Annecy Christmas & thrifted leather goodies teaser, plus then and now lake shots

Hubby's home after flying for a week, so this weekend we're in nesting mode. I have a slew of Christmasy photos I plan to take this week once he decompresses and we start venturing out, so for now this teaser will have to do. A river that runs out of Lac Annecy, which really looks like a canal, snakes through the old town where we live. Annecy is actually known as the Venice of France because of this lovely canal/river. In the summer, cafes along either side are brimming with noshing tourists, but now the bridges are all aglow with sparkly white lights. Isn't this a beautiful shot? Hubby takes the credit for this one.

IN THE FALL: Since the Christmasy pics are forthcoming, I thought I'd share a few then & now photos from a jaunt around the lake taken last month versus ones snapped a week or so ago. This concrete dock is part of a pay-only beach in the summer, but once the season closes they open the gates and let any one wander in. This is the view from the end of the dock looking back to land, with the casino on the right and a retro-looking resto straight ahead.

NOW: This one is from last week after the snow had arrived. As the sign says, there's a disco inside too. Mmm. I wonder if the French meaning of disco is the same as the English? It seems an unlikely place for a disco, but what do I know?

Looking out to the lake and the mountains beyond. I love how the concrete dock curves. You can just see a distant mountain with a gleaming patch of sunlight on its snowy peak.

THEN: Just a few weeks ago, the chairs and tables were still left out from the summer. I envisaged myself getting up every morning and strolling over with a cafe to read and bask in the sun. All the cafe patios are still open this time of year, and the French have no problems sitting outside drinking, and, of course, smoking (the latter is def the national pastime). That pole is part of a trampoline, I think.

NOW: Alas, this is one patio that has packed it in. Too bad I didn't discover it earlier in the Fall as it would have been a fave spot to hang out and dream.

THEN: Lovely potted Mums in old urns, in front of a commercial dock that, after it closes in the summer and the boat gets put to bed somewhere else, is a popular wedding photo spot.

NOW: The flowers are gone, and a mountain dressed in snow is the awe-inspiring backdrop.

THEN: That same mountain, taken from the concrete dock.

NOW: Walking home along the lakeside promenade with the sun setting against the mountain.

I don't have a then & now shot of this one but I just love this permanent carousel. Wonder if they allow grown-ups to take a spin? But then again, I get motion sickness, so it may not be pretty.

My "new" thrifted Italian-made leather boots with pull-on straps may pale in "wow" comparison to the lovely Annecy pics, but I was pretty jazzed as I've been looking for a boot with a bit of a heel, and after my recent Ugg purchase, I didn't want to pay full price (these were 18 Euro - yes, even thrifting in Annecy is relatively pricey). In fact my local thrift shop is becoming a leather handbag and boot haven - I have more from this haul to show you, once I can get organized and take some photos, along with some fab vintage Etsy purchases that I will show you once hubby takes some outfit snaps for me.

Since I haven't found an appropriate place where I can do an pre-timed outfit shot, we'll have to contend with the 'ole blurry-blogger-shot-in-the-mirror trick. I'm wearing the new booties with a cashmere sweater (bought new), a vintage Avon pendant that every vintage style blogger seems to have (which doesn't stop me from loving it), and a thrifted skirt I bought in Canada.

Have a great weekend! Are you ready for the holidays? xo

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1990s looks, thrifted

My eyes are shut here - maybe because I'm dreaming of the perfect thrifted outfit?

Not! That's because I'm wearing it! I thrifted this 1990s-esque (possibly 1980s?) jumper dress last year in Toronto for under 10 bucks. It's a deep navy blue with a wee green and yellow paisley-like pattern on it, and  it reminds me of something Phoebe from the TV show **Friends** would have worn. I'm wearing it with a tee I thrifted for 3 Euros at the thrift shop I told you about last time.

You may notice the bag? That's my distressed SAS handmade in Texas "everything" bag I showed you a while back, purchased on Etsy and found in my mailbox last week - love!! It just so happens to go with my equally distressed (and thrifted) Kenneth Cole boots - yay!

I found the 1970s red-rimmed sunnies in Toronto with the original tag still on the lens. Locket is vintage Avon found in a Toronto vintage shop - it used to have perfume inside!

Shoes and necklace: new and bought in Annecy.

