Wednesday 21 March 2018

Be my Baby ... Brownie!

Looking at my diary for March, I almost did a double take when I saw that two of my favourite events had been chalked in for the same weekend!

So, we'd hardly recovered from the Retro Day of Saturday before last, when there was our favourite flea market to go to on Sunday.

We were still having a temporary respite from the cold, so I decided to wear Saturday's swing coat again, accessorizing it with blue instead of red for a change, with a sky blue lightweight wool scarf and a beret in electric blue.



I was originally wearing a pink cardie underneath, but that was discarded only minutes after entering the flea market venue. 

My blue frock was sprinkled with bursts of pink flowers, and in spite of initial misgivings (I thought it would be too frumpy), I felt absolutely fantastic wearing it.

This was of course greatly helped by the fabulous belt, which I found lurking in one of my belt boxes, giving the dress an edgy 1980s look. I never thought I would say that about anything 1980s but the further we're getting from that decade, the more I'm appreciating the merits of its iconic looks. 

Not the ginormous shoulder pads, obviously! Nor would I want to go back there, especially not to the old house, which sometimes still haunts me in my dreams.



Oops, sorry to digress!

I added my great aunt Josephine's pink pearls, which puts the outfit back several decades, as does the oval rose brooch. The ring I'm wearing is one of my collection of plastic rings (hello, 1960s!) which I'm picking up whenever I can find them. Sadly, they seem currently to have vanished from the high street. Fashion is so fickle!


A pair of pink-ish tights (they're Falke, and the colour's called Valerian) and my blue, flat heeled boots, and I'm ready for the hunt.


Fast forward several hours and we're back at home with our treasures. Ominous rain clouds were gathering, so I quickly made a tableau on our garden table, where there's the best light for photographs this time of year.


Now, let's look at it all in more detail. 

It wouldn't be a successful flea market if there weren't any brooches. The top three ones are from the same stall, which has an alluring jumble of costume jewellery. Sadly for me, an English lady, who visited the flea market on Saturday, beat me to it, and got away with the best stuff.

The fabulous rectangular micromosaic brooch came cheaply as it had been repaired with a replacement clasp, but luckily I'm not a purist, especially if the price is right. Nobody sees the back when you're wearing it anyway.


These two unusual cameo brooches came from different stalls. They are both celluloid and I'm especially enamoured by the slightly faded lady sporting a Pompadour hairdo on the right.


This Art Deco egg cup and serving platter set by Crown Ducal Ware is missing two of its egg cups, but at € 3 it would have been silly not to take them home.



In spite of my self-imposed handbag ban, Jos persuaded me to buy this beaded evening bag. Oh, go on then!



Having had a similar toy as a young boy, Jos had a bout of nostalgia when he laid eyes on this small plastic dog. Apparently, it can walk, but although it's very tempting to try it out, he's to remain in his packing. 

Poor little mite! As if it isn't bad enough that he's green ...


I wasn't in need of another sewing box, but I loved this small blue and white plastic woven basket, for which I will no doubt find another use.

In case you are wondering about this post's title: this Kodak Baby Brownie camera was actually one of our first buys.



This small, basic Art Deco style camera was originally introduced in 1934. Made of Bakelite, it had a flip frame viewfinder, as you can see in the ad below. Apparently, the company was still called Eastman back then!



Ours, called the Baby Brownie Special, was its replacement, adding an built-in optical view finder, produced by Eastman Kodak Company from 1938 to 1954. 

In the above collage, you can see it next to one of the other Brownie cameras we have in our modest collection, for size comparison.

One of the stars of our collection is a boxed Brownie Starlet camera, complete with flash unit and flashbulbs, dating from the late 1950s.




Jos found this in the waste disposal area in the communal basement of the block of flats we used to live in before we moved to Dove Cottage. As photography has always been one of his interests, he didn't hesitate to give it a home. 

In order to recover from this mad weekend, I managed to take Monday off.

Around noon, our doorbell rang and it was the postman carrying a mysterious parcel.

