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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Wrap me in knit dresses, new and old

Taken about a month ago:
1980s knit dress, Etsy; thrifted leather booties from store in France; vintage Sarah Coventry pendant.

It's been a busy few weeks; hubby's had close to a month off, with the exception of a few days, so we've been doing a lot of running around, not to mention plenty of nesting. Yesterday after lunch with fellow expat pals at a local Chinese buffet (it reminded us of home - we're all getting a little sick of the melted cheese and potatoes that comprise the local resto fare), we bought an all-terrain stroller (necessary in Annecy's old town and for jaunts around the lake) and saved 500 Euros, good thrifty shoppers that we are!

At 23 weeks, I'm entering my six month of pregnancy - wow, so hard to fathom, even now. I am living in large tights and knit dresses as I'm finding them the most comfortable for my slowly-expanding girth. My strategy is to find frocks I can wear during and post-pregnancy. I found the funky (acrylic) knit dress above on Etsy, and I love the colours. It's a bit large, so I figure I can wear it for a quite a while.

Yesterday: new fitted knit dress, very apres-ski methinks!

This fitted knit frock, on the other hand, was purchased new for 50% off last week. Sales in France happen only twice a year, in mid-January and June, and when they start, there's heaps of stock and everything sells out quickly. I sure wouldn't have paid 59 Euros for an acrylic dress (mind, it feels like wool), but for 29 and change, I snapped up this baby, the last one on the rack.

I've been living in it all week as it feels great on, but also to get a bang out of my buck before I outgrow it. It's a size small and I have a feeling that the high waistband may be too much before long (though it's proving to be quite flattering at the mo).

I'm wearing it with a fur collar from the local thrift shop; gloves, boots and toque purchased new; and a sterling puffy heart pendant I've had since the 1990s.

Here's the bump view. The little guy is doing a lot of moving these days, which is such a lovely feeling. Forgot to snap a back view, which is too bad as there's a different and equally funky pattern on the upper part of the dress.

Next up: this 1970s cowl-neck dress I recently bought on Etsy. Like the others, it's acrylic, but it feels like the softest of jerseys. And can you see what comprises the pattern? Iguanas! Love!

I'm wearing the fabulous belt that came with it higher than my actual waist level, for comfort's sake. The sparkly cross earrings are also carryovers from the early 1990s, when I worked in a jewellery shop.

Sans belt, I look like I have no waist, which is pretty much true these days. No matter. I won't be able to comfortably wear the belt for long, so I may as well accept it. If the iguanas don't mind, I don't either.

I went to my third French class today and struggled - really struggled - through the grammar parts. They put me in level three, which I think may be too advanced for me so I may try the level down tomorrow. I'm all for being challenged - indeed, that's preferable - but I was at sea today. Everyone knew their verb tenses but 'lil (or not so little) 'ole me! So I'm off to hit the books. Too bad all the verbs I was made to memorize in high school (which I now see wasn't the worst strategy - how else can you learn them?) have slipped away ....

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Show and Tell: odds n ends you haven't seen

Aside from showing you what I look like with a goofy grin and a tree spouting out of my head, I've dedicated this post to all the thrifty stuff I haven't shown you - and that I had better feature before the pics get really out-of-date or before I can't wear certain pieces anymore. Like this long black wool-cashmere French-made double-breasted coat I thrifted at the one thrift shop in Annecy - I can hardly do up the buttons now so I will soon be moving onto my vintage swing coats, yay!

The lush teal and sparkly handmade mohair sweater I have underneath is one of the few pieces I've owned since my teens - my Mom bought it for me in the tiny and lovely town of Perth, Ontario, Canada, and I haul it out every year for Christmas. Bag, boots, and maternity skirt: all thrifted, while new hat and gloves were purchased for less than $5 at dollar store or end-of-the-line places.

In fact, the thrift shop in Annecy where those boots, French designer handbag and coat were bought is becoming my own personal haven for leather accessories. Check out these hardly-worn patent leather lace-ups by Benetton, snatched up for 8 Euros!

Or this super cute 1970s brownish-rust leather clutch with long chain handle, 3 Euros.

It went perfectly with this 1970s rust knit dress, thrifted in Toronto before I moved away and snapped on me over a month ago, when my bump was only just emerging. Worn with my thrifted Kenneth Cole Reaction booties, a cheapie cashmere-blend cardi from the local market and a cheapie boho scarf from the "Fete" day in Annecy in December. I feel semi-guilty about these new, cheapie purchases as the sweater will fall apart in no time, but I loved the scarf so much I bought the same one in a different colour - the excess!

I know: this bag thing is getting out of control. But could you resist this classic style brown leather purse, only slightly beat up, by Swiss maker Bally, 8 Euros?

This pretty 1990s velvet and silk scarf priced at 3 Euros was actually given to me by the ladies at the shop. While shopping there one rainy day in the fall, a customer stole my brand new and very large umbrella I had left by the door in the umbrella pot (they're in every shop in France). I told the lady at the cash and she gave me an old umbrella dug out of the back room so I could get home. When I returned the umbrella with thanks, I bought croissants and other goodies from the boulangerie near us. So they gave me this scarf, which I was going to buy anyway. Swell, huh?

