Tale of a Rococo Fan,

 

Marie sent me an email of a blurry photo scrap of a fan 🪭 she once admired at an auction.

Being an ardent collector of antique fans 🪭 

Fashioning Fashion - des Arts Decoratifs

Jeudi 14 mars Fashioning Fashion musee des arts Decoratifs

Thursday I dragged myself out of bed for an infusion of French culture and ran to my fav musee des arts Decoratif. 

How else to keep up with all that's going on in Paris?'
 

One can not loll around in bed for long in this town without missing out on a slew of things. I'll quote liberally from the museum's website:

Les Arts Décoratifs is hosting a prestigious exhibition previously shown at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) from 2 October 2010 to 27 March 2011, and at the Deutsch Historisches Museum in Berlin from 27 April to 29 July 2012. Fashioning Fashion: Two Centuries of European Fashion 1700–1915 celebrates LACMA’s acquisition of the remarkable collections of Martin Kamer and Wolfgang Ruf, both antique dealers and collectors of ancient costumes and fabrics. Their collections reflect the principal trends in fashion in Europe from the 18th century to the early 20th century. Presented chronologically and thematically, almost a hundred complete male and female outfits, mainly from France, England and Italy and all with their accessories, retrace the evolution of vestimentary taste, forms and techniques. Voila.
 

I must say the exhibit brought out a number of political thoughts I wasn't aware I was harboring.
 

So much lace, buttons and bows

All sweetness and delicacy on the surface.
 

But appearences are deceptive are they not?

Below the decorative buttons and bows torture.
 



Women's bodies pushed and contorted into all kinds of strange uncomfortable shapes. Necks stretched. Waists yanked in with stays. Hair piled high. Ouch.

True we may currently look like walking sacks of potatoes. So be it.
 

Now we can eat cake and not have to look like an iced wedding cake. HURRAH for that! Still it's worth seeing Fashioning Fashion to remember how lucky we are.

When R U Going 2 Grow Up?

 With all the controversy surrounding the book, Bringing Up Bebe, I realized my favorite pics in Paris are of French kids.

 Bien-elevee o mal-elevee/well-brought or badly brought-up, there's something very appealing.

 And I like to go to kid places like Choco Story-Paris - Musee Gourmand du Chocolat 28, bvd de Bonne Nouvelle 75010
 

 And shoot pictures of French children's clothes.
 

 This trip I'm def going inside Bonton 5 bvd des Filles du Calvaire

 When I do shoot 'grown-up' clothes, mostly they're childish, not sophisticated couture. Hanging out on Avenue Montaigne is not my cup of chocolat chaud.
 

 Before there were macarons in my life, my fav Paris sweet was big tooth-breaking meringues. I've yet to try a Chupa-Chups lollipop - well-loved by many 'grownup' Parisians.

 I love shooting goofy French kid stuff like at Patchi chocolat 1, rue du Passy 75016

 I was thrilled to learn of a big exhibition of Babar at the musee des arts decoratifs - my fav musem.
 

 This trip I will NOT miss out on the musee de la Chasse et de la Nature 62, rue des Archives, another kid-friendly museum.
 

 I'm a huge fan of French kids books so I'll visit Salon du Livre 2012 (kids get in free).

My mom did not want me to grow up She never forgave me for not staying 11,12  😕 Maybe that’s why I ❤️ childish things…

 I haven't been to Le Bac a Glaces 109,rue du Bac but it's top of the to-do list. Have you?

All my life my father and mother used to ask,

"When are you going to grow up?"

I still haven't.
Got any fun Paris suggestions for the immature? Plenty ☺️

Q & A Today

Would you rather see the REAL Mona Lisa in the Louvre or an eclair Mona Lisa?
More Paris sandwiches...
And less...
Paris...
Macarons?

More real food in general?

Less gateaux?

Do I drag you to Fauchon...

Too much? Should I drag you to newer places?

Are there too many Paris dogs at PB and not enough Paris cats?

I know you'd like to see more OFGs (Older French Girls)...

More Paris Mommies are getting added to the list...

You ALL want to know:What do I wear in Paris?

Is there too much RED at PB?

Can there ever be too much Eiffel Tower?

JAMAIS!

Or too much Paris?

Only if you live in Paris full time and can't stop thinking of NYC...

What about jam?

Is there enough jam at PB? I think not...

I eagerly await your comments and suggestions.

Do tell.

BONJOUR PBers!

My Mother's Clothes

Photograph by Jeannette Montgomery Barron

My mother's clothes were filled with magic. I loved watching her dress for a party. I loved exploring her closet when she was out. Her clothes were the gateway to the mysterious world of adults.

When I discovered Jeannette Montgomery Barron's book on her mother's clothes in Paris.
 At musee des arts decoratifs I was captivated. Her mother's fashion notes. Reminded me of my own mother's design school sketches.
And my mother's ever present dreams of becoming a fashion designer. There were many parallels, like Jeannette's mother's obsession with fashion. While her mother bought the best - Bill Blass, Norman Norrell, Yves Saint Laurent, my mother only dreamed of those names. Together we sleuthed the best shops to examine and plot, so my mother could go home and sew up her own versions. Like Jeanette's push/pull tug of war with her mother, I too did not want to be fashionable as an adolecent. I did NOT want to become a fashion designer. No way! So many memories surfaced while paging through Jeannette's book that I had to get in touch with her. We started emailing. Last night I went to her book party. At Kate Spade on 454 Broome street. The champagne was flowing.People were lining up to get their books signed. And signed

There was hardly a moment to say hello.

To say "Thank you" for b ringing back memories of my mother.

Jeannette has photographed many artists - Francesco Clemente, Keith Haring, Jean-Michel Basquiat. No wonder the pictures of her mother's clothes are like paintings. Her work will be in the Staley-Wise gallery. As I was sleuthing around shooting, Jeannette recognized me from my blog photo with the giant red goggles! I've lost my anonymity but it was a delight to meet her.Kate Spade is the perfect home for Jeannette's very beautiful book.

My Mother's Clothes, works as the perfect accessory to carry under you arm.

Leaving the shop, I noticed the sign.

WE LOVE OUR MOMS

Ain't that the truth.

There's so much I haven't told you about Jeannette's book.

But her video says it all.

MERCI JEANNETTE!