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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Annecy at dusk, plus Hermes makes a visit to my wardrobe

I hope you've all had an utterly fabulous holiday season thus far. After my last blog entry, I did in fact snap a few pics of Annecy at dusk on Christmas Eve, just an hour or two before the shops closed at six (and boy, was I wrong: the old town was a madhouse). This is the entry way to the pedestrian area in the old town, which currently houses the Christmas market I featured in my last post.

I just love the lights they string up across the narrow streets in France. When I was in Aix en Provence a good decade ago at Christmas, they did the same thing in the old town.

I don't buy my flowers at this shop as I find them quite pricey, but this flower shop in the old town truly has the most spectacular frontage. In the summer, beautiful floral displays wend their way up the old stone walls, and, as you can see, the loveliness extends to the holiday season.

One of the old churches in Annecy is quite lovely when lit up. A few days before Christmas it had to compete with a kids' ride.

You can just see the gold Madonna at the top.

This is another church just around the corner.

Christmas was a laid-back affair at our place. Hubby got home in the afternoon and we unwrapped pressies, then popped the bird in the oven (didn't eat until 11 p.m. so we'll dress the turkey before pressies next time).

In honour of the occasion, I wore a thick shirt by Ellen Tracy that I thrifted in Canada years ago and have literally worn only once. Since emerald green is the hot colour for 2013, I decided to pop it on with leggings and my thrifted Italian booties.

My legs look like pipe cleaners, but I wanted to give you an idea of how over-sized it is.

The silk is thick and sheeny - perfect for festive holiday garb.

I wore it with a vintage costume ring and bracelet I picked up at a local vintage store - the only one in Annecy. The bracelet reminds me a little of my Cartier love band wedding ring. The ring is kind of industrial looking.

I used to think that this Hermes "How a scarf is born" poster, advertising a 1989 seminar in London about the art of Hermes scarf making, was the closet thing I'd get to a Hermes scarf.

But guess what Santa baby bought me? I've always wanted an Hermes scarf. According to fashion journalist Dana Thomas in her book, Deluxe: How Luxury Lost its Lustre, Hermes is one of the few luxury fashion houses that's stayed true to its artisan roots and hasn't moved off-shore to produce its goods. Hermes scarves, like mine, are still hand-rolled and printed. I love that that tradition is still intact.

And it just so happens to go with my emerald green top!

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Purple Queen; two vintage statement pieces

Can you do two vintage statement pieces at once? You bet! This is my absolute fave shawl, both vintage and handmade. The vintage velvet patterned fabric was over-dyed purple on one side, and sewn to a brown velvet fabric on the other side. A vintage fringe was added, which was also dyed purple. It was made by an interior designer in Toronto who does custom drapes and reupholstery for a living. The seller told me Hermes did something like it, la-di-da!!

I'm wearing it with another fave, a vintage 1970s Rafael Alfandary pendant made of brass and a purple "stone", which was given to me (lucky me as these things sell for over $100 in the vintage markets). The purple wool tunic/dress is second-hand, dug up at a Toronto Goodwill, by April Cornell. The booties and leggings are new.

Isn't it just lush? I can wear it like this, long, or wrapped around my neck, tres deshabille chic!

It's a true statement piece and I always get compliments and stares when I wear it. It wasn't cheap, but the money I paid for it was well worth it as I just love it - it was one of those pieces I went home and dreamed of. And I don't think it competes with the necklace, do you?

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1970s inspiration

1970s inspiration by grungequeen featuring oversized sunglasses

Halston Heritage dolman sleeve top, $103
Yves Saint Laurent high waisted wide leg pants, $990
Tory Burch leather high heels, $295
Diane von Fürstenberg clutch handbag, $340
Dinny Hall pendant, $135
Hermes vintage scarve, $325
Balenciaga oversized sunglasses

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