Stop number 3 was equally as dismal.
Frip Irium:
2 La Verrerie
Paris - 4th arrondissement
By dismal I mean uncomfortably crowded. No leg room. No arm room. No nothing room.
I guess I shouldn't be surprised. My husband and I have often discussed the fact that Europe is set up like a sexist, old-fashioned institution. To be more specific, shopping here is a real bitch if you don't have someone who stays at home during the week and is hence, able to shop during a week day.
Stores (yes, even grocery stores) open late, close early and most have no hours at all on Sunday. (I miss you 24-hour/7-day-a-week America!) That means, if you are a 2-person working family (like most here are), the only time you can really shop is after work (if you're lucky enough to make it there before they close)...or Saturday.
I despise shopping in Europe during those windows.
It is something I avoid at all costs. (And yes, something that I am now, in some ways unfortunately, able to do...)
More often than not, people are in a hurry, pushy, and to my southern belle dismay, often impolite. People actually run up against me and yes, it's true, don't even say excuse me. It's a shocker, I know.
Some boutique stores are open on Sunday - but they are few and far between (sometimes nil) in the more non-touristy areas (like where I live). But in Paris, a lot more of the boutiques (meaning smaller, independently owned shops) are open on Sunday.
Anyway, I'm rambling. The point is weekend shopping is crowded in Europe, and these vintage stores were no exception.
My judgment of them is probably not fair being as I was there on the weekend. I should give them another shot before I rant so harshly -- during a week day.
Nonetheless, the entire parisian vintage shopping experience has given me an idea. My next mission if you will. I'll post the rest of the Parisian vintage store pics, then I'll fill you in.
Oh, oh! Something positive about Frip Irium...the woman working there -- perhaps the owner-- was very kind. Since I only saw one piece of jewelry in the store, I asked her if there were perhaps items I wasn't seeing. She sent me to Vintage Store Number 4. High end label lovers, prepare yourselves...
More photos after this jump....
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