Considering the Dollar during Sales in France . . .

The United States has Black Friday, Canada is loyal to Boxing Day but it is the July and January sales in France that are the most awaited. The January sales, which officially are not allowed to start until after January 5th, certainly can't compete with the hype that Black Friday and Boxing Day have. In fact, on December 26th, I saw employees in a large department store removing Christmas decor and never saw any of it on sale in January. Do they store it? Really?

The French may be visiting outlet stores, local malls, and even independently owned shops in the villages now because of the January sales but seldom do they offer anything more than 30 to 50% off. Not only are the reductions never as enormous as they are in North America, but the sale selection is not as varied. That makes me wonder . . . Are mark-ups for regularly priced goods lower in France? Or are North American mark-ups so high that 70% off still allows the merchant to make an acceptable profit?

NO THANKS

The Canadian dollar is the most pathetic I have ever seen it. The last time it was bad, but not this bad, was in 2009. As a result, I am certainly not buying as much as I did last year. I was looking at a "bouti", basically a quilted bedspread, that was priced at 160Euro. By the time I figured out the dollars I would need to spend (multiply by a humiliating 1.6), I began to walk away. The shopkeepers in small town South-West France are feeling the consequences of high unemployment, the loss of the the summer tourist trade, and the reticence of retired local Brits who are not buying much either even though their sterling is considerably well-positioned next to the Euro. The vendor offered a discount of about 20% on what she claimed were not sale goods and "free" matching pillow covers. Yes, well . . . I shook my head, did my best to express myself emitting that pouty puff of air (a French gesture of non-compliance) and shrug. She shrugged back and I said, "merci, mais non" and walked away. It is a matter of need. And I certainly don't need a "bouti" at the present exchange rate.

Now of course, I am reminiscing about a set of bedding that I saw at a previous July 2015 sale . . . sigh . . . would have, could have and should have . . . I'll be back and maybe the July sale in 2016 will once again have what I want at an exchange rate that is a tad more gentle on my wallet. I'm glad we bought our car in May.

While in Canada, a dollar is a dollar is a dollar to me since I get paid at that exchange; however when I am in France, it is quite a different thing.

The conclusion, of course is that, I don't have any motivation for a shopping spree, especially for clothing, before I return to Canada. This is a good thing for my 2016 clothing resolutions. I'll be back in Canada in less than two weeks and happy to spend my dollars there.

Considering Gifts from France

Closet Content Analysis: Scarves

Choices: Never a Bad One

Money doesn't buy elegance. You can take an inexpensive sheath, add a pretty scarf, gray shoes and a wonderful bag, and it will always be elegant.

— Carolina Herrera

NICE: For those of you who are visiting France and are committed to gifting friends and family, the best gift to buy is a scarf for either men or women. Everyone . . .  yes, everyone wears them. All the time. 

If you are buying in France, there will be scarves made in France and scarves made in other places in the world . . . India, China and so on. I try to buy those made in France but others will be bought because they are "perfect" for the recipients or "something I have always been looking for".

The reasons a scarf makes the perfect gift when travelling France are that:
1) Absolutely representative of the French look
2) Light-weight - what with airline luggage restrictions . . . 
3) Takes up very little space - more luggage restrictions . . . 
4) Packs easily and you can even use them to cushion fragile purchases which I don't encourage you buying. 
5) Scarves don't break.
6) Suitable for everyone, both male and female.
7) Whatever you don't give away as gifts, you can keep for yourself. 

Brilliant!

Factors to consider when buying a scarf for someone else should, in the best case scenario, be specific to the person for whom you are buying. However, that will provoke you into shopping for others all the time without any consideration of yourself and worrying needlessly that you didn't pick something up for so and so.

My suggestion is to simply buy what you like when you see it and only buy scarves. Don't worry about the fabric. There are beautiful selections in cotton, acrylic, silk and cashmere at many different price points. I have purchased 100% cotton for 3Euro, acrylic for 20Euro and 100% silk for 45Euro so you can maintain your budget. Each one was beautiful in its own light. You can overbuy but don't overspend.

If possible, ask the sales associate to demonstrate how to tie the scarf. Learn it and share it. That too embellishes the gift. There are several great videos and websites demonstrating scarf tying. I like this one in particular.

One visit to Galleries Lafayette or Printemps may be sufficient to fill the entire gift order. Or you can leave it up to chance and hope that you will find artist-made unique specimens in the places you visit. Make sure you keep a journal describing the place where you bought it, whether a market,a department store, or from a crafter. The story, in fact, becomes part of the gift. This suggestion comes from an experience that I was able to laugh about later. 

