How to dress like a Parisien – 5 must have items!

Bonjour!  I have recently returned from a special trip to Paris!  It was a celebration of milestones with a few close friends and it was an amazing trip!  Before we went, we scoured Pinterest for ideas on how to dress and how not to look like a tourist in Paris.  We found lots of pins showing jeans, sweaters, slip ons and other easy to wear basics.  We all have these types of clothes in our closet, so how hard would it be to pack?   Funny enough each day as we got ready to go out, we often looked the same; striped shirt, jeans, moto jacket and slip ons.  With a bit of laugh, one of us would go change so that we didn’t look exactly alike as we walked out the door.

The women in Paris dress simply wearing classic clothes and shoes.  It is not complicated and looks so easy to put together.  As we wandered the streets of Paris and admired the women, we noticed five basics that each wore and I thought I would share them with you.

1. Sunglasses – usually in black or tortoiseshell and oversized.  Not the oversized that makes you look like large bug eyes, but oversized like Jackie O.

   

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2. Trench Coat – I had seen women in London wearing trench coats last June when I was there and have wanted one ever since.  The French women also have a trench in their closet and they wear them so well!

   

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3. Jeans – this goes without saying.  Jeans are a staple of women everywhere! We saw mainly skinny or straight leg jeans and some with the frayed hem.

   

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4. White runners (aka tennis shoes) – Adidas and Superga were spotted most frequently as we strolled around Paris.  They were being worn with jeans, skirts, dresses – essentially with any outfit!

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5.  Scarf – this was the one accessory that we saw on almost every woman and a lot of the men.  Scarves were being sold on the street corner under a tent, in every store and we happened upon a neighbourhood in the Marais that had stores 100% devoted to selling scarves.  Any colour or size works.  We must have been in there for an hour and we each bought 3 scarves to take home and add to our collection.

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Packing for this trip was probably one of the easiest I have ever done and my friends also felt the same way.  If you get a chance to go to Paris in Spring, or anytime – don’t forget these five items.  You will instantly look and feel like a Parisien!  If you need a little more inspiration, I found these two blogs had plenty of ideas on how to incorporate a French wardrobe into everyday life : Gamine & Stripes and Classy Yet Trendy

Au revoir!

linking up with: More Pieces of Me, Style Nudge, Not Dressed As Lamb, ByBMG, Beauty by Miss L, Elegantly Dressed & Stylish, The Fashion Canvas, The Pleated Poppy, Curly Crafty Mom, Sincerely, Paula, Elegance and Mommyhood, Fashion Should Be Fun, Jaymie Ashcroft, The Blended Blog, Jo-Lynne Shane, A Pocketful of Polka Dots, Shelbee on the Edge, A Little Bit of Everything, Nancy’s Fashion Style

To Dress or Not to Dress?

A wise friend once said to me “Three things tell the truth: wine, young children and leggings.”

My sister, the person who introduced me to Lululemon 13 years ago, declared a couple years back that she was going to make an effort to get dressed (meaning no yoga pants) every day and she politely suggested I do the same. I thought she was on to something so I, too, decided that I would put together actual outfits that don’t consist of stretchy fabric and athletic shoes.

I don’t know about you but attempting to be stylish can be exhausting some days.

Do I attempt Stitch Fix again for inspiration or go with tried and true denim? Love these jeans, btw, C of H Emerson Skinny Boyfriend.

Do I throw in my fave camo t-shirt or a cozy sweatshirt?

Something a little dressier?

I LOVE fake layering!

And then there’s which shoes to wear with what. I love flats and sneakers but feel better in even the slightest heel.

Don’t get me wrong, I completely understand that these decisions are high-grade problems and I’m thankful to have them!

Today, however, I couldn’t decide. See photo below… 😂. Sorry, sis.

linking up with: Curly Crafty Mom, Shelbee on the Edge, Jaymie Ashcraft, Fashion Should Be Fun, A Labour of Life, Sincerely Paula, Nancy’s Fashion Style, A Little Bit of Everything, Jo-Lynne Shane, Bright on a Budget, Rachel the Hat, Sheelagoh, Beauty101 by Lisa, Fine Whatever, More Pieces of Me, Not Dressed as Lamb, The Glam Adventure, Not Dead Yet Style, Style Nudge, Elegantly Dressed and Stylish, The Pleated Poppy, Get Your Pretty On, Shopping My Closet, The Mummy Chronicles, The Blended Blog, Classy Yet Trendy, Posh Classy Mom, Foxy’s Domestic Side, Beauty by Miss L, The Fashion Canvas

Joe & Tell

If there’s one trend that seems to come back each Fall and Winter, it’s plaid. But plaid has a cousin and that cousin is buffalo check!  What’s not to love about either pattern when it shows so well in red and black?

