Wednesday 28 September 2016

Sweet September

We've been having golden September days, with lots of sunshine and hardly any rain worth mentioning. Temperatures have been exceptionally mild, giving our summer wardrobes a final run before being bedded for winter.

Ah, Indian summer! In Flemish we have another, in my opinion more fitting term for it: nazomer, which translates as "after summer". After all, meteorological summer ended on the first of September, so any summer weather beyond that date should be considered a bonus, a dessert after summer's main course of June, July and August.


But the signs are there that all is not as it should be. Summer's abundant growth is over, leaving seed-heads and berries in its wake. The leaves on certain trees are starting to turn and those that are still green have long ago lost their freshness. Chestnuts and acorns are littering the ground, and behind it all is the faint but unmistakable smell of decay.


The light has changed too, the sun no longer being so high, casting shadows where there weren't any before. There's a chill in the air in the mornings, dewy spiderwebs appear out of nowhere, and ribbons of melancholic mist are shrouding the landscape.

“Why is summer mist romantic and autumn mist just sad?”
Dodie Smith, I Capture the Castle -


I've always had a soft spot for autumn. At least, I do for its mellow stage, until it turns nasty with drizzle and rain and stormy weather and it's all downhill to winter. More so than the First of January or the first signs of Spring, September signifies the excitement of change and new beginnings for me, which I've always attributed to the fact that I was born in September and that traditionally it's the start of a new school term.

"Aprils have never meant much to me, autumns seem that season of beginning, spring.”
Truman Capote, Breakfast at Tiffany's

There, I have quoted from two of my favourite books!

Last week I resumed my Friday afternoon shopping trips with Princess Inez, who'd given me a gift voucher from Think Twice for my birthday.


I wanted to spend the voucher on one single piece, but there wasn't much to tempt me in their new collection, so I'm keeping it for later, and only bought these little beauties, which I can't wait to start wearing.


The berets are both from the British Kangol label (I am still mourning the Kangol beret I've lost on the bus last winter) while the hat is Italian made.


Saturday was another glorious day. After taking some good old outfit photos, we headed to a seldom visited charity shop, which is a little out of our way, but which we have never ever left empty-handed.


Dress: one of my first vintage dresses, Think Twice
Brooches: last week's flea market
Beads, handbag: Think Twice
Cardigan and shoes: retail

Apart from an Italian made jacket for Jos and some books on Expo 58, we found this charming Lourdes wall hanging.










It is a little worse for wear, some of the embossed letters having worn off, and there is some foxing going on, but surely that just adds to its old-fashioned kitsch appeal.

After the obligatory picnic, we carried on to another shop, where we struck gold again.


This particular shop, which we often visit, has a good range of English language books, and these are the ones I picked up.


First up is a 1971 paperback edition of Dylan Thomas's Under Milk Wood. As it features Elisabeth Taylor and Peter O'Toole on the cover, it is clear that it was printed with the upcoming 1972 film in mind.

The other book is something of a novelty, called The Scrapbook of Frankie Pratt: A Novel in Pictures, by Caroline Preston. The blurb says "Full color vintage memorabilia on every page", and indeed it's full of vintage postcards, Jazz Age ephemera and typewritten snippets. And look: there's a Corona, just like mine!


You can have a further peek inside here.

My final purchases were a little red and white polka dot cardigan and an amazing green, vintage, three quarter-sleeve jacket. I have a strong suspicion that it was once part of a suit ...


It seems  I have found my charity shopping mojo again. In fact it's ...


 ... Mucking Fagic indeed!

(Photo taken at annoying and extremely noisy fun fair which took place in our village last weekend)

You are invited to join me again for the final stretch of our little trip in my next post. Hope to see you then!

28 comments:

  1. I call it late summer but I don't really care what it's called so long as it hangs around a bit. But you're right, the signs are there. I have the book and the DVD of I capture the castle, but I couldn't quote from them. Can I just say that you look fabulous in that green dress! I don't think we often get to see your waist, which is tiny. How very fitting that you should find Under Milk Wood after your visit this summer. Yep, you're back on form alright! Xxx

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    1. I never thought I had a tiny waist, maybe it just appears so when compared with my broad hips ;-) Nevertheless, thanks for the compliment, Tania. As for the book quotes, I used to "collect" them to accompany my collages on Facebook, which I did before I started blogging ... xxx

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  2. I don't like Autumn so I am thinking of it as late Summer!! Your finds are gorgeous. I ADORE the hats!!! Esp thaat gorge turquoise beret!

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    1. I'm in love with that turquoise beret, Kezzie, it's worth having autumn for, as I can't wait to wear it ... xxx

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  3. Ah, to be in Autumn again, my most favourite season! We literally moved from summer in to autumn overnight hear. On one day it was nearing 30 degrees and the next it was down to 15!
    I do love that green dress on you, it's an amazing colour and really suits you. The berets are a great find, you can never have too many of them in my eyes! xx

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    1. I'm so glad I'm not the only one who loves autumn! In Belgium, we have been moving into autumn quite gently, with temperatures of around 20°C the whole of last week. Today was a real autumn day though ... xxx

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  4. Beautiful photos of Autumn...and I love thinking that sunny, warm days of September are a dessert... really poetic point of view ...
    You have picked up good books ... enjoy the reading!

