when in paris...wear what vogue paris tells you to

Darlings,

I am so so so sorry for my seemingly dissapearance from the editorial front. I have been literally packing my life away for Paris. I find it incredible how quickly this summer went by. As much as I love the summer sun, with its kaftans and missoni bikinis included, NOTHING is better than gearing up for fall. All the layers, the leathers, the knits, the slim pants tucked seamlessly into tall suede boots. Naturally this is why the September issues are always the largest...becuase EVERYBODY loves the autumn styles.

Now imagine just how giddy you would be if you take all of those items you've been saving for fall and then on top of that be moving to Paris...for an entire school year. That is exactly where I am right now. I have been dreaming of this moment for the entirety of my existence..et voila here it is.

For any normal person, the thought of moving to Paris is beyond lovely. One thinks of the amazing gastronomy, the art, the sightseeing, the self-exploration, the traveling, the culture that they are about to experience.

I think of all of that and...roughly 300 chances to 1. be street snapped, 2. run into Carine, Alber, Karl, 3. stalk EVERYBODY i obsess over during fashion months in le Jardin des Tuileries, 4. happen upon a Paris Vogue shoot, 5. nab an internship at say Chloe? etc

There is a whole section of my closet reserved to items that I've been saving up for les rues de Paris.

Any guidebook will tell the average American to "dress up" when they visit Paris: as in dont wear sweatpants, flag apparel, visors, or run-down gym shoes. For me it is more like how can possibly shine so much that Anna Dello Russo has no choice but to notice me?

...and to pack for that impossible feat, and clothes chic yet practical enough for class, on top of being there for Fall, WIner, Spring AND Summer...you can see why I have been so MIA.

And although I have actually been drafting my packing list for about 3 months now...whittling down my wardrobe to these categories : I need this; I NEED this; I actually cannot live without this, and most importantly; I have seen this IN Paris Vogue or ON a Paris Voguette.

Unfortunately, I wanted to bring all of the above. But due to impending back issues as well as silly airline restrictions I have to "pack light". I also didn't want any TSA person to think I was transporting live animals (see Nina Ricci fur vest below) across international borders.

So I enlisted the help of my two most stylish friends (one from Chicago, the other flown in from Boston) to help me with this stressful dilemma. We had a "fab" or "forget" packing party-with signs. I made a guidebook with the mission "to be street snapped" and essential chapters : Nude, Black, White, Gray, Fur, Leather. My friends later mentioned that the guidebook was essentially already "Me" and thus uneccesary...but I wanted to be absolutely sure that they would not be led astray. "Think new york downtown cool meets parisian street chic."


The preface of the guidebook read (as copied from Bazaar):

"We've all been there: arriving at some haute soiree positively preening over our pitch-perfect ensemble only to see her. That girl. The one with the Balenciaga leather jacket, the perfectly worn in jeans, the balmain crystal-encrusted sandals, and the smoky eyes. Suddenly, you want to burn a cigarette hole into your coat, smudge your eyeliner, muss your hair, and lose 10 pounds in 10 mminutes. What was once a stella outfit instantly seems so...bourgeois."