Not the most flattering pic, but flashback! I think I had this exact same dress in the 1990s: long, flowy, slightly shapeless, and with teeny floral patterns - remember? I got rid of all these dresses when more form-fitting and less fussy styling came into being in 2000 or so - major regret! I found this in an Annecy vintage shop for 18 Euros - not the cheap and dirty pricing I'm used to in Canada or the UK but ahh, what's a girl who's groovin' on the 1990s to do? I will wear these dresses with jean jackets, big scarves and booties when the weather cools a bit ... Maybe I'll even splurge for a cropped leather jacket like all the girls in Annecy are wearing ....

See how versatile my 'new' bag is?

The necklace was dug up this weekend at a Vide Grenier - will show you a close up soon as I went home with a good haul and I have to show you all of it!

Have a fab weekend every one.

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Secondhand sequels

Everything here except for the ridiculously priced scarf bought in Canada at Anthropologie (I still love it) is thrifted:  black jeans, 2 pounds at a UK charity shop; boots, about 30 CAD at a Toronto, Canada vintage shop; bag, a gift; tee, hoodie and jacket, thrifted in Canada & the UK.

Yeeks! A week and a half ago it was 35 degrees C, but in the last week it's cooled down and has been quite rainy - reminds me of the UK weather I left behind a few months ago! This is me a few days ago, tromping around with the hubby in Annecy. Excuse the bad hair. It's in growth mode and it looks silly when not tucked behind my ears.

Me in the UK in March, wearing the companion jeans to the black ones shown in the first pic: grey skinnies bought for 2 pounds at the Furballs charity shop in St Annes, Lancashire.

OUTFIT DEETS: booties and bag, new (but bag a decade old!); top, UK charity shop; J Crew blazer, thrifted in Canada long ago; scarf, gift; and Avon necklace, Toronto vintage shop.

The above is sorta an outfit prequel, if you will, as the pic was snapped my first month in the UK this spring, and I'm wearing the grey version of the black jeans. Both jeans were found at my fave charity shop in St Annes, the one benefitting the animals. I didn't even try them on - how lucky that they fit!

How I wore this thrifted knit dress a few years ago.

Speaking of outfit sequels, I used to wear this linen-blend knit dress (tag that says "Made in France", fittingly enough), which I thrifted in Canada for $6.99 or so, in the winter-time only, with a cashmere sweater underneath, tights, boots, and a fabulous statement piece necklace.

A bit blurry but I wanted you to see the head-to-toe.

Look at how skinny I was. And I have tights and a semi-bulky sweater underneath!

Current shot of moi wearing the dress as a summer frock, without anything but my thongs and a bra underneath!
ACCESSORIES: Kenneth Cole ballet flats, bought for $2 at the "$2 Sale" in Toronto, Canada, and a thrifted Matt & Nat handbag (maybe 4 CAD?).

I fill out the dress much better here, methinks. The other day (when it was still warm), I decided to give a summer twist to the frock by wearing it on its own, sans turtleneck etc (but keeping the same wondrous statement piece necklace). The French ethic is influencing me these days, as it's all about simplicity and effortless style - so much so that all my fancy vintage frocks (which are a wee bit tight these days, alas) don't seem to fit into my life here - but that's another story.

So a thrift shop addict can't thrift in Annecy. Next best thing? A cheap summer dress from the market - three Euros!
ACCESSORIES: bag, 2 pounds at a UK charity shop; Clarks leather sandals, under 10 pounds at the same; necklace, a gift from Alaska; bracelet, thrifted for a dollar in Canada.

This 3 Euros cotton sundress, bought a few weeks ago at the market under my window when it was stinking hot, can just make it as an outfit sequel as it represents my alternative to thrift shopping, sigh. Thrift/charity shops don't really exist here, you see (but Vide Greniers do, and I'll tell you about them soon!). This dress is another nightie frock and TRES see-through. You can see my legs, my white thong and my derriere. But heck, if women can walk around topless on the beaches here I figured a semi-transparent dress was within the bounds of decency. An old woman practically came onto me in the Monoprix when I was wearing it, LOL - thankfully I couldn't understand what she was saying but she did seem to be very interested in the dress, eeks!

Another nightie dress, this time for 5 Euros.
Bag and sandals: bought NEW years ago!

