In Paris, in the pink

We’ve been in Paris for ten days, strolling, dining á deux and with old friends, sitting outdoors in unusual warmth, and (for me) trotting along as the indefatigable Huguette shops for her winter wardrobe.

Because she has expensive tastes, I am but a wingwoman, lending my eye and also learning from hers. This time she was in a dither: her favourite boutique had closed. The wonderful French term is “ fermé définitivement” which means “ Give up all hope of ever seeing us again, and good luck.”

So, she called the owner, Brigitte, to ask what to do. After a very long conversation (French women confer their addresses only to confidants), she told Huguette that boutiques like hers, which carried a mix of brands, were becoming rare and that she would not find an assortment as irresistibly arrayed. Alors... she might try the boutiques around rue St-Sulpice.

Huguette regards her list:

By far the closest to her old flame is Momomi, where we both loved this passion-pink coat. (Huguette was wearing a pale pink raincoat herself. Beneath that, she wore a sea-green tee, a striped blazer in cocoa and the same unusual green, and tan cords. You can see her brown brogues with  pistachio socks.)


We saw a great deal of pink scattered through this single-brand boutique, from soft cameo to riotous fuchsia, the pinks played off against olive and aubergine in the mohair fair-isle below, paired with striped velvet trousers:



Even the antiquarians in their tents at the autumn show near L’Eglise St-Sulpice displayed vintage blush and deep rose:


In parting, I hugged Huguette, who happily chosen a port-coloured pull, and we crossed the city to meet Montréal family with whom we happened  to cross paths for a day. When I arrive home again, very soon, I am taking out my pink sweater.

That many Parisiennes can’t be wrong.





























Comments

katemsw said…
oh, please do share the boutique list! this is the area where we stay...
Madame Là-bas said…
Pink is my colour this fall! I've been working full-time for a few weeks and pink, green and burgundy are my basics. What fun to be in Paris in the fall!
Duchesse said…
Katemsw: This is her list
Shoes: Gelati
Lingerie: Emilia Cosi
Clothing: Momoni, Diega, Chloe Stora
and nearby, Catherine André, NoriEm, Poele

You will know that in this area, boutiques are expensive and sizes are small to medium with usually narrow cuts.
Also, I am always shocked by the thin fabrics sold as winter clothes, but you may be able to wear them!
I think that one of the reasons winter coats are thinner there is not only milder winters, but also less indoor heating, so Parisians are wearing more layers of clothing underneath them. Pink strikes me a colour that requires very high-quality fabric/knits and dyes so as to look rich and not a bit garish or babyish. The deep rose at the antiquarian booth is a good example.
LauraH said…
Love your pink post! I’ll be getting out all my sweaters on my return from Sicily and will think of your friend when the pink one comes out of its storage bag.
I have 3 pink cardigans and a long, oversized pullover in a more salmon pink colour and I love them all. I am keeping my eyes open for a pink shirt or blouse as well. It's funny, it's a colour I refused to wear as a young girl but now I love it!
materfamilias said…
I have very little pink in my wardrobe at all right now (a pair of pale pink oxfords; two light wool/cashmere scarves; a few broad bands of bubble gum in a cozy striped mohair cardigan) . . . but I've had a hankering for a while now, and I begin to see it's the Paris zeitgeist reaching out . . . Thank you for a daydream of a post!

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