Wednesday 10 August 2016

All that summer, we enjoyed it, wind and rain and shine

In spite of the fact that we are already more than halfway through summer, I can't help feeling that we are still waiting for it to happen. So far, there has been a lot of wetness and greyness, and when summer did decide to make an appearance, it was to make us wilt and sweat liberally during a short heatwave, when the air-conditioning had to be cranked up in the office and the bus home was like a sauna on wheels.

How I long for some good old-fashioned summer days, with the temperature just right and not making you dash for the shade the minute you step outside, and with just the right amount of fluffy clouds in the sky. Oh, and I want a whole string of them, not just the odd day here and there. Not easily pleased, me!




Maybe such summers only exist in my imagination, but I distinctly remember the glorious weeks in August we spent in Cornwall in 1995. Admittedly, as it was the first summer holiday Jos and I spent together, I might be looking through rose-tinted glasses here.

Cornwall, August 1995

Last week, summer went missing altogether and we were served with some true autumn weather with lots and lots of rain, especially on Tuesday and Wednesday.

By Friday we seemed to be over the worst and we actually got some sunshine although big fat rain clouds kept gathering on the horizon.

The weekend started early for me, and on Friday afternoon it was time for some fun. After a kick-starting coffee with Princess Inez at our usual haunt, we were ready for some vintage shopping. We were in luck, as Think Twice had just started another sales, with 30% off on everything.

There are three of these shops in Antwerp and not only did we visit them all, I struck gold at all three.



First I found this biscuit coloured slubbed silk jacket, tailor-made in Salzburg. Although I already own quite a few jackets, there is always a place for another one in my life, and this one was so gorgeous I couldn't leave it behind. Those buttons are works of art!


In the next shop I tried on a skirt and several dresses but only one dress, typically the one which I didn't have high expectations of, did more than fit the bill and came home with me.

Oh, and I found a cute little handbag, which I simply couldn't resist. You could already catch a glimpse of it in the opening photo of this post.









Shop number 3 yielded a dress, in fresh greens, with a vertically striped and buttoned bodice, shown here by Angelica.


Here she is again, showing you two tops I managed to find as well:


A little polka dotted button-through blouse with elaborate embroidery on the sleeves ...


... and a short-sleeved green knitted jumper with unusual stitch detail.

Saturday we did a short round of the charity shops, but my only finds were this green wool-blend jacket and a flowery scarf, which actually go quite well together.


Angelica did have her work cut out! While I was playing dress-up with her, Phoebe decided to join us. Here she is, looking decidedly bored with it all.



This is what I wore to hit the charity shops:


I chose a dress in cool blues, with a self-fabric belt. Again, I felt it needed a bit of a colour dash, and I chose some dark red accessories, especially as I wanted them to match my new bag.


Dress and handbag: Think Twice
Cardigan, bracelet and ring: retail
Shoes: Clarks, bought in the sales in the UK
Brooch: flea market
Beads: Blender Vintage Shop

Finally, here's a round-up of the things I picked up at Blender Vintage Shop when we went to collect Twiggy a couple of weeks ago.



This handmade green dress is patterned with a sprinkling of tulips. It is trimmed with red ric-rac, and look at those amazing double-layered butterfly sleeves!



My final finds were this cute white wicker handbag, which needed some TLC, and no less than ten plastic necklaces for my collection. They were ten for € 10, so it would have been rude to buy less.

Next up will be a visit to a flea market, on which I hope you will join me again!

30 comments:

  1. You seem to be in constant good favour with the vintage gods, always finding treasures! I love your new bag. You might have had to wrestle me for that one. Wouldn't have been pretty. And look at that green jacket you found in the chazza! Good gracious, you have skills. I love your yellow plastic beads, I'm on the lookout for a set myself. Is Princess Inez a real life princess? Xxx

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    1. Of course she is a real life princess ;-) She's the one who pushed me to start this blog, so surely she is owed the title of "princess". Together we are a force to be reckoned with when out vintage shopping: Princess Inez & Polyester Princess! xxx

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  2. Oh wow! I love all your vintage finds!

    Phoebe does look fed up, but what a gorgeous kitty! ♥

    I agree with you, on the weather. I feel as though I'm still waiting for Summer to happen, and a much as I love Autumn, I don't really want it to come earlier than it should. xx

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    1. Thanks Yvonne! I'm afraid that is Phoebe's "normal" look. She might be gorgeous but she's a real drama queen. xxx

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  3. Oh wow! I love all your vintage finds!

