For restaurants check the Bib Gourmand recommendations by the Guide Michelin. They're mid-range places with good value for money. I've eaten in dozens of them all over Europe and have hardly ever been disappointed.

Be sure to visit one of the larger J.M Weston stores. There are many interesting stores in Paris though I'm not sure about their Ivy credentials. There is a store called Artumes & Co. whose jackets I find quite interesting, same can be said for Chato Lufsen who've carried on a bit of Arny's legacy. If vintage is of interest Chato also carry some items and Brut also have many interesting pieces. There is a considerable vintage scene but I'm afraid I can't point you to any names.

Last edited by Rivella (2023-01-17 15:49:32)

I remember picking up a wonderful Gentry sack from a Parisian vintage shop before. Obviously hit and miss but there may be a bit of good fortune if you look.

There is a high-end shop that sells bespoke J Keydge - I need to dig out the name. But could be worth a glance?

Straight from the owner:

The store I mentioned is  "jeanmanuelmoreau" (you may get more on instagram) address 3 rue Chambiges PARIS 8° near Av Montaigne.

So Paris was superb.

A few observations.

Quite a few well dressed older guys over there. Chunky soled Paraboots, long tweed overcoats and heavy cords. All wearing scarves in various styles.

There are still a large number of independent menswear stores. Nothing caught my eye specifically though.

Paraboot have at least three stand alone stores in the city centre. Surprisingly their shoes were more expensive there than in the UK- based upon a parity exchange rate.

Came across a stand alone Sebago shop that had a selection of clothes as well as their usual shoes. Great Ivy correct Madras shirt  from last season but only small sizes left.

Visited Hartford - an old brand from Russell Street days. Their style is exceptionally slim fit. Although they do an Ivy jacket they didn't have any in the store I visited. Managed to get a nice pocket polo though.

As in London there were a number of Vintage style stores. My daughter visited a few and was shocked by what now passes for vintage and also the prices.

Ran out of time to visit Anomotica.

One of the old Keydge stockists now does a similar jacket but with slimmer lapels. Plan to find out more.

Also, came across a lovely Lacoste boutique that had some great knitwear

^ I'm loving the sound of the outfit. Is the Burberry a golfer style jacket?

The place I wanted to check out was Michel Axel as I'm sure they do a sack style jacket and bright shetland style knits. Their insta feed provides occasional inspiration.

If you get chance check out the Paraboot Adonis with the thin rubber sole. It's a Weston split toe style loafer that's available in a lovely mid brown shade. Nothing like the heavy sole stuff we get over here.

Bon Chic, Bon Genre - a style I find fascinating, although there's so little documented about it sadly. Wealthy urban French (Parisians, lets be fair..) putting their own twist on the American and English preppy (inverted commas) looks. There's a 40-second snippet in one of the Clive James Postcards from.. Episodes that has only lent fuel to my fire in trying to find photographic examples of this style, beyond the era when Paul Weller had shares in Brylcream.

I always thought that the Village Gate (where I shopped mid to late 70s?) represented a departure from American Ivy towards a more continental French/Italian look (Scottish knitwear) although I think from memory the footwear on offer remained American.

Does the Lacoste boutique sell exclusively made in France clothes?

"Chunky soled Paraboots, long tweed overcoats and heavy cords. All wearing scarves in various styles" - wonderful

Would like to hear more about the Keydge-alike if you discover anything, too!

Tim, it´s always good fun to scroll through the "BCBG book" by Thierry Mantoux, especially the fashion chapters. It´s all there: the 501s, the Weston 180s, the Aldens, Church´s brogues, Sebago boat shoes, the Burlington socks, Burberry macs, Lacoste of course ...

''I do love the early Style Council a Paris/ Cafe Blu style. I genuinely think Weller nailed-it. That great herringbone Armani overcoat, tassel Weejuns, white 501's, fly font Mac, red Lacoste cardigan, mauve Smedley polo and the college scarf.''

Oh yes, indeed, along with Mick Talbot. All those mega 12''s and I remember Lenny Henry in a series saying in a slight, but not quite piss take, that he wanted to be an apprentice member of TSC. Happy days!

The world was opening up and we could still nonchalantly, although I had only been to Spain (the once) that I was a sophisticated European in tastes. Eclectic and yet, still from the English suburbs. Weller captured something of that zeitgeist.

I've been long enough away for England to seem very exotic to me now. Like being on holiday. Never ever thought that would be the case. It's weird. I'm the alien now.

^A Paris business trip was always good for fine dining at lunch time complete with good wines. You can't fault it.

Last business trip there was when the first lockdowns were starting, it was scary, as it all started to shut down and all the Covid signs on the motorways. Got stopped on crossing the border there for the first time by the militarized police seemingly a whole platoon of them. At the same time, a mucca of mine was getting out of Paris and he said it was like escape from New York.

Well, in view of the current shenanigans in Paris we have shelved our Easter trip there and put it off until July. They may have guillotined Macron by then!

Last edited by FlatSixC (2023-03-28 06:18:49)

Mrs Flat and I just had a few days in the City of Light. The main pursuit was galleries and modernist architecture so I didn’t spend much time scouting for clothes, however there was one visit to a Paraboot store. I was trying on the Rheims loafers, but the jury’s out on them. Plus, as Alvey has previously reported, they are cheaper in the UK. Very little Ivy wearing spotted, although I think French men are still much better dressed than their British counterparts, they haven’t slumped into the sportswear trough to the same extent, or got as fat. Our impression is that the French are perhaps less swayed by fashion trends and prefer to make their own looks. Burberry style double breasted trench raincoats remain a favourite for both sexes and I am resolved to make the most of mine this winter, even though I have a lurking suspicion that it is a fake- but its a good one if it is.  It was a pleasure to see young men wearing trench coats stylishly and old men in white jeans without a trace of self consciousness. We travel light so I was mainly in Chambray button downs, a brown JS herringbone jacket, cords or jeans, a Grenfell mac and Paraboots or dessies.
It pissed down most of the time. Has anyone found a telescopic umbrella that doesn’t self destruct on the second use?