Sundays in Paris

How do you spend your Sundays?

Sundays in Paris taught me two very important words (or perhaps it's just one with the trait d'union): bien-être.

Sundays are when you put everything aside and give yourself a bit of quality time to rest, to breathe, to chill; it's a time-out to fix the mess of the week and get yourself ready for the coming one. 

This may sounds like the ideal definition of Sunday which we often fail to stick to, but the French do mean it. Supermarkets and shops (apart from those in touristy areas) will all be closed; sometimes even coffee shops, boulangeries and bistros close too. Or try having your phone stolen on a Saturday night, and the police will teach you well how to take a break on Sundays. (Uh huh, guess who had that.)

Sundays are pretty much fat day-ins. Well, not too over the top (cause, you know, French never allow themselves to get fat) but spoiling yourself with a bit of extra comfort food is actually not a bad idea at all. It could be spending extra 5 minutes to make yourself some scrambled eggs and have an uplifting full breakfast, or going to the only opening boulangerie in your neighborhood for a pain au chocolat. That should make quite a decent brunch :) 

Or perhaps, if weather allows, Sundays are perfect for a little picnic, just to be lazy laying on the grass with baguettes, cheese, saucissons and fruits with sunshine blazing through your sunglasses.

Sundays are to have a walk - be it on your own, with your family, going out on a date, or just to interact with the city. Go to Jardins des Plantes, des Tulieries, du Luxemburg, or Place des Vosges for some fresh air and greenery. You will find parents showing their kids plants and beehives, friends catching up on a bench, couples making out (lol). The sound that people make while strolling on rocks and gracefully chit chating is somehow quite calming and therapeutic for the stressful metropolitan life.

Sundays are also the days for museums. It'd funny how it takes your mind off from work and studies, yet at the same time it exites your brain with something new, and make you a tad more culturally refined. And when Paris has soooo many exhibitions going on at all times, almost everyone - the working people, the kids, the elderly, the youth - everyone will go profitent bien when Sundays allow them to.

Of course, Sundays often are for the studious undergrads and masters to be nerdy and finish off schoolwork. But still it goes in line with the idea of getting oneself ready for a better week, non?

Occasionally I still have Monday blues, but Sundays here definitely taught me what it means to have a life. I think Sundays here make me fall for Paris an extra bit harder.

Hope you had a bon weekend! (Or if you didn't... Start planning for the next one!) bis xx

Holidays, Parisian Partying and Sexiness

It's been, yet again, a while since I've last blogged - I'm terribly sorry for my slothfulness as I've been overwhelmed by (and finally done! with) housing hunting. Damn, I'm starting to have a headache just by mentioning it. Let's leave that for another post.
But first thing first, a very belated Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you all out there!

La Grand Place at Brussels - beautiful lightshow on Christmas Eve :)

So this Christmas I've decided to spend a bit of time with my petit ami in Birmingham where he is based in, and now we are at Brussels to see the Christmas Markets and again forcing me to speak French. And guess what present I've got this year...

The most intense insomnia ever.
Here I am, sitting on the 4th floor of Ibis Brussels Off Grand Place, trying to read pinterest blog facebook and craving for a hot Belgian chocolate waffle while my boyfriend snores like Titanic's turbine on the run, I just can't help thinking, oh God, well thanks for making me so productive on a holy day, but please, spare me from those panda eyes and make me look good for the upcoming parties...
Oh wait. Parties.

So there I started off daydreaming what Parisians would wear to Mix Club and Grands Boulevards. And from there I took it as a party fashion reference of the year and mind-mapped my party outfit for this memorable year aboard.

What I like about the party scene here (well technically not in Paris atm, but still) in Paris is that people are never really extremely drunk (well they do sing and speak nonsense in the streets at times, but at least you'd barely see people barf in public. And at least they can walk themselves home). Nor are people going out just to get touchy (that depends on where you go too but normally people don't overtly take advantage of just-picked-up girls). Going out here essentially means to smoke a bit, to meet someone and to really get to know and talk to someone.

Parisian are, to my surprise (no sarcasm), extremely sociable and talkative. They are chill and cool, they don't decide to hug and faire les bises with you right away like the passionate Hispanic people, but at the same time they aren't rude or as nonchalent as people have always rumoured about. If you really make an effort to immerse into their circles i.e. speak french dress decent and look less like an alien! nah just kidding. they do keep the conversation going and get to know you. Eventually you will become friends with them. Random it may sound, but it is quite a formula that works here. It could be just someone you bumped into while queuing for the cloak room, someone at the door of a bar casually suggesting you to check out a new place, or someone who randomly asks you for a lighter. I didn't make these incidents up - I witnessed them all. My gorgeous Parisian buddy Nathalie once said, we just make friends for no reason.

