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WhyDid Wisdom: A Beginner’s Guide to Paris

By |March 5th, 2015|WhyDid Wisdom|

sunset eiffel tower parisA little over a month ago, I boarded a plane headed to a city I had always dreamt about going.  I romanticized it in my mind.  I built a pedestal and placed it there.  I was in love with somewhere I’d never seen with my own eyes.  This type of fantasizing can be treacherous territory and upon takeoff, my stomach and mind were aflutter with mixed feelings and emotions.  Could it live up to my ideals?  Would I be disappointed?  Was my mental image better than the reality?  Was it going to be like your favorite book being slaughtered when made into a movie?  Would it be meeting your favorite movie star only to find out he/she is a grade A asshole?  Nothing a few mini bottles of wine couldn’t mask for the next six and some change hours.  Watching movies on an airplane provide iPad, a little light reading, a full meal, and a few naps later, we touched down in my dream destination.  If you kept up with my adventures in parts un, deux, et trois, you know where I was and how deeply in love I fell.  I’ve even threatened my beloved Manhattan of abandonment.  While, I touched on a few things I learned on my journey in my last installment, there were plenty of other helpful traveling tips that I meant to write down in the moment, but will have to do now. Full disclosure: this is by no means a list that Conde Nast is going to stumble upon and syndicate. This is simply an American amateur’s take away from her first (of many future) visit to Paris, the city of light.

paris sunset paris perfect

  • A tip I actually did pick up from Conde Nast Traveler, was to skip the ritzy (and very pricey) hotels and rent an authentic Parisian apartment.  You could go the Airbnb route or there are plenty of specifically dedicated vacation apartment rental companies in Paris.  I used Paris Perfect and they were a dream to work with (not to mention the view of the Eiffel Tower from our claw foot bathtub).
  • Learn this phrase, “Anglais, s’il vous plait.” (English, please).  Everyone speaks English in Paris for the most part, however, many will start speaking to you in French (probably praying that you do, in fact, speak French).  A lot of people will greet you in both French and English to see in which you respond.  Also learn “bonsoir” (good evening), “allo” (hello), “merci” (thank you), “oui” (yes), “non” (no), “excusez-moi” (excuse me).  Learning “poussez” (push) and “tirez” (pull) will also help you not look like an idiot when it comes to doors.
  • If you have a little bit of French in your language arsenal, use it the best you can. We asked a native Parisian friend if it was more rude to slaughter the language or to act like an entitled American and not even attempt it.  Her take was that it was charming when tourists tried to speak in foreign tongue.
  • Have the address handy.  You may think that you’ve pronounced the name correctly, but with an accent, Montague and Montaigne can quickly be confused by your driver and you’ll end up at the wrong destination.
  • Drink champagne.  The only decision you’ll need to make is rosé or brut.
  • Eat bread.  For whatever reason (though there are theories) many of my normally gluten sensitive friends have reported little to no issues carb loading abroad.
  • Don’t order a cheeseburger.  While the club sandwich seems to be on every menu at every brasserie in the city, slip out of your comfort zone and try something you can’t get in the U.S. or your own hometown.
  • On that note, don’t be an American cliche.  Try and dress the part.  Upside: the less makeup, the better.  Mascara, lipstick, messy hair, and good shoes.
  • Tips are included in the bill. There’s no need to tip unless your service was truly extraordinary.
  • BYOD (bring your own dog). My own dog is still throwing a temper tantrum about being left behind.
  • Take advantage of the January sales.  I didn’t shop the entire time I was there (don’t get me started), but you should.
  • Do the more touristy things on the weekdays.  Don’t forget that Europe is fairly small and many people from countries nearby, come in for the weekend to explore as well.
  • I didn’t learn this until after I returned home, but flirting is a form of pleasantry.  Be prepared to exchange banter with just any member or the opposite sex.  My energy tends to be a bit more closed off to this type of behavior, so if you’re anything like me, you’ll have to be a little more open to flattery.
  • Unlike New York, things close quite a bit earlier.  Take advantage of your evening and the extra couple of hours of sleep you’ll get in order to wake up early and do it all over again.