In it were two gorgeous dresses, complete with their original belts. One even had a matching jacket!
They were a gift from the lovely Gisela at Miss Magpie's Musings! Wasn't it sweet of her to think of me?


They obviously had to be tried on immediately and, as the weather was still mild, it was possible to take outfit photos in the garden without freezing to death.

First up is this candy striped green and cream frock, closed asymmetrically with a row of the most unusual hexagonal mother of pearl buttons. 

The self-fabric belt is slightly too long for me, but I replaced it with a plain green one, and added a green necklace and green slingback shoes with coppery toes. I drew the line at going barelegged so I am wearing nude tights here. 


The second dress is the one with the matching jacket. It's a gorgeous royal blue colour with a subtle gold print and gold piping at the neckline.

I spent the rest of the day making space for my new acquisitions by filling a couple of bags for charity.

Now don't tell me I haven't been a good girl!

39 comments:

  1. Liking The Smiths reference.
    That walking dog! I haven't seen one in decades! How fab!
    All your dresses look lovely. Isn't it funny that the thing you like the least ends up being the best when you try it on? It's always happening to me, too!
    I love the old Box Brownie. It was my first camera until I upgraded to an Instamatic when I was 11! xxx

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    1. Can't resist sneaking in a Smiths reference now and then! I still have my first camera, which incidentally was a Kodak Instamatic. We have at least one Box Brownie too. xxx

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  2. Ann, you have been very lucky receiving lovely parcels of goodies. You have clearly been a good girl!

    I loved your blue and pink dress especially with the blue boots and the swing jacket is a lovely and versatile garment.

    I absolutely loved all your brooches. I bought a similar sewing basket recently in green and pink; it was brand new and had never been used.

    I thought the green and white striped dress with the lovely buttons was magnificent on you...

    We've had as lovely warm Spring day today - hurrah!
    xxx

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    1. I know, I've been very lucky indeed. Not sure if it's because I've been a good girl, though ;-) Can't wait to wear the green and white striped dress ... xxx

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  3. This dress looks awesome on you - the colors, pattern and silhouette, so classically 1980s, are fab! I especially love the belt addition. I also love the shade of your blue beret! And I think I am in need for colored boots, as I don't have any! They really elevate an outfit.

    And even though the English lady got there before you, your beautiful brooches were still there for you to pick them up! And two wonderful dresses from a blogging friend - wasn't it a great day? But of course you are a good girl! :)

    Lots of love!

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    1. Thank you Natalia! I've been wearing the blue boots a lot. I also have a red pair, which are due a wear. I'd love to have a green pair too ... xxx

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  4. Lucky you getting additional vintage pieces in the mail!

    I love that last dark blue dress paired with the red. That colour is wonderful on you.

    You guys sure do have a fantastic collection of vintage pieces. I'd never heard of that type of camera before.

    Suzanne

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    1. People keep telling me that blue suits me, so maybe I should wear it more? Vintage cameras were the first collection Jos and I did together. xxx

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  5. "Slightly faded lady" would be a good name for a band (or a brooch).
    How lovely are those dresses?! Such a thoughtful gift. We had a Brownie-it took great pictures.

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    1. Slightly faded lady about sums up how I'm feeling right now ... xxx

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  6. Oh, good girl - I've been steadily emptying my closet in preparation for spring, letting go of things that were once favourites.

    I love your little camera, and the top brooch you found. Lovely outfits as always - and how sweet that light green dress is for spring (great choice of shoes).