This tapestry change purse, bought earlier in the fall, has a slight granny-feel to it, but its inner bohemian-ness shone out too much for me to resist, especially for a couple Euros.

At the monthly antique market in Annecy a few months ago, I found this gorg brass ring with humungous pink glass centre (which, come to think of it, is similar in colour to the Edwardian-style piece I showed you in my last post). I thought it was pretty unique, semi-rustic yet sculptural, and I'm drawn to contradictions like that.

I think that's it for my bibs and bobs! Jeepers it's too late for this preggo - I started a French class today and I am super pumped, so maybe being a student again has kept me going today! Nightie night!

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Steampunk, Annie Hall,1990s Grunge, Anne of Green Gables look

Hubby swears he'll never go out with me if I wear this emerald green chenille hat I thrifted for 3 Euros at the dingiest and most depressing of thrift shops in Annecy, a first-time (and last-time) visit on my part (and definitely on his). But I loved the hat; the chenille, and the way I turned it up, reminds me so much of the 1990s and how we used to dress 'way back' then.

Anyone having a (bad?) flashback? I can also wear the bring down for a floppy 1970s crossed with a Great Gatsby look.

I'm channeling my inner Holly Hobby/Pippi Longstocking/Anne of Green Gables/Annie Hall look with today's outfit, but the look is comprised of mostly all 1990s pieces, like the thrifted lace-up boots that have made an appearance many times before on this blog. The dress, a recent Etsy acquisition, is the exact label (All That Jazz) and style I used to wear in the early-to-mid 1990s - in fact I had two dresses in this style, with short sleeves, that I loved and wore the hell out of (why, why did I get rid of them?). You can't see the wooly brown and black mottled stripe-like tights I'm wearing, but they're Pippi to a tee.

It's the perfect preggo dress, what with its tent-like shape and clippy-thing at the back (remember those? Love!), which will also transition seamlessly into a post-pregnancy and eventually an 'I have my body back' frock. I loved this simple style then, and I love it now. The vibrant colours are right up my alley too (whereas the ones I had in the past would be a little too water-coloury for my current taste).

I can even steampunk it out a bit with a cashmere cardi and a vintage carpet and embroidery purse. Thanks to my darling and oh-so-patient hubby for taking these pics.

I accessorized with a fave thrift find, a gold-filled Edwardian-style chain pendant with a pretty piece of fuchsia cut glass. I found it at good 'ole Value Village in Toronto at a 50 percent off sale, for under $10 CAD. I think it kinda adds to the Steampunk look.

Speaking of bling, I actually managed to drag hubbie into several thrift shops this week (and he actually bought a few things!! But that's another post), and in one, I found these brownish-maroon beads for a few Euros. I'm not normally a bead type person - I think they look rather old-fashioned around the neck; either that or just plain cheap, if the beads are cheap, that is - but I loved the colour and the (what appears to be brass) details, and also the way the light hits and reflects off the beads. I can't tell if they're wooden or plastic, or another substance like bakelite, but they struck me as unusual.

I also dug up this this Modernist-Space Age steel pendant with amazing orange centre for 2.50 Euros at the same shop, an even more incredible find considering the costume bling at French thrift shops is generally crap. It doesn't have a stamp but I know a lot of these pieces come from Sheffield in the UK, a steel town.

I became obsessed with pieces such as this after finding this baby in a UK charity shop for a pound. They're all over Etsy and aren't horribly priced at all, but nothing beats a thrift shop find!

Linking to all the stylish chicas at Patti's Visible Monday.

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Magenta Monday

Happy New Year to you, and a most heartfelt thanks for all your kind wishes, comments and emails about our happy news. Today I thought I'd show you yet another purple coat I thrifted in Toronto (scroll a few posts down if you missed my purple chenille vintage coat), and decided to hang onto when I moved overseas. The label says ZIM and I don't know the fibre content for sure as it's in Chinese, methinks, but the coat is definitely a wool-cashmere blend, very soft and plushy and showing no signs of wear. It has a belt but I prefer to keep it open - the weather's warm enough in Annecy to stroll around like this!

Aside from the sassy crochet tights, which are uber comfy on the leg but which my expanding waist won't be able to handle much longer, this outfit is entirely thrifted. The Teenflo skirt is a pre-preggo skirt I don't think I'll be able to squish into anymore. It was loose when I bought it and I used to wear it low-slung on my hips. Now it's around my waist to accommodate my belly.

Outfit deets:
Magenta ZIM wool-cashmere coat, thrifted in Toronto for under $20
Teenflo brown velvet skirt with tie-dye pattern, thrifted as part of a suit in Toronto
Wool turtleneck, made in Paris, thrifted for about $4 CAD at Stretch Thrift, Toronto
FAVE (now beat up) wedgie leather Kenneth Cole Reaction boots, $49.99 at Value Village in Canada (worth the splurge)
Distressed leather bag, handmade by SAS in the United States, Etsy, $40 US
Vintage 1970s "Rafael" brass/glass pendant chain, FREE (worth maybe $200 CAD?), from a friend - designed and made by Canadian Modernist jewellery designer (and engineer) Rafael Alfandary
Brown leather gloves, thrifted somewhere for next-to-nothing.

