Wearing History

When I touch an object that has a history, my imagination can’t help but run away along the times it must have lived through.

I can’t restrain myself from buying old postcards and imagine someone writing them 100 years ago, the addressee treasuring the card for years and years, displaying, maybe even framing it.

Chipped porcelaine, however ugly, will always make me think of huge family lunches, kids running around the table, accidentally tripping and breaking the still missing piece off. 

Books whose pages were turned by countless people before me, who read the same lines I’m reading and maybe thought similar thoughts.

Objects like these have value that has nothing to with their actual worth as it also depends on your ability to see it. 

Like this belt which used to belong to my grandfather when he was a boy scout before the Second World War. It even has the date stamped on it, and the Budapest address of the scouting shop.

I already see my grandpa as a little boy, walking the streets of a very different Budapest, stepping into the shop while the bell rings to notify the salesman. I can also see him somewhat later, wearing this same belt, proudly frying pancakes in the middle of a forest, on a fireplace constructed in a ditch. (He told me about this when I was very small, and it apparently got stuck in my memory – maybe because the story involved sweets.)

For me, objects that have a past mean much more than a brand new designer piece. Not that I own any designer stuff - I just know that buying one of them wouldn't make me feel the same joy when I find an old, battered but beautiful object, that's seen more of the world than me. It’s truly an amazing feeling to "wear history". I find this piece much more precious than any brand new accessory. 

Belt: Used to belong to my late grandfather, dress: Second hand, Jeans: Takko, 

Sandals: Bata, Earrings: C&A, Ring: Jojó Art Shop

Tablecloth Dress

The monsoon season started or something... I wanted to take some pictures of what I wore yesterday, but you know those rainstorms when it's literally pouring, and from every possible direction? Yep, I was caught up in one of those and was soaked to the skin. Brrr!

Anyway, the great thing about clothes - I can always wear that outfit some other time. 

Once it's all dry. :)

The same kind of rainstorm hit today, but luckily I was still at work and rushed out immediately after to take these photos while the weather cooperated.

It makes me smile to see the huge dots with the tablecloth-like dress. :)

In a recent blogpost Pau over at Titine and Totoche wrote about who women dress for - themselves, other women or men? In this case I hope every weather-beaten pedestrian with a keen eye for pattern was cheered up a little.

See the happy guy? He absolutely has a spring in his step. :)

I don't know what's going on here with the movement, but I like it.

Dress: Second hand, Leggings: Chinese shop, Sandals: Tamaris (worn before here and here), Umbrella: Ikea, Belt: H&M (I turned it around, to show the simpler side), Big ring: Small boutique, Roses: Jojó Art Shop. 

Peonies in Bloom

This is my Mum's garden, or to be precise, the garden of the house where my Mum's flat is, and where I grew up. Do certain places inspire you to dress in different ways?

I think this dress definitely matches the peonies well! It's second hand, and according to the label, a petite size, so it's out of the question for me to wear it on it's own - enter new skinnies to save the day! It's hard to see, but it has a bow on the front (Sarah? :), and I love the cut, as the back runs a bit lower to accentuate the waist, while it's higher on the front so as not to accentuate the wearer's belly. Mine, in other words. :)

I don't know about you, but I love buttons. I used to have a backpack in secondary school that I covered with them. That's why I got this purse with a giant button on, ages and ages ago, but I still love it. My bracelet is made out of buttons too. :)

Dress: second hand, Jeans: Takko, Shoes: Humanic, Bag: Promod, Hat: C&A, Bracelet: gift

Look, I turned and turned into a cat.

This is Nyafi, our not very photogenic but actually very handsome and smooth-furred, and also very intelligent "cat that walks by herself". She found us on the street and she's generally pleased with our performance to feed and adore her, so she stays to rule the flat and neighbourhood, and ocassionally bring dead mice and birds to feed us. Very nice of her, isn't it?

Weekend Away - Slovakia

This impromptu holiday started with our Czech friends coming up with the idea to meet in the middle - in Slovakia. You might know that Hungary is not a very mountainous country, so going to the Lower Fatra mountains was a rare treat for city-living, flat-country me.
Urban girl goes to spend a few days "in the nature" as Hungarians would say. :)

Loving the plastic flowers.

