Recent Purchases

To store my expanding collection of vintage hats (some going back to the 1930's), I really need to find some hat boxes. I found the one above at the Santa Monica flea market (Pine st. and Lincoln bv.). Only $4, too!

Isn't this an exquisite passport cover? It's handmade (in England!) and I got it from the Etsy store Handmade With Joy. I find that one of the joys of Etsy is receiving packages in the mail from foreign lands...

And now, a few books. My exploration of Scandinavian literature (remember my post about Per Petterson?) has led me to Tove Jansson, a Swedish language Finn more famous for her children's series, The Moomins. The cover of her haunting The True Deceiver is as magical as her universe.
Right now I'm enjoying David Grossman's ZigZag Kid (book on the left); not since Mark Twain's Huck Finn and J.D. Salinger's Holden Caulfield has a written so successfully channeled a youthful voice. So quirky.
Next on my list is a new translation of poems by the Syrian-born, Lebanese author Adonis. In the Arab and Persian world, poetry is the literary form par excellence, and Adonis's works are certainly worthy of the extraordinary tradition that he sprung from and challenged. In my opinion, he is the greatest poet alive.
(For a good intro to his work and that of the just-as-great Mahmoud Darwish, check out the slim anthology Victims Of A Map).

Fashioning Fashion at LACMA - Favorites

Earth Tones

Tsuchikara Pottery, is one of my favorite Etsy shops. The pottery offered by Ippuku is both rustic and delicate, and it always comes in such pretty paper that I don't want to unwrap it for a while... I just bought this little pitcher; with its graceful lines, it is a genuine adornment for my kitchen.

As you know, I love vintage hats. I got this original 1930's skullcap at the Green Flea market in New York last month. 100% wool. I find it youthful and sassy.
Isn't it adorable?

Packing For Italy

Tomorrow I am leaving for Italy - Tremezzo, by the Lago di Como, in the North. Maybe it's because I had an Italian great-grandmother, but since my very first trip to Italy I fell intensely in love with the country. I just adore it.
Here are some of the things I am packing...
A vintage 1930's man's hat I bought on Etsy and, also from Etsy, a Japanese eye mask to sleep in the car; the latter was made with an old kimono by Naomi and its soft silk lining rests soft soft soft against my closed eyelids.

A pile of freshly purchased all-cotton Petit Bateau T-shirts. This classic brand is worn by French little kids and stylish young women alike. I've been buying the same models for decades! I have to say though that those tees used to last a lot longer back in the days when they were Made In France.

Supreme historian Juliet Gardiner's 800-page volume on The Thirties - the 300 first pages are fascinating so far, especially for someone like me who is obsessed by the 20's and 30's.

What Would Alice Wear?

Here are some of my most recent Etsy purchases... This Alice In Wonderland Oversized Bow by Zara Carpenter, made with some vintage cotton upholstery fabric (as if a naughty Alice had cut out a bow from her mama's fancy living room chairs...) has become my everyday accessory. I adore it so much that I may buy this one too. In fashion-conservative, conformist Paris, people stare at my quirky bow on the street but I don't care.
My bloomers by Under The Root have also become a staple. I love their candy colors and their old-style design. I think Lewis Carroll's Alice would like them too, no?And finally, these exquisite vegan shoes (yes, that does exist!) by The Generation, oriental style Mary-Janes; these flats are super comfortable, and perfect to run after a rabbit who dashes ahead as he mumbles "I'm late, I late..."

Accessorizing

I'm not much of an accessory fan, wearing very little jewelry and allergic to it bags of all kinds. However, I do need to carry my essentials, including a book (always) and some water; I always choose leather-free deigns that are as light as possible and preferably handmade. This graphic, geometrical felt bag found on Etsy fulfills all these requirements with style.

The bakelite ring I bought from Petit Oiseau and a bird necklace (from Rag Trader) I gave a friend for Christmas.

And since so many of you liked the pics of me trying hats at a Parisian department store (see them here), I thought I'd share 2 more pics from the series...

A Hat And A Tee From The Flea Market

Twice a month, a flea market takes place on Lincoln Boulevard in Santa Monica. Some sellers offer superb items - one of them, an old Japanese man, brings back ancient kimonos, obis and fabrics from Japan.

I had been wanting to add a summer straw hat to my collection for some time, and I instantly fell for this exquisite, 1920's-like hat, with its wide satin ribbon and its smart asymetry - somehow it reminds me of the hats Meryl Streep wore in Out Of Africa. It happens to be a vintage Armani, which I snatched for $20.

I also bought a red tee that pays tribute to my dear, dear Billie Holiday... Her broken voice, with its textured emotions, has always haunted me. I strongly recommend one of her lesser known albums, Songs For Distingué Lovers, which features such classics as Stars Fell on Alabama and a song I adore, I Didn't Know What Time It Was.

Bowler Hat

Lock & Co. of St James street in London makes the best and most beautiful bowler hats in the world. They are super expensive, but I got this one on eBay; it's a glorious addition to my hat collection! It protects my hair from the rain, as Paris has already shifted into Autumn mode...