You may remember the maching blazer to the skirt, which I showed you in the fall. I never wear the two together as I think it's too much, but on their own they make fab separates to mix and match according to my whim. They can keep each other company for the next 8-12 months as they slumber away in my closet, unworn, in the hopes of being reborn when I get my figure back.

I'll leave you with a view of the mountains shot overlooking the canal that leads to Lac Annecy, taken at dusk the other night. Thoughts and prayers are going out to Sarah today in Australia, hoping for the best with the wildfires that are raging there.

Linking up to Patti's Visible Monday.

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Something I've been wanting to tell you ...

A YEAR AGO: When life, and by extension this blog, really changed!

What a year! I can't believe hubby and I celebrated our first wedding anniversary yesterday! I wish I could show you a fashion flashback series of all the great outfits I've worn over 2012, as some of my fave thrifty fashion bloggers have done, but honestly, it's been such a crazy 13 months that I don't have enough of a repertoire to choose from.

When I was a single hipster blogger, I used to feature a lot of pics
 and tableaux from my boho apartment in Toronto, Canada.

Selling or giving away a big chunk of my stuff before getting married, then immigrating to the UK in the New Year and living there for four months before hip-hopping over to France, has meant the content of this blog has changed a lot in the past year-and-a-bit ... from a Toronto-centric "where to thrift shop" romp full of weekly finds/outfits, thrifty home decor ideas and frequent apartment re-orgs ... to part fashion blog, part how-gorgeous-is-Annecy tribute.

Happy girl, in September.

In the past year, I've come to believe (perhaps out of necessity!) that my blog should be fluid, and change in content as life changes. I hope I've maintained my love-of-thrift-and-vintage core, though, and that the often unfocused posts combining French scenery and personal fashion haven't been confusing or frustrating for you as readers.

The focus may change a wee bit yet, methinks. I've been a naughty girl. Haven't told you something big. But it hasn't been for lack of caring, just caution. In fact, I'm rolling the news out to you, my dear blogging buds, before I tell even my Facebook friends (and I'm not even sure I'll do that - it's a different, and more widespread, community as opposed to this intimate little domain, does that sound nuts?). See, just around the time this photo was taken, in early September, I had some news:

My saviour these past few weeks: a cheapie cashmere-blend dress
picked up at the Sunday market.

If I had shown you this semi-profile photo taken on December 11 when I featured my new Ugg boots (instead of sneakily posting a frontal shot with my belly artfully hidden), the jig would definitely have been up. This cashmere-blend sweater dress found for 10 Euros at the market has proved indispensable to my sanity and my evolving shape.

A few days ago: POP!

Now I'm 19 weeks gone, my 27-inch waist has disappeared (will I see it again?), and I'm popping out so much I can't even wear my "fat skirts" that I used to wear loosely around my hips.

Constant nausea for a good seven weeks, coupled with the illness and death of, and the subsequent mourning for, wee Dinky, made my first trimester pretty hellish - and had a direct impact on the content and frequently of my posts. When I wasn't crying or stuffing a croissant in my face to ward off yet another wave of nausea, I was pretty much parked on the couch watching Downton Abbey, too fatigued to even put on makeup. My fashion sense went completely out the window.

This week: thankfully this green Windsmoor coat found in a
 UK charity shop still fits me. 

Now that I'm into my second trimester, I'm experiencing what is called the glory days of pregnancy, characterized by no morning sickness, increased energy levels and a slightly renewed fashion sense - not to mention a growing awareness of the wonderful (and terrifying) reality of having a wee human developing inside me. The problem now is, What the hell am I going to wear? Nothing in my closet (except for sweaters) fits me. I can't find a maternity shop in Annecy and I'm sure that when I do, a dress will be prohibitively expensive. And the maternity selection at the local H&M makes me want to hurl (why have all the cool sparkly stuff for the 20-year-olds and make the ugly forest green pants for the preggos?). And so, the fashion journey will continue, to Etsy, where I've found a few style solutions for my slowly expanding girth.

A few weeks ago, with sunlight showing my new curves and wearing
 a maternity skirt found in a thrift store. 

I have no great desire to turn this into a Mommie blog, though that could be the inevitable direction. I have nothing against moms or ones who blog, please understand. Just not sure if I want to go there. But I have a feeling French attitudes towards pregnancy, childbirth and raising kids will figure somewhat, and intermix with my reactions to said attitudes. Natch, I'll document my evolving fashion sense and various pregnancy-related wardrobe dilemmas, frustrations and triumphs.  EDIT: Of course, I will **always** thrift shop and continue to show off my finds!!

TEASER: The lady at the boulangerie told me yesterday that French doctors expect pregnant women, in total, to gain one kg per month of pregnancy - that's just under 20 pounds! (So far I've gained three, and my doc isn't harassing me). Attitudes are definitely different in North America, where it's not uncommon to gain 30, 40, and upwards of 50 pounds when pregnant. 

So dear readers, I hope you'll jump on for the ride. Happy New Year! xo

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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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