Sunday 9 December 2018

Here comes the rain again

I have one more travel post coming up, but I'm saving it for a rainy day ;-)

Not that we haven't had any rainy days lately. In fact, it has been grey and wet for well over a week now. There is no denying that we are on the slippery slope to Winter, but who are we to complain? After all, we've had the most gorgeous weather well into Autumn.

Now, the year's twilight days are once again upon us.  Even on the clearest of days, daylight is waning by 4.30 pm here in Belgium, and we've still got about two weeks to go until the days are at their shortest.


So, shall I treat you to some colour? On Friday before last - a half day for me - I wore this navy vintage frock printed with sky blue and green ... things. I'm afraid I've no idea what they are, some kind of leaves perhaps, but they are certainly doing the trick.


I went all matchy-matchy with green tights and a green cardigan and chose a blue plastic ring, the blue necklace I'd charity shopped the week before, and a blue belt. The brooch pinned to my cardigan, a gold tone flower with turquoise plastic beads, was bought from the Brooch Lady about two years ago.

All I'm wearing is vintage or new-to-me, except for the ring and the tights. Oh, and my green booties from Middelburg!



When I was uploading my photos for this post, it suddenly dawned on me that I forgot to mention the fabulous snakeskin belt I found at our last flea market. So let's start with this.

Then, I'll proceed with the task at hand and show you my latest finds.

As it rained on most days during that week, my lunch breaks weren't exactly much fun. When one day there was a break in the weather, I went for a browse at Think Twice, whose sales had now reached the € 2 mark.


I still managed to find some exciting things, starting with two vintage dresses which are in such pristine condition they could very well be deadstock.

The black and white mod dress, with its funky print and two solid black pocket tabs, is from Finnish label Vinetta. I'm intending to wear it with one of my trademark pairs of coloured tights and a fierce pair of black boots. Watch this space!


The second dress, in navy with a happiness inducing flower print was made in France. The label is Castille, which I couldn't find anything about. It is quite similar in shape to the dress I'm wearing at the start of this post, but oh that print! Not to mention the row of cute orange buttons at the cuffs!

I also bought another jacket (yes I know) but you'll get to see that in a minute.


No, it's not this one. Incidentally, this also was a Think Twice sales bargain, snapped up back in February.
I love its rust coloured check, the delightful self-belt and ditto buckle and the fact that it has actual pockets. Here's a close-up.

It was Saturday by now and another dismal day with little or no let-up in the rain.

As wearing colour is an instant pick-me-up, I added my green beret and burnt orange scarf in the mix.


This green, red, white and navy plaid print frock is one of my all-time favourites. Apart from the obvious attraction of its amazing print, there are the buttons, the upturned cuffs and the large, pointy collar.

I added a red belt to define my waist, a red cardigan and bright green opaques. My accessories were a green and white beaded necklace, another one from my charity shop haul the week before, a navy plastic ring and a dainty cream flower brooch with a red plastic pearl at its heart.



In spite of the rain, we went for a quick dash to the charity shops, knowing that we'd be cooped up inside all day on Sunday.

Browsing the "new in" shelf of books in one of the shops we visited, I found these two, one telling the story of Coca-Cola, and another one called Kitsch Deluxe, full of kitsch interiors and collections.



In case you hadn't noticed, I do love a bit of kitsch, so this is right up my street!

Here's a little peek inside this book full of eye candy, but can you spot the impostors I've included in the collage?


Our second shop was the one near the park. We always try to go for a stroll there but as it was positively pouring by then, we only briefly went up the path for some moody photographs, with Jos holding up an umbrella to protect my camera.

The things one does for the sake of blogging!



There was a veritable cornucopia of Christmas stuff in this shop. Not my thing, but you'd wonder why anybody would go out and buy new decorations when it's all available here for a fraction of the price. 

We escaped to the basement, where the clothes and textiles department is housed, and the Christmas soundtrack was less noticeable. 

I soon found this handmade skirt, which I suspect was made from a pair of curtains! Love that print!



Although a couple of months ago the shop started to display its clothes by size, it still pays to have a quick browse through the smaller and larger sizes as well. This jacket, a size 38, was on a XL hanger. I wasn't planning to buy another jacket, but it was such a perfect fit that it came home with me.


And below is the Think Twice jacket I was talking about earlier, made from 100% wool and originating from Berlin!