That experience was with chocolate. We were in Zurich and of course, I went to a Lindt shop to buy gifts. I picked up what I thought were unique to Europe - miniature milk cans, representative of the old way of storing milk, filled with Lindt chocolates. Perfect. The chocolate was encased so that it wouldn't squish and there were no luggage restrictions at that time so I did not even consider the space. I would simply buy another suitcase if needed. I returned to Canada and within the first couple of days, without thinking about chocolates, I went to the local Shoppers Drug Mart. Wouldn't you know it? There in the chocolate section were my Lindt milk cans! I carried them through Switzerland and Italy and there they were 2 km away from my home in Canada. The story embellished the gift and everyone included laughed along with me.

NO THANKS: My only "do not do" regarding scarves is that you stay away from designer knock-offs. First, although they are readily available, especially if you are in Paris, it still is illegal (perhaps not always enforced) and if you are returning to Canada with 20 fakes you may end up having to spend time explaining your motives and intentions. The possibilities are not pleasant even though the likelihood may be remote.

NOTE-WORTHY: This can be a birthday or Christmas gift buying resolution for the year, not only when you are travelling. Choose an accessory - scarves, gloves, earrings, cuffs, socks . . .  whatever and be on the lookout for items in your chosen category to buy as gifts. It certainly simplifies the process. One year, I bought books, another year mittens or gloves and so on. You won't be financially overburdened when you have five birthday gifts to buy in one month or at Christmas.

Back from Sunny London

NECESSARY          NICE          NO THANKS  

Disregard the "rainy" in my What to Pack for a Rainy Long Weekend in London. It wasn't! 

NO THANKS: Londoners were enthused that the weather was more summer-like than fall and I found that I did not need my North Face jacket and could have easily left my Burberry 3/4 length jacket at home. My husband lamented that he took a heavy jacket (heavier than his North Face jacket).

Travel Advice - forget about what you think you know about a region's climate and login to the weather channel of the city or town, particularly if you are only going for three or four days. My personality type would still take the extra jacket, but perhaps not two.

NICE:  What did I pack? Because of the weather, my cashmere shawl was all I needed in the evening. Instead of two pairs of skinny jeans, I took a pair of black linen classic trousers and a pair of purple skinny jeans and was happy for that. As well, besides my black blazer, I took a jean jacket and in all likelihood could have managed well enough without the blazer. I took two colourful scarves and was glad for that also. 

I wore one scarf with the linen pants and jean jacket one afternoon of eating at Barrafina on Firth Street in Soho and shopping. The two scarves I did take were worn when out for dinner, with my LBD. We enjoyed Barrafina so much we ate at the Drury Lane location in Covent Garden a second time. I suppose the only negative was that there are no reservations at Barrafina and time spent cueing is at the least, a tad annoying. Londoners themselves are becoming a bit peeved at standing in line in what seems to be a trend of no reservations restaurants, whether it be breakfast or burgers. Amy Grier wrote an entertaining piece, End of the Line, on cueing in Stylist magazine and reveals how Londoners really feel.

NECESSARY:  I definitely needed to take another pair of good walking shoes. After wearing the only pair of loafers I took, the first day and walking 14 km, I needed a change into a different pair of flats the next day. Never anticipate that you will not walk that much because when you are visiting and the tram lines are closed or delayed, other than cabs or Uber, there's not much choice but to walk.

Speaking of (writing of) Uber, it seems that London is looking to tighten its rules with Uber. Search "uber" in the Financial Times. My experiences, after taking both cabs and Uber in London, leads me to support the Uber initiative.

It was a great four days in sunny London.

Re-Using or is it Re-cycling Clothing?

NO THANKS          NOTE-WORTHY

The "recycleterie" in Pessac (department Gironde, France) has reorganized their product sales areas. At one time, clothing was placed in an alcove off the main go-round of the floorspace that included recyclable possibilities from housewares to furniture and a lot of garden and outdoor stuff. Initially I imagine the commune looked at everything people were throwing out and decided that with the help of volunteers, they could make a few dollars. Over the years the "recycleterie" has become more popular and now I imagine it is bringing in a tidy sum. After all, inventory costs them nothing.  

Electronics once attracted those who first walked through the main doors but that is getting to be a tricky business. The reorganization suggests that clothing manifests a good turnover. As soon as you walk in through the main doors you have the opportunity to browse through the men's, women's and children's clothing. Most items are pretty shabby but this is no ordinary "recycleterie" any more. Now there is a rack that indicates "marques" and so you do not have to sift through the nondescript articles to find the treasures. Levis are no longer grouped with all the no-name-of-consequence jeans selling for two Euros a pair; they are now in the designated area of "marques" and being sold for considerably more.

