Fall window-shopping, Boulevard St-Laurent

I often walk south on Boulevard Saint-Laurent, from Saint-Viateur to Mount Royal, on a stretch studded many of the city's most alluring boutiques.

Merchants have turned their windows into seasonal siren calls, many showing the black/grey palette so beloved from now through spring. The photos aren't great—you'll see some glare—but I wanted to show the particular pleasure of a well-dressed window, versus a well-dressed person... the kind of display that makes you say, "Oh! Let's go in."

Some windows show nothing but black, grey and white, as if that really is the choice.

A classic grey banker's coat, shown in unapologetic strict mode, without a "pop of colour" in the whole place:


 Less sober, but also chic, a large-scale grey and cream houndstooth coat:


Black/grey/white fine wool scarf, white baskets, black narrow trousers:


Is this what they mean by "transitional object"? An art gallery-plus-boutique, La Castiglione, shows a sleeveless mod-patterned shift with a dash of red at the side seams.


Though shops that sell neutrals rarely display anything brighter than a small red handbag, those who love colour are not left in the cold. I mentally divide the St.-Laurent boutiques into "black" and "colour".

A thick wool knit sweater coat by Ivko, from Katrin Leblond:


 At the same shop, wild flowered leggings between fuchsia and red tops:


 A deep purple dress with camel suede shoulder bag at Unicorn:


At Ruse, a chrome yellow vintage sweater atop a bubble skirt—and saucy red boots!


Several of the shops skew a bit young, but just the same, we ought to peek in, because a sensational bead-and-feather necklace like this has no age range:



Time to stop for coffee before we do the other side! If you have a leather jacket, as does this man, it's still just warm enough to enjoy a bite and a book outside.









Comments

Francie Newcomb said…
Thank you for this delicious glimpse into the chic Montreal shop windows! I especially liked the gray, white and black scarf with narrow black pants and white tennis shoes window. Your weather is much colder already than ours is but we are close behind you!
Susan B said…
Always fun to do a bit of window shopping! Love that yellow top/red boots combo! May have to figure out how to do something similar from my own closet...
Madame Là-bas said…
I really enjoy your Montreal posts. Your windows have such a European flair! I especially love the houndstooth creamy coat.
LauraH said…
Thanks for bringing back great memories of similar strolls along St-Laurent while visiting Montreal. Love the colourful windows, they always draw me in.
LPC said…
I too enjoy the Montreal posts. So near and yet so far. I like the yellow top/red boots very much - ochre is striking all the right notes these days to my way of thinking.
These shop windows have a very French feel...they look a lot like the ones I saw in Paris.
That necklace looks like a fun piece...I'd be tempted.
Mustard yellow is popping up here too...I nearly bought a top in that shade but decided to play it safe and bought the blue one in the same style...it's image is on my latest post.
Marianne said…
And I see you are wearing red shoes, reflected in the 'white baskets' window. Chic! (I'm still looking for mine.)

Marianne in Vancouver
Duchesse said…
Marianne: They are red Blundstones; like the old Volvo, fans love their simple design, and I can march all over the city in them without any foot problems! I have the winter model, too (on their 5th year) and just broke down and bought these for fall and spring.
materfamilias said…
Love these Montreal wanders with you. I've been doing the same thing here in my last few Paris days. The season has switched definitively and I'm trying to remember my fall wardrobe at home, to draw inspiration from the Windows without succumbing to their temptations. . . Mustard and that chrome yellow are prevalent and sumptuous greys....crazy about your red Blundstones. Very tempted....
Duchesse said…
materfamilias: I see in the photos was in fact in Ecco red leather sneakers that day. Still breaking in the red Blunnnies. Not having a car, require shoes that I can walk in all day; once the newness softens up, these are they!Spending 2+ weeks in Paris next fall, will bring them.
Rita said…
I'm tired of seeing so much grey & black! We need WARM colors for winter. I did find a gold sweater yesterday, it was easy to spot in a sea of black, grey, dark purple and navy.
Duchesse said…
Rita: The boutiques I photographed really do sort into colour or not; the one that sells Ivko is a riot of colour. In those kinds of places, I see ochre and chrome yellow is very big, and red.
Rita said…
Duchesse, I was thinking about what I'm seeing in the stores here, it seems like a lot of them have "missed the boat". Sorry I didn't make that clear.
Mardel said…
Love these posts. The grey and white jacket with the cheeky white tennis shoes is wonderful, and I love the Ivko coat as well; the one you show is not as bright as many. The yellow sweater/red boots window seems particularly on target this season, although I don't know that I've found a way, or a desire, to mix that yellow into my own wardrobe.

The posts with the most