Givenchy, Jimmy Choo, and Dior in Paris
Hello darlings,
It’s time to share my lovely shopping experience in Paris. I had a lot of preconceptions about shopping overseas. I planned to go and buy a ton of well priced unique clothing items and come back with a European wardrobe. The joke was on me. Along Champs Elysees, excluding high end stores, I saw the mostly the same brands we had at home at higher price points. Cheaper prices could be found in lower quality boutiques but I’m not into low quality, especially when suitcase room was preciously limited. I’m sure there were gems that I missed in the city but I had limited time to search (for deals) and destroy (my budget).
So where would I go shopping in Paris? The little flea markets of course, and Chanel. Let’s be honest. I blew most of my shopping budget at Chanel. I’ve always wanted a Chanel purse but I don’t live in an area where I can just go and look at a wide selection of Chanel purses. We spent four magical hours in the store, looking at jewelry, sunglasses, bags and scarves. The associate that helped me was super darling and gorgeous. I walked out with my first Chanel, and two pairs of earrings. Success!
Where I live, flea markets are only open maybe once or twice a week, but Paris had several flea markets open every day of the week. I was advised by a Parisian friend that the best flea markets are in Paris and the ones outside are mostly junk.
It is my recommendation that you learn some basic French before you travel only because it definitely made my time in Paris easier and more comfortable. Being typical me, I got lost on the way to the markets and had to ask several people the name of the street and market I wanted to go to. I went into a Gap store and none of the employees knew. I was only maybe four blocks away! I went outside a stared at the map directory on the corner of the street. I heard a voice behind me asking if I was lost. I turned around and found a kind old man asked me if I needed help. I told him where I was looking for the market. After he corrected me on the words I mispronounced and we practiced the name of the street I was trying to find, he gave me instructions and had me repeat them back to him. Luckily, I speak a little French because he spoke no English! It’s true. The French care about their language and culture, and protect it fervently. I rarely felt like anyone was being rude or snobby as the stereotype suggest, it was more to me like a parent correcting a child because they want the best for him/her.
I got lucky at the markets and picked up a couple treasures including a leather purse for about $20 USD, a Christian Dior dress $100 USD, and a Longchamp Le Pliage red backpack $20 USD. I checked to make sure the Longchamp was authentic by comparing it to the one I happened to be carrying along. While my girlfriend I was traveling with sifted through pretty jewelry stands, I used my limited French to haggle successfully. I asked for money off the purse because it was my first time in Paris, I asked for money off the dress because it was raining, and I asked for money off the backpack and a young man came to my rescue saying give it to her, its just a plastic bag! He was right, nylon is plastic! So I chimed in “C’est plastique! C’est plastique!”. I came back to my friend who was still browsing jewelry. She whispered to me that the eager young stall owner kept running up to her and suggesting the ugliest pieces and she kept having to tell him no. On queue, he comes up and and shows her ugly earrings. We giggle and politely decline and he rang her up for the pretty pieces she picked out, a couple delicate silver rings.
Below is a photo of the duck from Le Campanella restaurant. The service was excellent, very American friendly, and it quickly became our favorite place to grab dinner. The food was amazing and I swear french fries taste different in France. French fries are one of my favorite foods, and after having really delicious fries in Paris, I came home, ate fries and thought they tasted very sub par. Thanks for ruining the ability to eat my favorite food in my own country Paris.
Happy shopping,
&annabelle, xx
