What I bought in Paris

+ recs from yours truly

HI! I returned from summer travel a couple weeks ago, but have been sitting under the weight of an overwhelming to do list and a bit of writer’s block. Finally, I am feeling caught up, and am ready to get back to regularly scheduled programming, starting with something light: what I bought in Paris!

I also have several posts going in the drafts, I’d love your input on what should come next:

Shopping on vacation reminded me of what shopping is supposed to be: fun! I put my practical wishlist aside and leaned into whatever was sparking joy and speaking to me. Being in person felt novel: I’d forgotten how great it is to touch the materials, browse, and try things on before buying. It was refreshing to not be inundated with options as we are online, but to be present and enjoy what’s right in front of me. I can, in fact, decide if I like a pair of shoes without seeing 2,000 other options or reading an hour’s worth of reviews.

Pro-Tips

• I’ve found the experience is only enjoyable if I didn’t already panic buy a new wardrobe for said vacation- an urge that unfortunatly always arises but that we must resist! I limited my shopping for the trip, so I could enjoy shopping on the trip without guilt or regret.

• Enter all the stores you want to hit into Wanderlog beforehand. It makes a map so you can easily see which stores are near eachother and can plan your route.

• Alternating between shops and cafes or bistros keeps your man happy and much more agreeable ifyouknowwhatimean ;)

me really feeling the moment after one sip of wine

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Gucci silk scarf

Starting with my favorite item- this vintage Gucci scarf! The styling options for a silk scarf are endless. I love how large this one is, it can work as a top, hair piece, or even skirt. Also that pop-y orange color was a major fashion craving of mine.

Jacquemus x Nike Air Max

I loved these shoes and how authentic the collab felt to Simon Jacquemus. As I walked through the store the circles and squares were jumping out at me on almost every piece. Spotting that golden thread through the current collection, and into the Nike collab, made me geek out!

Loved bopping around Paris in these shoes as soon as I got them!

Diptyque perfume

Scents are a big thing for me, and perfume is one of my favorite souvenirs. I thought I would get one at Le Labo, but wowza . It made Diptyque feel like a heck of a deal when we stopped into a store later. Eau Duelle is on the sweeter side, while the solid perfume I got is breezy and fresh.

Jimmy Fairly sunglasses

Yellow sunnies that I left behind, then doubled back for a couple days later. And I’m glad I did.

skeptical in the store → slaying in the street

Emilio Pucci tank from THE ROOM

I went to Paris hoping I would find a vintage Emilio Pucci piece to take home with me. I’d been scouring eBay, but ultimately decided I’d rather buy something when it has a special memory attached.

The below photo is embarrassing! I tried the shirt on sideways, yet still I said: SOLD!

Not until I returned home and was experimenting did I discover the correct way to wear this top. No regrets, I love it, but clearly I was SIMPIN’ for some Pucci. Now I get to have a memory and a laugh attached to this fun tank.

Postcards from Palais Galliera

The Paris Fashion Museum was unsurprisingly my favorite museum I went to. Glad I picked up these little prints from the gift shop, they will be hanging on my walls soon.

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My favorite part about traveling to a new city is exploring and discovering “my own” hidden gems. Paris was tricky in that there are endless resources online filled with recommendations, and it isn’t somewhere I know I’ll be able to come back to like say, NYC. We struggled to not over-research but still find places that didn’t feel overly touristy or “tik-tok-y”. If you are planning to go to the city any time soon these are a couple of the places we loved:

• Le Doyenne: a restaurant 45 minutes by train outside of the city. We stayed the night and it was our favorite evening of the trip.

• Amagat: amazing Mediterranean tapas, with a lovely twinkle light ambiance outside.

• Le Bon Marche: I loved getting to glance at designer’s current collections without having to go into each store seperately, especially since I knew I wasn’t going to be buying anything.

• Palais Galleria: there aren’t any permanent exhibits, but if you enjoy fashion I can’t imagine not being fascinated by what they put on here.

Everyone has really different preferences and expectations, so my other takeaway from my first international travel experience of adulthood is to be very selective with who/where I get recommendations from. Ya know?

Xx, elle