I also noted that there were a number of "supermarket-brand" t-shirts, all brand new with the original markdown prices that obviously even the store could not get. You would think that the "recycleterie" would have priced them at that amount or less, but in fact, they priced them for more than the supermarket's last sale price. I suppose it must be a matter of what the market will bear.

I guess I can't blame them. Re-sellers were coming through, buying for pennies and then selling at the brocantes and "vides greniers" for 300+% markups. That had to be disconcerting for the staff and so I can imagine that they were thinking, "if re-sellers can buy here and make money, we can sell for a higher price and cut out the middle man". The "recycleterie" reminds me a little of the North American reality show, Storage Wars. In fact, Storage Wars is on TV here in France. I propose a reality tv show situated in France featuring re-sellers who scavenge the vides greniers, brocantes and recyclerteries finding treasures that they sell for a profit.

The foreigners who have retired, settled or perhaps just summered here, like anyone else, love a bargain and there will always be the stack of plates for a Euro or two. It is the perfect place to outfit a summer kitchen if not yourself. You could buy a set of dishes for what the paper version would cost. I can imagine someone buying at the "recycleterie" and then donating everything back at the end of the summer. Now that is truly a "recycleterie".

NO THANKS: If you do decide to buy clothing at any "recycleterie", keep the following in mind . . .

. . . Check for odd smells and don't buy if there is any "old" or mildewy odor; it will be almost impossible to get out. Actually this is also good advice for any cloth, wooden or rattan items or furniture. There are many suggestions for removing odors from natural fibers but they seldom work well. It becomes a constant and never-ending battle.

. . . Check for stains and marks. Stained clothing is another "no-no"! You have no idea what it could be or how the original wearer may have tried to remove it. It may be embedded and there is nothing that will remove it. Better not to buy if something is stained.

. . . Check for tiny rips or holes and do not buy. 

. . . Check again and walk away. 

NOTE-WORTHY: However consider the buttons on something that you may reject. You never know, the buttons may be unique and salvageable and you may be able to re-use them on something else. A woman told me about her greatest second-hand-treasure, a Chanel jacket that was moth-eaten and beyond repair but the buttons were still beautiful - definitely a recyclable lotto win.

My Favourite Accessories to Pack & Duty Considerations

NICE: The following five accessories are with me on most trips abroad. In this post, I have provided some Canadian duty questions to consider, particularly on "designer" items.

1. In my April 26th post, I identified my favourite clothing to pack when traveling and in that list I included the two pairs of shoes I feel I must always take - my ballet flats and my Jimmy Choo heels. I wish I had kept my Jimmy Choo receipt from Holt Renfrew (you'll see my concern when you read #3); however, they are worn and do not look "brand new" anymore so I doubt I will ever have any customs official ask me about them.

Holt Renfrew Cashmere shawl. Photo by JoyD.

2. My Holt Renfrew cashmere shawl which serves as blanket on planes, a coverup for a cool spring or summer evening or a head covering and scarf in the winter. It's always in my carry-on no matter where in the world I go or what season it happens to be. It's old enough and worn looking enough that I do not worry about any customs agent asking me about this item either. I know I couldn't produce the receipt but I do know that I bought it in Vancouver in 2012 or was it 2013? The HR logo also establishes that it was made for Holt Renfrew for sale in Canada and most likely purchased in Canada.

Photo Source: Swarovski

3.  My Swarovski slake bracelet which does have the receipt indicating where and when I bought it. After having travelled to many places with several accessories bought in foreign locations, I now make sure I enclose my receipts with my "designer" pieces. I have never been questioned in this way but have heard that others have had experiences similar to the following. A friend's dad, from Calgary, was returning to Canada from the United States. He was wearing a designer brand cashmere pullover. The customs agent questioned him and asked if he had a receipt for it. The answer was that it was a sweater bought previously in Europe and not on this particular trip. Again the agent asked for a receipt. He didn't have one and so, taking all the factors into consideration, he took the sweater off and threw it in the garbage. It was old enough that it didn't owe him anything and damned if he was going to pay more taxes on an item that was previously purchased elsewhere. Now I'm not exactly sure (at least at the time of this writing) but if an item is more than six months old, you do not have to pay duty on it, even if it was purchased in the country from which you are travelling. In other words, anything I buy right now in France and return to Canada with in February will not require me to pay duty . . . but I have to prove it with a receipt. In the case of my friend's father, how many people keep receipts on older items? Not many, that is before they have read this story. Of course, the agent could have kept the sweater, his dad may have found the receipt at home and then sent it to Customs and the sweater would have been returned. Having the receipt is the clincher.