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

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

kirsten smith blog why didIf 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.

what to wear in parishow to wear a romper paris blog

 

paris fashion blogger

paris kirsten smith blogger why did

why did kirsten smith blog parisRomper: 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 |February 18th, 2015|Personal Style, Why Did You Wear That?|

whydid kirsten smith blog

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.

kirsten smith

kirsten smith paris fashion blog

kirsten smith paris whydid blog

kirsten smith

kirsten smith blog

 

why did blog paris kirsten smith

paris perfect chambertin

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

Beauty Buzz: Find the Light

By |December 18th, 2013|Beauty Buzz|

metallic eye makeupDuring the holidays and especially with New Year’s Eve quickly creeping ’round the corner, some of us look for ways to amp up our standard makeup routines for swanky evenings out on the town and special seasonal celebrations.  Some may opt for the classic statement making bold lip (good choice) and others go for the more “Golden Girl” approach (also a great choice).  But beauty beware: there is a big difference between glowing like the lights of Paris (the city, not the socialite) and glaring like the neon signs of Las Vegas.  Let’s keep glitter where it belongs: on art projects, Halloween costumes and strippers.  Strippers can wear glitter.

Come to think of it, a guy I was dating once showed up late one night after work, which should have been reason enough to dump him, but he was covered in glitter.  Seeing as he doesn’t work at a Michael’s craft store, he must have procured his shimmering accents somewhere.  Hanging out with another lady is bad enough but, hanging out with another lady who dons glitter is grounds for permanent exile.  But I digress…

To achieve a glowing holiday look, invest in a few beauty products with flecks not flakes of shimmer in them.  You could go for a dramatic foil for your lids, a metallic manicure or something as simple as adding some extra shine to your tresses.  Be sure not to go overboard with your gilded look though.  A gorgeous glow is one thing, but looking like a greased up walrus won’t get your dance card filled up any faster… if at all.

nye makeup1. Caudalie Divine Legs, 2. ELLIS FAAS Light, 3. Ulta Metallic Automatic Eyeliner, 4. Kevyn Aucoin Set of Four Loose Shimmer Shadows, 5. Philip B Oud Royal Forever Shine Shampoo, 6. Ilia Gold Box Illuminator and Lip Gloss, 7. Formula X for Sephora Sparklers in Light My Fire, 8. Illamasqua Liquid Metal Cream, 9. RMS Beauty Living Luminzer, 10. Stila Magnificent Metals Foil Finish Eyeshadow, 11.Leighton Denny Hynotic Nail Polish

 

xx,

WhyDid

 

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Why Did or Why Don’t: Playing with Fire

By |November 20th, 2013|Celebrity Style, Why Did or Why Don't?, Why Did You Wear That?|

jennifer lawrenceTeens and adults alike across the globe are waiting with bated breath for the Friday release of the second installment of the Hunger Games trilogy, Catching Fire.  All of them except for me.  I never bothered to pick up the books… you know I don’t do mainstream… so I have no idea what they are really even about except that people are pretty obsessed with the series’ heroine, Katniss Everdeen and her real life identity, Jennifer Lawrence.

While I won’t be watching the movie, I have been watching Jennifer’s red carpet arrivals and Miss Lawrence wore this Christian Dior gown to the Los Angeles premiere on Monday.  You know I’m usually a huge proponent for anything that doesn’t require pants (or bra), but has her crotch baring, barely there getup gone too far?  Can this lady do no wrong or does the emperor have no clothes… literally?

jennifer lawrenceLady Lawrence has been on a fashion world tour, blowing my mind at every stop.  Last Friday, she showed my other favorite cleavage, aka “side boob” in a different Christian Dior concoction and I’m loving the dark lip, new cropped hair, and edgy but sweet frock.

So, what are you thoughts on Katniss’s Christian Dior at the LA premiere?

xx,

WhyDid