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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Packages pour moi et bebe

Lest you think I've run off to film Sultana Bran commercials, I'm here to show you some lovely gifties that have been posted to me since I made my baby announcement. A talented blogger who preferred to stay anonymous sent me a package with this pretty blue wool jumper inside (yup, all you UK folk, in Canada a jumper is something like this or a one-piece pantsuit. What you call a jumper, we call a sweater).

There's lots of room to grow here thanks to a handy adjustable strap at the back. I thought it would look funky if I stuck to the blue theme, so I wore it with blue tights and turtleneck (polo neck in the UK? I love these differences), and my thrifted Kenneth Cole Reaction booties. A handmade statement piece necklace finished off the look. Love!

The same blogger sent me a pretty sleeveless black dress that will do wonderfully for the summer and post-baby, which isn't pictured here as it was difficult to photograph, and this beautiful hardcover book, Flea Market Baby, which features inspiring photos of all the creative baby things you can do with second-hand flea market finds. I used to have coffee table books galore featuring thrifty decor ideas, and boy, do I regret getting rid of them. I was so touched by this package, from a blogger I hardly know - I am so hanging on to my maternity stuff so I can pass the goodies and the good Karma forward!

Speaking of terrific ladies, the indomitable Curtise also sent me a package, containing, among other things, this beaut of a floral knit tunic/dress that I've been all but living in lately. That style dame nailed it with this baby - it's just so very ME. I'm wearing it with leggings and a necklace found at a Vide Grenier for a couple bucks, but I also wore it as a dress with sassy crochet tights.

She also sent this summery top that, again, will be perfect for spring and post-baby. Isn't it swish? It'll rock with everything from leggings to a black skirt. And on that subject, Curtise also sent me a black knit skirt, which is perfectly fitting into my pregnancy wardrobe philosophy, but, like the black dress, it didn't photograph well, so you'll have to trust in its marvelousness.

I just love the card Curtise sent - and she was so right, there were plenty of butterfly-like movements going on in my belly at that time, which have now turned to perceptible kicks!

Last but not least, my wonderful twin sis, Kendra, sent me this Kimono-style maternity top that I'll be sporting once the warmer weather comes. Like Curtise's top, I think it could also do as a nursing top. I can't find a lot of nursing clothing here, so I'm making the (perhaps mistaken) assumption that French women just pull their boob out of their top to nurse. I would have no problem doing that if I had to.

Kendra is an art and graphics design prof in Toronto, and has been a practising and showing artist since she was in her early 20s, if not before - you can check out her amazing drawings, paintings and other renderings on the blog portion of her website, gadzala.com. Needless to say, I was thrilled to receive this book. I thought it was such a creative idea to turn a sketchbook into a book, and, since the tome chronicles her family's life in addition to showcasing her talents, I wanted one.

Guess whose wedding flowers she featured in the book?

Sis also sent me, upon request, a Dollar Store liquid eyeliner, the same kind I used to buy at the end of my street in Toronto. Makeup here is VERY expensive - try 18 Euros for a lipstick or a mascara ... that's 24 Canuck bucks, epps!

Thanks to all you lovelies for sending me such gorgeous, thoughtful gifties that will be so used and enjoyed. I'm linking up to Lakota's Ta-dah! Tuesday because I think these items are definitely Ta-dah! worthy! And special thanks to Jill, who has kindly featured the dress that you all loved so much, from a few posts ago, in her How I Wear My Date Night Look post today!

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