What I like... sold on SOLDES!

It is the beginning of July and the operative word on the street is "SOLDES". The semi-annual, SOLDES defines the beginning of the Parisian summer, starting on the 30th June and ending on the 3rd of August. Since sales are regulated in france, they run generally in the winter, after christmas, and in the summer, with designer items slashed down by 80%!

Of course one has to ask oneself if there could be better timing to adopt a Parisian wardrobe?!!Here are a couple of tips and trucs on how to get the best deals, where to shop and what to buy!

Survival Skills ( For you wallet)
For the ladies who consider themselves Pro-shoppers, I have to warn you that your skills will be put to the test when a petit brunette with chic bangs has her eye on the same "it" floral jumpsuit of the summer season. Keep in mind, these girls are more experienced and have already mastered the art of Parisian Chic. So how do we level the playing field?

Start Early! -- as we know, "The Early bird gets the worm" or in our case the size. If you have had an eye on that studded leather jacket for the last 2 months, go early the first day of sales so make sure you get your size. The shopping in the first week is all about getting the perfect size for that perfect item that you have been zealously craving.

Play Hookie! - The best time to avoid the frenzy of the crown is to go on weekday mornings. Many Parisians even take of a day at work so they can walk the street of Le Marais to find the best deals!

Your Uniform- Leggings, T-shirt and Flats.  This will save you time in the fitting rooms, or in some cases avoid the fitting room altogether. Ladies, you will be running around Paris looking for that perfect pair of Jeans, and although you cannot wear your sneakers from your last marathon (strict NO-NO, Parisians do not wear sneakers) The flat is the perfect style solution.

Quality Vs. Price- Although this is SOLDES so basically everything is heavily discounted, a Parisian always balances quality against price. Yes those pair of gladiator sandals are 5 euros, no they do not fit you feet. End of discussion. Done. Yes ladies this is a battle, you have to be cut-throat.

Map it out. Like any good general going into battle, you have to know your terrain! Where should you go? What do you want to buy? I always check out the different shops a week before SOLDES so that I know exactly where I want to go in order to save time, effort and quickly pick up that Zara White Blazar you know would go heavenly with your tie-dyed distressed denim jeans.  If you like department stores, check out La Galleries Lafayette of Le Bon Marché. For up-coming designers, vintage and discount designer shops head to Les Halles or Le Marais!  

Always read the fine print!  It is important to always be aware of the return policy of the store because although that neon orange bathing suit looked good in the dressing room, you might feel otherwise when you try it on at home.

What I like... Street Watching

As in any city, I love observing people and their interactions! While walking through Paris for my class, I entertained myself by observing my surroundings. A classmate asked me "why are you taking pictures of people" and my answer? "Is there anything better to do?" 


Street Style

A Parisian never leaves the house without heels

window shopping at Palais Royal

this wasn't actually street watching. she is a girl from my class and while the teacher bored us with french architecture, i clicked away with my camera. Don't you think her glasses are cool?

Crazy Tight.

waiting, chic.

all the time in the world

Les Kooples. I love that Parisian couples are always chic and never "too" into each other 

Tuilleries 

(It was so hard to get a shot of this couple, my pics are fuzzy, but u can see the complementary styles of the two) 

Gallerie Near Palais Royale.

biz.

What I like... French Decor

I have an obsession with wallpaper and I think i have found my paradise in Paris, where people are insanely creative and dedicated to their wall decor as I am. This past weekend I had the chance to photograph beautiful examples of French decor in hotels and apartments and I found the palette of colors and different designs very inspiring!

This Armoire was located in the Lobby of Hotel Le Meurice which is a luxury hotel partner of the Academies des Arts de Vivre. Even if you don't have a vintage armoire, you can get the same effect by finding antique mirrors at flea markets (both hand held and different sizes) and arrange them on a wall with an area about 36"X 48" and put some candles of different sizes underneath on a table and voila!- easy french decor that opens up your room and sets a beautiful mood. 

While sitting in The San Regis hotel, I came to understood the rules of French decor.

Rule 1. Keep it simple

Rule 2.  Scale and Balance the room. 

Rule 3. Use Contrast 

Rule 4. Layer

Rule 5. Mix Old and New

Rule 6. Place the unexpected with the norm

Note that the rooms of the San Regis felt like a treasure cove, with the delicate layering of contrasting textures. In another words, the French are very darn good at picking the best things and putting it together. 

At Damann Freres known for its refined collection of teas, I loved this wall! What a french way of arranging photos. The french love organization and symmetry and this is an excellent display of the french taste! I also love the mixture of black and white pictures with photos of colorful tea leaves to showcase their rich heritage and fabulous teas. 

At Victor Hugo's Apartment I noticed that the decor was not Les Miserables at all! 

The subtle decals give gradient to wallpapers as well as add elegance to a room.

The influence of oriental design can be seen in many French houses and has a permanent fixture in french decor. (Not to mention, the famous Chanel quilted bag was influenced by chinese quilt designs). There is so much creativity in the walls but it is balanced by the simplicity of the room with just a few chairs and a chinese wooden bench. I love the mix of sage green with the gold accents and black wood. The display of the plates on the wall is actually french style, but its refreshing to see how well it mixes with the oriental design. 

 Who said carpets are only for the floor? 

Small animal prints can add a beautiful textured color to the room.

 This is a zoomed picture of the design but the spots are so small i needed to take a second look to assure myself that the brown wallpaper was actually a leopard print!