“The Parisienne’s signature item is that vital detail that brings her outfit together, from head to toe.
You don’t have to spend a decade’s worth of salary on your wardrobe, or flaunt designer brands the whole time. All you need is one signature item: the one you wear when you need to feel strong.”
(How to be Parisian, page 30)
My vintage Chanel flap bag and my leather Dolce Vita skirt.
I never really understood why people always said “Confidence is sexy,” or “Confidence is the best accessory.” I have always interpreted confidence as arrogance. Now I realize it is not arrogance, and it is something I admire about others. A confident person probably walked out the door this morning feeling their best and ready to take on the day’s challenges. But what’s their secret? A respectable upbringing? A healthy breakfast? More than 4 hours of sleep?
It could be any of those things. Or maybe they have a secret weapon: a signature item.
How to be Parisian dictates several times that designer items are gaudy and to steer clear of them. But the book also says that Parisians always break the rules. My signature item is my vintage Chanel flap bag. I bought it second-hand, and I love the look of it’s worn-out leather. It looks as if it has been passed down for generations. Chanel flap bags appreciate in price every year, so I’m glad I was able to get my little hands on this classic. I hope I have a daughter one day so that I can pass it down to her. Hopefully, she won’t sell it on eBay to make a quick buck. (I may have to take it to the grave.)
While my Chanel bag looks great with almost everything, I save it for special occasions, or times I “need to feel my strongest,” like when I know I’m going to run into my worst enemy. Because its such a classic item, I feel like a lady who has my sh*t together.
The next item in my closet that makes me feel special is my leather Dolce Vita skirt. The shape makes it chic, while the texture makes it bad-ass. I paired my skirt with my purse to an interview for a fashion PR internship. I was hired on the spot. I’m pretty sure my outfit–I mean, my confidence–got me the job.
parisienneinsf.wordpress.com 
I love the idea of signature items, like Ryan Gosling’s scorpion jacket in the movie, Drive. So much so that I had this faux leather jacket that I wore since Junior year of high school that was badass as hell until it fell apart. I have no signature item now, and I’m LOST. Anyways, even though the topic is kinda out of my league I get the feeling! Excellent blog.
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I really like what you’ve done with this blog. It’s so funny that this started because someone said you seemed Parisian without ever having been there. But I love that you took what they said and completely ran with it. I can’t say I have a signature item, but I’m definitely on the lookout for one now. I love that you keep yours for special occasions when you know you’ll need it. It keeps the signature item special when it’s not your everyday bag.
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