fashion

The Parisian Perspective

On the last day of my French class our professor played Edith Piaf’s “Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien,” which translates to “No, I regret nothing.” I found the song extremely fitting for the occasion. After four weeks of taking French lessons, I was able to communicate over a baguette and a spread of different cheeses with my French teacher, a woman who only weeks before had spoken to me directly, and I, having little understanding of what she was saying, could respond only with, “Je ne comprends pas.” I was placed into a higher level of French than I probably should have been in, making the class challenging and unforgiving at times since many of my classmates were better prepared for the course.

And yet, I triumphed. I studied my derriére off during the following weeks, and on the last day when we all compared our cultural differences (in French) while enjoying our picnic, I felt accomplished. I had no regrets about staying in my course or challenging myself instead of taking an easier road, because it gave me the opportunity to really communicate with the French. This song, these final goodbyes to my French teacher and classmates, made me think about my expectations walking into this experience and how much I had changed.

When I left for Paris, I had the wild, albeit common, expectation that I would adapt myself to become the Parisian. Women in Paris are celebrated for their grace, beauty and charm. They are knowledgeable about art and culture, are elusive and seductive, and self-assured without seeming pompous. Paris is regarded for its delicious food, art and cultural offerings and its romanticism. So yes, I walked into this experience hoping to throw myself into the Parisian’s way of life, and ultimately, leave possessing some of these qualities. Instead, I find myself leaving with an altered understanding of the Parisian’s way of life, and of Paris itself. While Paris maintains as one of the most beautiful places I have lived, it is not the grand-all, be all for me. I know many people will disagree, especially expatriates who moved here with similar expectations, and found what they were looking for. For me, however, Paris is a dichotomy of beauty juxtaposed with harsh realities. If you are looking for the glamorous experience, (eating macarons at Ladurée, shopping at the Chanel boutique where Coco Chanel’s apartment is only a glance up, dining on room service and picking out the perfect “Parisian” outfit) you can find it—along with its hefty price tag and limited stay. Experiencing Paris as a student offers a different experience: living on the outskirts of the city, overheating from the lack of air conditioning, taking the metro with little room to move, and going to class.

My experience wasn’t what I expected, but I realize now (as a rational person instead of a dreamer) that this is because I wasn’t going to Paris as a tourist. I wasn’t experiencing Paris as a city of glamour and beauty for a few days, but for a few months. And while the beauty and glamour are there, my perception of them ran dry after experiencing some of the not-so-glamorous offerings of Paris.

Yet, despite all of this, I still maintain my original statement regarding my experience. I regret nothing about my time living in Paris. Paris is not just about seduction and glamour; it is so much more than that. It’s a city of dreams, where people come to experience the beauty they feel is lacking in their everyday lives. It is also a city where people have come for refuge or to start their lives anew. Paris is a cultural haven, where art lives and breathes on the streets, through its people, and inside its museums. But there is also art and beauty in knowing the city’s rich past, its political tribulations, and its multicultural makeup. The postcard picture of Paris is deceptive, because it shows what everyone coming to Paris is looking for. The gold details along the Seine and picturesque metro signs are great, but they leave room for disappointment.

Edmund White puts it best when he says, “Flanerie is the best way to impose a personal vision on the palimpsest of Paris. It’s a bit like being a film director who puts together his own take on a place by selecting only those scenes that conform to it…thereby converting this most artificial of cities into something bucolic…” (The Flaneur, 187). Paris is truly a city made up of people making it what they want it to be; their rendition of it all, living amongst other people of many backgrounds who are also living out their own perception of Paris.

I’d like to think that I did not become a bit more Parisian while living in Paris. I think I gained a new perspective on Paris, instead. If I wrote this two weeks ago, when I was feeling under the weather and complaining of heat exhaustion in my “charming” room, I would probably have very few kind words about my experience in Paris. Luckily, I am writing this from London, as I await the arrival of family to return to Paris next week for a few days. I will show them the Paris they are looking for: Ladurée and the Louvre; picnics at the Eiffel Tower and shopping; all of the glitz and glamour imaginable in a short holiday. I’ll keep the true Paris to myself, because it took me  weeks to realize I do love this city, and I don’t want to spoil their Parisian dreams in three days.

A Dérive Through Paris

A small corridor off of rue Saint André Des Arts

A small corridor off of rue Saint André Des Arts

After a quick decision to stop for lunch at a nearby Parisian café led to the lingering of time and a sense of excitement that class was over, a small group of us wandered from the entrance of a textbook store down a familiar street that had been used as a gateway to the metro only days before. With an interest in exploring a new section of Paris and a memory of its picturesque streets, we decided to see what the 6th arrondissement of Paris had to offer.