If you plan to travel in Central-Eastern Europe, by train is definitely the best. You can sit back and relax in the dining car and watch the scenery go by as you're waiting for your lunch... Great!

I was aiming for the grafitti, but managed to capture my ring and my boyfriend's camera instead. :)

For avid stargazers the totally light-pollution free sky was amazing in the mountains. We had different entertainment the second night with the arrival of the longest storm I've ever experienced, watching sheet lightning fill the sky over and over again, and casting an electric blue light over the mountain range.

We rented a cottage in Terchová, a village which hosted the World Potato Dumplings Championships this weekend. Before you ask, that's not why we went there in the first place, but it was definitely a great occasion to get more familiar with local peculiarities. Apart from "halusky" (potato dumplings with ewe-cheese, yummy!) cooking championships, they also had sour milk-drinking (I wonder who came up with this and how many very sick contestants cursed them that evening), and speed eating of "halusky" as well.

We had a great time with our friends, and had great conversations - if you're reading this, thank you for organising it all! :)

How wonderful is the local folk costume?

Trabant, the legendary car of the East, by picturesque pile of wood

Let me raise a glass to you, Dear Reader, for bearing with me while I recounted my weekend, I shall return soon with an outfit post, not to worry! :)

Kofola, a great soft drink resembling Coke, but less sweet and more spicy!

Towel Day for Hitchhikers

Let me prepare you for a shocking fact: I'm not a trendsetter.

These are the first pair of skinny jeans I bought. Yep, I warned you!
I just didn't warm to them for ages, and when I tried them on, I felt my legs are turning numb they were so tight - even in that two minutes in the changing room.
But a few days ago - drumroll - I found these in Takko, which is a shop for 40-something mums and their preteens, usually located beside hypermarkets. I'm classy like that.
Anyway, the main thing is that they are really comfortable - maybe because of the 40-something mum fit. They were very cheap too - to fit the budget of 40-something mums.
And mine.

Don't I look like these cats?

Jeans: Takko, Trainers: Chinese shop, T-shirt: Zara, Cami: don't remember, 

Bracelets: H&M, Earrings: Brigitte Bijou

So where does the towel come into picture, you might ask? Right here.

Chic? No. Flattering? No. Trendy? Maybe, if you colour block it...

But it's dead useful, just read it in The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. In this book Douglas Adams describes, among other very useful tips for space survival, how many things a towel can be useful for - May 25th, Towel Day, is the celebration of this wonderful and absolutely hilarious trilogy in five parts. (Here's the Wikipedia entry for more info on Towel Day - basically you need to carry a towel around. :) If you haven't read them, give the books a try, you won't regret it. Or watch the film - starring Zooey Deschanel as charming and funny as ever. Also, be aware that this trailer is not work appropriate - unless you don't mind laughing out loud behind your computer and having everyone stare at you.

Update: It looks like I'm off for the weekend to a possibly webless place, so sorry if I don't reply to your comments and don't check out your blogs in the meantime! Have a great weekend, lovely readers! :)

Cheer up and Rock and Roll

Never mind that I'm losing one shoe, I'm in a rock and roll mood!

Don't ask me which move this is though. :)

Believe it or not, I received this dress as a present when I was 12. I'm sure you have some relatives who only see you once a year. Well, mine must have thought I'm a proper, round adolescent girl. As the smallest in my class, I really didn't have the size and shape to fill in this dress... Till last year.

How many times does it happen though that you can wear one of your childhood dresses in your twenties? I'm enjoying it to the full!

I'm so happy to have found these steps! I loved the setting so much that taking these photos really cheered my day up - I'm feeling better about taking my own pictures now. :)

And I'm super happy with how this picture came out. For a change you can actually see my accessories properly. :)
For those of you who are interested in why I don't laquer my nails, it's beacuse of my job. I love polishes, but I draw and print, so the polish would be chipped in an hour and dissolved into oblivion in the next.

This is where I'm reminiscing about my teenage years. (I don't miss them, by the way.)

Dress: gift, Leggings: Chinese shop, Shoes: Vagabond, Belt and roses: H&M, 

Bracelet: Takko, Earrings with feathers: C&A, Big ring: small boutique, 

Silver plated copper ring: Jojó Art Shop  


OOh, I almost forgot again, I finally got myself a Twitter account! Find me @madelinequaint!