Tuesday 8 August 2017

Bags and buttons

I wish the weather would make up its mind once and for all, as this neither here nor there weather is getting on my nerves. It's not really cold, but it's humid, which is the worst kind of weather for me as it's making my joints, especially my knee, play up.

There were days when the sun was playing hide and seek with a thick layer of grey clouds. On others, strong gusts of wind were playing a game of their own with those leaves which were already hanging on by their fingernails, as if it was Autumn and not the middle of Summer.

It's been over a month now since we came back from holiday and we're more than half way through summer, which makes me feel a bit deflated.

It was a good thing that the week before last Think Twice was in the last stages of its sales, so that I could spend my lunch breaks rummaging through the € 1 and € 2 bargains.



I grabbed a couple of dresses and skirts without trying them on, knowing that I could always sell them on at next year's flea market if they didn't fit. There was a gorgeous dress which was just a tiny bit too tight, but this one here was a perfect fit.

It's handmade and the material is cotton for a change. I'm not sure if it's real 1950s or rather a later imitation.

The dress needed new buttons as one was missing. As they are purely for decoration (the dress closes with a side zipper and some poppers at the collar), I was spoilt for choice, and came up with these double-layered light blue ones.



There were handbags galore as well, all going for € 1. Isn't that tapestry one a beauty?

That Friday, I took the afternoon off and met my friend Inez for coffee.

Afterwards, we went to look at Think Twice's new collection, picking up yet another handbag. This one would blend in well with one of those Astrakhan coats, don't you think? In the bottom left photo, I have put it next to a hat I own. Not sure if it's fake or the real thing.


The necklaces were a present from Inez.

Saturday came along and lo and behold, she'd brought a little bit of sun with her. Though not for long.



I was wearing classic red, white and blue. This cute short-sleeved red on navy print Diolen dress has white trim at the sleeves and collar, which is V-shaped and decorated with four red buttons at the yoke. It's one of those frocks that never fails to cheer me up.

As it didn't look right with any of my necklaces, I just pinned on two coordinating cat brooches.



I believe the turquoise Karelia jacket was once part of a two-piece, and I'm imagining it combined with a box-pleated skirt or maybe a pair of bell bottoms. I bought it on its own though, its companion if there was one long gone.

I added a white flower corsage, complementing my white hair flower to keep my hair, which was in need of a wash, in check. An off-white bag and my red Clarks sling backs completed my outfit.

Our weekly charity shopping trip brought us to a shop in Mechelen we hadn't visited for a while as we'd left empty handed too many times. They had enlarged their clothing department and there was a whole aisle of dresses to browse through. My heart skipped a beat when I found some vintage gems among the usual high street stuff !




The second dress, also long-sleeved, in black with a very colourful pattern, needed a tiny bit of TLC, as its buttons were beyond their sell-by date and, frankly speaking, didn't do anything for this dress.


I unearthed these turquoise beauties from my stash of vintage buttons, and: Ta-dah!



We then carried on to our favourite charity shop, the one in Duffel near the park, where we sat on a bench eating the sandwiches we'd brought.



Walking around confirmed our suspicion that there's definitely a hint of Autumn in the air already.



The flower borders near the water's edge were quite overgrown, and I'm sure some of the plants were over well before their time.


Nature is definitely acting a bit weird this year ...




On to the charity shop where I found two more handbags. I'm not sure if the rattan basket was actually meant to be used as a handbag, but who cares?



From a supply cart, I grabbed this 1970s canister, which hadn't even made it onto the shelves yet.

These delightful apple decorated canisters could be saved for by buying petrol at Gulf petrol stations and are now very popular with the retro crowd, commanding higher prices than the € 0,50 we paid for this one.


We already have some of these canisters in Dove Cottage's kitchen, all originals obtained by Jos at the time.



This brass photo frame with slightly domed glass won't be empty for long, as we have boxes full of old family photographs to choose from.



Our final buy was this gorgeous 1950s olive wood jug, which set us back € 6.  A snip, according to various Etsy and other web shops.  I am totally in love with its shape and the wood's swirly grain.

If all goes well, I am linking up with Patti's Visible Monday for the very first time ...



34 comments:

  1. This was just the post I needed to read today-so many wonderful treasures. That 50's dress...*swoon*. The handbags are all magnificent-such great finds.

    I have to think, "When in doubt, add cats" could be a motto for all sorts of situations in life. They're great brooches.

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    1. I'm glad my post cheered you up, Goody! I grabbed the 50s dress fully expecting it not to fit me, but it did. It's quite rare to find a piece like that here, unless you are prepared to pay a fortune ... xxx

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  2. I just discovered your blog at visible Monday today! I am really enjoying it, and thank you for adding your link. xo

    -Patti
    http://notdeadyetstyle.com

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  3. What wonderful finds! I love the 50s dress, and the cheerful one you're wearing. That olive wood jug is just darling.

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    1. Thank you! The dress I'm wearing is a favourite, and I'm sure the 50s one will become one too! xxx

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  4. Lookin' good in this red, white and blue outfit! Very attractive.

