Thursday, November 7, 2013

Bits and Bobs...Books and Bags in the Bungalow.

It has been a quiet day here in The Humble Bungalow.
It's one of the first days that I gave myself permission to just relax and have a slow day. A guilt free day of indulging in reading and drinking tea with no thoughts of jumping up and tackling the domestics.


I ate a variety of fresh fruit for breakfast and lunch. 
(no WW points!)
I splurged and ate sushi for dinner.

I've rediscovered our local library.
They have their collection online so it makes it easy to peruse the collection.
 Holds can be placed with the click of the mouse. 
I have been reserving many books...from home decor to entertaining, fashion to food and novels.


Quotes from the book jacket.
"A good handbag makes the outfit."
"Only the rich can afford cheap shoes."
"The only thing worse than being skint is looking as if you're skint."

For centuries, an interest in clothes has been dismissed as the trivial focus of vain, empty headed women.
And yet clothes matter, because how we choose to dress ourselves defines our identity. From the immigrant arriving in a new country to the teenager who needs to be a part of the fashion pack or the woman turning forty who must reassess her wardrobe. the truth is that how we look and what we wear tells a story.

And what a story. The Thoughtful Dresser tells us how a woman's hat saved her life in Nazi Germany; looks at the role of department stores in giving women a public place outside the home; celebrates the pleasure of adornment; and savours the sheer joy of finding the perfect dress.

Here is the thinking woman's guide to our relationship with what we wear: why we want to look our best and why it matters.


In this book almost 1500 of the world's perfumes are reviewed.
There are only a handful that the experts claim are masterpieces.

I've made a list of a few that I would like to sample.


This handbag is new to me...
A lovely gift from my daughter who regularly shops in the local thrift stores.
The brand is Valentina and it is made in Italy.
The leather is sturdy and unscuffed and I love the shape and style.
Thank you J!

Elle Canada has a couple of interesting You Tube Video's I thought you might like.


What perfume do you love to wear and do you have an all time favourite?

Hostess
XO

18 comments:

Rebecca said...

I want to have one of those days - soon!
I have a book (from OUR library) I'm ready/eager to read - re. E.B. White & his wife. Looks & sounds so interesting...
Perfume? I seldom wear anymore. So many people sensitive, etc.
Your "new" purse is an attractive one!
Now to figure out how to make that kind of day happen here in Gatescroft :)

Annice said...

Dior "Addict" original, for evening. Estee Lauder "Sensuous" for daytime. PS I enjoy your blog and look forward to it. Faux Fuchsia is another fave.

Coulda shoulda woulda said...

right now I am into eau de merveilles amber - so perfect for the season.

Sandy aka Doris the Great said...

I've recently become highly sensitive to scents. Consequently, I'm unable to wear any perfume. My favorite used to be L'Air de Temps. But now, any scent gives me a migraine and makes me stomach sick. So, I would ask the readers to remember that if you are visiting a "scent free" zone, it's for a very good reason. Sigh! Wish it didn't have to be this way!

LPC said...

The thoughtful dresser books sounds worth a read. I will have to look it up.

And I wear Rose Oudh, by Kilian. Not chemically at all.

Patricia said...

Linda Grant used to have a blog and it was one of the first ones I ever read - I think I found it through Une Femme. I'm going to look for the book - it does sound interesting.

It sounds like you really enjoyed your relaxing day at home!

Anonymous said...

I've been wearing Flower by Kenzo for a few years now. I believe it has become my signature scent. I've read somewhere that it has been very popular in France/Paris as well. I just checked my local library catalog online (don't you love that you can look up books, etc.. at the library online now?) and they have 'Perfumes: the guide' available. I will be picking it up later today! Hope your day was good :)

Swissy said...

I wear little scent these days, since so many people are allergic to them. Shame. But I wear L'Air de Temps sometimes because it reminds me of my mother. I adore L'Artisan scents, all natural and wonderful. In summer, I like The pour un Ete especially and Jour de Fete for winter.

Anonymous said...

Oh, I forgot to add in my previous comment that I have become very sensitive to fragrance. For example, try as I might, every time I sampled Dior's Miss Dior I developed a migraine (not just a headache, but a full force migraine). I make sure I only use one spritz of my chosen eau de toilette (not perfume) and that's it. Thank goodness other women's perfumes don't bother me though, I guess it's only when I am wearing it!

Anonymous said...

Musk by Lorenzo Villoresi ….. utterly lovely.

La Vie Quotidienne said...

What a great post...so many things to check out, especially all the recommended books ~ thank you!

I wear fragrance every day, it is such a nice way to add a little richness to one's life. Currently my favorite perfume is Angel, Thierry Mugler. Oddly enough, I was introduced to it when perusing the new book section at the library and a very attractive women walked by smelling absolutely delicious...of course I had to ask her what it was...

Marilyn Leslie said...

I wear Miss Balmain every day. I used to wear L'interdit by Givenchy, but I can't find it any where.

Northmoon said...

Thanks for mentioning 'The Thoughtful Dresser'. It sounds very interesting so I've put a hold on it at my local library.

I'm kind of wary of perfume lately since I read that most of them nowadays are made with artificial ingredients, even the classics. Plus so many people are allergic, which if the ingredients are synthetic makes sense and is another reason to avoid them.

Grace @ Sense and Simplicity said...

What a wonderful way to spend a November day - just taking it slowly and enjoying it completely. They sound like interesting books. I can't say I like perfume very much although I love perfume bottles (weird, I know).

Jeanne Henriques said...

I can always count on you for great reading and fashion suggestions Leslie. As for perfumes, they change with the country and climate. I find that in Vietnam, I need light and 'citrusy' for hot humid days. Jo Malone's Grapefruit and Orange Blossom are my 'go to' scents..
Warm wishes from Saigon..xx

mette said...

I think that Linda Grant´s book has been around for some years already. Have not read it.
I agree with the quotes about a good handbag´s importance, and the one about only rich being able to buy cheap shoes.
I´ve now had the same perfume ( not the same bottle though ) since I revealed my earlier one , big mistake.
So, this time, I´ll keep the info my own. A good perfume is a luxury for me.
Wow, you indeed are an active reader. I also support you spending a leisure day!

Anonymous said...

What happened to your perfume? I don't understand what you mean by "big mistake."

No Sacrifice Bags said...

I'm fairly sensitive to scents, and most make my head ache. I've found my past favourites have changed their formulas,and not for the better. Joy, and Calandre were my faves in the 70's.
In the 80's I wore all the original versions of mens cologne; Givenchy Gentleman, Versace l' Homme and Perry Ellis For Men ( by Parfums Stern, now produced by Parlux; yuck!) Lucky I still have two bottles of old stock Perry Ellis left. Sadly the current incarnations don't smell the same.
These days I wear Tom Ford Tobacco Vanille, several Hermes scents, and Essencia de Duende.