Shopping in Paris

Phew! It's been a long time, but I'm finally over my jet lag, so I can write again! Since it’s been a while since I’ve actually updated you on my journeys, I thought I would give you a brief guide on shopping in Paris.

As with all images—if this is your image, let me know so I can give you credit.

Before you go shopping in another country—or in this case, France—make sure that you understand the cultural differences of that country. Here are a few things about the French and France to keep in mind:

Mademoiselle Chanel

Take an inventory of everything you have in your closet. Do you have t-shirts? Sweaters? A black dress? Skirts shorter than ankle length? Costume jewelry? If you said yes to any of those, it’s all thanks to Coco Chanel. (On the other hand, if you said no to all of those, you must be from the past).

Earlier this week I had the opportunity to go and see the Chanel flagship store on 31 Rue Cambon in Paris. It is not only one of the crown jewels of French fashion, but it is one of the most important brands of all time. “Why?” you ask? Here’s why...

Abercrombie and Something That Rhymes with Fitch

Yeah, I know. You're totally expecting another blog post about Paris. Don’t worry your pretty little head; more tales of Paris fashion are on their way. But right now, I want to talk about a more troubling aspect of fashion: The marketing techniques of Abercrombie and Fitch.

I'm sorry about the scandalous picture. It's the least offensive one I could find.

The reason I’m doing this is because I believe that part of doing fashion well—and yes, it’s something that can be done well—is understanding what it is you are buying, or rather, buying into. When you buy something as intimate and personal as clothing, you are not just buying a yardage of fabric and some thread. You are buying a message. If a company is selling a message that is degrading to you or others, you shouldn’t bother buying it. A company like this doesn’t deserve your money.

Ooh la la!

I’m sorry this one is later that scheduled. A lot happened, so I won’t bore you with the details. Here are the highlights:

Since my last post I went to Chartres and Brussels, and I saw some pretty awesome fashion!

First off, I was able to do everything I wanted to do in Brussels. I ate mussels, chocolate, waffles and frites; I saw the Manneken Pis and the Jacques Brel Center; and most importantly, I went into a lace store.

Belgium is very well known for its lace makers, so I had to find some lace while I was there. I went into a very nice lace store and found this Battenberg lace collar. When I get home, I fully intend on attaching it to a wool sheath dress.