La Fayette Paris

La Fayette is a department store chain in France, that sells almost every brand that we love. Stores which includes Chanel, Gucci, Mont Blanc, LV, etc
We enter our favourite store Chanel. There is a line outside the store with red ropes; that's how crazy it gets. Just so you can compare what it is like shopping in France, where some of these prestigious brands originate from, in comparison to prices in Australia, for example, your Classic Chanel 2.55 Bag, just a comparison, in Australia it was selling for $3,600 in 2010 and in La Fayette Paris, June 2012 it was going for 3,100e. If you’re a non French residence, sign up for a membership at the Information desk for an addition 10% off!

One thing that you’ll soon notice when shopping in Paris is that, each style of anything will come with a magnitude of different colours. Here’s what we mean.

Some of the other great designs we've spotted while in store are;

Designs by Sergio Rossi (photos above)

Vintage Shopping in Paris

We have finally arrived in France and our first stop is Paris, the Fashion Capital.
Our first vintage shopping experience…. And we are not disappointed. We have found a few stores in the area of Rambuteau. First store that we entered was ‘Hippy Market’.

This store is surprisingly huge, in Paris sizes. The store is filled with Shirts, skirts, pants and just as many shoes and accessories to go with it, for both guys and girls. The clothes were in excellent quality but the price tag reflects this. Here are some cheeky snap shots.

On the same street Rue du Temple, we came across the ‘Friperie’. This is one of my favourite vintage stores in Paris. This store has so many pieces of clothes, they are not very high quality but the pieces are very cheap. So patience is the key and make sure you thoroughly go through each piece of item. In our previous posts you may find advice on what to look for when shopping vintage. We have found so many amazing pieces that Fabric Croissant Vintage will bring back to Australia. This store also has a few bargain areas with prices being dramatically marked down. Here are some pictures.

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Our next Vintage store ‘Neuf Depot – Vente de Luxe’ on Rue des Archives has the cutest owners. The friendliest assistants with very limited English, and like all French, they will try to tend to needs. A tip for the occasion, make sure you search all your important keywords in French first.
For example; C’est combien = How much, Quand Size = what size, etc.
Neuf Depot is hidden in the corner of a prestigious area, selling vintage boutique labels pieces. At the moment, there is an amazing looking Hermes scarf that’s going for only 150e. Just so you can compare, Hermes scarf retail for over a thousand dollars in the stores. If you have or already own some Hermes items, compare it with vintage pieces, you will notice that branded good these days does not match the quality of the past.
Here’s what the front of the store look like.

A store with No Name is what I’d call it. It is also located on the Rue des Archives and we were outside for a long time, trying to look for a name for our fellow fans. Unfortunately we were unable to find one. Here’s what is looks like outside;

Just as confused as the name, we found the pricing of this store very interesting. We came across several dresses for 30e, which we thought was slightly on the expensive side consider other shops have them for about 10e each. We also found some dresses that were 20e and 10e each. It’s either Fabric Croissant Vintage has very expensive tastes, or the pricing doesn’t reflect anything. We like to think it’s a little of both.

The shop we have heard so much about and finally found is ‘Free ‘P’ Star’.

You many find many blogs and reviews about this stop, but nothing stands out here for moi. Yes, the price is pretty good, but lacking in the number of quality pieces. Definitely check their basement level, and watch out for the stairs.

The French has some crazy narrow stairs. We came across a purple vintage leather jacket for 30e. Bargain! And there is a massive 1e bargain section which you may want to check out.

That brings us to an end of Vintage Shopping day 1 in Paris.

Tips on Shopping in France

Shop Like a French!

As many of you who follow us on Facebook would know that Fabric Croissant Vintage will be travelling through France to bring you an indepth view of French Fashion and French women.
As we prepare our trip into the land of High Fashion, here we have found some pointers for all of you looking to travel to France, on how the locals shop (not you);
There are 2 major Sales reasons in France, one in summer and the other shortly after Christmas. Lucky enough, we arrive in Paris just in time for their Summer Sale. Viola!

Two major words you should familiarise yourself with "Promotion" meaning deal and "Soldes Exceptionnels" meaning Exceptional Sales.

Tips and Tricks:
When practically everything goes on sale during the Sales season in France; ranging from shoes to kitchenware, most Parisians set out to make a steal. If you ever wonder how Parisians manage to afford their impeccable style, now you know. Some items can get marked down to as high as 90%, so you really have to shop smart.

- Catch the worm by arriving early. Most Parisians get ready for the sales the day before by roaming through the capital in search of hot items and occupying fitting rooms, trying on their favourable pieces ahead of time. SMART!
Arrive early on the day of the sale knowing exactly what to buy, so it's a quick duck to the rack and counter, then moving on.

- Avoid the frenzy and being pushed around; the best time to hit the 'Soldes' is during the week, early in the morning or during lunch time. Do be aware though, many Parisians take a day off for this personal affair, so do not be surprised at how full stores can get even during the week.

- Dress lightly and comfortably is the trick of the trade. Avoid endless laces or buttons and wear comfortable shoes. It may be a few miles before you find your dream items, so you may as well put on a good pair of walking shoes for this mini-marathon.

Parisians uses the 'Soldes' as an opportunity to spoil themselves. Indulge in clothes, beauty products or items where one would not be able to afford at retail prices.
Some hotspots for deals can be found at Galeries Lafayettes or Le Bon Marche. Smaller boutiques and designer shops are Les Halles and Marais District.

