My clothing and accessory acquisitions in Paris were few, but they were significant. I mentioned buying a few pieces of clothing and toys for Baby Boy and my sweater purchases at Monoprix and Cos. There were two other important items that I brought home with me.

The first is my purchase, a new black leather tote bag. I’ve been on a quest for a black leather tote bag since early spring. I’ve looked high (priced) and low (priced) to find that perfect item. Do you ever find yourself searching for that perfect item? I must also have a doctoral degree in that subject.

My big-ticket purchases are typically driven by utility. I’m willing to fork over more cash when purchasing something that will be worn frequently. I don’t understand an unwillingness to spend 5 times more on a handbag than a reasonably priced coat. A coat is seasonal and probably not even worn every day during its season, whereas a handbag, if properly purchased, can be worn year-round, every day. Yes, I’m referencing cost per wear, that phrase that was so en vogue a couple of years ago but which we’re probably all a bit tired of now. The concept is still just as relevant today. But I digress.

I saved money for shopping in Paris, and then off I went, with the dictate implanted in my brain that I must remember to set aside enough money to buy a black leather tote bag; after all, that’s what I really needed. The lovely Gucci tote bag that I bought as a gift for myself after being admitted to the bar was getting beyond the well-worn stage and my mother had told me more than once that I needed a new bag. In a future post, I’ll share the black tote bags I considered and other great black leather tote bags.

Anyway, I thought I would keep my eye out for a black leather tote in Paris, but I didn’t expect to find one there, and certainly not one that would be any cheaper than the bag I already had on the brain. I was partially correct. I found a tote bag. It wasn’t cheaper than the one I had on the brain, but— it was cheaper than it would have been in the U.S.

Not even 10 minutes after beginning to browse Galeries Lafayette after that lovely brunch at Angelina that I mentioned here, my hawk eyes focused on a chocolate brown leather Givenchy Antigona tote bag. For months I had held the black version of this tote bag in highest esteem as the type of bag to which I would aspire when searching for my black leather tote bag. I certainly had no intention of paying the steep price. But once again I was drawn to the bag, and upon seeing it for the first time in person, I was compelled to try it on. The chocolate brown was absolutely gorgeous, but as I told the salesperson, “I’m really looking for a black leather tote.” She replied that she had the tote in black and disappeared and reappeared in an instant with the lovely black leather goodness. I slipped it on my arm. It looked just right. At that moment, my mother appeared out of nowhere and said, “Oooooh!” My mother is a woman of discriminating taste, so any item that gets this sort of reception from her is certainly special. I asked the saleswoman the price and I was surprised to learn that it sounded rather reasonable.

Back at the apartment that night, I calculated the conversion rate. I was a bit baffled. I then visited Barneys website to check the price of the item. Although European items are typically a little cheaper when purchased in Europe, I was astounded to learn that the same bag was about $600 more at Barneys. I told myself that this might be the bag to buy, but that I would have to wait and see what else I found in Paris before I decided to buy it.

Dear readers, you know what happened next, I held out for the bag. Because I would rather have something beautiful and functional that I wear every day than several items that are nice but not as well-loved and frequently worn. That and I find it difficult to pass up a a savings of approximately $700 (after tax refund) on a beautiful designer handbag.

I must confess that while waiting for the salesperson to wrap up my tote bag, I was tempted to pick up a pair of the Givenchy shark tooth ballet flats, which were also cheaper in Paris than in the U.S. They were très chic. But I resisted the impulse.

The salesperson packaged my tote bag up in a gigantic Givenchy bag tied with black ribbon. I don’t remember the last time I toted a shopping bag so large, and it was kind of fun to walk the streets of Paris with an obnoxiously large yet chic shopping bag. It felt like a little public celebration of my purchase. As I sat in the window of Café de la Paix with my best friend later that morning and afternoon, I noticed out of the corner of my eye that the bag was catching the attention of passersby. Before opening my purchase, I posed for photos with it in the apartment we rented, the French flag flying in the background of a nearby building.

I can report that I’ve been quite happy with my purchase. I wear it daily and it works just as well as a travel bag and baby bag as it does as a work bag. One of my favorite aspects of the bag is the wonderfully aromatic scent of the leather. That scent is one of my favorites.

Do you tend to search for the “perfect item?”

What are your thoughts on the “cost per wear” concept?

