I am like the lilacs

My take on Spring: thrifted over-dyed '90s grunge dress accessorized with deep lilac and plummy tones
Entirely thrifted outfit (except for tights)
(End of 37 weeks).

A 20-minute power shop in the local thrift shop before our OB appointment Friday yielded this amazing 1990s dress that I practically lunged at when I saw its deep purply hues.

Not only does it remind me of the over-dyed dresses I used to buy in the 1990s, but it is also the perfect complement to the deep-coloured lilacs that have sprouted all over Annecy.

Bought at the market today and now reposing in front of our huge living room windows.

I am sentimentally attached to lilacs. Some may find their smell cloying, but their sweet scent reminds me of growing up in the country, where two huge lilac bushes decorated our front and back yards. My sis and I would cut a bunch of branches and place the biggest bouquet possible in an oversize rose bowl right in front of an open window. The breeze would blow in, and the room would fill with the most heady of perfumes.

A welcome respite from my black leggings, this dress is perfect in so many ways, and not just because of the wonderful colours and simple style. The corset drawstring detail in the back, a popular '90s motif, means I can wear the dress now and then cinch it tighter post-baby (presumably when my 27-inch waist will return). :)

With the exception of the tights, the outfit is entirely thrifted:

Dress, 5 Euros at Annecy thrift shop
Chiffon made-in-Italy scarf, 1.50 Euros and found during the same power shop as the dress
Gap Limited Edition denim jacket, found at a UK charity shop a year ago
Plummy-blue Italian-made suede boots, $14.99 CAD in Toronto 
Deep pink straw purse, thrifted long ago in Toronto for a few bucks
Gold-plated Edwardian style necklace with pink glass, 50% off in a Toronto Value Village
Art deco style ring with pink glass, 5 Euros at Annecy brocante market.

The ring and pendant kinda match the lovely tree we took a pic of yesterday along the canal.

I love it when nature inspires an outfit, don't you?

I don't think this picture does justice to the reality I saw on the cobblestone streets after the market today. All those little bits you see between the mossy crevices are multi-hued sparkles that someone must have sprinkled there while partying the night before.

On that note, I'm linking up to all the sparkly style gems at Patti's Visible Monday.

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Ancient thermal springs and 90s velvet

Another eventful and busy week! On the pregnancy front, we went to a few appointments, sussed out different places to give birth (hospital vs. clinic), chose the place where I'll give birth, and met with a midwife or **sage-femme** to start the ball rolling on our baby education! 

Also saw the new Tarantino flic in ENGLISH in Annecy (a rare thing to find Original Version English-speaking films here), and received eight boxes of Sultana (or Raison) Bran from a Brit expat mail-order company in the post. The French don't seem to be as obsessed with fibre as are other nations, and hey, a pregnant chick needs her fibre, doncha know! Also went to a **braderie** with a gal pal on the weekend and scored some super cute stuff for a Euro each - will show you soon!

Yesterday hubby and I discovered a town near us that we've never been to, Aix les Bain, an old Roman town known for its thermal sulfur springs (**bain** = bath). In the centre of town stands an old Roman arch dedicated to some old emperor's family or something.

It's a wonderful spot that we'd consider moving to if we stay in this part of the world - smaller than Annecy, but cosier, somehow (and cheaper, by the looks of it). It's warmer as the altitude is lower, but it's still surrounded by the foothills of the Alpes. Like Annecy, it sports a lake right alongside the town.

The Romans enjoyed the thermal springs here, and in the 18th century a spa was erected over one of the main thermal springs in the form of this building, which I think is a government building now. The city became  known as a major wellness spot for the likes of Queen Victoria, Napoleon Bonaparte's Josephine, and many others in the well-heeled set. There are still water spas there today.

After meeting our pals at a Thai resto on the lake (YES! The first Thai resto we've found in this region! We are so becoming regulars as it was amazing!), we took a walk along the lake. It was 10 degrees and lovely.

