Goodbye to Summer frocks and hello Autumn

We have been pretty lucky this year - the sun has shone and I have had a chance to wear some of my lovely summer dresses!! So before I start planning my Autumn wardrobe I thought I would share some of the fabulous outfits I wore this summer. We had lots of events, a trip to Paris and so far 3 weddings to dress up for.

Vintage dress Prim Vintage, fascinator by me and shoes Jimmy Choo.

Vintage dress bought in Paris, Hat Mamie Blue Paris, vintage bag and shoes Lulu Vintage.

 

Vintage dress by Travilla, shoes Jimmy Choo and bag Louis Vuitton.

 

 

Vintage dress - Shazam vintage and hat from vintage stall at Twinwoods (can't remember the name) and shoes Rokit Originals.

It has been so great to see the sun this year as we have had so many miserable ones recently - I love summer but also love Autumn clothes - the chance to wear my vintage suits, fabulous hats, matching gloves and a little bit of fur at the neck so now I will get to plan my outfits for the cooler months ahead.

 

 

 

 

Paris part 3 - Bon appetite!

Paris is full of places to eat - sit down with a coffee or glass of wine and watch the world go by.  You can find everything from a simple salad to a full blown a la carte feast???

Eating and drinking is a national French pastime and the Parisians down tools and enjoy a 2 hour lunch break as opposed to grabbing a soggy sandwich eaten at their desk.

We enjoyed some fabulous food during our stay, put on a few pounds with the rich dishes and wine (well it was probably the wine that did it???) 

With all the walking around stopping off at a café and enjoying an espresso was something we did quite a lot of - by the way it is un-Parisian to drink a café au lait after 11am but if you can't quite take it black a noisette is the chic thing to drink - espresso with a shot of milk!!!

So here is just a few pics to wet your appetite???

A glass of bubbly while waiting to go up to our room.

 

Noisette café.

 

 

Our anniversary dinner at .......

 

 

 

Lunch was usually a simple salad - but delicious!!

 

Spot of people watching with a Kir Royal??

 

Cooling down with a Mojito in our hotel bar.

 

Macaroons for the journey home from

 

 

 

We had a totally fabulous time in Paris - it is one of my favourite places to be and the photos in this picture don't do it justice - you should go see if for yourself,. 

 

Paris part 2 - Gems around every corner??

One of the things I love about Paris is that every where you look there is something fabulous to look at whether it be the architecture, a shop window or flowers growing in window box.

Grand buildings and interesting things pop up where you least expect them, you can't walk around without looking up at the fascinating things around you.

I love wandering around and soaking up the atmosphere or sitting in a café with a glass of wine or coffee.

Here are a few of my favourite images of our visit (didn't take as many as I should have done but it gives me an excuse to go back and find some more fabulous things to photograph??)

A quirky light fitting in a café near to our hotel

 

 

Front doors on a Paris street.

 

 



I want this apartment!!

 

Loved this simple elegant window display.

 

Laduree Bakery Shop window

 

Sacre Coeur - the wedding cake in Montmatre.

 

Tables outside a café

 

Love it!!

 

While we were seating eating dinner one evening they were filming a promotion for Friendly Fishing - watching the guy in the fish trying to walk across the road and avoid the crazy Paris drivers was so funny!!!

 

Hotel staff "dog walking"

 

We spotted Karl Largerfeld shopping for furniture - I didn't manage to snap him in person but spotted him in this window display.

 

Floral window boxes.

 

Decoration on one of the bridges!!

 

The banks of the Seine were turned in to La Plage for summer.

 

 



Hope you like some of my views of Paris - one more post to come - another must do in the City of Lights - food and wine!!!

Paris part 1 - Vintage Heavan

Paris - the centre of fashion and the home of Haute Couture so as part of our recent trip we had to check out what the vintage shops had to offer.

With the help of my vintage guide book (they are quite a few on Amazon so check them out) and our map of Paris - hubby and I ventured out to see what we could find.

Many of the shops are not in the normal tourist areas so quite a lot of seeking out and map reading skills were required!!!

Our first stop was Palais Royal - a covered shopping walk way around a beautiful garden with fountain and flowers - here we discovered Didier Ludot, who deals in vintage Haute Couture - stunning gowns, brocade fabrics, among Chanel Suits and Hermes bags - way out of my price range but it was fabulous to drool.

 

Vintage to die for!!!

 

 

The next shop on my list was Mamz'Elle Swing - full of fabulous 40's and 50's gems in a bright pink shop pumping out swing and R&B music. The owner was lovely bringing out more and more things for me to try and had such a passion for her vintage it was a joy to shop there. I was hot trying things on but I eventually chose -  a beautiful print 40's dress and the cutest little hat complete with veil and flowers.

 

 Mamz'elle Swing outside her bright shop.

Inside the wonderful clothes and painted walls.

 



 

The following day - we hit a completely different area of Paris - 18th arrondissement - Montmartre, the old red light district full of quirky shops and bars. Fuelled by an espresso we headed of in search of more vintage treasures.

 

 

 

Our first stop was not in my guide book but we stumbled across it by accident no 86 Boulevard de Rochechouart  which again was packed with a mixture from all eras but I found another stunning 40's dress ( no doubt all the purchases will feature in up and coming outfit posts very soon).

 

One  of the shops that I did want to visit was Mamie - which was packed from floor to ceiling with everything from hats to sunglasses, jewellery to shoes, men's and women's vintage everywhere!!

 

No purchases for me this time - but the hubby bought a very smart 40's blazer and an original 1940's Hawaiian shirt.

