What I'm wearing: second-hand Annecy style

Comptoir des Cotonniers dress: Annecy consignment shop
1990s? grannt booties: Ebay
1980s? necklace: Annecy consignment shop
Ray Ban sunnies: Annecy brocante market
1990s leather bucket bag: Annecy thrift shop
Tights: bought new (but they last forever!).

I've been meaning to post outfits for over a week now with no luck, so rather than backlog my outfits for future posts I figure I'll give them to you en masse. I am still ever so slowly redefining my style and gradually getting to a place where I'm starting to feel comfortable. We're not there yet, but do we ever really stop when it comes to style evolution?

Meanwhile: The mass exodus of clothing to my local consignment shop continues, and so far I haven't brought any more new, used stuff home.

Hoping you can see the necklace better in this pic?

This entire outfit was cobbled together using second-hand Annecy finds. I bought this wool frock by Comptoir des Cotonniers at a consignment shop in Annecy last year when I was pregnant. It's of the finest wool and is ever so sheer, and I may be really cheeky wearing sexy crochet tights on underneath, but does it really matter? I can haul out the flannel when my butt is sagging down to my knees.

MEXX boots: local consignment shop
Old worn cord blazer: a euro at a vide grenier
Levis jeans: new and bought in Annecy
Turtleneck: new, bought in Toronto
Vintage Laura Ashley scarf: Etsy.

My latest second-hand and vintage crushes: this (mostly) leather 1990s bucket bag I found for 8 Euros at my local thrift shop. It's so big, and I have been rather hankering after a bucket bag style.

I've also been stalking vintage Laura Ashley riding coats on Ebay, but since don't want to shell out the typical $200+ asking price, I've consoled myself with this vintage floral Laura Ashley scarf in a navy blue that I found on Etsy. I just love it. It's a feminine and refreshing alternative to black. And it goes with the navy blazer and boots perfectly. After all, I'm living in France, ie: Land of the Scarves, which is perfect for me as I don't think a gal can have too many. BTW do you know the history of Laura Ashley as a designer? It's kind of interesting. I had no idea that she met such a tragic end.

1980s Brooks Brothers wool coat: Etsy
Skinnies: thrifted in Canada
Granny boots: Ebay
Tahari cashmere sweater/tunic: new and $$$$.
Charm necklace, gifted from a Toronto designer
Vintage Indian carpet bag: Etsy
Brolly: new and I'm hanging onto it - they steal umbrellas here!

A few weeks ago it was rainy and cool, perfect weather to jaunt out in my vintage wool paisley Brooks Brothers coat that I turned up on Etsy. Brooks Brothers coats sell for hundreds of dollars new and this baby is so well made. The style is quite conservative but I funked it out with second-hand skinnies and the most expensive anything I have ever bought in my life (but such a wardrobe staple) - a lovely deep blue cashmere tunic/sweater dress by Elie Tahari (over $400 CAD new and bought years ago).

Brocade coat, contemporary style yet bought second-hand: Annecy consignment shop
Nougat of London skirt: $10 CAD in Toronto consignment shop
Granny boots: guess?
Vintage tapestry bag: Toronto vintage shop
Vintage Dauplaise necklace: Ebay
Sweater: thrifted in Toronto.

Here's a slightly fuzzy pic of me wearing an Italian brocade coat I bought at my local consignment shop when I was pregnant. I'm wearing it with a dreamy skirt I've never worn before, a pink silk slip style with a brown chiffony overlay by Nougat of London, which I bought at a $10-sale at a Toronto consignment shop years ago. I think the granny boots and granny purse work with it? This looked better in the mirror than it does here, methinks. It's a challenging skirt to work with as it's so ... diaphanous.

Saving the best until last: The little guy's outfit is comprised of second-hand French duds as well. (In fact, the jacket would sell for about 70 Euros new in the swanky kids' shops here).

As you can see, it's all about second-hand orange, in this case orange jackets found at the local thrift shop or the fall vide greniers for a couple Euros apiece.

Now I need to find him booties and a winter hat before the winter descends, which will happen soon enough. Meanwhile, it's gorg here. Hearts out to UK folk affected by the storm.

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Second-hand Kenzo & Tom Ford

OUTFIT ENTIRELY THRIFTED/SECOND-HAND (Ok, tights were new):
Kenzo skirt: a euro at an Annecy vide grenier
Etienne Aigner boots: Ebay
Bally bag: consignment shop swap
J. Crew wool blazer: thrifted in Canada
Black sweater: thrifted in Canada
Vintage scarf: gift
Vintage Cadoro necklaces: bought online
Tom Ford sunglasses: consignment shop swap.

I don't really think of myself as a label slut - ie: I don't buy items for the sake of their being "by" someone - and I quite abhor the idea of picking up a lower-tier collection of a designer at a mass market retailer like H&M or Target - though if that's other people's bag, go for it. But that's not to say that I don't appreciate good quality labels, and labels with a neat history or story. And having lived in France for over a year, I've found many a French designer to love.