- For the best bargains and the best value for purchase, most Parisians wait until the midpoint of the sales season where usually you'd find the second price-mark down. Though, size and style are the compromise for price.

- Shop around and compare prices. Don't forget most sales cannot be returned.

- Can't make it to Paris like the lucky Crew at Fabric Croissant Vintage, try buying them online. Many top Paris stores including Galeries Lafayette have online stores offering sale items. Just keep in mind, not all French stores offer international shipping. Check their terms and conditions before you get too excited. If you are not too daunted by the French, or let google translator bother you too much, you can try navigate through websites like 1000 Bonne Affaires and I'internaute, these sites provide a quick overview of the best 'Soldes' in Paris.

French Street Fashion July 2011

This Season In France

Fashionistas roaming the streets of France.

(Sourced From Vogue Australia)

Never Ending Road

Will Women Ever Be Satisfied?

Today a very sensitive topic is in for discussion. Weight! Will women ever be satisfied with themselves? Or are they just picking a bone out of an egg?

Ok, for this post, I'm going to use the first person, because I'm talking from experience. I was at a gym session this evening with a personal trainer and we got talking. She was complaining how big her thighs were. Regardless of how much I disagree and reassuring that her thighs were not big, she just refuse to believe it. I've been told that, no matter how one looks at their thighs, it will always appear to be bigger than it really is: simply a trick of the eye.

It made me wonder, will a women ever be satisfied with her body? Or are we simply pinpointing misperfections to act as motivation to keep us going? How can a 22 year old, personal trainer who Cross Trains almost everyday at work be complaining about her body? Is there no hope for the rest of us who don't exercise as frequent?

I strongly believe that a women will always needs to look her best; at a shape she is comfortable with. And no, being oversized, or obese does not fit into this 'confortable' category. I understand that no one chooses to be fat or obese if given the choice. A little determination goes a long way.
Eat healthy and exercise regularly. Even professional models who are born tall and skinny would exercise for at least 1 hour each day. You wouldn't think so would you? Looking and feeling good is an extremely important contribution to a women's self esteem. If you feel good, you look good! And the clothes... are just there to give you character and personality. Remember, you make the clothes look good and not the other way around!!

The Do-s & The Don't-s

Tips of Vintage Shopping

After many years of vintage shopping, there are a few areas which you'd need to keep in mind when vintage shopping.

First you must understand that wearing vintage is not a fashion choice, it’s a living style! Some of the most common reasons vintage enthusiasts wear vintage are because;

- Environmentally conscious. Unlike recycled paper, clothing cannot be turned into other items of clothing. So by wearing vintage clothing, you are recycling.
- It is extremely rare to find another piece of clothing the same, hence, making a vintage wearer unique and outstanding.
- Price. Recycled clothing are generally quiet reasonably priced, because it is another’s unwanted items.
It has come to my attention of the ‘Vintage Craze’ in the fashion industry at the moment. What bothers me more are vintage stores bulk buying pieces offshore.

Anyhow, today, we are here to give you some pointers about vintage shopping. Hope this helps you make a better decision and find some amazing pieces.

The Do-s

- Shop Around. There is no one shop that has it all. Like mentioned before, vintage shopping is a life style. The hunt for the next great find is an experience of its own. Sometimes you may be lucky and go home with bags full, others, empty handed. Some of the most common places to find vintage pieces are, local brotherhood stores, Vinnies, Savers, garage sales, markets, local vintage stores and your grandma’s wardrobe!
Do not shop at boutiques!
There is no such word.

- Check for marks, rips, and stains. As any piece of second hand item, items are rarely in its original condition. Make sure you check for signs of damage, with special attention at the sleeves, zips, buttons and collar. Those are most common areas of damage.

- Here is a price guide for your reference when shopping. This is the most any one should pay for any one item.
Shirts (exc tees) / blouses … $30
Shorts / Short Skirts ...$30
Long Skirts … $40
Day Dresses/ Short Dresses … $45
Long Dresses … $60
Bags (Leather) … $30
Accessories inc Sunnies, belts, hats … $15
Shoes … $25

- Buy items that fit you. Some shops will allow customers to try on items, but if you’re shopping at the market, do try the items by wrapped it around your body. Avoid buying items that are too big. It is extremely difficult to find a good vintage dressmaker. A bad dressmake will cause the item to lose shape.

The Don’t-s

- Do Not Shop at Vintage Boutiques! There is no such word as a boutique in the vintage fashion. Vintage boutique are for the non-vintage wearers who like to follow the vintage trend. The boutique usually import the items in bulk from overseas and are almost always overpriced.

- Avoid buying damaged items no matter how much you love it. Learn to let go! Although I believe it is the person who wears the clothes and the wearer who can make any item look like a million dollars. However, a reverse affect appears if a piece of clothing is damaged. It can make the wearer look scruffy and not presentable.

- Avoid buying overpriced items. Follow the price guide above. Do not get ripped off just because it’s attached with a ‘vintage’ label.

Now Good Luck... and Let's Go Shopping!

How Does That Work?

Shopping is a Woman's Talent!

A thought suddenly came to mind, as I was shopping at the L'Oreal Fashion Show; Why do men like to choose women that are fashionable, but complains when women go shopping? Men should understand, women needs to go shopping to be 'fashionable'.

Shopping is a women's forte, not only do we need to spend hours searching for that great looking dress, it also take a big chunk out of our credit card limit.

Anyways, here are my today's finds.

Our favorite shoe designer: Melissa Dreams.

And admiring jewellery designer; House of Harlow