Just as Guy Debord mentions in "Theory of the Dérive," the lessons drawn from dérives enable us to draw up the first surveys of the psychogeographical articulations of a modern city. Beyond the discovery of unities of ambiance, of their main components and their spatial localization, one comes to perceive their principal axes of passage, their exits and their defenses...One measures the distances that actually separate two regions of a city, distances that may have little relation with the physical distance between them."

My dérive began in Le Quartier Saint Germain des Prés and continued through Le Quartier de la Monnaie. This area of Paris offers a refuge for tourists and Parisians alike, with many options in shopping, cuisine and nightlife. After walking only a few moments, it was clear that the 6th arrondissement caters to those interested in old world values and new age luxuries. This dichotomy was presented through the many bookstores and craftsmanship-focused boutiques and their juxtaposing avant-garde and contemporary fashion stores and art galleries.

Grim'Art Specialty & Artisanal Papeterie
Grim'Art Specialty & Artisanal Papeterie
Ink Pots with Calligraphy Pens
Ink Pots with Calligraphy Pens

Nestled between larger blocks (albeit, still small compared to American streets) were narrow cobblestone streets open only to pedestrian traffic. Here, I was reintroduced to a way of thinking I had grown to appreciate myself: quality before anything else. From a chocolatier and tea room filled with gorgeous treats that looked too good to eat, to a leather goods shop that made everything by hand and in-store to even a stationary store that offered calligraphy pens with small pots of ink and gold foiled wrapping paper, the message was clear that well made goods were preferred and change is not always better.

Along the opposite side of the corridor were cafés and restaurants with many patrons enjoying the warmth of Paris in July. Despite the fact that it was July 4th and I had been distinctly aware of what I was missing back home earlier in the day, I welcomed my new surroundings. I felt like I had been transported to a simpler time when this environment was not the exception, but the norm. In other words, a time when people did not search for faster and less expensive solutions for their everyday necessities, but rather, enjoyed the craftsmanship and quality of work that went into their food, goods, and correspondence. This side of Paris was refreshing. It was different from anything else I had experienced, due in part to the lack of crowds but also to the fact that it was a testimony to Parisian values as introduced to me when I first came to Paris years ago. "Parisian values are different from Americans," I was told. "They want quality, not quantity, and they don't settle often--if ever."

Un Dimanche ˙a Paris Tea Salon and Chocolatier

Un Dimanche ˙a Paris Tea Salon and Chocolatier

A Parisian Bookstore

A Parisian Bookstore

Returning back to the main road after our detour, we continued down rue Saint André Des Arts to see what else we could explore. On one side of the street was a modern art gallery that caught my eye for its seemingly inappropriate existence in this antiquated district. Yet, it seemed to fit in just fine. After the immediate shock of something so different from its surroundings, I realized that most (if not all) of the establishments I had seen had been very similar upon a second glance. They all shared the commonality of an artistic focus. (I later learned that this area of Paris is historically referred to as the area for the "intelligentsia" crowd who valued intellectual curiosity and cultural exploration.) As a writer and reader, though, my favorite find along this road was a small bookstore nestled in the middle of the block. It could have been easily missed by someone looking for flashing lights or large window displays, but its old-fashioned door sign and numerous stacks of books that could be seen from outside the store immediately lured me to the other side of the street.

Here, I also found a clothing boutique that presented Parisian fashion in a unique way. Although it did not seem unique from the exterior, Allison's selection of French and American designers offered me familiar finds and new discoveries, but the practice of displaying designers' current look-books above the racks was something I had never experienced. The saleswoman was exceptionally helpful, and even took the time to explain the location of the other stores and surrounding locales.

Before long, we decided that it was time our adventure in the 6th arrondissement come to an end for the day. However, we found ourselves back in the same area later on that evening to celebrate the American holiday. Turning down a street well lit by glowing neon café logos and candles lit at the tables for patrons dining al fresco, we were met with the surprising gift of street performers. They had cornered off the block with their cars, blasted music from an outdated boom-box and a crowd of passersby and dinner guests formed a circle around them. We said good night to this previously unfamiliar area of Paris, and I knew then that the area would become a favorite Parisian destination of mine for years to come.

rue Saint André Des Artes

rue Saint André Des Artes

Allison Clothing Boutique

Allison Clothing Boutique