I've been a Kenzo fan ever since my twis sis thrifted a gorg red floral velvet jacket in Toronto a few years ago. Vintage Kenzo pieces have great colour and texture. Take this lined, wool a-line mustard yellow Kenzo skirt I found at a summer vide grenier for A EURO. LOVE! I never thought the yellow and black bumblebee look would work, but I'm groovin on this outfit (snapped outside the grocery store - yes, us ladies of leisure live exciting lives!).

Then last week, when I took more bling to my consignment shop, I spied these Tom Ford sunglasses. I know Tom Ford more for the fab flick he directed, A Single Man, than for his fashions and famed business sense. But I loved the way these looked on me. They were rather beat up - scratched on the lenses and the frames - so the owner knocked 20 euros off. Since I had sold a few items in her shop recently, I essentially got them for free rather than pocketing the cash I made.

I've mentioned Cadoro jewellery before, but haven't explained my obsession with it. Cadoro was a high-end jewellery company founded in the 1950s in Manhattan. It's known for its handmade haute hippie pieces made out of unusual materials. The jewellery is quite collectible now as the company ceased to exist in the 1980s. Cadoro pieces are so arty that some can be found in New York City's Metropolitan Museum of Art and Museum of Modern Art.

I'm now a happy Cadoro addict (some of their tassel necklaces rock). I found these two yellow corded necklaces with sliding gold bits online. They're really more summer pieces but as you can see I've managed to work them into my fall look. I have many more Cadoro pieces to share with you! I've stopped buying them but have a nice little collection - my first really meaningful vintage jewellery collection (which explains why there's been a mass exodus of my lower tier vintage costume jewellery to the consignment shop). Guess that means I'm a grown-up now!

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Latest greatest second-hand accessory

Thrifted Thierry Mugler blazer: four euros, Annecy thrift shop
Bally bag: 25 euros, consignment shop
Turtleneck: thrifted in Canada
Levis: new/retail (of so worth it).

Nope. It's not my Baby Bjorn carrier for Adam. I love buying the little guy used clothing, but I tend towards new stuff for the big-ticket baby items.

Spotlight today is on my (slightly fuzzy) used leather and brocade bag by Bally, acquired at my local consignment shop for a mere 25 euros.

EVERYTHING SECOND-HAND except for brolly:
1990s Capezio granny boots: Ebay
Distressed jeans: Annecy second-hand depot
Wool sweater: a euro, Annecy vide grenier
J. Crew wool blazer: thrifted in Canada
Huge crepe and chenille Anne Klein scarf: 10 buck sale in Canada.

As you may know, in the midst of my post-pregnancy style crises, I've been consigning half of my wardrobe at my local shop. What this means: when I go into the shop to drop off another stash and pick up my cheque, I sometimes, but not always, walk out with something. I've gotten rid of many a vintage bag via this method, which no longer suit my life, so I didn't feel the least bit guilty snapping up a bag that does.

Vintage Etienne Aigner granny boots: Ebay
Turtlenck: new/retail bought years ago
1970s velvet patchwork blazer: thrifted in Canada
Levis: new/retail.

The bag ticks all the boxes, satisfying my need for space with my ongoing obsession for fabric and brocade. Plus I like that I can indulge in a bit of pattern mixing when I wear it. Of course, Bally, a Swiss maker, does lovely high-quality bags that aren't cheap. Since all my outfits are looking the same these days, I'm putting special emphasis on quality accessories that I love.

I'm wearing my "new" vintage Etienne Aigner granny booties found on Ebay, which, judging by the square toe (I can't believe I'm doing a square toe!), must be 1990s, what do you think? These days I'm groovin' on the Victorian-steampunk look and the blazer and booties sort of fit the bill.

Lanvin necklace, 10 euro at Annecy brocante market
Ray Ban shades: Annecy brocante market.

I've had this 1970s velvet patchwork blazer for years and don't think I've ever featured it here. I found it for a few bucks at a Canadian thrift shop, and I just love it. Now that I've put on a few pounds, I fill it out much better than I used to when I was a skinny-Minny. Just look at those mammoth buttons!

How much do I love it? So much so that when I recently found the matching long a-line skirt on Ebay (maker: Marks and Spencer - mine doesn't have a tag), I almost bought it - wouldn't I have looked crazy with the entire ensemble on? But the 27-inch waist, my pre-preggo waist size, deterred me. Sigh. I ended up consoling myself with a vintage velvet Laura Ashley skirt, with a more realistic waist size, which will rock with the Etienne Aigner granny boots and jibe with my growing Victorian-esque style aesthetic.

Adam, meanwhile, continues to rock the second-hand orange look.

Hairbrushes are so fascinating.:)

Linking up, after a long absence, to the stylish gals over at Patti's Visible Monday.

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