Parisian Rejects

I found these photos while just now getting around to cleaning off the memory card from last summer's vacation for my trip next week to New York City. These were skipped over for our vacation photo blog, and not saved in the file of photos we hope to some day print for an album, but they provide inspiration for my upcoming trip.

Yeah, I ran around Paris in pretty vintage dresses, and gasp, even light colored ones, and a comfy pair of vintage sandals. I survived, and even enjoyed myself. As I am already dreading packing four days worth of clothes into only a carry on, I will remember how nice it felt to feel pretty in one of the prettiest cities in the world. I will be packing a dress, or four, and at least one pair of vintage sandals.

After our peacefully dreamlike visit to Pere Lachaise Cemetery, my husband and I were briefly lost in a neighborhood that felt more genuinely Parisian than much of the city we saw during our week-long stay. We stepped into this cafe for un cafe, the restroom, and to get our bearings. Although I did not feel comfortable pulling my camera out for the full on tourist shot, I did steal this one from under the bar just to have a small reminder of the place.

Leaving the cafe, on our walk to the metro, we came across a street market where we bumped elbows with real Parisians (literally, they are seriously aggressive shoppers) over pristine produce, seemingly unending varieties of fresh meats, bubbling vats of sausages and sauerkraut, and bins of ladies under-things.

These two spots, and the few blocks of sidewalk in between, will remind me that the unplanned can sometimes be the most memorable and beautiful part of being anywhere but here.

Perfume Pendants

I spotted this mussel-shaped locket in the jewelry case of a busy thrift store. I have no shame in holding up the line to ask the cashiers retrieve goodies for me, but know better than to upset the line of carts behind me with long inspections. I mean, why would I bother to open it? It's a mussel-shaped locket, it could be a portal to hell and I would still happily wear it.

I fished the necklace out my bag as I got into my car and was pleasantly surprised- it was a perfume pendant.

This pendant, that dates to the early '70s, held Estee Lauder's perfume Aliage. I am confident I enjoy the remnants of the perfume almost as much as the original owner who nearly scraped it clean.

I came across this gold Estee Lauder perfume pendant through my same attraction to giant necklaces. This one is still full of the fragrance, Youth Dew.

Pattern of Prints

I am not intimidated by prints. My closet is full of them, and I usually feel more comfortable constructing an outfit around at least one. These are some current favorites, all from vintage dresses.