I'm wearing another 1990s velvet grunge frock purchased from Etsy for a song. It has a high waist and lots of room and is rather tent-like (will be good for later), so I've accessorized it with a blingy velvet vintage belt to accentuate what remains of my waist. The cashmere cardi was a gift; comfy crochet tights and boots were bought new (tip: the crochet or fishnet tights never run, I swear - they truly can last years as this pair has!).

Here's a close-up of the pretty pattern. Jeez, I had my hair cut a few weeks ago and already it looks like a mop. They say your hair grows more quickly when pregnant, mmm.

Bump view. We will def be going back to this town soon, so I hope to take more and better pics of what's on offering there. It's a really pretty place.

Off to buy a French verb book. Have made it to only one class this week, but I did speak French mostly with the sage-femme. I have loads of maternity gifties sent my way from fellow thrifty style blogger pals that I will be showing you very soon! Hope every one has been having a great week - I see a lot of posts I want to catch up with!

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Grunge-y Dresses; $10 Jackets

I so regret getting rid of a sumptuous deep blue patterned velvet 1990s dress, long and with a drop waist, that I had back in the day, that when I saw this short 90s velvet dress on mega sale on Etsy, I just had to snap it up. Not sure why I'm so grooving on the 90s now, but I'm not micro-analyzing it. It's such a sweet little frock, and it will be cute for the holidays too.

I'm sporting it with a new haircut (from a month ago); a huge Anne Klein scarf that I picked up on mega sale at a consignment shop in Toronto (it's a thick black crepe but has this red velvety squiggle pattern throughout); a fabulous vintage jacket by James Bay, a Canadian maker about which I can find very little, thrifted for a glorious $10 in my fave neighborhood thrift shop in Toronto, Stretch Thrift; and stretchy cloth and leather gloves thrifted in the UK, I think. The bag was handmade in Montreal, bought new, as were the Guess? booties.

I'm wearing the same scarf, pre-hair cut and with a slightly blurry face, with this grungy little dress/tunic I picked up with a gal pal in a consignment shop in a little village not far from here. I never thought I'd ever wear something like this, but it appealed to me at the time and still does. It was quite a but warmer when this pic was snapped, so I'm wearing a Parasuco cropped denim jacket, found at the same $10 sale as the consignment shop scarf. The lace-up booties are a fave pair, and oh so 90s, picked up at a downtown vintage shop just a few months before I left Toronto for about $35. Not a Grunge Queen thrifty price but I loved them too much to leave them there, and I've worn them so much I've already had to replace the soles.

Have a great weekend, everyone!

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1990s 'ditsy' dress

This 1990s dress, my latest Etsy purchase, arrived in the post today - I was so excited to get it that I actually changed dresses to I could wear it today!

I am really digging these 1990s frocks. I used to wear them back in the day, but got rid of them all years ago. Then a few weeks ago: BANG! I had to have one! Thanks to fellow blogger Joyatri for telling me that folks call this a "ditsy" or "ditzy" dress. Think it refers to the wee floral patterns - am I right?

Whooee, I haven't worn a frock this short in a looong time! But if you can't strut your stuff at 42, when the heck are you going to do it??? Check out Vix's most recent post for some killer gams!

Dress: vintage 1990s, Etsy

Blue suede boots: vintage 1970s?, Made in Italy, thrifted in Toronto, Canada 

Black velvet elastic belt: vintage, found in Toronto, Canada

Wool blazer: J Crew, thrifted in Toronto, Canada

Leather bag: French, thrifted, story coming soon!!

Wool pashmina: new, bought my first year in Toronto 7 years ago

Bracelet: vintage, found in Toronto, Canada

Tights: new.

Here's  close up of the bracelet, which was around $35 in a Toronto vintage shop. Pricey for GQ standards but I loved it so much, and it's so distinctive. The blues complemented the blues in the dress today, so it was a must with my outfit even though it catches on every thing!

A big welcome to several new followers - please drop in and stay a while!

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