Tuesday 20 October 2009

French Chic

Sonata:

Husband goes off to his sister's in France tomorrow to prune vines , walk huge dogs and possibly even build things of a rustic nature .

But this cannot be done without the right clothes , which can only be found in the right shop , his all-time favourite emporium , "Welkoop ". Rolls of chicken wire , Nordic socks , stacks of bamboo canes , trellis , dungarees , twine and creosote , rabbit hutches , clogs and shelf after shelf of "what's this for ? " .

Till this week . Now Welkoop has let him down . Things are really going to the dogs when you can't rely on your home-from-home to stock the only sort of shirt to wear while fetching a baguette or downing a Pernod before a day spent reshaping chunks of Provence .

So the last remaining example , dug out of the duster bag , ...." what's this in here for ?? ".... must be mended by tomorrow .



Bearing in mind the Biblical stricture on putting new patches on old cloth ( or was it old on new ? ) I hunted through the vintage stash and beyond . Couldn't find any blue that didn't have teddybears on . I need Vyella , blue Vyella and the will to patch . Off to the thrift shop , then . Mind you Welkoop sells Duct tape .... too scratchy ?

I won't show him Wee Wonderfuls duck or he'll want webbed plaid socks too .

4 comments:

FWOG. said...

Aaaaahhhh, yes, it is so important to have just the right look when one is in France, that home of chic. I am jealous. I would like to be wearing an outfit like that in the south of France. Drinking Pernod.
W

Tania said...

You know, I bet the French wouldn't bat an eye at teddybear blue patchings. And given the choice between that and duct tape...

rachel said...

I agree with Tania. I once had the loveliest young French lodger, a very handsome boy, who wore the most terrible jeans I've ever seen, with wince-inducing floral applique, and absolutely didn't care.

On the other hand, my son says that duct tape on holey jeans pockets can withstand several launderings....

Anonymous said...

go on, go for the teddy bears, you know you want to...