Winter attire & 5-Euros-and-under finds

YET ANOTHER PAIR OF LACE-UP BOOTS?
(is she off her rocker?)
Second-hand Michael Kors suede lace-up wedge booties with rubber sole: Etsy.

I haven't quite gotten around to snapping what I wear under my winter togs - not surprisingly, most of my blog pics these days are snapped on the run (though I'm still dreaming of a lakeside photo shoot before the snow flies) - so I thought I'd just show you what I wore today on a jaunt to the thrift shop with a friend, followed by lunch and a play date (never in a million years did I ever think I'd be uttering the term, "play date," but here I am uttering it, happily so. :)

The Michael Kors booties were a stellar and not expensive Etsy find and so casz-chic - the lifestyle I'm aspiring to at the mo. Does the girl have a problem with lace-up booties? Hell yah. But when I find such great deals online, how can I help it? Plus, all the booties look the same in Annecy - slouchy and bling-encrusted - and, like every thing here, they're not inexpensive.

Hooded coat: retail, a few years ago
Vintage fur gloves: Ebay
Leather 1990s bucket bag: Annecy thrift shop
Fur hat: Annecy thrift shop
Vintage scarf: Etsy
Fur-lined skirt peeing out: Annecy consignment shop.

You'll recognize the fur hat from last year - my jaw-dropping 1 Euro thrift shop find. I occasionally wore vintage fur in Toronto, and I must admit to having mixed feelings about it. I have no desire to enter into a political discussion on the merits and downfalls of vintage fur, but I do find it interesting that, in a place where fur is everywhere (and most emphatically NOT vintage; I have seen many women in their 50s and 60s wearing full-length contemporary fur coats), it can sometimes be an easier decision to wear it - especially when it costs a Euro and it keeps my head really, really warm in the not-so-cold but damp winters here. Ditto for the vintage Dents England fur gloves I'm wearing here, found on Ebay.

Vintage hammered brass and coloured cab necklace found at my local thrift shop - for under 5 Euros!

On another front, I routinely ooh and ahh over my thrifty vintage blogging buddies' finds in the UK, Canada and Australia. Such raging deals they find: a few pence; a few bucks. I heave a huge sigh of self-pity over the fact that I rarely dig up such inexpensive items in my local thrift shop (Annecy is land of the affluent, and the higher costs even trickle down to second-hand goods), and I often find myself dreaming of the day when I can go crazy in some grimy Toronto thrift shop. (When I visit, I am SO bringing an empty suitcase!).

So I'm going to feature a few recent 5-Euros-and-under thrift shop finds, like the necklace, above (4.50). I liked its arty groove: tribal boho. Of course, about 80 percent of Adam's wardrobe, comprised of 1-3 Euro deals, could be included in this entry but I think you'll get more excited about bling and handbags.

Don't let the crappy pic fool you: this bag is humongous. Found for 5 Euros at my local thrift shop.

How about this utterly huge leather handbag with amazing buckle, 10 Euros but mysteriously marked down to 5 (is it possessed? Only time will tell)? The detail here does not do it justice; I will show it to you accessorized some day soon so you can see it in all its glory. A true French-style handbag, it doesn't really fit into my life (how does a French woman with a stroller hold the bloody thing? I must observe better), but let's just say that wild horses couldn't have stopped me from taking this baby home. Great shape (as in structural: I love the odd scuff and dent); great hardware; great price. It ticked all the boxes.

Whoohee I'm on a roll: 4 Euros!

Today's find: a luscious burgundy suede and leather handbag, with unknown logo and amazing hardware on the side (not pictured). One of the grommets on the side was missing but who cares? For 4 Euros, it's my new bag-crush.

It's so lovely to read all your comments. I do visit your blogs, believe me, but I don't often leave comments these days. Forgive me, but it's a simpler pleasure for me lately to read a handful of posts in my down time. Hope you understand. I always intend to return and comment but then time slips me by. Trust that I am with you on your style and life journeys! xoxo

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Yvoire, Evian & 70s coat

1970s coat: Etsy
Second-hand granny boots: Etsy
Vintage French Lancel handbag: Annecy thrift shop
Fuzzy wool beret: Annecy consignment shop
Vintage fur mitts: Etsy
Sweater underneath: thrifted in Canada
Levis: new.

I'm wearing my latest and greatest vintage coat endlessly these days, having christened it on last week's trip to the small medieval town of Yvoire, and the nearby spa town of Evian. It's made of super thick wool and has this darling faux fur effect and shawl collar, the latter of which I've wrapped around my neck in this pic.

