The One Where I Go to Paris

Here I am writing from Paris. I feel like Hemingway sans the part about being a genius. Whatever that means…

So far for my first few days I’ve gotten to see a lot of Paris. I’ve been to the Shakespeare and Company bookstore, the Eiffel Tower, Musée d’Orsay and a ton of other places. I still have a lot left to see.

But as this is a fashion blog, I will focus on the lovely fashion I’m seeing in Paris. The Parisians dress just like Ines de la Fressange said they would. They love simplicity, cohesion, tailoring and scarves. Lots and lots of scarves.

Bon Voyage

The day has finally come. I’m on my way to Paris!

If you don’t already know my rule for traveling, it’s that I always try to look as much like a local as possible. So I did some research, pulled some stuff out of my closet, and finally decided what I was going to take with me.

As a general rule I try to pack light. The goal is to have a lot of outfits, without a lot of clothing. I also pack things that are cheap and have no emotional value to me, so when I leave, I don't feel too bad about leaving them at my hotel. This also allows me to have room for presents for my family, friends and (dare I say it?) myself.

But I digress…

Since you all care so much about what I wear (I hope you hear the sarcasm in that), let me show you what I’m bringing with me.

How to Shop

I talk to people all the time who tell me that shopping is a fun, peaceful activity for them. I used to have that feeling until I learned how to sew. Then I turned into my grandmother.

I would go around a store and pick up something I liked then put it down, and announced to whomever I was with, “No! I can make the same thing, but better.” This almost always resulted in me going home empty handed and never actually making the thing I so adamantly proclaimed that I could. Grandma would be proud.

Even though my fashion design training can make for some irritating shopping trips, it has taught me some valuable skills when it comes to shopping. Here are some of my top tips:

Don’t overspend. This one is a no brainer. I can understand wanting to spend $500 on a pair of stilettos. The fact is, past a certain price point, you are paying for a name and not quality. You'll be happier with a less expensive item.

No, really. I get it. It's cute and brightly colored. But, unless you're mega rich, it's probably not worth being $500 poorer.
(Valentino Bow heel. Probably available at Nordstrom for more than you can ever afford)

In the Spotlight: Roxy Marj

A few years ago I went to church at a new building with a congregation consisting of mostly young, single college students. I was 18.1 years old and scared because I was completely alone. I floated around to the requisite meetings not knowing what to do or whom I should talk to when, out of the blue, a girl started to talk to me. In our conversation I found out that she was living my dream life. She studied fashion design at Parsons, The New School for Design; she lived in New York for a few years; and she was living the bohemian lifestyle of a freelance illustrator.

She was one of the coolest, nicest people I’ve ever met. She ended up being a personal hero and a big influence in my life.

This choice lady’s name is Roxy. She is a local designer and illustrator operating under the name Roxy Marj, and besides the reasons above, there are many reasons why I love her and her work. Here are some of the main reasons:


Her work is designed for the child that survived when she became an adult. Every Roxy Marj item has the playful adult in mind. Yes, even if it was made for children! She makes a myriad of things from blankets to coloring posters for children, but I can’t help but want them for myself.

Kids coloring posters. Now your kids can color on the wall and inflict less property damage.

Why We Should All Burn Our Victoria's Secret Bras

This may be a departure from what I normally talk about, but I’ve held my tongue long enough. My big secret is I hate Victoria’s Secret.

I hate them for many of reasons. Their products are really low quality and way too expensive. I can never find a bra that doesn’t have more padding than bra. Their sales girls won’t help you find a thing, but are so eager to get your address, so they can send you catalogs for the rest of your life. If you're a larger lass, you can count on them not having your size. And in all of my years of going there they have never once fit me in the correct size bra. Seriously—when I was finally fit in the correct size at a department store, I was shocked to find that these iron-clad, rib-crunching contraptions could be comfortable.

It's not the 1800's. Underwear can be comfortable now.

Really, the list can go on and on for a long time, but, surprisingly, none of these is the reason why I don’t buy from them anymore. If there was one thing that changed my mind about VS, it was this article by Beauty Redefined, a non-profit run by two PhD candidates in Salt Lake City who study the way the media affects body-image.