Bienvenue to my my new series, Le Journal, where I am sharing my love of French style and NYC culture.
I typically receive several emails or comments on social media asking me questions, and thought this would be a great place to answer them and share highlights from the week, whether French or NYC inspired, sometimes both. So please feel free to leave comments, and I will do my best to answer.
It’s hard to believe that it’s February already. It feels like I was just getting the house ready for the holidays. Time definitely seems to go by more quickly as I have gotten older. This is why I am not waiting for retirement or for anything else I can do now. On that note, we have a few trips planned this year, one of which will take us to Europe and the south of France. So definitely stay tuned for that. We will be there in July.
New York Minute | Your Questions Answered
One question I am asked routinely is about my sizing information. I am 5’11” tall, and I weigh around 150 pounds. I wear a small or size 6 (mostly) in tops, sweaters, and coats. For trousers, pants, or denim jeans, I wear a size 6/28. Whenever I change my size, I note this on posts and LTK. I prefer a more tailored look and rarely size up, but I will if something runs smaller, which happens occasionally. Worth noting: my height is not so much in my legs (my inseam is 30″); my length is more in my torso. Wearing jumpsuits or one-pieces can be more challenging than finding pants that fit. I wear a size 10 in shoes.
The second most asked question I receive is about living in Paris and NYC. I was born and raised in NY on Long Island and moved to Manhattan when I was 17 to attend undergraduate school at NYU. I stayed on to pursue my graduate degree (living in Dublin, Ireland for part of it). While in my late twenties and early thirties, I traveled extensively for work, having opportunities to live in London and Paris. Neither were for long periods of time, both being 3-4 months, but I continued to travel to these cities for work routinely over a 6-year period. Since my first trip to Paris in 2000, I have been back over 11 times, not counting the four months I lived there. And it was magical. My husband and I look forward to spending a year of our retirement in Paris. Fingers crossed!
New York Minute | What’s the Fascination with French Style and NYC Life?
I started taking French classes in seventh grade and was immediately obsessed with all things French. I only wanted to eat croissants and desperately wanted to go to Paris! My mom had taken French back in school, and I would beg her to practice with me. I am not fluent. I know enough to get by, and I feel like it returns a bit more when I am in France. My high school French teacher, Soeur Béatrice (sister in English), would call me “mon petite chou,” which translates literally to my little cabbage but essentially means my little darling. She had a huge impact on my love of all things French. I often skipped lunch with my friends to sit with her while she told me stories of her time in France as a young nun. It always tickled me to say, “mon petite chou.”
I grew up about 60 miles outside NYC and was always drawn to the vibrancy. We visited from time to time, but not that often as it was a different world there in the late 70s through 80s, with crime being a major concern. All of that changed when I went off to college in the early 90s, and it became home; New York will always be my first true love. Paris is a very close second. My style is very classic, inspired by my time in both NYC and Paris, with some variations of course. And so Fifth and Paris is very near and dear to my heart as I share my love of these two cities and cultures.
Weekly Highlight!
This week, I am sharing one of my favorite places for macarons. I first had these in Paris at Ladurée, but later learned they have several locations in the US, which was so exciting. My favorite one to visit is on West Broadway in Soho, NYC. They also ship. I swear these are some of the best macarons I have ever had. I also enjoy brunch here, whether solo or catching up with friends. The location on West Broadway in NYC also has a beautiful outside garden area that is a perfect place to have brunch, grab a coffee and catch up with friends or enjoy an une pâtisserie.
New York Minute | What to Wear
One of my favorite things to do here at Fifth & Paris is to create styled looks for you that you can easily incorporate into your existing wardrobe. These weekly looks are French girl inspired outfits that are elevated and timeless. I believe that investing in quality basics serves as the building blocks for a great wardrobe. Each piece makes great staples that you will have for years to come, as they can easily transition between looks and seasons.
This week’s look is all about winter-to-spring transitional pieces. Grab a lightweight navy cardigan and pair it with a striped button blouse (ruffles add a subtle feminine touch), a medium wash, high-waisted denim for comfort, loafers that are comfy, a market tote which is great for errands or shopping, and fish off with some gold earrings.
SHOP THIS LOOK
I hope you all enjoyed my first Le Journal series, and I wish you all a beautiful weekend, my friends. Please leave comments if you have questions about NYC or Paris life, and I will do my best to answer.