Lancel Flirt Bag and Wallet purchased in 2011. Photo by JoyD.

4.  My Lancel bag and wallet, which are dated and don't look brand new. are probably two pieces which should have the receipt enclosed since they are higher ticket items. However, I only understood the importance of keeping receipts for previously purchased items after I found out about my friend's dad's experience. If an agent would ever ask me about this bag and wallet, I could identify where and when I bought it without hesitation. Hopefully, along with the wear and tear on the items, that would be adequate and since I did pay duty on these two items in 2011, I imagine that would be on file. At least I hope it would be on file.

Turquoise and large link necklace. Made by JoyD.

5.  My handmade (made by me) turquoise and chain necklace could be another questionable customs issue if it was newly made while I was in France. This one is an oldie but a goodie and so I have no worries. However the following is a new piece of information that certainly is interesting. As far as I understand, again from a friend's experience, if an article of clothing or perhaps a piece of fashion jewellery, does not have a designation of where it was made, Canadian duty is not to be collected on it. The case of my friend was that he had several linen shirts custom made for him while in Thailand. The shirts identified the tailor on the tag but not where they were made. As a result he did not have to pay duty on these items even though they were purchased on this particular trip. My jewellery has no trademark or identifying "made in . . . " reference therefore it should be duty free even if I made it in France during my stay here.

But of course it's all open to interpretation and the last person I want to oppose is a Canadian customs agent unless of course I have proof and know that I am right. I travel too much and want to continue travelling without any grief and so I will be more diligent in keeping my receipts. 

I'm curious . . . if you have any "customs" stories, no matter where in the world you live, please comment; I'd love to hear about your experiences.

Dressing in Portugal

NOTE-WORTHY

We are planning a trip to Spain, Portugal, Morocco and Gibraltar and so in the last post I suggested several possibilities as far as what to wear and what to buy in Spain. This post centres on Portugal.

As in Spain, Italy, France and generally speaking all European cities, men and women are very well dressed. Some youth copy American fashion but for the most part I am not writing for adolescents. And so the more mature, especially in Portuguese cities, will not be wearing jeans or shorts and sneakers. One more generalization - as you go into the countryside or to the resort beach areas, dress is more casual but still not many jeans, no sweat pants and over-sized t-shirts. If you see oversized t-shirts and baggy sweatpants, the wearer is probably North American. Dark colours are a good choice for travel anyway but in Portugal, it seems only proper, especially if you are over the age of 30. When Canadians, Australians or Americans come back from visiting Portugal, they often say, "We saw black everywhere, even in the summer". You will see black a lot but that is probably more tradition than style. Wearing black is associated with the deaths of those close to you and there are certain time and kinship requirements that many still adhere too; especially those of a particular age. The older you are, the more likely you would be required to wear black for this reason.

Embroidered products and lace are essentially traditional crafts that tourists often buy. But I truly cannot think of any particular contemporary piece of clothing that you would look for in Portugal. One can say, scarves are the thing in France and so there is a lot of variety - buy scarves. One may advise - the Spanish love shoes - so buy shoes in Spain. But truly I cannot think of what to suggest for Portugal. Although, leather handbags and shoes are of decent quality and you might get lucky.

Modesty is revered in Portugal so forget dressing in an ostentatious way. Name brands won't impress anyone - essentially the Portuguese could care less. "Respectful" seems to be the best word to describe how to dress. Men in shirts with collars and pants; women in skirts and modest tops and dresses. The Portuguese seem to be more nonchalant, more relaxed and less enthused by "what to wear ". The translation for "nonchalant" is "not being concerned" and so it is with the Portuguese.

Photo Source: Dutched Pinay Travels

Of course, Oporto's main shopping street, Rua de Santa Caterina, has upscale boutiques and other shops, particularly shoes, that cater to all budgets. Thank you to Dutched Pinay Travels who gave me permission to use this photo and who has a great post about shopping on Rua de Santa Caterina. Basically you can find anything that you are looking for here. No matter what European city you are in, I think it best to seek out the local artisans and designers to pick up something unique.

Here are 3 packing guidelines that will serve you well in Portugal:

1) In Lisbon, the walking can be challenging (there are seven hills and they are steep) and cobblestone streets and walks are the norm. Take your most comfortable walking shoes, no matter what they look like.

