Living Cheap in Paris I: Cheap Chic Wears

Being well-trained by my shopaholic (in a good way - cos obviously I'm the beneficiary!) mother at bazaars and outlets since I was a kid, I am almost proud to call myself a good buyer with great endurance and sharp eyes at the battlefields.

When I say battlefields, I mean these.

Free'P'Star at Le Marais! Photo credits to Time Out Paris

To stay stylish on a tight budget, I can't think of a better way of getting hold of some cool pieces at vintage shops. Paris, or Le Marais in the 4e Arrondissement in particular, is full of these second-handed clothing collecting points where they sell them at a fairly reasonable price. 

Some of them like Free'P'Star (with 3 shops in the area. I mean, 3!!! But trust me, you won't find it too much. You'll never know what you will dig up! Here I have all 3 of them plotted on Google Map - it makes a perfect walk in Le Marais. Feel free to use it for yourself!) are famous for their great collection of vintage clothings like big coats, leather coats and skirts, handbags, basically everything. Some of them occasionally come with big brands, perhaps something like a Burberry trench. The shops themselve They are all marked at fairly affordable prices, like my (faux?) leather biker jacket and camel big wool coat are both €10 each! Both of them are in great condition, and with that price I'd say they are the best bargains ever.

 

(Very likely faux) leather biker jacket on the left, and my recent obsession on the right.

But not everyone has that endurance to go through lumps of messy clothes that shopaholics (I guess I'm referring to myself...) do. If you are looking for something neater and more systematic, I would recommend Kilo Shop instead. They have three shops in Paris, I believe. I always go to the one on Boulevard Saint Germain as it is just a 10-15 mins walk from my home, and you can always pass by the lovely Café de Flore, Les Deux Magots and pass by the incredible Citipharma (!!!). Anyway. Back to the real business. Kilo Shop, as its name suggests, is to weigh your shopping and decide how much it is! I simply love the concept of that, it's just sheer fun. My previous purchase from the shop was a tweet blazer and it was about €13 if memory serves. Their hats also worth the digging - I cannot stress more on the love Parisians have for hats. You just have to come see it yourself. Right at the entrance you'll find a huuuge trunk of hats welcoming you. And guess how much they are? "Prix fixe - €5 chaque chapeau". I wonder how one can possibly resist that. My fashionista bestie Patricia has also got herself this classic round hat there.

Isn't she lovely??

And I stole it from her for being a Parisian witch for the Halloween evening :P

Well, in case you strongly refuse wearing someone's pass-you-on, you may want to try places like H&M too. I know I'm pointing the obvious, but with some luck H&M may do you good too. Here I got myself a faux fur coat, which cost me about €20. And I know this is just from H&M's youngster line, the cutting and material isn't all that nice... But still it's not too bad for seasonal mix and matching, I guess?

Grey is pretty much my new colour...

Dublin. Early Oct, 2013.

In fact, H&M here in Paris may be a pleasant surprise for most Hongkongers. Unlike the H&Ms or Mongkok cheap clothings in Hong Kong, H&M here come with quite a fair quality, I'd say. So far I've shopped some basic tees, tanks and even a all black maxi dress from the brand. The cutting fits pretty well, the cotton stays comfy (so far), and the dyes of the dark garments are not coming off, which is almost impossible if it was from Hong Kong. Perhaps that's the difference between Made in China and Made in Turkey/Bangladesh.

I haven't figured out more ways to diversify my source of cheap yet decent clothing yet, but so far this combination of H&M basics and vintage coats hasn't been too bad. I'll update you peeps more later as my exploration goes on! x

"I'm diggin', I'm diggin', I'm searchin' through that luggage -
One man's trash is another man's come up!"

And a groovy song I heard while I was in Kilo Shop. 
Caution: Super Addictive.

P.S. You'll never know who you bump into. Sometimes you might just meet people from your hometown, chit chat a bit, and go out for a dinner just like that. That's how beautiful Paris is. And wishing this engaged couple all the best! Congrats Chacky and Gip! :) 

Oh with the friendliest waiter ever! Lol