My First Manolo Experience

By that I mean I tried them, of course, not that I bought them. It'll happen one day, but just not now! :P

So I was at Bayview Village the other day...

Glamorous Poverty: Wine, Skin Care, Shoes and French Generic

It’s a happy coincidence that the boy that I love shares his first name with a huge fashion designer/major label, because every time I see people wearing shirts with his name splashed across the chest, it’s like he’s winking at me, all the way across the pond.

In additional gushing, the wine is so cheap here it’s ridiculous. You can get a perfectly decent bottle for anywhere from 1-3 €, but I’ve even seen some that are less than a euro! That’s practically free! They’re almost giving it away! They may as well just have wine come out of public fountains, or spray it out onto the streets at people – can you imagine what a party that would be?

It’s such a shame that wine isn’t dirt cheap at home, though – after all, Ontario produces wine, too. It’s also super easy for anyone and everyone to buy alcohol here – a local friend told me that a child of 10 could easily buy wine or beer and no one would bat an eye. That and the fact that kids are exposed to wine at their family dinner tables virtually every day since a very young age is why I suspect that drinking isn’t as huge a deal here as it is in North America.

But I digress. The point is, wine is really, really cheap here, and buying an occasional bottle to sip with friends or to cook with is a great way to amp up your quality of life despite being dirt poor in Europe.

I find that as a general rule, necessities are expensive in Nice, while fun things can run really cheap. For example, food is generally more expensive, especially if you have certain diets. For instance, I eat rice almost every day, and a one kilo bag of mediocre rice is about 2.50 €, while a premium-quality 10kg bag in uptown Toronto is about $15.00 CAD – and that’s after inflation, because they used to cost about $10.00. Personal care products, like shampoo and toothpaste, are also really pricey – only exceptions are French skin care products, which are not cheap but are definitely less costly than at home because here, they are domestic products. For example, I love the brand Avène because I have sensitive skin. An Avène moisture serum (which, by the way, is a phenomenal award-winning product) is $43.00 CAD at Shopper’s Drug Mart in Toronto (since August, anyway), but here, I can buy it for 22 €, which is about $35.00 CAD. Pretty darn good.

Fashion accessories can also be really cheap, but it takes a lot of patient sifting to find something really special, I think, because there’s just so much to choose from. I’m particularly interested in shoes, and I’ve been able to score some great finds here. My flatmate found a store that has a selection of shoes for only 5 €, but I went there, and I don’t really like what’s available. However, I got a pair of cute little cobalt blue patent pumps for only 22 € (that’s about $35 CAD), which is now on sale for about 11 €, and today I bought a pair of supercomfy, casual canvas flats on sale for 6 € (!) and a dressier pair that can totally pass for real leather for just 13 €, all at Moa (on Jean-Médecin). For those of you living in Nice – there’s a huge sale there. I saw a few cute bags that I’d totally go for if I didn’t have the good sense to guilt-trip myself for spending money I shouldn’t spend yet. There are also a lot of great little items (especially trendy pieces and cheap shoes!) at Pimkie, the store right beside it.

Luckily, for all of us poor students living here in France, I find that most generic brand products are very good quality, sort of like President’s Choice in Canada, although I’d say that President’s Choice is steadily becoming a power brand. The other day, I bought a box of Schlecker-brand tissue from Schlecker, this awesome sort of discount store chain in France that reminds me of, say, Pharmaplus or IGA in Canada minus the medications, and I’m very happy with it because it’s thick, durable, and it can almost pass for Kleenex. It wasn’t cheap (because it’s a necessity and it follows my rule, see), but it was cheaper than everything else and it’ll last me because it’s good quality. I’m also pretty happy with Casino-brand food products, which of course, are sold at Casino stores – it’s a supermarket brand that’s sort of halfway in quality between Loblaw’s and No Frills, except with lots of booze.

But my favourite generic food brand by far has to be Leader Price, which is available at Leader Price and Franprix stores. The only Franprix store I’ve been to was very clean and very well-organized, if a little small. Leader Price products are even cheaper than Casino products, but they are very, very good quality. One of my flatmates recommended this mussels & potatoes TV dinner, which costs only 2.14 € and it’s one of the most delicious things I’ve eaten since coming here – as well as a great substitute if you’re craving moules frites and are broke.

So! If you’re low on cash, don’t despair, because there are ways to live well without bankrupting yourself – I call it living in glamorous poverty. ;}

Shoe Theories

Is "edgy" really code for "stylishly ugly"?

