First Shopping Trip

Today I set out on my first real attempt at purchasing clothing. Mostly, I just needed a pair of black dressy boots….but I was not against other purchases if the opportunity presented itself.  :)


To tell you the truth, I was terrified of shopping by myself. My French is still pretty nonexistent. I can say, “May I try this on?” and “I would like to pay by credit card” and “No thanks, I’m just looking”. But, if someone says something in return to me, I am at a loss.

I had to give myself a sort of pep talk before I left. It went something like: Alright Jody, what is the worst thing that can happen? Someone tells you to leave their store? You aren’t able to purchase any boots? You have to tell someone you can’t speak French? Really, none of those things are the end of the world. What are you so afraid of? Get over it and get your booty out there.

This is me after my pep talk:

I decided that it was best to start my first Parisian shopping trip with something that felt familiar.  What could feel more familiar than a mall?!  So, I headed to Les Forum Des Halles, pictured below.

It is a bit creepy because it is all underground. I don’t really suggest it to those of you who come and just spend a few days in Paris. It has some nice stores, and some bargain prices, but I can see how it could become seedy at night. Dustin’s coworkers assured me that it was safe to go to during the day. I agree…but wouldn’t push my luck at night.

Anyway, I started by going into a couple of shoe stores, but I didn’t really see anything like what I was looking for. And then I saw it. H&M. OK, I know what you are thinking. Why would you go to H&M? We have those at home! But when you find yourself in a place where you can’t speak the language, a store you’ve been in before is quite comforting. So, in I went.

After browsing a bit, I had collected a pair of black boots (score!), a purse, and a top. I got all three for a total of 70€. Not a bad deal! I didn’t even have to say more than, “Bonjour!”. This may sound silly, but I was feeling quite accomplished as I left the store.

I wandered through a few other shops and found a black coat for 29€. Why not? I’m supposed to be wearing black if I want to fit in, so I figured it was a good purchase to make. Besides, I felt a bit out of place this week when I travelled to class in my turquoise coat. I stuck out like a sore thumb. It was like I had a sign on my forehead saying, “AMERICAN COMING THROUGH!”

After I made my purchases (Yes, everything I bought was black or gray), I wandered out of the mall and decided to check out what was around the mall. I stumbled across this church and sat outside of it for a bit. It was a nice end to a successful afternoon of shopping.

Here are some pictures of my purchases. Can you believe I got everything for under 100€? I may not look as good as these slender, long-legged French women, but my bank account and my husband are happy!