J'aime les Brocantes

In France, a brocante is similar to what you would expect at a secondhand flea market. I'm from a culture where the idea of things bought secondhand is frowned upon somewhat and approval of such is given only to the very destitute. Otherwise, everything bought should be unwrapped from the plastic as brand-spanking-new. For this reason, I felt restricted against fully exploring my interest in things old, despite being excited and inspired by them. Just having a look would cause superstitions to swirl in my ears.

Now, I freely skip over to any brocante I see happening, scanty or packed with hundreds. The hardest part of the whole experience is usually deciding how much is too much. You see, I have an eclectic spirit, I hate the feel of beeing classified. So I don't specialise, I like a bit of nearly everything and don't want to be weighed by a ton of old stuff in one outing. I like the feel of including these yesteryear accessories with modern pieces.

Brocantes can be like a market for junk, but they are equally the best spots to come across rare even vintage finds, antiques and sentimental pieces that are no longer available for order on the market. Most times the pieces aren't in the best of shape, but have attractive, streamlined and uncommon shapes whose finishes you'll be inspired to restore or personalise with your very own hands. Look at some of what I've found along the way.