Some Difficulties In Buying Tights...

Now that it is really cold in Paris (for Paris) I cannot deal with my usual Wolford Opaque tights any longer.
On Saturday afternoon I made my way to Le Bon Marché in order to buy comfortable light and dark anthrazite wool tights. I had no great expections, no need for hip la hip Prada or Miu Miu tights, only tights which are pliant, comfortable and warm. I tried some of the labels offered, including Le Bourget, Isabel Marant and Falke but finally went on to the good old Wolfords to figure out that they appeared to be most comfortable. Unluckily any suitable colour in any justifiable material (I refuse to buy synthetic materials) at any common size was sold out. What happened? I went back to Falke & Co. studying their racks carefully - same phenomenon
Did every female person in this city decide to shop tights this week-end? So what now? The gentle sales lady smiled and proposed to order some Wolford merino tights in antrazite to pick up next week.
Fall/Winter 2007 seems to be the season of tights. When I left the most peaceful place in Paris I finally noticed tights everywhere on the street: coloured tights, textured tights, patterned tights wool tights, stockings and leg warmers.
If you wish to figure out the latest legwear trends visit fashionlegwear.blogspot.com. It is a nice blog which provides a helpful inside on the above mentioned subject!

Shop tights more comfortable: www.mytights.com and http://www.tightsplease.co.uk/.

Living At Home

Living in an ancien Paris apartment is wonderful. It is even more wonderful with charming bargains found at one of Paris flea markets. Those are the key essentials, but creating a cosy atmosphere is in the responsibility of the right decoration. As I always repeat, I am no fan of big chaings but I like Zara Home, especially their online shop is a great inspiration. It is divided in 5 categories, bedroom , bathroom , tableware , living room and other .What I especially like is that you can choose from differently decorated rooms and therefore get a feeling what will match together. Should you already have a clear picture? Even better for you.

Our bathroom got a new paint this week-end I am a big fan of aromatic candles. I am lucky to live in Paris because I can make my way to their boutique on Boulevard de Madelaine. Afterwards the bathroom will look like our own petite private spa.

Details:
Zara Home
2, boulevard de la Madeleine
75008 Paris
M: Madeleine
www.zarahome.com

A.P.C. - Lookbook Fall 2007

Yesterday I came across this A.P.C. (Atelier de Production et de Création) look-book featuring Camille Bidault-Waddington. I like their clothes for being basic and pure still having this "cool something".
The whole campaign reminds me of the 70th's, especially in the look book, old-fashioned in a positive way.

A.P.C. is also a label which isn't about consumerism, even if it is hard to do fashion without. In the golden age of capitalism it extraordinary to do nearly zero marketing. Individuality and quality are most important for Jean Touitou, founder of A.P.C.

Addresses:
After having had a look at the Fall/Winter 2007 look book I decided to make my way to rue Madame this week-end. A good alternative to buy A.P.C. bargains is their boutique on rue Fleurus where you can buy former collections.
All boutiques have in common that they do not only sell fashion but also present products of new artists be it music, photography or else.

45 r Madame
75006 PARIS

4 Rue de Fleurus
75006 PARIS

http://www.apc.fr/

A Beautiful Come-Back

Natalia Vodianova is having a beautiful come-back after having given birth to her third child. She was doing the runway again only three weeks after in Paris - looking more adorable than ever.

I had to post those picture because on the first one make-up, hair and clothes fit perfectly together.

Nevertheless, she is also flawless without make-up!Such an inspiration!

Bad Taste Or Style: Shoulders On Stage

Be it Balenciaga, Maison Margiela or Alexander McQueen - architectual shoulders were part of the "major" runway shows for the upcoming season. Carine Roitfeld, trendsetter as always, is one of the first volunteers wearing this trend.

It is a design you either like or totally dislike. It reminds me of the 80's blouses I suceeded from my mum and where I immediatelly cut out the shoulder pad. At that point of time I already asked myself why the designers reinvented such a tide for women's clothing and not men's (who look great with strong shoulders). Trends had always come-backs until today but I did not assume especially this one would be on stage again. Quel surprise!

