Friday 12 January 2018

Got my feet on the ground

Going back to work after the Christmas break was hard enough as it is and to be faced with the crowds going mad at the first day of the sales didn't exactly improve things.

But, as they say, if you can't beat them, join them, so that's what I did, although it was totally unintentional.

As I was battling through the crowds in the small shopping centre near my office - I needed to pick up something at the chemist - I passed the shop where, a couple of months ago, I'd spotted a gorgeous burgundy fake fur wrap.

Being used to second hand shopping, I baulked at seeing its price, possibly exclaiming "How much?" in the process. As the shop wasn't too crowded, I took a chance and popped inside. And there it was, reduced by 50%. Result!


Obviously, I had to wear it on Saturday to show if off, although it wasn't nearly cold enough for wearing fur, fake or otherwise.

I wore it with my belted Tweed jacket and my fluffy purple beret.



Underneath, I was wearing a vintage dress picked up at one of Think Twice's sales.

It's a fit and flare model with a cowl neck and the fabric has a busy Paisley print in muted colours. There's a variety of greens in it, as well as sky blue and peachy pink.

I added a lilac belt and a long, chunky, green necklace.



On top, a royal blue cardigan, on which I pinned a brooch with different coloured stones in earthy tones, which was charity shopped in Wales back in 2016.

On Saturday morning, we took down our decorations and dismantled our Christmas tree, putting them away in our basement for another year.

Then, after lunch, we did some leisurely charity shopping, and ended the afternoon with coffee and cake at our final shop, which has a rather nice cafeteria.


I have dozens of belts, the majority of them charity shopped for € 1,50 or less. At prices like this, you can afford lots of variety, so I always look out for belts in different colours and styles.

I always look out for cardigans too, this time picking up this pink one with black collar detail and black buttons.

The row of photos on the right show a vintage pink Paisley print skirt. It's handmade, and I love how they used a contrasting bright green zip!

Jos was in luck too, as he found a brand new shirt from Massimo Dutti for next to nothing.

On Sunday, we had another date with our favourite indoor flea market.

I'm taking you through what I was wearing first.


The long orange cardigan on the left was another charity shop find from Saturday. Although it worked really well with my outfit and I wore it in its entirety on Monday, I changed into a short bottle green cardigan for our outing, as I was planning to wear a short jacket.


Jos actually thought I was wearing a dress, and indeed, the skirt and blouse went unexpectedly well together, with similar geometrics going on in their prints.

I matched my brooch to the ladies on the blouse and after trying on and discarding several necklaces, I finally settled on this ochre yellow and gold one.

Have you noticed that the green stone of my ring matches the brooch lady's cloche hat in shape as well as colour? I only did when I was looking at the photographs.

It had turned bitterly cold overnight, so we did most of the outfit photos at home. I am looking quite pale and ghostly in them, which isn't helped by the fact that I wasn't wearing lipstick.



All ready to go with my green jacket, favourite scarf, orange beret and tights and dark brown vintage gloves. The burgundy handbag has a cross body strap as well, perfect for some hands free browsing!


On to the flea market, which wasn't as big as last month's, and not overly crowded. My guess is that most people were out sales hunting as most city centre shops were open.

It did mean we were able to see it all - we are usually quite cross-eyed by the time we reach the last two aisles - and we found quite a few treasures too!


Zooming in on the strangest oddity first, we picked up these feet with their varnished toenails, advertising a shoe brand, from a favourite stall. They are made of some kind of moulded plastic. The stall's owner (a follower of my blog!) bought them at a flea market back in the day when she used to work as a window dresser. Neither she nor I had any luck finding anything about them on the Internet.


Another favourite stall yielded this plaster head on a heavy stone plinth. She has joined the others on our spare room's mantelpiece.


More oddities! I was drawn to this sad looking wooden Scottie and was wondering about the indentation on his back, when the stallholder told me it was a pipe holder. I couldn't very well leave the poor thing behind, and was given a beautifully crafted and marked pipe to go with him.

The tin on the top right was a gift from the lady who sold us the feet, while the tin with the 1930s lady was issued by chocolate brand Côte d'Or to celebrate their 50th anniversary in 1933.