1. Realize that Paris, despite what many say, is not the most child-friendly city. Prior to my trip, I read that if dining with a small child past 7 p.m., one might be met with disapproval, but I didn’t expect to feel that having a child in Paris was out of the ordinary. Yes, there are children in Paris, but you may still receive stares from people who appear as if they have never encountered a child on the street before. Surprisingly, I noticed more children out on a cold evening in Montmarte, which has more of nightlife element than many parts of Paris, than I did in other places. It could be that the hip neighborhood draws more young families than other areas of Paris.

2. Take the bus. Every piece of advice I read about taking public transportation with children prior to my trip recommended taking the bus instead of the metro, and my experience confirmed this. Some metro stations have elevators, but many do not. Unlike the subway stations in New York, there typically isn’t a single set of stairs at the entrance/exit to a subway station, but rather several sets of stairs throughout. And, on the bus in Paris, unlike in New York, you’re able to travel without folding up your stroller.

3. Pack a fold up booster seat and stroller. Some restaurants in Paris have high chairs, but for those that do not, I recommend traveling with a fold-up booster seat that can fit into the storage pocket on your stroller. Having a lightweight, umbrella stroller is also helpful for situations where you will have to fold up your stroller and store it.

4. Have snacks on hand. Although this is good advice for any situation, it is especially important when traveling. There’s no need to pack a ton of snacks in your suitcase; fruit and vegetable pouches are sold at stores like Monoprix.

5. Take a beloved stuff animal. I allowed Baby Boy to pick out one stuffed animal to take with us on the trip; he appropriately picked his stuffed giraffe, a gift from my best friend and her beau, who live in Paris. Having a stuffed animal along gives a child a sense of comfort when in new surroundings.

6. Plan activities around your child’s interests. It can be difficult to balance adult and child activities, but everyone will be happier if the little ones get to do some things that they enjoy. One of my favorite aspects of the trip was seeing Baby Boy experience a new place with new things for the first time. Because Baby Boy is obsessed with all modes of transportation, we made a special trip to Le Train Bleu restaurant, rode the metro, took a Seine river cruise, rode the bus, and spent some time simply watching the buses go by. Along with playing on the playground with French children, Baby Boy also enjoyed going up in the Eiffel Tower and riding the nearby carousel.

7. Prepare your child for the trip before your trip. As I mentioned in this post, I prepared Baby Boy for our trip to Paris by reading books about Paris. We talked about what we would see and do in Paris. While we were visiting, he was able to recognize some of the things we had read about. And after our trip, he still talks about the things that we saw and did in Paris.

8. Expect your child’s sleep patterns to alter. The time change and flight will require your child at least several days to adjust. Baby Boy didn’t fully adjust to the time change during the week we were in Paris; he slept later each day than he usually does at home. On the first day in Paris, he napped practically the entire day; it’s good to plan an activity that children wouldn’t ordinarily enjoy, such as shopping, on the first day.

9. Have someone on hand to care for your child while you do those activities that are hard/impossible to do with a child. Paris can be a wonderful place to explore with a child; novel sights and sounds are good for a child’s brain, but there are of course some places and activities where it’s not appropriate to bring a child. For both you and your child’s sake, I recommend having a third (or fourth person) available who can spend time with your child while you take advantage of Paris. On our trip, my best friend watched Baby Boy so my mom and I could have some precious time together and my mom did the same so I could spend some quality time with my best friend. Of course, if you don’t have someone you know available to care for your child, English speaking babysitting services are abundant in Paris.

10. Buy mementos for your child to keep the memories alive after the trip ends. An Eiffel Tower figurine is an excellent memento. Since Baby Boy loves buses, we made sure to pick up quality replicas of the Paris bus and ambulance; he also received a Paris garbage truck as a birthday gift from my parents. He loves playing with these items, pointing to them, and stating that they are from Paris. It’s a good way for him to remember the trip.

Paris certainly has a wealth of shopping opportunities: the Champs-Élysées, which I find to be the Paris equivalent of Fifth Avenue; the rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré, which I liken to Madison Avenue in New York; charming boutiques in the Marais; and the vaunted department stores, to name a few. When I previously traveled to Paris, I didn’t have time to take advantage of the shopping; this time around, I wanted to make sure that I did.

I have many treasured childhood memories of shopping in a department store with my mother and even my maternal grandmother. Shopping in department stores is something we’ve been doing together all of my life. Although Printemps is considered by many to be the most prestigious department store in Paris and Le Bon Marche has its fair share of the praise, it’s Galeries Lafayette that holds a special place for us.

