Among my friends and colleagues I’ve noticed a reoccurring trend, the effort to buy from second-hand shops in search of vintages pieces; opting for the sustainable route. Quality becoming more important, especially fabrics—as they say, quality over quantity.
Luckily I ran into a friend of mine roaming along canal Saint Martin in the 10th district of Paris, a very up and coming area full of trendy second-hand shops and hip bars. This lovely Fashionista is very simple, choosing neutral colors to complement her chosen lifestyle, opting for the comfortable; a wearable option of flats over high heels. Since arriving in Paris she expressed to me how her style has toned down a bit evolving into something much more simple. The quality of fabric becoming essential to her style. “Looking at the shop window of Zara and H&M or any another mass production clothing store, the clothes look pretty, but once you enter and touch it you can see and feel the lack of quality in the fabric, as well as a lack of passion put into making the clothing.”
Who’s the influence on such a truly effortless style? Well, your everyday average person. This Fashionista looks to her own peers, people riding the metro, old photos of movie stars and chic fashion magazines. She creates a style that exudes ‘I’m not trying too hard because I don’t need too’. Emma Morrison once said, “There is nothing better than a really pretty dress paired with an ugly shoe, ‘hence my Birkenstocks’.” Her chosen outfit: a beautiful sun dress bought at a second-hand shop in Paris. When she first tried on this dress she said she felt like Carrie Bradshaw from Sex in the City and just had to buy it. She wore platform Birkenstocks for extra comfort, as well as her vintage messenger bag with which she’s had many travel experiences with.
Captured:Â I spotted this Fashionista walking along Canal Saint Martin in Paris, France.
