Mimi Wears Vintage

As soon as Autumn arrives and the days shorten, I pull out my two favorite outfits, both found in obscure little antique shops.  I spotted the above blouse way up high on a cupboard full of depression glass, old books and tacky jewelry.  When I asked the owner (a gentleman as old as the antiques he carried) if I could see it, he had to retrieve a ladder in order to get it.   I felt a little sorry for him as a cloud of dust fell off the mannequin's torso and made him sneeze.  The silky animal print felt luxurious in my hands and when I looked at the label it read, "Couture Givenchy Paris, Made in France."  My hands started to shake.  "How much?" I asked.  "Well," he said, noticing I was inspecting the fabric which had torn away from the cuff.  "Ten dollars.  Is that too much?"

This outfit is quintessential Sonia Rykiel Paris.  Why anyone would want to consign it is beyond me.   Just add a beret and you have a "Little French Girl" outfit for Halloween.  I tend to wear the sweater and skirt separately to avoid looking like an Eloise caricature.  I like to wear the sweater with jeans and a black blazer and the skirt with a J. Crew cashmere cardigan.   However,  I adore Sonia Rykiel.  She began her career in 1968 with a little boutique in Paris.  She was then, and still is today, the epitome of Saint Germaine style. Her knitwear is sought after throughout the world by young and old fashionistas everywhere.  Her company is now in the capable hands of her daughter, Nathalie, ensuring that these storybook clothes will continue to be made for many years to come.

And so this is why I brake for antique and consignment shops.  You just never know what you will find in a dusty little shop in an obscure corner of the globe.