057: One Night in Paris
How I spent two days in my favourite city
When your best friend messages you on a random Saturday asking if you want to join her on her upcoming trip to Paris… the only answer is a fuck yes. And that’s how I recently spent two days in my favourite city.
I left with a new lease on life, the most refreshing Universelle Buly body oil, and the most incredible trench coat from The Frankie Shop, perfect for the upcoming spring season. Keep reading for my diary entry on those two days!
DAY ONE
I took the 6 a.m. Eurostar train to arrive first thing in the morning, as I wanted to maximise the two days I had. Paris has a way of reminding me that there is more to life than what is inside my head. The culture and history burst from every seam of the city, and it always serves as a refresher when I have fallen into the mundanity of the day-to-day.
Wishlist Shopping
The first day was spent window shopping and building wishlists by trying on dream pieces. I made the mistake of following my curiosity and trying on the soft loafer from The Row, and of course, they bewitched me body and soul. I have been in the market for a rounder-toe loafer, as the pairs I wear most often have more of a square toe, and these were perfect. The shoe instantly melded to my feet, and the comfort was unmatched with the buttery soft leather.
Unfortunately, I had to walk away in an attempt at financial discipline (hope you’re proud, Dad), and I had two other goal buys for the trip, so it made sense not to fall at the first hurdle. However, one day I will make these shoes mine—I have declared it now!
I also stumbled across the brand Liberowe while walking around, and the coat below stopped me in my tracks. The brand is known for its tailoring and craftsmanship, which is evident in the design of their clothing.
As a lover of small yet impactful details that elevate clothing from simple to spectacular, I was drawn to the multiple button closures as well as the Nehru collar of their Imperial coat. It is described as being inspired by the Maharajahs, which is clear in the regal nature it embodies, and naturally, it found its way onto my ever-growing wishlist.
Outfit of the day
When it came to my outfits, a short trip meant bringing out the most impactful pieces to create looks that were simple in execution but intentional in their performance. My COS tailored trousers were perfect for this—I love the sharpness of the tailoring for a polished touch, while the wide leg adds an air of casualness that makes them more suited to everyday wear.
I paired them with my Groes shirt, which has quickly become a new favourite in my wardrobe. The blue colour is incredibly crisp and satisfies me in the same way as an ice-cold glass of water. I sized up and got an M to achieve a similar effect to the COS trousers—relaxed tailoring that makes the outfit feel less uniform and a lot more me.
For accessories, my Loewe bag was perfect, allowing me to carry everything I needed in the most adorable package, both functional and fashionable. My Aeyde pumps have a similar effect, and at this point, they’re begging me to put them down—but I wear my clothes, okay!!
Dinner Outfit
Dinner was at Lapérouse, which delivered on its beautiful interior decor. The food was just okay, but I’ll take any excuse to dress up. I decided my vintage Akris evening jacket (similar here and here) would pair beautifully with my vintage corduroy corset skirt.
I finished off the look with my Bottega Veneta Punta pumps, which made me feel equal parts sophisticated and sexy.
DAY TWO
For our second day in Paris, I was set on achieving my two shopping goals: a trench coat from The Frankie Shop and a body oil from Universelle Buly. The only change I made to my outfit was swapping in my navy Uniqlo lambswool jumper, layered over a white COS T-shirt. Simple yet effective.
The Frankie Shop
Our first stop was The Frankie Shop, where I was reminded why this was one of my favourite brands when I was first figuring out my style. As a lover of all things relaxed in silhouette yet refined in their finishing, I’ve always admired how they have perfected this balance. I love that they specialise in tailoring while maintaining mostly oversized silhouettes throughout their collections.
This is a brand that resonates with me deeply and helped shape my style philosophy: low-effort yet high-impact dressing, focusing on tailoring and details to elevate a look. Reconnecting with it reminded me why I love clothing and getting dressed—something I hadn’t realised I needed.
When the sun decided to grace us in the UK for all of two minutes last week, I made the shocking realisation that I don’t own a trench coat. I used to have one from Weekday, but after years of wear and tear, it became too tired to wear and had to be recycled. That left a gap in my wardrobe I’ve been desperate to fill, which guided my Frankie Shop search.
I knew I wanted a darker-coloured trench with a more cropped silhouette to complement the mostly wide-leg trousers I own. With both criteria mapped out, I picked up every trench that caught my eye and headed to the changing room.
The first trench I tried on was the Albert short trench in beige. I loved the effortlessly oversized look it gave me, as well as its mid-length cut. The contrasting sleeves were also a nice touch, with the permanently rolled-up effect adding to its appeal. Unfortunately, it was slightly too oversized, so I decided to pass on this one.
The second option was the Arlington short trench in black. I was getting closer—the dark colour and even more cropped length were exactly what I was looking for. However, something about the way it fell wasn’t the most flattering on me. I kept adjusting the fastening to make it work, and as I’ve said time and time again, effortlessness is the name of the game.
With that, I decided to put it back and hoped my last option would be the one.
Like Goldilocks, the third one was just right. The Mads cropped trench ticked every box and immediately swept me off my feet. The length was perfect, hitting right at my waist and creating the most flattering shape overall. It had the ideal amount of oversized fit—enough to make an impact without feeling ill-fitting.
I was instantly styling it in my head with other pieces from my wardrobe and knew it would slot perfectly into the wider ecosystem of my clothes. With that, I pulled the trigger and walked away with an incredibly exciting purchase. Get ready to see it in many outfit posts to come!
Officine Universelle Buly
Lastly, I visited Officine Universelle Buly to finally get my hands on their famous body oils. The goal was to find something fresh and light, perfect for welcoming the upcoming warmer months, and not too overwhelming when paired with my perfume of the day.
After many sniffs, I settled on the Huile Antique body oil in Andean Verbena and Ulu Basil. It’s a sweet, green scent that reminds me of the freshness of summer mornings, sipping a crisp iced drink to cool down.
I’m excited to see if it also helps soften my skin, as it would make a lovely addition to my body care routine. I’ll be sure to keep you posted!
It was the perfect two days to catch up with my friend and be inspired by the city and everything we saw around us. Paris, you have my heart, and I can’t wait to be back this coming April.
I hope you all have a lovely week, and I'll speak to you soon!
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I am proud of your ability to NOT fall at the first hurdle!!
And the impromtu trips tradition lives on!!!