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    1. I've already been doing some swapping around and put away my warmest clothes, bringing out some of my short sleeved frocks in exchange. The shoes were a gift from a friend, who's no longer able to wear them. They were her wedding shoes of all things! xxx

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  7. Ann you dresses look amazing, and you always find so cute brooches.
    Wonderful you find that box brownie :)
    I wish you a nice day, huge hug Tina

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  8. goooood girl!!!
    :-)
    gisela send some fabulous dresses! especially love the white/green one - it has a twenties feeling to me.....so maybe the belt belongs on the hip?
    the fleamarked was worth the effort - pretty brooches, a very neat sewing basket and this gorgeous camera! oh - and the little bag - perfect for a summer evening......
    you wore blue with brown - totally chic - and the dress is not frumpy at all! actually i love the 80s fashion - but "my" 80s were not *dynasty* or nena - it was punk, kenzo&comme de carçon and vintage.
    much love! xxxxxx

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    1. I never even watched Dynasty! I'd left home by then and didn't have television for the best part of the decade. For me the 80s was punk/new wave and I bought my clothes at a huge second hand shop in Antwerp, or made skirts from my parents' cast off curtains. xxx

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    2. i think i´m your little sister in mind - at least 80s wise :-)
      xxxx

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  9. Ooh, those dresses from Gisela fit you beautifully. And Jos was right to insist you get that beaded bag. I like the little green dog, he seems to have plenty of personality even inside his packet.

    You've got some ace cameras there. Do you ever use them? We have a few old ones, but haven't taken any of them out in ages.

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    1. Thank you, Mim. I'm thinking the beaded bag would go well with Gisela's green and white dress! We never use the cameras, but they're all in working order! xxx

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  10. Love all your new acquisitions! You look splendid in the blue dress with pink flowers, and I love the 1980s belt! The old cameras bring back memories of my first camera that was given to me by my Grandad. The first thing I did was drop it! Dad surreptiuosly managed to mend it without Grandad knowing. XX

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    1. What a relief your Dad was able to mend the camera! When I was 18 I went to London with my boyfriend, and took my sister's camera, which I accidentally left behind. That wasn't very funny ... xxx

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  11. Nice belt. Pretty tights. (By coincidence, I watched a movie tonight called "Valerian...".) I love old cameras.

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    1. Thank you Ally! I should do a post about our vintage camera collection! xxx

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  12. You have definitely been a good girl, Ann! ;) I just love the way you accessorise, Ann! I love your necklaces, rings and brooches and I love that fabulous pinky/purply belt! That blue dress looks great with the red accessories, too! Hope you have a relaxing weekend XXX

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  13. What amazes me with you Ann is how you look so nice in everything you wear, no matter what colour, shape, style.
    So looking forward to seeing you in June xxx

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    1. Aw, what a kind thing to say, Lynn. I'm super excited about seeing you too! xxx

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  14. Oh my gosh, I love that Baby Brownie, it's so adorable! The one Jos found in the basement is a fabulous find too, I bet he couldn't believe his luck with that one.
    The green candy stripe dress is gorgeous, I'm a sucker for anything asymmetrical. You lucky lady! xx

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    1. Thank you Cate! I wonder who's camera that was, and why they were getting rid of it ... Well, it's been ours for over 20 years now! xxx

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  15. Your rectangular micromosaic brooch was an unusual find, it's lovely.
    Your pressie dresses are fab, you have such a well developed sense of your own style that others can clearly see things that are just you! They are perfect.
    I have a box brownie too, it's got quite an iconic shape hasn't it?
    Have a great weekend xxx

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    1. Thank you Sally! They're great cameras, aren't they? We've got some older ones as well! xxx

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  16. I.do enjoy living vicariously through you with your vintage buys. You did brilliantly with those brooches and the camera. What nice dresses Gisella sent you! I love the TARDIS blue set! SUCH a gorgeous shape!!x

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    1. Thank you Kezzie, and you're right, it's Tardis blue! xxx

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  17. I do love the egg cups I would have bought them too. I just knew the dresses would look fab on you :)

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    1. Thank you again for thinking of me, Gisela! xxx

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  18. I agree with Veronica, Gisela's green and white frock looks wonderful, isn't it lovely getting parcels in the post? Xx

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    1. It certainly is, Fiona, and I can't wait to wear to Gisela's green and white frock! xxx

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  19. You have been both good and lucky! Fabulous dresses, you always look great in any colour. The green and white has that Spring freshness. My husband bought me an old Brownie recently! Next year I want to start learning photography properly. Xx

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