Paris Shops: Les Puces de Saint-Ouen FLORENCE NUGUE

One of my favorite things to do in the wonderful city of Paris is to roam for hours around the INCREDIBLE flea Market. It has to be one of my favorite places to shop on earth! I could spend my whole trip here. If they would let me pitch a tent and crash over night I do believe I would. One of the best stalls is number

Florence Nugue has the perfect mix of everything. Including clothing, accessories, furniture and interesting little trinkets. It's also extremely organized and artfully merchandised. So although you feel like you are uncovering little gems, you don't really have to dig around and get you hands dirty. Not that I don't take pleasure in that as well! This stall really gives you the feeling you are roaming around some collectors home. It's intimate, friendly and inviting.

This was so interesting. They speculate that it may be either an old hot water bottle. Or possibly a way to smuggle illegal alcohol. Looked like a proper sized little flask to me. But then again, I may have a problem.... HA!

The Clignancourt Market is huge and vast. So be ready to give your little "pieds" a bit of a work out. You can find Florence Nugue in the Marché Vernaison, Allée 1 Stand 29. When you find it "Tell Them Taryn Sent You"!

Gros Bisous!

~taryn xx

Paris Shops: Chine Machine

At

and #22

You can find the amazing

Chine Machine has awesome vintage with really reasonable prices and a ton of personality! There is a good mix of merchandise here and a pretty lot of it so you may have to spend some time flipping through but it's TOTALLY worth it! We spent hours here chatting with the incredible shop girl who, just to rub it in my one language speaking face spoke 3, including sparkling perfect English damn you (but thank you!!) you beautiful, friendly and trilingual woman! We had a ton of fun here in and out of the dressing room and found some real gems.

Don't miss checking out the downstairs as well

I had my eye on this yummy little Lanvin.

and these silk harem pants

and any store that has a selection of fishnet body stockings gets a thumbs up from me!! Meow.
Stop by Chine Machine in Monmarte, you are sure to be happy you did! Tell Taryn Sent You!! Happy Shopping!

~taryn x

Paris Shops: Brocante

Here's another reason why I love Paris (as if I needed more). We were roaming around Montmarte, I had a couple of leads on cool shops and wanted to revisit some I had been to before but could only slightly remember where exactly they were. So I planned for a bit of roaming, which in Paris is more of a pleasure than an inconvenience. You get to see beautiful architecture, meet interesting people, stop for a glass of wine when the old "pieds" need a rest and best of all you have the opportunity to stumble upon something like this.

Walking down

We came across this little treasure!

at first I wasn't sure if it was open, or what exactly it was in fact. Although as I squinted my eyes to peer inside I saw the sweet and welcoming face of the shop owner beckoning me in.

Once inside I was beyond words. It was like standing inside an antique museum. Every where I looked there was something beautiful and interesting to hold my attention. It is a wonderful resource for any Vintage Shopper, Wardrobe/Jewelry Designer or Costumer. First my eyes went right to this pin cushion stabbed to it's capacity with a sparkly plethora of gorgeous brooches and pins.

Then I almost stumbled over myself to get to these. Leather button up leg ware?? I practically busted open the victorian buttons so I could try and fit them around my ham hock sized legs. As I did I looked over at the sweet and gracious shop owner who said in a polite and lovely chuckle, Madmoiselle, c'est pour les enfants..." Oh sheesh! Yes, yes of course for "les enfants", for children. Right. Rats, not another reason to have a baby, note to self HAVE A BABY. Ok what's next?

a box of vintage hats and cloches?? YES! Thank you that will do! Scratch the baby! No have the baby AND take the leather leggings. Aiy! My brain is just too confused with all these beautiful things!!!

and then... Oh glory. This hat was just too divine. The site of it calmed me.

There are also drawers and drawers full of beautiful antique knitting and sewing notions, buttons, pins, thread and other necessities.

A case filled with gorgeous victorian head combs, pins, earrings and more.....

