Collections, Clothes and Karma

Get ready to pity me.  Literally, I have walked the equivalent of two marathons on shopping missions this trip. Click here to be redirected to my GoFundMe page 😜.

My first mission is to find places where one can buy U.S. WWII Sweetheart jewelry. This mission was assigned to me by my friend, Cyn, who is a collector and a shopper. There is also a bonus: Secrets of Paris owner, Heather, thought this could make a good story. Here’s what I’ve been searching for:

Even though I don’t yet have a story for Heather, I count the mission a success because I visited the Drouot auction house (again), I perused the Paris flea markets (again) and found new (to me) odd little shopping districts.

One merchant in a store in the St. Paul Village said he didn’t have what I was searching for but he did have something “Very, very precious involving Hitler” (I now regret it not pursuing this–what could it have been?).

I am finding some very yummy non-sweetheart items.  Most of the pictures are from Portes de Vavnes flea and Rue Cler Market. I bought that compass pendant (bottom pic) which has come in hella handy.

Tiny American flag with a tiny Eiffel Tower

My other shopping mission has been to find dress for my son’s upcoming wedding.  As tradition would hold, I am trying to match the Mother-of-the-Bride in style and color. No dress yet but I am having exceptional luck finding other things I didn’t know I needed.

Of course I’ve been to all my favorite haunts: Réciproque, Galleries Lafayette, Printemps and BHV, but I also located this vintage jewel-box of a store at the St. Ouen flea (open throughout the week also):

Every day The Husband returns from school to find me back at the apartment battered, blistered and exhausted and he asks with sincerity, “Any luck?” I always respond with,

“No luck finding the jewelry or a dress, but I DID find…”

This morning I tried on some of my new swag for a mere 5 minutes. When I removed the outfit, I had this rash.

Karma. She’s a bitch.