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    1. Thank you Dan, I guess I was in a poetic frame of mind. xxx

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  5. oohh - i can see a skirt with broad pleats with that seafoam-green jacket made of a fabric that we used to call "cloquet"..... a very fashionable textile in the 60´s.
    yes - autumn is in the air although the afternoons are still summery. our wild wine has turned red and the "fette henne" too and the nights are very chilly. in the mornings and evenings i wore wool and at midday i took a bath in the river we were paddeling down the last 4 days - with a naked sunbath after :-)
    xxxxxx

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    1. We have been having chilly nights and mornings too, but quite warm during the day too. Hard to decide what to wear for work ... I had to look up "cloquet" but I get what you mean, a pleated skirt in that fabric would be great with the jacket. I'll be on the lookout for one. I had to look up "fette henne" too, I'm not sure what we call it here ... xxx

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  6. In my head there's just Summer and the rest of the year (which I loathe and continue dressing like I'm off to the beach for as long as possible).
    Love that green dress especially with the red accents.
    The hats are great, Kangol are always popular especially the mohair berets with a cute pom pom on top, they sell like hot cakes. I bet whoever found yours is wearing it right now...grrr! xxx

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    1. I had no doubt you were a summer girl, Vix. I'm not very good with hot weather, preferring early and late summer. This autumn/winter, I'll be on the lookout for someone wearing my beret ... grrr indeed! xxx

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  7. It's been said already, but the green floral frock looks fabulous on you Ann and I especially like your mohair beret. Your Lourdes wall hanging is just the sort of thing I'd buy too. Autumn can be lovely...apart from the bastard spiders! x

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    1. Thank you Fiona. The spiders can be quite a nuisance this time of year, can't they? The ones that get inside the house don't stand a chance with our Phoebe though ... xxx

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  8. You always find the best brooches (and hats).
    The cardigan and jacket seem like items you'll get plenty of use from, and they're so pretty.

    Wow, Liz looks angry on that book cover. I wonder what he said to her?

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    1. Thanks Goody. It's only lately that I've been finding some decent hats, though. Liz doesn't look too happy, but also a little drunk, I think, judging from the bottle she's holding ... xxx

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  9. What a bevy of vintage goodness, fun and awesome styling to be had here, dear Ann. Those hats in particular caught my eye. I've been having good luck (knock wood!) on the hat front lately (for my own wardrobe, I mean), largely because of some great finds in Edmonton and one (as-of-yet-to-arrive) purchase on Etsy, the latter of which will be, I hope, the star of a Christmas season ensemble later this year. So, all that to say, I'm massively in a hat state of mind right now (that, to be fair, that's I'm ever not :D).

    Oodles of hugs & heartfelt thanks for your wonderfully lovely blog comments throughout September,

    ♥ Jessica

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    1. Thank you Jessica. My hats are nothing special compared to yours, though. I'm looking forward to seeing your latest finds! xxx

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  10. Where did September go? One minute it was the 1st, then suddenly in the blink of an eye, the last day!

    Lovely photos here, love the mustard dress on you! And such great finds! Fab hats, are the berets mohair? I can't wear natural fibres next to my skin, bar cotton. I have a long strand baby blue mohair beret, which I can only wear as it's lined. I finally found new gloves, long winter ones, as mine have been darned to within an inch of their life, but on arrival, the new ones were made of wool and wearing them was unbearably itchy, even after taking them off, I could still feel the infernal itch! xxx

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    1. It must be quite bothersome that you can't wear natural fibres next to your skin. I've got one sweater that's quite itchy and which I can only wear over a long-sleeved T-shirt, but otherwise I'm OK. The label in the brown beret says it's 100% wool, and I'm guessing the other one is mohair. xxx

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  11. You have got a great haul and I too love this time of year but I love Spring better.

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    1. Thanks Gisela, I love spring too, at least a real spring, not the sogginess we had this year. Spring and autumn are both favourites. xxx

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  12. I do love seeing what the seasons are looking like around the world in people's blogs! For the record, I still think mist is romantic in Autumn.. Great selection of outfits and thrifty bargains too! x

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    1. Unlike I Capture the Castle's Cassandra, I don't think autumn mist is "sad", I'd rather call it melancholic, which for me sums this time of year. xxx

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  13. Hoorah for the return of the mojo! I agree, that jacket does look as though it had a skirt, once upon a time.

    I don't mind early autumn, when there's still plenty of light, but later autumn (and winter) can stuff off. I hardly see daylight during the week in winter, thanks to my commute. I do find the mist a little melancholy...

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    1. Isn't the lack of seeing daylight in winter horrible? I am certainly not looking forward to that ... xxx

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  14. Oh that Think Twice green floral is wonderful!

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    1. Oh, thank you Denise, it's one of my favourites! xxx

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