Guru................................. or Gnu?????

Well that`s it then................ I am officially a fashion guru or is that a fashion gnu? I recently brought home some wonderful antique medal brooch pins to list in my auctions as I love quirky and unique jewellery and they would be divine to wear.

With the visiting family to entertain Mark and the guys hit the local cafe for red wine and football whilst us girls went off to the nearest largest town, Cherbourg, which is a 30 minute drive from here for a little retail therapy!

It was good to see some large fashion stores as the only local clothing shop here is an apron shop ( I joke not!) and they can be quite limiting in the fashion stakes! There are only so many ways you can dress up a floral nylon wrap around!

Anyone visiting this tiny corner of Normandie with the "French chic" fashion idea in their head is in for a "couture" shock. It is a rural, farming community and a nylon wrap round apron,chunky hand knitted cardigan and a pair of black wellies are "de rigeur"!!!

Since being here I have bought most of my clothes in Paris, a definate stop-off point whilst travelling around France for the fear of having to wear nylon is just too much to bear! What would happen if I moved a little too quick , sparked and then set some farmer's hay bales alight?

But Cherbourg was a real buzz and as we were all in' shop till you drop' mode as we started off in Jacqueline Riu. How I love that store; everything has just a little twist or frill and is just a little frou frou without being totally outrageous. And in the window display? A jacket with a military style medal brooch........................mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm?

Last year I visited Cherbourg when I needed an outfit for a wedding and I discovered that all the clothes on sale were a hideous burnt orange or lime green combination. I was very nearly the first person to attend a French wedding in a haute couture nylon apron with a corsage! But this year.......fantastique! So many vintage florals in soft gentle colours that I could have spent a small fortune.

Each clothes shop we went in had a wonderful array of vintage style military brooches and pins and so that`s it. Its official......I am now the family fashion "gnu" and have risen in the eyes of the younger fashionistas visiting who assume that anyone over the age of 35 was employed in the loading of the ark with Noah.


And like any good Gnu......I am Just off for a little rutting.......!!!!!!!!!