And perhaps for that reason, people don't intentionally or overtly reveal their body. No one wears deep Vs or thigh high tight dresses just to display their cleavages. I bet there must be something vulgar going on in the city, but I'm more than grateful it is not made public at all. The fact that Parisian often cover up their bosoms and attract others by their charm, their mystery and their way of conversing make them way sexier and plus plus plus chic. There are just things that Parisians do in a cooler manner that the rest of the world try so hard to steal from them, this would be a good one actually.

After all this babbling, I should definitely line up what I think Parisians wear to parties. Correct me if you think I'm totally off!

I'd say it starts off with a big warm and cool-looking coat. The girls here won't sacrifice their well-being and comfort just to show some skin. So you won't really see the holy-cow-it's-freezing-but-I'll-survive Brit and American girls leaving their big coats at home and running with bare legs and bare arms.

A Sandro coat that keeps one warm, chic and covers the party outfit until they arrive... *smirk*.

(side note: this is the Sandro coat - the mix of wool and leather almost made up the DNA of the brand)

As for the actual outfit, the rectangular silhouette is definitely going strong. All the girls here will always stay slim, always manage to look slender with fair body proportions. So my options are either to accentuate the slim legs, or to actually reveal them. (ahh but it's cold!)

Mission: to hide my ridiculous waistline and keep the legs skinny.

But on top of that, how about the stereotypical Parisian all-black look :P

Lovely chiffon-ish top from Zara and Etro's straight leg pants. Safest must-haves.

Or to show off more of those jolies jambes... 

(which it really happened throughout Champs Elysees on NYE...)

Viktor & Rolf skirt, the infamous Zara skorts, and Vince leather shorts.

And of course, the one-pieces are always there as a relief to the headache.

Power/playsuits are definitely my go-to's if it is a social event where I know I will bump into someone from work. The suit-like silhouette loosely hangs on the body, and the light chiffon flows as the night goes - definitely a good trick to be playful and powerful at the same time.

Tibi on the left, and Black Halo on the right.

Plus, girls always have the liberty to go for dresses.

One piece party dresses are pretty much on sale (and going quickly) no matter where I go.

After all, the no-mix-and-match all-glam dress really does settle it all.

And by all means, go for a little twist just to make it more fun for the fun night out!

Yoke bodice with cute collar, Asymmetrical Dress, and ,my experiment since fall, Shirt dress are all my dares for you.

(from left to right) Viktor & Rolf, Michelle Mason and Equipment.

Another feature that is hard to not notice is lace.

Mesh tops, laces over torso-covering skater dresses, mesh bras...

I guess the slight sheerness has its magic on being a little sexy without actually revealing everything.

ASOS skater dress (left), Dolce Vita Romper (right)

And finally, shoes talk.

I've been a huge fan of ankle boots (so are the Parisian girls too I believe -I've been seeing them a lot) this fall. I guess it's mainly because I would just, as mentioned, love to either show my legs or show my tight pants. Cuff boots are lovely but I just find them a little bit in the way.

And I realised going out with boots is actually not a bad idea at all! They are bold and adds a bit of humour to the look, they usually come with big heels that are comfortable to dance (and walk home after the metro is closed...). And the best of all - if you can find a pair of good leather boots - you can spill as many drinks as you want.

Rag & Bone suede boots, and to-die-for cut-out boots! These are from Free People.

Parisians don't always dress all-black and boring as people rumoured about. For the little details they can be very cheeky and bold. Shoes is for sure one of the "pop!" items to play with.

Christian Loubotin leopard heels, BCBGMAXAZRIA silver stilettos, Carven Mary-Jane-ish colour blocking platforms.

Love love love. 

I'd keep them for a lifetime and pass them onto my daughter. No exaggeration.

Photo Credits to Lyst and... Google Finder.

And in the end... I really tried.

H&M faux fur coat and "haut tissu", Marni dope pants, Clarks ankle boots.

But, meh. I didn't go out like that in the end.

I mean, umm, look at that belly. Plus Patti was making us lamb stew that night!

Perhaps running as a new year resolution is not a bad idea. (Oh well we will see!)

Last but not least,

hope you all had great chic night outs.

Happy New Year again!

2013 has been great. 2014 is just gonna get better x