2) If travelling in Spain, Portugal or Italy during the summer, you would be better off taking cotton and linen dresses rather than shorts and t-shirts. When in Spain, it doesn't matter how hot it is, you won't be allowed into religious sites in shorts (men included) or sleeveless tank tops (men included). I have read that Portuguese rules regarding sleeveless tops and shorts are not as restrictive as Spain and Italy. I would err on the side of caution though.

3) Spring, even summer, can be windy and bring an Atlantic chill to the air so a windbreaker would be necessary, such as one from North Face's Summit Series.

Just click on the titles below to read some other posts I wrote about travel and packing:
Business and Tourist Travel Wardrobes
Packing for a Two Week Visit to Europe
In a Man's Suitcase: Vacation in Europe
Shoes for Traveling Europe
Curiosities in Your Travels
The Bag and Packing for the Weekend or Longer

Curiosities in your Travels

Closet Content Analysis: Note-Worthy but Not in My Closet 

In my last post I suggested analyzing what people are wearing on the street of any particular city to determine what would be accessible and representative of the clothing style of the place. So that in Spain, you will be sure to find fabulous shoes, classic gold jewellery and status-seeking watches. However, there are also the products made by artisans that are curious and note-worthy - we wonder about the creativity behind the piece and we wonder if we should buy it!

Last summer I was in St. Émilion, France with my friend ShirleyB and found the most curious piece at an exhibition. For the most part the reason one visits St. Émilion is for the wine but in fact, because of the number of tourists "pouring" through, there are great exhibitions of local artists, artisans and craftspeople happening alongside the wine trade.

The most curious items I found at a St. Émilion exhibition were purses made of inner tire tubes marked "Made in Canada" and created by Céline Tonnelier of Friandise Créations of France. At 164 Euros I was not that smitten but it certainly was a curiosity and I had to take a photograph.

Purse made from re-purposed rubber inner tubes by Céline Tonnelier of Friandise Créations, France. Photo by JoyD.

Foreign Travel Closet Finds

Very often when I travel, there is always something I want to buy that is associated with my destination.

My travel history started with accompanying my husband as a chaperone on high school tours to Europe. Since then we have organized tours from Canada for adults as well. Our roles are very different with each group and traveling with adults is a tad less stressful. In our tour groups with adults we have gone to Turkey and Italy and are planning more European excursions.

Eating is necessary but our Canadian tour leader made eating a pleasure with commentary about the local foods and the wine while we were in Italy.

Dining somewhere in Italy. Photo by JoyD.

Seems that I was always taking photos of us eating; however this one is more of the views we encountered while in Italy.

Afternoon coffee or was it wine somewhere in Italy. Photo by JoyD.

This time we're eating in Turkey. Forgive me for all the food photographs but we do it at least three times a day and it was always as interesting as the sightseeing and shopping.

Eating somewhere in Turkey. Photo by JoyD.

Finally a photo of one of the group taking in the cultural and more intellectual parts of our tours . . . somewhere in Turkey.

A museum somewhere in Turkey. Photo by JoyD.

In the spring of 2015 we are planning a 12-day Portugal, Spain, Morocco & Gibraltar tour, April 13th to April 25th with adults, leaving from Canada. The groups are usually small, including couples and singles, which allows for more freedom in planning, changing or supplementing itineraries. Our deadline date for this spring group tour is the end of August so if by some chance you want to spend some time exploring and shopping in Spain, Portugal, Morocco and Gibraltar, just send an email to JoyDCreations@gmail.com and I can get the itinerary and pricing details to you. 

To determine what to buy in a country, it is a good idea to analyze what is important to the locals. As a result, you know there will be a great variety of that particular item and probably a good opportunity to buy. I'll use Spain as my first closet analysis. The "watch" as accessory and status symbol is important to both men and women in Spain. Gold jewellery that is of good quality and discrete is worn by most women and costume jewellery (bright coloured resins) is often only worn by the young. Shoes are impeccable and always in good condition and are used as fashion accessory as much as a necessity. Interestingly, many leather shoes have rubber soles and I would guess that is because of the cobblestone streets which can be tough on leather soles, let alone make walking a bit treacherous. Because shoes are coveted here, Spain manufactures fabulous shoes, leather and even rubber soled. When you analyze the local habits, essentially some of the things the locals have in their closets - in this case, watches, gold jewellery, and shoes - you have a good indication of what will be readily available and easy to buy when you visit that country.

Spanish shoppers. Photo by JoyD.

