Oui, you read that right! After a dreamy month in Sifnos, Hydra, and a Greek island so good I had to put it under a paywall, I’m back in Paris and ready to get back to regular reporting.
I knew I’d had a good vacation when even the grey weather that greeted us felt more romantique than annoying—I mean, it’s hard not to romanticize life when this is your view on the ride home...
After going through a bit of a creative slump like many other women here on Substack (partly a mid-summer malaise as Grace Atwood wrote, partly the strongest Mercury retrograde of the year, allegedly), coming back to my neighborhood in the 19ème arrondissement made me realize how much I had missed my little life here: our 9 a.m. runs to the bakery downstairs with the smell of fresh butter that perfumes the entire street; people-watching all the stylé Parisiennes and Parisiens on their way to the marchand de légumes while I sit with a café crème at our old-school French bistro; our beautiful park perched above the city where I go to journal; the Eiffel Tower views from my building’s windows whenever I take the staircase (yes we have an elevator thank God).
And need I even mention the fashion? After being called out by some very opinionated people on Instagram for romanticizing Parisian style a tad too much for their taste (apparently these are just regular looks you can find in every city, even “in front of a Walmart”?!), I decided to challenge myself and tried spotting the same kind of stylé vibes while back in Athens… and I have to admit, I kind of struggled? I completely understand the argument that the Haussmannian backdrop makes a Parisian outfit hit differently but trust me, I know what I’m looking for, and these real-life fashion moments happen at a higher BPM here than in any other city I’ve ever been to. (If you’re curious about what actually makes an outfit stylé, I talked about it in some very fun conversations with Lola, Anna, and Anika.)
Anyway, I’m always up for a challenge, and I definitely plan to revisit some of the big cities next fall to put my theory to the test (spoiler alert: Spanish style has been very much on my radar lately!). In the meantime, we have this little safe corner of the internet where we can all nerd out over Parisian style and get a little much-needed inspiration to rediscover what’s already hanging in our own wardrobes!
Maybe the universe was trying to prove my point because on my croissant run to the bakery this morning (purely to fuel this newsletter!) I spotted an outfit that literally stopped me in my tracks. It was 9 a.m., so I assume she was on her way to the office, and she had styled her blazer in a way that was my exact definition of stylé: simple, lived-in pieces with an interesting fit and just the right amount of spice. I’m pretty sure most of you already have these items sitting in your wardrobes. (Bless my early-morning reflexes for actually getting the shot!)
In this week’s list:
Squeezing in some final Athens tips before my Paris return: my favorite Athens shop to find silver jewelry treasures like these, the under-the-radar museum I think everyone should have on their Athens itinerary, the hidden handmade hats shop that deserves way more hype (the straw bags are fabulous!), and the treatment that cleared up my summer breakout in three days.
And then some back-to-Paris goodness: my new favorite pair of sandals, chic Parisiennes on their bikes (and their Sézane mules), rainy-day outfits (including a fun way to wear your rain boots), proof that tucking your shirt into your pants is still very much alive, a perfect white T-shirt and jeans featuring a very tempting pair of denim (it’s still on the market!), and of course one of the most Stylé-worthy outfits I spotted on my croissant run this morning!
On y va!
(This newsletter is a long one, so it’s best enjoyed on the app!)
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