I want to be THAT GIRL.

~~~

And so because I happen to always be so inspired by "travel chic" I will list for you the entire contents of my 2.5 suitcases. This is also as a way to officially document for myself what I started with...in comparison to what I'll bring back ;) .These items are what the 3 of us agreed were "Fab" and as I had to sign a contract promising the two of them not to bring a single extra item (without written and visual approval) they would be proud that I only added 2 more absolutely necessary pieces.

Here is the final list:

CLOTHES:

Dresses:

1. White indonesian lace frock set

2. Red l/s wool crepe pocket dress

3. Orange knit Tent Dress a la 60s

4. Olive studded "heavy on the shoulders" dress

5. Navy wool pocket "everyday" dress

6. Navy silk DVF maxi pocket dress

7. Blue/black lame studio 54 worthy dress

8. Isabel Marant denim pocket dress

9. Boho tribal dress

10. DVF crepe LBD

Tops

1. Creme l/s silk pocket blouse

2. Nude l/s silk pocket blouse

3. Nude pleated blouse

4. Leopard s/s blouse

5. Light pink silk tank/tunic

5. Blue Denim l/s shirt

6. Black lace cropped top

Casual tops:

1. White T by A. Wang pocket tank

2. White oversized tissue tee

3. Nude T by A. Wang pocket tank

4. Grey oversized tissue tee

5. Charcoal T by A. Wang tank

6. Black Helmut Lang tank (dress)

7. Black oversized tee

8. Black oversized tee

Sweaters:

1. White0 Navy cotton striped l/s sweater

2. Camel cotton cardigan

3. Camel oversized pocket sweater

4. Navy deep V Prada tissue sweater

5.Grey Vince cowl neck elongated n/s sweater

6.Grey Row cashmere shawl-igan

7. Black cotton cardigan

8. Black cashmere cardigan

Bottoms:

1. Slim legged khaki trousers

2. Leopard print flouncy pants (match s/s leopard top compliments of my grandmother's closet)

3. Earnest Sewn blue highwaisted denim

4. Acne blue wide-legged denim

5. l. blue denim "hot-pants"

6. Dark Grey Levi's shorts

7. Black high waisted jeggings

8. Black slim cropped Agnes B. trousers

9. Earnest Sewn black denim

10. Black leather skirt

11. Black leather leggings

12. Black cotton leggings

13. Black cotton leggings

Jackets/Coats:

1. Cardinal red wool blazer

2. Light Pink cropped leather jacket

3. Vintage Leopard omg-that-collar coat

4. Olive Rick Owens knit Shadow coat

5. Dark grey Nina Ricci fox fur vest (a STEAL at $17.50)

6. Prada nylon rain trench (doesn't really keep me dry...but damn does is look good)

7. Black leather jacket (boughtliterally an hour before I left Paris last summer)

8. Black slim blazer

9. Dolce & Gabbana black wool miltary coat with fur trim (another STEAL at $50)

ACCESSORIES

(here is where the fun...and overweight status happens)

Bags:

1. Tan leather vintage Gucci document holder (ideal to bring to an internship interview at (hopefully) Paris Vogue)

2. Espresso Givenchy Nightingale Satchel (not pictured)

swapped the bally black with gold chain trim handbag for the bigger (undeniably better nightingale)

3. Greige Bottega Veneta woven cross body bag (not pictured)

3. Cognac Balenciaga Giant clutch

4. Red Chanel uber-mini cross-body bag

5. Black Balenciaga Lariat

6. Proenza Schouler PS1 in khaki

(yes i finally got one...don't know how i did it. found it at a consignment shop-barneys tag still attached- for $288. I died...call it a gift/midas touch whatever. I am so thankful the women owning that shop (same one i got the balenciaga lariat at) don't keep up with the looks of Dree, Vanessa, Olsens etc...or else they'd have know how coveted it really is. It actually is the most perfect bag on earth.)

And considering that the PS boys are the masters of the "urban schoolgirl" look...and the bag itself was named after the Public School system in nyc...there really is NO OTHER BAG that would have sufficed as my school bag in Paris. not a single one. ;)

Belts:

1. Apricot vintage YSL leather/python waist belt

2. Cognac thin leather waist belt

3. Cognac thinner leather waist belt

4. Black croc leather Prada waist belt

5. Black plain leather Prada waist belt

Shoes:

1. Tan wrap up suede boots (not pictured)

2. Cognac Lanvin ballet flats

3. Gold Repetto ballet flats

4. Cognac leather lace-up flat sandals

5. Black with gold buckles Miu Miu ballet flats

6. Black Mimi & Coco ballet flats

7. Grey platform "comfortable" platforms

8. Black YSL Tribute booties (less comfortable but ABSOLUTELY necessary...see"seen in Paris Vogue AND seen on a Paris Voguette..and ADR"

9. Black Frye engineer boots

10. Black Leather/suede over-the-knee boots

...and the nike high-tops to be "practical"

Misc. accessories

1. Black/White/Grey Missoni simply massive viscose scarf

2. Cardinal red pashmina

3. Hot pink silk pocket square

4. Black & White silk gucci scarf

5. Black leather elbow gloves

6. Black fur trapper hat

7. Black prada turban

8. Missoni bikini (for st.tropez with Lagerfeld and Co. of course)

9. Tortoise plastic Ray-Ban eyeglasses

10. Black half shell plastic Ray-Ban eyeglasses

11. Brown Ray-Ban "Havana" sunglasses

JEWELRY:

Not much...but also much easier to buy.

Bracelets:

1. gold woven wrap-around bracelet

2. gold link bracelet

3. diamond clasp bracelet

4. silver knotted bracelet

Earrings:

1. crystal "everyday" studs

2. Apricot crystal studs

3. silver "tribal" chandelier

Necklaces:

1. huge and heavy Gold Chanel tassel chain

2. Givenchy shorter chain

3. Gold thin looooong chain

4. R namesake necklace

5. clear crystal pendant

6. Silver tassel chain

Pins:

1. Crystal cluster pin

2. Gold crest pin

3. Gold link chain pin

4. Gold crystal "x" pin

Rings:

1. Everday big crystal bling

2. Everday brown crystal bling

3. Everyday tri-opal bling

Watches:

1. Practical black rubber watch

2. Slightly less practical silver rolex (see...see on jak & jil/ Paris voguette)

~~~~~

AND THATS ALL FOR 10 MONTHS.

It will be a great challenge...but I am channeling my inner parisienne

Perhaps I will keep an online style diary of sorts..most likely it will not be necessary becuase I will be snapped repeatedly every single day by the likes of Garance, Vanessa, Hanneli, Tommy etc ;)

Before I start the scholastic segment of my life however...I am inducing myself (heavily) into the European fashion scene. As a personal "vacation" I will be going to Fashion's Night Out in both Paris (sept 7) and London (sept 8). I will look forward to analyzing the difference between how things are done here (in New York) vs. there. And will be sure to give you written and visual depictions.

I hope that you have all enjoyed Breakfast at Barneys over these past few years...but from here on out...i will be serving it to you with croissants...in Paris.

Looking forward to every single typed word.

Gros bisous,

mlle. mode