Yvoire, on Lake Leman. The ferry booth was closed when we were there at 5 p.m. but it runs often and connects all of the towns, on the French and Swiss sides, on the lake.

A 14th century medieval town, Yvoire is one of the most beautiful places on the French side of Lake Leman (much prettier than its neighbouring Evian, in my opin). The old town comprises the village proper, which is surrounded entirely by the old medieval walls.

I was here in the summertime and the patios and quaint shops were packed. Last week, and for the entire off-season, the place was shut up pretty tightly, with only a few shops open and one or two deserted restos.

The stillness added to the place's charm even more. Living in Annecy, I know how tiring and oppressive the summer tourist crowds can be.

Evian looking out to Lake Leman and the Swiss side.

We also popped into Evian further along the lake, which was rather ghost-townish too. We were lucky enough to find a restaurant open near the lake for lunch, thankfully. After lunch, we strolled along the lake and soaked up the sun.

Like the few spa towns I've visited, Evian's local population seems to be made up of a lot of old people. Nothing against old people, but having a kid does make you appreicate demographics all the more. France, and much of Europe, I suspect, has a high birth rate. In places like Annecy, you can't spit without seeing a  pregnant woman or a woman with a stroller.

Mr. Happy Pants.

That's boded well for us, living where we do. I've recently joined an Annecy Moms and Tots meetup group and am wondering why I didn't do it before. The group meets often and is made up of women much like myself, whose husbands work during the day and who may be struggling to fit in with a new culture and language.

There are a few French women in the group, which is great, but there are also people from Denmark, Spain, Czechoslovakia, the UK, the US, and even my native Canada. We all speak English, which doesn't help my French skills any, but let me tell you, it's so nice to chat with other expats who share similar feelings and experiences.

Last look at Yvoire.

It also allows Adam to interact with babies his age and older, and gives us a nice little support group of ladies and their tots. It's kind of ironic how a group of foreigners can make you feel more at home than ever before, but that's what this group is doing for me.

Hope you're all well and happy. And to those of you who commented on my new blog header, yes, those pics were of my apartment in Toronto. I sold/gave away most of the decorative items when I moved, but rest assured, the old brass bed is in my parent's basement, and the antique Persian rug is with us here in France.

Lining up with Patti and her brood of stylish gals at Visible Monday.

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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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Two 'new' tapestry coats - quelle indulgence!

Col des Araviz, La Clusaz.

Jeepers, it's been a busy time. With four or five weeks ago, we're in the final stages of baby prep: the crib is set up, the baby clothes are clean and ready, and the hospital bag is packed. We've also gone out for dinner with friends almost every night for the past week and a bit - gotta get our social ya-yas out while we can, right? The other day we drove up to the mountains and sunned ourselves on a huge patio, admiring Mont Blanc in the distance (not the mountain pictured above), while eating crepes and quaffing chocolat chaud. The weather has ranged from 24 degrees C and sunny to cooler rainy days, but the flowers and trees have exploded with popping blossoms and leaves - it is truly beautiful spring in Haute Savoie!

Last week: 35 weeks

For cooler days, I've upgraded my standard black maternity tights and generic black top look by adding a second-hand tapestry coat I picked up at the local consignment shop where I've left some of my 1970s frocks. I LOVE this baby. It's contemporary and likely only a few seasons old, made by Philosophy di Alberta Ferretti. I've seen a few listings for this exact coat online and apparently it sold for over $1,400 US new. Yeeps. The price tag on my coat was 75 Euro, a little under $100 USD.

I'm wearing it with green suede slouchy booties bought new in Canada and a humongous vintage 1980s carpet bag by UK maker Carpet Bags, bought on Etsy. I can't get the buttons on the coat closed at the mo, but no matter: that will come. I'll say it again: I just love this coat! It's sleek and stylish and will rock my neutrals, everything from jeans and wedge booties to dresses and wideleg pants.

Last week: 35 weeks

This blue beaut is a definite vintage 1970s find, stalked several months ago on Etsy by moi before I finally broke down and hit the "buy" button. I'm wearing it with thrifted Italian-made blue suede boots and a new wool dress that has served my expanding girth very well of late. It's slightly less fitted than the other coat but no less amazing, in my humble opin.

When I can fit back into my denim, I can see myself wearing this with a simple white tee, slightly flared blue jeans, strappy sandals and ethnic silver bling. Ironically I find both of these coats incredibly versatile - you wouldn't think so with the patterns, but I guess the key is not going overboard with stripes and polka dots underneath.

The silver filigre flower ring is slightly blurry but I wanted to show you the bling I accessorized the coat with - I was thinking Morocco for some reason, and this ring, found in a Toronto thrift shop and given to me by the owner, seemed to fit the bill. The silver tone and Lucite necklace is a fave Goodwill find from Toronto - I think it was $6 CAD.

