On the sunny side of the street

I promised you a break in the holiday posts, telling you about our flea market adventures instead. So, true to my word, here's a little update of what we've been up to.

In addition, I also wanted to show you some of the outfits I've been wearing since coming back from holiday.

Ever since our return, the thermometer has gradually been climbing  towards the high twenties, occasionally flirting with the 30°C mark, until last week we reached quite unbearable temperatures, into the mid thirties and more!

But let's not talk about that, and the resulting head-scratching moments in front of my wardrobe, yet!

Before it got really hot, I was able to give Gisela's frock an airing.

She'd sent it to me back in March, and I immediately envisaged wearing it on a day exactly like this one: a warm and sunny Summer's day, which unfortunately I had to spend at the office!

For one, it's a cool and comfortable cotton! Additionally, I love its fresh green stripes, its asymmetrical closing with the prettiest diamond shaped mother-of-pearl buttons and - last but not least!- its pockets! It is a tiny bit roomy on top, but that's actually a bonus in this weather. I cinched it in at the waist with a bright blue belt and chose accessories in green and the same shade of blue as the belt, adding a sailing boat brooch for good measure. My footwear are the green jellies I picked up in Chester!

Then, two weeks ago on Sunday, there was our neighbourhood's annual flea market. It was the second year we were participating, taking a pitch just outside our front door, rather than just browsing.

I'd been making use of every spare moment since returning from holiday, checking boxes and bags full of redundant clothing and ironing the most crumpled items, as well as looking through my wardrobe for any additional things I was ready to part with.

Doesn't that rack full of colourful frocks, skirts and blouses look enticing? They're just the tip of the iceberg and all I had space for, unfortunately.

I also put together a display (actually a pasta drying rack!) of necklaces and a box full of bracelets and rings.

On Saturday, I weeded out my vintage Barbie stuff, deciding to put most of my vinyl cases up for sale, and making neat packages of outfit doubles. I also included three vintage dolls. Apart from the boxed doll, a Fashion Queen dating from 1963-65, which I happened to have double, the two others were flawed rejects from my collection, which were eventually replaced.

Lastly, we dived into the basement (a mercifully cool place!) to look among the stuff we no longer use or display, for viable candidates to sell.

The day started early: we got up at 5.30 and less than an hour later, we were setting up our stall.

I made quite a substantial sale very early on, when someone picked up my most expensive doll, the  Fashion Queen, who came complete with her original outfit and three wigs on a stand.The same person also bought the two vinyl cases I'd put out on our table. I was being nice and threw in two outfits for free.

In quick succession, we sold our small wall hanging coffee grinder, a child's embroidery set in a cute vinyl case, and some other, smaller stuff, but apart from two blouses my rack of vintage clothes only seemed to be drawing the flea market equivalent of window shoppers.

My friend Ingrid and her husband paid us a visit, at which point I hauled out a behind-the-scenes box full of blouses for her to rummage through, which afterwards I left open at the back of our stall.

After a quick circuit of the market, things seemed to get going at last, with several ladies not only looking through my rack of clothes, but buying as well, often making multiple purchases. When people started taking an interest in the box full of blouses, I had the brainwave of putting all my remaining stock, consisting of several bags and boxes, outside for people to rummage through. Best decision ever!

Leaving Jos to hold the fort, I made two more forays myself, but it was really too hot to browse.

Nevertheless, I still found a couple of things!

This cat tin, a bit worse for wear but delightful none the less, was bought from a lady I used to commute with, who had a stall further along in our street.

I also picked up several necklaces, while the two brooches below were a gift from one of our neighbours, as a thank you for Jos fetching her her daily newspaper. He's got quite a fan base among the village's ladies of a certain age!

Finally, this deadstock pair of leather Salamander shoes found its way into my collection. I think they were well worth the € 10 price tag!

Back at our pitch, a young Dutch girl, who was visiting with her parents, was in seventh heaven after spying my clothes and, encouraged by her Mum, left with a huge bag full of stuff.

Meanwhile, it had become very hot at our little pitch and the garden parasol we'd lent from a friend was no longer adequate to protect us from the sun.

This antique parasol, which we brought back from a charity shop in Wells, Somerset, back in the early noughties, and which has been living in our hallway ever since, brought some solace.

Jos's daughter came along on her e-bike, and was kind enough to assist me when things became a bit mad.

Apart from my vintage clothes, which sold like hot cakes, I couldn't keep up with the vinyl Barbie cases, which almost sold faster than I could put them out.

Near the end, I hopped over to the stall across the road, where a nice lady was presiding over quite a large pitch all on her own. She'd bought a vintage bathing suit from me (this one here), and this is what I bought from her.

This vintage Avon scent is prettily packed in a bottle shaped like a hand-held mirror, with an actual mirror at the back.

I was unable to find an exact date but my guess is that it is late 1960s, early 1970s. The bottle is still almost full: I couldn't resist having a little sniff, and it smelled quite nice in my opinion. Not that I will be using it, mind you. I'll keep it purely for display.

In spite of the hot weather, the flea market was a success, so we will probably do it again next year.

I was tired (and sweaty!) at the end of the day, though! But, before hopping into the shower, I wanted to give you a proper look at the maxi dress I was wearing, picked up at one of the newly popped up vintage-per-kilo shops in Antwerp.

As it's buttoned all the way on the back, you either need help or be a contortionist to put it on!

I'd taken photographs of some of my favourite stuff so, the next day, while I was folding it all away, I made note of what was left.

I was surprised that these didn't sell:

Bright floral maxi skirt, floral St. Michael's frock and summery sailing boat skirt

On the other hand, it didn't take long for these three to go:

Before I leave you, I'll show you what I was wearing later that week.

This lightweight, lined frock, with its primary coloured abundance of flowers, was a gift from Vix. With so many colours to choose from, I decided to use as many of them as possible for my accessories.

Apart from the yellow belt, blue plastic ring and blue-strapped watch, all items are either vintage or new-to-me, from various charity shops and flea markets: blue plastic beads, yellow wooden bangle, orange carved plastic bangle, blue faceted plastic bracelet and blue and pink flower brooch.

Surprisingly, I didn't pick anything green ...

Oh, and what does one do when not out vintage shopping? Well, read about all its do's and don'ts in this fantastic book, a most wonderful gift from Lynn!

Taking my flea market frock to Patti's Visible Monday at Not Dead Yet Style!

Additionally, I am taking my blue and green outfit to the Modish Matrons linkup, joining Beate, Natalia and Tina for the first time!