Bonjour, my dear readers! Although I am finally home and settled, I’m still on a magnificent high from our trip to Paris! I have been dreaming of going for the past several years…really, since the last time I was in Paris (September 2000)! Thanks to the most amazing bride and groom who flew me out there, I was able to enjoy six blissful days in my favorite city. Even my husband – who typically does not enjoy cities – had a great time! I have found that my heart feels at home in Paris in many ways. It’s a beautiful city, full of charm, history, culture and sophistication in such a different way than any other American city. While yes, I love America and all it has to offer, there is something to be said for this lovely European gem.
While we did spend some of our time being typical tourists, I felt that we did quite a good job at fitting in. My French was rusty, but everywhere we went, I attempted to speak what I knew…even if it was “Pardon s’il vous plaît, je ne parle pas beaucoup de français” (Excuse me please, I do not speak much French!”). Bobby spoke even less French, and it wasn’t until half way through our trip that he asked me to translate the menus for him when we’d go out to eat. One night for dinner, I ordered “escalope” with some sauce thinking I was going to get scallops…and then I was served a chicken cutlet. Disappointing. Anyway, I did a lot of preparing for what we would pack before our trip. I wanted to ensure that we were fashionably dressed in the most fashionable town AND I wanted to make sure that I did not over pack, so as to have room for our shopping loot on the way home 🙂
I must say that we blended pretty well… but after spending a couple of days people watching from the cafe, here are the things I loved most that we saw on French women and men! So this month’s Loving Lately will feature most-loved things for you guys and gals out there looking to insert a little more Parisian flair into your daily lives!
1. Black Medium Longchamp. Almost every woman in Paris – tourist or local – owns one of these Longchamp bags. Although they come in pretty colors, most everyone has a black one. They are very simple, but are durable and will go with anything. They also come in different sizes…. I noticed women in the airports with all different shapes and sizes of these bags – a “fleet” of them, if you will. I bought one while there and I love it.
2. Diptyque Candle in Lavender. Oh my heavens. These candles smell incredible and infuse an entire house full of their delicious scents! They are made with the pure essential oils, rather than whatever stuff is in cheaper candles (ones that only smell when you’re right next to them!). They use natural ingredients, so I feel a little better burning them in my home where little noses will be smelling them, too! They are not cheap, but the smells are heavenly. I bought one for myself and also for my Mom and Mother-in-law, as recommended by the bride I took pictures of in Paris. They come in other scents, but the Lavender was my favorite.
3. Red Lipstick. Generally, I noticed that French women do not wear a ton of makeup…especially during the day. Instead, they have very fresh, fair, and dewey skin with rosy cheeks (have yet to discover the product that gives them all this glow!), and a beautiful shade of red lipstick. I have yet to sample and find my favorite shade, but I know that NARS is a good brand with a lot of variety in shades. I plan on spending an afternoon in Sephora one of these days to find my perfect shade!
4. Beige Ballet Flats. I knew that French women wore ballet flats as a staple in their wardrobe. They are worn with everything: skirts, dresses, dress pants, etc. Beige was the primary color I noticed, but also black. Many had a small detail, such as a bow or knot on the front. Others were plain. I’ve heard rave reviews about these flats from J. Crew. Since I already owned a comfortable pair from TOMS, I couldn’t bit the bullet on these….so perhaps when they go on sale I will snag a pair. Even in the summer, French women did not wear sandals. Either flats or heels (HIGH heels!). THIS was the shoe store around the corner from their hotel. I loved all of their styles, but alas… you cannot buy them in the ‘States.
5. “Sock Buns.” Many women wore their hair up…and if they did, it was always in some sort of bun. I was told that the trick to a perfect bun was this little donut-looking thing. I have yet to purchase one, but I hear it’s fool-proof! They are sold at Claire’s here in the ‘States. (I will also have you know that I saw a LOT of young women with “Ombre” Hair! I did this to my hair a couple months ago and got some strange looks from my Family. I tried to tell them that it was very French and they ignored me. I was happy that my hair style was on-trend while we were there 🙂
6. Scarves. Even though it was summer and you SWEAT when you are walking everywhere, most French women still wore scarves! I only brought one with me and couldn’t bear it… I got too hot. They wore scarves in every color and pattern imaginable, but I did notice several women wearing leopard print. HERE is a tutorial on different ways to fasten your scarf, incase you are inept and totally clueless on the subject, like me.