Not exactly the One In Two Out Closet Reduction Rule as practiced by the lovely Suzanne, but I did re-donate three jackets to make room for these two. It's a start!



Just when I was about to take my skirt to the fitting rooms, I noticed a pair of booties on a shelf below a rail of clothes. Pinch me, as this just couldn't be happening! Here were the green booties of my dreams, in the exact shade of green I had in mind. And in my size too!

Never mind that I'd already bought green booties in Middelburg: these were meant for me, surely! Especially as they were only € 6!



So, thank you, gods of the charity shops, I promise to re-donate at least one pair of booties I'm hardly wearing instead!


One last outfit to show you. It was last Monday's, when I had taken a day off as we had stuff to do.

Obviously, I had to break in my new-to-me booties. The skirt I'm wearing came from Forever 21 many moons ago when I still bought retail.  I'm still wearing it at least once a year, and as long as I do, it deserves its space in my wardrobe. I love the zig-zag pattern! The belt is another old retail buy.

I combined the skirt with a vintage blouse from Blender Vintage Shop, a shop which has sadly stopped trading and is sorely missed. The necklace was charity shopped in Shropshire back in June and its beads are exactly the same shade of olive as my opaques. 

So, that's it for the weekend before last. I'll be back with the last episode of my travelogue later this week.

I'll be linking to Patti's Visible Monday at Not Dead Yet Style as soon as the link is up.


32 comments:

  1. Huhu Ann, you won a saop :)
    Can you send me your adress to bettina.kersting@icloud.com
    A huge hug Tina

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The soap arrived today, Tina! Thank you so much! xxx

      Delete
  2. I always have a small celebration on the 21st of December, knowing that from that day on it will start to get a little lighter each day!
    The weather has been awful here in London too Ann. But that fabulous snakeskin belt must have cheered you up? What a find xx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That's actually a good idea, Laurie! And yes, that snakeskin really made my day. I'll be wearing it in one of my next posts! xxx

      Delete
  3. The chazza gods are indeed smiling on you Ann. The snakeskin belt is a superb find, as are both frocks and the unusual print on the handmade skirt reminds me of Klimt...really lovely. So fed up with these dark days and the rain, but not long till they start drawing out...yay! xx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm quite fed up with the dark days too, especially those days when it's raining and doesn't really get light all day. Klimt! That's what the print reminded me of, only I couldn't put my finger on it! Thanks for pointing me in the right direction. xxx

      Delete
  4. Your outfits are just so fun, Ann - they always make me happy! I love the snakeskin belt, that black and white dress, and that floral dress you found - all amazing! Such scores. I always marvel that your weather is EXACTLY like ours.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. So glad my outfits are making you happy. That's the idea, really. And yes, we do seem to share the weather quite often, don't we? xxx

      Delete
  5. The new green booties are wonderful-love a wedge heel. The German made jacket is beautiful, and the dresses you found at Think Twice are amazing. I know whay you mean about grabbing every bit of daylight when you can.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Goody. I didn't have any wedge heeled booties yet, so that was yet another incentive to buy them ;-) xxx

      Delete
  6. I absolutely love the first blue and green outfit, Ann! Such a pretty colour combo. That flower print dress is gorgeous! It agree that its colourful, fun print is happiness inducing! ;) Hope you have a wonderful week, Ann! XXX

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Sasha! If a print makes me happy, then surely that's a good thing, isn't it? Especially in these dark Winter days. xxx

      Delete
  7. So many delicious prints! I cannot wait to see you wearing that black and white frock styled as you mentioned. The price you scored those dresses for is almost criminal. I would have gone wild in that shop.

    I'm delighted to learn you are trying your own hand at the one in two out rule. Baby steps. Thanks for the shout-out : )

    I cannot wait till the days start getting longer. I'm so over winter and it is just beginning.