I'll leave you with a shot from the patio that we were having dinner at the other night in the old town. The street looks deserted but don't be fooled: tourists were thronging that night but we managed to find a resto on a quiet side of the canal. Soon Annecy will be absolutely teeming with people and it will be impossible to push a stroller down our cobblestone street. I'm not looking forward to it!

I've been oh so slowly catching up with your blogs, leaving the odd comment here and there and sometimes just enjoying reading your posts sans commenting. I really hope to stay connected with you all but can already feel myself slipping away from blogging, as exhaustion takes over and I become increasingly preoccupied with our imminent arrival! Hope you're all well. xoxo

Just realized I've missed this fabulous link up for the last little bit, so I'm popping in to minglewith my fave style pals at Patti's Visible Monday.

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Thrifted goodies I wouldn't have bought new (partial part deux of vide grenier haul)

Leather jacket: 2 Euros, Annecy vide grenier.
Worn with gifted maternity top, cheapie leggings, new patchwork purse;
Handmade and hand-dyed fringed shawl made from vintage fabric (not by me);
Vintage elasticized velvet and rhinestone belt.

I'm showing off my two-Euros leather jacket, a buttery soft European-label found at the vide grenier from a few weeks ago. Along with a statement-piece shawl and handbag, it jazzes up an otherwise boring black outfit.

Vintage 1990s booties found in Toronto, Canada.
Bracelet snagged for 5 Euros at Annecy thrift shop.
(31 weeks).

It's burgundy, not a colour I'm hugely attracted to and in truth I wouldn't have bought it it were any more than a few Euros. But that's the amazing thing about thrifting: because it can be so inexpensive, it gives you freedom to experiment with new colours and styles that you typically wouldn't if you were to pay full price.

Flashback to 2010, to another thrifted leather jacket find
(to when I had thighs).

Ditto for this slightly sheeny bubble-gum pink cropped leather I found in Toronto in 2010 at a half-off thrift sale. If it were 20-plus bucks, I very likely would have turned my nose up at it. But for about $10 (if memory serves), I snatched it up. The jacket spruces up denim, black or a relatively neutral outfit. And the wacky pink makes me smile. :)

Wearing the same vintage booties, along with a vintage leather bag, thrifted sweater, designer jeans
and purple Coach sunnies.
(Scarf bought new and worth every penny of the exorbitant price I paid for it at Anthropologie).

I kept most of the pieces comprising this outfit when I moved overseas, save for the designer Angel jeans found for a few bucks in a Toronto thrift shop. I was super super teeny back then, as a single girl. Marriage and general happiness (and not eating crackers and cheese for dinner) automatically put a couple pounds on me. But sadly, that meant I had to part ways with these, my favourite, jeans.

A look I've long admired in jewellery but wouldn't necessarily have paid retail for.

I'll quit moaning now. My new and expanding body is a blessing, even though I do sometimes mourn my former uber-svelte self. On another note, check out this bracelet I found at the thrift shop the same day as the vide grenier for 5 Euros. I've always loved this look but never wanted to pay full-price for it. It's got a slightly '90s vibe crossed with a tribal feel. I've been wearing it endlessly.

Does thrifting allow you to try on new or different looks, or acquire pieces you'd never buy new?

Linking up with the lovely ladies at Pattie's Visible Monday - the 90th installment! Thanks to Patti for continuing to host this fun linkup!

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French style: thrifted Weill coat

Made in France Weill coat for 30 Euros, a steal for the label.
Worn with thrifted Italian-made booties, thrifted wool pashmina scarf and handmade bag from Montreal.

All I can say is, can I sleep with my latest thrifted coat? I love it sooo much.

I bought it at the thrift shop where the vide grenier was, on the same day as the vide grenier (see post below), except it was full price in the boutique (30 Euros). But when my eagle-thrifting eye landed on it, even though I didn't know the label, I loved it on sight and knew it was a quality piece. Plus the swing shape perfectly accommodates wee Bobo (AKA the bump - surely I'm not the only preggo attach a name to it?).

The label is Weill, a Paris-based fashion-house that's always been, and still is, family-owned. According to the website, the label pioneered ready-to-wear in France. Established in 1892, it's apparently the oldest French fashion house (though Lanvin, founded seven years later, claims it's the oldest French fashion house still operating).

It's a crepe wool, and has obviously been crumpled for a while as it's a tad wrinkled. Just look at the detailing - those buttons with the "W" on them! The sleeves are three-quarters, but the coat doesn't feel vintage. The corded detailing and shape have a too-contemporary look to me.