The last time my mother and I were in Europe together, we spent a happy afternoon in Nice browsing Galeries Lafayette. Our trip to Galeries Lafayette eight years ago yielded two great pieces that I still wear today. The first item is a Comptoir des Cotonniers black boucle jacket that I have worn with everything from cocktail dresses to jeans, and often with pearl necklaces. The second item is a silk scarf with a scene of Paris printed on it. I don’t remember the price of either item, but I do remember that they were both on sale and reasonably priced (another reason why we loved Galeries Lafayette). This experience was my first exposure to Comptoir des Cotonniers, a brand that wasn’t sold in the U.S. until years later. I loved having a piece that wasn’t available in the U.S. Now that Comptoir des Cotonniers is sold in New York, I always check out their merchandise at my neighborhood boutique and have managed to pick up a few more pieces.

Considering our previous experience at Galeries Lafayette in Nice, we hoped that we would be just as impressed with the store the second time around in Paris; we were definitely not disappointed. Galeries Lafayette has a number of quality restaurants, cafes, and snack bars, including an outpost of Salumeria Rosi, one of my favorite restaurants in New York! We started our trip with brunch at Angelina. The café wasn’t crowded, so we enjoyed a relaxing breakfast with the most delicious grapefruit juice and a fantastic quiche.

Galeries Lafayette is organized as a boutique experience. All of the major designers have their own areas, some separated from the other designers’ merchandise by walls. Galeries Lafayette carries a staggering number of designers and brands. The first couple of hours browsing at the store were not the easiest with a toddler in tow, but my mother tended to Baby Boy while I tried to run around the store, scan the merchandise as quickly as possible, and make mental notes of my favorite items. As I often do, I spotted one of my big purchases of the trip early on, which I’ll reveal in a later post.

When my best friend arrived to meet us, we had a lot of ground left to cover. My best friend kindly offered to have a play date with Baby Boy so my mother and I could finish our shopping expedition. So my mother and I had the gift of time to shop together, just the two of us. As always, I enjoyed spotting pretty things with her and discussing this piece and that. She’ll always be my favorite shopping companion.

I saw so many wonderful pieces at the store, and several that were reasonable enough to buy. My mom ended up purchasing my birthday and Christmas gifts at Galeries Lafayette, so I cannot share these finds with you until after I receive them. Even though we made a number of purchases, I still feel like I barely skimmed all of the wonderful merchandise at Galeries Lafayette. Everywhere I turned, I found another beautiful item. The selection was somewhat overwhelming, and I recommend spending an entire day at Galeries Lafayette if you can spare it, rather than the 4 hours or so that we spent browsing there. We didn’t even begin to cover the shoe, jewelry, or cosmetics departments!

Galeries Lafayette is truly one stop shopping. There’s no need to traipse all over Paris looking for Comptoir des Cotonneirs, APC, Sandro, and other fantastic French (and even American) brands, because they’re all under one roof at Galeries Lafayette! Shopping in one place also makes the process of obtaining a tax refund easier. At Galeries Lafayette, all receipts are taken to a central office where a single tax form is created, rather than having to deal with a number of forms. With the exception of a few freestanding boutiques, on future trips to Paris, I will shop exclusively at Galleries Lafayette (and perhaps some other department stores as well).

Aside from my gifts and my purchase that I’ll reveal later on, I found some lovely clothing and delightful toys for my son. The children’s merchandise at Galeries Lafayette is just as fabulous as the women’s merchandise.

One of the best parts of our trip to Galeries Lafayette was the little snack break that we had at the café serving Pierre Herme goodies. Pierre Herme is renowned for its macarons. We took the time to enjoy dessert and a glass of champagne while gazing at Galeries Lafayette’s multi-story Christmas tree. The dessert I selected was the exact dessert I had dreamed about having in Paris, cream and raspberries sandwiched in between two macarons. It was a beautiful delicacy and quite tasty too. Having a glass of champagne and dessert is certainly my ideal way of capping off a shopping trip! When in Paris…

Do you like to shop in department stores? Or do you prefer shopping in individual boutiques?
If you have traveled in France, have you experienced the French department stores? What do you think of them?
What would your ideal shopping experience be like?

Today I’m returning the favor and guest posting about one of my favorite Parisian experiences on The Gray Suit. Please stop by. Here’s a taste of my trip to Paris. More photos and finds to follow!

I’m a fan of Physique 57, the challenging barre-based workout touted by celebrities such as Kelly Ripa. Physique 57 combines strength training, pilates, and isometrics into a fantastic 57 minute workout.