To be honest, my head was spinning from all of the amazing things in Brocante I feel my pictures hardly do it justice. It's just one room but I could have spent the whole day there. Brocante will definitely be on my list of shops to frequent whenever I visit Paris. If you have the chance I would definitely seek this place out.

and here's where to find it

"Tell Them Taryn Sent You"! You can say, you know, the frantic American girl with the camera who was drooling all over everything!

Gros Bisous!

~taryn xx

Paris Shops: L'Objet qui Parle

In the 18th Arr. Take a stroll down to number 86 on

(Near Rue D'Orsel)

There is a little beautiful and mysterious shop called

"L'Objet qui Parle", which very fittingly means "The Object that Speaks". It's name gives way to how intriguing the actual boutique is. The antique and inviting items spilling outside welcome you into this tiny little room filled to the gills with gorgeous antique crystal chandeliers, random taxidermy animals, religious paraphernalia among other intrigues. Just standing in this place for a minute will transport you to another place as it is bizzare and beautiful indeed.

Take a peek inside!

For a practical purchase I would look to the lighting fixtures as well as the antique kitchen wares. But if you're in the market for a stuffed owl there's a couple of those as well....

Tell Them Taryn Sent You! But don't be surprised if the items have a thing or to to say back to you!

~taryn xx

And

right next door there is a little vintage shop that stocks mostly 60's and 70's garbs.

Tell them I sent you as well!

~taryn xx

Paris Shops: Caverne a Fripes

You'll find this unassuming little shop in the 18th Arrondissement on

You can take the Metro to Rue Des Abbesses and you are just a couple of blocks away. Walk down Rue Des Abbesses turn on Rue Houdon and look for the little yellow sign. When you get there you walk down a few steps to enter into this cavern like double room full of dusty little gems.

I love this little place as it is real Parisian thrifting. The racks are bursting with stuff, there are piles in every corner and the shop owner is a slightly surly but loving gentleman who plays chess and smokes cigarettes while you shop.

We pulled out these as some of our favorite finds.

This one because doesn't every gal need a moo moo covered in zodiac symbols?

Yet shoppers keep in mind... I wouldn't really haggle with this guy, and I'll tell you the story of why in this little tale about a certain Guy Laroche silk jacket. You see I spotted this beautiful Guy Laroche silk jacket. I must admit it really was a find. It was in great vintage condition and priced quite reasonably at 20 Euros. But personally I AM going against the US dollar and I WAS thinking I would want to change the buttons and Hey, I AM just a single girl living on a single girls budget (excuses, excuses). So we were bold and asked if that would be his final price. I know, I know I should have just left well priced, in good condition, vintage designer lie but I figured well why not? Who knows? It can't hurt to ask. Well yes... yes in fact in CAN hurt to ask. He gave us this look of calm disbelief and in a grunt that can only be achieved with many years of experience (in shopping as well as smoking) he said "Mais, c'est Guy Laroche, et ce n'est pas cher". Needless to say I did blush a little and place the jacket down for a minute, more to regain my pride and re check my wallet. But as I did he picked up the jacket, scribbled something on it's label and disappeared into the other room. We put our attention else where but all the time I was thinking of my Guy Laroche, where he had taken it and what he had written on it's now very attractive price tag. When I found it, just as I expected he had remarked the jacket at 30 euros!.... Ouch. Sometimes I should just keep my big mouth shut. At that point I was too embarrassed to ask for it at the original 20euros (damn my pride) So... Ok fine Monsieur, well played. You win this one.

But then to ease my troubles I spotted this on the way out!and at 10 euros it was within my meager single gals budget. So THERE, take that! She's mine now and isn't she wonderful?! I also felt better when I paid and Monsieur gave me a sweet little wink as well as a "Bonne Journée", insuring that all is fair in Love, War and Vintage Shopping! Go visit Canverne et Frips and Tell Them Taryn Sent You! Happy Shopping but beware do NOT mock the prices!
taryn xx