Parisian Eclectic

I have a long list of favorite Parisian activities and one of them is vintage shopping. Rather than fighting crowds at some of the larger Parisian flea markets, we chose to explore the smaller and much more vintage focused Porte Des Vanves. It is on the outskirts of Paris, much smaller than the popular Clingnancourt market and has a reputation for being a good place to score a vintage Hermes scarf. Need I say more?!

We got to Porte De Vanves at around 9 AM on a rainy Saturday and it was about the right time. Some stall owners were only just setting up. There were loads of vintage jewels (Christian Dior, Givenchy, the odd Chanel as well as other fabulous unbranded bits), vintage books ( sadly all French), musical paraphernalia, not-so-great clothing stalls, a few selling Hermes ( but I wasn't that impressed by the choice) and a few 'proper' vintage stores.

My personal favourite was this little store ( apparently a regular at the market) selling 1920s and 30s lace clothing and as well as rolls of vintage lace. I nabbed a 2m 1920 delicate lace roll for Euro 6 which was a bargain ( I thought?). I *really* wanted a beautiful white (but now beige) lace wedding cap too but it simply didn't work on me. We completed our survey of the entire market in less than two hours before heading off to the nearby patisserie (near Porte De Vanves metro) for a spot of great value lunch ( artisan bread, smoked salmon and pure deliciousness) and some dessert ( raspberry tart and eclairs).

 

Paris is a lot like London on the weather front and so its important to dress practically and prepare for all conditions. I wore one of my go-to tube dresses from American apparel layered with a warm sparkly knit top from Sonia Rykiel. My DIY sparkly keds kept my feet comfortable whilst by trusty Zara 'urchin' coat kept the chill off. My autumn/winter uniform also regularly consists of my black bowler hat ( a great find on Stylist Pick).

I'd love to hear all about your favourite flea market or vintage shopping places too! Ann x

Wearing Sonia Rykiel sequin knit top, American Apparel tube skirt, earrings thrifted in NYC, Mulberry Alexa Satchel, Zara Coat, DIY sparkly Keds

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Photography by Edward Chandler

French (Parisian) Pharmacy Haul

I don't need to tell you that Paris is considered a bit of a lifestyle heaven. Unsurprisingly, I had a long list of things and places I wanted to check out whilst there including La Artisan Parfumeur, Diptyque, Pierre Herme etc. However, the only things I ended up buying in Paris were pharmacy products (and a tiny bit of vintage lace). I'm so very pleased with my pharmacy haul (and as I'm thoroughly loving using a lot of them), that I simply had to share! However, there were a very few products that I won't be bothering with again...

1. Embryolisse Lait-Crème Concentrate: I did a fair bit of research before I ventured into the Parisian pharmacy circuit. This Embroylisse cream was on top of my list due to the rave reviews it received everywhere. I also did a fair bit of research around Parisian pharmacies to get it for the best price (at City Pharma, St Germain) but that is another story. This is now a must-have in my toiletry bag. I use it both day and night and it is perfect for my sensitive skin. It can also be used as a cleanser and primer. This cream is a true all-rounder and I'll be buying a lot more. The best price I've got this for is €10. It is not as readily available in the UK but I found a couple of sites selling it for £17.50.

2. Caudalie Lip Conditioner: I like the fact that this come in a handy tube so I don't need to mess  my fingers trying to apply it.  I use it twice a day and it works well. A tube lasts me about a month and half and I've got a few to get through. Will I buy it again? Probably! I paid €4.50 for a tube but you can get it in the UK for about £5.50.

3. Nuxe Reve De Miel Lip Balm: Believe all those beauty fanatics when they swear by this balm because it is true! I started using this soon after I bought it (and before I decided to temporarily switch to my Caudalie buys) and it is delectable and works wonders for your lips! You can also buy it in tubes and that's what I'll be buying when I've gone through the current haul. I paid  €6.50 and you can get it in the UK for £9.50 online and at M&S.

4. Roge Cavailles Deodorant: This was quote possibly the only impulse buy at City Pharma. I'm not French guru but I thought it's label said it was good for sensitive skin and traceless so I thought I'd give it a go. I've usually stuck with Neal's Yard organic deodorants as they are better for you and I think I will go back to them once I'm done with these. That said, it works perfectly fine. I paid €3.50 for a tube but you can get it online for £6.

5. Caudalie Vinotherapie Body Balm: I may have found my perfect body cream with this one! It is rich, fragrant and very moisturizing. I absolutely love it and I will be buying more. I paid €14 but you can get it online for £18.

6. Elmex Toothpaste: There was certainly an element of practicality to my Parisian pharmacy trip. It was mostly needs based. I had read great reviews about Elmex toothpaste and decided to buy a few tubes to see how it worked. Whilst I can't really tell the difference, I feel like its doing my teeth a lot of good. However, that may just be psychological. I'm not too fussed about buying more ( when I get through the 6 tubes) but if I end up in Paris again, I probably will. I paid €7 for two tubes. You can buy it online for £8.50 for two tubes.

7. Vichy Normaderm: The next four products are ones I've previously used but have decided to review as part of this post. I stocked up on two whilst in Paris but gave the other two a miss. I like Vichy's 3 in 1 cleanser. It works really well on my skin and it also acts as a scrub and mask. Perfect from a practicality and portability point of view. I bought a couple more in Paris. I paid €7 in Paris. You can buy it in Boots as well as online for about £11.