7. Macarons. Oh my…. I must have eaten my body weight in French Macarons while in Paris (VERY different than what we say MACAROON’s). I make a mean coconut macaroon, but this is completely different. I had the pleasure of attending a Macaron cooking class while in Paris (as part of the wedding festivities!), and came home with some fabulous recipes. My neighbors are usually my baking/cooking test subjects if I have an abundance, so they will be getting to try these in the coming weeks! Anyway, they are sold everywhere and in so many crazy and unusual flavors! The strangest one I saw was Wasabi and White Chocolate. The cookie part is a meringue cookie, which is light and airy but chewy at the same time. Most of the flavor is in the filling part, which is a cream of some kind. They are heavenly. The wedding cake at weddings is made into a tower with several of these babies. I’m seeing a huge trend of them here in the US at weddings as well. For good reason: they are adorable and delicious. The most famous is Lauderee in Paris (which I never got to try), but also Pierre Herme. I think you can find them at PAUL in DC, but they also had several locations in Paris!
And for you men out there….or ladies who need a good and fashionable gift for your man!
1. Stripe T-Shirt. If you are a man and won’t admit that stripes are totally in this year, you will be left in the fashion dust. Just kidding. But seriously. The “sailor stripe” shirt, like this one from J. Crew (most stores carry this type of shirt for men), is a closet staple for casual attire. Many men in France (and even here in the ‘States!) have been seen wearing a shirt like this. I love it because it’s the perfect mix of nautical and French. I love this shirt in particular, because it’s a bit heavier than a typical t-shirt and the stripe weight is just right. The navy blue stripe is great, too, because it goes with just about everything.
2. Ray Ban Clubmaster. Bobby and I saw these on several men while in Paris. Normally my sporty hubby prefers his Oakley’s, but he tried these own and looked really hot good-looking. They are different than the typical RayBan Wayfarer’s in that the lens is a bit smaller… for Bobby, they fit him a little better. Also, JFK wore them, so I think it’s safe to say that they’re pretty classic! They come in silver or gold frames (on the bottom of the lens). Bobby got a pair in silver since he doesn’t wear much gold (wedding ring, watch, etc).
3. Vintage Large-Face Watch. Every guy in France was wearing a watch and every watch we saw had a huge face and seemed to have a vintage look. This one is from J. Crew, but Bobby has found some really cool (relatively inexpensive) watches (among other things) on THIS site.
4. Messenger Bag. Bobby called them “Man Purses,” and if you’ve ever seen the Seinfeld episode about the “European Carry-All,” then you’ll know why we think this is funny. It seemed like a LOT of men carried something resembling a purse/satchel/briefcase. I saw several of THESE, which was more of a briefcase, but for the casual guy in Paris, a canvas messenger bag is stylish, functional, and masculine. Bobby has this one from J. Crew and he also uses it as his “man diaper bag” so he doesn’t have to carry my pretty one 🙂
5. Espresso Cups. For those who’ve never been to Europe, Europeans in general don’t drink “American” (i.e. “drip”) coffee. I don’t think they actually have coffee cups bigger than a few ounces! Kidding. Europeans love their espresso, though! Bobby was thoroughly disappointed each time we ate dinner out and was served a tiny dose of his favorite stimulant. Towards the end of the trip, however, he learned to order a double espresso. Now that we’re back home and both hooked on the flavor of espresso rather than “American” coffee (I prefer a cafe au lait), I think we’ll be investing in a good espresso maker, complete with fabulous – but manly – espresso cups and saucers. I love these stainless ones from Crate & Barrel.
6. Suede Chukkas. Also known to the normal person as boots…sort of. The are a little higher in the ankle area and are suede. Men were wearing these as their go-to shoe…yes, even in the summer. Bobby has a pair from Lands End Canvas (if you’ve never shopped here and you’re under 35 – DO IT) and he loves them. He says they are very hot, and couldn’t understand how they wore them comfortably in the summer! Guys were wearing these with casual shorts (never cargo shorts, and always rolled up once or twice), pants (with the legs rolled up – remember THIS fad in the 80’s??), dress pants, etc.
7. Handkerchiefs. I was involved in several wedding-related events while in Paris with very stylish people. I noticed that many of the men carried handkerchiefs! It’s such an old fashioned trend (which is cool), that I had completely forgotten about them as a men’s accessory! Many that I saw had their monogram embroidered on them, or even just an initial. Some were just plain. I even saw one man offer his girlfriend his handkerchief during the wedding because she started to cry! Chivalry is not dead, boys, so go and get yourself a set of handkerchiefs!
And now, you’ve been fully equipped with the most fashionable (yet classic!) accessories to fit in like a Parisian! If you (or your man!) have used any of these items, I’d love to hear about it! Leave me a comment here on this post. Are you loving a new product lately or want to share something with the world about something fabulous?? Send me an e-mail at melissaBphoto@gmail.com or leave a comment here and I’ll consider it for the next “Loving Lately” series! Tune in for more consumer goodness in August!
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