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Why Did You Wear That: American Girl in Paris, La Dernier Chapitre

By admin|March 2nd, 2015|Personal Style, Why Did You Wear That?|

If you’ve been keeping up with my Parisian escapades (parts deux et trois), you’re probably wondering what became of this romantic journey. Well, unlike most fairytales, this story didn’t have the happy ending that little girls dream of (or massage parlors promise). However, it did have the life lessons that grow sweet little girls into strong wise women. In short, what some might have chocked up to be a trip from hell, I was able to extract some very, very important universal truths. I didn’t fall in love with a handsome French man. I didn’t buy the perfect vintage coat in Le Marais. I didn’t even see the top of the Eiffel Tower though it was quite literally a baguette’s distance away.

People then ask, “Well, what did you do?” and I can’t really answer that. There was no Mona Lisa at the Louvre, I never ate escargot. I didn’t lock away my love on the Pont des Arts. I did have lunch at Colette, drank champagne while chatting up a couple of artists at Cafe de Flore, and took a spin on La Grande Roue de Paris. I made new friends, I reconnected with some I had lost touch with. Most importantly, I was smacked in the face with my own little life lesson: if you don’t take the wheel, someone else most certainly will.

When you board a bullet train, keep in mind it can be derailed just as quickly as it can get you to your destination. My friend arrived on the morning of my birthday. We started the day off without sleeping and a bottle of champagne (champagne tastes better on an empty stomach). By the end of the day, we had a cute French boy singing “Happy Birthday” (Joyeux Anniversaire) with his guitar and buying me a birthday card from a pharmacie with an age on it that might not be my own. The evening included dinner at L’Avenue (which we lucked into as we hadn’t made an earlier reservation and Paris was still empty) and cocktails (read: more champagne) at Le Bar du Plaza Athénée. There was no cake, there was no singing and this was the beginning and prologue to a very long week.

To fit all that occurred into one or two more paragraphs would not do the journey justice and ironically, some parts of my personal life should probably stay private. A few notable moments did include spontaneously regaining a grasp of my French, learning that you can bring your dog just about anywhere (including the grocery store), champagne showers at couture week after parties at Hotel Costes, and actually losing weight while eating bread. By the end of the week, I was exhausted both physically and emotionally. The universe did me a solid by canceling my flight home due to Juno (sorry, New York) allowing me a few more days in Paris on my own. While the only physical souvenirs I arrived home with were some French books from the airport and sweets to share with friends at home, the real gifts were the lessons I learned about myself. (And Hemingway was right).

I didn’t go to Paris with someone I love as I’d always imagined, but there are some mornings I find myself longing to awake in the golden morning light of that magical city.

Romper: Cameo the Label Man Down Romper, Tights: Emilio Cavallini, Shoes: Sam Edelman, Bag: Malini Murjani, similar by Salvatore Ferragamo here, Lips: Makeup Forever Rouge Artist Natural in No. 50 Aubergine

Why Did You Wear That: An American Girl in Paris, Part Trois

By admin|February 18th, 2015|Personal Style, Why Did You Wear That?|

Right before I left for Paris, one of my favorite clients (I moonlight as a social media and branding consultant) read my chart for me. I had never had someone read my chart and finding out what time I was actually born from my parents was harder to find out than unearthing my ex boyfriend’s grandmother’s maiden name. As she informed me that I couldn’t be more of an Aquarian if I sold all my belongings and moved to an ashram, she also mentioned something that I’d heard a time or two before in horoscopes for my sign, I used to Learn Astrology Online. She told me that the man for me would be foreign or that I would most certainly meet him while traveling. She also mentioned he’d be a little older and then she suggested something I’d never heard– he, too, should be an Aquarian, because as I’ve experienced, very few men can even begin to understand me and it might take meeting someone just as free spirited and strange to fully appreciate all of my quirks. I still figured all signs pointed to Lenny Kravitz and carried on with overpacking and planning for Paris. Art of Style and Makeup has a wide range of creative and professional modules. You can learn them easily at https://styleandmakeup.dk easily.

As I walked home with my Parisian pal, he questioned why I had opted for a slicked back bun, barely a trace of makeup, and a somewhat buttoned up look. I explained to him that getting gussied up was the easy way out. Almost any woman can pour herself into a tight dress and push up bra, layer on liquid eyeliner and hide beneath a bonnet of big hair. As a matter of fact, that used to be my go to going out attire. Eventually, I realized that this look attracted a certain type of attention and many of the men who I had attracted were totally confused when they realized that I was a lot more of a challenge than removing a bandage dress. My friend digested this statement for a moment and then nodded in understanding. If I’m being completely honest, a little bit of my appearance was due to jet lag, dirty hair, and an uncertainty as to what was appropriate attire for a Monday night in Paris.

After crossing the Seine and strolling down the Avenue de la Bourdannais, he swore we’d get into a bit more trouble before he had to fly back to New York for another job on Thursday. My girlfriend would be arriving very early the next morning and I wanted to be well rested to greet her, though I would have liked nothing more than to linger in the moonlight and golden glow of le Tour Eiffel. Right before the sweetest kiss goodnight, he informed me his own birthday was only a few days away.

dress: Kimchi Blue Bethany Linen Apron Dress, tights: similar by Falke here, boots: Pour la Victoire, similar by Proenza Schouler here, bag: borrowed, similar by Whiting and Davis here, lipstick: Makeup Forever Rouge Artist Natural in No. 50 Aubergine

Why Did You Wear That: She’s Got Legs.

By Kirsten|February 18th, 2014|Why Did You Wear That?|

Oh, hey. It’s snowing again. Blame that damn groundhog… or global warming. Whomever is to blame, it’s bone chillingly cold and frustratingly difficult to get dressed each day keeping both style and thermometer in mind. One tires of wearing only jeans and pants and our poor little frocks have been left hanging lonely in the outer realms of our closets.

A great way to add interest to a basic little black dress is with fashion legwear. Not to mention, a wonderful way to show off those stems you’ve been keeping in shape all winter long. Another option? Consider layering plain black tights under some of the open work options to achieve the same look without losing the warmth. And speaking of layering, don’t be afraid to layer over the knee options on top of tights. Play with texture and patterns to keep things interesting until the snow melts and the sun comes out again.