Fashion Jewelry Paris
This summer I will be doing research for three weeks in Paris. While I
am going to be spending most of the time in museums looking at bones, I
assume I will be able to get out and shop once in a while! I won't have
much space in my bags, so I need to buy strategically. I will be looking
primarily for clothes, since French stuff is actually cut small
enough to fit me and is so damn cute. I am kind of a minimalist when it
comes to products, but I do like to experiment with new things so I'm
going to play with French health and beauty aids as well. I'm poor, so
I'm staying away from department store cosmetics lines, unless there's
something which is reasonably priced and super-great.
If you were me, what would you buy? Any favorite clothing lines?
Stores? Cosmetics?
Saw the post on potential Paris shopping. I'm in that city regularly for
my work, and can offer a few opinions.
Generally, where *clothes* are concerned, I advise you to shop with your
eyes rather than in reality; prices are painfully high and at this moment
in time, there's little in Paris that you cannot find or replicate here.
Spend the money on experiences, books (the d'Orsay bookstore is phenomena)
and also on costume jewelry instead of clothing. The Parisian costume
jewelry shops are *fabulous*, as the French taste is for things that we
really do not have available in the U.S. You can save some money by
picking up some of these accessories -- so great that they'll really
revitalize your "look" -- instead of buying little sweaters and skirts.
(As you may know, French women put emphasis on accessories to an extent
that we usually do not -- it's a big part of their much-vaunted "flair" --
and tend to buy far fewer clothes, per se, than we do. The prices are
terrible for them, as well.)
In the sixth arrondissement, there are numerous accessories shops worth
checking out in the vicinity of the Rue du Four (between rue de Rennes and
Blvd. St. Germain). One favorite of mine is Nereides (as in the mythical
mermaid creatures) at 23, rue du Four. Don't miss their house brand
perfumes -- a feature of many Parisian boutiques that we don't have here.
They have a series of eau de toilettes that are really great; try in
particular one called "Eau de Sienne," which smells spicy and heavenly.
These are things you can bring back without feeling like you'll see the
same thing everywhere here.
Tentation is another great costume jewelry/accessories place. Anyhow, go
to rue du Four and you'll see a lot.
Likewise, the Les Halles area and the shops near the Centre Georges
Pompidou in the 4th arrondissement have a lot of young and fun stuff, less
expensive. In the southern area of the 4th, you'll find a bunch of new
little groovy places nearby to the Picasso Museum. Check those out.
GREAT clothing streets -- should you wish to indulge -- are the
justifiably famed rue de Grenelle (start in the 7th eme at about rue du
Bac and just walk east into the 6th eme following the street, and you'll
be hardpressed to decide which side of the way to stick to, everything is
so alluring!!!) and also the rue de Pres aux Clercs (in the 7th eme, just
start at the intersection with the rue de l'Universite and walk south).
This latter is a short, tiny street but might be a goldmine for you if you
are willing to shell out $. Irie and similar shops are there, offering
all the pretty, small and oh-so-French style you referred to. Based upon
your post, I'd particularly recommend this street to you. My Paris
colleagues at the fashion and arts p.r. firms -- lots of the chicer bon
chic-bon genre gals -- shop along here. (I basically don't, because these
are the places that seem completely alien to someone 6 feet tall, size
8-10 U.S., like me. Stuff is petit.)
You might know this already, but there's a specific shopping etiquette in
Parisian stores. E-me if you wanna discuss that, because it might make
your experience more enjoyable if you are prepared for the attitude and
ways of the French shopgirl.
Re: Cosmetics....You might wanna check out Silver Moon, which is a Paris
chain and has (or at least still did last time I checked) a shopping
discount card that you can get with your first purchase and then use
during the rest of your trip. They carry all the good lines.
Department Store Tip: Check out Bon Marche (rue de Babylone) in the 7th
eme. Great, great lingerie department with a huge selection of French and
German goodies that far surpass any similar offering you'll find here.
Also, they have mini boutiques of the various French mid-priced lines
there, just for the sake of immersion.