It has been awhile since I’ve made it to a Physique 57 studio, but I’ll be returning this Saturday for a 90 minute workshop to benefit Hurricane Sandy victims. (If you don’t live in NY or LA, you might be interested in the Physique 57 DVDs). All proceeds from this $57 workshop will be donated to the American Red Cross Hurricane Relief Fund. Sign up here and join me this Saturday from 5:30- 5:00 p.m. at Physique 57’s 57th Street location! Lindi, my favorite instructor, will be teaching.

For those unable to attend the class, I encourage you to donate to The Red Cross. It’s always stylish to give!

As your styleaspirations.com writer is away in Paris (lucky!), I have been asked to post a guest writer article. Friends simply know me as “Traveler” from The Gray Suit blog. I was asked to find Paris-specific goods to pack.

So, how about virtual packing? Pack the apps to leave space for all those clothes! Here are some of my top suggestions for virtual items you’ll want for Paris.

Styleaspirations.com readers will love the Chic Walks app that will guide you to all kinds of shopping experiences. If you want luxury, discount, brand names or little-known boutiques – you’ll be able to find it here.

Are you a foodie? Then you must pack Patricia Wells’ Food Lover’s Guide to Paris app! With maps, blurbs and a well-organized directory – you’re quickly on your way to an amazing dinner, market or glass of wine!

If you’re like me, you enjoy navigating the streets like a local and not standing out as a tourist by studying maps as crowds rush by. Find the routes you need to take on the Paris Metro app. Plan out your routes and then walk confidently and chicly amidst the Parisians.

How about discreetly reading guidebook information on your ebook or tablet? Lonely Planet ebooks will save space in your bag and also look sleeker. Take it a step further and download Lonely Planet apps – access audio tours, city guides and phrase books. Don’t miss out!

What travel apps help you when you’re abroad?

Last week I was honored to be invited to my first fashion presentation- at Carolina Herrera’s Madison Avenue showroom.  It was a lovely event, complete with a light brunch and gifts of Vie Luxe candles for attendees.  Unfortunately Mrs. Herrera did not grace us with her presence; however, I once saw her standing on the first floor of her showroom as I was passing by outside.  Of course, she was perfectly coiffed and wearing her signature white button down shirt with elegant espadrilles.

Carolina Herrera, known for creating luxurious, feminine fashion that epitomizes ladylike chic, has dressed stylish women from Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis to Renee Zellweger.   She is a recipient of Spain’s Gold Medal for Merit in the Fine Arts and winner of both the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) Womenswear Designer of the Year (2004) and the CFDA Geoffrey Beene Lifetime Achievement Award (2008).

Even though Carolina Herrera’s price points may be beyond most of our budgets, we can still find inspiration for our own personal styleaspirations.  I captured photos of some of the looks that most inspired me.  In order to not create a disturbance, I sat in the second row, so my iPhone photos are not the greatest.  I have supplemented them with runway photos of the looks that I viewed.

At the presentation I attended, the models’ makeup was soft with shimmering lipstick.  Their faces were pale and highlighted with dabs of blush.  The models’ hair was manipulated into minimalist, sleek ponytails that did not detract from the beauty of the clothing.

In Ms. Herrera’s Spring 2013 collection, ivory dominated, along with orange, seafoam green, yellow, and black.  Many of the pieces were printed with geometric or abstract patterns.  The collection focused on knee length and floor length sleeveless dresses, often worn with thin belts.  The cuts and materials, such as chiffon, crepe, and organza, lent to the overall light and soft draping effect of the clothing.  A few of the dresses had tiny buttons running down the back, a la Pippa Middleton as maid of honor.  There were a couple of pants outfits featured with a decidedly 70’s vibe; high waisted pants with a fuller leg were paired with a drapey bow blouse.  The collection was worn with criss-crossing stacked heeled sandals in complementing colors.

It’s difficult to see in the photo, but my favorite piece was a pale seafoam green dress in a jacquard-type print that had a high waist and a fuller skirt. The dress was also made into a longer evening gown. Unfortunately, I have been unable to locate clearer photos of these pieces. I loved the colors and the simplicity of these pieces. Inspired by 1950’s fashion, they seemed to elicit the most admiration from the group.

What do you think of Carolina Herrera’s Spring 2013 collection? 
Which designer’s presentation would you most like to attend? 
Which designers’ Spring 2013 collections do you prefer?