These vintage deadstock woolly hats were just € 2,50 each, so I bought three of them as I couldn't make up my mind. I already wore the green one to work this week.


There were some brooches too, of course, picked up at various stalls. With prices ranging from € 1 to € 7,50, my purchases didn't exactly break the bank.

Although I obviously love them all, my favourite is the wicker brooch embroidered with straw poppies. As it is also the most fragile one, it might only get the odd outing.

Which one is your favourite?

38 comments:

  1. I'm always astounded by your purchases-such pretty items! I adore the 3 hats-they are fab!! Your first outfit was an absolute favourite-that dress is a stunner, as is the model wearing it! Have a lovely weekend!x

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you so much, Kezzie, hope you are settling well into your new home! xxx

      Delete
  2. I vote purple peacock brooch. The feet are giving me a John Waters vibe...promise you'll do something awful with them ;)
    You look so glam in that fur wrap. Congratulations scoring it in the sales.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm not sure what I'll use them for, but I promise it will be something awful ;-) xxx

      Delete
  3. I think my favourite brooch is top centre, it reminds me of Clarice Cliff. I am always astounded at how much you buy every week, although for the prices you pay who could blame you....I'm always trying to declutter as I live in a small house and I'm not the neatest of people.
    Top buys again this week, especially the feet, your pink paisley and Jos's Massimo Dutti. xxx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Now that you mention it, yes, I can see the Clarice Cliff resemblance too! We too live in a small house, but I'm quite organized, and I declutter from time to time as well. xxx

      Delete
  4. Wow! You did so well, Ann! The brooches are all amazing! I think my favourite would have to be the woman wearing the turban and looking all fancy! I also love the purple peacock. I love the tin with the lady on it from 1933. It's gorgeous! Hard to believe it is from so long ago. Amazing! I love all of the outfits you're wearing too, Ann. Fabulous as always! Hope you have a great weekend. XXX

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you so much Sasha. That brooch with the turbaned lady is quite spectacular, isn't it? xxx

      Delete
  5. I love the way the orange and green cardigans change the outfits you are wearing Ann, it makes them look completely different.
    I especially like the brooch at the top row in the middle of the photos, the tree and landscape, the colours are lovely. xxx

    ReplyDelete
  6. I love the way the orange and green cardigan change the look of your outfit Ann, they look really different in the two photos.
    I like the brooch at the top in the middle, the tree and landscape, I love the colours. xxx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I never even meant to wear the outfit with the long orange cardie. I was just wearing it to show what I'd found. But then it turned out looking great, so I wore it to work the next day! xxx

      Delete
  7. My favourite has to be the 1920's woman or the butterfly. You do come across so many wonderful brooches on your outings.

    Those feet are something else! As a reseller these would be great for sandal photos etc where I can't get the shoe to look proper without an actual foot inside it.

    I really did think your two prints were a dress. That is so brilliant pattern coordinating on your part.

    Suzanne

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Once I started looking out for brooches, they keep turning up in spades. I guess that I've developed an eye for them. xxx

      Delete
  8. Ohhh I love this Madame right side in the middle :) You always find so wonderful things. But what do you do with these feet?:)
    You look amazing in all this styles. I am in love with this blouse with print with humans. So cute. I don't see it so well this print. Its to small but it looks lovely.
    I wish you a wonderful weekend, big hug Tina

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That turbaned lady seems to be getting many votes! I've no idea yet what I'll do with the feet, but I just couldn't resist them! xxx

      Delete
  9. Oh the things you find!! I would have been drawn to those feet too, do they actually fit in any shoes that you own? Else they could be an unusual pair of bookends...
    You really do have some amazing shops and flea markets within reach, I am impressed at your continual success! xx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I think the feet are about my size, and I'll try fitting them into a pair of sandals once I get my summer shoes out of storage. But I do like your idea to use them as bookends! xxx

