My "posh" thrifting outfit

Last week's thrifting outfit
(37 weeks)

I had to chuckle at hubby's comment last Saturday when I was about to depart for a wee thrift dig at my local thrift shop. Like most thrift stores I know, this particular shop isn't in the trendiest of areas. Rather, it's located on a slightly ramshackle street in a suburb of Annecy, with lots of warehouses and a railway track to boot. I think it's the heartbreaking story I once relayed to hubs about having a three-year old kid ask me for money in that area that sparked his comment that I looked "too posh" to walk through that 'hood to the thrift shop. 

First, wild horses couldn't have kept me from thrifting that day: I was really in the mood and had the energy. Second, his comment, though utterly sweet, struck me as slightly ironic, considering that, with the exception of the leggings, the entire outfit was thrifted, with the standout pieces coming from that exact thrift shop which I was hellbent on visiting that day!

The 1990s boots you've seen before, a product of a Toronto vintage shop dig. The empire-waisted turtleneck sweater, a staple in my maternity wardrobe when the weather is cool (as it has been, rather uncharacteristically, in Annecy considering the pools and beaches normally open May 1!), was thrifted in Toronto as well.

Meanwhile, the fabulous Native-inspired leather purse was dug up at the local thrift shop's vide grenier (literally translates to "empty attic") for one Euro. I found the vintage Made-in-France brushed cotton and wool cape inside the boutique portion of the shop for 5 Euros. Isn't it cute? (Or maybe it's posh?).

I won't treat you to the extra-large version of my un-makeuped, sleep-deprived and pre-haircut self snapped about a week ago as I stuck my tongue out at hubby for taking my pic on a patio, but that look perfectly encapsulates how I'm feeling about figuring out the blog ramifications of Google Reader going the way of the Dodo bird in July.

I must admit that, aside from knowing I should transfer all my followers over to another reader and invite you all to come follow me there, I'm a little bewildered as to how to do all that. But the Bloglovin peeps have directed me to cut and paste this into my blog post so you'll all follow me, so please do, if you're so inclined, as it would be a shame to loose you now that I have you!

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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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Isn't it romantic?

Happy belated Valentine's Day to you! I was busy spending the day with hubby yesterday before he jetted off again, but I just had to show you the cappuccino he made me yesterday morning. Quite by accident, the foam magically shaped itself into a heart. Cuteness or what?

It stayed until the bitter end, and became even more heart-like.

Hubby and I decided to have a low-key Valentine's, with no major gifties (I'm still marveling at my Cartier eternity ring, an anniversary and a pre-baby giftie). But I thought I'd try my hand at a handmade Valentine from the heart, just like the kind my sis and I used to make when we were kids.

I'm not crafty in any way, and I agonized over this imperfect Valentine for hours, but hubby was touched beyond belief and even wanted to pack it in his suitcase this morning - big awww!

We joke that we're the most unromantic couple as we went out together to pick out my roses (hot pink and orange, my fave). But hey, he just came off flying a plane, and I sure as heck didn't mind.

I'm wearing my "new" vintage faux fur coat I picked up for 20 Euros at the local thrift shop. The label is Michel Alexis, and it's made in France. It's a touch big but it will accommodate my growing bump; plus I think you don't have to be so picky with size when it comes to a swing coat, non?

What I thought was a misunderstanding at the cash ended up being ok when I investigated further today at the thrift shop. I thought the woman was telling me that only real furs were not subject to the 50 percent off sale, and I knew this decidedly wasn't fur and was expecting to pay 10 Euros for it. It turns out that all furs, real **and** fake, weren't included in the sale. In the end I was ok with paying 20 Euros for this coat, especially if it means I'll be able to do it up when I'm really big!

Nesting mode must be kicking in, as I sweated and swore and stressed for several hours last night making hubby beef stroganoff, my very first attempt. I almost called the beef stroganoff hotline (ie: Mom) several times, but managed to make it through ok, producing a **pas mal** repas. I made oodles so we've got some in the freezer. Must start stockpiling easy meals! (Note: I never wear aprons, probably because I'm not much of a chef, but this was a gift from my UK thrifting pal extrordinaire, Sheau, whom I dearly miss - sweet, isn't it? I've been cooking more in recent weeks so it will come in handy).

I even got to wear a Valentine's napkin scrawled by hubby at the last minute, lest I dribble sauce over my thrifted Theory cashmere sweater (bought years ago for $6.99 in Canada but with a Holt Renfrew pricetag of about $600, if memory serves!). I don't look so hot in red but at that price, I snapped it up and haul it out every year for occasions such as this, where red is befitting.