I will be "analyzing" other local closets and giving suggestions on what to pack for our trip to Spain, Portugal, Morocco and Gibraltar over the next few posts. Remember there's still time to join us.

Just click on the titles below to read some other posts I wrote about travel and packing:
Business and Tourist Travel Wardrobes
Packing for a Two Week Visit to Europe
In a Man's Suitcase: Vacation in Europe
Shoes for Traveling Europe
The Bag and Packing for the Weekend or Longer

Summer Sales Welcome Return to France

Basic Choices

Closet Content Analysis: Replacing the Worn Out during Sale Season
  
NICE             NOTE-WORTHY           NEED             NEW

I have returned to France just in time for the summer sales. However my timing is all wrong for the sales at Marques Avenue in Romans-sur-Isere. They start on Wednesday and I am on the road back to the south-west on Monday.

NICE & NEW: Officially it is the beginning of July that the sales start but I was at the Amor-Lux store in Romans-sur-Isere on June 18th where I picked up a light summer sleeveless top for only 16.00Euro. Amazing. It has a v-neck and is that pink tone in beige that is more becoming on my skin than the yellow beige tones. The armholes and neckline are edged in a satiny bias trim that is in the same tone as the body of the top. Nice!

NOTE-WORTHY: I had to buy a bigger size than my other classic Armor-Lux striped shirts. My other classic "marinieres" are a Size 2 whereas this one needed to be a 4. Yes I still fit the 2 "mariniers". When I buy at outlet malls, I often wonder about things like sizes. Could it be that this top at the outlet store was mis-sized since it was sold at a price one-quarter of what it would be in the regular Armor-Lux stores? It's a thought.

Bronze sandals purchased at Salamander. Photo by JoyD.

NEED & NEW: Availability too is often an issue at outlet malls. Since I am a popular size 7 (Canadian) / 37 (European) in shoes, I often cannot find my size. I had a beige pair of flat strappy sandals that went with everything. A strap broke and so I need to replace them. Although I did not find exactly what I was looking for, I did find a pair of metallic bronze flat sandals at Salamander for 49.00Euro in size 37, the last pair in that model.

NEED: I definitely need a pair of "sneakers" - not the thick soled walking or jogging shoes but lightweight canvas sneaker-style shoes that are casual chic and comfortable at the same time. I had a pair of white leather Keds that I loved but they are beyond repair. I just may drop into Marque Avenue before I begin my six hour journey back to the south-west tomorrow morning. Come to think of it, my beige suede flats are looking a little rundown . . . .

Shopping in Paris

I took a five day layover in Paris before returning to Canada and spent some time at Galleries Lafayette on Saturday morning. I soon became disgusted with the crowds and the overburdened sales personnel. I made it to Bon Marché in the afternoon and service there seemed better. Actually you can't blame the service personnel for their short responses and their inattentiveness since most have to be suffering from "tourist fatigue". I left without buying anything at either department store, although I did try on several sweaters. Galleries Lafayette had a sale, which also is becoming more common. There once was a time when there were only ever two sales per year in France, one in January and one in July, both required by French law. Now very often you see the "soldes/sale" signs as often as you do in North America.

Shopping in Paris can be invigorating and satisfying or just plain frustrating therefore to accomplish the best Parisian shopping experience, you might want to try a few of my suggestions:

NEED: Have a list of the items you want to buy in the price ranges you want to spend. This year I had two particular things on my list: a bulky knit pullover in a creamy pink and a pair of camel straight leg trousers. If you go with no particular item or items in your head you will soon become overwhelmed with the choices. Don't worry, your list will not limit you, there is plenty to see and divert your attention even when you are shopping for specifics. When I was working full time in my profession, I knew exactly what I needed; now it's not so easy - I don't really need anything.

With that in mind, shoes, scarves and handbags are the easiest to buy. Clothing takes more time and effort in the fitting rooms.

NOTE-WORTHY: Visit the designer shops and the ones in the department stores such as Galleries Lafayette, Printemps and Bon Marché for the perfect opportunity to get a cross-section of what the trends are for the moment. If you can afford to buy, then make your way to the luxury brand signature stores. If the luxury brands are not worth it in your estimations, then make your way to the less expensive marks in the department stores with the ideas you garnered from the designer looks.

Language and attitude sometimes make tourists reticent to visit the small boutiques. Don't deprive yourself of this opportunity. The shop owners want to sell and you are a potential buyer - you have the upper hand. Or just window shop for ideas.