 

 

 

Almost next door was their sister shop Mamie Blue - Bridgette was adorable and has a passion for all things 30's and 40's, with a vast knowledge of her collections. We spent ages chatting - in a mixture of my bad French and her much better English.  She brought out a divine 1930s' straw hat from the back of the shop - one she was possibly saving for herself but let me buy it!!!

 

Mamie Blue!!

 

 

We loved discovering fabulous vintage in the streets of Paris, chatting and sharing our passion with the lovely shop owners and bringing home a little bit of vintage French style!!!





 



 

 



How to get Parisain Chic???

The hubby and I are off to Paris in a few weeks time for a well deserved break so lots of serious outfit planning will be need in the next week or so. I love Paris it is one of my favourite places, just sitting drinking wine and watching the world go by - it is one of the few cities that is OK to stare at how people are dressed.

And I will be doing rather a lot of  people watching because French women seem to look effortless chic whatever the occasion, so what is their secret??

Rule no 1 - buy quality not quantity, you don't see French women's wardrobes bursting full of clothes they never wear, investment pieces are the key.

Rule no 2 - go for classic items - you don't see many new trends in a French wardrobe, they like to dip into the seasons look but work them around their classic pieces.

Rule no 3 - keep it simple French women stay away from fancy frills and fuss favouring clean lines and neutral colours.

Rule 4 - add in some vintage whether it be your grandmothers Hermes Kelly bag or Chanel jacket ( I wish but that's what the French ladies do invest and pass on to the next generation!!!) or something you picked up in the little vintage shop around the corner from your office.

Rule no 5 - accessories, accessories accessories  - a great bag or fabulous pair of shoes, a scarf tied jauntily around the neck or a vintage brooch placed just right.

Rule no 6 - spend a little more on your lingerie, French ladies spend money on their underwear - no basic M&S multi packs or greying bras, go for matching sets in pastel shades or classic black.

Rule no 7 - take your influence from classic French designers - think Chanel, Dior and Givenchy

I've got a few more French flavour posts to come leading up to the visit and then from Paris itself - so watch this space.



A reason to remember - Horahm Hero's.

For those of you who read my blog you will know that my hubby and I  love the 1940's with a particular passion for WWII  and with both my parents filling my head with stories of the war - mum on the South coast surviving a machine gun attack, dad in London  dodging the bombs. We can imagine but never really know the reality. They were hard times but good times, with a combined fighting spirit, a common goal to defend our great country.

 When we are out and about at events or just every day people often come up and ask why we do what we do - well this is one of the most important reasons why .......

This weekend we went along to Horham home of the 95th Bomb Group of the USAAF who were based here from May 13th 1943  to May 25th 1945, they flew 334 missions and were the first US group to bomb Berlin. The base has been restored to house a museum, and the Red Feather Club - www.95thbg-horham.com.

Every year veterans and there family's return to the base where they served during the war.  We were honoured to be invited to share in this event.

 Saturday night started  with a recreation of The Liberty Run, during the war the GI's brought the girls from the neighbouring villages in  jeeps and trucks to the base for the dances so we were  driven in convoy through the sleepy Suffolk villages  to the base to dance the night away to sound of a big band courtesy of Skyliner.  (Glenn Miller's band played in one of the hangers on his last tour before his fatal flight).

The Ladies of the Liberty Run

On the Sunday we returned to the base for a service, celebration and remembrance for those who served and those who were lost, followed by a presentation of the history of the 95th and the base then and now.

Being able to meet and pay tribute to these great hero's ( a very miss used word these days in my opinion), was truly memorable, to listen to their stories and hear them talk as if it were yesterday was the most incredible experience.

 "Dressing up" is our way of paying tribute - if just one person asks the question

 What are you doing? Or
What is all about?

We can tell them what these brave men did to secure their future, pass on the history to the next generation, make them think of the real hero's of this world and in our small way make sure that they are NEVER forgotten.

What to wear - Weddings.

I love weddings - anyone that reads this blog will know I don't need an excuse to get dressed up so this year I have four weddings (sounds familiar!!!).

So what do you wear?  If like me there will be a lot of the same people at all of them  it calls for multiple outfits as every girl knows you can't be seen in the dress more that once but saying that I do have a stash of formal outfits that I can dress up for such an occasion but as I have not had many weddings in the last few years I feel like have a little indulgence!!!

Here is my little inspiration board to get some ideas and my top tips on wedding dressing.

 



• Keep your dress simple - you can add drama with a statement hat or jewellery.
• Be comfortable - you will be in your outfit for a long time, eating and drinking quite a bit so don't go for anything too tight or restricting.
• Go for colour - you don't want to class with the bride and it is a good excuse to wear something bright and cheerful.
• Accessories can make an impact so find a little pair of gloves or scarf to add a pop of colour if going all out bold is too much for you.
• I am not a fan of black at a wedding - we all wear too much of it year round - navy is a softer option and it works with so many colours - pink, coral, green and of course red.
• A clutch bag is a good option as you can tuck it under your arm, giving you free hands to hold a glass and nibble canapes at the same time.

So what of my own outfits - I have one down, a beautiful silk rayon 40's dress and straw saucer hat that I bought at Hepcats in March.  Two of my weddings have a vintage feel, one is a fashionista affair and the other garden party kind of theme so three more outfits to go!!!

One thing that I adore about weddings is that I get a chance to wear a fabulous hat and first on my list is going to be Betsy Hatter - who is an amazing self taught milliner who designed a range of hats for my collection launch in March.  You can find her on Facebook and at www.betsyhatter.co.uk.

I think that I could style a rather fabulous outfit around this lovely straw number???

All outfits will be posted in due course so watch this space!!!