France Finale

I knew I was ready to go home the day my suitcase broke.

I was moving to a different apartment in Paris for the umpteenth time and basically dying as I tried to lug all my shit (pardon my French) down the street when all of a sudden, my suitcase felt very awkward.  I stopped to check everything out and realized that the long handle used to drag the suitcase on wheels had bent and snapped under all the weight and was now dangling by a thread.  Fab.  Just fabulous.

My plan of taking two buses over to the new apartment I was staying in for my last 3 days being thwarted, I hailed the next cab I saw and overpaid just to get to the apartment in one piece and without killing someone.  That was when I realized I was sick of living like a nomad.  As much as I loved being in France, shuttling all my belongings from city to city and apartment to hotel to apartment was wearing on me.  I was done and it was time to go home (plus, the money was wearing thin).

That being said, I enjoyed my last week to the fullest.  Meaning I spent every last dime that I owned.  I went to Laduree and waited on a line far too long for its own good for delicioussss, expensive macaroons, went out to eat as much as humanly possible, and as a grand finale, spent 400 euro on amazing French vintage dresses.

Before this trip, the idea of vintage clothes intrigued me, but I didn't really know where to look or how to go about the whole shebang.  Then, this summer, on an unexpected plane ride to Florida sans reading material, I came across an article about Ooh La La Vintage in the US Airways magazine stuffed in my seat back pocket.  A private vintage boutique based out of Paris, the article mentioned that I could arrange for a personal lesson on vintage, learn the styles that would flatter my body type and then try out all sorts of pieces from their collection.  Sounded like a winner to me.  I earmarked the page, stole the magazine and held onto it until I arrived in France.

Ooh La La Vintage was amazing.  The owner, Tara met me right outside of Paris at the RER metro station and led me back to the boutique.  We spent the afternoon chatting and as she filled me in on the history of fashion and the keys to a good vintage piece, I got to play dress up! It was the perfect way to spend an afternoon in my opinion.  She even made us lunch!  

I happen to be made perfectly for vintage clothes- I'm petite, and women back in the day tended to be built very small, so everything was in my size for once!  I also have an hourglass figure - a small waist countered by some good ol' baby-bearing hips - meaning I fit nicely into those awesome 50's dresses.  After she told me this, I knew it was going to be dangerous, haha.  

Tara was so helpful: she wanted to see everything I tried on and gave honest judgement on the fit and style.  There was absolutely no pressure to buy... but of course I fell in love with everything and just had to have it!  I walked out five hours later with my first five pieces of vintage: a dark 50's button-down tartan dress, a cream crochet curve-hugging dress from the 70's, a 60's Cacharel plaid A-line high-waisted skirt, a tweed vest from the 30's and finally, a olive green leather cinching belt with awesome detailing from the 80's.  

I left France a happy (yet broke), overpacked lady.

I should work for Lucky...

As I was reading my favorite mag, Lucky this month, I realized on page 103, "Yo!  I own those shoes!!"  

Is that not the bestttt feeling in the world?!  Lucky is my fashion and shopping magazine of choice, and when I see a type of clothing in there that I've already been sporting (been there, wore that), I feel so good inside.  It makes me totally reassured in my fashion sense.  Says inside head: "Yes, I am on the mark when it comes to style, and I'm even spotting the trends before the magazine, haha!"  

It may be in my advantage that I don't have a 6 month lead time, but I like to ignore that fact and give myself more credit.  :)

This time, not only am I excited that I already own and have been wearing around these adorable wedges (when the weather permits)...but they only cost me $20 at Target!!  Yes, a pair of hot wedges featured in Lucky came from Target.

Who says fashion has to cost an arm and a leg?

'70's fabulous Xhilaration Tonia Wedges with wooden heel cut-out, celery green - $19.99 in stores, $17.99 on www.target.com.

Online Shopping

Online shopping = God's gift to shopaholics.  

Reasons why online shopping brings joy into my life:

1. Save stress, time and energy by looking up things online at any hour of the day or night.  And no lines!  

2. Double the fun.  I get excited twice when I shop online...once when I pick it out and order it, and again when it arrives in the mail a week or so later.

I want to share something about my mini-obsession.  Something I don't think everyone realizes--a shopaholic secret, if you will.

Every shopper loves a bargain, but no one likes the experience of bargain stores.  Crowded, messy, pounding music...not so much.  I love me some $20 sundresses as much as the next girl, but by the time I've hunted down the cute stuff (in my size...a whole other struggle), waited on the never-ending dressing room line, and then the never-ending register line, I have a migraine that Excedrin can't touch (H&M's, Forever 21's-- you know who you are).

Psst...there's a better way!  A lot of these bargain stores have Web sites with everyyything in the stores plus more.  Check 'em out:

www.forever21.com : I feel like most people forget or don't realize that Forever 21 has an online counterpart.  The Web site is great-- clean, easy to navigate, and with all the cheap trendy outfits your little heart desires.  Best of all, discover which sizes/styles/colors are available immediately without a hunt on the floor, the dressing room reject rack or the aide of an uncaring employee.

www.urbanoutfitters.com : The gem of this over-priced hipster haven is the clearance section in the back.  Too bad it's a free-for-all with clothes strewn everywhere and a very hit-or-miss selection.  Their Web site, however, has a whole section devoted to sale and clearance items where I have had no troubles finding hit after hit after hit.

www.victoriassecret.com : The semi-annual sale.  I walk into the store with high hopes every time, but I never find anything spectacular.  All the bins are picked over, and the sizes are always mixed up.  Try beefing up your collection of "unmentionables" during the sale online-- you can easily search by size or price or bra style.  

www.americanapparel.net : From time to time, I find really great deals on the Web site that I've never seen in the stores.  But, my favorite part of American Apparel's Web site are the instructional videos.  Learn 20 different ways to tie a scarf or wear a dress...makes it a little easier to stomach spending the dough for their incredibly simple jersey pieces.