fashion on the streets of paris

How often do you look at fashion shoots and think, "not for me!" .....

I find that with my busy days, I'm more comfortable in trousers than skirts or dresses, and in the summer I tend to favour wide legged linen trousers that always fall well.   

But now we are heading back in to autumn and winter,  I am happy for once to conform to current fashion and opt for the tighter fitting skinny jeans and trousers.

This cut is all over Paris at the moment: it looks fun and feminine, and is really practical for rushing around all day.  Easy to dress up or dress down, especially since they work just as well with brogues as high heels!

This picture is great, yet only French high street fashion.   Just love the detail of the leather trim on the suede coat, and the liberty print shirt peeking out beneath a simple cardigan.

Flat shoes in the summer mean ballerines for me, but they aren't so well suited to our wet autumns.  Luckily this season there is a great selection of brogues around.  Below  pairs from Armani, Church and Gucci, but high street can work well too.

And if  you don't have to run for a taxi, or climb too many stairs, then why not try skinny jeans with high heels.

And for the days when I'm feeling really bright and cheerful, I may even tiptoe into my daughter's closet and borrow a pair of flowery skinnies!  Love them!!

How closely do you follow fashion?  Do you just stick to the same style no matter what the magazines are saying, or do you like to find bits from a new season that work for you, and blend into your favourites?  

I'd love to know just how important fashion is to you today; do you think that as we grow older we need to may more attention to current styles and not be left behind, or on the contrary is it the time to say "this is my style and I ain't budgin'!!"  ?

photo 1 thanks to Gala magazine

looking chic and riding high - a giveaway

Everyone knows how chic riding outfits can be, horsemanship is a theme so often you used in fashion and interior design.   Today I am delighted to offer you the opportunity to receive a copy of this beautiful French banner, used to illustrate an exhibition of feminine riding outfits through the years.

A dear reader of mine,  the fine  artist,  David Terry, is most generously offering to send, as a gift,  a JPEG copy of this picture to any of my readers who would like to download it and frame as  a print.

David found the poster in the very chic town of Senlis, just north of Paris.  He managed to procure several copies for himself and for friends who love to ride, and today he's happy to share the poster with you.   It can be printed out to its original size of 12" x 16" and looks fantastic framed.  If you would like David to send you the JPEG file by email, just get in touch with him here.

David's proposition came at an opportune moment as we have horses and horse riding gear on our minds here in Normandy.   Since I am no longer intrepid enough to ride my thoroughbred horse Jacquard, whose habit of getting me out of the saddle at the most unexpected moments began to take the pleasure out of a ride, we may have found a more well balanced horse to take his place.

This young and elegant Quick (that's his name!) was put through his paces by my daughter this weekend, and performed beautifully.  He didn't spook at noisy trucks, he was happy to jump tree trunks in the forest, and seemed totally zen about riding out alone, all the things that dear old Jacquard kicks up about.

I am off to ask David for my own copy of his poster, to inspire myself to look chic while riding high!

Thank you David, and best wishes to you all for a chic and happy week ahead.

women in paris with their dogs and high heels

Today I bring you a little bit of whimsy to set you off for the weekend in the right frame of mind!

These delicious illustrations are by the talented French designer Izak Zenou, who has created his signature style,  specialising in fashion illustration.

I love the very Parisian feel to his drawings.   His women are tall, long legged and happy.  They float around in today's busy world looking happy and carefree, content to be beautiful.  And who has never wanted to do that?!

His pictures make me think of my girls, striding out confidently, having fun with their friends...., preferably in high heels and with a small dog in tow!  :)

But IZAK doesn't only illustrate, he has also designed a line of bags, scarves  and accessories for names such as Celine, Guerlain and La Samaritaine.  Today his products and artwork are available at the New York store Henri Bendel.

And the really cool thing is that you can get customised stationery using his artwork!  Party invitations, greeting cards, Izak's drawings carrying your message - wonderful!

Wishing you all a whimsical weekend, be it in Paris, New York, Budapest or 

Sydney; let us walk as tall  as the girls drawn by Izak.

all photos thanks to the Izak Zenou website

true French luxury

In the heart of Montmartre, Paris, there is a tall building where the lights often burn late at night.  Home to a name that epitmoises French luxury better than and other.   Lesage.  They don't design dresses, they just embroider.

They embroider for queens and princesses, they embroider for Chanel, Dior, Schiaparelli,  YSL, Lanvin and Worth.  Each bead, each sequin sewn on individually and by hand.

This is  the address that the great designers turn to, when fantastic embroidery is needed to make a piece shine and dazzle.   Founded in 1924, the current Monsieur Lesage is over 80 years old.   He says he can't sew, his skill is the interpretation of designer's dreams.  When Yves Saint Laurent called him to ask for embroidery "that would look like the reflection of my chandelier against a dark rainy window",  he knew where to start.
 

Even Monsieur Louboutin requires their services

And the really amazing news, especially to those of you who like to embroider, is that there is a Lesage school, and they run classes at all levels.  So when you're next in Paris, why not do something totally off the tourist track and check in to a 3 hour beading class, in the house of a master of the craft.

Now that would make a good souvenir de Paris!