This week end I'm attending a very dear friend's wedding in the exquisite Loire Valley - make sure to check back in on Sunday or Monday for pictures of this French-Iranian-German party!

A New Cap

I just received a new cap from a favorite designer, the adorable blogger Artycho, who had already made an exquisite bonnet named for me.
As you know, I love stripes - very 4th of July, no? And I also adore hats...

Cannes Film Festival - Monday

James Gray has been one of my favorite directors since Little Odessa in the early 1990's, and his last feature, We Own The Night, was beyond poignant. So I was thrilled to attend the premiere of his new film, Two Lovers; judging by the applause Gray received, so was everyone at the Palais des Festivals, including Sean Penn and Puff Daddy, who both showed up for the screening. Gray, visibly moved, arrived with both his leading ladies, Vinessa Shaw and Gwyneth Paltrow, the latter escorted by a friend, fashion designer Valentino. They all sat just a couple of rows ahead of me... how thrilling!

I walked the red carpet in a black Joseph pencil skirt, a beige Nina Ricci cropped jacket and a small, black vintage hat with a veil... I'm holding a small vintage Bottega Veneta bag - my only actual handbag!

Make sure to visit this blog again later today - I have surprises in store for you!

Thanks, Bloggers!

Marie, whose blog is an exquisite treasure trove, has just settled in Paris and yesterday I invited her to meet Benjy and have tea with homemade strawberry-peach crumble... I was thrilled to meet her! She spoilt me with wonderful strawberries and a bouquet of pink peonies. My favorite flowers, in that Schiaparelli hot pink I love - bliss!
Thank you, Marie...

I am a fan of Artycho's lovely creations and was delighted today as I received my first order from this artist and seamstress based in the English countryside. The navy blue Victorian-style bonnet, a model she named after me (!), is perfectly crafted, unbelievably pretty, and came in the most beautiful package ever! I'm eager to wear it - it's ideal for a someone with sun-sensitive skin like me. The talent of bloggers such as Artycho never ceases to amaze me. Thank you, Artycho!


Finally I'd like to thank Kwana, who like me owns an adorable pocket-size pooch, for giving me this Arte Y Pico award.
The icing on the cake: this award originated with a Uruguayan blogger!

Books and a top hat

I've already shared with you covers from Penguin's Great Love series here and here; this weekend I couldn't resist 3 volumes from the collection - two of which I read even before getting back to Paris: Nin's luscious Eros Unbound and exquisite stories by Katherine Mansfield.


By now, you all probably know how much I love hats; I've been wanting to buy a classic top hat for a long time. So I did! I found it in a tiny and densely stocked vintage store.

I wore it on the streets of London with jeans, a graphic black and white tee and high heels. It sheltered me from spring's whimsical showers and made me feel cool. After all, eccentricity is a classical way of life in the UK, and one that I'm happy to embrace!
Back in conservative, conventional Paris, I'm not so sure about my top hat's stylishness anymore...

London shopping

My London booty includes this simple organic cotton Twiggy tote, designed for Marks & Spencer by fashion illustrator David Downton .
I also bought Iris Murdoch's "The Sea, The Sea" - I was enthralled by the pages I read on the Eurostar, my first foray into her work. Ok, I admit, one of the reasons I chose the book was also this beautiful Vintage Classics edition. I've already mentioned on this blog how much I love Penguin's old covers ("Penguin by Design: A Cover Story 1935-2005", an anthology of the paperbacks' designs, is a coveted tome) but when it comes to contemporary editions of masterpieces of the past I'll pick Vintage Classics any time...
My bag was much weighed down by the Brit VOGUE. This glossy (a lot heavier than Murdoch's 500-page novel...) features some terrific writing (such a tribute to the late stylist Marit Allen, and pieces about love by 4 writers including Tamasin Day-Lewis), as well as an elegant step-by-step tie-dye project.


Finally, an item from England I haven't bought yet because it's a prototype... I just love Artycho's exquisite and whimsical work (made by this French lady in the English countryside), so imagine how honored and excited I was when I found out that my (admittedly pressing) requests inspired her to create a hat!Merci Artycho! I can't wait to buy and wear this lovely creation!

Claudine's Hat

When I wear this vintage hat, I feel like Claudine, the cheeky and wild heroine in Colette's early novels.
While the Claudine series can't rival with the masterpieces of Colette's mature years, they are still as fresh, exquisite and creative as when they were first published (and became instant best-sellers). Claudine à Paris, or Claudine in Paris is a perfect treat, while animals lovers can't but fall for the hilarious Dialogues de Bêtes, in which the dog Toby and the cat Kiki comment on their owners' lives.

Un petit bonnet

I love my 'petit bonnet' (little wool hat)... It's actually cashmere, and I purchased it at the super cool Ateliers de la Maille, rue des Francs-Bourgeois in the Marais, where they sell nothing but very cool, sleek knits. And now they're having a big sale, too.