How to Dress Parisian

Bonjour, my fellow wanderlusters!

Have you found yourself reading fashion magazines like Vogue or maybe found yourself watching Audrey Hepburn movies like Charade? Do you find yourself dreaming of Parisian fashion? Well, look no further because I am here to give you a quick and easy guide to Parisian fashion. I will also provide a few outfit ideas that may work for you!

First, Parisians are nothing like Americans. In my mind, when they get dressed it is like they are heading to a fashion shoot.

Women:

• Hair: Parisian women do not style their hair. Instead, they sport the air-dried style that most Americans avoid. Yet, Parisians make it look so classy!
• Makeup: Parisians have beautiful skin. The women in Paris have this beautiful glow to them that I wish I had. They are comfortable in their skin, so makeup is kept pretty simple. Think about just choosing one are to focus on, such as eyes or lips. I spotted many Parisian women with fire engine red lips and no eye makeup. However, i also spotted many with gorgeous peepers loaded with mascara and black eyeliner. Whatever you may choose, keep it simple!
• Clothes: Parisians are fashionable, but simple. They love neutral colors and patterns.

• Typical Outfit: 
• Blazer
• Striped Shirt
• Jeans: Don't be scared to roll them up and show off your ankles!
• Heels: You can wear flats like ballet or oxfords because Paris is full of walking!
• Purse
• Dress:
• Black Dress
• Heels
• Jewelry: pearls for day and diamonds for night!
• Or wear a scarf instead!
• Clutch
• My version:
• Oxfords
• Cardigan
• White collared shirt
• Cuffed jeans
• Simple functional purse

Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel

• Parisian Pieces to Buy:
• Tie Back Short Sleeve Sweater: Ann Taylor- $58
• Lace Inset Shell: Ann Taylor- $78
• Born Ibis Oxford: Nordstrom- $94.95 (They are cheaper in Paris)
• Boyfriend Cardigan: Target- $22.99 (Try fall's yellow color)
• Peter Pan Collars: Kate Spade
• Schoolboy Blazer: JCrew- $198.00
• Flex Mid Pump: Michael Kors- $99.99 (Try black or red pumps!)
• Any men's wear pieces are great!
• Tip: Walk the streets with confidence!

Men:

• Hair: Parisian men spend a lot of time on their hair! Shocking, right? 
• Think of Chuck Bass

• Slick backed hair from the 40's-60's
• Tip: Get your hair cut at a Barber Shop!
• Clothes: Parisian men dress very preppy...or sexy!!
• Rolled up jeans
• Collared shirts
• Ties
• Shoes: dress shoes-boots
• Scarfs are a must!
• Seriously, think Chuck Bass from Gossip Girl!

• Parisian Pieces to Buy:
• Hoxton Herringbone Sportcoat: JCrew- $328
• Cotton-Cashmere Cardigan: JCrew- $74.50
• Classic MacAlister Boots: JCrew- $148
• Slim Fit Dress Shirt: Banana Republic- $59.50

Both Men and Women:

• Best accessory is a cute french bulldog! (Expect to pay roughly $1,000)

Check out American Kennel Club for French Bulldog History!

Have fun dressing Parisian! 

Oh, and feel free to ask for some of my Parisian street photos!

The Paris Review

Hello, fellow dreamers!

Paris notebook is from Target: $4 for 3!
Perfect for notes on the go :)

If you have been following my blog, then you know that I went to France. Well, I am finally back and ready to share my adventures. 

I have so many stories to share that it will take more than one blog post to do so. Thus, I decided the first would be my review of Paris. Within the next few days, expect to see posts about Cannes, Nice, food, style, and a story of adventure.

Paris:

"America is my country and Paris is my hometown." -Gertrude Stein

Where did I stay?

Hotel Rivoli: 50 euro (Do not get this confused with Hotel Paris Rivoli)

• Pros:
• Great location! Near the metro, shopping, restaurants, cafes, and the Louvre.
• Most rooms have a sink and/or shower
• Affordable...for Paris!
• Employees are quite pleasant
• Most rooms have a balcony with a great view

View from our balcony

• Cons:
• No toilet in the rooms, but it is located in the hallway.
• No elevator, so you may have to walk up 1 to 6 staircases.
• Curfew of 2:00 a.m.
• No free breakfast
• No wifi. Well, I heard there was wifi, but they only have ONE piece of paper with the code, which means it is hard to get your hands on! 

How much do meals cost?

Let me start by saying there is a reason why Parisians are skinny and model like. They not only walk everywhere, but they barely eat...well from what I could tell!

• Breakfast:
• Most cafes serve espresso, croissant, and orange juice.



B acting goofy?

• Expect to pay anywhere from 3-6 euro for this small meal.
• B and I ordered 2 espresso and 1 croissant: 6,50 euro (this was an expensive espresso bar)

• Lunch:
• Good luck finding it...just kidding! However, expect to find it before 3 or you may not get lunch. Most cafes serve sandwiches for roughly 6 euro. B and I usually split a sandwich. 
• If you find yourself not hungry, then grab an espresso, beer, or wine and people watch. Paris is one of the best cities to people watch!
• Snacks:
• I suggest heading to the park near the Louvre because there are a few cafes that offer little pick-me-ups. 
• My suggestion would be to grab a cappuccino and Cape 2 Boules for 6,50 euro. It is a bowl of delicious chocolate ice-cream!
• Or head to a boulangerie to pick up some macaroons for roughly 1,50 for one.

• Happy hour:
• Best people watching ever! The drinks are cheap and most cafes offer olives to snack on.