NECESSARY: Remember that you are paying a Value Added Tax of approximately 19.7% on the clothing and luxury items you purchase. As a tourist you can get that back if you spend €175. or more in one store on the same day so be strategic in your buying. You have to ask for the tax back form and the store personnel will fill it out for you. And remember your passport - that number and proof that you live elsewhere is necessary for the form. I wrote about this on the Paying Duty post. 

I did buy from a shop called Sandro in the Marais. The "form" came from the cash register in the same format as the receipt. Now I don't know if all shops have this capability but this is definitely an innovation, making the process easier for both the shops and the consumer.

NICE: If you see it and like it, buy it. That is the first rule of travel. If you are in Paris as a tourist wanting to get some shopping done, you may not have the time to indulge in looking around and then returning to where you first saw something. I have been in the situation where by the time I returned to the shop, it was closed and I was leaving before it would be opened again. Be happy with your purchases, don't second guess the cost and enjoy wearing your Parisian "souvenir/s".

And if you leave Paris with nothing new in your suitcase (although I doubt that), you will leave a little more cognizant of what is chic and what is trendy, helping you spend your tourist/closet dollars at home.

Paying "duty"

I am soon to be returning to Canada and since I travel back and forth between France and Canada, I am at the mercy of airport personnel questioning me about my claims of purchases and possibly some of my high end products. I have a story about a fellow, who traveling from the USA to Canada, was questioned about his cashmere luxury brand sweater. The customs agent asked why he did not "claim" the sweater on his list of purchases. The sweater was not new. Still the agent had the authority to charge him since the traveller had no receipt. And in fact the agent was about to do exactly that. However, the sweater was old enough that the fellow had kept no receipt and so instead of paying a charge, he took the sweater off and asked the agent to throw it in the garbage. I imagine he was saying to himself, this sweater owes me nothing and he wanted to demonstrate to the customs agent, I would rather dispose of the sweater than oblige to your insistence. If he had the receipt at home, he could have paid the charge and then applied to the Canadian authorities for a refund. Here is a case where you are guilty until proven innocent.

But so it is when dealing with any customs and immigration. I understand the necessity for the authority they must posses but when it comes to sweaters and purses and shoes, sometimes I think the customs officer must be bored to be so preoccupied with such frivolous items. 

Because we travel regularly between Europe and Canada, I do not want to be red-flagged and so I am impeccable with my list and with receipts although I am still perturbed with some of the requirements expected of the traveller. I have debated this issue with a Canadian lawyer and with an accountant with Revenue Canada. I always lose the debate. The law is the law and no matter what my rationale is, none of my points are going to make a difference to the customs agent who is only doing his or her job. Therefore I defer to being meticulous with my expenses and my list.

In Europe, there is a VAT (value added tax) that can be up to 19% on certain categories of items. Store policies vary but a general rule is that on any given day, you must spend at least €175.00 and ask for a tax return document, which the shop personnel must complete. I did buy from a shop called Sandro in the Marais just last week and the "form" came from the cash register in the same format as the receipt. Now I don't know if all shops have this capability but this is definitely a recent innovation, making the process easier for both the shops and the consumer.

You need to offer passport information in this process and then you must have the purchase verified before you leave the country (go through security). This requires that you must have the receipts as well as the actual items. In Paris, if your items are in your checked baggage and you go to the tax kiosk after, you will be out of luck. They need to see the actual items. I was in Charles de Galle airport just last week and the agent did not ask to see my item however most other times I have been required to show what I bought. I wouldn't risk not putting those items in your carry-on. 

After that process, you can then check in and drop the document in the post. You will receive the tax back as a credit to your credit card account. Or you can walk a few meters to another kiosk and if you pay a commission of just over 10% you can get Euros or whatever currency at the airport. I bought an item for €195. and received €20. and change back. The actual tax was €23. and change for the purchase.

In the past, the issue here too can be that this service by shop-owners can be inconsistent - some have the forms, some don't; some have lower or higher minimal purchases and the whole process can be annoying for both sales personnel and customer. However, I do not know if all shops have the new cash register receipt form that I encountered in Paris this year. The best service for tax returns, of course, is in the department stores and in luxury brand stores. One more thing, you must have your passport for this process.

The only advice I can give, and I do follow it, is to keep all receipts  and be aware of the necessity for receipts of high end items, no matter how old, particularly when you may have already paid duty on them. 

Echoes from the voices of my mom and my Girl Guide leader are in my head, "honesty is the best policy" and "be prepared".