I admit I'm kind of a selfish fashion admirer. In order for me to fall in love with a piece or an accessory, I have to be able to picture it in my life. By that I mean, I have to think that it can fit into my lifestyle (after all, don't labels want you to like their products enough to buy them so they can make money?), which then sort of implies just a hint of practicality.

Don't get me wrong, I have my own little collection of L2L (lobby-to-limo/limo-to-lobby) shoes. But I can walk in them and last at the very least a half hour on my feet in them. Despite my legendary prowess in walking in ridiculously high shoes, however, I don't think I'd be able to handle these (nor am I even tempted to try):

I apologize to the spirit of Louis Vuitton (although I guess he never really set out to sell shoes) but these are not beautiful. I hate, hate, hate the platform trend. I think it should have been left in the 90s along with Spicemania. They look like stripper shoes - so not classy. I also really don't like how 5-inch+ heels are de rigeur these days. I'm of the opinion that over 4-inches on a shoe is heading into tranny hooker territory. So platforms that are 5-inches+ in height totally repulse me.

Having said that, a very well-respected artist told me last week that as long as a creation has a meaning behind it, it is art. I agree with him, and I definitely believe that fashion is an art form. Maybe all platforms/5-inch+ shoes/5-inch+ platforms all have special meanings behind them to their designers - in which case I may be persuaded to buy them and put them on display in my house in a cabinet or a pedestal or something.
But to buy them to wear? The most organic way for a Fashion Girl to consummate her relationship with a pair of shoes? Definitely not.

Before the Rainbow Gets Here...

It's our two week birthday today!

The growth of this blog has been more than I ever could've hoped for, and your continued support means the world to me. My blog is my baby. Thank you for loving my baby! :D

I also just found out that I'm receiving a $5000 scholarship next year - EEE!!! That almost covers all the rent for next year - that makes all my exhaustion and stress so much more worth it. I've been totally drained every day since I've started my current day job and I was feeling so awful/frustrated today, but now, suddenly everything is so much better.

And what heralded this awesome day this morning? Drizzling rain. Exactly the kind, I've been told, that I'll have to contend with next year during the winter months on the Côte d'Azur. That brings me to a question I've been grappling with for a long time: How does one stay fashionable in the shoe department when it rains?

I've decided that I will need to bring a pair of rain boots with me next year. Because aesthetics aside, I think that totally ignoring practicality (in my situation) wouldn't be smart. Here are the low-high choices I've discovered:

$:

Target Solid Wedge Rain Boots in Pink $19.99

Good ol' Tarjay. It's not an option for all of us living outside the States, so in this case I'd have to hit up my Aunt Shirley in Westchester. But they have a veritable ton of adorable styles. Upon reading through the comments, I've found that there may be some issues with quality, but these are so affordable they won't be too painful to replace, and I'm sure that you'll be fine as long as you don't abuse them. My pick is the pink wedge because it gives you a lift, it's a little bit different (and therefore special) and it's my power colour.


$$:

UrbanOutfitters.com Floral Rainboot $34.00

I love the retro pattern on these - they kind of remind me of Ikea! These are pretty affordable too, except again, they only ship to the States, sadly.

$$$:

Marc by Marc Jacob Rain Boot $194.00 now on sale for $166.00

Did you know that Marc Jacobs makes rainboots? I didn't until this morning. Not really my cup of tea, these ones, but if anything Marc Jacobs just does it for you (and you have extra money floating around) I say go for it.

Hunter Rain Boots $115.00

Hunters are supposed to be superpractical - perhaps that accounts for the price? Luckily, aesthetics don't have to succumb to utility because they're now available in all sorts of fun colours. These also have great traction, and I love that the shaft is nice and tall. Naturally, I like hot pink.

And best for last:

Juicy Couture Sabrina Viva Rain Boots $108.00

These are my dream rainboots! Le sigh. But even though I just got an unexpected $5000, I think my money would be much better spent on travelling next year - that's how I've been reining in my spending this summer. I think these are divine because the buckles are more ornate than your average, the print doesn't get all wonky near the ankle like lower-end rain boots, and the graffiti is so funky. These are definitely my favourites of the bunch, and I found them on sale here at JCY House!

So there you have it - your tootsies can be covered and dry no matter what your budget. For more great choices, click here (I especially like the Tretorn, Nine West and Roxy ones). Happy puddle-jumping! :)