    Suzanne
    http://www.suzannecarillo.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I've still got a long way to go but yes, baby steps ... I blame it all on Think Twice and their crazy sales prices. And they've just made it worse by opening a 4th shop in Antwerp! xxx

      Delete
  8. You have so many amazing outfits Ann! Thanks for the moody pictures and thanks Jos holding the umbrella! I thing sometimes on rainy days it us a special mood in the air.
    Have a nice monday, with a huge hug Tina

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Tina. I don't really mind the odd rainy day, but I guess it's the same in Germany: once it starts raining it doesn't stop for days ... xxx

      Delete
  9. Oh yes, that dress is happiness inducing, perfect for this time of year. The handmade 'curtain' skirt is fab too.
    Those moody landscape photos epitomise the weather at the moment. I've put up decorations! I wanted the house to look cheerful, it does, I'm happy!! xxx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Sally! Our weather's been up and down, really. The sad thing is that it's often sunny during the week, when I've got to work, and then when the weekend finally rolls along, here comes the rain again ... xxx

      Delete
  10. I totally agree on treating ourselves with color in dull days (or whatever the weather!) and love the blue and green abstract motif in your dress, being it leaves, flowers or seawaves!. And those dresses you've purchased are stunning, both the black&white geometric print and the 'happiness inducing flower print' are fabulous (what a great description indeed!). Obviously, your plaid frock has stolen my heart, as it's a favorite print in a gorgeous outfit! you're particularly gorgeous in it!
    Lovely rusty colors in your new skirt and fab jackets, and such cute booties! glad that you found them!
    And also lovely Kitsch Deluxe pics! I think that those plaster religious pieces and the kitchenalia came from your own (fab) home! I am not sure!
    besos
    besos

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Monica! I never thought of sea waves, but that's what they could be! You're right about the impostors in the collage, but there was a third one, which I'll be revealing in my next post ;-) xxx

      Delete
  11. You are having some vintage success at the moment! What a wonderful round-up of killer outfits. I can't wait to see you rocking that mod coat dress!
    I love the Kitsch Deluxe photos and agree with Monica as to which are yours.
    Why is it than whenever you buy something new as you can't find it secondhand you always find its twin days later, ie the boots.I think that needs to be written into the law of secondhand shopping book we'll write one day! xxx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. We'll have to write that book one day! And that's indeed one of the laws of second hand shopping. I've lost count of the times this has happened. Both you and Monica were right, but there's a third one ... xxx

      Delete
  12. What fabulous outfits! I love your first one and all the jackets are wonderful in their colourful plaidness!

    I love your two vintage dress finds. I thought the black and white was a x=coat at first but what a great print and I'm in love with the second print, too! It was very reminiscent of Orla Kieley prints which I love for their boldness, colour and simplicity. The newest green booties are wonderful and I bet you wear both your green boots non stop now.

    It is dark here by 4.30 and I mean really dark like the middle of the night - and it has been very dreary but never mind it will soon be Spring!

    The book of kitsch looked fascinating.

    Have a great and I hope, dryer, week.
    xxxx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Veronica! Isn't it awful that it's dark so early? I've been feeling a bit out of sorts because of it. It's a good thing I've got colourful clothes to wear and cheer me up! xxx

      Delete
  13. Oh my! So much vintage goodness to take in. First off, I love that navy/minty green combo. And you always seem to manage to find the best prints. I agree bright colors help combat the dreary days. Some really fabulous finds . You certainly have good thrifting karma!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Theresa! It's as if all these prints are trying to catch my eye whenever I walk into a vintage shop! I love wearing them, and they're brightening up dark days in the process! xxx

      Delete
  14. love that "curtain" skirt!
    and your 2 new jackets are fabulous! as always - the goods of 2.hand shopping were with you!
    here its pouring down all the rain wie missed in summer - unfortunately our mended roof does leek here and there..... cant wait for next summer and the new one.
    shipload of hugs! xxxxxx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. So sorry to hear about your leaking roof. We had a bit of roof trouble ourselves recently, but now our roof is being resurfaced and insulated. The difference is we've got a flat roof, which makes things a bit easier ... and cheaper. xxx

      Delete
  15. I adore your curtrain skirt. The print is so amazing.
    You look amazing, such a perfect combination.

    Need cute cat content?
    And some christmas vibes, take a look at my Youtube Video HERE

    ReplyDelete
  16. Everytime I read your posts I get the urge to cycle to a second hand store and browse! I only shopped in the UK, all the pre loved I bought is bought on line. But the treasures you find.....Oh I want to find them too.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I think the trick is to visit the second hand shop(s) often and learn from experience, which is how I did it. And I can recommend a wonderful booked called It's Vintage Darling, by Christa Weil, which is a real font of knowledge on second hand shopping. xxx

      Delete