Paris Fashion Again

Evidently the week of January 21st was the Paris fashion show for spring and summer. You can preview some of the styles at the Mode a Paris website. If you click on the image corresponding to one of the designers, you will be taken to some small photos of the fashions and eventually a vimeo video will load that you can play. So far I haven't been impressed by the colors: white, beige, black and gray. Not too colorful. So I chose this Hari Krishna outfit that had a little life to it - even if the model's makeup makes her look like she just emerged from the Paris Catacombs.

I was amused by the way the models walk - sometimes almost awkward - and at the end of the video, the designer usually makes an appearance and they don't ever seem to dress in designer clothes.

Style.com also covers the various fashion shows (New York, London, Milan and Paris) so you can get a look at the highlights of the Paris Spring 2011 Fashion Show. Their video of the Paris show runs through the highlights. Pay attention so we'll know what to take to Paris!

A Passion for Fashion

Ever since I did that fashion presentation for my Italian II class, I've been less dismissive of the whole scene and actually find it rather interesting and entertaining. Who would have thought?? You have to admit that the flowing floral fabrics in the French fall and winter collection are quite beautiful. Of course, you have to sift through an awful lot of outrageously horrible styles to get to the beautiful ones, and since every website is done completely in flash, it takes much more time than it should. And some designers are so atrocious that it is always good for a laugh. I must admit, though, there's an awful lot of black this year. Check out the designers at Mode A Paris. So far I like Kenzo the best and he's Japanese!

In any case, today I took out the 2009 edition of Suzy Gershman's "born to shop Pais" and so I've been looking at some of the entries. Right now I'm on Department Stores and she says that the Galleries Lafayette have a fashion show every Wednesday at 3 pm which is free, although you need reservations. Well, don't we want to be Parisians? Do you remember when we used to go to Bullocks Westwood to have lunch and watch the fashion show? See that scarf on the right? Do you think that's scarf enough for the three of us?

What to Wear in Paris

My Dos and Don'ts list got so long I decided to split them up between behavior and dress.

Don't wear a fanny pack.
(That one's easy enough.) No backpack either.

Don't wear torn jeans and T-shirts
(another easy one).

Don't go out in your jogging clothes
No fleece pants and shirt to get the croissants in the morning. Always dress up.

Don't wear tennis shoes unless they are designer shoes.
I'm afraid my Keens will mark me right away as an American but I don't think I'll switch to stylish flats. On the other hand, maybe I should pick up some Keen boots. The brown one is my color: "potting soil", which is good since all the Frenchies have bought the black in my size.


Always wear a scarf except in August.
That's because in August all the Parisians have left and there are only tourists. We can pick up cheap scarves in the stands outside of Galleries Lafayette, although I've already bought myself two...

Don't wear a baseball cap.
Looks like I'll need to pick up one of these felt hats from Canotiers du Marais or from Chapellerie Julias. I understand that hats are back in style according to Paris Escapes and if you look at the Kenzo collection for autumn and winter, almost all of the models are wearing wonderful felt hats.


Wear neutral colors or black.
Paris Escapes says that in fall 2010 camel coats were back (they don't have spring up yet, small surprise) - maybe I should run out and get one of those instead of my red wool one. No, look! The Kenzo collection has a bright red coat. Yikes! does that mean I can't wear that rainbow scarf I just bought myself? No, look, they say "Color this season takes its inspiration from Paris' autumn hues - tans, light beiges, olives and rust-oranges. Mix this warm palette with the classic, neutral shades of gray and black. For a dash of color, pick up a belt, scarf, tights or purse in a 50s shade of fire-engine red." Too bad I bought a black leather purse instead of a red one. I wonder if Mother still has that big red leather purse she took to Europe in the 50s.

Be attuned to the French Fashion Scene
For instance, always check the pulse of these designers listed at Mode a Paris. Frankly, some of the stuff is really classy. Maybe we will have to walk the fashion boulevards and lick the windows. This is part of Kenzo's autumn/winter collection. But I could never handle the shoes.