So, here is my version of the classic show and tell using the items from Joe Fresh (Superstore or Loblaws).  They are completed stocked full with options (let’s call it updated plaid) and here is what I found in store last week:

These adorable slip on booties/slippers for babies and toddlers.  How cute!

 

This dress would look great with black tights or leggings and booties, wouldn’t it?

 

And if you didn’t wan to wear red and black plaid, you could carry it!

 

This bomber style jacket would be a fun way to add a little colour and style while keeping warm.

 

Lastly, these duck boots were under $50 and were very warm and comfortable.  I probably wouldn’t wear them in the rain, but they would be great for cold weather.

I have to admit I didn’t buy a thing!  But I could always go back for that tote and maybe the dress…and….more!

Linking up with: Elegance and Mommyhood, Shelbee on the Edge, A Labour of Life, Sincerely, Paula, A Little Bit of Everything, Fashion Should Be Fun, Beauty101 by Lisa, Fine Whatever, By BMG, Garay Treasures, Elegantly Dressed and Stylish, Style Nudge, The Pleated Poppy, Shopping My Closet, Classy Yet Trendy, Get Your Pretty On, Jersey Girl Texan Heart, The Blended Blog, Jaymie Ashcraft, Curly Crafty Mom, A Pocketful of Polka Dots, A Good Hue, Jo-Lynne Shane

Black Friday Wish List

 

 

 

It’s that time of the year!  Major sale time!  It’s hard to believe that prices can be so rock bottom, isn’t it?

On Black Friday 2015, or was it Cyber Monday….I bought a rug from Rugs USA for about 70% less than the regular price.  That was an amazing deal and I still love the rug!

This year I don’t need a rug, but I’ve got my eye on a few things.

This reversible tote bag:

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A pair of Ray-Ban aviator sunglasses:

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This pair of booties – and they are waterproof:

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A basic but classic trench coat:

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Lastly, this pair of jeans:

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There are so many things to choose from!  I’ve also got my eye on some books, a few home decor items and a few things for the kids.

Will you be hitting up the sales this year?  Please let me know what you buy!

linking up with: The Pleated Poppy On the Daily Express, More Pieces of Me, Pink Sole, Beauty by Miss L, Style Nudge, Elegantly Dressed and Stylish, Not Dressed As Lamb, Garay Treasures, By BMG, The Blended Blog, Get Your Pretty On, Mummy Chronicles, Posh Classy Mom, Shopping My Closet, Jersey Girl Texan Heart, The Glam Adventure, Fashion Should Be Fun, A Little Bit of Everything, Nancy’s Fashion Style, Rachel the Hat, Shelbee on the Edge, Fine Whatever, Beauty101 by Lisa

Hello….Stitch Fix!

On the retail front, things were a little low here in Canada after Target left.  Although, nothing will ever replace Target, we now have DSW, J Crew, Nordstorm, Famous Footwear and a few other retail darlings.  What we don’t have though, is Stitch Fix.

My sister who lives in the States had ordered a couple of times and really liked the service.  She wrote about her boxes here and here.   To say I was jealous, was an understatement.  I was reading bloggers who raved about their boxes and the awesome stylists that Stitch Fix employed.  So, after lamenting for the umpteenth time to my sister, she suggested she order one for me.  I would fill out the questionnaire and it would be mailed to her house.  Easy peasy.  Yes and no.  The questions were easy, but I messed up her address (just by a few houses), so there was a small address correction I had to take care of.  Then, we had to figure out how to get it to me.  Hmmm….

When it arrived at her house, I made her open it and we FaceTimed while she tried on the most of the pieces.  I was interested in what I saw and she was quite enthusiastic about what was in my box.  But I still had to get it and we had to send back the pieces I didn’t want, so she mailed it to a border town close to me.  Most of us along the 49th parallel, have had parcels ship from the States to us, but the cost of shipping, duty, taxes and the time…well, sometimes it isn’t worth it.  Enter in the border towns and parcel shipping.  Lots of small towns along the Canada US border have parcel shipping / receiving companies and a lot of us Canadian drive less than an hour to pick up items we have purchased online from the States.  It’s really quite simple and doesn’t take too much time.

