MOROCCAN DOLLS

My favourite museum in Paris, one that I only discovered a couple of years ago, is definitely the Musee du quai Branly. I can't remember the precise use of these dolls, but it was something to do with crime & punishment. I wonder what these people did wrong?

PARIS PORTRAITS

1. 

Top - Zara

Bracelets - Forever 21

2 & 3

Dress - Cos 

Belt - Charity Shop

WINDOW SHOPPING IN PARIS

1-3

Isabel Marant. Just about everything in the shop was perfect. Sadly it was 30 odd degrees and very humid. Even with all this temptation the last thing I wanted to do was try on winter clothes. 

4 - 6

Didier Ludot - I've always been too scared to go into this vintage designer heaven. It was insanely pricey but the every piece was so amazing you'd usually only see it in a museum. Definitely ask to be let into the shop next door where they keep the archive. 

7-8

I need these Venise shoes! The shop was shut on Sunday and I can't find anywhere to buy them online. Does anyone know where they're sold in the UK?

T SHIRT AND BOOTS

These items are the sum total of my Paris splurge, pretty restrained for me, non? 

I saw the t shirt in the window of a shop in St Germain de Pres and went in to buy it. A rather supercilious and very trendy French woman looked me up and down slowly in a not very complementary fashion and said in English, "You do know dis eez for men, yes?" Wow. And yes, which is why I was buying the medium. But thanks anyway. 

And the boots. What a palaver. Give me the simplicity of buying shoes in Liberty or Selfridges any day. I lost count of the number of counters I had to go to with different slips of paper. I almost gave up and walked out...and that was after I'd paid for them.

So. Shops. Not great*. Wine and cheese on the other hand. 10/10.  

*This does not include the vintage shops, which were stunning, but holy mackerel I've never been anywhere so expensive in all my life. But then I've never such designer gear in all my life. And the Chanel bags. If I had a spare 3,800 Euros I sooooo would. 

T shirt - Eleven Paris 

Jeans - Topshop 

Boots - Galleries Lafayette 

PARIS

Just got back from a weekend in Paris. I splurged in Sephora, ate lots, went to the Qaui Branly Museum (but the queue for the Mayan exhibition was so long we didn't get to see it), took lots of photos and actually drank a cocktail with a glow stick in it. The shame. 

But... the really big news was that I managed to find a new hairstyle I could do that only takes about a minute and doesn't look totally rubbish. A simple twist from ear to ear. 

Shirt - Zara

Shorts - Cos 

Shoes - Chanel 

Bag - Balenciaga 

Bangles - Forever 21 & Charity shop

Ring - YSL 

THINGS CURRENTLY ROCKING MY WORLD

1. My new guide to Parisian style and shopping...it's super chic

2. Christian Louboutin Love pumps (after 2 years I'm finally wearing them in)

3. Amy's AMAZING necklace 

4. Rae Jones sandals - the 1940s geography teacher look of them is spot on

All taken with Instagram 

Deyrolle for Opening Ceremony

I know Alexa Chung is horrendously over exposed when it comes to fashion, but you have to hand it her, girl knows how to dress. I am obsessed with this Deyrolle for Opening Ceremony number. Deyrolle is a taxidermy / curiosity shop in Paris that is famed for its array of wild and wonderful creatures, so a fox print makes such perfect sense. I went to Paris with the hope of visiting Deyrolle once about 3 years ago and the week before I was due to go it burned down. How sad was I?

A Visual Diary - Paris

The Grand Palais

The YSL retrospective - go!

Inside the Petit Palais Courtyard - the whole building was recently fully renovated, it was just stunning. I can't believe I've never been there before. 

The main hall of the Petit Palais - no photos allowed of the exhibition - sad face. 

After the exhibition I stopped off at Colette. It's always a bit style over substance for me - but I loved this installation on the 1st floor. I want to recreate this in my parent's orchard when my brother has his wedding celebration there this August. 

And you can't go to Paris without nipping in to get some macaroons for the journey home. I am a geek for their packaging. I'm contemplating a macaroon b'day pyramid like this one to the right (but much bigger, because I'm greedy). 

Laduree Macaroons Pt 2

French Dressing

I went to Paris yesterday to see the YSL retrospective and the Irving Penn 'Tradesmen' exhibition at the Henri Cartier Bresson gallery, with a boozy lunch in between. It was well worth the whirlwind day, but utterly exhausting. I had time on the way back to the station to buy some macaroons, try on some stuff in Isabel Marant, mooch around YSL and Givenchy (sadly no new season stuff is out yet so it's all a bit uninspiring...I want the A/W collections!) and stock up on French toiletries at a supermarket and Sephora. 


The YSL retrospective is jaw dropping. 400 couture dresses spanning over 50 years in one place. The range of his work slightly overwhelms (you can't take photos either, so your brain goes into overload trying to remember all the details), but for me the magic was really the last room - a huge space given over to 50 or so ball gowns worn by mannequins organised like they are mingling at the world's best dressed party EVER. 


I'd love to post pictures, but blogger is in a mood with me today and failing every photo I try to upload. 


Cardie - Whistles 
Shirt - T by Alexander Wang 
Jeans - Topshop 
Boots - NW3 by Hobbs
Bag - Laduree, of course. 

Paris!

I'm off to Paris tomorrow. One day to whizz around 2 exhibitions, eat a delicious lunch and visit Sephora. And possibly squeeze in a little Colette-ing. And Givenchy-ing. And...

London / Paris

I love London. But I really REALLY want to be in Paris right now. I am dying to see the Yves Saint Laurent retrospective and the Irving Penn tradesmen exhibition. Last time there was an exhibition I wanted to see in Paris I put it off and ended up missing it. I'm still furious at my laziness.  

It's also great just to be there. I love exploring the streets - the amazing independent shops that seem to thrive there are perfect for window shopping, and sitting in cafes watching the world go by with a kir royale is bliss. Even looking up can reward you with something unexpected. 

I always manage to squeeze in a visit to the big Sephora too. I love shopping for cosmetics and beauty products in an environment that isn't a beauty hall - where I can just browse higher end stuff without someone pouncing on me.  

Emmanuelle Alt & my Parisian Dreams

I love Emmanuelle Alt's work for Paris Vogue. This is one of my favourite editorials ever and was blu tacked to my kitchen cupboards of my old flat for 4 years ('Toute Allure' from 2005 I think photographed by Terry Richardson) - how badly does this make you want to be in Paris? The next time I hop onto the Eurostar I'm making sure these are the kind of looks that have inspired my packing.

Recently for the fashion styling course I'm doing I looked back through all the old editorials I've ripped out over the years and realised that I'd been obsessed with Emmanuelle for ages without joining the dots. In the late 90's she worked for 20ans a French magazine that I always bought when I crossed the Channel, and lo and behold, it was her work even then that I was cutting and keeping for inspiration - I'll post those later...