A quick peep at the website reveals a spring wool trench-style coat a little shorter than this to be 745 Euros.

And the coolest thing? The collections are made in the company's factory on Laon, which isn't far from Annecy.

It's definitely not an everyday coat, but I'm hoping I can glam up my not-so-glam maternity wear to wear this often, as it's just the perfect spring-weight coat!

Linking up with all the fabulously stylish chickie-boos at Patti's Visible Monday and Lakota's Ta-dah! Tuesday. It's been a busy few days, so I look forward to catching up with you all soon. xo

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Vide Grenier Haul, part one

Wool-mohair blend coat with Paris label and great buttons, 2 Euros at a Vide Grenier

Cripes, talk about baby prep. Sleepless nights characterized by frequent bathroom trips and tossing and turning to find a comfy position, topped off by hubby snoring and cat crying at all hours, has pretty much set the tone this last week for an overwhelming tetchiness that makes me want to hip-check every dawdle-poke or generally annoying person who gets in my way.

Good thing a master haul at my local thrift shop's spring vide grenier (rummage sale, basically) this past Saturday is helping my zzzz-deprived brain manufacture some happy hormones when I think of all the great stuff I found there - two (huge) bags full of clothing for between 1-2 Euros each - including this wool-mohair blend coat from Paris (2 Euros).

The lining is thin so it was the perfect coat to don earlier this week, when temps soared to the teens.

Wool-blend sweater: a Euro at the same sale

I'm not great at this style of vide grenier - basically a big table with stuff tossed on it for all to fight over - but surprisingly there weren't too many pushy peeps. I was able to dig up this red wool-blend floppy turtleneck sweater, again with a Paris label, without any major incident (and for a Euro). I don't wear red often but I can do this shade, and I just loved the dart-like detailing on the sides.

Thyme maternity skirt, thrifted in Canada; Benetton patent leather brogues, thrifted in Annecy;
Scarf, Annecy market; Vintage bracelet, UK auction house;
leather purse, new and handmade by Montreal, Canada artisan.

30 weeks: POP!

As you can see, I've really popped out in the last week. I'm still going strong with the support hose, and comfy shoes that highlight my flipper feet ... funny how I'm trying my best to be stylish but won't compromise when it comes to sensible - and safe - footwear. I wouldn't want to topple over wearing heels, now would I?

I have heaps more to show you from the vide grenier. Must snap some pics one of these mornings, when I have more oomph. Now if you'll excuse me, but I'm off to beddie-by.

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How I Wear My: Greens (mostly thrifted, of course!)

Olive green: jazz up a conservatively-cut Windsmoor coat (thrifted) with thrifted MEXX booties,
bright blue accessories, a patchwork bag, and a cheapie ethnic scarf from the market.

Many thanks to Adrienne over at The Rich Life (on a budget), who, in partnership with Jill over at Everything Just So, is hosting How I Wear My: Green today. I'm really grooving on green these days - all different kinds, in fact. So I thought I'd show you how I've been wearing my greens these days.

Yesterday: Olive green leather booties, thrifted in France.

I bought these olive green booties this week at the thrift shop. The dress is thrifted, the necklace was a buck at a vintage jewellery club meeting in Toronto, and the cashmere was a gift.

The great thing about this kind of green, as you see in these pics, is that it doesn't have to really "match anything" - it can work as a neutral.

Emerald green hat, thrifted in France for 3 Euros.
Antique carpet bag, about 40 pounds at a UK auction.

Or, as you see above and below, green - from emerald to forest to mint - can stand on its own as an accessory with a bit of zing.

Vintage mint green angora beret: gift; forest green Bally purse, thifted in France for under 10 Euros.

I bought this ring new before I moved to the UK, but it was 50 percent off.

I love this emerald green stone and silver filigre ring so much that I wear it whenever the hell I want, with whatever the hell I want.

Thrifted Ellen Tracy silk blouse; new Hermes scarf.

Or you can go full on with green, matching colours and fabrication for a real style whammy.

Vintage forest green jacket by Thierry Mugler, 4 Euros.

And as I recently discovered, dark green rocks with black - who would have thought?

Pre-pregnancy green: vintage dress, gifted.

I can't resist throwing in some miscellaneous pre-preggo green shots, when my stomach was reasonably flat and my thighs thinner.

Thrifted emerald green hoodie with matching (new) turtleneck.
(Rest of outfit: all thrifted except the pendant, which matches the ring).

Newborn jacket in emerald and mint greens: thrifted today for 2 Euros.

And, in a few short months, someone else will be wearing green too! :) :)

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