This finesse is hard to wear and makes it difficult to look glamourous. Again a trend only dedicated to slim women... If one has a normal, healthy shape theses pieces will give you more the attidude of a rugby player (maybe it should link to the rugby worldcup) than a très chic dame.

Nevertheless, Carine wears it well and everybody has to figure out autonomously what suits herself best. A good advice is to wear it with pride. Nothing else to say so far.

Noted: Notify - Not Only A Jeans Label

The label Notify was founded by moroccon Maurice Ohayon in 2003 as a Denim label. Since he was a child he used to live in Paris where he also went to fashion school.

In 2003 he created Notify poineering with new cutting techniques called sculpt sizing (for details, please visit the homepage).

I always liked Notify as jeans label but one month ago I noticed that it is even more...
I baught a blazer which is carefully worked, using glossy material which is beautiful combined with denim.
Their AW collection 07/08 consists of the main colours, blue, black, grey and violet and the pieces are all easy to combine, great for the office and a general enrichment for the wardrobe.

Maybe you already noticed the newly launched 70's high waisted pant "Opium", which is avaiable in shops right now (f.e. Stealth, 42 rue du dragon, Paris) and featured in many editorials like in VOGUE Paris.

Shop Kate

I was never a fan of models or celebreties collections, therefore I refused to write about Kate Moss for Topshop or anything else. Nevertheless I follow everything, especially Kates, related to my sympathy for her.
Having build up my own mind since last year, I have to admit that I think the AW07 and Christmas collectionis worth a trip to London by EUROSTAR.
It consists of beautiful dresses and cardigans made out of lace and knits. Her first design were only a copy of outfits she was wearing, very Kate and very special. What follows, goes more into the direction of real design with a personal note.
And to be honest? Model collection or not - who refuses a personal note of Kate?
Unfortunatelly the only send to UK, US and Austrialia
Favorites besides above:


It's interesting to see how the clothes changed from Rock'N Roll to a much more "clean", classic and elegant style.
Maybe it was the split up with Pete who influenced it or she just follows the way of fashion, which is going in the same direction.

Automn In Normandie: Deauville And Honfleur

My french teacher told me that there is no better time to visit Normandie than automn. Most of the tourists are gone, the climate is mild and the beaches are empty and clean. It was my first time visit to this place and I was highly exited because of the glamour and history linked with this location. Everybody had different views what to do there and I wanted to make up my own opinion. As I live in Paris, I personally like the paris attidude and therefore I liked Deauville which is like a cutting of Paris set at the beach . Deauville has a really beautyful beach with the typical "Deauville umbrellas" I only know from Vogue Photo shoots since then. Directly located at the beach you find a reasonable priced Thalasso Spa to complete a perfect beach day.
For accomodation I refused to stay at the Normandy Barrière or Royal Barrière, directly located at Deauville beach. I decided to go for a private Bed&Breakfast in Honfleur to benefit from restaurants, cafés and a nice harbour. Honfleur is totally different than Deauville. It is located in the country, full of cafés, galleries and small epiceries with an artsy flair you will not find elsewhere. Then negative aspects linked with beautyful places like this are always the tourists. It is now automn but already in the morning buses with crowds of people arrived who made their way through the small streets.
The Bed&Breakfast ("La Petite Folie Honfleur") I chose, is owned by an american woman and her husband who lived in Paris before. Penny, the owner made a real effort to make every room look different, cosy and warm. She has a wonderful taste and feeling for style and made me immediatelly feel home.Located in the center of historic Honfleur (St Catherine), the house is situated between the places of birth/museums of Alphonse Allais and Eric Satie. La Petite Folie is comprised of two houses located side by side. The main house (bed and breakfast) dates to 1830 and is Directoire Style offering 5 beautiful bedrooms all with ensuite bathrooms. The second dates back to the 14th century and houses two exquisite apartments each of which comprise a floor of the house and are self-catering.

Breakfast is being served at big wooden table in the morning. She serves regional products that you can benefit from a french breakfast. I am a person who appreciates details and I loved that Penny serves calvados, which is typical for the region, in the evening with delicious chocolate as a "good night drink". This is something which differentiates this accomodation from others...you are more than a guest and more than welcome.