      Delete
  10. love the paisley dress - and yes - one can not have to much belts and cardies :-) the powder pink one is so sweet with that collar.
    the straw brooch is my fav too - sooo pretty!
    great find of deadstock hats - they look chic and fun and suit you!
    here ist still foggy - maybe the sun did quit the job of shining on us stupid humans.....
    ;-D
    huge hugs! xxxxx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It was the collar that made me buy that cardigan. I already have one in powder pink, but it's just a plain one. I couldn't believe the deadstock hats were just € 2,50. I really couldn't choose ... xxx

      Delete
  11. I do love a half price sale, it is the only way I go to retail shops. I have bought a few cotton frocks this summer from a shop I like that were already reduced and then there was another 40% off so I had to buy two!! Love the fur and of course you needed all three of those hats!!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. With reductions like that, of course you had to buy two frocks, Sue. I too only go to retail shops when there's a sale on! xxx

      Delete
  12. I love the 20s lady brooch - she matches the tin! I adore the wooly hats, your burgundy faux fur (so luxe!), and your fantastic looks. Such good deals!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Sheila, that burgundy faux fur makes me feel quite glamorous! xxx

      Delete
  13. Gotta love a 50% discount! That burgundy wrap is gorgeous. I haven't had any sale bargains. I did look at a necklace I saw before Christmas with 70% off, but I left it behind - what was I thinking!!
    Anyway, I love those hates! I used to hate hates on account of them ruining my hair, but now I prefer the warmth :)
    Sounds like a lovely weekend
    xx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I agree that hats can ruin one's hair, that's why I can't get my hair to look right in Winter. But I do love wearing hats, so it's a dilemma. Also, it can be quite cold at the bus stop ... xxx

      Delete
  14. Some brilliant finds as always, but, of course, my favourite is the tin with the 1930s lady on it. The Scotty dog looks a bit like a 1920s one, although the eyes make me a little unsure. They were very popular during the time and were featured on all sorts of things like bookends, desk tidies and lamp stands. He's very cute! xx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I actually had to think of you when I saw that 1930s tin ... The seller said the Scottie dog was 1950s, and that it was something about the eyes. But I do agree that he's got a 1920s feel. xxx

      Delete
  15. I swear your frocks are getting nicer and nicer and I insist I get first choice on them all heehee, and you have the loveliest brooches
    Lynn xxx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Lynn, and of course you get first choice on my frocks ;-) xxx

      Delete
  16. That fit and flare dress is awesome - and with so many colours in it, it'll probably form the backbone of all sorts of really different looks. Well done on getting a good discount on the wrap too.

    I think my favourite brooch is the one on the bottom -right; there's something intriguing about the combination of sparkly stones and a cabochon one.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I wasn't sure about the dress at first, and only picked it up because it was € 2, thinking I could always sell it on. But it's definitely a keeper. That brooch is one of my favourites too! xxx

      Delete
  17. So lovely wrap, it looks cozy! and matches so nicely your outfit! Love the dress too, its print and amazing shape!. Also lovely ensemble in greens, brown and orange, you rock those colors and look so gorgeous!, so cute that your skirt and shirt look like a set!
    what fabulous finds! I do love those tin boxes and the brooches, my favorite is the rhinestones one!
    besos

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Monica! I've worn the rinestone brooch last week! xxx

      Delete
  18. Oh dear, I missed this post!

    What wonderful finds. I think my favourite brooch is the one with the 1920s flapper girl on it - and the one you wore on your outfit was fabulous, too!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. No problem, Veronica! I do appreciate your lovely comments, even when they're "late" ;-) I am actually wearing that brooch right now! xxx

      Delete
  19. First - great addition to your brooch collection! I love the wicker one, the butterfly and the lady's portrait, but all are beautiful. And this fur stole is perfect, such rich color and goes with everything! I think your vintage furry or woolly hats are adorable - what a fun way to brighten a gray winter day (which we have in abundance too)!

    And this couple of short jackets are exactly what I was talking about - wonderful shape, high quality, real fabric! Mine is an imitation of course - but it looks beautiful, so I love it. :)

    Have a wonderful week, my dear! <3

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That fur stole would look great on you too, Natalia. I can totally see you wearing it! As for the furry and woolly hats, I think I went a bit wild last Winter, as I picked up so many of them. I just loving wearing hats, although they're bad for my hair ... xxx

      Delete