Yikes, it has been too long since my last blog. Work has been pretty mental recently, loooong hours meant I lacked the enthusiasm for doing, well, anything really for the last couple of weeks. You'll be pleased to know I'm feeling much more energised, only one more day of work before a whole 10 days off yippee!
Amongst the mayhem of work I was lucky enough to go to Paris last Friday for a creative inspiration trip, s'pose works not all bad sometimes....and it got me thinking, Parisian women are so bloody stylish. They have that effortless cool down to a tea, I don't think I saw one badly dressed person and that is quite a statement. I obviously love our very own quirky London style but I do commend the French in getting it so right. The French brands we now see infiltrating our high streets just proves that; The Kooples, Zadig & Voltaire, Sandro and Maje to name a few.
The main thing to note is that their 'high streets', if you can call them that, more like boulevards, consist of exquisite boutiques, all offering gorgeous yet different clothes. Which, to me, means women of Paris must hate to be seen in the same clothes, just speculating. With so much variety they're spoilt for choice but there is enough scope to create your own identity. Perhaps that's where we get it slightly wrong in the UK, each shopping centre is made up of the same old retailers - boring!
Plus the clothes ain't cheap, nope most come with a hefty price tag, but don't be put off, there is a reason. Quality. There are by far, fewer cheap and cheerful stores where clothes have been so mass produced that quality doesn't even factor. These ladies favour stylish, impeccable fashion.
Perhaps it's my age showing through, but I have to agree with their shopping ethic, years ago I was all about how much you could get for your money - a fast fashion lover. Now, budget providing, I like to choose clothes that feel nice to touch, that will hang right on you and look effortless.
Here are my fave picks....
SANDRO
THE KOOPLES
MAJE
ZADIG & VOLTAIRE
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| Ignore the scary looking model and focus on the clothes, just saying.... |
Paris also has some pretty interesting stores, a couple of my faves have to be Merci-Merci and L'Eclaireur, (in particular their store on rue de Sevigne). If you ever have the opportunity to go then you wont be disappointed, trust me.
Merci is a store that has everything under one roof, with de-lish home-wares, tantalizing jewellery and bags and even a cafe, well of course, it is French after all. Stunning displays in the entrance of the hall literally make you gasp. I love the warren of rooms and different ways around the store, you could get swallowed up in there for hours.
L'Eclaireur was introduced to me on a previous trip but its a store that's stuck with me ever since. The walls are made up of corrugated cardboard painted with car paint (i think, from memory) and there are hundreds of TV's within the walls throughout the store. The Pièce de résistance had to be when the store assistant flicked a switch and the wall opened up to reveal a rail of product - it was awesome!
Where are your fave cities to shop? Or which city's fashion gets your vote?
Thanks for reading my blog x
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