    Phoebe does look fed up, but what a gorgeous kitty! ♥

    I agree with you, on the weather. I feel as though I'm still waiting for Summer to happen, and a much as I love Autumn, I don't really want it to come earlier than it should. xx

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  4. You've found some cracking bits there! I love that tulip printed dress, those sleeves!!
    I'm so with you on Summer. Today feels distinctly Autumnal although the BBC keep telling us that we've got a heatwave on the way.
    Phoebe looks very grumpy, but she's still gorgeous! xxx

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    1. I couldn't resist that tulip dress, although I'm not sure when I will wear it. Maybe I should take your cue and just wear it to the supermarket? Oh, and Phoebe's middle name is "her grumpiness"! xxx

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  5. Your perfect summer ( not too hot, not too fresh) is what we usually have in September here. But, as I will be back at work ... I am not in a hurry for it now!! :-)
    The biscuit colour of your silk jacket makes it a key piece!
    I wish you a wonderful weather in the weekend!!

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    1. Thank you Dan, and I wish you a great weekend too! Maybe I should come to Italy in September, then. xxx

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  6. Ahhh, that bag!! The embroidery on it is so adorable and I love the wooden handles. I really want to crochet a bag a bit like that but I'm on the hunt for the perfect handles before I start.
    I also love the green knitted jumper but oh, the beautiful green dress at the end! It's got such a 1930s vibe to it and seriously who doesn't love ric rac trim? xx

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    1. Oh, a crocheted bag would be very nice! The embroidery on the bag is adorable but a bit delicate, so not a bag for every day use ... I can't resist a ric rac trim, me! xxx

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  7. pretty fabulous finds!!! look at all that green (my fav color)!
    and your´wearing a gorgeous ensemble - you really "peppered" it with all the red hues! i´m in love with the cute clarks shoes and the multi colored bracelet!
    since ages i have the idea to make such a wooden handled bag myself with some plywood and a saw - but i need to find a interesting and sturdy fabric first.......
    xxxxxx

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    1. I love green too! And I've already worn the green jacket to work this week. Yes, I know: a wool blend jacket in the middle of "summer" ... As for the bag, the fabric is sturdy but there's also some kind of reinforcement between the outer fabric and the lining. Making the handles yourself should be interesting. xxx

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    2. thank you for the bag details!!! stay tuned :-)
      and i wore my fair isle wool sweater - with turtle neck - the last few evenings!! but thankfully today it´s getting warmer! xxxxx

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  8. I did immediately sopt your bag in the first photo - it's quite a stunner, isn't it? And all the colours will mean it's really versatile. Good haul!

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    1. I guess everyone's eyes were drawn to that bag. I was quite surprised it hadn't been picked up by anyone else yet. xxx

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  9. You did great. The green sweater is so lovely, and that silk jacket is incredibly beautiful.

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    1. I was on my way out when I spotted that jacket, so I was quite lucky. I'm sure it would have been snapped up by my next visit. xxx

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  10. You did great. The green sweater is so lovely, and that silk jacket is incredibly beautiful.

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  11. Oh the ric-rac dress- so, so so beautiful!!! I am in utter envy!!!

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    1. Thanks Kezzie, I love a bit of ric-rac, which is often a selling point for me. xxx

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    1. It is cute, isn't it, but a bit delicate too ... xxx

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  13. Fantastic outfits and new finds, dear Ann. I hear you regarding feeling like summer hasn't really started in full yet. With four months of substantially more rainy, grey weather than usual, that's how we feel as well. To its credit though, parts of August have been nice, warmer and drier, which helps a bit. I hope that you guys get some really lovely weather for these final weeks of the season.

    Big hugs & tons of heartfelt thanks for all of your wonderfully kind, caring recent blog comments,

    ♥ Jessica

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    1. The weather is a little better now, we are finally having some wonderful summer days, which are not too warm. Hopefully this weather will stay with us a little bit longer ... xxx

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  14. Amazing finds!! The double sleeve green dress is so unusual xx

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    1. Thank you, I still have to find occasion to actually wear it, though ... xxx

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  15. Thank you! I still have to find occasion to actually wear it, though ... xxx

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  16. So much goodness here! Love the dresses and the tops and the green knit! I also love the song your blog title comes from, it's so sweet xxx

    Ps - and red shoooes!

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