Retail Therapy - Artisan Jewelry, Shoes and Clothes
When I was living in Paris, a typical Sunday for me would be to take line one to St-Paul have a leisurely coffee and wander the streets of the Marais looking for the latest in artisan jewelry and clothes. I loved wandering the streets of the Marais, the whole area has so much character and the shops are wonderful. It is especially great for artisan jewelry. Good for shoes and clothing but great for artisan jewelry. I can’t tell you how many pieces of jewelry I’d buy while wandering the streets.
This morning I was feeling a little down and tired of working every day and night and sitting at my computer so I thought, it would be a good day for a little coffee and retail therapy.
I started my morning at the Starbucks, for me it’s a grande, non fat, sugar free dulce latte and a fat free turkey bacon breakfast sandwich. I sat in a comfy chair and read the morning newspaper - perfect start to a Sunday.
After I finished sipping the coffee and reading my paper, I headed across the parking lot to the Winners and Shoe Company for a little RT. As I was walking across the parking lot, I thought to myself how different North American RT is from that of my life in Paris. While it is true I was walking rather than the typical drive the car to each store, the parking lot simply could not compete with the romance of the Marais.
I do enjoy the excitement of a great find hidden in stuffed racks in the warehouse style shopping of Winners it too missed the leisurely experience of roaming for pretty boutique with all the garments laid out so beautifully.
None-the-less I was cured of my blues once I started to discover the amazing sweater dresses and seventies style blouses for twenty bucks! My mood had changed. After trying on many pieces I decided on a few, paid and went next door to the Shoe Company. Now for me a new pair of shoes or a piece of artisan jewelry makes me feel fantastic instantly - they fit and look great even if I’ve put on a few extra pounds!
I checked out the front of the store where the new merchandise is displayed but nothing caught my eye. I went into the back where the clearance items are displayed and to my great pleasure I started to discover many great deals. Some of this season’s best trends are about retro fashion and I often find that the shoes in the discount section are perfect for achieving one of the retro looks. Get this - I bought three pair of shoes for a total of $50 including tax!
Feeling giddy with my purchases I decided when I arrived home it was time to change my closet over from summer to fall/winter. In doing this I was able to mix and match a number of pieces in my existing wardrobe with my new purchases. In total I spent about $120 and extended my wardrobe significantly.
I’m wearing a new combo tomorrow! I’m pairing a pair of black tights with a new seventies style sweater dress (puffy sleeves) with a pair of purple suede and leather wedges with ribbon accent, and some artisan jewelry from Pangea Collection (did you think it would be any other jewelry?).
This new outfit combo will make having to get up super early on a Monday morning a little less painful and I’ll be smiling as I put on my pretty new purple wedge heels!
Tags: artisan jew