Friday, June 28, 2013

Koumpounophobia

Special prize for you if you know what the above phobia is!
(disclaimer - there is no prize, sorry! But you have my respect!!)

When it came to the buttons for my coats, there was only one place to go - All Buttons Great and Small in Newtown, an inner suburb of Sydney.  Normally this would be a two and a half hour drive just to buy buttons, but thankfully I was already going to Sydney for a sexy photoshoot:

Phwoar!!!!!
Photo by Jessica Eisner 

And to catch up with a girlfriend of mine, Miss Sasha.  Miss Sasha was happy to go to the button shop with me as long as I was happy to go to Spotlight with her (I can't believe she thought she had to ask!).

So, once the shoot was done, I picked up Miss Sasha from the Sherbet Birdie studio and headed off to the button store - or as I like to call it, Button Heaven.

Even their door handle is a giant button!


Here is the inside of the store.  Its not a big store, but it doesn't have to be.  On the right is the counter, and behind the counter are the more expensive buttons, and buckles and things... and in the counter are the most expensive buttons.  I never look in there!

I chose my buttons and while Sasha and I were at the counter chatting to the owner while she served me, a young couple walked in.  And by young I mean late-teens, 20 at most.  Anyway, she had a blindfold on, and he lead her into the store and positioned her in front of one of the bays of buttons.  Sasha and I were thinking 'Aww, she must love buttons like we do!  What a nice thing to do for her!!'

Now, this is where the title of this post comes in.  Koumpounophobia is a fear of buttons.

He whipped off her blindfold and she started screaming and turned to run, and he wouldnt let her leave.  She was hysterical and hyperventilating by the time she managed to get past him and get out the door.  We were all a bit stunned... I commented to the store in general that she best dump that guy quick smart.

But back to the buttons!  I bought these!!

These buttons are for the black coat.  I know they look grey in this photo, but they are textured black.

 These buttons are for the lilac coat.  As mentioned previously, this fabric is IMPOSSIBLE to photograph and get the colour right.  The same goes for the buttons.  They coordinate beautifully, trust me!
 
These 'french blue' buttons have a semi matte finish so they look silver, but they aren't.  They are for a future project.  I was trying to buy all the buttons I thought I would need so I didn't have to go back.

And this beauty is also for a future project, but how gorgeous!

Once I'd paid (don't ask how much!) the store owner was telling me that koumpounophobia is quite common and she has people telling her all the time about someone they know that has a fear of buttons.  I've never met anyone!  She also told me about this video, so I thought I'd share it:

If you want to watch this direct on Youtube, click here

So I'm curious, do any of you know someone with a fear of buttons???

Beccie
xxx

16 comments:

  1. oh wow that store looks awesome!
    I have never heard of a fear of buttons, but I guess people can be afraid of anything. I wonder what people who fear buttons wear, it seems they would be awfully limited if they refused to ever wear buttons.

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    1. I've always been curious about that too! The guy in the video likes t-shirts and things with zips, elastic, drawstrings, and velcro. So if you want to dress casually all the time you'd be fine, but if you want to get dressed up your kinda screwed...

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  2. Wow! I'd love to go to that shop. Might have to convince my husband that we need to go for a drive one weekend ;)
    I've never heard (or thought) of anyone having a fear of buttons before. That poor woman!

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    1. Its an amazing shop Annie! If you ever get there I would go with some kind of mission in mind, cause no doubt you will want to buy something, and it always helps if you buy something useful!

      And I know - I felt really sorry for her. What an idiot her boyfriend is!

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  3. My Dad doesn't like buttons very much, his Mother was a tailor...but its not that bad as inthe video.

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    1. But he can still button a shirt Mel? I feel sorry for the guy in the video...

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  4. Oh my! I love buttons and just recently spent time getting some for a jacket. The blue one!

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    1. I know - isn't it fabulous!!! And its going to go on the most fabulous coat!!! YOU JUST WAIT!

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  5. never seen so many buttons = awesome stoer :D wierd story though :/
    You look more than smashing! absolutely stunning! dita can just step down

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    1. If you want a button, guaranteed this store will have it. Its amazing. And thanks for the feedback on my photo. I adore it!

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  6. That place looks like heaven! I would probably go berserk in there :D

    You looks stunning in your photo btw, very elegant :)

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    1. I think I could spend an entire day in that shop - there is just so much to look at :)

      And thanks for the positive feedback on my photo :)

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  7. A fear of buttons, never heard of that one. Weird:) All those lovely buttons, it must have been difficult to decide. Did they have vintage buttons as well?

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  8. Psst...hop on over to my blog. I've nominated you for the Liebster award! :)

    The Fictionista
    {sean-mackenzie.blogspot.com}

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  9. Sounds like you had a lovely day :) And gorgeous photo!!

    I have to say my favourite thing about this is the cat grooming itself in the middle of the shop (why yes, I AM a crazy cat lady!). That just makes my day :)

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    1. I did have a lovely day Melanie - thank you :)

      hahahaha I have to admit, I thought about taking another photo when the cat had cleared the scene, but I thought someone would get some amusement out of it so I didn't :)

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