If you spend enough time in thrift stores, eventually you find duplicate pieces. I'll always buy bracelets in duplicate as I like the look of identical pieces on both wrists (like Wonder Woman!) and earrings are a practical investment as I wear mostly clips and tend to lose them from time to time. Lately, I've been indulging in purchasing duplicate brooches, though I limit it to the novelty sort as it would look silly wearing two identical rhinestone starburts but a pair of celluloid Scotties will always look better than a solitary brooch.
Sometimes, a theme is better than identical pieces and this time of year I like to cluster different leaf brooches with acorns, woodland animals, etc. Other times I go absolutely wild and wear cats and dogs together! I think of wearing brooches much as I do pattern mixing-it adds interest to an outfit, and can look chic if well considered. When you own hundreds of brooches wearing them in multiples is almost a necessity just to get them worn!
1980's Made in Yugoslavia skirt-Goodwill
Sparkly 80's tee shirt-Hand-Me-Ups
Cardigan-Target
Belt-Shop Ko
Shoes-Hand-Me-Ups
Vintage handbag-Goodwill
1940's hair clip-Sarpy County Museum sale
Fragrance-Coriandre
The Leslie Fay blouse makes a first Autumn appearance. A red, black, and cream spotted blouse shouldn't be something I'd love this much-but I do. It is practical, comfortable and launderable. Can't ask much more than that from a blouse. I still haven't started unpacking cool weather clothes, so putting together an outfit remains challenging. It has been interesting trying out combinations I otherwise wouldn't.
This jacket has a matching skirt but that's just too headache inducing together!
Outfit Particulars:
1990's skirt-Filene's or Jordan Marsh-can't remember
Blouse-Hand-Me-Ups
Vintage jacket (part of a suit)-Thrift World
Vintage Crown Lewis handbag-Goodwill
Earrings-New Life Thrift
Cinnabar bracelet-Hand-Me-Ups
Vintage BSK Halloween brooch-Thrift World
Fragrance-Chanel No. 22
 |
| "Eeek!Witchy tried to turn me into a toad,,,wait, I'm already dead. Never mind." |
I'll leave you with a funny story.
I was outside filling the bird feeders yesterday morning. As I was pouring seed into the various tubes I was muttering to myself in a sing-song tone, "Feed...the birds. Feed...the birds." As I was finishing up, I heard a cough and noticed my new neighbour sitting on his patio having a coffee before work. He was trying (unsuccessfully) to keep from laughing.
"The birds love that seed" he said, trying to change the subject from the bonkers lady next door that talks to herself when she feeds the birds.
Just wait until he sees me hand-feeding ginger biscuits to Blondin the squirrel.
11 comments:
I really love how your hair looks in the first outfit! I like clustering pins and brooches but my collection is not even in the same universe as yours. The swoop of birds is lovely.
Oh, dear, I'm pretty sure I have not infrequently been caught talking to myself... never mind!
Your "swoop of birds", I agree with anon, is lovely, and that witch and ghost brooch is most endearing.
I also highly approve of both your outfits - love the bag & shoes, great skirts, most pleasing use of black. Jealous of your weather, too, of course.
The multiple brooches are wonderful and I'm loving your flapper-style waves.
That stripy jacket is gorgeous! xxx
I rather like the idea of multiple identical starburst brooches together. More rhinestones= MORE BETTER IMHO. That witchypoo on the ghost brooch has LEGS for days!!!
Something about the 1st outfit, your hair in that photo & shoes is very Emily Latella (in the BEST possible way).
I'm sure the neighbors are bemused by my renditions of everything from Lakmé's Dome Epais (singing a soprano duet by oneself is challenging but I try!) to Bei Mir Bist Du Scheon to Corcovado. Chattering to myself whilst doing chores is my newfound perogative being an old lady now.
It is still alternating between blistering heat and drizzling rain here. Last year the Monsoon rains overstayed 2 weeks into September. It's already been 3 weeks now. We never did break out the heavy woolens & closed to shoes last Winter -just wore long sleeves with sandals.
Love the bird brooches! They look so cool together!
Doesn't everyone talk to themselves when doing things outside? I thought that was normal...
Love the cluster of bird brooches. I guess I need to do more clustering in order to get all my brooches worn. Our neighbours already think I'm bonkers, so if I don't think they'd take notice if they could hear me talking to myself. Isn't it marvelous to find a bag which still has its comb and mirror? I love things like that. xxx
Your hair looks really lovely with a curl in it, I must say.
Your glasses are really making me miss mine. Yours are far nicer than mine, but I love mine regardless and I still have to wait until Wednesday to get them back again.
I'm an outside talker too, usually when I open the front door, see the bunnies and cry out, "Baby rabbits! It's the baby rabbit show! Yay!" forgetting everyone can hear me!
I would have thought that the brooch was a set of flying swallows in triplicate (a bit like a trio of flying duck wall ornaments) if you hadn't said they different items. It's a very good idea to group brooches and I'll be following that piece of advice; as although I don't have hundreds, I have plenty and wonder sometimes how I'm to wear them all!
Fabulous outfits and I particularly love the black and white outfit. I love mixing and matching black and white and blending the jewellery and accessories in. What a brilliant bag that is.
I talk to myself when feeding the birds too, and if it's early in the morning my next door neighbour is usually out smoking a big fat spliff!
I absolutely love your wooden swallow brooch combination! They make such a pretty statement! I agree with the owning of 100's of brooches necessitating the need to wear multiple ones!!x
*Excellent* Halloween brooch. And if you have to have a role model, Wonder Woman is as good as any.
@Anon
Thank you. Sometimes the less I do with my hair, the better.
@Radostin
Don't be too envious of our weather-the downpours have arrived (and with it flooded streets). I'd almost forgotten how to drive in rain.
@Vix
I'd kill for hair like yours! Eventually I get disgusted with mine and let it go wild.
@Bibi
You're right-we've earned the right to chatter to ourselves. Age brings all sorts of freedom.
@Bobbi
It is only normal until your neighbour hears you and starts snickering about it ;)
@Ann
I'm sure you could come up with some great brooch combinations from your incredible collection.
@Melanie
I'm due for new frames as Danny messed mine up with a wayward baseball (don't ask). I'm not looking forward to replacing frames I've been wearing for decades. I have other pairs, but they aren't "Me" in the same way.
@Veronica
Our dope-smoking neighbours moved away. The new family strike me as very, very straight and narrow types. That's a welcome change from the last people that had the house surrounded by police to make an arrest! I can't handle that much excitement anymore.
@Kezzie
Thank you so much, and welcome. I just took a look at your lovely blog and I'm going to enjoy rummaging and reading my way through the archives.
@Mim
I always wondered where WW's handbag and clothes went after she'd spin into super-hero mode. Is there some locker somewhere?
Post a Comment