So, when I received notification that my box had arrived I set out to get it.  In less than 45 minutes, I saw this:

Then, I saw this:

I wasn’t prepared to try on my items in the parking lot, so I headed to the beach where there was not a soul around.  No one.  Just me and a deserted beach in November.

First up, this lovely on trend scarf:

I don’t have anything like it, it wasn’t too big or too heavy.  So, I kept it!

Next, this grey cardigan:

Cute hoodie, eh?  It was soft, grey and fit just right.  So, I kept it!

Next was this top:

It is a classic baseball style shirt which is dark grey with black sleeves.  But there’s a twist…

How cute is that elbow patch?  So cute!  But the neckline was too wide and it didn’t feel comfortable, so I put it in the return bag.

Next up was this top:

I thought this top was great.  It was soft, fit well, but I didn’t love all the stripes – on me!   It also went back in the bag.

Lastly, was a pair of DL 1961 Cherise Skinny jeans.  I had never tried this brand before, but both my sister and blogger Jo-Lynne Shane have raved about them, so I was excited they were in my box.   They were soft and they fit well, but they were a little big and I could feel them stretching out as I walked around.  Sadly, I said good bye to the DL 1961 jeans until next time.

Overall, I was so happy with my Stitch Fix box.  It is really not that inconvenient to drive across the border, pick it up and try on your clothes at the beach.  The beach in November makes for an interesting background, doesn’t it?

Would I do it again?  Probably. Maybe.  Yes.  For sure!!

Have you tried Stitch Fix?  Will you keep ordering?  Please let me know in the comments.

linking up with: Curly Crafty Mom, Sincerely Paula, Elegance and Mommyhood, Fashion Should Be Fun, Jaymie Ashcraft, Jo-Lynne Shane, A Little Bit of Everything, Nancy’s Fashion Style, Posh Classy Mom, Birdie Shoots, Crazy Together, Not Dressed As Lamb, Shelbee on the Edge, Rachel the Hat, SheelaGoh, Beauty101 by Lisa, It’s Fine, Whatever, More Pieces of Me, Not Dead Yet Style, ByBMG, Garay Treasures, Style Nudge, Elegantly Dressed & Stylish, Walking in Memphis, The Pleated Poppy, Get Your Pretty On, Shopping My Closet, The Mummy Chronicles, Classy Yet Trendy, Jersey Girl Texan Heart, Posh Classy Mom,Sydney Fashion Hunter, Foxy’s Domestic Side, A Labour of Life, Style by Joules

 

Pinned & Tried

Six months ago, I sent my sister this picture with a text saying, “We need to get this vest.”

She quickly agreed, but neither of us purchased it.  As time passed, I often thought about buying that vest.  Instead of buying it, I randomly pinned images of how to wear it.  Like these:

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Then one day, the vest happened upon me.  I was dropping off some donations at a thrift store and the woman in line ahead of me happened to be donating this:

When I had the chance, I asked for it.  Surprise, surprise, it was the elusive utility vest that I wanted, but never looked for.  The store offered it to me for $3!  How could I say no?

Fast forward a couple of days and voilá:

I love the vest!  It’s so easy to wear and style.  I don’t do a lot of thrifting, but in this case I’m glad I was at the right place at the right time.

Yes, this is one successful Pinned & Tried!

linking up with: Curly Crafty Mom, Sincerely, Paula, Good Random Fun, Jaymie Ashcraft, Fashion Should Be Fun, Shelbee on the Edge, Sheelagoh, A World of Dresses, A Little Bit of Everything, Jo-Lynne Shane, Nancy’s Fashion Style, More Pieces of Me, Not Dressed As Lamb, Not Dead Yet Style, Garay Treasures, Style Nudge, Two Peas in a Blog, Get Your Pretty On, Shopping My Closet, The Mummy Chronicles, Classy Yet Trendy, The Pleated Poppy, Posh Classy Mom, Jersey Girl Texan Heart, Elegance and Mommyhood, The Pin Junkie

Joe & Tell

Another week and more groceries. Which means another browse around the Joe women’s clothing section at Superstore.

The department was packed with so many great things that I couldn’t just limit myself to one item this time.

So what did I find?

These booties came in both black and chestnut.  Wouldn’t they look great with boyfriend or skinny jeans?  The downside?  They are not leather, but they are only $39.

 

I ❤️ slip ons and this pair did not disappoint.  They were only $34!  It’s hard to tell but they are navy blue with little white flecks.  Could easily wear these with boyfriend or skinny jeans all season long.

