What I Wore, What I Ate, and Where I Went
Hi friends,
October feels like the month packed in with everything at once. September felt similarly but October was another level. Between Paris Fashion Week, navigating a new period of protests throughout the city, and getting my first cold of the season, October has been full of highs and lows.
What I Wore:
Many would argue that fall is the most fashionable time of year. After the most brutal heatwave I’ve ever experienced, I’m happy to simply just wear decent clothes and style my outfits based on what pieces I really want to wear rather than what I’ll sweat the least in.
Lately, I’ve transitioned my wardrobe, put out my collection of coats, and got a few pairs of shoes re-soled to brace for winter. My autumn uniform per usual has consisted of neutrals but with the added touch of mini scarves, statement necklaces, and my trusty Fortune Croissant LEMAIRE bag.
When I look at my wardrobe that I’ve built overtime, I realize how little I’ve actually shopped over the years. Moving from LA, I didn’t have a seasonal wardrobe so I thrifted a lot to build up my winter coat collection, invest in heat tech by Uniqlo, and find reliable winter shoes. But over the years, I haven’t really been shopping. I thrift from time to time but generally speaking, I only shop if I need something specific: underwear, swimwear, socks etc. The kind of things that would be kind of unhygienic if I bought second-hand. It’s not that I don’t like seeing newness but generally speaking my budget has always been tight while building my life abroad and I have very limited closet space so I’m proud to say that 80-90% of not more of my wardrobe is second-hand with pieces that have grown with me from season to season.
What I Ate:
Soup for the soul: To cure my insufferable cold, I made my homemade chicken thigh soup with rice, potatoes, and herbs. The longer it cooks, the better. This combined with whole ginger tea I make on the stove maybe won’t cure me over night but they do make my insides feel less icky.
Brasserie LIPP: An Instagram favorite and also a local joint for those who are lucky enough to live on Boulevard Saint-Germain. I went with my dear Ukrainian friend, Lana, and basically fasted in the morning before to have a full appetite for our lunch. I had the pepper steak with mashed potatoes and it was maybe one of the most yummy steaks I’ve ever had in Paris. But it is heavy on the pepper, so be warned.
Dad’s udon and my childhood broccoli tempura: This year, I taught myself how to deep fry. My dad always made us udon in the winter but rarely made us tempura to go with it because of the way the fried oil would stink up the house. Since I just use a shallow pan for my tempura, the broccoli doesn’t get fully coated but it does the job.
Tapas at Rojo: Another instragm favorite for the trendy, fashion girlies. The drinks are yum and so is the food. This photo doesn’t do the food justice so you’ll just have to trust me when I say it’s the perfect place to sip and snack.
Tea at Kiji: My favorite place to hideaway or if I want to have an intimate tea rdv. The traditional Japanese tea room is one of my favorite places to take people and their pastries (pistachio cookie and cheesecake) are always hitting my sweet spot.
Dinner at Billie: My last dinner with dear Lana was here and it was a last minute decision. From the outside, it just looks like any other restaurant but from the inside, the decor is modern and inviting. My favorite dish was the kale salad. It had that salty, crunchy texture that I love.
Dinner at Le Trente: The best thing about Paris is you never know where you’ll end up or who you’ll end up running into. My danish friend, Sisse, invited me last minute to join for dinner at Trente hosted by Maison Masse, a Canadian deigned bag brand. Needless to say the food was delicious but the company was even better.
Coffee at Heaf: I stumbled upon this cafe during my lunch break. It’s an Arab Emirates chain specializing in coffee mainly. What stood out to me is the interior. The long, minimalistic couches felt like a little home away from home. The espresso was too sour for my taste but the chai latter was more my preference.
Where I Went:
PFW: October was for women’s RTW PFW. That’s means the collections are showcasing the next season’s ready-to-wear looks for spring-summer 2027 for my non-fashion friends. I was lucky enough to join my friend Ivana for a show hosted by fashion global collective which showcased three designers: one bridal, two contemporary. My look was last minute borrowing a Club L top from Ivana’s closet. Styled with a French twist of course.
Sceners Gallery: This gallery has been on my list for a while but making an appointment seemed a little intimidating. Since Lana also wanted to go, I managed to make us a last minute appointment to take a little look. The collection was very conceptual and less beautiful than previous collections I had previously seen showcased there. The pieces were more grunge and brutalist than I typically like but I do appreciate the curation and the creative concepts expressed through the collection. Even if it’s not for me, it must speak to someone and that alone is what makes it special.
Hauser & Wirth: I’m familiar with this gallery from the LA location which I used to visit from my university days. I was pleasantly surprised to stumble upon a Calder exposition upon visiting inside. I loved the Calder exposition at the Louis Vuitton Foundation and this just felt like a small extension of that magic.
Thrifting: Maybe it’s my IG algorithm, maybe it’s just my summer nostalgia hitting a little too early but I’ve been obsessed with shells lately. I found this shell dish for three euros at my local thrift store. I still don’t even have a purpose for it yet but I love it nonetheless.
Hotel Masse: A cozy, modernist dream. Though I haven’t stayed there yet myself, the lobby does meet expectations. Contemporary art by Christian Rosa and warm, low lighting makes this space feel like a home away from home.
What’s On My Mind:
I feel like everyone is more into color lately. Again, maybe it’s my algorithm, since you are what content you consume but it seems like the minimalist chic girls are embracing color. Not just any colors though. I’m talking about cerulean blue, hard candy red, iris violet, finance bro blue.
Postcards by Sarah-Lin: For the new FW season, LEMAIRE released new postcards with a color palette resembling soft cotton candy and sunset skies. I love an all black look but for the sake of my seasonal depression, I think it would benefit me to incorporate more colors into my winter looks. This color palette is one of my starting points.
The Row Summer 2027: Is boho chic coming back? Or are we all just really into wearing doilies these past few seasons. I’m really into this look mainly because I feel like it’s something I can DIY and make my own with napperons available at so many French flea markets.
Japanissimo by Marion Dubier-Clark: Maybe I’m late to the bandwagon since this book was already published in 2023, but this image captivated me for its texture and play with light. I always loved black and white photography but I feel like it takes a lot of skin to make it memorizable.
The Art of Noticing: Though the art of noticing has been trending online, it’s true that the more we look up and unplug, the more beauty we can absorb IRL. Located on rue Frochot in the ninth arrondissement, I found this incredible mural of stained glass facing the street. The colors and style reminded me of a Tiffany lamp. I’m not sure who the artist was or why this one guiding in particular was so exceptionally decorated but I suppose it was just beauty for the sake of beauty and I’ll take it.
Handwritten note by Magdalena: We met finally for the first time in person during the dinner at Trente. As a founder and a person, Magdalena is every bit warm and talented as one would imagine. She left me this hand written note as a parting gesture. Now that’s classy. You can read her interview on my blog here.
Chanel SS27 by Matthieu Blazy: Okay so I haven’t sat down and watched the whole show yet, BUT I skimmed through the looks, saw some details, and this color stood out to me: powder blue. Lately, I do love everything that Matthieu has been doing at Chanel. The viral foot heel shoe moment was cheeky and some would argue pure novelty but what’s the shame in that? My favorite collection of his was the one set in NYC. It just hits every time.
As always, thanks so much for reading. Though I have shifted away generally from writing about the loss of my dad, not a day goes by when I don’t think about him. Whether I want it to or not, the world continues to keep spinning and ultimately I continue to write because what’s an adventure without anyone to share it with?
So thanks for being here for my little bits of over sharing. Until next time ~
Bisous,
Kiana