Sunday 24 December 2017

I'm dreaming of a quiet Christmas

A quick update before Christmas! Friday was my last working day of the year and to say I've been looking forward to some time off is quite an understatement. Eleven days away from the rat race and the frenzied crowds colonizing the city sounds like pure bliss.

I'm happy to say I won't be taking part in the Christmas madness.
One of these years we'll be starting our own branch of Vix's Dead Relatives Society, but until then it will just be the two of us lounging in our pyjamas for most of the day!



These photos are from last weekend but as I'm still running behind (after all, I've got to live first, and then blog about it!), they still had to be posted.

I have to confess that I built Saturday's outfit around the tights, which I absolutely needed to wear! I'm sure Beate and Vix will understand!

The dress, its print a glorious mix of abstract stripes on an burgundy red background, can be accessorized with almost any colour you can think of, but bright pink it had to be. As luck would have it, there's a belt in my collection in exactly the same colour as the tights.


There's some pink again in the brooch I pinned to my dress: a delicate rose painted onto an ivory background and set in an loopy white metal frame.

In order to avoid a sugar hiccup, I offset all the pink with an ivory coloured plastic necklace and wore a violet cardigan on top. The white ceramic heart brooch was bought from The Crafter's Cwtch in Cardigan last June.

I'm wearing calf length black boots to provide better visibility of the tights!



It was too warm for my Princess coat, so I finally got around to wearing the black and white houndstooth coat I bought for € 4 at Think Twice back in October.

The burgundy handbag needs no further introduction as it featured here before. So did the sumptuously embroidered purple crushed velvet scarf, which was a € 0,10 flea market find.

My outerwear was completed by my raspberry beret and purple suede gloves.

If I look a bit haughty in the photo on the left, it's because I was giving directions to my photographer, Jos!



A quick dash to the charity shops yielded the brand new red bag with red polka dot lining, a fake Astrakhan scarf and two brooches. 



Earlier that week, I bought the green felted hat at Think Twice. 

It is looking particularly gorgeous on Twiggy, which might be due to her matching eye make-up!




This dress came home with me as well. Lighting conditions are really bad these days so you'll be getting a proper look once I'll get around to wearing it.



I tried to take a selfie in Think Twice's fitting room, but unfortunately the dress ended up looking blue instead of the pitch black it actually is. But don't you love that groovy wallpaper?



Last weekend was also the time to put up our Christmas tree. We've had this fake tree for almost 20 years, and it's still going strong. The decorations are either heirlooms or flea market and charity shop finds. 

We try to add to our collection each year and the baubles in the pink plastic basket are this year's offerings. The glass bauble containing the crystal reindeer is a recent find as well. All charity shopped!



Although there isn't exactly a theme going on, there seems to be quite a bit of wildlife residing in our tree.

The little wren, one of a pair, is the only decoration we once bought new, although I can't for the life of me remember where or when. I do love these small birds in real life too. The Flemish word for a wren is Winterkoninkje, which translates as "little winter king" and indeed the cheeky little birds only seem to visit our garden in Winter!

The ladybird and the golden bird are both vintage. And look Goody, there's Blondin too! He's a recent charity shop find as well.


The dress I was wearing on Sunday was bought in the same Think Twice sales as the houndstooth coat, but again this was its first wear. 


I wore a green belt and ring with it and added the green hat when going outside. 

The boots are Miz Mooz and bought in the sales quite a few years ago. They are gorgeous in every way but for some reason they don't do my back any good if I wear them all day. 


The short fake fur jacket has been in my wardrobe for many years as well. It came from a high street shop called Hema, well known in the Low Countries. Before I started wearing vintage, I wore it with jeans, but I think it has now found its perfect partners in that funky dress and the orange vintage brooch!

This is one of those outfits that just happened and which was put together without much thought, but for me it's a big contender for favourite outfit of the month!

Wishing you all a wonderful Christmas. May the day, as they say, be merry and bright!  I wouldn't mind it being white either, as long as it's all gone by Boxing Day!



33 comments:

  1. Oh I don't know what I would like to say first. I love all your pictures! Your Princess Coat, your brooches, amazing red tights, squirell ornament, your christmastree, this stunning wallpaper, your selfie in this dress, your cognac coloured boots... Ann you see I love it all! ❤️
    I wish you a wonderful quiet merry christmas, Tina

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    1. Thank you, Tina! I'm glad we both got to have the Christmas we wanted! xxx

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  2. I did indeed zero-in on the squirrel ornament first! Love the expression on his face.

    The dress photographed in the fitting room in a treasure. I'm sure it will make for a great post. You look lovely in that beautiful houndstooth coat.

    Enjoy your Christmas and best wishes for a happy new year.

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    1. He's looking quite bewildered, doesn't he? I'll make sure the dress appears in one of my posts before Winter is out ... xxx

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  3. Hooray for the glorious pink tights! Beate, you and I need to form our own club - The Hot Leg Society, maybe?!
    Three fab outfits. I love the folksy Think Twice dress, the psych print wonder and the frock of many colours - all accessorised to perfection. Glad you're sharing our mild weather this week - isn't it a joy not to need gloves and wellies?
    I might not be into Christmas but I love your squirrel and wrens. I think I'd be tempted to stick a few twigs in a pot and have those lovelies displayed all year round.
    Sending you, Jos and Phoebe loads of Xmas love from
    us in Walsall. xxx

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    1. I fully approve of The Hot Leg Society, and I see Beate does too ;-) Keeping the squirrel and wrens out all year, now that's an idea! xxx

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  4. Your vintage tree and its trimmings are wonderful!

    As usual your outfits are a collage of everything I love about vintage.

    Such a shame about the Miz Mooz boots. They are gorgeous. Funny enough I also have very similar Miz Mooz boots in orange that I don't often wear for the same reason.