Lastly…

Cigarette pants!  I noticed these while I was in France this summer and wrote about them here.  I apologize for the lighting – the fluorescent lights at Superstore don’t really lend themselves to great photos!  These pants are more straight than skinny and hit right about at the ankle.  A nice change from the everyday skinny jeans and only $34.

Could you see any of these items in your Fall wardrobe?  Let me know in the comments.

And that’s it for this week’s edition of Joe & Tell!

linking up with: The Fashion Canvas, By BMG, The Pleated Poppy, Shopping My Closet, Get Your Pretty On, The Blended Blog, The Mummy Chronicles, Jersey Girl, Texan Heart, Classy Yet Trendy, Curly Crafty Mom, Fashion Should Be Fun, Jaymie Ashcraft, Jo-Lynne Shane, A Little Bit of Everything, Sincerely Paula, High Latitude Style, It’s Fine Whatever

French Dressing for Fall

Bonjour!

Just last week I stopped into Marshalls and was surprised to find a high end designer promotion in store.  It was called the Red Carpet Event and it was showcasing all the top brands.  Of course, after my summer vacation I’ve still got French style on the brain, so I got a little caught up in finding all the French designers featured.

Here are a few things that I found:

Let’s start off with this Louis Vuitton wallet.  Darling, isn’t it?  It was priced around $199 which I thought was a relatively fair price for this piece. I have seen other designer wallets (Kate Spade and Coach) for similar prices, so this was inline with those brands.

Next up was this Givenchy bag.  Isn’t it beautiful?  Yes, it’s expensive, but I’m guessing it is probably less than if you had purchased it at Nordstrom or Givenchy themselves.  I’m not sure who would pay that much for a bag at Marshalls, but in case you are looking…

I would probably save this colour for Spring, but it is such a beautiful bag I might just carry it all year.

I had heard of Lanvin, but I wasn’t too familiar with the actual brand.  This is one of the first high fashion houses of France and it was founded way back in 1889!  This black quilted bag is such a classic and it’s a piece you could have for years and years.  I can’t remember the price, but I think it was about the same as the Givenchy bag above.

The Saint Laurent items also carried a hefty price tag. Those cute little booties are $700 and the bag was close to $2,000.  Wow.  I’m always surprised when Marshalls has such high priced items, but those for are looking….

A little lower down the price chain and you will find these Aigle boots.  Angle means eagle in French and these little rain booties would be a great addition to your closet for those rainy days.  As you will see they had a floral pattern, a leaf pattern and plain beige all for under $100.

Still in the shoe department I found these:

These animal print slip ons were over $500 and wouldn’t they pair well with your new Givenchy bag 😉

Oh, and if you have a really big budget, you might like these Celine flats in your closet:

A few rows over, but still in the shoe department and I found this pair:

I unfortunately forgot the name (oops), but they were a French brand.  Albeit a lower priced one as these brogues were only $70.  These could be fun with jeans or cigarette pants to dress up an outfit.  The blue colour was so rich and that bit of metal really caught my eye.

French dressing wouldn’t be complete without a hat or pair of sunglasses, so I found these:

The hat and glasses were all under $50 and by French brands.  Great accessories to add some French flavour to any outfit.

Lastly, the scent of a woman (did you ever see that movie?)…Ooh ahh!

Four different fragrances of Chloe all for $50.

With all these lovelies, you too can dress en française for Fall 🍁

C’est bon!

linking up with: ClaireJustinexoxo, Pleated Poppy, Get Your Pretty On, Shopping My Closet, Posh Classy Mom, Classy Yet Trendy, The Mummy Chronicles, Jersey Girl Texan Heart, A Little Bit of Everything, Nancy’s Fashion Style, Jo-Lynne Shane, Beauty101 by Lisa,Shelbee on the Edge, Fine Whatever, Threads for Thomas, More Pieces of Me, Style Nudge, Not Dressed As Lamb, Reasons to Dress, Elegantly Dressed & Stylish, Garay Treasures, A Good Hue, Two Peas in a Blog, The Fab Journey

Joe & Tell

Most of the kids I know like show and tell.  What’s not to like about taking your favourite toy or book to school and telling everyone all about it?

So, with back to school upon us, I’m reminded of this tradition and thought I would start a show and tell of my own.

I frequently buy my groceries at Superstore and the good thing about that is….they also sell clothes, household goods and fun things. It’s not Target, but it’s the closest thing we’ve got!

