The North Face Lightweight Outdoor Coat

This was one of the clothing items I hauled home with the Desigual Shoes.

As said before selling clothing is not my focus but I know these jackets are popular with youngsters especially third or even later generation descendants of immigrants from North Africa or the former Dutch colonies.

Trying to find out which exact model I had the Dryvent print on the sleeve was my only clue. The online info is not quite clear. I came to the Antora first and listed it as that. But that has a cord in the hood, mine did not. Didn't matter, I sold it within two days. Looking again it turns out I had the Quest Dryvent.

Both models sell at original price €130. And both discounted down to about 90, but then not in black or not in the L size that I had. So I asked €30, in line with what other sellers ask and accepted bid 25.

Guy who came to pick it up was not a younster and more XL to XXL size, paid cash and ran off. I wondered, a trader not wanting to miss a too good deal or a father just in a hurry? It's fine with me.

XL Belly Bottle Vase

Picked up on my home from groceries just four weeks ago. Two streets away so a bit of a hassle to load up and add to the weight but I managed to tie it up on the back of my bike with a bungy cord, that is always traveling with me. Doing so I think I met the giver as someone came out to bring more stuff to the spot.

But I had. enough and didn't want to look. Though not restricted to outdoors, this is something people love to have in their garden so sure to sell this time of the year.

Listed pick up only at first. Then saw the box in my room. Recently taken in from in front of the door with contents to sort out inside. Forgot what was in it. But it seemed just the perfect size. Checked, yes. 

Adding shipping sure helps to sell faster. Ordered, payed and shipped this morning and that box is gone as well. My profit €10 is in line with what other people ask for comparable products.

Desigual Sofia Ankle Boots

Found beside textiles collection bin. With three more bags of clothing. Container was full, but bags were open shoppers, not suitable to put inside anyway.

All of it brought to recycle centre, but the shoes in original box, looked interesting.

However soon as I took them out to photograph I saw the damage. Still perfectly wearable of course because only on the inside, if you're ready to brush the paint flakes off your socks every time.

I can understand how they were marked down from over €500 to 119. And then still got cast away. Thought about selling for cheap but it's a no go for me. They will go with the next lot of textiles and shoes at kilo price. Hopefully some thrift shop can make someone happy with them for little.

Currently I see Desigual doesn't sell any shoes much over €150. I'm not familiar with the brand and it's not a client of my company. Maybe they learned.

Brass Pipe Fittings

Just over two weeks ago I saw a neighbour walking out with a small plastic bag placing it neatly beside the trash dump across the street. I thought if not in, it may be interesting.

Here are the contents. Listed the next day, sold this morning at €10. Perhaps too cheap, because depending the model such joints go between €6 and over 60 new, but it's fine. I don't know anything about the product and wanted to be sure to get at least some money out. I hoped to make some DIY enthusiast happy with the lot, but to my surprise a professional fitter, though probably self-employed,  came for it.

Vintage Tripod Plant Stand

Some years ago my once in a while bonus prize in a lottery was a plant of my choice. I would have preferred the value in money, but at least it was better than the usual list of gadgets that I don't want or need and then ended up ordering practical things like socks and tea towels that I will possibly never use up. Plus a pair of earrings that I have not worn yet. Unsubscribed from it by now anyway.

I filtered on safe for cats and shade-loving since my house does not get to much sun and chose Calathea, that I had never seen before. I like the shape of the leaves and always prefer the less common.

My only little criticism of the gift was that it came in the dullest ever 'decrative' outer plastic pot. Having nothing better that fitted I put up with it for several months.

Then this showed up in front of my door.

By far the cutest plant stand I've ever seen, in handcrafted bamboo. Not hiding but so cheering up the white pot. 

And so vintage. Hard to say if it's 1950s or 60s, but it can't be newer than that judging by the faded picture on the base. Puzzles me why it's there as you place the pot on it. But it could also be a home made product that someone used a piece of a plastic kitchen tablecoth for. But that is questionable since the theme is gardening.

I'm just a bit worried about the durability of the pressed wood base but so far it's lasting and I think the construction is such that it can lose a few flakes. And then the bamboo plus all the nailings are in perfect shape.

Too bad it's a bit tilted - I wanted to reject it at first - but the geometric decoration of the legs shows best on this last shot. That just does it for me. Such a simple thing it's one of my best curb finds for myself ever. 

Makes me think about the durability of bamboo. An easy and strong fast gowing product of nature that can replace loads of polluting stuff, but that's another discission, just want to mention it.

Hot Summer

While parts of Europe and The Netherlands are plagued by a heat wave I'm fairly fine. My groundfloor apartment is pretty cool, 25 degrees Celsius this afternoon, and outdoors I bike and feel the fresh breeze.

Upstairs it's a bit warmer but the old parasol, found I don't remember when but before 2010 for sure, and in the meantime fixed with duct tape, still does a good job of keeping the heat out when the sun is beating the back window and balcony.

 Clever design with deep blue inner and silver outer cloth.

Last night however up there I did have to get rid of leg covering for the first time in I don't know in how many years, and I don't even know what other options I have in my drawers. But I went down to grab the first thing. T-dress from the load of a while ago that I kept apart in case of. Just the perfect thing because it's completely me: Jeans/T-shirt girl but then without the jeans. 

Said I'm not a fan of loud logos I can live with this. Grey on black and my first pair of basketball shoes (at five years old or so) were Converses and I loved them. So long ago they still had the rubber cushions on the inner ankles. Later on never could afford them and once found on the curb they were too narrow for my wide feet.

Only by taking the photos found out the detail of slightly longer back. Kind of adds style so I was even confident to go out cycling with this on.

Brand-name Clothing With Large Logos

I found this interesting discussion on Reddit. 

I see those products in almost every clothing shop I do stocktakes for. But despite of what some people say, I see it also in extremely expensive shops. Like this example from Fendi. Pay over a thousand for a simple shirt, you'll still advertise their brand, though more or less subtly, while wearing.

One thing I found out:

This stuff does not go second hand on line. At least not through Dutch Ebay and I don't want to try others because clothing is totally not my focus. So these sweaters will go to recycling soon now, after the rest that went right away. Found last summer and I had to carry trash bags full on the back of my bike in two goes. But I had a great pair of jeans for myself from that load. Still happy.

Now I can live with this:

Passed by textiles collection bins filled to the brim a few days ago. Bags placed beside, rummaged in already. Too much to take. I picked mainly shoes in easy to hang on my handlebars bags but there was place on top to add some randomly picked clothes. Then could add one looking the most neat with only clothes that I could strap on a bungy cord on the back.

Shoes are more weight and made me €0,58. The clothes a day later €0,40. 

I kept the Levi's cotton sweater for me. Just my size and I don't mind the modest little logo. After all in my young days Levi's were my favourite jeans. And even then it was normal that your denims were somehow showing which ones they were. It's just that these days this logo or brand showing has got out of hand.