    Wishing you and Jos all the love and happiness your hearts can hold this Christmas!

    Suzanne

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    1. Thank you Suzanne, I hope you had a wonderful Christmas too, in spite of the snow and freezing temperatures! That's really funny that you're having the same problem with your Miz Mooz boots. It can't be us, though, they must have done something wrong! xxx

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  5. Purple is my favorite color so the hues in your first outfit are delightful. Merry Christmas, my friend.

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    1. Thank you Ally, now that I know I'll try to wear more purple in your honour! xxx

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  6. Loads to love here Ann. Both the TT frocks, the Xmas decs and the GORgeous boots. Hope you and Mr Suave enjoy your quiet pyjama day and have a very happy Christmas. Xx

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    1. Thank you Fiona! I do hope you had a very happy Christmas too! xxx

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  7. I love everything in this post, Ann! The first dress is gorgeous and the tights look fab with the belt. I love the burgundy colours of the dress paired with the violet cardi. I love the last dress you're wearing too. The pattern is fab and I adore that shade of green! Love the hat and fake fur too. Gorgeous, Ann! I'm starting to wish I lived somewhere that had cold winters so I could wear awesome tights, coats and scarves too!;) Hope you have a wonderful Christmas, Ann! XXX

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    1. Thank you Sasha! In a way, I am glad that we have distinct seasons, adding even more variey to our wardrobes! xxx

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  8. oh yes - the hot leg society instead of the "bluestocking society" https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blaustrumpf
    :-D
    fabulous dresses and ensembles here - but paisley with fur is a clear favorite! and those "victorian" boots - swoon - what size do they have?? ;-)
    your tree look like out of a fairy tale and the animal ornaments are totally cute! the little bird is called "zaunkönig" here and in summer we can hear is very loud and melodious song out of the wild hedges around our garden - one would not believe that such a tiny bird can sing this loud!
    how was your pyjama day?
    bigest hugs - sista! xxxxx

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    1. The boots are a size 37 (or 4), Beate ;-) I love them, just cannot wear them for long. And it's not me, as Suzanne is having the same problem with hers! It's really astounding how loud the "Zaunkönig" can sing, you can hear him before you see him! xxx

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    2. damn - to small ;-D
      once i had pumps that were impossible to walk in - despite not very high and comfy looking.... its something wrong with the angle of the heel i think if two different women have the same troubles.
      xxxxx

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  9. Your tree looks so good. Are those real candles? Normally I go all out on my tree but Toebee is still a climber!! I too buy new to me decorations each year to add to my collection. Love the pink hat on you. Stay warm!!

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    1. Thank you Sue! I'm sure no tree would be safe for Toebee! Oh, and they are indeed real candles although obviously we never light them. They are quite old, and used to belong to my late Mum! xxx

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  10. Some lovely outfits Ann and what wonderful accessories! I love your green felt hat; I bet it will look wonderful on you. The houndstooth coat is brilliant - what a good buy.

    My Christmas Day was a bit different this year - you'll have to read my post to find out why...

    Happy Christmas!
    xxx

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    1. Thank you Veronica! Such a shame about your Christmas, though. Poor you! xxx

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  11. I hope you had a lovely day. I have the same squirrel! He came in a set of 6 with a hedgehog and deer.

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    1. I would have loved the have the whole set with the hedgehog and deer! Maybe the squirrel was a lone survivor and that's why he was donated? Poor mite! xxx

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  12. I hope you had a good Christmas.
    I now have Raspberry beret by Prince going through my head. Who can resist a beret?! xxx

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    1. Thank you Sally! I did have a good Christmas and hope you too had a wonderful day? I certainly cannot resist a beret. The raspberry one was bought at a flea market, not at a second hand store, though ;-) xxx

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  13. A belated happy Christmas to you both! I love the red tights, I must break out my pair for this festive season. I too am enjoying an extended break from work.

    Enjoy putting your feet up!
    xx

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    1. Thank you! I'm certainly enjoying my break from work. It's very welcome, isn't it? xxx

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  14. Ann, all of these outfits are incredible (including the new black dress - so hip!). I love that pink tights gave a birth to this whole ensemble, and I absolutely get the idea. I think I haven't grew up enough as a fashionista to wear brightly colored tights yet, but I know that day will come. :) You need to invite Buttercup to your new society - she is quite a pro wearing such tights! http://buttercupsfrocks.tumblr.com/ Oh, and Monica of Mrs Allnut of course - both of them teach me about color so much.

    The Sunday outfit is so chic, the dress is wonderful with the fur and that hat! I am always drained when I wear high heels (these boots look very cool though). But I feel prettier in heels somehow. I think they alter our posture.

    Lots of love!

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    1. I've been wearing brightly coloured tights for a few years now, and have a whole collection of them! Maybe you can start with some muted colours? I'll be checking Buttercup out. Monica, of course, I already know: she is fabulous! xxx

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  15. Your squirrel bauble is so cute!

    Those are all excellent outfits, and I look forward to seeing the new dress when it gets its outing.

    Pete and I had Christmas together, just the two of us, and I like it that way. It's relaxing rather than hectic.

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    1. A quiet, relaxing Christmas can do wonders for the soul, especially after a trying time at work! I'm loving the squirrel, but now I'm feeling kind of sorry for him, as Gisela told me he originally came in a set with a hedgehog and deer! xxx

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  16. You look fabulous Ann! You have the knack of pairing splendid coloured items together! I seem to have gone off wearing coloured tights but I've got loads of them so I'm not quite sure what to do with them!
    Love both your green hats!

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    1. Thanks, Kezzie! I'd keep the coloured tights if I were you, you never know that you'll want to start wearing them again ... xxx

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