Their house brand of clothing is called Joe Fresh and its carried in stores throughout Canada.  JC Penney used to carry the brand and there was a store in NYC, but it appears you can only order online in the US as of now. Correct me if I’m wrong.

Thus, after today’s shop, Joe & Tell was born!  I’ll try and make this a regular feature and show you something on trend that I think you might like.

Today’s find is this olive green utility jacket.  It’s only $49 and only available in this colour.   I usually wear a small, but this small was still a little big, so I recommend sizing down.

This jacket style is still on trend.  It is such a great piece to wear now and transition into Fall.

What do you think?  Could you see this jacket in your Fall wardrobe? Please let me know in the comments!

linking up with: Garay Treasures, By BMG, Style Nudge, Not Dressed As Lamb, A Good Hue, Elegantly Dressed and Stylish, Two Peas in a Blog, The Mummy Chronicles, Jersey Girl Texan Heart, Posh Classy Mom, Claire Justine, Get Your Pretty On, The Pleated Poppy, Shopping My Closet, Classy Yet Trendy, Curly Crafty Mom, Elegance and Mommyhood, Sincerely, Paula, High Latitude Style, Fashion Should Be Fun, Jaymie Ashcraft, A Pocketful of Polkadots, Jo-Lynne Shane, Nancy’s Fashion Style, Fine Whatever, Beauty101 by Lisa, A Little Bit of Everything

What I saw – Fashion in Paris

 

Our family recently returned from a vacation in Europe and the last few days were spent in Paris.  I was in Paris about 21 years ago with my sister (who shares this blog) with me.   It was 1995, September and the weather was quite cool.  Here’s what we wore:

 

 

You may want to know why we were wearing XXL sweatshirts?  Umm…we have no clue!!  We both laugh and shudder to believe we actually dressed like this in Paris!

Fast forward to this year and I think I have improved my travelling wardrobe.  I’ll do another post about what I packed, but I’m pretty sure I didn’t stand out as an obvious tourist.  But I also didn’t look like a Parisian.  These women have an effortless style about them that is hard to describe, but I’ll try.  Chic, classic, simple, confident, basic, put together.   Just a few words that come to mind.

Before I tell you my favourite Parisian looks, I’ll tell you what I didn’t see:

• really distressed denim
• boyfriend jeans
• off the shoulders tops (only worn by tourists)
• too many patterns

I’m not saying these items are not being worn in Paris, but I just didn’t see them.

What did I see?

• tailored pants/jeans – cigarette style in dark denim or black
• cropped and flared pants – in linen
• white tops – blouses and tees
• simple dresses in solid colours
• scarves
• classic and simple purse or bag
• ballet flats (yes, they really do wear them)
• stylish sunglasses
• dark blazer or fitted cardigan
• solid colours or colour blocking

 

During our travels around the city, there were two Parisian women that stood out to me.

The first  wore a white tee, dark jeans, black and tan ballet flats and a dark blazer and carried a simple cross body purse.

The second had on a sleeveless dress, more of a tank style with a full skirt.  It was in a bright coral colour, and accessorized with a necklace and carried a classic tote style purse. The sandals were flat but with that slightly thicker sole that seems to be on trend right now.

Both women looked fantastic and although I couldn’t see myself wearing the bright coral dress, I could see myself recreating the look being with a more subtle colour.  I wasn’t able to take a picture of either of these ladies, but I found a few images on Pinterest that will show you how they looked:

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Shannon from Gamine & Stripes

 

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There are lots and lots of images and ideas on Pinterest (of course) if you need more inspiration.  I thought this this article summed it all up quite nicely.  I’m going to try and add a little more Paris to my wardrobe and since it’s actually quite simple, I should be able to find everything in my closet 🙂

 

linking up with: More Pieces of Me, Sincerely Jenna Marie, Elegantly Fashionable, High Latitude Style, Garay Treasures, Style Nudge, Two Peas in a Blog, Fine Whatever Blog, A Good Hue, Walking In Memphis in High Heels, The Mummy Chronicles, Posh Classy Mom, The Pleated Poppy, The Blended Blog, Get Your Pretty On, Sydney Fashion Hunter, Classy Yet Trendy, Elegance and Mommyhood, The Fab Journey, Happiness at Mid-life,Curly Crafty Mom, Fashion Should Be Fun,Jo-Lynne Shane, Nancy’s Fashion Style, Posh Classy Mom, Shelbee on the Edge, Ms. Toody Goo Shoes