To a fashion girl, Paris is the mecca for all things chic and fabulous. And because a real fashion girl looks for style in much more than just her clothing and accessories, she is the perfect person to look to for where to stay, where to eat and what to do in the world’s fashion capital.
This past week the industry’s glitterati descended on Paris for Fashion Week. And when they weren’t sitting front row at the shows or nonchalantly crossing the rues and avenues in designer outfits—in front of a pack of paparazzi, of course—here’s what they were doing.
No one, no matter how fashionable, can resist the delectable flavors of “melt-in-your-mouth” macarons—a Parisian delicacy that has caught wind all across the world. The best macarons in the entire city come from the Maison Laduree, an upscale bakery that’s been open since 1862. If you can, make your way to their first ever bakery on Rue Royale to experience the “Laduree Life”—you’ll notice their distinct green awning the moment you turn the corner. Inside is a super chic café decorated in delicate fabrics and soft pale colors to give you all the feminine, Parisian vibes you’d desire. There are marble countertops, ornate lighting fixtures and signature Laduree place settings and teacups on every table. Enjoy a light lunch or afternoon tea in the dining room upstairs overlooking Rue Saint-Honoré, or just grab a couple macarons for your afternoon stroll in the small bakery next door.
At night, one of the hottest restaurants is Antoine Westermann’s Le Coq Rico, a small, Michelin starred bistro located in the artistic Montmarte District. The main concept here is reinventing classic poultry dishes, and then doing them really, really well. For instance, they do a really flavorful chicken soup. Choose a whole bird and split it between two or three people. It’s more than enough food, and I promise it will be one of the best chicken plates you’ve ever had. The atmosphere inside the bistro is that of a laid-back, fine restaurant. Most people are seated in pairs. However, there is a table in the back for larger parties. Reservations are a must to be seated (even for the bar), as the restaurant is usually pretty full. The staff is super friendly and extremely knowledgeable on the menu, the chef’s cooking characteristics and the wine list! This restaurant is a must.
Discovering all of the tasty delights in Paris is great, but a fashion girl’s favorite pastime is shopping. And in Paris, you’ll find the unique, surprising things that usually don’t exist other places in the world. Because Paris is home to many of the world’s largest designer houses, you can find a ton of flagship stores filled with merchandise that was only created for that location. One of the best areas to shop in the entire city is in the 1st Arrondissement—near the Place Vendôme. There, around Rue Saint-Honoré and Rue Royale, you’ll find many luxury stores, selling everything from clothing and accessories to home goods and beauty products. You could walk around for hours, exploring stores such as Chanel and Hermes, as well as local French storefronts that you can’t find anywhere else. Because Paris is known for its luxury market, the vintage and consignment stores have gained quite a bit of notoriety, too. If that’s more your speed, check out GoldyMama or La Petite Fripe for
second-hand steals!
Of course there’s much more to do in Paris aside from shopping. One of my favorite activities in the city is Le Crazy Horse de Paris, an upscale cabaret show that’s known for their gang of beautiful women in sexy French lingerie and sky-high Christian Louboutin heels. The show is in no way sleazy. In fact, it’s quite tasteful, despite some nudity. The women are obviously classically trained dancers, and the routines are entertaining and exciting. It’s no wonder Jay-Z and Beyoncé chose to celebrate their engagement night here back in 2007.
A really great way to see the city is by way of the Seine River. Many companies offer several types of cruises daily. You can choose from afternoon cruises, sunset cruises and even dinner cruises. We chose an afternoon cruise of the Seine and Canal Saint Martin with Canauxrama and really enjoyed it. The travel guide spoke six languages and used nearly all of them during our tour. I got to see parts of the city I probably wouldn’t have seen otherwise, and got a few great selfies underneath the Eiffel Tour.
If you ask me, it makes sense to choose a hotel in the area where you think you’ll spend most of your time, so you can save money on transportation. As a fashion girl, I know I’ll spend most of my time in the 1st Arrondissement shopping around the Place Vendôme, so it just makes sense to choose a hotel in that area. There are tons to choose from, but the one we like the most is the Westin Paris. Along with being footsteps away from my favorite stores and breathtaking views of the Eiffel Tower from room windows, this hotel has one of the nicest courtyard bistros—so much so, people travel all across the city just to dine there. The staff is friendly, the concierge is extremely helpful, the rooms are comfy and spacious and (the greatest perk of them all) you can gain Starwood loyalty points that you can use at home in the states, too.
Megan Pinckney (@shadesofpinck) is a retired beauty queen turned lifestyle blogger who loves exploring the world and writing about it.