• My suggestion is Bastille Restaurant near the metro. Grab a glass of St. Amour: delicious, fruity, and non-dry red wine.

• Dinner:
• Parisians eat late. Plan to eat around 10:00 p.m.
• My suggestion is to not just eat french food, but experiment with the french version of Thai, Chinese, and everything in between. I enjoyed most dinners in Paris.

Best Chinese food for 8 euro!

Getting around:

B's face says what Paris walking does to a person.

Take the metro for most places and walk for the rest. 

• A "box of tickets" is 10 metro passes for 12,70 euro. 
• If you choose to walk, then be prepared to feel like your feet are bleeding. Walking around Paris is fun, but quite exhausting. Please wear comfortable shoes...like oxfords!

• Taxis have a sitting fee of 2,60. I suggest only taking a taxi if you are pressed for time or you are lost. They are not budget friendly.

What to see:

• Eiffel Tower or Tour Eiffel
• If you are under 24 expect to pay 9 euro to get to the top.
• If you are older than 24 expect to pay 10 euro to get to the top.



View from the top!

• Don't want to pay? No worries, the Eiffel Tower is much prettier from the ground. Find a great place to sit around 9:15 p.m. and let the show begin. The beginning of every hour after it lights up, it literally sparkles!! It is absolutely amazing....and romantic!
• If you go up, be advised that the first part is rough. I counted close to 700 stairs to the second level. However, take the elevator to the wee top :)

• Notre Dame:
• It is free to get into the church, but to get to the top expect to pay about 8 euro. 
• Please be respectful and turn off your flash inside the church.

• Louvre:
• Expect to pay about 10 euro. 
• The museum is huge and you will not see it all in one day.
• B and I headed straight for the Mona Lisa. It was amazing, but it was crowded. Then, go explore the rest of the museum.

• Pont Des Art bridge:
• It is a bridge filled with locks and the Seine is probably filled with keys to unlock them. Very romantic!

B and I put the lock on the bridge and tossed our keys into the Seine. 

• Versailles:
• Expect to pay about 15 euro, which comes with an audio headset.
• B and I did not enjoy this as much because it was super crowded.
• The gardens were my favorite. 
• How to get there:
• Metro: for 2 people round trip expect to pay 14,70 euro

Me out in the gardens.

Stay tuned for more adventures in France!

Au revoir!!

Bonjour, Paris!

Bonjour, compagnons d'aventure!



On Wednesday (Aug. 1st) I will be jetsetting to my next destination...Paris! I am really excited to finally visit the "City of Love." However, I fear that I may not understand anyone due to the lack of my french lessons. Hopefully B can remember enough french for both of us!

My Parisian birthday cake!

My excitement can be summed up by what Thomas Jefferson once said, "A walk about Paris will provide lessons in history, beauty, and in the point of life."


So, lets explore the history of Paris!


History of Paris:

"With upwards of 12 million inhabitants, the greater metropolitan area of Paris is home to almost 19% of France’s total population (central Paris counts just under 2.2 million souls). Since before the Revolution, Paris has been what urban planners like to call a ‘hypertrophic city’ – the enlarged ‘head’ of a nation-state’s ‘body’. The urban area of the next biggest city – Marseilles – is just over a third the size of central Paris.

As the capital city, Paris is the administrative, business and cultural centre; virtually everything of importance in the republic starts, finishes or is currently taking place here. The French have always said ‘Quand Paris éternue, la France s’en rhume’ (When Paris sneezes, France catches cold) but there have been conscious efforts – going back at least four decades – by governments to decentralise Paris’ role, and during that time the population, and thus to a certain extent the city’s authority, has actually shrunk. The pivotal year was 1968, a watershed not just in France but throughout Western Europe.

Paris has a timeless quality, a condition that can often be deceiving. And while the cobbled backstreets of Montmartre, the terraced cafés of Montparnasse, the iconic structure of the Eiffel Tower and the placid waters of the Seine may all have some visitors believing that the city has been here since time immemorial, that’s hardly the case."

--Courtesy of Lonely Planet

History of the Eiffel Tower:"Originally intended as a temporary exhibit, the Eiffel Tower was almost torn down and scrapped in 1909. City officials opted to save it after recognizing its value as a radiotelegraph station. Several years later, during World War I, the Eiffel Tower intercepted enemy radio communications, relayed zeppelin alerts and was used to dispatch emergency troop reinforcements. It escaped destruction a second time during World War II: Hitler initially ordered the demolition of the city’s most cherished symbol, but the command was never carried out. Also during the German occupation of Paris, French resistance fighters famously cut the Eiffel Tower’s elevator cables so that the Nazis had to climb the stairs.

Over the years, the Eiffel Tower has been the site of numerous high-profile stunts, ceremonial events and even scientific experiments. In 1911, for instance, the German physicist Theodor Wulf used an electrometer to detect higher levels of radiation at its top than at its base, observing the effects of what are now called cosmic rays. The Eiffel Tower has also inspired more than 30 replicas and similar structures in various cities around the world.

Now one of the most recognizable structures on the planet, the Eiffel Tower underwent a major facelift in 1986 and is repainted every seven years. It welcomes more visitors than any other paid monument in the world—an estimated 7 million people per year. Some 500 employees are responsible for its daily operations, working in its restaurants, manning its elevators, ensuring its security and directing the eager crowds flocking the tower’s platforms to enjoy panoramic views of the City of Lights."

--Courtesy of History Channel

Stay tuned for more details!

Au revoir!