Strolling In St. Germain

left bank style

We’d been shooting outfits all morning around Jardin du Luxembourg and Place St. Sulpice and were getting hungry. Le Monsieur suggested a small cafe at a nearby corner, Le Bon Saint Pourçain and the limited menu written on the chalkboard (no printed menus) boded well. Sure enough, the meal was fantastic, simple but creative, with fresh, flavorful ingredients. And just as we were ordering, who should walk up but Alber Elbaz! He and his friend were seated at the next table. He’d dyed his hair bright red, and seemed happy and chatty. It was a memorable meal all around.

strolling near St. Sulpice

Wearing: scarf (similar) | earrings (similar) | tank | jacket (similar) |
jeans (similar) | bag | sandals (similar)

Alexander McQueen scarf, Hermès bracelet

This scarf is Alexander McQueen, from a few seasons back. It was one of those coup de foudre purchases that I’ve never regretted. I still swoon a little bit every time I look at that print, and it really carries an outfit.

streets of St. Germain

All photos by Carla Coulson.

Have you ever had one of those serendipitous meals?

Scarves that make the outfit…

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32 Comments

  1. That scarf makes the outfit. Typically French. Very simple clothes, with a dramatic accessory.
    In the search for a good restaurant, a lack of printed menus is a clue that the dishes depend on which fresh ingredients are available that day. Always a good sign!
    I love the image of Alber Elbaz with red hair. He seems like such a fun guy–he projects a sweet, impish sense of humor. It’s really sad he isn’t at Lanvin any more. He really put them on the map.

  2. Wonderful photos! What a wonderful idea you had to have a professional photograph you. I would not be at all surprised if you are asked to model professionally.

  3. The photos are epic. My serendipitous meals have always been at Chez Paul on Place Dauphine. In the summer sitting outside and enjoying the sights along my favorite square–in the winter and late fall inside all nestled and cozy…Yeah…

  4. Serendipitous meal.. in Brescia, an industrial town in northern Italy, Ristorante Enrico VIII. It was a rainy winter evening and I was with intelligent, fun company. The good-humored waiter allowed me to try out my Italian speaking on him. The food was fantastic.

    The first and second photographs above are beautiful!

  5. As soon as I first saw these photos of you with the Rimbaud excerpt on the wall, I thought of Le Bon St Pourçain and wondered if you’d stopped in there. We had such a lovely lunch there last fall that we went back for another a few days later — food, presentation, ambience, service, all just splendid. So warm and understated and delicious. Exquisite plates.
    And I agree with all the comments on your appearance — you look beautiful and happy, a winning combo, in my opinion.

    1. Frances, yes it’s one of the better meals we had on this trip. I hope it’s still there next time we visit. And thank you!

  6. Wow you look so happy, relaxed and beautiful, Susan. What a treat to dress in lovely outfits and be photographed so so perfectly! The setting isn’t bad either! The scarf really can carry the outfit. These are lovely photos. <3
    Sally

  7. I looked up the Count St. Germain in the wee hours of this morning and here you are visiting his namesake town! Serendipitous?

  8. Oh yeah! Belovedest and I once dined next to Jean-Paul Gaultier… It was…. interesting…. And we once saw Salman Rushdie on the street, which almost stopped my heart; he’s one of my FAVORITE authors. Paris is a good place for that kind of encounter, isn’t it?

    And the scarf is perfect. A great scarf is worth a fortune, in terms of elevating everything around it, permanently, including our mood!

    hugs,
    Janice

  9. Plus Rimbaud’s “Le Bateau Ivre” right behind you!

    I used to live/work in Paris and once after a aleepless flight from the U.S. I worked all day and then had a dinner meeting at a nearby Italian restaurant (on Avenue Niel). By nine p.m. I was losing whatever brains I had left when who should sit down at the next table but Jacques Cousteau, known in France as le Commandant Cousteau. Apparently he lived in the neighborhood. I broke up laughing; all I could think was “How unbelievably French!”

    You look smashing in that outfit.

  10. Good idea to keep things for awhile and see… my dark, men’s style blazers left, but I think they work well with jeans. Every time I put mine on I had flashbacks 🙂 There are many other expressions between workwear and boho!