Wearing White

Closet Content Analysis: Whites

Nice: White Clothing in the Summer

I have always liked white in the summer although it is not the best choice when traveling. I have linen drawstring pants and shorts, several t-shirts with crew and v-necks and several different sleeve lengths, loose fitting summer tops and a cotton pullover all in white.

White Blanc du Nil "pull" on JoyD.

White Blanc du Nil Top Photo by JoyD.

This  summer, I have purchased two tops from Blanc du Nil, a shop that is only opened from May to October in most parts of France.

Everything in the store is white and there are selections for men, women and children. I needed a cotton pullover for cooler evenings and a loose cotton top for really hot days to wear when everything else "sticks". What a clever marketing plan for the summer. You will find these stores in most larger centers and I have purchased items in Arcachon and in Sarlat.

Asymmetrical top from Blanc du Nil Photo by JoyD.

Although I liked the asymmetrical top when I tried it on in the shop, it proved to be a bit of a problem when I started trying it on with different bottoms at home. Too much white with the white linen pants, too much contrast with black linen pants. Perhaps it was the proportion and the asymmetry together that I didn't like. I didn't care for it with a skirt at all. By this time, I thought I should just hem it to be the same length all around. I then tried it with a pair of mid-thigh white cotton shorts. The longest point of the asymmetrical top came to the bottom of the shorts. I don't know why this combination worked; perhaps it was this particular proportion on my particular height but I felt most comfortable with this combination.

White sleeveless shirt Photo by JoyD.

Last Saturday, a vendor employed the same marketing plan as Blance du Nil and just had white displayed. Interestingly, the stall was always full of people checking out the merchandise. Other vendors had mixtures of colourful clothing patterns but there is something very attractive in clothing colour block displays in varying tones of one colour. I bought a sleeveless cotton shirt with two horizontal lines of discreet open work. It reminded me of the edging on my antique linen flat sheets. There was no fibre content tag but it felt like cotton, not linen and for €5 it was worth it.

White t-shirts with blue & white shirt layered. Photo by JoyD.

I wrote that a white top and white pants can look like too much white so I very often wear a blue and white striped shirt as a layer in order to break apart the total white look. It works.

White can have many NO THANKS reasons to wear it but I can put up with them since I find more NICE opportunities in the summer.

Online vrs Face to Face Shopping

Closet Content Analysis: Buying Choices

Online - NO THANKS; Face to Face - NICE 

Consider NEED 

I'm not a fan of online shopping. Call me old-fashioned, call me a luddite but I would rather shop face to face for my clothing. 

NEED: My shopping has evolved over the years and there are many "office" or "work" clothing pieces I don't NEED anymore. I still occasionally "work" outside the home but for the most part my NEEDS are different. "The suit" is one of my major no longer NEED items; although I still like the look but can achieve it with a blazer as easily. I always have a NEEDS list and shop based on those identified items and am aware of sale times more so now than ever before. At least I try - to be honest, I guess I didn't NEED two pairs of skinny pants. Sigh.

NICE: Shopping as a "tourist" activity: When I'm in another city or in another country, shopping takes me to places and neighbourhoods that can be as interesting or even more so than the required tourist attractions. I also have a point of reference so that when someone asks me, "where did you get that", I can say at Printemps in Paris, 2009 or Rome where I lived temporarily while on a study tour or Vancouver in March when I went to get my French visa or here at home at the Bay or . . . What can I say? Some people collect souvenir spoons.

NOTE-WORTHY: I do use online references for my "shopping" research especially when it comes to prices and trends. But to actually order anything is still in my future? Perhaps? My experiences with sizes is particularly disconcerting so that unless I already have the brand and know the size ranges and the fit, I am hesitant to buy without actually trying on the item. Of course, many online shopping venues have good return policies but the annoyance of having to pack it and send it back overrides the convenience of it coming to my door. I have not returned much in my lifetime in clothing shopping. 

NICE: In analysis of my shopping history, my mother has been the greatest influence. Two influences for my mother were that she worked in a clothing factory sewing first and then checking product quality. Later when she moved from the city to a smaller community, she often waited to do her clothing shopping in "the city". When I was little, I remember that she disliked "catalogue" shopping thereby setting me up for the same dislike of online shopping. Checking out the seams, the zipper, the button holes, the fabric, the flaws or lack of flaws, just checking out the item before I buy was something my mother taught me and is now a hard habit to break. You might be able to empathize with me if you ordered a pair of the recalled Lululemon "see-through" yoga pants online or bought them without trying them on.

For me, "buyer beware" red flags need to be acknowledged no matter where you are buying, I just feel I have more control when I go to the vendor. It will take some convincing to get me to become an online shopper.