Today marked the first true shopping day in France. My family went to Aix-en-Provence, the sunny, charming town full of universities and fountains. The town is also full of incredibly great stores. I spent awhile in a shoe store, marveling at the popularity of Birkenstock sandals; I also spent a long time browsing in the open market, and scored a cute cotton top.
The best education I received in Aix was obtained during lunch at an outdoor cafe. After I stopped giving the stink eye to the woman at the next table who switched bread baskets with us when I went to the restroom, I set my sights on the passersby.
From teenage girls to 70+ old women, the look was chic. Scarves were not very prevalent, but above-the-knee length linen dresses in white, black, and khaki were everywhere. Ruffles on skirts and dresses were worn by the younger crowd, but women of all ages wore the shorter dresses. Almost every woman had a gladiator sandal though some wore wedge sandals. To me, they all looked very casual, comfortable, and fashionable.
My only regret of the day was getting in Aix too late for the open produce market. It is supposed to be extraordinary!
 I know you've been on the edge of your seat, wondering if I packed well for my 5 week trip. Well, as of today, I have worn everything I packed! Bringing the pashmina and scarf have pulled together many an outfit, and the jeans I purchased in Paris got me through several cool and rainy days. The light raincoat I tossed in at the last minute saved me from getting wet. Am I tired of anything yet? No, but I would like to replace the simple silver hoop earrings I lost as I feel funny without them, and it would be nice to find a pretty sundress.
Rolling the clothing up to pack has allowed me to squeeze in the little gifts I've picked up along the way. My girls seem to have packed well also. And once my husband obtained his French pool-approved Speedo, he was set.
Well, we are now in Provence, after spending a week in the Champagne region and in central France with relatives. During that special week, my clothing obsession took a back seat to my food obsession. We ate like royalty! I loved the savory meats (yes, me!), delicious cheeses, incredible breads, and wonderful fruit tarts that ended every meal. Of course the champagne made by my mom's cousin added a delightful element to the meals. Frankly, I did not shop much nor did I pay much attention to what people were wearing since I was so focused on the current or upcoming meals!
We are now in the Champagne region, staying with family. Don got a lesson in French swimsuit fashion today when he was not allowed to use a local pool due to his "surfer shorts." We had to purchase him a "boxer speedo" from a vending machine. It was a memorable day!
 Last night I started to put away things in my room, making space for the family who will be living in our house while we live in their house in France. Of course I enjoy de-cluttering and organizing and happily got rid of some things. What stands out about this space-making is how light it has made me feel. After I'd stored my jewelry, just keeping out a plastic Swatch, a silver chain with a simple pearl pendant, and my silver hoop earrings, I realized how easy it would be to accessorize. When I got dressed today, I put on these 3 items and was ready to go. There was no fussing over what would go best, what earrings would complement the necklace I wore, or what watch to wear. I felt relieved and surprised to wonder if choosing jewelry on a daily basis was truly something I liked to do. Then I spoke with a friend today whose mother's house was recently burglarized. She lost all of her jewelry, including beloved pieces from her mother, mother-in-law, deceased husband, and grandmother. Her sadness made me re-think my recent feelings. Would I feel so liberated if my jewelry was taken away from me, or did having a choice in the matter make me feel free? In any event, I think wearing the same clothing and jewelry for 5 weeks will be a good experience. Most of us can live with a lot less than what we have.
It's important to remember how artistically gifted and incredibly creative clothing designers are. I forget this sometimes when outrageous outfits come strutting down the runways on models' emaciated bodies. But after seeing the extraordinary Yves Saint Laurent exhibit today at Paris' Petit Palais, I have a renewed respect for designers.
Room after room contained simple white mannequins wearing Saint Laurent's exquisite creations, from ball gowns, to simple day dresses, to his famous le smoking, to safari jackets, and on and on. I found myself talking to myself a lot, in wonderment over the beautiful tailoring and workmanship of the clothing. The pants, dresses, skirts, jackets, and hats were true works of art. It was fascinating to see YSL's inspirations; works by Mondrian and Picasso could be seen interpreted by the designer in jackets and skirts; and he looked at the colors and history of art and clothing in Africa, Spain, Russia, and China to influence some of his most striking pieces.
The second to last room featured 4 rows of black clothing he designed perched on the wall on black mannequins. Breathtaking!