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  5. the dress on top - totally late 50´s...... the pattern, colors and cut says this clearly.
    mountains of attraktive handbags! here i never see them - if they have one or two vintage ones i´m lucky - and then only in black. (have to much black bags already)
    the cheerful dress and red shoes are so pretty on you! but i cant wait to see you in the pussy bow frock :-)
    the wooden jug is a piece of art!
    hugest hugs! xxxxxxx

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    1. Thank you Beate. I'm glad the 50s dress mystery has been cleared up, and that it seems to be an original! I have forbidden myself to buy any more black handbags, unless it's something really special, like the Astrakhan one ... xxx

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  6. Wow Ann, you have wonderful finds and the dress you wear is amazing. The weather is to hot or to cold in germany.
    I wish you a great day, XO Tina

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    1. Thank you Tina! The weather's exactly the same here in Belgium, Tina. I'm longing for a summer's day with exactly the right temperature ... xxx

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  7. Gaaah. You, Vix and Goody seem to be the BEST shoppers. I wish I knew what your tricks were. I'd have been happy with any one of those finds. They're all really nice. The first dress and your navy, red and white one are both ace.

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    1. Thank you Mim. If I had any tricks, I'd definitely share them with you. I suppose it's just down to luck, and of course it helps having 3 wonderful vintage shops within walking distance from my office! xxx

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  8. Wow, so many fabulous bargains! And handbags for €1!! I do love those turquoise buttons you dug out, they're super cute.

    Oh and the weather here sucks. We've had soooo much rain, the last couple of weeks have felt more like February or March than August! xx

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    1. Thank you Cate! I have so many buttons but I cannot sew. This way I get to use some of them, and improve an item of clothing by adding new buttons ... xxx

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  9. I really love the olive wood jug, it's beautiful and so unusual.
    You found some great dresses, my very favourite I'd the first, it's has a great shape and pattern, perfect.
    You found lots of fantastic bags too.
    Speaking of weather :( we are getting a month of rain in a day here today! xxx

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    1. The olive wood jug is a fabulous piece isn't it? I can't stop looking at it and stroking it ... The weather's been really terrible here too ... xxx

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  10. Isn't it atrocious? When I look back at my blog I think it was colder last year but not as wet (I was wearing a sheepskin hat and mittens a year ago!)
    Some fab finds there, mrs! Love the embroidered bag and the Gulf canister, the wooden jug especially. I remember collecting their groovy stickers from the petrol station as a little girl. the logo was so cheery!
    I'm glad you managed a stroll in the park and got to wear your fabulous frocks! xxx

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    1. Having a blog is a great way of keeping track of what we've been doing and what the weather was like, isn't it? A lot of last Summer would have been wiped out for me otherwise, due to my dad being in such a bad way and passing away end of August. The petrol station my dad went to gave away free chewing gum, so I always wanted to go with him when he went for a top up ... xxx

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  11. Ann, you look absolutely adorable in your vintage frock and red accessories! And the first dress is amazing, I'd wear it too! I love how you match buttons with your found dresses, and all the finds are wonderful. The tapestry bag is so pretty! I always enjoy to look at your vintage finds.

    I hope your weather will improve, and you guys have some warmth and sunshine in this last month of Summer! I hear this Summer is cold in the European part of Russia as well, but it is as hot as always in Siberia. Lots of love!

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    1. Thank you Natalia! Although we are longing for some sunshine, it's not all bad that it's been raining, as it has been far too dry earlier this year .... xxx

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  12. such lovely dresses you found!, all of them have fabulous prints!, and such a bunch of bags! I love particularly that tapestry bag!, and the cute rattan basket-bag (my mom had one like that! she gave it to me, and I used it to carry my art supplies for years!)
    We're having autumnal weather right now, so weird!.
    besos
    besos

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    1. Thank you Monica. What a coincidence that your Mum had the same basket/bag! The weather has definitely been weird here, but thankfully not as hot, as I'm not sure I'd survive 37°C! xxx

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  13. Oh my, that first dress is aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaamazing!!!!! If you ever decide to get rid of it plllllllllllllllllease let me know! You have SUCH a way with colour and pattern and accessories- your second outfit is an absolute joy to behold! You did well in the charity shops and that olive wood jug is a beauty! We were drooling over all the olive wood in Greece last week- we have a few items of it at home.x

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    1. I'll think of you when/if I get tired of the dress, Kezzie. You've got first dibs! Hope you had a great time in Greece, can't wait to read all about it! xxx

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  14. What a difference buttons can make! I love buttons and often see items of clothing that could be vastly improved with better of more exciting buttons. I have a few things in my wardrobe that were purchased just because I liked the buttons so much!
    x

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    1. Oh, I have done that too, Hazel, bought items of clothing just because I loved the buttons. And I often buy things I immediately know I'm going to change the buttons of ... xxx

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    1. It's been a long time I had such a serious haul. Now, I have to get rid of some of my more boring ones ... xxx

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  16. That wooden jug is so unusual. Never seen anything quite like it! I too feel a bit deflated about summer disappearing. Weather today rainy and chilly. Blackberries are ready to pick in some areas of the valley - nature is certainly a little erratic this year!! X

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    1. Bladkberries are ready to pick here too, and our winter flowering Clematis is producing a new batch of flowers ... I'm keeping my fingers crossed for some Indian Summer! xxx

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  17. Oh Ann I don't know what's happening with blogger but I'm not seeing your posts or replies. Hope you don't think I'm ignoring you.
    It's lovely to see all your lovely outfits and I can see a few that need to be put in my pile of stuff
    Mum would love that wooden jug so shove that in with my stuff as well please haha xxx

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    1. Blogger has a mind of its own, it seems! I did wonder where you'd disappeared to, but put it down to some of your "fiffing and faffing" ;-) Your pile of stuff is growing, but I think we're keeping the wooden jug! xxx

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