I bought this white cotton "nightie" sundress from the same vendor for 5 Euros about a month ago. I'm guessing the guy lowered his prices and slashed the 5 Euros dresses to 3 Euros!

Another 5 Euros dress, perfect for the hot Annecy summer weather - which I hope isn't gone for good!

My last 5 Euros dress, worn with a new hat and a fake tan.

Here's hoping I can wear it again soon.

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Thrifted French dress & France

I've been MIA this past week as we've been traveling. I have some pretty big news: after only three months in the UK, I am  moving with the hubby to France!! Major excitement! Fittingly, as we walked through the cobble-stoned streets of the old town in Annecy in the French Alps where we'll be living, I wore a thrifted dress with a Paris label but bought in a UK charity shop. Je love tossing on a simple microfibre dress in the summer - no fuss, no muss and no ironing. I need to start practising mon French toute de suite!

I look a bit rough here - the product of too much good French wine the night before! I'm wearing a 1970s Avon pendant with a faux turquoise stone; a fake Fossil purse found in a charity shop for two pounds; and Italian sandals found in a Canadian thrift shop.

Whew, a chocolate milkshake perked me up a bit. Annecy is the most gorgeous place, as you can see. This picture is taken in the old town, a pedestrian-only area with Medieval castles, cobblestone streets and quaint cafes and shops set against a backdrop of mountains. The city is not big on thrift shops, from what I can tell (doesn't sound like a very French thing to me), but if there are any, you can bet I will suss them out! Bonne journee!!

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Thrifted Tara Jarmon blazer with cashmere

I'm recycling a piece I showed you years ago, but it's still a fave, and hey, if the Grunge Queen can't recycle a look, who can? The steal: Tara Jarmon patterned corduroy jacket unearthed at a Parkdale-area Salvation Army in Toronto for $6.99. Tara Jarmon is a Canadian-born designer who is based in Paris. A quick peep on her website shows that summer blazers are going for 230 pounds/almost $400, though a winter weight such as this would cost more.

I'm wearing it with a super, super thick cashmere sweater in the most gorg indigo blue, which I bought at a consignment store before I left Canada for a mere ten dollars - it's perfect for these chilly English spring days! The locket is vintage 1970s Avon, picked up at a vintage shop in Toronto. The gloves, blue leather, found at a charity shop in St Annes. Same bag, jeans and booties as yesterday's post, both second-hand and preloved. My hubby bought me the shades, new.

Speaking of, on the fashion advice of my lovely husband, I decided to wear the skinny jeans unrolled and over my fave thrifted booties - a better look that makes my legs look longer than when I roll the cuffs, he assures me. I love the richness of this outfit - the deep inky blues, the velvety pattern on the jacket. Very Baroque-boho.

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I heart Avon hearts these days, and Etsy too

I used to have a heart pendant, years ago, but in recent years I've thought of them as too cutsie. Then in February, while waiting to emigrate to the UK to be with the new hubby, all of a sudden, hearts had all kinds of appeal. Guess love was on the brain. Etsy.com, a fab online selling site for vintage and handmade items, yielded this vintage Avon heart necklace for less than $20 including shipping. It's not the style I typically favour, being small and sweet, but I really rather liked it, and I've worn it quite a bit in the UK. I also picked up a filigre ball pendant for my Mom for her B-day from the same seller, which she loved. Yah Etsy!!

I also found this larger Avon pendant that I reacted to emotionally, loving it on sight - don't get me wrong: it's lovely. But it's hard to dind things to wear with as I don't really wear red, and I'm not into wearing it over black as I think it would look silly. A statement piece like this merits just the perfect outfit to go with it.

A word of caution about Etsy: shop around for the same piece to see if you can get it for a lower price. The day I searched (and reacted emotionally, buying quickly), this was the only piece of its kind. Two days later there were two more, priced at substantially less. Vintage Avon pieces are common enough on Etsy, and I've seen many necklace pendants that I already own for prices ranging from $10-$50 for the same piece! So do your comparison shopping, and buy quickly only if you suspect the piece is one-of-a-kind or hard to find. Have fun - and while you're at it grab a glass of vino and take your time - before you know it, I betcha you'll have spent a good chunk of time sifting through all the vintage goodies!

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