Here we are in beautiful Santa Barbara. It's June. . . it's cold and foggy! But I want to wear my new printed skirts, and my maxi dresses, and my cute tank tops! What is a woman to do? Today I wore what I call my June SB uniform: white jeans, a pretty, colored t-shirt, and a merino wool sweater. I feel good because I am wearing light colors, yet I am warm in my sweater. And when the sun peeks out at 4 pm, I can shed the sweater and revel in the sunlight. On other days I wear my white or regular denim jeans rolled up with a summer tank and my merino sweater. Sometimes I switch it up, wearing my army green pants. I can't wait for sunny days!
How fortunate to have 2 consignment stores (my favorite kind of shops!) right around the corner from our rented apartment in Paris! Just like at home, it's necessary to weed through some things, but there are some great bargains to be had. I am loving just walking around our cute neighborhood--near the Sacre Coeur--window shopping. There are incredible bakeries, darling shops selling everything from clothing to perfume to stationery, and charming cafes. I am in heaven!
   On Monday, June 7, I will arrive in Paris with my husband and 2 girls. We are spending a week in Paris, where I hope to do a bit of Wardrobe Wisdom shopping research in between going to museums and seeing the sights. Then we will visit my mom's cousins in the north and in central France before spending 2 weeks in Provence, where I've never been. Our last stops will be to visit family in the Swiss Alps and in northern Germany. It took a lot of persistence to convince my husband that this trip was a good idea. His arguments were valid and logical, but I persevered with romantic and somewhat illogical arguments. In the end, he could see I was not going to give up, and that I would take the girls and go without him if he continued to be a stinker. Since he cannot bear to be left out, I soon heard him say, with a heavy sigh, that he would go too. You would think I was asking him to tour a prison! I am most looking forward to eating delicious food, seeing my family, and relishing all the richness of European culture. I fantasize about spending days in the Paris shops, but realize I will be lucky to dart in and out of a few. I do know we will have crepes with Nutella on the streets, and will check out the Rodin museum. I hope we can go to Versailles. My husband and I will drink champagne with our champagne-making family in Bouzy (I am not making that name up), and we will feel like we're in a Ricola commercial in Switzerland. Seeing the looks of wonder and joy on my girls' faces will be the very best part of this adventure. Those looks and their memories of the trip will be priceless. I'll be blogging from our various stops, so stay tuned for posts from Europe!
 Knowing how to apply makeup well is a gift. With the proper application, makeup can enhance our best features and downplay those we are not so keen on. When I was growing up in the 1970s, in Newport Beach before it became so ostentatious and glitzy, girls did not wear makeup. Sure, we put Vaseline on our lips and eyelashes, but hardly anyone wore more than that, even at formal dances. Consequently, I did not play around with makeup like other girls and young women, and entered college ignorant of those skills. Things have not changed dramatically now that I am in my 40s. While I have had a few makeovers since my teens, they have often left me feeling like a hooker. The "light touch" I request does not always compute with young women at department store makeup counters. And though I have watched friends apply makeup with an expert hand, I've not felt competent in this area. Talking to clients and friends has revealed that I am not alone in my makeup know-how deficit. So imagine how delighted I was to meet makeup artist Holly Atkins. She understands and listens to what a woman wants makeup-wise, and has vast experience helping women feel beautiful. This fall Holly will be helping me put together a special event, highlighting makeup techniques. I'll keep you posted. You can reach Holly at hydeparkholly@gmail.com.
I imagine everyone in Santa Barbara knows by now that Patty Montana in Goleta is closing its doors forever. This Tuesday week was the start of the big sale. In 1995 I was driving down Calle Real and saw the Patty Montana sign. Having been familiar with the original PM on Canon Perdido, I could hardly contain my excitement. Within months I was working there a few days a week while working at SBCC. What a great place to work! I was surrounded by beautiful clothing--all the things I loved such as simple t-shirts, jeans, and skirts made out of cotton and linen. I also adored the silver jewelry. When my manager, and good friend, went on maternity leave at Patty, I took over. This meant I had to order some things, request return authorizations for others, make bank deposits, and handle customer concerns. Being in charge was enjoyable since the shop was small and the responsibilities were manageable. I worked at Patty before, during, and after my two girls were born. Sometimes I would underestimate the size of my expanding belly and would bump into shelves. On the dead slow, rainy days, during the center's renovation period, I knit my soon-to-be-born daughter's first afghan. I remember when Jeannine's Bakery was briefly on the corner and I would go there for treats twice a day. Good times. Once the shop was sold, the new owner brought in more merchandise and had a more eclectic aesthetic. Still, I enjoyed chatting with wonderful customers and helping them find clothing and accessories that made them feel good. In all, I worked in the store for 15 years. I'll miss the shop and the special people who worked there as well as the loyal customers. I wish another charming women's boutique would come to Goleta.
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