Paris.
The shopping capital of the world.
…and I still seem to find myself shopping at thrift stores.
Surprisingly, I’m not too mad about it. Paris being the fashion capital of the world is attainable for some people. Getting the latest Parisian fashions from local boutiques or even luxury houses is what Paris is about for certain individuals- it has shaped Paris into the fashion hub it is today. Thankfully, most of those boutiques and luxury stores provide a window display with a little itsy-bitsy card at the bottom that provides the prices of the outfits on display- and most of the time (who am I kidding… all the time) it’s enough for me to take my little, broke American behind on my way. Didn’t need them anyway!
Paris does have affordable fashion but it comes at an even higher cost: FAST FASHION. Which could be it’s own blog post on it’s own and a subject that I’m sure most people are aware of. So I tend to stay away from fast fashion brands that I have access to at home (another reason I don’t like to shop there, bc shopping here is about getting pieces I couldn’t at home) like Zara, H&M, and Primark.
… and that is exactly why I find myself back at thrift stores.
In the U.S. it’s more about the experience: checking out a quirky, unique store with the possible chance of stumbling upon a piece you actually like. In Paris, it seems to be that most of the thrift stores actually have (mostly) carefully curated items that fit into the whole “vintage” image that is popularized today. In Paris, it isn’t really a hunt. Most thrift stores have items that you would actually want to purchase, sure you have to look to find items that are your style & size, but it’s not all about ram-sacking through thousands of duds to get that one amazing item.
… except for in the euro bin.
Which is where I find myself this week.
I thought it would be an interesting concept (as mentioned in my last post), to go into the euro bin or sale/cheapest section of a thrift store and randomly grab a handful of items and purchase them. At the start of each day, I would randomly draw from the bag and wear whatever item I pick and incorporate it into my outfit. Not only is this a cheap way to switch up my outfits, but it’s also a way to show how attainable, cheap, and environmentally friendly wearing second-hand, thrifted clothing is.
Even further, I thought it would be cool to do this each week, focusing and rating the thrift stores and going around different areas of Paris to see what the area has to offer. It will force me to get out and around different arrondissements I wouldn’t find myself normally in.
So I’ll leave off for this week on that note, and will be updating again on Tuesday (maybe Wednesday, maybe Monday who knows) to give a summary of my last week of incorporating the thrifted items from Coiffeur Thrift shop into my outfit.
See y’all on the flip side.
ringard 