This is the last time you'll see my shaggy mop. I was semi-beaned today at the hairdresser's, despite telling him that I didn't want to go short. Maybe my French isn't as good as I thought?

Hope you had a lovely Feb. 14 and a great weekend!

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My cheapie-deapie cashmere dress, and amazing Lancel handbag

Annecy continues to be beautiful this Fall, as this recent pic of the canal attests, snapped by my hubby. Just beyond the bridge at the far end of the photo is the lake and the mountains. I just love the light and the colours here -  the photo could almost be a postcard!

I'd like to thank all my fabulous blogging buddies for their kind words and comments the last few posts. It hasn't been an easy time and I still miss Dink like hell and grieve for her, but life has a way of taking over, and sadly, or happily, the pain has slowly subsided so that little things make me smile now. I'm still not in a major fashion frame of mind, but I have been snapping the odd photo of my get-ups (or rather, hubby has). Here's a an outfit from the end of September:

This pic was taken on the very bridge you see off in the distance in the first photo, called the Pont des Amours (Bridge of Lovers). It's normally swamped with tourists and since it connects people from one side of the lake to the other, it's quite busy. I'm not sure how romantic crowds make it, but I love it anyway.

I'm wearing a stretchy cashmere blend dress I picked up at the weekly market for 10 Euros, from the same guy that sold me my 3 Euros dresses in the summer.

The 80s-esque scarf was thrifted for three bucks CAD at Goodwill in Toronto.

And the leather bag? Goodness I've been meaning to show you this for ages. I found it for 4 Euros at the second-hand place I told you about months ago, Bazar sans Frontiere.

The French, as you may know, are very into their bags, and this is a high-end French label called Lancel - there's a shop in the old town where a mere wallet will run you 500 Euros, so I think I got a major deal on my huge bag! It was a bit beat up so I cleaned it well, and a black Sharpie marker filled in the edges where the corner tubing detail was starting to wear away.

The logo has changed and I couldn't find this one in an Internet search, so hopefully the bag isn't a fake. Apparently there are a lot of fake Lancels out there, but this bag says Made in France, and you can tell it's well-made ... and besideswhich I somehow doubt that the knock-off market would do a booming business here. The French, as I have joyfully discovered, are very much into items made in France, and rather obsessed with quality. I'm sure a French woman would rather jump in the lake in the middle of winter than be seen with a fake bag. Even in Annecy, which is fashionable but not the fashion capital of France, it's not uncommon to see Celine handbags draped over the arms of girls in their early 20s!

So now, hopefully, I look like a true French woman!!

The cute studded lace-ups were new and not cheap, but hey, nothing's cheap if you buy new in Annecy.

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Steampunk chic

Plumbing problems this past weekend necessitated, among other things, a rather urgent trip to the **laverie automatique**, so, in keeping with the semi-industrial feel of a laundromat, I channeled my inner steampunk goddess with some recently acquired goodies from a charity shop I recently discovered.

The place: Vestiare St. Martin, a donation-based community venture that helps disadvantaged people. It's literally a ten-minute walk from where I live.

Like the sign says, the store is open only 2.5 hours a day.

Judging by the line up just before opening time, this place is a hit with the locals.

I can see why: most items average between .30-.50 cents! Case in point: this leather messenger handbag, made in France by luxury handbag maker Texier. It was .50 cents! Granted, it stunk of cigarette smoke, but a wash with wood soap in the washer (when the washer worked, and no, I'm not crazy; it didn't destroy the leather!), along with a detox in a bag filled with coffee grains, seems to have taken most of the smell away. (If any one else has suggestions for getting smell out of leather, please let me know. Right now I have some vanilla extract-soaked cotton balls inside to soak up the odor).

I picked up these semi-baggy boyfriend jeans at the same place for .30 cents! These are unreal prices for me. The pants are short but I think they work. I used to wear such tight, wide-legged jeans. The look turns me off now; it's so not applicable here! Now these are my new fave jeans.

I found this velvet vest at the Bazaar Sans Frontieres a few weeks ago for a buck - not their usual pricing but there was a table outside that day and everything on it was one Euro. I don't normally do vests but I had a bunch in the 1990s, and for some reason, that whole '90s look is really appealing to me these days. This baby had a hippie-Victorian feel to it.

I thought this compass necklace, bought a few years ago when I was doing the long-distance thing with my now hubby, was the perfect piece of bling to really tie up the steampunk look. I rarely wear it but it always makes me smile - it actually works too (in case I get lost)!

The cashmere sweater was a gift and you've already seen my fave lace-up booties, bought last Fall in a Toronto vintage shop for about $35. I thought this graffiti wall around the corner from the laundromat was the perfect backdrop for this outfit.

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