I was green with envy when I saw yours recently ;-) The dog actually loves walking but has a problem which means he is getting out of breath quickly. At one point he was being carried in a shopping bag. I remarked that at least he looked intelligent: the bag had a University of Brussels logo! xxx

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  5. I loved the Banshees too; it was Siouxsie's 60th birthday yesterday so I got out the old records last night!
    I love the green, it's a fresh cool colour and you have some gorgeous outfits.
    I have the same aquilegia in my garden, we have matching gardens! xxx

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    1. Siouxsie 60??? My goodness that makes me feel old!

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    2. I'd read on Facebook that it was Siouxsie's 60th birthday, and I guess I was in shock! Anyway, I named my next post after one of her songs as a tribute! xxx

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  6. You have quite the green collection there!! I fell out of favour with green for a while but now it's back in my wardrobe

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    1. Thank you! I think my wardrobe contains every possible colour including green. Once in a while, I have a craving for a certain colour, while others temporarily fall out of favour ... xxx

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  7. I do love green!! Particularly that lovely emerald shade. A few weeks ago, I bought a 70's dagger collar floral blouse in a vintage shop and also a Topshop green robbed turtle neck, useful for layering under my sleeveless dresses!
    Your collection is absolutely brilliant!!!!x

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    1. Thank you Kezzie. I can't resist anything in emerald green, which is an absolute favourite! xxx

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  8. yep - lately - the pansy-look! :-)
    your green parade is just fabulous <3 a feast for my eyes!
    so here is from another green lover - a bit more on the bottle green side - but if i see a green item what ever it is - i have have it! and because green seems to be rare somewhat for kitchenalia (around here its more the blue) and clothes (in my style and size), it would never bee to much green in my life :-D
    as a kid i always dreamed of a dark green taffeta gown - but during the 80´s the black was it for me too....
    wish you a good, green and sunny week! xxxxx
    jos with the dog - awww! :-)

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    1. You look lovely in the pansy-look, Beate! We seem to find quite a lot of green kitchenalia, although blue is lovely too. I agree with you on the "awww" factor of that photo ;-) xxx

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  9. I love all of the green. Looks fabulous on you it's really your color. I haven't been inspired by a flower but one of my favorite films is little Shop of horrors ans I have a brooch of the man eating plant Seymore

    Kate Kitsch formerly retro rover

    https://timetravelwithkatekitsch.wordpress.com/?ref=spelling

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  10. Link wrong oops
    https://timetravelwithkatekitsch.wordpress.com

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    1. Great to hear you've started a new blog, Kate! I saw it on Facebook, and I've already added your new blog to my reading list :-) xxx

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  11. Just found out about your blog! I love green, wonderful!

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  12. I love all your green stuff, especially your green frocks. Can I say I'm green with envy.
    I've noticed a lot of pink in my wardrobe. Its not that its my favourite colour, in fact I don't think I've got a favourite.
    There's plenty of greenery around for your forthcoming visit Ann. Bet you are getting excited now.
    Lynn xxx

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    1. Thanks Lynn, and I'm absolutely getting excited now. Only two more weeks ... xxx

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  13. It's a lovely selection of green clothes and objects ! No doubt that the colour suits you well ... the sleeveless dress ( is it from cotton? ) is very nice!
    Your poppy dress goes well with the green cardigan...

    Green brings a pinch of positiveness into a grey day!!

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    1. Thank you Dan! I don't think the dress is cotton, though, probably "good old" polyester ;-) xxx

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  14. That green mac is just fabulous, good things come to those that wait...and wait and wait!!
    A wonderful little photo montage of all your lovely green things. That teapot is incredibly lovely as are all your clothes especially that rather smart looking suit.
    Happy Birthday to Siouxsie! Last time I saw her play was 9 years ago and looked incredible in a silver spandex catsuit. Jon supported her in the late 1980s and said she was the nicest, friendliest person ever. xxx

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    1. That little teapot (less than 10 cm!) came from a shop in Glastonbury. In the early 80s, I almost ran into Siouxsie after a concert in Ghent, which I couldn't go to as I didn't have the money. She was really nice, and I was starstruck! xxx

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  15. I have followed you for quite awhile and it's true you do love green (blog header image - for example).
    If you are so inclined, pop over to http://www.nohatsinthehouse.com/2017/05/reminder-vote-for-your-favorite-pantone.html to view the 2017 Pantone Quilt Challenge Greenery (color of the year) entries and vote on your favorites. My entry in the Minis is the Hippy Chick Wonky Wallhanging.

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    1. Thank you Tami. I popped over and voted for your Hippy Chick Wonky Wallhanging quilt. It should win that category for its name alone :-) xxx

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  16. Glorious green! I do like green, but own so little, just a dress, a hair scarf, my new scarf (thank you! ❤), a knit top and crochet shrug. I do have green jewellery that I made though.

    Love your peplum top, can't beat polka dots! I am also a fan of the teapot!

    Oh! Just remembered! I have two other green dresses in my mending drawer, both vintage, one a simple day dress from the fifties and the other, I think, is crepe chiffon, if that's even a thing, and is very evening suited xxx

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    1. It seems you own more green than you originally thought, then! That peplum top is a favourite! xxx

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  17. Oh that green raincoat is amazing, I'm so glad it fitted.

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  18. A lovely post. Green is my favourite colour, and was my mother's too. The only problem wardrobe wise is that I am very short, and like to keep to the same colour top and bottom. I wear a lot of pants, but green top and pants would make me look like an elderly elf or more likely a gnome I think!

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    1. Thank you Julia, but somehow I can't get the elderly elf imagine out of my head now ;-) I guess green top and pants would indeed be a just a tiny bit over the top ... xxx

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  19. Oooh, that green raincoat! Clearly a reward for all your patience. There really isn't a rush to compare with finding the perfect vintage thing, is there?

    I love green. It's probably my favourite colour to wear - that or navy.

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    1. I quite like navy too, which I think is lovely combined with ... green! xxx

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  20. I love green! Although green clothing does seem to be harder to find than other colours, for some reason. I am super jealous of your lovely raincoat ;)

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    1. You're quite right in that green clothing is harder to find than other colours. Seeing that so many people seem to love green, I wonder why that is? xxx

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  21. I don't wear green very often but I do have a few pieces that I love, most recently a very full skirt with huge pockets - I am so looking forward to wearing it a lot over the summer months.
    You have some amazing green dresses, I love the middle one in the second picture, it's a fab shape.
    Glad to see you've worn your poppy dress - it's a beaut x

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    1. I'd love to see the skirt, Hazel. Oh, and I should definitely wear that middle dress again. I will go and dig it out of the depths of my wardrobe ... xxx

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