8. Bioderma: The Bioderma micelle solution is a miracle worker for make-up junkies. I'm not one of those. However, I do like my lipsticks and often have on a tiny dab of foundation or BB cream. This cleansing water makes my skin sparkly clean and ready for bed. I only buy the little tiny bottles and I stocked up on a couple more whilst in Paris where they less than half the price. I paid €2 in Paris and £4.50 in the UK for a small bottle.

9. Avene Thermal Water: This is yet another cult beauty product but I'm really not sure I get the hype. Its probably because I live in the UK and don't feel the need to 'cool' my face. It also messes up any make-up you have on so I really don't see the point. Perhaps I'm using it wrong? I paid £6.50 in the UK and did not bother buying more in Paris.

10. Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse: I bought this in the summer because I liked the idea of having shiny pins. However, I don't like the smell (it smells like 'oil') and I wasn't convinced it made my legs look 'that' special. I have enough to get through another summer but won't be buying any more. I paid £24 in the UK.

And that's it folks! Have you discovered any other great French pharmacy products too? Or perhaps some truly great ones from another country? I'd love to know! Ann x

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Marais and Masquerade

 I'd never really explored Le Marais in my previous visits to Paris. I decided this time would be different. There was much so much to see and do in this historic Parisian district (the Jewish quarters, Place des Vosges, vintage and antique shops etc) and I was keen we take in as much as we could. We started our exploration near St. Paul's working our way towards Bastille and onwards. Our first stop was for some cake in one of the area's many patisseries before wandering in for a quiet moment at St. Paul's.

 

The doors of St.Paul's church are majestic and formed the perfect backdrop for an impromptu outfit shot. I was wearing a favourite buy in recent days, Jennifer Loiselle's Eye Drop earrings from her Masquerade collection. If you haven't checked out her site yet, you must do now as its fabulous, quirky and original.  After a few quick photos, we set off towards Bastille when it suddenly felt homely and familiar: it began to pour with a ferocity I've only seen in India and a cold wetness I've only experienced in England! Needless to day we were soaked to the bone ( despite our brollies) in minutes and sought refuge in little pharmacies and vintage shops along the way.

 

That was no bad thing either. Firstly, I discovered the only other pharmacy (on the same road as Bastille metro station) that compared to City Pharma in its offers and choice of products. Secondly, I discovered a great vintage shop near the synagogue. I'm kicking myself for not remembering the name but I think it could have been Sisi's? They stocked Hermes silk scarves, Dior, Louboutin Gucci and Chanel shoes, lovely clothes from Claudie Pierlot, A.P.C etc. I bravely said 'no' to a beautiful pair of white Chanel shoes which were a perfect fit and a ridiculous bargain ; it broke my little heart but I knew it would kill my feet if my bought them.

 

Whilst our adventures in Le Marais weren't quite what we'd expected (and besides being terribly cold, wet and leaving without a piece of Chanel), we had lovely evening exploring this great Parisian neighbourhood.

Have you been to Le Marais? What are your favourite historic haunts? Ann x

Wearing Diego Reiga shirt, Zara tube dress, vintage Silk Scarf, Jennifer Loiselle at Boticca Masquerade earrings, Mulberry Alexa Satchel, Geox respira court shoes

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Photography by Edward Chandler

Parisian Grunge

My dear readers, today I'll be communicating from my bed because I'm as sick as a dog. There could be many attributions for my current state of health; the manic (but exciting) phase at work, the long days and travel, the long albeit stressful weekend in Paris (which included a few hours at Hotel de Police reporting the theft of Ed's brand new phone) and my recent familiarity with raw beef mince. Over the weekend, I ticked two items off a rather long bucket list. One was to visit Paris again (I've been a couple of times before but want it to be an annual thing) and the other was to brave steak tartare! Last year, I ticked sea urchins off the list at the very same place.

As I'm relatively familiar with Paris and as its beautiful streets constantly beckon me to walk more and more, I had to dress practically. Despite being warmer than London, the air was distinctly autumnal. Our itinerary for the first day in Paris included a walk around the Louvre, a stroll down Rue De Rivoli  and Jardin Tuileries  before crossing the Seine to St. Germain for a bit of art and window shopping. It also included braving the most congested pharmacy in the world, City Phrama at St Germain. I've commuted in both Mumbai and London rush-hour traffic and yet this came just as close to claustrophobia.

 

In my world, occasions like this call for a style that is both comfortable and personal (ergo quirky). I was aiming for a polished grunge look, if there is such a thing at all. And if there is anywhere you want to make some effort, its in Paris! So I layered with my American Apparel tube dress ( a fabulous sale purchase from ASOS a couple of years ago and I bought three!), a transitional knit top, silk scarves to keep the chill off and my Zara 'urchin' coat ( as Ed describes it). I even got to wear my sparkly up-cycled Keds which were ultra-comfortable for long hours of walking.

Given that we'd spent the wee hours of the previous night at an under-resourced police station, (and were knackered and quite upset by the whole turn of events), we had a rather productive day. The weather was kind and so walked for miles, stopped for snack breaks ( quite an exciting event in Paris), gave up on the Pierre Herme queue, doused ourselves in strong scents at L'Artisan Parfumeur, admired the views across the Seine before settling down for a lovely meal at a brasserie near Odeon. It was a pleasant day in Paris and my feet didn't kill me which was a bonus.

What would you do if you had a day in Paris? Ann x

Wearing H&M top, American Apparel skirt, Vintage Silk Scarf, O.M.O. earrings, Mulberry Alexa Satchel, DIY sparkly Keds

To get in touch and see the latest on all my adventures, follow me on Bloglovin, Twitter or Facebook .

Photography by Edward Chandler