What I bought in Paris
I bought more clothing in one day than I did in the last 6 months
On our first day in Paris, we made a pilgrimage to the Galeries Lafayette. The last time I was in Paris was the early 2000s; I was sixteen and a dummy but I remember an overwhelming hour in the Galeries Lafayette followed by my first ever visit to an H&M where I bought a t-shirt for like 5 euros.
I was eager to see one of Paris’s legendary department stores as an adult, especially after reading Empresses of Seventh Avenue, which is a book about the history of American ready-to-wear fashion, but also touches on Paris’s department stores in the last century. It turns out though, the platonic ideal of a department store is still a department store, and even though Galeries Lafayette was stunning, I felt entirely too overstimulated to seriously consider buying anything.
The other thing that made it difficult to shop is that I haven’t really been shopping for clothing much the last few months. It was a confluence of a few factors: a post-election splurge left me feeling worse about my emotional coping mechanisms than better, and who knows what’s happening with the economy but it doesn’t look good. Perhaps the biggest factor in my shopping slowdown though, has actually been doing The Artist’s Way, which forced me to reflect on the psychology of desire and acquisition that had motivated my shopping in the past. Spending so much time giving space and oxygen to my inner artist helped move my internal spotlight to the churning that actually makes me feel creatively fulfilled, rather than actions that feel like fulfillment but fade with time.
Which is all to say that when we left Galeries Lafayette, I thought to myself, “Have I forgotten how to shop?” Spoiler: I think I was just tired and overstimulated. The next day I had much better luck, and I bought more pieces of clothing than I had in the last six months! I felt crazy, but I also feel confident that each of these items will get tons of wear in my closet.
I never quite announced this, but this year I’m trying to only buy 12 new items of clothing (not counting activewear and underwear), which is why I’ve been keeping track in my monthly input/output newsletters. These purchases have brought my grand total for this year to SIX, which, for what it’s worth, is already more than experts recommend citizens of G-20 countries aim for to reduce fashion consumption.
Here’s what I bought:
Rouje lipstick palette in Signature - I was excited to see a Rouje store in person after watching Jeanne Damas build the brand online over the last decade, but I was underwhelmed by the clothing. It was cute, but made mostly with synthetics that felt cheap and flimsy. That’s OK though, because the real thing I was interested in trying was their lipstick palette, which has four colors you can mix and match on your lips, cheeks, and eyelids. I love using my fingers to apply color messily, and the compact has a huge mirror so you can see what you’re doing.
My favorite shop we visited was Merci, a boutique (and bookshop and cafe) that curates small brands and sells products for men and women, as well as home goods.
Relax Re-Lux shorts - These shorts were made from upcycled embroidered fabric and I screamed when I saw them. Embroidery always makes me feel fuzzy — something about tactile adornment that really works for me. I can’t wait to wear these all summer and freak out when I spill iced coffee on them.
Sacrécoeur Jodie shirt in cobalt - I have a rule that whenever I see this shade of blue, I must try it on. This was probably the most impulse-y of the purchases I made on this trip because it wasn’t on my list of “staples to refill” and it didn’t have that super special wow factor like the upcycled shorts. But I loved the way the cotton poplin felt, and I was drawn to its construction: more tailored on the arms but oversized on the shoulders and body. I live in oversized cotton button-ups in the summer, so I could see this fitting in well in my closet.
I love browsing Sézane’s website, but I’ve historically been underwhelmed by their fiber content for the prices they charge. Still, I wanted to see a Sézane store in person, in Paris! My verdict: overwhelming! It was giving Parisian Madewell, with all the positives and negatives that might imply.
Sézane Max shirt - Two remaining items on my staples list that have eluded me for a while are a good white oxford shirt and a pair of straight- or wide-legged black trousers. Sézane had a whole wall of basic button downs, so I decided to try a couple on. Here’s my thing about button downs: I usually thrift them from the men’s section because who cares. But I have been wondering if it isn’t worth it to do some more research and invest in pieces that become such staples in my wardrobe. This is an experiment! I liked this because it had an oversized fit while still being cut to suit a feminine body shape (body is loose, sleeves fit).
I was so curious to visit Arket while I was in Paris because you can’t get it in the U.S. without doing some circuitous shipping wizardry. Sorry to report that I loved it.
Arket black wool trousers (not exactly these, I don’t think, but close) - It was the end of the day by the time we stopped there, and I was totally pooped and ready for dinner. But I tried on one pair of black wool trousers (another item on my staples list I’d been keeping an eye out for) and I was shocked at how perfectly they fit. Pants are a nightmare to buy, so if you ever happen upon a magical pair that fit, they must come home with you.
"I can’t wait to wear these all summer and freak out when I spill iced coffee on them."
The most relatable sentence I've read today.