I'm On The List

Look who is attending her first Paris fashion show.

What am I going to wear?

Shoe Diva

Guess who got into my closet and picked out shoes to go with her outfit?  Why does she only go for the really expensive pairs?

Rocky @ 4 years old

Rocky @ 4 years old

Scarf Tying Refresher Course

In preparation for my upcoming trip to Paris, I needed a scarf tying refresher course.  Here's a good video to get those scarf tying juices flowing.

Key to French Women's Fashion

I'm not sure why, but I've always admired French women's fashion sense.  I think it comes from growing up in a Vietnamese household and having my family members talk about how sophisticated the French are about food, fashion, and formalities because the French brought so many new luxuries and innovations to Vietnam during their occupation.  Or perhaps the French just know how to market themselves as the leaders in fashion and staying thin with such books as French Women Don't Get Fat.

During this trip, I was determined to figure out why the everyday French woman looks so darn good and truly believe I have figured it out.  The first thing I realized is French women are about the same size and shape as us Americans and many of them are not as pretty as my gal pals currently reading this blog post.  They just have one piece of clothing that makes them look a little more polished and that is ... the scarf.  It's the middle of summer in Texas, so just the thought of wearing a scarf around your neck will give you a heat stroke, but France is temperate and since we've been here, a summer's day can range between 88 F and 60 F degrees.  In Texas, the scarf is considered an accessory, but in France, it's an essential article of clothing, dare I say, much like a shirt or pants.  Paris is a pedestrian city, so you're exposed to the elements.  On a warm day, a scarf can be loosely looped around your neck to look pretty.  However, if the temperature drops unexpectedly, this lightweight accessory becomes a utilitarian must-have that can be wrapped tightly around your neck (or head) to keep you warm.

I found so many beautiful scarves at Le Bon Marche.  One of my favorites was a red Alexander McQueen skull silk chiffon scarf for over 200 Euros, similar to the one below.

A girl obsessed with scarves (like me) can find them everywhere ranging in prices from 5 Euros at the farmers' market to over 400 Euros at the designer stores.

Once you've found your perfect scarf, or two, or three, then it's time to learn how to tie them.  In France, you can spot a tourist from a mile or better yet, kilometer, away by the way they tie their scarf.  Here's a good tutorial showing 25 ways to wear a scarf in under 5 minutes.  She goes fast, so pay attention and rewind when necessary. 

My 5 favorite ways to tie a scarf are:

1/Basic Loop

2/Waterfall

3/Magic Trick

4/Braid

5/Twist and Pull